Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Navigation of Concurrently Open Software Applications

• US 20120159380A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kocienda, Kenneth L., Chaudhri, Imran
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An electronic device includes a touch-sensitive display and one or more programs stored in memory for execution by one or more processors. The one or more programs include instructions for displaying a first application view that corresponds to a first application in a plurality of concurrently open applications. The one or more programs include instructions for detecting a first input, and in response, concurrently displaying a group of open application icons that correspond to at least some of the plurality of concurrently open applications with at least a portion of the first application view. The open application icons are displayed in accordance with a predetermined sequence of the open applications. The one or more programs include instructions for detecting a first gesture distinct from the first input, and in response, displaying a second application view that corresponds to a second application adjacent to the first application in the predetermined sequence.

Claims

1. A multifunction device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying a first application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a first application in a plurality of concurrently open applications, wherein the first application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

while displaying the first application view, detecting a first predefined input;

in response to detecting the first predefined input;

entering an application view selection mode for selecting one of the concurrently open applications for display of a corresponding application view;

displaying in a first predefined area of the touch-sensitive display a group of open application icons that correspond to at least some of the plurality of concurrently open applications, the open application icons in the group being displayed in accordance with a predetermined sequence of the open applications; and

concurrently displaying at least a portion of the first application view with the first predefined area;

while displaying the first application view without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, detecting a first gesture of a first gesture type on the touch-sensitive display, the first gesture being distinct from the first predefined input; and

in response to detecting the first gesture of the first gesture type, displaying a second application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a second application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the second application being adjacent to the first application in the predetermined sequence, wherein the second application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

2. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

while displaying the second application view on the touch-sensitive display without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, detecting a second gesture of the first gesture type; and

,

in response to detecting the second gesture of the first gesture type, displaying a third application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a third application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the third application being adjacent to the second application in the predetermined sequence, wherein the third application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

3. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

while displaying the first application view without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, detecting a third gesture of a second gesture type on the touch-sensitive display, the second gesture type being distinct from the first gesture type; and

in response to detecting the third gesture of the second gesture type, displaying a fourth application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a fourth application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the fourth application being adjacent to the first application in the predetermined sequence, the fourth application being distinct from the second application, wherein the fourth application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

4. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

while displaying the group of open application icons in the first predefined area, detecting a gesture on a respective open application icon in the first predefined area; and

in response to detecting the gesture on the respective open application icon;

updating the predetermined sequence of the open application icons;

displaying a respective application view on the touch-sensitive display for a corresponding application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, wherein the respective application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

ceasing to display open application icons in the first predefined area; and

exiting the application view selection mode.

5. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, in response to detecting the first gesture of the first gesture type, updating the predetermined sequence of the open applications.

6. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

while displaying the second application view on the touch-sensitive display without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

detecting an input for the second application on the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to detecting the input for the second application on the touch-sensitive display, updating the predetermined sequence of the open applications.

7. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

while displaying the second application view on the touch-sensitive display without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

determining a duration for which the second application view is displayed; and

,

in response to determining that the duration exceeds a predefined time, updating the predetermined sequence of the open applications.

8. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

detecting a multi-finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display that is distinct from the first predefined input and a gesture of the first gesture type; and

in response to detecting the multi-finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display, displaying a home screen.

9. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

detecting a multi-finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display that is distinct from the first predefined input and a gesture of the first gesture type;

while detecting the multi-finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display;

concurrently displaying the first application view in a first reduced scale and at least a portion of a home screen; and

adjusting the first reduced scale in accordance with the multi-finger gesture; and

in response to ceasing to detect the multi-finger gesture;

ceasing to display the first application view; and

displaying the entire home screen.

10. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the first application is at a first end of the predetermined sequence of the open applications, and the second application is at a second end of the predetermined sequence of the open applications.

11. The multifunction device of claim 1, wherein the first application view is displayed at a first position on the touch-sensitive display, the first application is at one end of the predetermined sequence of the open applications, and the one or more programs include instructions for:

while displaying the first application view without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

detecting a respective gesture of a second gesture type on the touch-sensitive display, the second gesture type being distinct from the first gesture type;

in response to detecting the respective gesture of the second gesture type, moving the first application view from the first position to a second position in accordance with the respective gesture of the second gesture type such that at least a portion of the first application view moves off the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to ceasing to detect the respective gesture of the second gesture type on the touch-sensitive display, moving the first application view in a damped vibration motion with respect to the first position until a predefined oscillation condition is satisfied.

