MANAGING APPLICATIONS ON A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20140208266A1
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Desai, Sachin, Ayers, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,778,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for managing applications on a computing device. A computing device may receive allowed application data indicating applications that are launchable by a base application. A user interface with one or more selections of the applications may be displayed at a display of the computing device. The computing device may receive input data indicating a selection of an application. Identifier data associated with the base application and selection data associated with the application may be provided to the application.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing applications on a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the computing device, allowed application data, the allowed application data indicating one or more applications that are launchable by a base application;

providing for display on the computing device, a user interface including one or more selections of the one or more applications;

receiving, at the computing device, first input data indicating a selection of a first application, the first application identified as an application launchable by the base application; and

providing, to the first application, identifier data associated with the base application and a first selection data associated with the selection of the first application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the computing device, second input data indicating a selection of a second application, the second application identified as an application launchable by the base application; and

providing, to the second application, identifier data associated with the base application, the first selection data associated with the first application, and second selection data associated with the selection of the second application.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the computing device, an indication to return to the base application from the second application; and

returning to the base application from the second application, the return based on the identifier data associated with the base application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowed application data further includes allowed actions performed by the one or more applications.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowed application data further includes a display priority of the one or more applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more applications are based on a role of a user in an organization.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more applications are based on a geographic region.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first selection data includes an action associated with the first application.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first selection data includes contextual data for the action, the contextual data providing variables for performing the action.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is one of:

a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet, a wearable display device, and a desktop computer.

11. One or more computing devices for using applications, the one or more computing devices comprising:

one or more processors operable to execute one or more instructions to;

receive, at the computing device, allowed application data, the allowed application data indicating one or more applications that are launchable by a base application;

display, at a display of the computing device, a user interface including one or more selections of the one or more applications;

receive, at the computing device, first input data indicating a selection of a first application, the first application identified as an application launchable by the base application; and

provide, to the first application, identifier data associated with the base application and a first selection data associated with the selection of the first application.

12. The one or more computing devices of claim 11, the one or more processors further operable to execute one or more instructions to:

receive, at the computing device, second input data indicating a selection of a second application, the second application identified as an application launchable by the base application; and

provide, to the second application, identifier data associated with the base application, the first selection data associated with the first application, and second selection data associated with the selection of the second application.

13. The one or more computing devices of claim 12, the one or more processors further operable to execute one or more instructions to:

receive, at the computing device, an indication to return to the base application from the second application; and

return to the base application from the second application, the return based on the identifier data associated with the base application.

14. The one or more computing devices of claim 11, wherein the allowed application data further includes allowed actions performed by the one or more applications.

15. The one or more computing devices of claim 11, wherein the allowed application data further includes a display priority of the one or more applications.

16. The one or more computing devices of claim 11, wherein the one or more applications are based on a role of a user in an organization.

17. The one or more computing devices of claim 11, wherein the one or more applications are based on a geographic region.

18. The one or more computing devices of claim 11, wherein the first selection data includes an action associated with the first application.

19. The one or more computing devices of claim 18, wherein the first selection data includes contextual data for the action, the contextual data providing variables for performing the action.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing device to:

receive, at the computing device, allowed application data, the allowed application data indicating one or more applications that are launchable by a base application;

display, at a display of the computing device, a user interface including one or more selections of the one or more applications;

receive, at the computing device, first input data indicating a selection of a first application, the first application identified as an application launchable by the base application; and

provide, to the first application, identifier data associated with the base application and a first selection data associated with the selection of the first application.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, the instructions further executable by a processor to cause a computing device to:

receive, at the computing device, second input data indicating a selection of a second application, the second application identified as an application launchable by the base application; and

provide, to the second application, identifier data associated with the base application, the first selection data associated with the first application, and second selection data associated with the selection of the second application.