KR100855023B1 - Method and device for automatically selecting a frame for display - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the display of multi-frame based information of a device, such as a mobile terminal, wherein a proper definition of a frame is a display area of a scrollable application when the entire content cannot be displayed at once. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for selecting a frame to display one or more of a plurality of displayed or retrieved plurality of frames displayed as an active frame. The method includes determining total data content and displayed data content for each frame, calculating a ratio of the determined data content and the determined displayed data content for each of the frames and for displaying as an active frame. Selecting the frame having the largest ratio.

Multi Frame, Auto Frame Selection, Scrolling

Description

Method and device for automatically selecting a frame for display

The present invention relates to the display of multi-frame based information of a device, such as a mobile terminal, wherein a suitable definition of a frame is a display area of a scrollable application when the entire content cannot be displayed at once. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for selecting one or more of a plurality of received or retrieved frames to be displayed to be displayed as an active frame.

Frames are an important way of providing information. An example is the HTML standard, which almost all browsers support frames. A frame is a design solution used as an example of a web browser that allows a web page designer to divide a web browser view or window into several regions, each of which independently represents the content of a specific HTML page. I can show you. The design solution is often used to define permanent areas at the top or left of the view or window for navigation elements such as links. According to the HTML language, a web page designer can define the size of a frame in terms of percentage of pixels in the overall view or size of the window. Frames are used such that one frame displays navigation information (hyperlink). These frames are usually at the top or left of the page. On the right is a larger frame that contains the actual information of the page. Typical browsers such as Netscape and Internet Explorer do not automatically configure the activation frame, but the user must select it to activate the frame.

Recently, this frame support is also being applied to browsers on mobile devices. Web pages that have been designed for large PC screens are often annoying for devices with small screens. Reading web pages on small screens may require a lot of scrolling input. Selecting an activation frame on mobile devices is not as easy as a desktop computer. Thus, the usefulness of such a browser will increase if an activation frame is automatically selected. Pages with frames are difficult to handle because each frame needs to be scrolled independently, especially on small screen devices, and if these frames do not fit on a small screen, the screen is filled with small, framed areas with very small scroll bars. Gets cold. Standard web browsers typically focus on the top left frame by default (i.e. select the active frame). Thus, when the user attempts to scroll pages with scroll keys, the frame in the upper left corner of the page begins to scroll. However, this frame typically shows a small HTML page with several links, so scrolling does not benefit the user. Another approach used as an example of the Nokia Communicator's browser is to automatically select the largest frame as the active frame.

To scroll the main content of a framed page, the user must find out which frame has the content that interests him most, which is not easy when all the frames are small, and the user shifts the focus directly to that frame. You have to. Until now, there has been no easy way to move the focus from one frame to another with a touchscreen or mouse-oriented device, and the user has to tap on that frame to scroll the frame. This makes searching slow and inefficient.

All the above methods for configuring the focus on any frame of received multi-frame data are not generally suitable for the use of mobile terminals such as mobile phones or portable computers, since these portable devices use small screens or screens. to be.

Therefore, it is desirable to have a method and apparatus that simplifies the use of information-based frames in a mobile terminal based on an environment without the above limitations due to a reduced screen size and a reduced user input interface.

It is further desirable to have a browser architecture that can reduce these problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for automatically selecting a frame displayed as an activation frame in a terminal is provided. The method comprises the steps of determining the total data content and the amount of data content displayed or viewed for each frame, calculating the ratio of the data content and the displayed data content for each frame and displaying the active frames. Selecting a frame having the largest ratio.

By determining the total data content and the amount of data content displayed or shown for each frame, the attributes and features of each frame can be obtained.

By calculating a ratio of the total data content to the displayed data content for each frame, an indicator for scrollability of the respective frames is calculated. Scrollability may also be defined as the real visibility of the frame, ie a value that indicates how much of the total content is actually visible in the frame. If the entire content is shown in a frame, scrolling the frame is generally not possible.

By selecting a frame having the largest said ratio for display as an activation frame, the frame that the user may need to scroll the most is selected as the activation frame because it contains the most hidden information. The method presented above automatically focuses on the frame that shows the least amount of its content if more than one frame is displayed.

