KR20060028161A - Apparatus and method for providing graphic user interface in which the movement of selector is defined - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined. The present invention relates to a method for moving a selector by a Z-shaped selector movement rule in order to effectively select various objects displayed on a screen of a digital TV. An apparatus and method are provided for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector's movement rules are defined.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for providing a graphical user interface in which a rule for moving a selector is defined may include a command receiver for receiving a move command of a selector for focusing on an object on the graphical user interface, and a movement of the received selector. And a determination unit for determining an object to be focused by the selector according to the arrangement of the command and the object group, and a display unit for outputting the object focused by the selector using the graphical user interface.

Selector, object

Description

Apparatus and method for providing graphic user interface in which the movement of selector is defined}

1 is a view showing the evolution of digital information appliances.

2 is a diagram illustrating an input device including a direction input key.

3 is a diagram illustrating content selection or menu movement according to a conventional method.

4 is a block diagram of an apparatus for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of providing a graphic user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating a movement path of a selector within the same object group according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a diagram illustrating a movement path of a selector when an invalid object exists in the same object group according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

8 to 9 are diagrams illustrating movement paths of a selector moving to another object group according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

410: command receiving unit 420: determination unit

430: display unit 440: timer

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined. More particularly, the present invention relates to a zigzag selector movement rule for effectively selecting various objects displayed on a screen of a digital TV. An apparatus and method for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule for moving a selector is defined are provided.

In the past, the Internet, which was confined to a specific class, has been widely spread through the implementation of the web, which has influenced the digital industry as a whole. Internet-based services and content distributed through the Internet have become the yardstick for the digital industry in the 21st century. In addition, as the multimedia of contents has been realized through the high speed of the internet network, mobile phones, PDAs, notebooks, etc., multimedia has become an essential rather than an option.

Meanwhile, the concept of computer-based information communication is changing to the concept of ubiquitous. Ubiquitous is a Latin word meaning that it exists anytime and anywhere, and it means an information and communication environment in which a user can freely access a network regardless of a network or a computer.

1 illustrates the evolution of digital information appliances. The 1980s was the era of computing networks, where personal computers (PCs), laptops, mainframe computers and workstations exchanged information over networks. This has been limited in its use, such as laboratories or offices. But in the 1990s, the Internet grew. As a result, interest in homestations has gradually increased, and the Internet, which has been limited to research institutes and offices, has also been introduced to individuals and homes.

In the 2000s, the development of wireless networks has become prominent, and the transmission speed of wired networks has grown dramatically. As a result, as mentioned above, the distribution of large-capacity multimedia contents is in full swing, and research on digital broadcasting is actively progressing. In addition, some services are reaching commercialization. On the other hand, many home appliances are changing to information appliances under the ubiquitous concept. Now, digital information can be sent and received not only through computers and workstations, but also through digital TVs, mobile phones, video phones, and smartphones, and between home appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves, and air conditioners, under the concept of home network and ubiquitous. It is now possible to send and receive information.

Digital TVs provide various functions in addition to the content providing function of the conventional analog TV. It provides many functions as the center of digital home appliances such as digital broadcasting reception, electronic program guide (EPG), two-way communication, and the Internet, and it is also possible to take charge of server functions in a ubiquitous environment. Recently, Internet functions have been added to digital TVs, and a Java virtual machine and a user interface (UI) for using the Internet have been developed. Digital broadcasting provides high quality / high quality, multi-channel, two-way connection and internet access through broadcasting. An interactive connection enables an interactive service that transmits a variety of multimedia information with the broadcast and the user actively participates in it.

In order to spread interactive TV services, various applications and revenue generation must be achieved. On the other hand, Java technology can be applied to digital TV to develop more dynamic multimedia applications than HTML.

In order to provide the above functions, the input method of the TV has many limitations. The conventional remote control (Remote Control, hereinafter referred to as a remote control) having only simple functions such as channel change and volume control has difficulty in fully utilizing the functions of a digital TV.

