Method and apparatus for providing contextual information between operating system environments

• US 9,417,753 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolfe, Christopher M., Tzakis, Andrew N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, H S
• Assistant Examiner(s): JORDAN, KIMBERLY L
• Application Number:
  US13/462,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20130298141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers

Abstract

A method includes providing data and associated contextual information, to a first operating system environment by a second operating system environment, both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel. The data is utilized by the first operating system environment, based on the contextual information. The method may include installing the data as an application file, using the contextual information to understand that the data is an application file. An apparatus that performs the method includes a programmable processor, and memory containing executable instructions. The processor runs multiple operating system environments utilizing a common kernel. The second operating system environment is operative to provide data and contextual information for the data, to the first operating system environment, and the first operating system environment is operative to utilize the data based on the contextual information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving user interface input indicating movement of an icon corresponding to a graphical user interface representation of data to a first graphical user interface associated with a first operating system environment from a second graphical user interface associated with a second operating system environment, the first and second operating system environments being independent from each other and both utilizing a common kernel;

providing the data corresponding to the user interface representation and contextual information for the data, to the first operating system environment by the second operating system environment in response to the received user interface input; and

utilizing the provided data, by the first operating system environment, based on the contextual information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the data comprises:

installing the data as an application file by the first operating system environment, the first operating system environment being informed by the contextual information, that the data is the application file.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

obtaining the data corresponding to the graphical user interface representation by downloading the data via a browser application of the second operating system environment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein downloading the data via a browser application of the second operating system environment, comprises:

downloading an application file associated with the first operating system environment, via a browser application of the second operating system environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the data comprises:

moving the data, in response to the user interface input, from the second operating system environment to the first operating system environment and providing the contextual information for the data in response to moving the data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user interface input comprises drag-and-drop selection input from the second graphical user interface to the first graphical user interface, and moving the data, in response to the user interface input, comprises:

moving the icon associated with the data from the second graphical user interface to the first graphical user interface, in response to the drag-and-drop selection input.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the user input comprises cut and paste selection input from the second graphical user interface to the first graphical user interface, and moving the data, in response to the user interface input, comprises:

moving the data, in response to the cut and paste selection input.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

displaying, on a display, at least one application window corresponding to the second graphical user interface, and the least one icon corresponding to the graphical user interface representation located within the at least one application window, the icon selectable by drag-and-drop selection input; and

providing the data, and the contextual information for the data, to the first operating system environment in response to drag-and-drop selection input to drag-and-drop the icon from the at least one application window to a desktop of the first operating system environment corresponding to the first graphical user interface.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one programmable processor; and

memory operatively coupled to the programmable processor, the memory containing executable instructions for execution by the programmable processor, where upon executing the executable instructions the programmable processor is operative to;

provide a first graphical user interface associated with a first operating system environment and at least a second graphical user interface associated with a second operating system environment, the first and second operating system environments being independent from each other, both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel,

wherein the second operating system environment is operative to receive user interface input indicating movement of an icon corresponding to a graphical user interface representation of data to the first graphical user interface from the second graphical user interface and to provide the data corresponding to the graphical user interface representation and contextual information for the data, to the first operating system environment, the data associated with the first operating system environment, and where the first operating system environment is operative to utilize the provided data based on the contextual information.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, where the first operating system environment is operative to utilize the data by installing the data as an application file, the first operating system environment being informed by the contextual information, that the data is the application file.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, where the second operating system environment is operative to obtain the data associated with the first operating system environment by downloading the data via a browser application of the second operating system environment.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, where the second operating system environment is operative to download the data as an application file associated with the first operating system environment, via the browser application.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, where the programmable processor is operative to provide the data by moving the data, in response to the user interface input, from the second operating system environment to the first operating system environment and provide the contextual information for the data in response to moving the data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, where the programmable processor is operative to move the data, in response to the user interface input, by moving the icon in response to drag-and-drop selection input from the second graphical user interface to the first graphical user interface.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, where the programmable processor is operative to move the data, in response to the user interface input, by moving the data, in response to a cut and paste selection input from the second graphical user interface to the first graphical user interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, comprising:

a display, operatively coupled to the at least one programmable processor, the display operative to display at least one application window corresponding to the second graphical user interface, and the icon corresponding to the graphical user interface representation located within the at least one application window, the icon selectable by drag-and-drop selection input; and

where upon executing the executable instructions the programmable processor is further operative to provide the data, and the contextual information for the data, to the first operating system environment in response to drag-and-drop selection input to drag-and-drop the icon from the at least one application window to a desktop of the first operating system environment corresponding to the first graphical user interface.

17. A computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, comprising:

executable instructions for execution by at least one processor, that when executed cause the at least one processor to;

provide a first graphical user interface associated with a first operating system environment and at least a second graphical user interface associated with a second operating system environment, the first and second operating system environments being independent from each other, both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel,

wherein the second operating system environment is operative to receive user interface input indicating movement of an icon corresponding to a graphical user interface representation of data to the first graphical user interface from the second graphical user interface and to provide the data corresponding to the graphical user interface representation and contextual information for the data, to the first operating system environment, the data associated with the first operating system environment, and where the first operating system environment is operative to utilize the data based on the contextual information.

18. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 17, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the first operating system environment to utilize the data by installing the data as an application file, the first operating system environment being informed by the contextual information, that the data is the application file.

19. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 17, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the second operating system environment to obtain the data associated with the first operating system environment by downloading the data via a browser application of the second operating system environment.

20. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 17, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the second operating system environment to download the data as an application file associated with the first operating system environment, via a browser application;

and

move the application file, in response to the user interface input, from the second operating system environment to the first operating system environment and provide the contextual information for the data in response to moving the data.