Scrolling method of mobile terminal and apparatus for performing the same

Abstract

A scrolling method and apparatus devices having display screens such as a mobile terminal. When a first image on a screen cannot be moved in a direction by a touch input, a region of the first image is modified in response to the touch input and the modified image is subsequently restored to the first image after the touch is released or a preset amount of time passes. The modification of the region of the image provides an indication that is fed back to the user so that the end or last part of the image is displayed and cannot be moved further, so that undesired repetitive touch input can be prevented.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A scrolling method of a mobile terminal comprising:
 displaying a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of a display screen; 
 receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in a downward direction corresponding to a downward direction of movement of the touch input; 
 in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the downward direction corresponding to the downward direction of the touch input, modifying a displaying region of a first item of the plurality of user-selectable items such that a top edge of the displaying region of the first item remains fixed to a top edge of the defined area of the display screen while maintaining a size of other items of the plurality of user-selectable items, and a display position of a text indicating a name of the first item is moved within the first item away from a boundary of the first item towards a center of the first item; and 
 restoring the modified displaying region of the first item on the display screen in further response to an event. 
 
     
     
       2. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the touch input is a first touch input when an acceleration of a touch point at a time when a touch is released from the display is less than a preset threshold, and is a second touch input when the acceleration of the touch point at the time when the touch is released from the display is equal to or higher than the preset threshold,
 wherein a bottommost item of the displayed user-selectable items is removed from display to accommodate modifying the displaying region of the first item, and 
 wherein further responsive to the touch input for scrolling, the text is further moved within the first item away from a first set of two boundaries of the first item while maintaining original distances from a second set of two different boundaries of the first item. 
 
     
     
       3. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 2 , wherein the event for restoring the modified displaying region of the first item is an event of the first touch input being released or an event of a preset time lapsing after the second touch input is released. 
     
     
       4. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the display position of the text is changed by expanding at least one of a space between the text and an upper edge of the first item, and a space between the text and a lower edge of the first item. 
     
     
       5. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying comprises reducing a size of the displaying regions of the remaining items except for the modified items, in response to the expanded size of the displaying regions of the modified items. 
     
     
       6. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 5 , wherein the reducing a size of the displaying regions of the remaining items comprises reducing the size of the displaying regions of the remaining items irregularly by a different ratio. 
     
     
       7. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying of the displaying region of the first item comprises modifying a size of the displaying region of the first item. 
     
     
       8. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in an upward direction corresponding to an upward direction of movement of the touch input; 
 modifying a displaying region of a last item of the plurality of user-selectable items such that a bottom edge of the displaying region of the last item remains fixed to a bottom edge of the defined area of the display screen in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the upward direction corresponding to the upward direction of the touch input; and 
 restoring the modified displaying region of the last item on the display screen. 
 
     
     
       9. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 8 , wherein the modifying of the displaying region of the last item comprises modifying a size of the displaying region of the last item. 
     
     
       10. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 modifying a size of a displaying region of a third item located adjacent to the last item concurrently with modifying of the size of the last item such that an amount of size change applied to the third item is less than an amount of size change applied to the last item. 
 
     
     
       11. The scrolling method of  claim 1 , wherein the user-selectable items are templates of a webpage. 
     
     
       12. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a touch screen; 
 a processor; and 
 a memory operatively connected to the touch screen and the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
 control the touch screen to display a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of a display screen, 
 in response to receiving a touch input, via the touch screen, for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in a downward direction corresponding to the downward direction of movement of the touch input, modify a displaying region of a first item of the plurality of user-selectable items such that a top edge of the displaying region of the first item remains fixed to a top edge of the defined area of the display screen while maintaining a size of other items of the plurality of user-selectable items, and a display position of a text indicating a name of the first item is moved within the first item away from a boundary of the first item towards a center of the first item, and 
 restore the modified displaying region of the first item on the display screen in further response to an event. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the touch input is a first touch input when an acceleration of a touch point at a time when a touch is released is less than a preset threshold, and is a second touch input when the acceleration of the touch point at the time when the touch is released is equal to or higher than the preset threshold, and
 wherein a bottommost item of the displayed user-selectable items is removed from display to accommodate modifying the displaying region of the first item, and 
 wherein the text is moved within the first item away from a first set of two boundaries of the first item while maintaining original distances from a second set of two different boundaries of the first item. 
 
     
     
       14. The mobile terminal of  claim 13 , wherein the event for restoring the modified displaying region of the first item is an event of the first touch input being released, or an event of a preset time lapsing after the second touch input is released. 
     