In particular, in connection with the reception of the electronic program guide, the Internet, and digital broadcasting, many menu switching is required to use various various functions. On the other hand, digital TV is mainly used for remote control in that it is controlled at a long distance, and it is difficult to utilize a touch screen in a mouse or a PDA in a computer. Therefore, there is a need for a method of efficiently utilizing the functions of the digital TV through the direction movement or input of a specific button provided by the remote control.

2 shows an input device including a direction input key. The remote controller 10 has a direction input key 500. In FIG. 2, the direction input key 500 moves a cursor, a focus, and a screen in up, down, left, and right directions. Similar functions are jog shuttles 601 and 602. It receives directional input via the wheel, such as up, down, left, or right. The jog shuttle was viewed from above at 601 and from the side at 602. Digital devices that employ remote controls, keypads, or jog shuttles offer simplicity and convenience with these directional input keys.

The use of digital TVs with these direction inputs should be considered usability. There are two main types of usefulness. Easy use and Intuitive use.

Ease of use is to allow the user to make minimal input or to easily use a function. The problem of ease of use in the digital TV is a case where a large amount of input may be required when performing a function through a direction input of a remote controller or a jog shuttle. Therefore, it is important to provide many functions while reducing the number of inputs.

Intuition of use means that if a function is performed or if there is a result for an input, the function or result is the result that the user expected. For example, if you press the left side while viewing a menu, the screen moves to the left side or the menu on the left side is selected. When the user selects a function, the result is a function that the user can intuitively understand, or providing such output increases the intuitiveness of use.

3 is a diagram illustrating content selection or menu movement according to a conventional method. 3 shows that the screen changes to the screens 101, 102, and 103 as the menu is selected. The left part of the screen 100 shows the currently selected menu. Initially, it starts at the top level menu, so it goes from menu 01 to menu 05. The right side shows a lower menu or a content list when a menu is focused between the menu 01 and the menu 05 using the up and down input keys. If you select the right direction key again or rotate the jog shuttle to the right, you can perform the selection from the submenu or the content list. In the screen 101, menu 03.02 is selected (S10). As a result, as shown on the 102 screen, the left sub screen has the menu 03.02 selected, and the right screen has the sub menus 03.02.01, 03.02.02, 03.02.03, 03.02.04, 03.02.05 which are the submenus that make up the menu 03.02. It consists of. Although not shown on the 102 screen, there are sub menus until 03.02.06, 03.02.07, 03.02.08, 03.02.09, and 03.02.10. Here, when the navigation is performed up and down on the right screen and the selector is moved to the 03.02.05 menu, pressing the down input key again or rotating the jog shuttle downward is the same as 103 (S20).

Referring to the menu navigation of Figure 3, the user's input is repeatedly moved in a predetermined direction in accordance with a given function or menu. This can be monotonous for the user. In addition, in a situation where a large number of functions are provided through a digital TV and a large number of channels and information are provided, performing input more than 10 times to select a channel or information does not satisfy user convenience. In addition, in order to effectively arrange information on one screen, as shown in FIG. 3, only moving in the up, down, left, and right directions is less efficient.

In order to select content or move menus in a digital device, an input device capable of moving a large pointer such as a mouse may be used, or a direction input device such as a direction key of a remote controller or a keyboard or a keypad or a jog shuttle may be used. However, an input device such as a mouse is limited to a computer and is difficult to use for other digital devices. On the other hand, the direction keys and the jog shuttle have limitations in performing directional input and navigation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a graphic user interface in which a selector movement rule for moving a selector is defined by a zigzag selector movement rule in order to effectively select various objects displayed on a screen of a digital TV.

The object of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned object, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a command receiver for receiving a move command of a selector for focusing on an object on the graphical user interface; And a determiner configured to determine an object to be focused by the selector according to a movement command of the selector and an arrangement of an object group, and a display unit to output an object focused by the selector using the graphical user interface.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined, the method comprising: receiving a selector move command for focusing on an object on the graphical user interface; And determining, by the selector, an object to be focused according to the arrangement of the object group, and outputting the object focused by the selector using the graphical user interface.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 is a block diagram of an apparatus for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The apparatus for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined includes a command receiver 410, a determiner 420, a display 430, and a timer 440.

