Repositioning windows in the pop-up window

• US 9,223,426 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Sirpal, Sanjiv, Gimpl, Martin, Milano, Eduardo Diego Torres
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Manglesh M
• Application Number:
  US13/247,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 715/761, 715/802, 715/200, 715/766, 715/797, 715/794, 715778-779
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 : for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 : Drag-and-drop
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 : by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 : controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 : display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/02 : Affine transformations for image registration G06T3/147; for image mosaicing G06T3/4038
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 : Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 : Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 : Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A dual-screen user device and methods for revealing a combination of desktops on single and multiple screens are disclosed. Selected desktops and/or running applications are displayed on dual screen displays. Desktops and applications can be shifted between screens by user gestures, and/or moved off of the screens and therefore hidden. Hidden desktops and screens can be re-displayed by yet other gestures. The desktops and applications are arranged in a window stack that represents a logical order of the desktops and applications providing a user with an intuitive ability to manage multiple applications/desktops running simultaneously. One user gesture launches an applications management window that provides visual indications of all of the applications and desktops running at the time, applications/desktops displayed on the screens. Other gestures can rearrange the order of all of the applications and desktops in the window stack.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a plurality of desktops and/or applications, each having at least one window, on a multi-screen device, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a first input that represents an instruction to reveal one of a desktop or application on a first display of the multi-screen device;

selecting, by a processor, a first desktop or application to display on the first display;

modifying a window stack to include the first desktop or application;

receiving, by a processor , a second input that represents an instruction to reveal one of a desktop or application on a second display of the multi-screen device;

selecting, by a processor, a second desktop or application to display on the second display;

modifying the window stack to include the second desktop or application, wherein the window stack includes the second desktop, the first desktop, the first application, the second application, and at least one other inactive application, associated with an application currently running but not currently displayed on the first and second displays;

displaying, by a processor, the selected first and second desktops or applications on the first and second displays;

receiving, by a processor, a third input that represents an instruction to launch an application manager feature;

displaying, by a processor, an application manager window associated with the application manager feature, wherein the application manager window displays at least one other application or desktop currently running on the device but not currently displayed on the first and second displays;

determining, by a processor, a desired order for the window stack comprising the first and second applications, the first and second desktops, and said inactive application , wherein the window stack is a logical arrangement of active and inactive windows currently executing on the multi-screen device, wherein the logical order represents how the active and inactive windows are to be displayed during navigation through the active and inactive windows;

receiving, by a processor, a fourth input that represents an instruction to selectively move one of said first and second application or desktop, or said inactive applications, within the window stack to a different position;

displaying, by a processor, a representation of the window stack, in the application manager window, in a new order in response to said fourth input; and

wherein at least one management window appears on said first and second displays, and the other applications or desktops are arranged linearly within the management window from left to right, and the left to right order of the other applications or desktops corresponds to an order of the other applications or desktops within the window stack.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth input is a user gesture comprising at least one of a flick, tap, long hold, or drag gesture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third input is a user gesture comprising a spread gesture, and wherein the spread gesture is executed on off-screen areas of said first and seconds displays with one finger of a user placed on one screen, and another finger of the user placed on the other screen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a fourth input step is executed a number of times until the window stack is displayed in the desired order.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rightmost appearing one of the other applications or desktops is the top application or desktop in the group of the other applications or desktops, and the leftmost appearing one of the other applications or desktops is the bottom application or desktop in the group of the other applications or desktops.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an order of the other applications or desktops within the window stack is changed by executing a user input gesture, comprising at least one of a flick or drag gesture executed on a selected one of the other applications or desktops within the management window to thereby move the selected one to another position within the window stack.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a flick or drag gesture executed in a left direction causes the selected one to move down in the stack a predetermined number of positions, and a flick or drag gesture executed in a right direction causes the selected one to move up in the stack a predetermined number of positions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein separate management windows appear on said first and second displays denoting a first window stack for the first display and a second window stack for the second display, and wherein the other applications or desktops are arranged linearly within each management window from left to right, and the left to right order of the other applications or desktops correspond to an order of the other applications or desktops within the window stack for each corresponding display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a selected one of the other applications or desktops is moved to a new position displayed on the first or second displays by executing another user input gesture on the selected one, the another user input gesture comprising at least one of a tap or long hold gesture.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first or second applications or desktops are the first two applications or desktops within the window stack.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein an order of the first or second applications or desktops within the window stack is changed by executing a user input gesture, comprising at least one of a flick or drag gesture, on the first and second displays.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a computing system to execute a method, the instructions comprising:

