Touch screen device and method of displaying and selecting menus thereof

Abstract

A touch screen device and method for displaying and selecting menus thereof are provided. The touch screen device includes a screen with a display for displaying menu images thereon and a detector for detecting a touch on a screen, and a controller which displays one or more menu bars on the screen. Each of the menu bars may have an expanded portion at one end thereof, and the menu bars may be displayed such that the expanded portions are arranged in a zigzag pattern to facilitate menu selection and reduce input errors. When two or more menu bars are erroneously touched, the controller may enlarge and display the touched menus so that a new touch input for the correct menu can be easily made. Thus, menus displayed on the touch screen may be arranged for easy selection, and input errors may be easily corrected.

1 . A method of displaying and selecting a plurality of menus on a touch screen device, the method comprising:
 representing each of the menus as a menu bar including an expanded portion at one end thereof; and   displaying the menu bars on the touch screen device such that the expanded portions are arranged in an alternating pattern.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the expanded portion of each menu bar comprises an active portion of the menu bar through which a corresponding menu selection may be made. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a bar portion of each menu bar also comprises an active portion of the menu bar through which a corresponding menu selection may be made. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising selecting and executing one of the plurality of menus by touching the expanded portion of the corresponding menu bar. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein displaying the menu bars comprises displaying the menu bars in a horizontal or a vertical direction. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of text or an icon is displayed on the menu bar. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the menu bars further comprises arranging the menu bars in a descending order based on a number of touches on the respective menu bars. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating a touch area corresponding to a touch detected on a touch screen of the touch screen device; and   executing a menu corresponding to one of the plurality of menu bars if the calculated touch area is greater than a predetermined touch area, or requesting a new touch input if the calculated touch area is less than the predetermined touch area.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein requesting a new touch input comprises enlarging and displaying two or more of the plurality of menu bars, and requesting a new touch input to select one of the enlarged two or more menu bars. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising executing an uppermost of the enlarged two or more menu bars if the new touch input is received in an upper half of the touch screen, and executing a lowermost of the enlarged two or more menu bars if the new touch input is received in a lower half of the touch screen. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising returning to a previous arrangement of the plurality of menu bars if the new touch input is not received within a predetermined amount of time. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising returning to a previous arrangement of the plurality of menu bars if the new touch input is received in any area outside of an active area of the enlarged two or more menu bars within predetermined amount of time. 
   
   
       13 . A touch screen device, comprising:
 a screen including a display configured to display menu images thereon and a detector configured to detect a touch on a screen; and   a controller configured to display one or more menu bars, the menu bars each having an expanded portion at one end portion thereof and the menu bars each representing a corresponding selection menu, wherein the controller is configured to display the menu bars on the screen such that the expanded portions are arranged in an alternating pattern.   
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a count extractor configured to count a number of touches on the menu bars. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to change an arrangement order of the menu bars displayed on the screen in accordance with the number of touches on the menu bars. 
   
   
       16 . A method of displaying and selecting menus on a touch screen device, the method comprising:
 detecting an initial touch input on a screen;   detecting whether two or more menus are touched at the same time;   when two or more menus are touched at the same time by the initial touch input, displaying the two or more touched menus; and   executing a menu corresponding to a new touch input for one of the displayed menus.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 calculating proportions of touched areas of the two or more touched menus to a whole touch area; and   if the proportion of a touched area of a menu is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, determining that only that menu has been touched and executing the corresponding menu.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein displaying the two or more touched menus comprises enlarging images of the two or more touched menus. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the menus is represented as a menu bar including an expanded portion formed at one end thereof, and wherein the menu bars are displayed such that the expanded portions are arranged in a zigzag pattern. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the expanded portions comprise active portions of the corresponding menus. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein bar portions of the menus also comprise active portions of the corresponding menus. 
   
   
       22 . A touch screen device, comprising:
 a screen including a display configured to display menu images thereon and a detector configured to detect an initial touch input; and   a controller configured to control operation of the device based on the initial touch input detected by the detector, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether two or more menus are touched at the same time, to display the two or more menus if two or more menus are touched at the same time, and to execute a selected menu when a new touch input is detected.   
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate proportions of touched areas of the touched menus to a whole touch area and, if the proportion of a specific menu is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, to determine that only the specific menu has been touched. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the controller is configured to enlarge and display the two or more menus. 
   
   
       25 . Digital equipment comprising the touch screen device of  claim 13 . 
   
   
       26 . The digital equipment of  claim 25 , wherein the digital equipment is an MP3 player, a PMP, a PDA, a mobile telephone, a notebook computer, or a portable navigation terminal. 
   
   
       27 . Digital equipment comprising the touch screen device of  claim 22 . 
   
   
       28 . The digital equipment of  claim 27 , wherein the digital equipment comprises an MP3 player, a PMP, a PDA, a mobile telephone, a notebook computer, or a portable navigation terminal.