Electronic device, computer program product and method of managing application windows

• US 20070192730A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ojaniemi, Heikki, Simila, Vesa
• Application Number:
  US10/591,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/788
• 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

Abstract

A method of managing application windows in an electronic device, an electronic device, and a computer program product. The electronic device comprises a processing unit for controlling functions of the device, a display connected to the processing unit for showing application windows, and an input device for issuing control commands, the processing means being configured to open the application windows of at least two different application programs onto the display. The processing unit is configured to indicate activation of a grip area for managing application windows on the display, detect a change in the location of the activated grip area on the display, indicated by an input device, and change the size of at least two application windows on the basis of the change in the location of the grip area.

Claims

1. A method of managing application windows in an electronic device, the method comprising:

opening the application windows of at least two different application programs onto a display;

detecting activation of a grip area for managing application windows on the display;

detecting a change in the location of the activated grip area on the display, indicated by an input device; and

changing the size of at least two application windows on the basis of the change in the location of the grip area.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising showing the grip area for managing application windows on the display.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising changing the sizes of the application windows during the change in the location of the activated grip area.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising changing the sizes of the application windows such that the changed application windows cover as large a portion of the display as possible.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising detecting selection of the application windows to be changed from among the opened application windows;

and changing the size of the application windows to be changed only.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising scaling the contents of the application windows in proportions to the changes in the sizes of the application windows.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein detecting a change in the location of the grip area comprises:

detecting a direction of motion of the grip area from a first location of the grip area to a second location of the grip area as well as the distance between the first location and the second location, and changing the sizes of the application windows on the basis of the detected direction of motion and distance.

8. An electronic device comprising a processing unit for controlling functions of the device, a display connected to the processing unit for showing application windows, and an input device for issuing control commands, the processing unit being configured to open the application windows of at least two different application programs onto the display, and wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

detect activation of a grip area for managing application windows on the display;

detect a change in the location of the activated grip area on the display, indicated by the input device; and

change the size of at least two application windows on the basis of the change in the location of the grip area.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to show the grip area for managing application windows on the display.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to change the sizes of the application windows during the change in the location of the activated grip area.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to change the sizes of the application windows such that the changed application windows cover as large a portion of the display as possible.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to detect selection of the application windows to be changed from among the opened application windows;

and change the size of the application windows to be changed only.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to scale the contents of the application windows in proportions to the changes in the sizes of the application windows.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein in detecting a change in the location of the grip area, the processing unit is configured to detect a direction of motion of the grip area from a first location of the grip area to a second location of the grip area as well as the distance between the first location and the second location, and to change the sizes of the application windows on the basis of the detected direction of motion and distance.

15. A computer program product which encodes a computer process to manage application windows, the computer process comprising:

opening the application windows of at least two different application programs onto a display, the computer process further comprising;

detecting activation of a grip area for managing application windows on the display;

detecting a change in the location of the activated grip area on the display, indicated by an input device; and

changing the size of at least two application windows on the basis of the change in the location of the grip area.

16. An electronic device comprising:

processing means for controlling functions of the device, means for showing application windows, and input means for issuing control commands, the processing means opening the application windows of at least two different application programs onto a display, wherein the processing means detect activation of a grip area for managing application windows on the display, detect a change in the location of the activated grip area on the display, indicated by input means, and change the size of at least two application windows on the basis of the change in the location of the grip area.