Electronic device and user interface display method thereof

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/048,219, filed on Apr. 27, 2008. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of specification.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a book-like user interface of the electronic device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Modern handheld electronic devices, such as mobile phones, smart phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), have operating systems whose user interfaces (UIs) are comparable to those of desktop personal computers (PCs). The UI of a handheld electronic device provides various functions and services to its user. Some of the functions and services are very popular and frequently used, such as web surfing, web searching, taking photos, displaying images and pictures, electronic map, calculator, dictionary, organizing contact information, and telephone communication.

Generally, these functions and services are accessible to users in the form of standalone applications, convenient widgets, or web pages. For beginners and casual users with little experiences of modern handheld electronic devices, the variety and complexity of the UI may appear confusing, even daunting. For example, some of the applications and widgets are located on a desktop area of the UI. Some of the applications and widgets are located on pop-up or pull-down menus. Some services are provided as web pages which have to be selected from the bookmarks of a web browser. Sometimes this distributed nature of the functions and services is irritating even to experienced users. Moreover, the operating actions required for starting a widget, an application, and a web page may be very different. The operating actions required to start an application on the desktop may be different from the operating actions required to start an application on a menu. Some applications and widgets may be assigned to deeply nestled menus, which are unobtrusive and difficult to find. All of these add to the difficulty and confusion of using the UI of a handheld electronic device.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a user interface display method for an electronic device. For example, the electronic device may be a handheld electronic device. The user interface display method displays a book-like UI of the handheld electronic device.

The present invention is also directed to the electronic device which executes the aforementioned user interface display method to display the book-like UI.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user interface display method for an electronic device is provided. The method includes the following steps. First, organize a plurality of computer programs and a web browser executable on the electronic device into a virtual book. Each page of the virtual book includes a user interface of one of the computer programs or a web page displayed by the web browser. Next, display one of the pages as a current page so that the user interface or the web page of the current page is accessible to a user of the electronic device.

The user interface display method may further include interpreting an operating action of the user as flipping the virtual book or operating the current page. The interpreting of the operating action may be based on whether the operating action is performed on a display or a flip bar of the electronic device. Alternatively, the interpreting of the operating action may be based on whether the operating action includes a first predetermined action or a second predetermined action.

The user interface display method may further include displaying an idle screen when the electronic device is idle. The idle screen includes a cover and a thickness of the virtual book. The idle screen may include at least one of a current date, a current time, and an event notification. The event notification may represent a missed telephone call, an unread message, or a schedule notification.

The idle screen may further include a predetermined object representing a screen lock function. The screen lock function may be deactivated by a predetermined operating action of the user on the predetermined object.

The user interface display method may further include displaying a dialog box in a form of a sticky note attached to the virtual book, wherein the dialog box includes an event notification. The event notification may represent an incoming e-mail, an incoming phone call, or a low voltage level of a battery of the electronic device. If several events occur when the electronic device is idle, notifications of all the events are displayed together in the dialog box.

The user interface display method may further include uncovering a part of the current page to reveal a menu beneath the current page in response to an operating action of the user. The operating action includes pressing a button. The button may be a physical button installed on the electronic device, a touch button implemented on a touch panel of the electronic device, or a virtual button displayed on the current page.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a touch sensor and a display. The electronic device organizes a plurality of computer programs and a web browser executable on the electronic device into a virtual book. Each page of the virtual book includes a user interface of one of the computer programs or a web page displayed by the web browser. The electronic device displays one of the pages as a current page on the display so that the user interface or the web page of the current page is accessible to a user of the electronic device. Moreover, the electronic device senses movement and/or pressure caused by the user on the touch sensor and interprets the movement and/or the pressure as an operating action of the user on the virtual book.

The electronic device may further include a flip bar. The touch sensor covers the display and includes the flip bar. The electronic device senses the operating action on the display or the flip bar and interprets the operating action as flipping the virtual book or operating the current page. The electronic device may interpret the operating action according to whether the operating action is performed on the display or the flip bar. Alternatively, the electronic device may interpret the operating action according to whether the operating action includes a first predetermined action or a second predetermined action.

The touch sensor of the electronic device may include a single touch panel. In this case, the touch panel covers the display and also extends beyond the boundary of the display. The extended portion of the touch panel includes the flip bar.

Alternatively, the touch sensor of the electronic device may include two touch panels. In this case, the first touch panel covers the display and the second touch panel includes the flip bar.