APPLICATION-LAUNCHING INTERFACE FOR MULTIPLE MODES

• US 20120159395A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Deutsch, Rebecca, Dukhon, Marina, Bahl, Varun, Miner, Patrice L., Miller, Jeffrey S., Betz, Benjamin A.
• Application Number:
  US12/972,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20120159395A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling an application-launching interface for multiple modes. This interface enables a user to quickly and easily select to launch applications associated with different modes. A user may avoid wading through multiple interfaces, making multiple selections, and/or a cognitive load associated with deciding on a mode with which to interact.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting, in a single user interface and at a one time, labels associated with applications of two different modes, the labels intermixed within the single user interface; and

responsive to a single selection, causing one of the applications to launch within its respective mode.

2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein another of the applications is currently-executing and further comprising, responsive to another single selection of a label associated with the other, currently-executing application, presenting the other, currently-executing application within its respective mode.

3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the single selection is a single mouse click, gesture, or hot key and the single selection is the same to launch applications of the two different modes.

4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein a first of the two different modes is a windows-based mode and a second of the two different modes is an immersive mode.

5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of the labels includes an indicator indicating which of the two different modes the application will be launched responsive to the single selection.

6. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein:

presenting labels presents at least some of the labels in a group, the labels in the group associated with applications of the two different modes;

the single selection is selection of the group; and

causing one of the applications to launch launches all of the applications of the group responsive to the single selection of the group.

7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein the labels in the group are included in the group responsive to explicit selection to group the labels, the explicit selection received through the single user interface.

8. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein the labels in the group are included in the group based on a history of prior selections received through the single user interface.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting, in a single user interface, selectable labels associated with applications, at least one of the applications associated with a windows-based mode and at least one of the applications associated with an immersive mode, and a selectable group associated with two or more grouped applications, at least one of the grouped applications associated with the windows-based mode and at least one of the grouped applications associated with the immersive mode; and

responsive to selection of one of the selectable labels, causing the selected application associated with the selected label to launch within its respective mode, or

responsive to selection of the selectable group,

causing the grouped applications to launch within their respective modes, or

enabling selection of each of the grouped applications and, responsive to selection of a selected grouped application, causing the selected grouped application to launch in its respective mode.

10. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, wherein the selection is of the selectable group and the method causes the grouped applications to launch within their respective modes, and further comprising causing the applications to be presented in both modes at a same time.

11. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, further comprising, prior to the act of presenting the selectable group, enabling selection of selectable labels to be placed into the group.

12. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, further comprising launching the grouped applications responsive to login, resume from a low-power mode, a user-configured trigger, a pre-set time, or movement of a computing device that presents the selectable labels.

13. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting selectable labels associated with applications, at least one of the applications associated with a windows-based mode and at least one of the applications associated with an immersive mode; and

responsive to selection of a selectable label, causing the selected application associated with the selected label to be launched within its respective mode.

14. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein the selected application is associated with the windows-based mode and causing the selected application to be launched launches the selected application within the windows-based mode in a window having a frame, the frame having controls for moving or sizing the window.

15. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein the selected application is associated with the immersive mode and causing the selected application to be launched launches the selected application within the immersive mode.

16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein at least one of the selectable labels include an indicator indicating the mode in which the application will be launched.

17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein the selection of the selectable label is a single mouse click, gesture, or hot key.

18. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, further comprising enabling a same type of selection to select the at least one of the applications associated with a windows-based mode and the at least one of the applications associated with an immersive mode.

19. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein the selected application is associated with both the windows-based mode and the immersive mode, further comprising determining which of the modes in which to launch the selection application, and wherein causing the selected application to be launched launches the selected application within the determined mode.

20. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein the selected application is a first selected application and its respective mode is a first respective mode, and further comprising, responsive to selection of a second selectable label, causing a second selected application associated with the second selected label to be launched within its second respective mode.