Method of controlling a list scroll bar and an electronic device using the same

Abstract

A method controls a list scroll bar, including displaying a partial area of a list having at least one first item, and a first list scroll bar to scroll the list; expanding and displaying a first index area having at least one first index corresponding to the at least one first item in the first list scroll bar; downscaling a second index area having at least one second index corresponding to at least one second item different from the at least one first item and displaying a representative second index representing the second index area in the first list scroll bar; and upon detecting a gesture to select the representative second index, expanding and displaying the second index area in the first list scroll bar while downscaling the first index area and displaying a representative first index representing the first index area in the first list scroll bar.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a first list scroll bar, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a screen, a partial area of a list that includes at least one first item formed of at least one of characters, numbers, and symbols, and the first list scroll bar to scroll the list;   expanding and displaying, on the screen, a first index area that includes at least one first index corresponding to the at least one first item in the first list scroll bar;   downscaling at least one second index area that includes at least one second index corresponding to at least one second item different from the at least one first item and displaying, on the screen, a representative second index that represents the second index area in the first list scroll bar; and   in response to detecting a gesture to select the representative second index, expanding and displaying, on the screen, the second index area in the first list scroll bar while downscaling the first index area and displaying, on the screen, a representative first index that represents the first index area in the first list scroll bar.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first index is sequentially arranged and displayed in the first index area; and
 the at least one second index is sequentially arranged and displayed in the second index area.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first and second items include at least one of first language items, second language items, number items, and symbol items. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to detecting scrolling across the first index area including the at least one first index, scrolling and displaying the list according to the detected scrolling across the first index area; and   in response to detecting scrolling across the second index area including the at least one second index, scrolling and displaying the list according to the detected scrolling across the second index area.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to detecting a gesture to select one of the at least one first index, displaying the list by jumping over to the selected first index; and   in response to detecting a gesture to select one of the at least one second index, displaying the list by jumping over to the selected second index.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when expanding and displaying the first index area, displaying all of the at least one first index in the first list scroll bar; and   when expanding and displaying the second index area, displaying all of the at least one second index in the first list scroll bar.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the representative first index is a first index or a last index among the at least one first index sequentially arranged in a first predetermined order; and
 wherein the representative second index is a first index or a last index among the at least one second index sequentially arranged in a second predetermined order.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gesture is a dragging over the first index area to the representative second index, or a touch on the representative second index. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to detecting the gesture to select the representative second index, expanding and displaying the second index area in a second list scroll bar different from the first list scroll bar.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the at least one first item displayed on the screen is changed to the at least one second item by scrolling of the list, expanding and displaying the second index area in the first list scroll bar while downscaling the first index area and displaying the representative first index that represents the first index area in the first list scroll bar.   
     
     
         11 . An electronic device having a first list scroll bar, the electronic device comprising:
 a display unit for displaying a screen;   a controller for:
 displaying, on the screen, a partial area of a list that includes at least one first item formed of at least one of characters, numbers, and symbols, and the first list scroll bar to scroll the list; 
 expanding and displaying, on the screen, a first index area that includes at least one first index corresponding to the at least one first item in the first list scroll bar; 
 downscaling at least one second index area that includes at least one second index corresponding to at least one second item different from the at least one first item and displaying, on the screen, a representative second index that represents the second index area in the first list scroll bar; and 
 in response to detecting a gesture to select the representative second index, expanding and displaying, on the screen, the second index area in the first list scroll bar while downscaling the first index area and displaying, on the screen, a representative first index that represents the first index area in the first list scroll bar; and 
   a storage for storing the at least one first item and the at least one second item.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one first index is sequentially arranged and displayed in the first index area; and the at least one second index is sequentially arranged and displayed in the second index area. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one first and second items include at least one of first language items, second language items, number items, and symbol items. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the controller:
 in response to detecting scrolling across the first index area including the at least one first index, scrolls and displays the list according to the detected scrolling across the first index area; and   in response to detecting scrolling across the second index area including the at least one second index, scrolls and displays the list according to the detected scrolling across the second index area.   
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the controller:
 in response to detecting a gesture to select one of the at least one first index, displays the list by jumping over to the selected first index; and   in response to detecting a gesture to select one of the at least one second index, displays the list by jumping over to the selected second index.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the controller:
 when expanding and displaying the first index area, displays all of the at least one first index in the first list scroll bar; and   when expanding and displaying the second index area, displays all of the at least one second index in the first list scroll bar.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the representative first index is a first index or a last index among the at least one first index sequentially arranged in a first predetermined order: and
 wherein the representative second index is a first index or a last index among the at least one second index sequentially arranged in a second predetermined order.   
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the gesture is a dragging over the first index area to the representative second index, or a touch on the representative second index. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the controller, in response to detecting the gesture to select the representative second index, expands and displays the second index area in a second list scroll bar different from the first list scroll bar. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the controller, if the at least one first item displayed on the screen is changed to the at least one second item by scrolling of the list, expands and displays the second index area in the first list scroll bar while downscaling the first index area and displaying the representative first index that represents the first index area in the first list scroll bar.