Method and apparatus for arranging a plurality of icons on a screen

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for arranging icons on a screen of a device, wherein a first device receives information about a layout of a plurality of icons displayed on a screen of a second device, and then displays the plurality of icons on a screen of the first device, based on the received information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display configured to provide a first screen;   communication circuitry configured to receive, from a server, screen layout information about a layout of visual display elements for a second screen displayed by another electronic device, the screen layout information comprising application information for identifying applications installed on the other electronic device corresponding to the visual display elements; and   a processor configured to control the display to provide the visual display elements on the first screen based on the screen layout information,   wherein the processor is further configured to determine, for each visual display element, whether the corresponding application is installed on the electronic device and to control the display so that a visual display element corresponding to an application installed on the electronic device is displayed on the first screen to have a first displaying form and a visual display element corresponding to an application installable, but not installed, on the electronic device is displayed on the first screen to have a second displaying form different than the first displaying form, and   wherein the processor is further configured to receive an instruction for installing an installable application in response to selecting of the corresponding visual display element.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first displaying form comprises a first color indicative that an application is installed and the second displaying form comprises a second color indicative that an application is not installed. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first displaying form comprises a first lightness indicative that an application is installed and the second displaying form comprises a second lightness indicative that an application is not installed. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first displaying form comprises a first brightness indicative that an application is installed and the second displaying form comprises a second brightness indicative that an application is not installed. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control the display so that the visual display element corresponding to an installable application is changed to have the first displaying form after the installable application is installed. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the screen layout information further comprises order information relating to an order for arranging the visual display elements on the second screen of the other electronic device and size information relating to respective sizes of the visual display elements. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device according to  claim 6 , wherein the size information comprises information about a number of horizontal and vertical cells for each respective visual display element. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when the communication circuitry receives changed screen layout information based on a change to at least one of arrangement and size of the visual display elements for the second screen of the other electronic device, the processor is configured to control the display to provide at least one changed visual display element on the first screen of the electronic device based on the received changed screen layout information.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the communication circuitry to access an account accessed by the other electronic device and the communication circuitry receives the screen layout information when the account is accessed. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program which, when executed by a processor of an electronic device including communication circuitry and a display configured to provide a first screen, cause the processor to control the electronic device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a server, via the communication circuitry, screen layout information about a layout of visual display elements for a second screen displayed by another electronic device, the screen layout information comprising application identification information for identifying applications installed on the other electronic device corresponding to the visual display elements; and   controlling the display to provide the visual display elements on the first screen based on the screen layout information,   wherein the operations further comprise:   determining, for each visual display element, whether the corresponding application is installed on the electronic device;   controlling the display so that a visual display element corresponding to an application installed on the electronic device is displayed on the first screen to have a first displaying form and a visual display element corresponding to an application installable, but not installed, on the electronic device is displayed on the first screen to have a second displaying form different than the first displaying form; and   receiving an instruction for installing an installable application in response to selecting of the corresponding visual display element.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the first displaying form comprises a first color indicative that an application is installed and the second displaying form comprises a second color indicative that an application is not installed. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the first displaying form comprises a first lightness indicative that an application is installed and the second displaying form comprises a second lightness indicative that an application is not installed. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the first displaying form comprises a first brightness indicative that an application is installed and the second displaying form comprises a second brightness indicative that an application is not installed. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the display is controlled so that the visual display element corresponding to an installable application is changed to have the first displaying form after the installable application is installed. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the screen layout information further comprises order information relating to an order for arranging the visual display elements on the second screen of the other electronic device and size information relating to respective sizes of the visual display elements. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the size information comprises information about a number of horizontal and vertical cells for each respective visual display element. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein
 when the communication circuitry receives changed screen layout information based on a change to at least one of arrangement and size of the visual display elements for the second screen of the other electronic device, the display is controlled to provide at least one changed visual display element on the first screen of the electronic device based on the received changed screen layout information.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the communication circuitry is controlled to access an account accessed by the other electronic device and the communication circuitry receives the screen layout information when the account is accessed. 
     
     
         19 . A method for an electronic device including a processor, communication circuitry and a display configured to provide a first screen, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a server, via the communication circuitry, screen layout information about a layout of visual display elements for a second screen displayed by another electronic device, the screen layout information comprising application identification information for identifying applications installed on the other electronic device corresponding to the visual display elements; and   controlling, by the processor, the display to provide the visual display elements on the first screen based on the screen layout information,   wherein the method further comprises:   determining, for each visual display element, whether the corresponding application is installed on the electronic device;   controlling the display so that a visual display element corresponding to an application installed on the electronic device is displayed on the first screen to have a first displaying form and a visual display element corresponding to an application installable, but not installed, on the electronic device is displayed on the first screen to have a second form different than the first form; and   receiving an instruction for installing, by the processor, an installable application in response to selecting of the corresponding visual display element.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first displaying form comprises a first color indicative that an application is installed and the second displaying form comprises a second color indicative that an application is not installed.