Switching back to a previously-interacted-with application

• US 9,329,774 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Sareen, Chaitanya Dev, Wong, Tsz Yan, Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Worley, Matthew I., Anderson, Bret P., Sundelin, Nils A., Miner, Patrice L., Nan, Jennifer, Jarrett, Robert J., Matthews, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuyetlien T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duckworth, Jamie
• Application Number:
  US13/658,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20130047126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/718, 715/738, 715/739, 715744-745, 715/763, 715/766, 715/767, 715/769, 715/778, 715/783, 715/789, 715/794, 715/795, 715/796, 715/797, 715/802, 715/804, 715/806, 715/807, 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

This document describes techniques and apparatuses for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable selection of a user interface not currently exposed on a display through a simple gesture that is both easy-to-use and remember.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a first gesture over a current user interface associated with a current application, the current user interface currently presented on a display, the first gesture having a first point at an edge of the current user interface and a second point not at the edge of the current user interface, receipt of the first gesture automatically causing without further input;

selection of a most-recently-interacted-with application from a queue of interacted-with applications arranged by most-recently-interacted-with application to least-recently-interacted-with application other than the current application;

presentation of a most-recently-interacted-with user interface of the most-recently-interacted-with application, the most-recently-interacted-with user interface presented with content for user consumption and without occlusion on the display; and

cessation of presentation of the current user interface on the display or overlay of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface over the current user interface on the display; and

determining that a first defined time period has passed since presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface associated with the most-recently interacted with application, the first defined time period passing interpreted to be an interaction between the user and the most-recently-interacted-with user interface;

responsive to determining that the defined time period has passed and without further input, updating the queue to reflect the selection of the most-recently-interacted-with application;

receiving a second gesture over the most-recently-interacted-with user interface, the second gesture selecting a second-most-recently-interacted-with application;

receiving a third gesture selecting a third-most-recently-interacted-with application within a second defined time period from the queue of interacted-with applications; and

responsive to the selection of the third-most-recently-interacted-with application being received within the second defined time period of receiving the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application, not updating the queue of interacted-with applications to reflect the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application, the first defined time period being greater than a time threshold and the second defined time period being less than the time threshold, the time threshold being between one and four seconds.

2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein receiving selection of the most-recently-interacted-with application is not received through a visible, selectable control presented over the current user interface or on the display presenting the current user interface.

3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the first gesture is received through a mouse-like device and represented by movement of a point or indicator over the current user interface.

4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface progressively places the most-recently-interacted-with user interface at a region of the display at which the current user interface resides.

5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface includes presentation of a thumbnail image of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface progressively with the first gesture as the first gesture is received and, responsive to the first gesture ending, expanding the thumbnail image.

6. A computer implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the queue of interacted-with applications is not maintained prior to a first user interaction with an application.

7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the current user interface currently presented on the display fully occupies the display without occlusion until presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface and, subsequent to presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface on the display, the most-recently-interacted-with user interface fully occupies the display.

8. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application followed by receiving the selection of the third-most-recently-interacted-with application within the second defined time period is interpreted to be a quick scanning through of the applications in the queue.

9. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the time threshold is between two and three seconds.

10. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the time threshold is between three and four seconds.

11. One or more computer-readable hardware storage devices storing instructions that, responsive to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first gesture over a current user interface associated with a current application, the current user interface currently presented on a display, the first gesture having a first point at an edge of the current user interface and a second point not at the edge of the current user interface, receipt of the first gesture automatically causing without further input;

determining a most-recently-interacted-with application from a queue of interacted-with applications arranged by most-recently-interacted-with application to least-recently-interacted-with application other than the current application;

presenting a most-recently-interacted-with immersive user interface associated with the determined most-recently-interacted-with application, the presenting expanding the most-recently-interacted-with immersive user interface associated with the most-recently-interacted-with application to fully occupy the display while simultaneously shrinking the current immersive user interface of the current application; and

