APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR APPLICATION PEEL

• US 20140201660A1
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CLAUSEN, William Stryker, KIM, Ki Tae
• Granted Patent: US 10,082,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing applications in a mobile device are provided. The method includes selecting a predetermined location within an active first application that is in a forefront state, and dragging the selected location to uncover an active second application. The first application is returned to the forefront by returning the selected location back to an original position thereof The second application may be interacted with directly while the first application is in the dragged state.

Claims

1. A method for managing applications in a mobile device, the method comprising:

selecting a predetermined location within an active first application that is in a forefront state; and

dragging the selected location to uncover an active second application,

wherein the first application is returned to the forefront by returning the selected location back to an original position thereof, and

wherein the second application may be interacted with directly while the first application is in the dragged state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected location comprises a location wherein a select and drag event is not defined within the first application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dragging of the selected location is displayed as one of peeling a layer, sliding a tile, and shrinking the first application, according to the dragging.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application remains in a dragged state when released.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein the second application is dragged to reveal an active third application, and

wherein a dragged application is returned to an original position to return it to the forefront.

6. The application of claim 5, wherein the second application is dragged such that the dragged first application and the dragged second application are both visible and selectable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application automatically returns to the forefront in an undragged state when released.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is peeled completely off a desktop and the revealed second application is then in the forefront.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein the applications are stored in a form of a linked list,

wherein peeling an application completely off the desktop moves it to an end of the list, and

wherein peeling all applications completely off the desktop reveals the first application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the applications are peeled in at least two directions to cycle through the linked list in two corresponding directions.

11. A method of interacting with an application in a mobile device, the method comprising:

selecting a predetermined location of the application;

dragging the predetermined location to peel the application; and

performing a predetermined function according to the predetermined location.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined function is a help function.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined function is defined within the application.

14. A method of interacting with an application in a mobile device, the method comprising:

partially peeling back the application; and

touching and dragging along a peeled edge of the application to perform a predetermined function.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined function is defined within the application.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined function is defined within an Operating System for the application.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined function is defined according to a user selection.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein if the predetermined function is not defined within the application, then a predetermined function defined within an Operating System is performed.

19. A mobile device comprising:

a display for displaying one or more active applications;

an input unit for receiving inputs; and

at least one controller for controlling to select a location within a first application that is in a forefront state and to drag the selected location to uncover an active second application to the forefront state, to return the first application to the forefront by returning the selected location to an original position thereof, and to control input and output operations of the second application in the forefront state while the first application is in the dragged state.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the selected location comprises a location wherein a select and drag event is not defined within the first application.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the dragging of the selected location is displayed as one of peeling a layer, sliding a tile, and shrinking the first application, according to the dragging.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the first application remains in a dragged state when released.

23. The device of claim 22,

wherein the second application is dragged to reveal an active third application, and

wherein a dragged application is returned to an original position to return it to the forefront.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the second application is dragged such that the dragged first application and the dragged second application are both visible and selectable.

25. The device of claim 19, wherein the first application automatically returns to the forefront in an undragged state when released.

26. The device of claim 19, wherein the first application is peeled completely off a desktop and the revealed second application is then in the forefront.

27. The device of claim 26,

wherein the applications are stored in a form of a linked list,

wherein peeling an application completely off the desktop moves it to an end of the list, and

wherein peeling all applications completely off the desktop reveals the first application.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the applications are peeled in at least two directions to cycle through the linked list in two corresponding directions.

29. A mobile device comprising:

a display for displaying one or more active applications;

an input unit for receiving inputs; and

at least one controller for controlling to perform a predetermined function in response to a selection and drag of a predetermined location within an application that is in a forefront state, the predetermined function being according to the selected location.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the predetermined function is a help function.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the predetermined function is defined within the application.

32. A mobile device comprising:

a display for displaying one or more active applications;

an input unit for receiving inputs; and

at least one controller for controlling to partially peel back an application that is in a forefront state, and to perform a predetermined function in response to a touch and drag along a peeled edge of the application.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the predetermined function is defined within the application.

34. The device of claim 32, wherein the predetermined function is defined within an Operating System for the application.

35. The device of claim 32, wherein the predetermined function is defined according to a user selection.

36. The device of claim 32, wherein if the predetermined function is not defined within the application, then a predetermined function defined within an Operating System is performed.