MULTIPLE WINDOW PROVIDING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20130305184A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Chul-joo, KIM, Kang-tae, KIM, Eun-young, SUN, Kwang-won, LEE, Jae-yeol
• Granted Patent: US 9,898,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

A multiple window apparatus and method is provided. A method of displaying a plurality of display windows on a screen by using a device, the method includes displaying a first display window on the screen, receiving a user input that selects an object included in the first display window. displaying a list of applications matching a display mode of the first display window in response to the user input, and displaying a second display window including an execution result of an application selected from the list in the display mode.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a plurality of display windows on a screen by using a device, the method comprising:

displaying a first display window on the screen;

receiving a user input that selects an object included in the first display window;

displaying a list of applications matching a display mode of the first display window in response to the user input; and

displaying a second display window including an execution result of an application selected from the list in the display mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the second display window comprises:

splitting a region of the screen of the device on which the first display window is displayed; and

displaying the first display window and the second display window on the split regions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the list of applications matching the display mode when a predetermined object included in the second display window is selected; and

displaying a third display window, including the execution result of the application selected from the list on the first display window, and the second display window to overlap each other.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying of the third display window comprises displaying the third display window in the display mode.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first display window is displayed on an entire region of the screen of the device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the third display window is displayed on an entire region of the screen of the device.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the list of applications matching the display mode when the predetermined object included in the second display window is selected;

splitting at least one of the first display window and the second display window when a predetermined application is selected from the list of applications; and

displaying the third display window including an execution result of the selected application on the split regions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the display mode comprises at least one of a split mode, a free style mode, and a pin-up mode,

wherein the display mode corresponding to applications installed in the device is previously set.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 1.

9. A device comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a user input that selects an object included in a first display window displayed on a screen;

a list generation unit configured to generate a list of applications matching a display mode of the first display window; and

a display unit configured to display the generated list of applications and to display a second display window including an execution result of an application selected from the list in the display mode.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the display unit is configured to split a region of the screen of the device on which the first display window is displayed and displays the first display window and the second display window on the split regions.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the display unit is configured to display the list of applications matching the display mode when a predetermined object included in the second display window is selected, and to display a third display window, including the execution result of the application selected from the list on the first display window, and the second display window to overlap each other.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the display unit is configured to display the third display window in the display mode.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the first display window is displayed on an entire region of the screen of the device.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the third display window is displayed on an entire region of the screen of the device.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the display unit is configured to display the list of applications matching the display mode when the predetermined object included in the second display window is selected, to split at least one of the first display window and the second display window when a predetermined application is selected from the list of applications, and to display the third display window including an execution result of the selected application on the split regions.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the display mode comprises at least one of a split mode, a free style mode, and a pin-up mode,

wherein the display mode corresponding to applications installed in the device is previously set.

18. A method of executing a plurality of applications, the method comprising:

receiving an input of an execution command to execute a launcher related to control of the plurality of applications;

providing a user interface screen that is an execution screen of the launcher in response to the execution command;

receiving an input of control commands of the plurality of applications that control the plurality of applications through the user interface screen;

setting a display method of the plurality of applications based on the control commands of the plurality of applications; and

displaying the plurality of applications on a touch screen based on the set display method.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user interface screen is used to select whether to display the plurality of applications in a split mode, a free style mode, or a pin-up mode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises:

when the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a selection of the split mode, displaying a plurality of windows, in which the plurality of applications are executed on the touch screen, not to overlap each other.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises:

when a number of the plurality of applications is two, displaying a window in which one of the plurality of applications is executed on a left half of the touch screen, and displaying a window in which another one of the plurality of applications is executed on a right half of the touch screen.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises:

when the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a selection of the free style mode, displaying the plurality of windows in which the plurality of applications are executed on the touch screen based on respective display priorities.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises:

when the plurality of windows partially overlaps each other, displaying the plurality of windows based on respective display priorities.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises:

displaying a window having a higher display priority to cover a window having a lower display priority.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein, when the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a selection of the pin-up mode, the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises:

displaying the plurality of windows in which the plurality of applications is executed on the touch screen based on respective display priorities;

receiving an input of a highest display command to one of the plurality of windows;

fixing a display priority of a highest display window in which the highest display command is input as a highest display priority; and

