Methods, systems, and computer program products for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs
First Claim
1. A method for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs, the method comprising:
- creating a record of an association including data identifying a first application program, a second application program, information related to the second application program, and an input, wherein;
the first application program is configured to present information related to the first application program and is responsive to inputs received via a user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the first application program,the second application program is configured to present the information related to the second application program and is responsive to inputs received via the user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the second application program, andthe input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program;
receiving the input via the user interface when the first application program has focus within the user interface, wherein the received input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program;
retrieving data from the record of the association; and
in response to receiving the input, presenting, while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface, at least a portion of the information related to the second application program based on the data from the record of the association identifying the first and second application programs and the input.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and computer program products for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes allowing a first application program to be associated with a second application program. The first and second application programs are responsive to inputs received via a user interface for interacting with respective user interface components associated with the first and second application programs. Further, an input is received via the user interface when the first application program has focus within the user interface. The received input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program. The association between the first and second application programs is used to present a portion of information related to the second application program while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface in response to receiving the input.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs, the method comprising:
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creating a record of an association including data identifying a first application program, a second application program, information related to the second application program, and an input, wherein; the first application program is configured to present information related to the first application program and is responsive to inputs received via a user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the first application program, the second application program is configured to present the information related to the second application program and is responsive to inputs received via the user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the second application program, and the input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; receiving the input via the user interface when the first application program has focus within the user interface, wherein the received input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; retrieving data from the record of the association; and in response to receiving the input, presenting, while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface, at least a portion of the information related to the second application program based on the data from the record of the association identifying the first and second application programs and the input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs, the system comprising system components including:
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an associated application program manager component configured to create a record of an association including data identifying a first application program, a second application program, information related to the second application program, and an input, wherein; the first application program is configured to present information related to the first application program and is responsive to inputs received via a user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the first application program, the second application program is configured to present the information related to the second application program and is responsive to inputs received via the user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the second application program, and the input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; a user interface component configured to receive the input when the first application program has focus within the user interface, wherein the received input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; and the associated application program manager is further configured to retrieve data from the record of the association and use the data from the record of the association identifying of the first and second application programs, the input, and the information related to the second application program to present at least a portion of the information related to the second application program while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface in response to the received input, wherein at least one of the system components includes at least one electronic hardware component. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs, the system comprising:
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means for creating a record of an association including data identifying a first application program, a second application program, information related to the second application program, and an input, wherein; the first application program is configured to present information related to the first application program and is responsive to inputs received via a user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the first application program, the second application program is configured to present the information related to the second application program and is responsive to inputs received via the user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the second application program, and the input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; means for receiving the input via the user interface when the first application program has focus within the user interface, wherein the received input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; and means for retrieve data from the record of the association and using the data from the record of the association identifying of the first and second application programs, the input, and the information related to the second application program to present at least a portion of the information related to the second application program while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface in response to receiving the input, wherein at least one of the means includes at least one electronic hardware component.
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35. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:
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creating a record of an association including data identifying associating a first application program, a second application program, information related to the second application program, and an input, wherein; the first application program is configured to present information related to the first application program and is responsive to inputs received via a user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the first application program, the second application program is configured to present the information related to the second application program and is responsive to inputs received via the user interface for interacting with user interface components associated with the second application program, and the input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; receiving the input via the user interface when the first application program has focus within the user interface, wherein the received input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; retrieving data from the record of the association; and in response to receiving the input, presenting, while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface, at least a portion of the information related to the second application program based on the data from the record of the association identifying the first and second application programs and the input.
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Specification