Apparatus and method for controlling screen displays in touch screen terminal

1. A method for displaying contents in an electronic device including a touch screen, the method comprising:

responsive to detecting a first touch and drag on the touch screen, identifying an imaginary circle based on a circumference comprising a starting point, a middle point and a final point on a path of the first touch and drag;

detecting a region inside the identified imaginary circle to be zoomed, the region in which contents intended for zoom in are displayed;

responsive to detecting the detected region to be zoomed, panning the contents displayed in the detected region to a center of the touch screen;

displaying a circle capable of designating up to maximum zoom-in magnification, wherein the maximum zoom-in magnification is set based on a size of the imaginary circle;

responsive to a second touch and drag following a circumference of the displayed circle, determining zoom-in magnification wherein the zoom-in magnification is proportional to a rotation angle associated with a final point of the second touch and drag;

displaying the determined zoom-in magnification inside the displayed circle; and

zooming in the contents included in the detected region according to the determined zoom-in magnification via the circle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the imaginary circle based on the circumference comprising the starting point, the middle point and the final point on the path of the first touch and drag comprises:

when a distance or time of the first touch and drag reaches a threshold value, identifying the imaginary circle based on the circumference comprising the starting point, the middle point, and the final point on the path of the first touch and drag.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the maximum zoom-in magnification is set as a zoom-in magnification capable of zooming in the imaginary circle to a full screen.

4. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a controller configured to:

responsive to detecting a first touch and drag on the touch screen, identify an imaginary circle based on a circumference comprising a starting point, a middle point and a final point on a path of the first touch and drag;

detect a region inside the identified imaginary circle to be zoomed, the region in which contents intended for zoom in are displayed;

responsive to detecting the detected region to be zoomed, pan the contents displayed in the detected region to a center of the touch screen;

display a circle capable of designating up to maximum zoom-in magnification, wherein the maximum zoom-in magnification is set based on a size of the imaginary circle;

responsive to a second touch and drag following a circumference of the displayed circle, determine zoom-in magnification wherein the zoom-in magnification is proportional to a rotation angle associated with a final point of the second touch and drag;

display the determined zoom-in magnification inside the displayed circle; and

zoom in the contents included in the detected region according to the determined zoom-in magnification via the circle.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein, when a distance or time of the first touch and drag reaches a threshold value, the controller is configured to identifying the imaginary circle based on the circumference comprising the starting point, the middle point, and the final point on the path of the first touch and drag.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the maximum zoom-in magnification is set as a zoom-in magnification capable of zooming in the imaginary circle to a full screen.

7. An apparatus for controlling a screen display in a touch screen terminal, comprising:

means for identifying an imaginary circle based on a circumference comprising a starting point, a middle point and a final point on a path of a first touch and drag in responsive to detecting the first touch and drag on the touch screen;

means for detecting a region inside the identified imaginary circle to be zoom, the region in which contents intended for zoom in are displayed;

means for panning the contents displayed in a detected region to a center of the screen display in response to detecting the detected region to be zoomed;

means for displaying a circle capable of designating up to maximum zoom-in magnification, wherein the maximum zoom-in magnification is set based on a size of the imaginary circle;

means for determining zoom-in magnification wherein the zoom-in magnification is proportional to a rotation angle associated with a final point of the second touch and drag in response to a second touch and drag following a circumference of the displayed circle;

means for zooming in the contents included in the detected region according to the determined zoom-in magnification via the circle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the means for identifying the imaginary circle based on the circumference comprising the starting point, the middle point and the final point on the path of the first touch and drag comprises a means for:

identifying the imaginary circle based on the circumference comprising the starting point, the middle point, and the final point on the path of the first touch and drag when a distance or time of the first touch and drag reaches a threshold value.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the maximum zoom-in magnification is set as a zoom-in magnification capable of zooming in the imaginary circle to a full screen.