Device and method for organizing and displaying instant messages in various structured fashions

1. A device for organizing and displaying messages, the device comprising a processor, the processor being configured to:

set a plurality of layout modes for organizing and displaying the messages exchanged among devices in a structured fashion;

determine a layout mode for a chatting session among the plurality of layout modes;

display messages included in the chatting session in the determined layout mode; and

adjust the textbox-widths of all messages whenever a predetermined event occurs,

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a reference message at each occurrence of the event; and

display all messages in hierarchical structured fashion based on the determined reference message,

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a reference width and a reference depth of the reference message at each occurrence of the event; and

adjust the textbox-widths of the remaining message using the determined reference width and the reference depth,

wherein the processor calculates the reference-width by using equations

T k =ƒ intra ( t k 1 ,t k 2 ,t k 3 , . . . ,t k s ),  (i)

where t k 1 , t k 2 , t k 3 , . . . , and t k s indicate corresponding text-length of respective messages having k in depth, k=0, 1, 2, . . . , n−1, n, n+1, . . . , d, wherein d indicates a depth of textbox of a message, wherein the depth of the textbox indicates amount of indentations applied to the branch message, T k is a value of text-length calculated by function ƒ intra for messages having k in depth, and

R=ƒ intra ( T 0 ,T 1 ,T 2 , . . . ,T d ),  (ii)

where R is the reference-width for all messages, R of the reference-width being calculated by function ƒ inter for T 0 , T 1 , T 2 , . . . , and T d , wherein T 0 , T 1 , T 2 , . . . , and T d each indicate corresponding text-length of respective messages having k in depth,

wherein the processor calculates the reference-depth by using equation n=ƒ RDE (T 0 , T 1 , T 2 , . . . , T d ), where n is the reference-depth for all messages, n of the reference-depth being calculated by function ƒ RDE by determining the reference-depth from 0 thru d in depth, where the reference-depth is calculated to be determined among depths of messages each corresponding to T 0 , T 1 , T 2 , . . . , and T d , and

wherein the processor adjusts textbox-widths of all messages based on the determined reference-width and the determined reference-depth, by setting textbox-width at the determined reference-depth n into R of the reference width, in order to display all messages according to the determined layout mode.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:

a branch message stemming from a parent message is displayed in a hierarchical structured fashion to have a depth different from the depth of the parent message;

the textbox-width of the displayed message shortens as the depth of the message is lowered; and

messages of the same depth have the same textbox-width within the range specified in max-width and min-width for that depth.

3. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the algorithm for determining the reference width and the reference depth comprises at least one of Maximum of Maximums (MoM), Average of Maximums (AoM), Normalization of Maximums (NoM), Average of Normalized Maximums (AoNM), Maximum of Averages (MoA), Average of Averages (AoA), Average of Text-lengths (AoT) and Fixed Textbox-Width (FTW).

4. The device of claim 1 ,

wherein the layout mode is determined by layout parameters including a first alignment line parameter and a second alignment line parameter, and the processor displays the messages within a range specified by a max-width and a min-width according to the first alignment line parameter and the second alignment line parameter.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the range is further specified in the variable angles set by the slope parameters, wherein the slope parameters are included in the layout parameters, wherein the slope parameters comprise information about one or more points and one or more angles to be used to adjust the textbox-width of the messages.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

rearrange the messages in different hierarchical structured fashions by linearly shifting the first and second alignment lines in a left or right direction to adjust a textbox-width of each of the messages; and

displays the reorganized messages.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

rearrange the messages in different hierarchical structured fashions by angularly shifting the first and second alignment lines in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to adjust the textbox-width of each of the messages; and

display the reorganized messages.

8. The device of claim 2 ,

wherein the event comprises at least one of rotation of the device, transmission or reception of at least one message, collapse or expansion of at least one message, deletion of at least one message, modification of at least one message.

9. The device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the device is in a landscape mode or a portrait mode;

determine a reference width and a reference depth of the reference message using the messages;

adjusting the reference width to a corresponding max-width or min-width when the determined reference width is out of a range between max-width or min-width in the reference depth; and

calculate the widths of messages other than the reference message.

10. The device of claim 9 ,

wherein the processor calculates the widths of messages other than the reference message using linear equations or trigonometric properties.

11. The device of claim 2 ,

wherein the messages include message parameters comprising a user id, a date and time sent or received, and numbering.

12. The device of claim 2 ,

when the device receives a new text message, the layout, where the new text message belongs to, moves to the bottom of the display and the new text message is placed in the layout, and

when the device receives a new text message, a copy of the layout, where the new text message belongs to, moves to the bottom of the display and the new text message is placed in the newly copied layout.