User interface for combinable virtual desktops

• US 10,386,995 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sepulveda, Raymond, Van Os, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tam T
• Application Number:
  US14/736,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20160162127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

The embodiments herein describe user interfaces for virtual desktops displayed on an electronic device. In some embodiments, each virtual desktop is associated with a corresponding application. By instantiating multiple virtual desktops that are each associated with an application, one or more application windows for the application are displayed in a corresponding virtual desktop. In some embodiments, multiple virtual desktops can be merged so as to display application windows from multiple virtual desktops in a single merged virtual desktop.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a display, cause the electronic device to:

display a first virtual desktop that includes concurrently displaying, on the display;

a first set of two or more open application windows in a first arrangement including displaying a first application window at a first location relative to the display and a second application window at a second location relative to the display; and

a representation of a second virtual desktop;

while displaying the first virtual desktop, receive a request to display the second virtual desktop;

in response to the request to display the second virtual desktop, display, the second virtual desktop including a second set of two or more open application windows in a second arrangement including displaying a third application window at a third location relative to the display and a fourth application window at the fourth location relative to the display; and

a representation of the first virtual desktop;

while concurrently displaying the second virtual desktop and the representation of the first virtual desktop, detect an input that includes a selection of the representation of the first virtual desktop; and

in response to detecting the input;

in accordance with a determination that the input meets virtual desktop merge criteria, display a merged virtual desktop, the merged virtual desktop including the first set of two or more application windows and the second set of two or more application windows, wherein the merged virtual desktop maintains the first arrangement of the first set of two or more application windows and the second arrangement of the second set of two or more application windows relative to the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the input does not meet the virtual desktop merge criteria, switch from displaying the second virtual desktop including the second set of two or more application windows to displaying the first virtual desktop including the first set of two or more application windows.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, in response to detecting the input, in accordance with a determination that the input meets the virtual desktop merge criteria, the instructions when executed by the electronic device further cause the electronic device to:

merge the representation of the first virtual desktop with the representation of the second virtual desktop.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the representation of the first virtual desktop includes a first tab control, the representation of the second virtual desktop includes a second tab control, and the merged virtual desktop is associated with a representation of the merged virtual desktop that includes a third tab control.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the first tab control associated with the first virtual desktop, the second tab control associated with the second virtual desktop, and the third tab control associated with the merged virtual desktop are displayed in a tab display region.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the first tab control and the second tab control are each associated with an application.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein detecting the input comprises:

detecting a selection of the second tab control; and

detecting movement of the selected second tab control onto the first tab control signifying a request to merge the first virtual desktop and the second virtual desktop.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the electronic device further cause the electronic device to:

while displaying the first virtual desktop, display a representation of an application launching interface;

detect a selection of the representation of the application launching interface; and

in response to detecting selection of the representation of the application launching interface, replace display of the first virtual desktop with the application launching interface, wherein the application launching interface includes a plurality of icons associated with corresponding applications.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the plurality of icons are displayed across a plurality of pages displayed within the application launching interface.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions when executed by the electronic device further cause the electronic device to:

detect an input selecting a first icon from the plurality of icons displayed within the application launching interface;

in accordance with detecting the input selecting the first icon;

inactivate the representation of the application launching interface to no longer display the application launching interface including the plurality of icons on the display, wherein the representation of the application launching interface is a fourth tab control;

instantiate the first virtual desktop that includes a first application associated with the selected first icon;

create the first tab control representing the first virtual desktop; and

concurrently display the fourth tab control in an inactive state and the first tab in an active state.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the electronic device further cause the electronic device to:

display an application launch user interface object for launching a third application in a respective user interface that does not include a third virtual desktop for the third application;

detect activation of the application launch user interface object; and

in response to detecting activation of the application launch user interface object;

in accordance with a determination that there is a preexisting third virtual desktop for the third application, replace display of the respective user interface with the preexisting third virtual desktop; and

in accordance with a determination that there is not a preexisting third virtual desktop for the third application, replace display of the respective user interface with a new third virtual desktop for the third application.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein displaying the merged virtual desktop comprises:

in accordance with a determination that the input includes dragging the representation of the second virtual desktop onto the representation of the first virtual desktop, displaying the second set of application windows in front of the first set of application windows in the merged virtual desktop; and

in accordance with a determination that the input includes dragging the representation of the first virtual desktop onto the representation of the second virtual desktop, displaying the first set of application windows in front of the second set of application windows in the merged virtual desktop.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the electronic device further cause the electronic device to, while displaying the merged virtual desktop:

detect an input moving the first application window from the first location in the merged virtual desktop to a fifth location in the merged virtual desktop;

in response to detecting the input moving the first application window, move the first application window in the merged virtual desktop;