displaying the highest display window at a higher level than other windows.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

detecting an input of a control event to a window that is different from the highest display window; and

displaying the highest display window at a higher level than the window in which the control event is input.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising setting a display priority of the window in which the control event is input as a second highest priority.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the user interface screen is used to select whether to display a title bar indicating an identifier of each of the plurality of applications and a collection of application tools on the plurality of windows in which the plurality of applications are executed.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein, if the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a display of the title bar, the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises controlling the title bar to be displayed on each of the plurality of windows, and, if the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a non-display of the title bar, the displaying of the plurality of applications on the touch screen comprises controlling the title bar to not be displayed on each of the plurality of windows.

41. The device of claim 28, wherein, when controlling the plurality of applications to be displayed on the touch screen, if the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate display of the title bar, the control unit is configured to control the title bar to be displayed on each of the plurality of windows, and, if the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate non-display of the title bar, the control unit is configured to control the title bar to not be displayed on each of the plurality of windows.

30. A device for executing a plurality of applications, the device comprising:

a touch screen configured to receive an input of an execution command to execute a launcher related to control of the plurality of applications, and to provide a user interface screen that is an execution screen of the launcher in response to the execution command; and

a control unit configured to, if an input of control commands of the plurality of applications that control the plurality of applications through the user interface screen is input, control a display method of the plurality of applications to be set based on the control commands of the plurality of applications, and the plurality of applications to be displayed on a touch screen based on the set display method.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the user interface screen is used to select whether to display the plurality of applications in a split mode, a free style mode, or a pin-up mode.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein, when the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a selection of the split mode, the control unit is configured to control a plurality of windows in which the plurality of applications are executed to be displayed on the touch screen to not overlap each other.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein, when a number of the plurality of applications is two, the control unit is configured to control a window in which one of the plurality of applications is executed to be displayed on a left half of the touch screen, and a window in which another one of the plurality of applications is executed to be displayed on a right half of the touch screen.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein, when the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a selection of the free style mode, the control unit is configured to control the plurality of windows in which the plurality of applications are executed to be displayed on the touch screen based on respective display priorities.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein, when the plurality of windows partially overlap each other, the control unit is configured to control the plurality of windows to be displayed based on respective display priorities.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the control unit is configured to control a window having a higher display priority to be displayed to cover a window having a lower display priority.

37. The device of claim 31, wherein, when the control commands of the plurality of applications indicate a selection of the pin-up mode, the touch screen displays the plurality of windows in which the plurality of applications are executed based on respective display priorities, and receives an input of a highest display command to one of the plurality of windows, and

wherein the control unit is configured to control a display priority of a highest display window in which the highest display command is input to be fixed as having a highest display priority, and the highest display window to be displayed at a higher level than other windows.

38. The device of claim 37, further comprising:

if an input of a control event to a window different from the highest display window is detected, the control unit is configured to control the highest display window to be displayed at a higher level than the window in which the control event is input.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the control unit is configured to sets a display priority of the window in which the control event is input as a second highest priority.

40. The device of claim 30, wherein the user interface screen is used to select whether to display a title bar indicating an identifier of each of the plurality of applications and a collection of application tools on the plurality of windows in which the plurality of applications are executed.

42. A portable terminal apparatus comprising:

a memory in which at least one program is stored; and

a processor configured to control to display execution windows of a plurality of applications by executing the at least one program,

wherein the at least one program comprises commands that perform;

determining display modes of the plurality of applications by performing an application framework for controlling and managing a single window and an independently existing multi window framework; and

displaying the execution windows of the plurality of applications on a touch screen according to the determined display modes by using the multi window framework,

wherein the multi window framework is a framework that manages operations of the execution windows of the plurality of applications, and

wherein the multi window framework comprises a multi window manager that manages the operations of the execution windows of the plurality of applications and provides Application Program Interfaces (APIs) regarding the operations of the execution windows of the plurality of applications to the application framework.

43. The portable terminal apparatus of claim 42, wherein the multi window framework comprises the APIs regarding the operations of the execution windows of the plurality of applications,

wherein the APIs are distinguished according to the display modes.

44. The portable terminal apparatus of claim 43, wherein the APIs are provided to a framework that manages an operation of the single window from the multi window framework.