System And Method For Providing A Plurality Of Graphical User Interfaces To A User

• US 20130275909A1
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kamagames Entertainment Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Kamagames Ltd.
• Inventors: Olomskiy, Evgeny
• Granted Patent: US 9,851,893 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 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Management by a user of a plurality of graphical user interfaces associated with different activities may be facilitated on a computing platform. This management may be achieved by providing an intuitive way to change operation of an electronic display between a first mode, in which a single graphical user interface may be prominently displayed, and a second mode, in which an array of graphical user interfaces corresponding to ongoing activities may be displayed. Selection of one of the graphical user interfaces presented in the array may result in the electronic display transitioning back to the first mode with the selected graphical user interface as the active graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A computing platform configured to facilitate management by a user of a plurality of user interfaces associated with different activities, the platform comprising:

a touch sensitive surface configured to generate output signals conveying information related to contact with the touch sensitive surface made by a user;

an electronic display; and

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a plurality of interface modules configured to generate graphical user interfaces associated with different activities being presented to the user on the computing platform, the plurality of interface modules comprising;

a first interface module configured to generate a first graphical user interface associated with a first activity; and

a second interface module configured to generate a second graphical user interface associated with a second activity;

a touch input interface module configured to detect, based on the output signals generated by the touch sensitive surface, input to the touch sensitive surface of a first control input and a second control input; and

a display control module configured to control the electronic display in (i) a first mode in which an active graphical user interface is displayed prominently on the electronic display to facilitate the user to interact with the activity associated with the active graphical user interface, and (ii) a second mode in which an array of graphical user interfaces are displayed concomitantly,

wherein the display control module is further configured such that as the electronic display is being operated in the first mode, responsive to detection of the first control input, operation of the electronic display is switched to the second mode.

2. The computing platform of claim 1, wherein the display control module is further configured such that as the electronic display is being operated in the second mode, responsive to detection of the second control input, operation of the electronic display is switched to the first mode.

3. The computing platform of claim 2, wherein the display control module is further configured such that the graphical user interface presented as the active graphical user interface is the graphical user interface corresponding to a location on the touch sensitive surface at which the second control input was input by the user.

4. The computing platform of claim 3, wherein the electronic display and the touch sensitive surface are implemented as a touch screen, and wherein the locations on the touch sensitive surface corresponding to the different graphical user interfaces in the array are the locations on the touch screen at which the different graphical user interfaces are displayed.

5. The computing platform of claim 1, wherein the first control input includes a double contact tap to the touch sensitive surface.

6. The computing platform of claim 1, wherein the second control input includes a single contact tap to the touch sensitive surface.

7. The computing platform of claim 1, wherein the interface modules are associated with a common application, and wherein the graphical user interfaces generated by the interface modules facilitate interaction with different activities within the common application.

8. The computing platform of claim 1, wherein the interface modules are associated with two or more different applications, and wherein the graphical user interfaces generated by the interface modules facilitate interaction with the different applications.

9. The computing platform of claim 1, wherein the first activity is an activity participated in by the user with a plurality of other users via a network, and wherein, responsive to the electronic display being operated in the second mode and displaying an array of graphical user interfaces including the first graphical user interface, the first graphical user interface reflects the interactions of the other users in the first activity.

10. A computer-implemented method of facilitating management by a user of a plurality of user interfaces associated with different activities, the method being implemented in a computer platform comprising a touch sensitive surface, an electronic display, and one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

generating output signals conveying information related to contact with a touch sensitive surface made by a user;

generating graphical user interfaces for display to the user on an electronic display, the graphical user interfaces being associated with different activities being presented to the user on the computing platform, the of graphical user interfaces comprising;

a first graphical user interface associated with a first activity; and

a second graphical user interface associated with a second activity;

detecting, based on the generated output signals, input to the touch sensitive surface of a first control input and a second control input; and

controlling the electronic display in (i) a first mode in which an active graphical user interface is displayed prominently on the electronic display to facilitate the user to interact with the activity associated with the active graphical user interface, and (ii) a second mode in which an array of graphical user interfaces are displayed concomitantly,

wherein such control comprises, as the electronic display is being operated in the first mode and responsive to detection of the first control input, switching operation of the electronic display to the second mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlling further comprises, as the electronic display is being operated in the second mode and responsive to detection of the second control input, switching operation of the electronic display to the first mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein as operation of the electronic display is switched to the first mode, the graphical user interface presented as the active graphical user interface is the graphical user interface corresponding to a location on the touch sensitive surface at which the second control input was input by the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic display and the touch sensitive surface are implemented as a touch screen, and wherein the locations on the touch sensitive surface corresponding to the different graphical user interfaces in the array are the locations on the touch screen at which the different graphical user interfaces are displayed.

14. The method platform of claim 10, wherein the first control input includes a double contact tap to the touch sensitive surface.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second control input includes a single contact tap to the touch sensitive surface.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical user interfaces presented by the electronic display in the second mode facilitate interaction with different activities within a common application.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical user interfaces presented by the electronic display in the second made facilitate interaction with two or more different applications.

18. The method of 10, wherein the first activity is an activity participated in by the user with a plurality of other users via a network, and wherein, responsive to the electronic display being operated in the second mode and displaying an array of graphical user interfaces including the first graphical user interface, the first graphical user interface reflects the interactions of the other users in the first activity.