It should be noted that the method according to the invention can be used for any kind of program and applications that use frames.

The benefit to the user from the present invention is that when initiating multi-frame data such as a web page, the user automatically activates or selects the frame that is most scrollable. Thus, the user does not need to select a frame by touching the view, but can immediately retrieve the activated frame using the scroll keys.

One embodiment of the invention further comprises the step of selecting at least one frame having the largest proportion of the frames to display an active frame if one or more of the frames are calculated to have the same maximum ratio. Include. The selection may be based on random selection or the position of the frames or the size of the frames. It is also possible to enable two frames to scroll in parallel.

Another embodiment of the present invention further includes re-scaling the frames to a standardized frame size prior to determining the data content. Thus, the size of the frame and the size of the text (eg, Pica 9 and 2 inch frame sizes) can provide some standardized frame size and standardized frame content. This is particularly useful if, for example, an auto scaling function ensures that text in a frame can be read definitively. This feature is also useful if all inactive windows are automatically suppressed, ie not displayed. This ensures that resized frames or windows are always scrollable windows. Thus, a frame or window that has been resized or resized is no longer scrolled due to rescaling.

Another embodiment of the present invention further includes pre-sorting and pre-selecting the frames prior to determining the data content. However, another embodiment of the present invention further includes recoding the frames prior to determining the data content. Thus, similar basis for different frames is generally created with different content. Similar data content can also be derived from frames with other types of data, such as for example, comparing the data content of an ASCII text file with bitmap data, picture data or compressed data.

Another embodiment of the invention further comprises suppressing the display of the frames with the smallest said ratio. The information in the frames with the most content may be used in other ways in the user interface, such as visually highlighting the active frame, expanding the frame size, or allowing only the frame with the most content to be seen. Unselected frames may be suppressed in size or color or display.

Another embodiment of the present invention further includes the step of aligning the frames for display according to the calculated ratio. The information in the frames with the most content may be used in other ways in the user interface, such as visually highlighting the active frame, expanding the frame size, or allowing only the frame with the most content to be seen. In this case, the user can move the focus from one window to the next, in order of decreasing content ratio.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the browser program performs the above method. In particular, but not limited to, the invention may be applied to the Internet or web browsers to automatically display or shift the focus to the frame with the highest scrollability. It should be noted that the method is also usable for any kind of programs that use frames.

In another embodiment of the present invention, further comprising receiving at least two frames for display. The at least two frames displayed may be received from a storage medium or server or any other data source. The data source may present the data as, for example, an HTML or Extensible Markup Language (XML) page provided with other frames. The data source may provide data as, for example, a Wireless Markup Language (WML) page provided with other frames.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a software tool comprising program code means for executing the aforementioned method when the program product is executed on a device.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product for the execution of the aforementioned method is provided. It includes program code means for performing each step of the methods when the program product is run on a device.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a terminal capable of automatically selecting a frame displayed as an activation frame is provided. The terminal includes a data interface configured to access the frames, and a central processing unit, a display, a user interface, and an evaluation component.

In the terminal, the central processing unit is connected to the data interface unit and the display unit, respectively. The data interface unit is configured to receive data indicative of data frames, and the central processing unit is configured to provide the display unit with data which can be displayed. The calculation unit is connected to the central processing unit. The calculator is configured to determine the amount of total data content and the amount of data content displayed or shown for each received frame. The calculator is further configured to calculate the ratio of the total data content to the data content displayed for each frame, and is configured to control the central processing unit to select frames having the largest ratio displayed as the active frame. The present invention also provides a terminal comprising components for causing the terminal to perform the methods disclosed in the above description.

In another embodiment of the terminal, the terminal is a mobile terminal, such as a portable palmtop computer or a mobile visual display device.

Another embodiment of the terminal further comprises a mobile phone. Another embodiment of the terminal further includes a personal digital assistant. In particular, in terminal applications with extremely limited display sizes, the present invention can be used to optimize access to information based frames.

