MULTI-APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120304108A1
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Jarrett, Robert J., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Sundelin, Nils A., Anderson, Bret P., Wong, Tsz Yan, Sareen, Chaitanya Dev, Miner, Patrice L., Harris, Jensen, Nan, Jennifer, Matthews, David A., Worley, Matthew I.
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling a multi-application environment. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable multi-application environments having combinations of immersive interfaces, windows-based interfaces, and a desktop treated as an immersive interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting a multi-application environment having a full-size region, the full-size region including two subordinate regions;

receiving selection indicating an application for presentation in the multi-application environment; and

presenting, based on the selection, an interface associated with the application within the full-size region or one of the two subordinate regions.

2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the full-size region fully occupies the multi-application environment.

3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein presenting the interface presents the interface fully occupying the full-size region or one of the two subordinate regions.

4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the full-size region is occupied with a current interface for a current application prior to receiving the selection, the selection indicates selection of the full-size region, and presenting the interface replaces the current interface with the interface.

5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the full-size region is occupied with a current interface for a current application prior to receiving the selection, the selection indicates selection of one of the two subordinate regions, and presenting the interface presents the interface in the one of the two subordinate regions, and further comprising presenting the current interface in the other of the two subordinate regions.

6. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the selection is a gesture having a start point at an edge of the multi-application environment and a later point not at the edge.

7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein the gesture has a successive point in one of the subordinate regions and presenting the interface presents the interface in the one of the subordinate regions based on the successive point.

8. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the multi-application environment fully occupies a display.

9. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the multi-application environment does not include a window frame having controls.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting an immersive interface associated with an application within a multi-application environment and over two or more regions of the multi-application environment;

enabling selection to present another interface;

responsive to selection;

presenting the other interface within and fully filling one of the two or more regions of the multi-application environment occupied by the immersive interface; and

altering a size or location of the immersive interface to cease occupying the one of the two or more regions of the multi-application environment in which the other interface is presented.

11. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein enabling selection is enabled through a gesture received over the multi-application environment.

12. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein the presenting and the altering are performed responsive to a single selection.

13. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein the presenting and the altering are performed without occluding the immersive interface or the other interface.

14. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein the other interface is an immersive interface representing a desktop having a windows-based interface or a task bar.

15. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein the multi-application environment does not include a window frame.

16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein the multi-application environment does not include a permanent visible control.

17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein enabling selection to present another interface enables selection of a previously-interacted-with interface associated with a previously-interacted-with application.

18. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 17, further comprising determining the previously-interacted-with application from multiple previously-interacted-with applications using an application queue arranged by order of interaction.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting a multi-application environment having a full-size region, the full-size region including two subordinate regions;

receiving selection indicating an application for presentation in the multi-application environment;

presenting, based on the selection, an immersive interface associated with the application within the full-size region and over the two subordinate regions;

receiving selection to present another interface;

presenting the other interface within one of the two subordinate regions occupied by the immersive interface; and

presenting the immersive interface in the other of the two subordinate regions.

20. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 19, wherein presenting the immersive interface and presenting the other interface are performed simultaneously.