instructions that receive a first predetermined input that represents an instruction to determine and reveal a first desktop or application on a first display of the multi-screen device;

instructions that receive a second predetermined input that represents an instruction to determine and reveal a second desktop or application on a second display of the multi-screen device;

instructions that respond to the first and second predetermined inputs with outputs that cause the first desktop or application to be displayed on the first display and cause the second desktop or application to be displayed on the second display;

instructions that modify a window stack, to respond to the first and second predetermined inputs, to include the second desktop, the second application, the first desktop, the first application, and at least one other inactive application, associated with an application currently running but not currently displayed on the first and second displays;

instructions that receive a third predetermined input that represents an instruction to launch an application manager feature;

instructions that respond to the third predetermined input that causes a display of an application management window showing all inactive applications or desktops currently running but not currently displayed on the first and second displays;

instructions that receive a fourth predetermined input that represents an instruction to selectively move one of said first and second applications or desktops, or said inactive application, within the window stack to a different position, wherein the window stack is a logical arrangement of active and inactive windows currently executing on the multi-screen device, wherein the logical order represents how the active and inactive windows are to be displayed during navigation through the active and inactive windows;

instructions that respond to the fourth predetermined input that causes displaying of a representation of the window stack in a new order; and

wherein said management window appears on said first and second displays, and the other applications or desktops are arranged linearly within the management window from left to right, and the left to right order of the other applications or desktops corresponds to an order of the other applications or desktops within the window stack.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said fourth predetermined input step is executed a number of times by a user until the window stack is displayed in the desired order.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first or second applications or desktops are the first two applications or desktops within the window stack, and an order of the first or second applications or desktops within the window stack is changed by executing a user input gesture, comprising at least one of a flick or drag gesture, on the first and second displays.

15. A multi-screen user device, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a first display including a first display area;

a second display including a second display area;

a first user input gesture area of the first display;

a second user input gesture area of the second display, wherein the first and second user input gesture areas accept input from a user;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that include;

a first set of instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, determines a number and identity of desktops or applications selected to be run by a user;

a second set of instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, determines, based on the number and identity of the desktops, active applications, and inactive applications running on the device, a window stack comprising a logical representation of the desktops, inactive applications, and active applications, currently executing on the multi-screen device, within an ordered group whereby a user selectively moves a selected desktop or application to either a visible position on another display or a non-visible position , wherein the logical representation represents how the active and inactive windows are to be displayed during navigation through the active and inactive windows;

a third set of instructions responsive to a gesture made by the user that represents an instruction that, when executed by the microprocessor, launches an application manager feature, wherein the applications or desktops are displayed on the first and second displays, and an application management window is displayed showing all other applications or desktops currently running but not currently displayed on the first and second displays;

a fourth set of instructions responsive to one or more gestures made by the user that, when executed by the microprocessor, represents an instruction to selectively move one of said first and second applications or desktops, or said other applications or desktops, within the window stack to a different position,

wherein a representation of the window stack is displayed in a new order in response to said fourth set of instructions; and

wherein at least one management window appears on said first and second displays, and the other applications or desktops are arranged linearly within the management window from left to right, and the left to right order of the other applications or desktops corresponds to an order of the other applications or desktops within the window stack.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said fourth set of instructions are executed a number of times until the window stack is displayed in the desired order.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein separate management windows appear on said first and second displays denoting a first window stack for the first display and a second window stack for the second display, and wherein the other applications or desktops are arranged linearly within each management window from left to right, and the left to right order of the other applications or desktops correspond to an order of the other applications or desktops within the window stack for each corresponding display.