     
       15. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the display position of the text is changed by expanding at least one of a space between the text and an upper edge of the first item, and a space between the text and a lower edge of the first item. 
     
     
       16. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to reduce a size of the displaying regions of the remaining items except for the modified items, in response to the expanded size of the displaying regions of the modified items. 
     
     
       17. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to modify a size of the displaying region of the first item. 
     
     
       18. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to receive a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in an upward direction corresponding to an upward direction of a touch input, modifies a displaying region of a last item of the plurality of user-selectable items such that a bottom edge of the displaying region of the last item remains fixed to a bottom edge of the defined area of the display screen in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the upward direction corresponding to the upward direction of the touch input, and restoring the modified displaying region of the last item on the display screen. 
     
     
       19. A scrolling method of a mobile terminal comprising:
 displaying a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of a display screen, wherein the plurality of user-selectable items are arranged in columns;   receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items in a lateral direction corresponding to a lateral direction of a user's touch;   expanding a first gap between a first column and a second column while maintaining a first distance between a first side edge of the first column and a second side edge of the defined area of the display screen, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the lateral direction;   reducing a second distance between a third side edge of a last column and a fourth side edge of the defined area opposite the second side edge, so as to accommodate the expanded first gap; and   restoring the first gap between the first column and the second column on the display screen to an original size in further response to an event.   
     
     
       20. The scrolling method of  claim 19 , wherein the touch input is a first touch input when an acceleration of a touch point at a time when a touch is released from the display screen is less than a preset threshold, and is a second touch input when the acceleration of the touch point at the time when the touch is released from the display screen is equal to or higher than the preset threshold. 
     
     
       21. The scrolling method of  claim 20 , wherein the event for restoring the first gap is an event of the first touch input being released or an event of a preset time lapsing after the second touch input is released. 
     
     
       22. The scrolling method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 expanding a second gap between the second column and a third column, wherein the first gap and the second gap are expanded by a same ratio.   
     
     
       23. The scrolling method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 expanding a second gap between the second column and a third column, wherein the first gap and the second gap are expanded by a different ratio.   
     
     
       24. The scrolling method of  claim 19 , further indicating to the user that the plurality of user-selectable items cannot be scrolled further by maintaining the first distance between the first side edge of the first column and the second side edge of the defined area of the display screen. 
     
     
       25. The scrolling method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 reducing the second distance between the third side edge of the last column and the fourth side edge of the defined area to zero; and   removing, from the defined area of the display screen, at least a portion of user-selectable items in the last column, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the lateral direction.   
     
     
       26. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a touch screen;   a processor; and   a memory operatively connected to the touch screen and the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
 control the touch screen to display a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of the touch screen, wherein the plurality of user-selectable items are arranged in columns; 
 receive, via the touch screen, a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items in a lateral direction corresponding to a lateral direction of a user's touch; 
 expand a first gap between a first column and a second column while maintaining a first distance between a first side edge of the first column and a second side edge of the defined area of the touch screen, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the touch screen cannot be scrolled further in the lateral direction; 
 reduce a second distance between a third side edge of a last column and a fourth side edge of the defined area opposite the second side edge, so as to accommodate the expanded first gap; and 
 restore the first gap between the first column and the second column displayed on the touch screen to an original size in further response to an event. 
   
     
     
       27. The mobile terminal of  claim 26 , wherein the touch input is a first touch input when an acceleration of a touch point at a time when a touch is released from the touch screen is less than a preset threshold, and is a second touch input when the acceleration of the touch point at the time when the touch is released from the touch screen is equal to or higher than the preset threshold. 
     
     
       28. The mobile terminal of  claim 27 , wherein the event for restoring the first gap is an event of the first touch input being released or an event of a preset time lapsing after the second touch input is released. 
     
     
       29. The mobile terminal of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 expand a second gap between the second column and a third column, wherein the first gap and the second gap are expanded by a same ratio.   
     
     
       30. The mobile terminal of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 expand a second gap between the second column and a third column, wherein the first gap and the second gap are expanded by a different ratio.   
     
     
       31. The mobile terminal of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions include instructions that cause the processor to indicate to the user that the plurality of user-selectable items cannot be scrolled further by maintaining the first distance between the first side edge of the first column and the second side edge of the defined area of the touch screen. 
     
     
       32. The mobile terminal of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 reduce the second distance between the third side edge of the last column and the fourth side edge of the defined area to zero; and   remove, from the defined area of the touch screen, at least a portion of user-selectable items in the last column, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the touch screen cannot be scrolled further in the lateral direction.