after moving the first application window in the merged virtual desktop, detect an input to separate the merged virtual desktop into the first virtual desktop and the second virtual desktop;

in response to detecting the input to separate the merged virtual desktop, separate the merged virtual desktop; and

after separating the merged virtual desktop, display the first virtual desktop, wherein the first application window is displayed in the fifth location on the first virtual desktop.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first application window from the first set of two or more application windows and the third application window from the second set of two or more application windows is displayed in a full screen mode and wherein displaying the merged virtual desktop comprises:

displaying the first application window from the first set of two or more applications adjacent to the third application window from the second set of two or more applications in the merged virtual desktop.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first virtual desktop is associated with a first application and wherein the instructions when executed by the electronic device further cause the electronic device to, while displaying the second virtual desktop:

detect a first selection of the representation of the first virtual desktop;

display the first virtual desktop in accordance with detecting the selection of the first selection, the first virtual desktop including the first set of two or more open application windows;

detect a second selection of the representation of the first virtual desktop; and

display a first application specific menu associated with the first application.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the electronic device further cause the electronic device to:

display a first icon representing a minimized window of the first virtual desktop and a second icon representing a minimized window of the second virtual desktop along an edge of the display.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein displaying the merged virtual desktop comprises:

interleaving the first set of two or more application windows with the second set of two or more application windows.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein displaying the merged virtual desktop comprises overlaying the first virtual desktop on top of the second virtual desktop.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

determine whether a user input is detected in relation to the merged virtual desktop within a threshold amount of time after displaying the merged virtual desktop; and

in accordance with a determination that a user input is not detected within the threshold amount of time after displaying the merged virtual desktop, cease displaying the merged virtual desktop, and display the second virtual desktop.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein detecting the input comprises:

detecting a pinch gesture that includes;

detecting a first contact at a location corresponding to the representation of the first virtual desktop and a second contact at a location corresponding to the representation of the second virtual desktop; and

detecting movement of the first contact and the second contact towards each other.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

detect a user input that corresponds to a request to separate the merged virtual desktop; and

in response to detecting the request to separate the merged virtual desktop;

cease displaying the merged virtual desktop, and

display one of the first virtual desktop and the second virtual desktop.

21. A computer-implemented method comprising:

at an electronic device with a display;

displaying a first virtual desktop that includes concurrently displaying, on the display;

a first set of two or more open application windows in a first arrangement including displaying a first application window at a first location relative to the display and a second application window at a second location relative to the display; and

a representation of a second virtual desktop;

while displaying the first virtual desktop, receiving a request to display the second virtual desktop;

in response to the request to display the second virtual desktop, displaying, the second virtual desktop including concurrently displaying, on the display;

a second set of two or more open application windows in a second arrangement including displaying a third application window at a third location relative to the display and a fourth application window at the fourth location relative to the display; and

a representation of the first virtual desktop;

while concurrently displaying the second virtual desktop and the representation of the first virtual desktop, detecting an input that includes a selection of the representation of the first virtual desktop; and

in response to detecting the input;

in accordance with a determination that the input meets virtual desktop merge criteria, displaying a merged virtual desktop, the merged virtual desktop including the first set of two or more application windows and the second set of two or more application windows, wherein the merged virtual desktop maintains the first arrangement of the first set of two or more application windows and the second arrangement of the second set of two or more application windows relative to the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the input does not meet the virtual desktop merge criteria, switch from displaying the second virtual desktop including the second set of two or more application windows to displaying the first virtual desktop including the first set of two or more application windows.

22. An electronic device comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions when executed by the electronic device cause the electronic device to;

display a first virtual desktop that includes concurrently displaying, on the display;

a first set of two or more open application windows in a first arrangement including displaying a first application window at a first location relative to the display and a second application window at a second location relative to the display; and

a representation of a second virtual desktop

while displaying the first virtual desktop, receive a request to display the second virtual desktop;

in response to the request to display the second virtual desktop, display, the second virtual desktop including concurrently displaying, on the display;

a second set of two or more open application windows in a second arrangement including displaying a third application window at a third location relative to the display and a fourth application window at the fourth location relative to the display; and

a representation of the first virtual desktop;

while concurrently displaying the second virtual desktop and the representation of the first virtual desktop, detect an input that includes a selection of the representation of the first virtual desktop; and

in response to detecting the input;

in accordance with a determination that the input meets virtual desktop merge criteria, display a merged virtual desktop, the merged virtual desktop including the first set of two or more application windows and the second set of two or more application windows, wherein the merged virtual desktop maintains the first arrangement of the first set of two or more application windows and the second arrangement of the second set of two or more application windows relative to the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the input does not meet the virtual desktop merge criteria, switch from displaying the second virtual desktop including the second set of two or more application windows to displaying the first virtual desktop including the first set of two or more application windows.