Mobile application management systems and methods

• US 9,436,371 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Simon, Adam J., Winterrowd, Rachelle, Stahl, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): TITCOMB, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US14/472,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20160062620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 715/767
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• 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 3/04817 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

An exemplary mobile application management system detects a first user input provided by a user while a first user interface associated with a first feature of a mobile application is displayed within an application display area of a display screen of a mobile computing device executing the mobile application. The first user input represents a request to transform the first user interface into a minimized widget associated with the first feature of the mobile application. The mobile application management system directs, in response to the first user input, the mobile computing device to concurrently display, in place of the first user interface, the minimized widget within a first region of the application display area and a second user interface associated with one or more additional features of the mobile application within a second region of the application display area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a mobile application management system, a first user input provided by a user while a first user interface associated with a first feature of a mobile application is displayed within an application display area of a display screen of a mobile computing device executing the mobile application, the first user input representative of a request to transform the first user interface into a minimized widget associated with the first feature; and

directing, by the mobile application management system in response to the first user input, the mobile computing device to concurrently display, in place of the first user interface,

the minimized widget within a first region of the application display area, and

a second user interface associated with one or more additional features of the mobile application within a second region of the application display area;

wherein

the second user interface facilitates interaction by the user with the one or more additional features of the mobile application within the second region of the application display area while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area, and

the minimized widget facilitates control by the user of the first feature of the mobile application while the second user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the mobile application management system while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area and while the second user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area, a second user input provided by the user by way of the minimized widget, the second user input representative of a first command associated with the first feature of the mobile application; and

directing, by the mobile application management system in response to the second user input, the mobile computing device to execute the first command associated with the first feature of the mobile application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second user input comprises a touch gesture provided by the user within the first region of the application display area.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, after receiving the second user input provided by the user by way of the minimized widget and while the mobile computing device executes the first command associated with the first feature of the mobile application, the minimized widget remains displayed within the first region of the application display area and the second user interface remains displayed within the second region of the application display area.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting, by the mobile application management system while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area and while the second user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area, a third user input provided by the user by way of the second user interface, the third user input representative of a second command associated with a second feature included in the one or more additional features of the mobile application; and

directing, by the mobile application management system in response to the third user input, the mobile computing device to execute the second command associated with the second feature.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the third user input comprises a touch gesture provided by the user within the second region of the application display area.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein, after receiving the third user input provided by the user within the second region of the application display area and while the mobile computing device executes the second command associated with the second feature included in the one or more additional features of the mobile application, the minimized widget remains displayed within the first region of the application display area and the second user interface remains displayed within the second region of the application display area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the first user input provided by the user occurs while the first user interface entirely occupies the application display area of the display screen of the mobile computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user input representative of the request to transform the first user interface into the minimized widget comprises a touch gesture provided by the user within the application display area of the display screen of the mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first region occupies a space along an edge of the application display area, and

the second region occupies a remaining space of the application display area not occupied by the first region.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile application executed by the mobile computing device comprises a conference call mobile application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first feature of the mobile application represents an active conference call between the user and one or more conference call participants, and wherein the minimized widget facilitates control by the user of one or more in-call controls associated with the active conference call.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the mobile application management system while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area and while the second user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area, a second user input representative of a command to execute an additional mobile application on the computing device; and

directing, by the mobile application management system in response to the second user input, the mobile computing device to display, while the minimized widget remains displayed within the first region of the application display area, a third user interface associated with the additional mobile application within the second region of the application display area in place of the second user interface;

wherein

the third user interface facilitates interaction by the user with one or more features of the additional mobile application within the second region of the application display area while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area, and

the minimized widget facilitates control by the user of the first feature of the mobile application while the third user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area.

14. The method of claim 1, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

15. A system comprising:

at least one physical computing device that;

detects a first user input provided by a user while a first user interface associated with a first feature of a mobile application is displayed within an application display area of a display screen associated with the at least one physical computing device, the first user input representative of a request to transform the first user interface into a minimized widget associated with the first feature; and

directs, in response to the first user input, the display screen associated with the at least one physical computing device to concurrently display, in place of the first user interface,

the minimized widget within a first region of the application display area, and

a second user interface associated with one or more additional features of the mobile application within a second region of the application display area;

wherein

the second user interface facilitates interaction by the user with the one or more additional features of the mobile application within the second region of the application display area while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area, and

the minimized widget facilitates control by the user of the first feature of the mobile application while the second user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one physical computing device:

detects, while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area and while the second user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area, a second user input representative of a command to access an additional mobile application; and

directs, in response to the second user input, the display screen associated with the at least one physical computing device to concurrently display, while the minimized widget remains displayed within the first region of the application display area, a third user interface associated with the additional mobile application within the second region of the application display area in place of the second user interface;

wherein

the third user interface facilitates interaction by the user with one or more features of the additional mobile application within the second region of the application display area while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area, and

the minimized widget facilitates control by the user of the first feature of the mobile application while the third user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one physical computing device detects the first user input provided by the user while the first user interface entirely occupies the application display area of the display screen associated with the at least one physical computing device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first user input representative of the request to transform the first user interface into the minimized widget comprises a touch gesture provided by the user within the application display area of the display screen associated with the at least one physical computing device.

19. A mobile computing device that comprises:

at least one processor that executes a mobile application; and

a display screen that displays at least one user interface associated with the mobile application;

wherein the at least one processor;

detects user input provided by a user interacting with the display screen, the user input representative of a request to transform a first user interface displayed within an application display area of the display screen and associated with a first feature of the mobile application into a minimized widget associated with the first feature of the mobile application; and

directs, in response to the user input, the display screen to display, in place of the first user interface,

the minimized widget within a first region of the application display area, and

a second user interface associated with one or more additional features of the mobile application within a second region of the application display area;

wherein

the second user interface facilitates interaction by the user with the one or more additional features of the mobile application within the second region of the application display area while the minimized widget is displayed within the first region of the application display area, and

the minimized widget facilitates control by the user of the first feature of the mobile application while the second user interface is displayed within the second region of the application display area.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 19, wherein the user input representative of the request to transform the first user interface into the minimized widget comprises a touch gesture provided by the user within the application display area of the display screen.