SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING BETWEEN RUNNING APPLICATION PROGRAMS ON HANDHELD DEVICES
First Claim
1. A method for advancing running application programs to an active status in a handheld device, said method comprising the steps of:
- displaying a first menu in response to an input from a first button, the first menu comprising at least one menu item for prompting the user to a second menu, the second menu showing a list of running applications; and
advancing from said list of running applications to active status an application selected from the second menu.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A handheld device has a memory for storing a plurality of software applications and a processor for running concurrently at least two of the applications, a one of them defining an active application. First and second buttons on the device are adapted to advance a one of the running applications to the active application. According to a method, (which may be configured by code in each of at least some of the software applications), the processor is configured to display a first menu in response to an input from the first button where the first menu has at least one menu item for prompting a user to a second menu showing a list of running applications. The processor is further configured to navigate the menus in response to input from the second button and advance to the active application a one of the running applications selected from the second menu.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for advancing running application programs to an active status in a handheld device, said method comprising the steps of:
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displaying a first menu in response to an input from a first button, the first menu comprising at least one menu item for prompting the user to a second menu, the second menu showing a list of running applications; and advancing from said list of running applications to active status an application selected from the second menu. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product comprising computer readable code embodied therein which when executed by a processor adapt a handheld device to advance a running application to active status, said code adapting the processor to:
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display a first menu, in response to an input from a first button, the first menu comprising at least one menu item for prompting the user to a second menu, the second menu showing a list of running applications; and advance from said list of running applications to active status an application selected from the second menu. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A handheld device for advancing running application programs to an active status, the device comprising:
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a first button operable to cause the device to display a first menu, the first menu comprising at least one menu item for prompting the user to an advance application menu, the advance application menu showing a list of running applications; and a second button operable to allow a user to navigate said menus; and wherein said first button is further operable to select an application from said list of running applications to advance to active status. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A handheld device comprising:
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a memory for storing a plurality of software applications; a processor for running concurrently at least two of said software applications, a one of said running applications defining an active application; a first button and a second button; and wherein at least some of the plurality of software applications comprising code to configure the processor to; display a first menu in response to an input from the first button, the first menu comprising at least one menu item for prompting a user to a second menu, the second menu showing a list of said running applications; navigate said first menu and second menu in response to input from said second button; and advance to the active application a one of said running applications selected from the second menu.
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Specification