Touch screen device and method of selecting files thereon

Abstract

A touch screen device and a method of operation are provided. The device and method allow for scrolling and selection of files from a file list, and for skipping or reversing an execution order of the selected files simply by performing a drag on a touch screen. The method of selecting files on the touch screen device includes detecting a diagonal drag on a screen, selecting file(s) included within a corresponding range, and skipping file(s) within the range. The method may also include changing an execution order of the selected file(s) when a drag with a return trajectory is detected. The method may also include scrolling through the file list in accordance with a direction and speed of the drag. The device and method allows a plurality of files to be selected and skipped at a time, and a desired file to be rapidly and easily located.

1 . A method of selecting files on a touch screen, comprising:
 detecting a touch drag on a screen;   detecting a file list included within a range corresponding to a touch drag trajectory of the detected touch drag; and   marking the detected file list for a subsequent execution action.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting a drag on a touch screen comprises detecting an initial touch and a touch movement on the screen, and wherein the drag trajectory corresponds to a direction of the touch movement. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein marking the detected filed list for a subsequent execution action comprises skipping files included in the detected file list. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein marking the detected file list for a subsequent execution action comprises changing an execution order of files in the detected file list. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the range corresponding to the touch drag trajectory is a range defined by a rectangle with a diagonal equal to a straight line which connects a start point and a release point of the touch drag. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the touch drag trajectory is a return trajectory; and   changing an execution order of files in the detected file list if it is determined that the touch drag trajectory is a return trajectory, wherein the detected file list is within a range corresponding to a rectangle with a diagonal equal to a maximum distance of the touch drag trajectory.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein changing an execution order of files in the detected file list comprises rearranging the execution order of the files in accordance with user preferences. 
   
   
       8 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein changing an execution order of the files in the detected file list comprises reversing an execution order of the files included in the detected file list. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising changing an appearance or a background color of the files included in the detected file list. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein changing an appearance of the files included in the detected file list includes changing at least one of a size, a letter color, or a background color of the files included in the detected file list. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the files included in the detected file list are one of an audio file, a video file, or a graphic file. 
   
   
       12 . A method of selecting files on a touch screen, comprising:
 detecting a touch and a touch drag on a screen;   determining a direction and a speed of the touch drag; and   scrolling a file list displayed on the screen based on the determined direction and speed of the drag.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 stopping the scrolling if a release of the touch is detected.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the direction and speed of the drag are based on a touch point and a release point of the touch on the screen, and a time taken to move between the touch point and the release point. 
   
   
       15 . A touch screen device, comprising:
 a screen including a display configured to display a file list thereon and a detector configured to detect a touch on a screen; and   a controller configured to control operation of the device based on the touch on the screen detected by the detector, wherein, when a drag is detected on the screen, the controller is configured to skip files in the file list included within a range corresponding to an associated drag trajectory and to execute files adjacent the skipped files.   
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the drag trajectory is a return trajectory, and to change an execution order of files in the file list if the drag trajectory is a return trajectory. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the drag trajectory is a return trajectory if a touch release point is substantially the same as an initial touch point. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to change an execution order of files within a range in the file list corresponding to the drag trajectory if the drag trajectory is a return trajectory. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to reverse an execution order of files in the file list if the drag trajectory is a return trajectory. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to rearrange an execution order of the files in the file list in accordance with user preferences if the drag trajectory is a return trajectory. 
   
   
       21 . A touch screen device, comprising:
 a screen including a display configured to display a file list thereon and a detector configured to detect a touch and a drag on a screen; and   a controller configured to control operation of the device based on the touch and the drag on the screen detected by the detector, to determine a direction and a speed of the drag, and to scroll the file list based on the determined direction and speed of the drag.   
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a release of the touch and to stop the scroll if the touch is released. 
   
   
       23 . Digital equipment comprising the touch screen device of  claim 15 . 
   
   
       24 . The digital equipment of  claim 23 , wherein the digital equipment is an MP3 player, a PMP, a PDA, a notebook computer, a mobile communication terminal, or a portable navigation terminal. 
   
   
       25 . Digital equipment comprising the touch screen device of  claim 21 . 
   
   
       26 . The digital equipment of  claim 25 , wherein the digital equipment is an MP3 player, a PMP, a PDA, a notebook computer, a mobile communication terminal, or a portable navigation terminal.