Method of using a touch screen and user interface apparatus employing the same

Abstract

A user interface apparatus and method of using a touch screen are provided. The apparatus includes a touch screen division unit for dividing a screen area of the touch screen into zones, an allocation unit for allocating a user interface unit to each of the zones and a plurality of user interface units for sensing job commands input through the zones according to the allocation result of the allocation unit, wherein an operation corresponding to each of the sensed job commands is performed. Accordingly, since a plurality of users can simultaneously use an image-forming device by dividing the screen area of the touch screen into two or more zones, job processing time can be reduced, and a usage rate of a high specification image-forming device can be increased.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus having a touch screen, the apparatus comprising:
 a touch screen division unit for dividing a screen area of the touch screen into a plurality of zones, if a screen area division function is enabled which divides the screen area of the touch screen into the plurality of zones; and   an allocation unit for allocating respective user interfaces (UIs) to each of the plurality of zones.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a mode selection unit for receiving, via the touch screen, a mode selection that enables the screen area division function.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of zones are logically separated each other so as to independently display a user interface (UI) and to independently receive a gesture. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of zones display, on the respective UIs, one and more selectable objects corresponding to one and more executable operations of the apparatus, the operations are executed by operation unit included in the apparatus. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein when a first operation from among the operations is being executed, the plurality of zones deactivate at least one of a first object and a second object from among the selectable objects on the respective UIs, the first object corresponding to the first operation and the second object corresponding to a second operation which conflicts with the first operation. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the plurality of zones detect a gesture of selecting a third object and a gesture of selecting a forth object from among the selectable objects, the gestures are detected by different zones each other; and   the operation unit executes a third operation corresponding to the third object and a forth operation corresponding to the forth object at the same time.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the zones that detected the gestures display results of executing the third operation and forth operation respectively. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the touch screen division unit determines at least one of a number of the plurality of zones, sizes of the plurality of zones, shapes of the plurality of zones and an arrangement of the plurality of zones based on a user input. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the touch screen division unit displays, via the touch screen, at least one layout which represents a preview for the divided screen area. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the screen area is a part of the entire touch screen. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is included in one of a mobile device, a displaying device, a medical device and an image forming device. 
     
     
         30 . A method of using a touch screen, the method comprising:
 dividing a screen area of the touch screen into a plurality of zones, if a screen area division function is enabled which divides the screen area of the touch screen into the plurality of zones; and   allocating respective user interfaces (UIs) to each of the plurality of zones.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising receiving, via the touch screen, a mode selection that enables the screen area division function. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of zones are logically separated each other so as to independently display a user interface (UI) and to independently receive a gesture. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising displaying, on the respective UIs, one and more selectable objects corresponding to one and more executable operations, by the plurality of zones. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein when a first operation from among the operations is being executed, the plurality of zones deactivate at least one of a first object and a second object from among the selectable objects on the respective UIs, the first object corresponding to the first operation and the second object corresponding to a second operation which conflicts with the first operation. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the plurality of zones, a gesture of selecting a third object and a gesture of selecting a forth object from among the selectable objects, the gestures are detected by different zones each other; and   executing a third operation corresponding to the third object and a forth operation corresponding to the forth object at the same time   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising displaying, by the zones that detected the gestures, results of executing the third operation and forth operation respectively. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the dividing the screen area of the touch screen into the plurality of zones comprises determining at least one of a number of the plurality of zones, sizes of the plurality of zones, shapes of the plurality of zones and an arrangement of the plurality of zones based on a user input. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the method is performed in one of a mobile device, a displaying device, a medical device and an image forming device. 
     
     
         39 . A non-transitory computer readable recoding medium storing a computer readable program for executing the method of  claim 30 .