Scaling application windows in one or more workspaces in a user interface

• US 10,152,192 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Louch, John O.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burwell, Joseph R
• Application Number:
  US13/399,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20120246596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,489 Days
• Field of Search: 715799, 715778, 715798, 715787
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

In some implementations, a method for managing virtual workspaces is described. In some implementations, workspace images corresponding to different virtual workspaces can be displayed on a user interface of a computing device. When an application window is moved onto one of the workspace images, the window can be scaled down to fit within the workspace image. In some implementations, a window grouping or cluster can be moved onto one of the workspace images and scaled down accordingly. In some implementations, a method for generating a new virtual workspace is described. In some implementations, a placeholder workspace image that has no corresponding virtual workspace can be displayed on a user interface of a computing device. In response to an application window being moved onto the placeholder workspace image, a new virtual workspace (and new workspace image) can be generated that includes the windows that were moved onto the placeholder workspace image.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a computer system with a display and one or more input devices;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces that are available to a user of the computer system; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window from the view of the first virtual workspace onto a respective workspace image of the plurality of workspace images, wherein the respective workspace image corresponds to a second virtual workspace that is different from the first virtual workspace, and the representation of the window is larger than the respective workspace image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating movement of the representation of the window onto the respective workspace image, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the respective workspace image that is displayed on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the computer system:

progressively scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window as the representation of the window is moved near the respective workspace image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the computer system:

detecting when the representation of the window is moved across a threshold on the user interface; and

in response to the detecting, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the respective workspace image.

4. A method performed by one or more processors executing on a computer system with a display and one or more input devices, the method comprising:

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces available to a user of the computer system; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window cluster that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window cluster from the view of the first virtual workspace onto a respective workspace image of the plurality of workspace images, wherein the respective workspace image corresponds to a second virtual workspace that is different from the first virtual workspace, and the representation of the window cluster is larger than the respective workspace image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating the movement of the representation of the window cluster onto the respective workspace image, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster to fit within the respective workspace image that is displayed on the display.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, at the computer system:

progressively scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster as the representation of the window cluster is moved near the respective workspace image.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, at the computer system:

detecting when the representation of the window cluster is moved across a threshold on the user interface; and

in response to the detecting, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster to fit within the respective workspace image.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the representation of the window cluster includes a plurality of application windows associated with a single application.

8. A method performed by one or more processors executing on a computer system with a display and one or more input devices, the method comprising:

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces that are available to a user of the computer system;

a placeholder image that does not have a corresponding virtual workspace; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images, the placeholder image, and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window from the view of the first virtual workspace onto the placeholder image, wherein the representation of the window is larger than the placeholder image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating the movement of the representation of the window onto the placeholder image;

scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the placeholder image; and

generating a new virtual workspace and corresponding workspace image that includes the representation of the window.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, at the computer system:

before the concurrently displaying the plurality of workspace images, the placeholder image, and the view of the first virtual workspace;

detecting an initiation of the movement of the representation of the window; and

presenting, on the display, the placeholder image in response to the detecting.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system with a display and one or more input devices, causes:

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces that are available to a user of the computer system; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window from the view of the first virtual workspace onto a respective workspace image of the plurality of workspace images, wherein the respective workspace image corresponds to a second virtual workspace that is different from the first virtual workspace, and the representation of the window is larger than the respective workspace image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating movement of the representation of the window onto the respective workspace image, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the respective workspace image that is displayed on the display.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

progressively scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window as the representation of the window is moved near the respective workspace image.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

detecting when the representation of the window is moved across a threshold on the user interface; and

in response to the detecting, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the respective workspace image.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system with a display and one or more input devices, causes:

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces available to a user of the computer system; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window cluster that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window cluster from the view of the first virtual workspace onto a respective workspace image of the plurality of workspace images, wherein the respective workspace image corresponds to a second virtual workspace that is different from the first virtual workspace, and the representation of the window cluster is larger than the respective workspace image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating the movement of the representation of the window cluster onto the respective workspace image, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster to fit within the respective workspace image that is displayed on the display.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

progressively scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster as the representation of the window cluster is moved near the respective workspace image.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

detecting when the representation of the window cluster is moved across a threshold on the user interface; and

in response to the detecting, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster to fit within the respective workspace image.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the representation of the window cluster includes a plurality of application windows associated with a single application.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system with a display and one or more input devices, causes:

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces that are available to a user of the computer system;

a placeholder image that does not have a corresponding virtual workspace; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images, the placeholder image, and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window from the view of the first virtual workspace onto the placeholder image, wherein the representation of the window is larger than the placeholder image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating the movement of the representation of the window onto the placeholder image;

scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the placeholder image; and

generating a new virtual workspace and corresponding workspace image that includes the representation of the window.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

before the concurrently displaying the plurality of workspace images, the placeholder image, and the view of the first virtual workspace;

detecting an initiation of the movement of the representation of the window; and

presenting, on the display, the placeholder image in response to the detecting.

19. A computer system comprising:

a display;

one or more input devices;

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces that are available to a user of the computer system; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window from the view of the first virtual workspace onto a respective workspace image of the plurality of workspace images, wherein the respective workspace image corresponds to a second virtual workspace that is different from the first virtual workspace, and the representation of the window is larger than the respective workspace image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating movement of the representation of the window onto the respective workspace image, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the respective workspace image that is displayed on the display.

20. The computer system of claim 19, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

progressively scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window as the representation of the window is moved near the respective workspace image.

21. The computer system of claim 19, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

detecting when the representation of the window cluster is moved across a threshold on the user interface; and

in response to the detecting, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster to fit within the respective workspace image.

22. A computer system comprising:

a display;

one or more input devices;

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces available to a user of the computer system; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window cluster that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window cluster from the view of the first virtual workspace onto a respective workspace image of the plurality of workspace images, wherein the respective workspace image corresponds to a second virtual workspace that is different from the first virtual workspace, and the representation of the window cluster is larger than the respective workspace image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating the movement of the representation of the window cluster onto the respective workspace image, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster to fit within the respective workspace image that is displayed on the display.

23. The computer system of claim 22, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

progressively scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster as the representation of the window cluster is moved near the respective workspace image.

24. The computer system of claim 22, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

detecting when the representation of the window cluster is moved across a threshold on the user interface; and

in response to the detecting, scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window cluster to fit within the respective workspace image.

25. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the representation of the window cluster includes a plurality of application windows associated with a single application.

26. A computer system comprising:

a display;

one or more input devices;

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes;

at the computer system;

concurrently displaying, on the display;

a plurality of workspace images in a user interface that correspond to different virtual workspaces that are available to a user of the computer system;

a placeholder image that does not have a corresponding virtual workspace; and

a view of a first virtual workspace including a representation of a window that is associated with the first virtual workspace;

while concurrently displaying, on the display, the plurality of workspace images, the placeholder image, and the view of the first virtual workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, user input indicating a movement of the representation of the window from the view of the first virtual workspace onto the placeholder image, wherein the representation of the window is larger than the placeholder image; and

in response to receiving the input, via the one or more input devices, indicating the movement of the representation of the window onto the placeholder image;

scaling down, on the display, the representation of the window to fit within the placeholder image; and

generating a new virtual workspace and corresponding workspace image that includes the representation of the window.

27. The computer system of claim 26, where the instructions further cause, at the computer system:

before the concurrently displaying the plurality of workspace images, the placeholder image, and the view of the first virtual workspace;

detecting an initiation of the movement of the representation of the window; and

presenting, on the display, the placeholder image in response to the detecting.