Switch List Interactions

• US 20140298258A1
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Doan, Christopher, Clapper, Jon Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US13/852,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20140298258A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A graphical user interface for viewing and selecting from a list of available applications through an operating system of a computer includes a switch list. The displayed switch list can be either fully or partially displayed, or hidden. The switch list becomes partially displayed after a user selects an object from the switch list through some user input gesture, such as a swipe from the left edge of the display when the switch list is hidden, or a selection and drag of an object from a fully displayed switch list. The switch list transitions from partially displayed or hidden to fully displayed when a user indicates, through some user gesture, that a currently active object is being placed back into the switch list.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented process performed by a processor in a computer, comprising:

receiving a list of applications running on the computer into memory;

generating a switch list as a graphical representation of the list of applications;

in response to a first gesture, partially displaying the switch list on the display;

in response to a second gesture, fully displaying the switch list.

2. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein the first gesture indicates a selection of an application.

3. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein the second gesture indicates a user intent to return an application to the switch list.

4. The computer-implemented process of claim 3, wherein the second gesture comprises, when the switch list is partially displayed, movement of an object towards the switch list and past a return threshold.

5. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein the first gesture comprises, when the switch list is hidden, selection of an application and movement of a graphical representation of the selected application on the display.

6. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein the first gestures comprises, when the switch list is fully displayed, selection of an application in the switch list and movement of a graphical representation of the selected application away from the switch list past a threshold.

7. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein the display includes multiple monitors, and wherein the switch list becomes hidden when an object is moved from a monitor on which the switch list is displayed to another monitor.

8. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer storage medium;

computer program instructions stored on the computer storage medium which, when processed by a processing device, instruct the processing device to perform a process comprising;

receiving a list of applications running on the computer into memory;

generating a switch list as a graphical representation of the list of applications;

in response to a first gesture, partially displaying the switch list on the display;

in response to a second gesture, fully displaying the switch list.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the first gesture indicates a selection of an application.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the second gesture indicates a user intent to return an application to the switch list.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the second gesture comprises, when the switch list is partially displayed, movement of an object towards the switch list and past a return threshold.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the first gesture comprises, when the switch list is hidden, selection of an application and movement of a graphical representation of the selected application on the display.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the first gestures comprises, when the switch list is fully displayed, selection of an application in the switch list and movement of a graphical representation of the selected application away from the switch list past a threshold.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the display includes multiple monitors, and wherein the switch list becomes hidden when an object is moved from a monitor on which the switch list is displayed to another monitor.

15. A computer comprising:

a memory,

a processor connected to the memory and programmed to;

receive a list of applications running on the computer into memory;

generate a switch list as a graphical representation of the list of applications;

in response to a first gesture, partially display the switch list on the display;

in response to a second gesture, fully display the switch list.

16. The computer of claim 15, wherein the first gesture indicates a selection of an application.

17. The computer of claim 15, wherein the second gesture comprises, when the switch list is hidden, selection and movement of an object towards the switch list and past a threshold.

18. The computer of claim 15, wherein the first gesture comprises, when the switch list is hidden, selection of an application and movement of a graphical representation of the selected application on the display.

19. The computer of claim 15, wherein the first gestures comprises, when the switch list is fully displayed, selection of an application in the switch list and movement of a graphical representation of the selected application away from the switch list past a threshold.

20. The computer of claim 15, wherein the display includes multiple monitors, and wherein the switch list becomes hidden when an object is moved from a monitor on which the switch list is displayed to another monitor.