Navigating Among Activities in a Computing Device

• US 20120084711A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lyon, Jeremy Godfrey, Mercer, Paul, Thomas, Ralph, Duarte, Matias Gonzalo, Shiplacoff, Daniel Marc Gatan
• Granted Patent: US 9,489,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.

Claims

1. A system for navigating among a plurality of applications in a computing device, comprising:

a processor for running a plurality of applications concurrently, the processor configured to;

generate a plurality of windows corresponding to the running applications, wherein each window contains a live user interface for one of the applications;

on a touch-sensitive display screen, display at least a portion of the plurality of windows along an axis in a linear arrangement;

receive user input comprising at least one gesture via the touchsensitive display screen;

responsive to a user gesture in a direction concomitant with the axis, move the windows in concert with one another along the axis to cause a first window of the generated linear arrangement of windows to occupy a position formerly occupied by a second window of the generated linear arrangement of windows; and

responsive to a user gesture on a target window and in a direction transverse to the axis, dismiss an application corresponding to the target window.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, on the touch-sensitive display screen, display completely at least two windows of the plurality of windows.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, on the touch-sensitive display screen, display completely at least three windows of the plurality of windows and to further display at least one partially-visible window.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, on the touch-sensitive display screen, display two partially-visible windows of the plurality of windows and to further display completely, between the two partially-visible windows, a third window of the plurality of windows.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, responsive to a second user input, cause the touch-sensitive display screen to toggle between a full-screen mode wherein the touch-sensitive display screen displays a live user interface for a single one of the applications and a windowed mode wherein the touch-sensitive display screen displays at least a portion of the plurality of windows along the axis in the linear arrangement.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second user input comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

direct manipulation of at least one window;

the user moving at least one displayed window;

the user activating a window not having focus;

keyboard input; and

a gesture.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the touch-sensitive display screen to display a transition effect when toggling between the full-screen mode and the windowed mode.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein, in the full-screen mode, the displayed live user interface occupies substantially the entire touch-sensitive display screen.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

responsive to a trigger event, cause the touch-sensitive display screen to switch from a windowed mode wherein the touch-sensitive display screen displays at least a portion of the plurality of windows along the axis in the linear arrangement to a full-screen mode wherein the touch-sensitive display screen displays a live user interface for a single one of the applications.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the trigger event comprises one selected from the group consisted of:

the user interacting with an application;

a predetermined period of time elapsing since the most recent user input.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, responsive to a third user input, cause the touch-sensitive display screen to change the order of displayed windows in the linear arrangement.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, responsive to an application being launched, add a window to the generated plurality of windows, the added window corresponding to the launched application.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the touch-sensitive display screen to display a window having focus in a manner that is visually distinguishable from any displayed window not having focus.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the touch-sensitive display screen to display a window having focus at a larger size than any displayed window not having focus.

15. A method for navigating among a plurality of activities in a computing device, comprising:

at a processor, running a plurality of applications concurrently;

at the processor, generating a plurality of windows corresponding to the running applications, wherein each window contains a live user interface for one of the applications;

on a touch-sensitive display screen, displaying at least a portion of the plurality of windows along an axis in a linear arrangement;

at an input device, receiving user input comprising at least one gesture via the touch-sensitive display screen; and

on the touch-sensitive display screen, responsive to a user gesture in a direction concomitant with the axis, moving the windows in concert with one another along the axis to cause a first window of the generated linear arrangement of windows to occupy a position formerly occupied by a second window of the generated linear arrangement of windows;

at the processor, responsive to a user gesture on a target window and in a direction transverse to the axis, dismissing an application corresponding to the target window.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying at least a portion of the plurality of windows comprises, on the touch-sensitive display screen, displaying completely at least two windows of the plurality of windows.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying at least a portion of the plurality of windows comprises, on the touch-sensitive display screen, displaying completely at least three windows of the plurality of windows and further displaying at least one partially-visible window.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying at least a portion of the plurality of windows comprises, on the touch-sensitive display screen, displaying two partially-visible windows of the plurality of windows and further displaying completely, between the two partially-visible windows, a third window of the plurality of windows.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising, responsive to a second user input:

on the touch-sensitive display screen, toggling between a full-screen mode wherein the display screen displays a live user interface for a single one of the applications and a windowed mode wherein the display screen displays at least a portion of the plurality of windows along the axis in the linear arrangement.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second user input comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

direct manipulation of at least one window;

the user moving at least one displayed window;

the user activating a window not having focus;

keyboard input; and

a gesture.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein toggling between the fullscreen mode and the windowed mode comprises displaying a transition effect.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein, in the full-screen mode, the displayed live user interface occupies substantially the entire touch-sensitive display screen.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising, responsive to a trigger event:

on the touch-sensitive display screen, switching from a windowed mode wherein the touch-sensitive display screen displays at least a portion of the plurality of windows along the axis in the linear arrangement to a full-screen mode wherein the touch-sensitive display screen displays a live user interface for a single one of the applications.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the trigger event comprises one selected from the group consisted of:

the user interacting with an application;

a predetermined period of time elapsing since the most recent user input.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising, responsive to a third user input:

on the touch-sensitive display screen, changing the order of displayed windows in the linear arrangement.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising, responsive to an application being launched:

at the processor, adding a window to the generated plurality of windows, the added window corresponding to the launched application.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying at least a portion of the plurality of windows comprises displaying, on the touch-sensitive display screen, a window having focus in a manner that is visually distinguishable from any displayed window not having focus.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying at least a portion of the plurality of windows comprises displaying, on the touch-sensitive display screen, a window having focus at a larger size than any displayed window not having focus.