The command receiving unit 410 serves to receive a move command of the selector for focusing on an object on the graphical user interface.

Here, an object is a unit of code induced by a process, and performs its own function according to a user's command. In a graphical user interface, an object includes a button, an edit box, a combo box, a check box, a list box, and a list box. Each item, menu item, window, and the like are included.

In addition, the selector corresponds to a cursor that enables focusing of an object according to a user's movement command.

When the user transmits a move command of the selector by wire or wirelessly using a direction button or a jog shuttle provided in a remote controller or a keypad, the command receiving unit 410 receives it and transmits it to the determination unit 420.

When the selector 420 receives the selector's move command from the command receiver 410, the determiner 420 determines the selector's moving path according to the selector's move command and the arrangement of the object group output through the current display unit 430. Determine the object to be focused.

Here, the object group refers to a collection of objects of the same kind. In the present invention, the object group refers to a collection of objects in which rows and columns fit and have the same size. For example, when a plurality of buttons having the same size are arranged in a row and column state, one object group is formed, and one or more buttons arranged in different rows and columns form another object group. Object groups are distinguished according to the size, shape, and arrangement of objects as described above, but may be configured according to a user's selection.

The determination unit 420 distinguishes the case where the object group including the object currently focused by the selector and the case where the object group including the object to be focused by the selector do not match with the case where the selector does not match. Determine.

If the object group including the current selector is the same as the object group including the selector after moving the selector, the selector is moved one space in the move command direction. Here, one column refers to a distance from a position of an object that is in contact with an object currently focused by the selector in an object group such as a set of buttons, a set of list items, or a set of table items that match rows and columns. However, there may be no object or a deactivated object at the position where the selector is moved. In this case, the selector is moved one more space in the moving direction. This process is performed until the selector focuses a valid object. If a valid object does not appear at the end of the object group, when a valid object appears in a zigzag form around the end of the object group and the position where the selector started to move. Continue to search.

At this time, the zigzag object search is performed only by a continuous move command of the selector. If the selector is moved by the move command and it takes a certain time until the next move command, the position of the current selector is bounded by the zigzag movement boundary. Is updated. The time interval between the move commands is preferably between 1 second and 10 seconds.

The timer 440 is used to time the next move command after receiving the move command, and the determination unit 420 determines whether to update the position of the selector with reference to the timer 440.

On the other hand, if the object group including the current selector and the object group including the selector after moving the selector are not the same, the object group including the current selector is divided into two parts perpendicularly to the boundary between the object groups and the current selector among the object groups after moving the selector The object at the end in the direction of the divided object group comprising a is focused by the selector. For example, when two object groups are currently adjacent up and down, the selector is focusing on the top object of the lower object group, and the selector is located on the left side of the lower object group divided left and right, Move up to focus the object on the far left of the above object group by the selector.

The display unit 430 outputs an object focused by the selector using a graphic user interface.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of providing a graphic user interface in which a selector movement rule is defined according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When the command receiving unit 410 receives the move command of the selector (S510), the determination unit 420 checks whether the object group to which the selector moves is the same as the object group including the current self (S520). If the result of the inspection is that the same object group, the selector is moved one space in the direction of movement by the command (S530), and it is checked whether the selected object is a valid object (S540). If the object is a valid object, the object is focused using the selector (S550) and output to the screen through the display unit 430 (S560). However, if it is not a valid object, it is checked whether the current selector is located at the end of the object group (S570). If it is not at the end, the selector is moved one space again (S530). At this time, the zigzag movement is made between the position of the selector that received the initial movement command and the end of the object group, and the position of the selector is updated when the time interval between the movement commands is longer than a predetermined time.

If the object group to which the selector is to move is not the same as the object group including the current selector, the object group including the current selector is divided into two parts perpendicularly to the boundary between the object groups (S590), and on either side of the object group in which the selector is divided. Check whether there is (S600). Thus, an object located at the end of the same direction in which the current selector is located among the object groups to which the selector is moved is selected, and the selector is moved (S610), focused, and output to the screen (S560).