12. The multifunction device of claim 11, wherein the damped vibration motion is modeled by a function of a mass, a spring constant, and a damping coefficient, and the mass decreases as a function of time.

13. A method, comprising:

at a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display;

displaying a first application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a first application in a plurality of concurrently open applications, wherein the first application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

while displaying the first application view, detecting a first predefined input;

in response to detecting the first predefined input;

entering an application view selection mode for selecting one of the concurrently open applications for display of a corresponding application view;

displaying in a first predefined area of the touch-sensitive display a group of open application icons that correspond to at least some of the plurality of concurrently open applications, the open application icons in the group being displayed in accordance with a predetermined sequence of the open applications; and

concurrently displaying at least a portion of the first application view with the first predefined area;

while displaying the first application view without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, detecting a first gesture of a first gesture type on the touch-sensitive display, the first gesture being distinct from the first predefined input; and

in response to detecting the first gesture of the first gesture type, displaying a second application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a second application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the second application being adjacent to the first application in the predetermined sequence, wherein the second application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

14. The method of claim 13, including:

while displaying the second application view on the touch-sensitive display without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, detecting a second gesture of the first gesture type; and

in response to detecting the second gesture of the first gesture type, displaying a third application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a third application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the third application being adjacent to the second application in the predetermined sequence, wherein the third application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

15. The method of claim 13, including:

while displaying the first application view without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, detecting a third gesture of a second gesture type on the touch-sensitive display, the second gesture type being distinct from the first gesture type; and

in response to detecting the third gesture of the second gesture type, displaying a fourth application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a fourth application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the fourth application being adjacent to the first application in the predetermined sequence, the fourth application being distinct from the second application, wherein the fourth application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

16. The method of claim 13, including:

while displaying the group of open application icons in the first predefined area, detecting a gesture on a respective open application icon in the first predefined area; and

in response to detecting the gesture on the respective open application icon;

updating the predetermined sequence of the open application icons;

displaying a respective application view on the touch-sensitive display for a corresponding application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, wherein the respective application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

ceasing to display open application icons in the first predefined area; and

exiting the application view selection mode.

17. The method of claim 13, including:

in response to detecting the first gesture of the first gesture type, updating the predetermined sequence of the open applications.

18. The method of claim 13, including:

while displaying the second application view on the touch-sensitive display without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

detecting an input for the second application on the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to detecting the input for the second application on the touch-sensitive display, updating the predetermined sequence of the open applications.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to:

display a first application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a first application in a plurality of concurrently open applications, wherein the first application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

while displaying the first application view, detect a first predefined input;

in response to detecting the first predefined input;

enter an application view selection mode for selecting one of the concurrently open applications for display of a corresponding application view;

display in a first predefined area of the touch-sensitive display a group of open application icons that correspond to at least some of the plurality of concurrently open applications, the open application icons in the group being displayed in accordance with a predetermined sequence of the open applications; and

concurrently display at least a portion of the first application view with the first predefined area;

while displaying the first application view without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, detect a first gesture of a first gesture type on the touch-sensitive display, the first gesture being distinct from the first predefined input; and

in response to detecting the first gesture of the first gesture type, display a second application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a second application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the second application being adjacent to the first application in the predetermined sequence, wherein the second application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

20. A graphical user interface on a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising:

a first application view that corresponds to a first application in a plurality of concurrently open applications, wherein the first application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications;

wherein;

while displaying the first application view, a first predefined input is detected;

in response to detecting the first predefined input;

an application view selection mode for selecting one of the concurrently open applications for display of a corresponding application view is entered;

a group of open application icons that correspond to at least some of the plurality of concurrently open applications is displayed in a first predefined area of the touch-sensitive display, the open application icons in the group being displayed in accordance with a predetermined sequence of the open applications; and

at least a portion of the first application view is concurrently displayed with the first predefined area;

while displaying the first application view without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, a first gesture of a first gesture type is detected on the touch-sensitive display, the first gesture being distinct from the first predefined input; and

in response to detecting the first gesture of the first gesture type, a second application view is displayed on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a second application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, the second application being adjacent to the first application in the predetermined sequence, wherein the second application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.