APPLICATION-LAUNCHING INTERFACE FOR MULTIPLE MODES

• US 20130047117A1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Deutsch, Rebecca, Dukhon, Marina, Miner, Patrice L., Miller, Jeffrey S., Betz, Benjamin A., Bahl, Varun
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 labels associated with applications, the applications including at least a first application associated with a windows-based mode, a second application associated with an immersive mode, and a third application associated with both the windows-based mode and the immersive mode;

responsive to selection of a label associated with the third application, determining in which of the windows-based mode or the immersive mode to launch the third application; and

causing the third application associated with the selected label to be launched within the determined mode.

2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the determined mode is the windows-based mode and causing the third application to be launched launches the third application within the windows-based mode in a window having a frame, the frame having controls for moving or sizing the window.

3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the determined mode is the immersive mode and causing the third application to be launched launches the third application within the immersive mode.

4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the selected label includes a windows indicator and an immersive indicator.

5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 4, wherein the determining is based on the selection being made to the windows indicator or the immersive indicator.

6. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the selection of the label is a single mouse click, a single gesture, or a hot key.

7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving selection of another label associated with the first application associated with the windows-based mode; and

responsive to selection of the other label, causing the first application associated with the other selected label to be launched within the windows-based mode.

8. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving selection of another label associated with the second application associated with the immersive mode; and

responsive to selection of the other label, causing the second application associated with the other selected label to be launched within the immersive mode.

9. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein presenting labels associated with applications presents the labels within a single user interface and at one time.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting, in a single user interface and at one time, labels associated with applications of two different modes, the labels intermixed within the single user interface, the two different modes including an immersive mode and a windows-based mode; and

responsive to a single selection of one of the labels, causing an application with which the selected label is associated to launch within its respective mode.

11. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, 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.

12. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein the single selection is a single mouse click, a single gesture, or a hot key and the single selection is the same to launch applications of the two different modes.

13. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, 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.

14. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, 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 the application to launch launches all of the applications of the group responsive to the single selection of the group.

15. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 14, 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.

16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 14, wherein the labels in the group are included in the group based on a history of prior selections received through the single user interface.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

presenting, in a single user interface, labels within a selectable group, the 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 the selectable group, causing the applications to launch within their respective modes.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 17, wherein causing the applications to launch within their respective modes causes, at a same time, at least one of the applications to be presented in the window-based mode and at least one of the applications to be presented in the immersive mode.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device, prior to the operation of presenting the labels within the selectable group, to enable selection of the labels to be placed into the selectable group.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 17, wherein the selection of the selectable group is received through a single gesture made to the selectable group and through the single user interface.