enabling interaction with the most-recently-interacted-with application through the most-recently-interacted-with immersive user interface without further interaction following receipt of the gesture;

determining that a first defined time period has passed since presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with immersive user interface associated with the determined most-recently interacted with application, the determining effective to determine that the most-recently-interacted-with immersive user interface is being interacted with;

responsive to the determining that the first defined time period has passed and without further input, updating the interacted-with application queue to reflect the presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with application;

receiving a second gesture over the most-recently-interacted-with immersive user interface, the second gesture selecting a second-most-recently-interacted-with application;

receiving a third gesture selecting a third-most-recently-interacted-with application within a second defined time period from the queue of interacted-with applications; and

responsive to the selection of the third-most-recently-interacted-with application being received within the second defined time period of receiving the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application, not updating the queue of interacted-with applications to reflect the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application, the first defined time period being greater than a time threshold and the second defined time period being less than the time threshold, the time threshold being between one and four seconds.

12. The one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices of claim 11, wherein the shrunken current immersive user interface is a thumbnail image and wherein moving the shrunken current immersive user interface moves the thumbnail image to a region from which the most-recently-interacted-with immersive user interface associated with the most-recently-interacted-with application is expanded.

13. The one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices of claim 11, wherein the queue of interacted-with applications is circular effective to cause selections to proceed past the least-recently-interacted-with application in the queue to the most-recently-interacted-with application in the queue.

14. The one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices of claim 11, wherein the time threshold is between two and three seconds.

15. A system comprising:

a gesture-sensitive display;

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having processor-executable instructions thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more computer processors, perform operations comprising;

receiving a first gesture over a current user interface associated with a current application, the current user interface currently presented on the gesture-sensitive display, the first gesture having a first point at an edge of the current user interface and a second point not at the edge of the current user interface, receipt of the first gesture automatically causing without further input;

selection of a most-recently-interacted-with application from a queue of interacted-with applications arranged by most-recently-interacted-with application to least-recently-interacted-with application other than the current application;

presentation of a most-recently-interacted-with user interface of the most-recently-interacted-with application, the most-recently-interacted-with user interface presented with content for user consumption and without occlusion on the gesture-sensitive display; and

cessation of presentation of the current user interface on the gesture-sensitive display or overlay of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface over the current user interface on the gesture-sensitive display; and

determining that a first defined time period has passed since presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface associated with the most-recently interacted with application, the first defined time period passing interpreted to be an interaction between the user and the most-recently-interacted-with user interface;

responsive to determining that the defined time period has passed and without further input, updating the queue to reflect the selection of the most-recently-interacted-with application;

receiving a second gesture over the most-recently-interacted-with user interface, the second gesture selecting a second-most-recently-interacted-with application;

receiving a third gesture selecting a third-most-recently-interacted-with application within a second defined time period from the queue of interacted-with applications; and

responsive to the selection of the third-most-recently-interacted-with application being received within the second defined time period of receiving the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application, not updating the queue of interacted-with applications to reflect the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application, the first defined time period being greater than a time threshold and the second defined time period being less than the time threshold, the time threshold being between one and four seconds.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface progressively places the most-recently-interacted-with user interface at a region of the gesture-sensitive display at which the current user interface resides.

17. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface includes presentation of a thumbnail image of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface progressively with the first gesture as the first gesture is received and, responsive to the first gesture ending, expanding the thumbnail image.

18. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the queue of interacted-with applications is not maintained prior to a first user interaction with an application.

19. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the current user interface currently presented on the gesture-sensitive display fully occupies the gesture-sensitive display without occlusion until presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface and, subsequent to presentation of the most-recently-interacted-with user interface on the gesture-sensitive display, the most-recently-interacted-with user interface fully occupies the gesture-sensitive display.

20. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein receiving the selection of the second-most-recently-interacted-with application followed by receiving the selection of the third-most-recently-interacted-with application within the second defined time period is interpreted to be a quick scanning through of the applications in the queue.