Safari Tab and Private Browsing UI Enhancement

• US 20150346929A1
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Karunamuni, Chanaka G., Dellinger, Richard R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,156,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

As computer processing power has increased and mobile devices have proliferated, with users often own multiple devices and utilize larger numbers of tabs in the browsers on their devices. In order to enhance user experience with these developments, tab organization is improved through tab scrolling and tab overviews. Further, users often utilize private browsing sessions when they desire their device to retain less information about their browsing history. Switching between private and regular browsing sessions and having to open, close, and otherwise manage separate sessions can be cumbersome. Switching between private browsing sessions and regular browsing sessions can be performed in an efficient manner that indicates to the user the type of session they are currently in and whether they would like to retain a set of tabs or favorite web pages for a private browsing session.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to switch to a private browsing session from a regular browsing session in a browser, the regular browsing session comprising a first set of one or more tabs that correspond to a set of one or more webpages;

in response to receiving the request to switch to the private browsing session from the regular browsing session;

storing information about the first set of one or more tabs; and

switching the browser to the private browsing session, the private browsing session restricting information stored about browsing activities of the user that occur during the private browsing session;

opening a second set of one or more tabs during the private browsing session in response to user browsing activities during the private browsing session;

receiving a request to switch back to the regular browsing session; and

in response to receiving the request to switch back to the regular browsing session;

ceasing to display the second set of one or more tabs; and

restoring the first set of one or more tabs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein switching the browser to the private browsing session comprises modifying an appearance of the browser to visually indicate the browser is in a private browsing session.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to receiving the request to switch back to the regular browsing session from the private browsing session:

displaying a sheet of options for disposal of tabs corresponding to the private browsing session, the sheet of options comprising a close option and a keep option.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, in response to selection of the keep option, ceasing to display the second set of one or more tabs comprises hiding the second set of tabs corresponding to the private browsing session for the duration of the regular browsing session.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein hiding the second set of tabs corresponding to the private browsing session comprises storing information enabling restore of the second set of tabs corresponding to the private browsing session.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a second request to switch to the private browsing session from the regular browsing and restoring the second set of tabs corresponding to the private browsing session.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein, in response to selection of the close option, ceasing to display the second set of one or more tabs comprises closing the second set of tabs corresponding to the private browsing session for the duration of the regular browsing session.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a second request to switch to the private browsing session from the regular browsing and returning to private browsing displaying no tabs in the private browsing session

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, storing a first set of favorite webpages associated with regular browsing sessions and storing a second set of favorite webpages associated with private browsing sessions.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a request to display favorite web pages in the regular browsing session, displaying the first set of favorite web pages, and

responsive to receiving a request to display favorite web pages in the private browsing session, displaying the second set of favorite web pages.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein switching the browser to the private browsing session comprises hiding the first set of tabs for the duration of the private browsing session.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, responsive to receiving the request to switch back to the regular browsing session from the private browsing session, switching the browser to the regular browsing session and loading the first set of one or more tabs based on the stored information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein switching to the private browsing session comprises replacing a regular tab picker UI for the regular browsing session with a private tab picker UI for the private browsing session.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein replacing the regular tab picker UI comprises sliding over, pushing back, or fading out the regular tab UI picker to display the private tab picker UI.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein switching to the regular browsing session comprises replacing a private tab picker UI for the private browsing session with a regular tab picker UI for the regular browsing session.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein replacing the private tab picker UI comprises sliding over, pushing back, or fading out the private tab UI picker to display the regular tab picker UI.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a private browse button toggles the browser between the private browsing session and the regular browsing session.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to switch to a private browsing session from a regular browsing session in a browser, the regular browsing session comprising a first set of one or more tabs that correspond to a set of one or more webpages;

in response to receiving the request to switch to the private browsing session from the regular browsing session;

storing information about the first set of one or more tabs; and

switching the browser to the private browsing session, the private browsing session restricting information stored about browsing activities of the user that occur during the private browsing session;

opening a second set of one or more tabs during the private browsing session in response to user browsing activities during the private browsing session;

receiving a request to switch back to the regular browsing session; and

in response to receiving the request to switch back to the regular browsing session;

ceasing to display the second set of one or more tabs; and

restoring the first set of one or more tabs.

19. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions, which when executed cause the processor to;

receive a request to switch to a private browsing session from a regular browsing session in a browser, the regular browsing session comprising a first set of one or more tabs that correspond to a set of one or more webpages;

in response to receiving the request to switch to the private browsing session from the regular browsing session;

store information about the first set of one or more tabs; and

switch the browser to the private browsing session, the private browsing session restricting information stored about browsing activities of the user that occur during the private browsing session;

open a second set of one or more tabs during the private browsing session in response to user browsing activities during the private browsing session;

receive a request to switch back to the regular browsing session; and

in response to receiving the request to switch back to the regular browsing session;

cease to display the second set of one or more tabs; and

restore the first set of one or more tabs.