Apparatus and method for performing multi-tasking

• US 20110202872A1
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Young-Joo
• Granted Patent: US 9,507,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/790
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for performing multi-tasking, and more particularly to a multi-tasking performance apparatus and method which easily enable a shift between a plurality of applications being executed and a shift into an initial application. A currently operating application window is simultaneously displayed, with at least one executed application window by overlapping the executed application window on the currently operating application window according to a predetermined format.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing multi-tasking, comprising:

a display unit including a first region in which an initial application is executed during a multi-tasking'"'"'s initial mode, and a second region displaying the plurality of applications, wherein at least one of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region is executed in the first region during a multi-tasking'"'"'s execution mode;

a task manager for executing a transfer of the at least one of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region into the first region during the multi-tasking'"'"'s execution mode and for performing a transition to the multi-tasking'"'"'s initial mode when the background is selected via one touch operation; and

a controller for controlling multi-tasking to be performed through the task manager in the multi-tasking'"'"'s initial/execution mode.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the task manager enlarges/reduces a window size of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region through a zoom operation.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the task manager enlarges the window size of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region so as to specifically display a particular application when a zoom-in operation is performed on the second region, and reduces the window size of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region so as to display the plurality of applications when a zoom-out operation is performed on the second region.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the zoom-in/zoom-out operation is achieved through a drag operation performed in a corresponding direction in the second region.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a flick down operation or drag down operation is performed on a predetermined application among the plurality of applications displayed in the second region, the task manager terminates the predetermined application.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial application displayed in the first region and the plurality of applications displayed in the second region correspond to applications being executed simultaneously.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial application displayed in the first region corresponds to a first or last selected application among the plurality of applications selected by a user.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a predetermined application in the second region moves to the first region through a drag/drop up or flick up operation during the multi-tasking'"'"'s execution mode, the task manager shifts the initial application into a background.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a predetermined application of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region moves to the first region, the task manager displays the predetermined application in the first region in the same size as that displayed in the second region, and thereafter displays the predetermined application in an enlarged/reduced size according to an unpinching/pinching operation.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the task manager moves the initial application to the background when executing the transfer.

11. A method for performing multi-tasking in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

executing an initial application in a first region of a display unit and displaying a plurality of applications in a second region of the display unit during a multi-tasking'"'"'s initial mode;

executing at least one of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region during a multi-tasking'"'"'s execution mode, in the first region, when the at least one application moves to the first region; and

performing a transition to the multi-tasking'"'"'s initial mode when a background is selected via one touch operation.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising enlarging/reducing a window size of the plurality of applications being executed in the second region.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the enlarging/reducing comprises:

enlarging the window size of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region so as to specifically display a particular application when a zoom-in operation is performed on the second region; and

reducing the window size of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region so as to display all the plurality of applications when a zoom-out operation is performed on the second region.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the zoom-in/zoom-out operation is achieved through a drag operation performed in a corresponding direction in the second region.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising terminating a predetermined application among the plurality of applications displayed in the second region when a flick down operation or drag down operation is performed on the predetermined application.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the initial application displayed in the first region and the plurality of applications displayed in the second region correspond to applications being executed simultaneously.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the initial application displayed in the first region corresponds to a first or last selected application among the plurality of applications selected by a user.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein executing at the least one of the plurality of applications in the first region comprises:

shifting the initial application of the first region into the background when a predetermined application of the plurality of applications displayed in the second region moves to the first region through a drag/drop up or flick up operation;

shifting the predetermined application into a foreground in the first region for execution; and

enlarging/reducing the window size of the predetermined application when an unpinching/pinching operation is performed on the predetermined application in the first region.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein, when a predetermined application in the second region moves to the first region, the predetermined application is displayed in the first region in the same size as displayed in the second region.

20. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein when executing the transfer, the initial application moves to the background.

21. A method for performing multi-tasking, the method comprising:

displaying a currently operating application window; and

simultaneously displaying at least one executed application window and the currently operating application window by overlapping the at least one executed application window on the currently operating application window.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the displaying step comprises the steps of:

identifying the at least one executed application window; and

setting the currently operating application window as a background of a screen when the at least one executed application window is identified, and overlapping the at least one executed application window on a predetermined region of the screen, thereby simultaneously displaying the at least one executed application window and the currently operating application window.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising switching the currently operating application window and the at least one executed application window with each other according to a gesture.

24. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

determining a gesture performed by a user;

shifting an application window selected from a predetermined region of the screen into a foreground of the screen to display the selected application window as the foreground when a first gesture is performed;

moving a selected application window to the predetermined region of the screen to cancel a selection of the selected application window when a second gesture is performed;

terminating an application selected from the predetermined region of the screen when a third gesture is performed; and

displaying the currently operating application window as the foreground when the background of the screen is touched.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the gesture includes first to third gestures, and comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a flick-up or drag/drop-up operation and a flick-down or drag/drop-down operation.

26. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising enlarging/reducing the at least one executed application window displayed in a predetermined region of the screen, according to a zoom-in/zoom-out operation.

27. An apparatus for performing multi-tasking, the apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a controller for calling a task manager when there is at least one executed application window; and

the task manager for simultaneously displaying the at least one executed application window and a currently operating application window by overlapping the at least one executed application window on the currently operating application window.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the task manager identifies the at least one executed application window, sets the currently operating application window as a background of a screen, and overlaps the at least one executed application window on a predetermined region of the screen, thereby simultaneously displaying the at least one executed application window and the currently operating application window.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the task manager switches the currently operating application window and the at least one executed application window with each other according to a gesture.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the task manager determines a gesture performed by a user, shifts an application window selected from a predetermined region of the screen into a foreground of the screen to display the selected application window as the foreground when a first gesture is performed, moves a selected application window to the predetermined region of the screen to cancel a selection of the selected application window when a second gesture is performed, terminates an application selected from the predetermined region of the screen when a third gesture is performed, and displays the currently operating application window as the foreground when the background of the screen is touched.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the gesture includes first to third gestures and comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a flick-up or drag/drop-up operation and a flick-down or drag/drop-down operation.

32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the task manager enlarges/reduces the at least one executed application window displayed in a predetermined region of the screen according to a zoom-in/zoom-out operation.