In yet another embodiment of the terminal, the data interface unit is provided by a web browser, a wired interface, or a wireless interface for a communication network. The present invention provides access optimized for the general data formats of the Internet, which typically helps to mean mobile Internet access.

1 is a flow chart of a method for selecting an activation frame, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram illustrating different display contents for visually representing the results of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a flow chart of a method for selecting an activation frame, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. For example, when a web page is launched and it contains one or more frames, it would be helpful to the user if the frame that was most likely scrolled by the user was activated. This feature simplifies the use of mobile terminals and saves the user from the complicated frame activation input, especially when browsing web pages.

The method determines 42 the total data content and the displayed data content for each frame. This may be implemented by a web browser (or a specific calculator) that calculates the size of each frame in pixels and calculates the size of each HTML page that is launched by default for that frame. This may also determine the amount of ASCII characters included or displayed, for example, as another possible example.

Next, for each frame the ratio of the total data content to the displayed or displayed data content is calculated. The browser calculates which frame is the smallest in proportion to the size of the HTML page being launched, which frame represents the least amount of its content.

Then, the frame having the largest ratio, that is, the frame which shows the least of its contents, is displayed as the active frame. In other words, the browser places the focus on that frame by default.

Thus, when the user launches a web page, the focus is placed on the frame that the user is most likely to scroll to. The present invention is based on the concept that the frame with the most content to be scrolled becomes the frame that the user is most likely to scroll to. If this prediction is correct, the user does not have to perform any input to select a frame, but only use scroll keys to retrieve the frame.

The present invention can also be performed even if a single frame is displayed or received. In this case, however, only one received frame is selected as the active frame.

The method may be extended by receiving at least two frames displayed prior to determining the total data content and the displayed data content for each (received) frame. The frames can be received or retrieved from a memory device or a remote server.

2 is a diagram illustrating different display contents for visually representing the results of the present invention. The present invention provides a method for finding the most relevant frame among a number of frames. The method proposed by the present invention is as follows. When launching a page or browser window 2 that includes frames 4, 6, 8, and 10, the browser application calculates the size (in pixels or other units) of each of frames 4, 6, 8, and 10. If the standard display screen 22 appears without using the present invention, the standard browser window 2 discloses a number of frames 4, 6, 8 and 10. In the case presented above, frame 4 shows all the content of that frame, as indicated by the scroll bar that appears. Frame 6 shows approximately 1/5 of the content, which can be seen by the extension of the scroll box located to the right of frame 6. Frame 10 shows approximately 1/10 of the content, which can be seen by the stretching of the scroll boxes located in the scroll bars located to the right of frame 10 and below frame 8. Frame 8 shows approximately 1/3 of the content.

Devices such as browser applications calculate the size of each content loaded in frames 4, 6, 8, and 10 (e.g. html files and all other files contained therein (pictures, other html files, etc.). ) Kilobytes or other units). The calculated values determine the size of the scroll bars that provide the necessary information. That is, the window containing the most content can be scrolled as well as the smallest scroll box in the scroll bar. Accordingly, the browser calculates which frame among frames 4, 6, 8 and 10 shows the least amount of its content and automatically activates the frame (here frame 8).

For example, by visually emphasizing the activation frame, or by expanding the frame size, the information that many content can be used in different ways in different ways in the illustrated user interface allows the user to see only the activation frame.

To indicate that frame 8 is selected as the active frame on display screen 24, the frame is highlighted with a bold line, such as frame 18. The other frames 4, 6 and 10 remain unchanged.

The frame size of the selected frame 8 can also be extended to allow the user to see only one frame selected as the active frame with much content. This situation is shown on display screen 26. Frame 8 is highlighted and expanded as frame 28.

On display screen 26, frame 28 may be rescaled to represent a frame with only one scroll bar. The rescale procedure can be easily implemented in the case of text content. The rescaling procedure of removing one of the scroll bars allows the user to switch frames in the order of decreasing respective ratio representing the scrollable value using a joystick type button.

