Synchronizing launch-configuration information between first and second application environments that are operable on a multi-modal device

• US 9,342,325 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Barat, Nirmalya, Dharawat, Parikshit, Gangam, Vamshika R., Jung, Ji Hye
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCHE, JOHN B
• Application Number:
  US13/474,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20130311682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 710/14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method for a multi-modal device for transferring launch information for a panel and first docking bar in a first application environment to a second application environment for a second docking bar in the second application environment includes detecting a docking of the multi-modal device to a hardware module, and displaying a user interface for the second application environment operating on the multi-modal device on the hardware module. The method includes receiving at the second application environment the launch information for launching launchable objects in the first application environment from the second application environment, and parsing, by the second application environment, the launch information to determine a change to the panel or the first docking bar. The change is in the first application environment. The method includes changing the second docking bar to include the change to the panel or the first docking bar based on parsing the launch information.

Claims

1. A method operable on a multi-modal device for

transferring launch-configuration information for a set of panels and a first docking bar in a first application environment to a second application environment for a second docking bar in the second application environment, the method comprising:

detecting a docking of the multi-modal device to a hardware module;

displaying, in response to the docking, a user interface for the second application environment operating on the multi-modal device on the hardware module;

receiving, in response to the docking, at the second application environment the launch-configuration information for launching launchable objects in the first application environment from the second application environment on the multi-modal device;

parsing, by the second application environment operating on the multi-modal device docked to the hardware module, the launch-configuration information to determine a change to the set of panels or the first docking bar, wherein the change is in the first application environment operating on the hardware module;

changing the second docking bar to include the change to the set of panels or the first docking bar based on parsing the launch-configuration information;

sending, by the second application environment, a request for the launch-configuration information to the first application environment, wherein the launch-configuration information is received in response to the request; and

subsequent to receiving the launch-configuration information at the second application environment, listening, by the second application environment, for an issued communication from the first application environment for new launch-configuration information that is not synchronized between the first and the second application environments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the second docking bar includes changing a launcher object to include the change to the set of panels or the first docking bar, and the launcher object on the second docking bar is for launching a launchable object in the first application environment from the second application environment.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the launch-configuration information by the second application environment on the multi-modal device for launching the launchable object, wherein the launchable object is launched if the launcher object is selected from the second docking bar in the second application environment.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein changing the second docking bar includes removing the launcher object from the second docking bar if the launcher object is removed from the set of panels or the first docking bar, or adding the launcher object to second docking bar if the launcher object is added to the set of panels or the first docking bar.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein changing the second docking bar includes resizing the launcher object in the second docking bar if the launcher object is resized in the set of panels or the first docking bar.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein changing the second docking bar includes updating the launcher object in the second docking bar if the launcher object is updated in the set of panels or the first docking bar.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein updating includes changing graphics or text on the launcher object.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the launch-configuration information includes panel information for changes to the launcher object.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for transferring launch-configuration information for a set of panels and a first docking bar in a first application environment to a second application environment for a second docking bar in the second application environment, the instructions for configuring a multi-modal device to be operable to:

detect a docking of the multi-modal device to a hardware module;

display, in response to the docking, a user interface for the second application environment operating on the multi-modal device on the hardware module;

receive, in response to the docking, at the second application environment the launch-configuration information for launching launchable objects in the first application environment from the second application environment on the multi-modal device;

parse, by the second application environment operating on the multi-modal device docked to the hardware module, the launch-configuration information to determine a change to the set of panels or the first docking bar, wherein the change is in the first application environment operating on the hardware module;

change the second docking bar to include the change to the set of panels or the first docking bar based on parsing the launch-configuration information;

send, by the second application environment, a request for the launch-configuration information to the first application environment, wherein the launch-configuration information is received in response to the request; and

subsequent to receiving the launch-configuration information at the second application environment, listen, by the second application environment, for an issued communication from the first application environment for new launch-configuration information that is not synchronized between the first and the second application environments.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein changing the second docking bar includes changing a launcher object to include the change to the set of panels or the first docking bar, and the launcher object on the second docking bar is for launching a launchable object in the first application environment from the second application environment.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are for further controlling a multi-modal device to be operable for storing the launch-configuration information by the second application environment on the multi-modal device for launching the launchable object, wherein the launchable object is launched if the launcher object is selected from the second docking bar in the second application environment.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction for changing the second docking bar includes instructions for removing the launcher object from the second docking bar if the launcher object is removed from the set of panels or the first docking bar, or adding the launcher object to the second docking bar if the launcher object is added to the set of panels or the first docking bar.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for changing the second docking bar includes instructions for resizing the launcher object in the second docking bar if the launcher object is resized in the set of panels or the first docking bar.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for changing the second docking bar includes instructions for updating the launcher object in the second docking bar if the launcher object is updated in the set of panels or the first docking bar.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instruction for updating includes instruction changing graphics or text on the launcher object.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the launch-configuration information includes panel information for change to the launcher object.

17. A multi-modal device configured for transferring launch-configuration information for a set of panels and a first docking bar in a first application environment to a second application environment for a second docking bar in the second application environment, the multi-modal device comprising:

a processor for operating the first application environment and the second application environment; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions for configuring the processors to be operable to;

detect a docking of the multi-modal device to a hardware module;

display, in response to the docking, a user interface for the second application environment operating on the multi-modal device on the hardware module;

receive, in response to the docking, at the second application environment the launch-configuration information for launching launchable objects in the first application environment from the second application environment on the multi-modal device;

parse, by the second application environment operating on the multi-modal device docked to the hardware module, the launch-configuration information to determine a change to the set of panels or the first docking bar, wherein the change is in the first application environment operating on the hardware module;

change the second docking bar to include the change to the set of panels or the first docking bar based on parsing the launch-configuration information;

send, by the second application environment, a request for the launch-configuration information to the first application environment, wherein the launch-configuration information is received in response to the request; and

subsequent to receiving the launch-configuration information at the second application environment, listen, by the second application environment, for an issued communication from the first application environment for new launch-configuration information that is not synchronized between the first and the second application environments.

18. The multi-modal device of claim 17, wherein the instruction for changing the second docking bar includes an instruction changing a launcher object to include the change to the set of panels or the first docking bar, and the launcher object on the second docking bar is for launching a launchable object in the first application environment from the second application environment.

19. The multi-modal device of claim 18, wherein the instruction for changing the second docking bar includes instructions for removing the launcher object from the second docking bar, or adding the launcher object to the second docking bar, or altering the launcher object on the second docking bar.