6 is a diagram illustrating a movement path of a selector within the same object group according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

6 shows the movement path of the selector according to the command in the right direction. The selector moves one space to the right according to the move command. After moving two spaces from the initial position, the selector reaches the end of the object group. At this time, the selector moves to the space immediately below the position where the initial movement command is received, and then moves along the zigzag movement path by repeating the above process with respect to the subsequent movement command.

In the drawing, the solid arrows indicate the movement paths of the selector, and are indicated by dots on valid objects in the movement path of the selector.

For reference, in the present embodiment, after the selector reaches the end of the object group, the selector moves to a cell immediately below the position where the initial moving command is received. May be selected.

7 is a diagram illustrating a movement path of a selector when an invalid object exists in the same object group according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, even when an invalid object (object without object or inactivated object) exists in the selector's moving path, the selector's moving path is determined as shown in FIG. 6.

8 to 9 are diagrams illustrating movement paths of a selector moving to another object group according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 8, the selector moves to the left according to the movement command to the left direction and reaches the end of the object group, so that the selector moves in a zigzag form as shown in FIG. 6 or 7, and in FIG. 9, the selector moves to the end of the object group in a straight direction. Move. Then, to determine the movement path at the boundary between the object group to which it belongs and another object group, divide the object group to which it belongs vertically perpendicular to the boundary between the object groups, and check which side of the divided object group the selector is. . Thus, an object located at the end of the same direction in which the current selector is located among the object group to which the selector is moved is selected and focused by the selector. In FIG. 8, since the position of the selector is on the left side of the divided object group, the object on the left of the object group to which the selector is to be moved is selected and focused.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive.

According to the apparatus and method for providing a graphical user interface in which a selector movement rule of the present invention is defined as described above, there are one or more of the following effects.

First, in order to effectively select various objects displayed on the screen of a digital TV, there is an advantage of providing an intuitive graphical user interface by a user by moving the selector according to a zigzag selector movement rule.

Second, the selector's movement rule is applied only by successive selector movement commands, thereby providing a selective movement path to the user.

Claims (7)

A command receiver for receiving a move command of a selector for focusing on an object on a graphical user interface; A determination unit to determine an object to be focused by the selector according to the movement command of the selector and the arrangement of the object group; And And a display unit for outputting an object focused by the selector using the graphical user interface. The method of claim 1, The determination unit When the object at the position of the selector and the object group of the position where the selector is to move are in a row or column, the selector for searching for the focusable object in a zigzag form bordering the position of the selector and the end object in the moving direction. A device that provides a graphical user interface with defined rules of movement. The method of claim 1, The determination unit If the object group at the position of the selector and the object group of the position to which the selector is to move does not match the row or column, the selector of the object group divided into two by dividing the object group at the position of the selector; And a graphic user interface in which a selector's movement rule is defined to determine an object to be focused by the selector according to the object group. The method of claim 2, The position of the selector And a selector movement rule defined by the selector to be updated to a position of an object currently focused by the selector after a predetermined time has passed after receiving the selector's move command. Receiving a move command of a selector for focusing on an object on the graphical user interface; Determining an object to be focused by the selector according to the movement command of the selector and the arrangement of the object group; And And outputting an object focused by the selector using the graphical user interface. The method of claim 5, The determining of the object to be focused by the selector Checking whether the object at the position of the selector and the object group of the position at which the selector is to move are aligned with each other in a row or column; Searching for an object capable of focusing in a zigzag form bordering an end object in a moving direction and a position of the selector when the row or column of the object group is correct; And And dividing the object group at the position of the selector by dividing the object group at the position of the selector if the row or column of the object group does not match to determine an object to be focused by the selector according to an object group including the selector among the divided object groups. A method for providing a graphical user interface with defined selector movement rules. The method of claim 6, The position of the selector And a rule of movement of the selector is defined which is updated to a position of an object currently focused by the selector after a predetermined time has passed after receiving the selector's movement command.

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