In the extended frame 28, a small button or icon 30 is provided in the scrollbar to enable switching between the frames 2, 4, 6, 10 and 28 that eventually expand. This can be controlled, for example, by a key such as "#". This may in combination cause different keys to select focus from one window to the next. In this case, the order is frames 2, 4, 6, 10 and 28 of decreasing content ratio and the display screen 22 of the entire combination.

3 is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the mobile terminal 50 may automatically select to display the frame as an active frame. Mobile device 50 includes data interface 60 configured to connect with data source 62 or 64. The data interface 60 is configured to receive or retrieve data representing known data frames from Internet pages, web sites, and the like. Thus, the data source may be an internal data medium 62 of a server or mobile terminal connected via a communication network. The mobile terminal may be a reader that can only access data stored in a frame-based data structure.

The central processing unit 52 executes a browser application to enable user interaction with the frame-based data, and provides frame-based data to the display unit 54 connected to the central processing unit 52.

The device also has a user interface 56 so that the user can access the data provided in the frame in user interaction, that is, the user can view the data provided in the frame.

The mobile terminal further includes an evaluation component 58 connected to the central processing unit 52.

The calculator 58 is configured to determine, for each received frame, the amount of total data content contained within the frame and the amount of data content displayed, i.e., displayed within, the frame. The calculation unit 58 is also configured to calculate the ratio of the total data contents to the data contents shown for each frame. The ratio for each frame is presented as a value representing the visibility of the content. The less content is shown, the more content the user can scroll within the frame. In other words, visibility and scrollability are inversely related to each other.

The calculation unit 58 is also configured to control the central processing unit 52 to select the frames having the largest ratio displayed as the activation frames.

The activation frame may be displayed as a highlighted frame or a frame highlighted by another color or animation, as shown in FIG. 2.

It is also possible to implement a mobile terminal having a calculator 58. Here, the calculation unit 58 is implemented in the central processing unit 52. It may also be possible to implement the calculator 58 by a software application running on the central processor 52.

By this method, the frame that the user most wants to read or scroll to is automatically activated, and the user can easily scroll the content. The method is also easy to implement and does not require extensive calculations. The present invention improves user convenience in a mobile web browser device.

The present invention provides all the components necessary to significantly improve the usability of an electronic device in viewing multi-frame based data and information.

So far I looked at the center of the preferred embodiment for the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential features of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

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Claims (14)

A method for automatically selecting a frame displayed as an activation frame on a device, Determining total data content and displayed data content for each frame; Calculating a ratio of the determined data content and the determined displayed data content for each frame; Selecting a frame having the largest said ratio for displaying as an active frame. The method of claim 1, When it is determined that one or more of the frames have the same maximum ratio, selecting at least one of the frames having the maximum ratio for display as an active frame. The method of claim 1, Prior to determining the data content, further comprising re-scaling the frames to a standardized frame size. The method of claim 1, Prior to the step of determining the data content, the method further comprising pre-selecting text-based frames of the frames. The method of claim 1, Suppressing the display of said frame (s) having a minimum calculated ratio (s). The method of claim 1, Aligning the frames for display according to the calculated ratios. The method of claim 1, Said method being performed by a web browser program. The method of claim 1, Receiving at least two frames for display. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program product, the computer program product comprising program codes for executing the method of claim 1 when executed by the apparatus. A terminal device capable of automatically selecting a frame displayed as an activation frame, A data interface unit; A central processing unit; A display unit; A user interface unit, The central processing unit is connected to the data interface unit, the user interface unit and the display unit, The data interface unit is configured to receive data indicative of data frames, the central processing unit is configured to provide data to the display unit which can be displayed as frames, Further comprising a calculation unit connected to the central processing unit, The calculator is configured to determine the total data content and the amount of data content displayed for each received frame, The calculator is configured to calculate a ratio of the data content and the displayed data content for each frame; And the calculating unit is configured to control the central processing unit to select frames having a maximum ratio for displaying as an active frame. The method of claim 10, And the terminal device is a mobile terminal device. The method of claim 10, The device further comprises a mobile phone. The method of claim 10, The device further comprises a personal digital assistant. The method of claim 10, And the data interface unit is a wireless interface for a communication network.

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