Task display switching method, portable appartus and portable communications apparatus

• US 20060293088A1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kokubo, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A task display switching method, a portable apparatus and a portable communications apparatus which, when a plurality of software applications are activated and processed in parallel, make it possible to switch a display between each of the software applications with ease. According to the task display switching method, a portable apparatus capable of processing a plurality of tasks in parallel and of displaying a plurality of display regions for displaying data, an icon associated with a task displayed on a first display region is generated automatically or manually, and the generated icon is displayed in a second display region. When any icon thus generated is selected from a plurality of icons displayed on the second display region, the task associated with the selected icon is restored and displayed in the first display region.

Claims

1. A method of changing a display of a task for a portable communication apparatus capable of multi-processing a plurality of task and of providing a plurality of display regions for displaying data, the plurality of tasks including a communication task, the method comprising:

upon receiving a call,

generating an icon associated with one of the plurality of tasks, which is being displayed in a first display region, the first display region serving as a main display region;

displaying the communication task in the first display region; and

displaying the generated icon in a second display region, the second display region serving as a sub display region.

2. The method of changing a display of a task according to claim 1, further comprising:

if an icon is selected among icons being displayed in the second display region, restoring and displaying a task associated with the selected icon in the first display region.

3. The method of changing a display of a task according to claim 1, wherein:

the icon is generated so as to be associated with a most recent state of the task.

4. The method of changing a display of a task according to claim 1, wherein:

the icon is generated so as to be associated with a state at which the task is suspended or stopped.

5. The method of changing a display of a task according to claim 1, wherein:

the icon is generated so as to be associated with an initial state of the task.

6. The method of changing a display of a task according to claim 1, wherein:

the icon is generated by reducing an image displayed in the first display region.

7. The method of changing a display of a task according to claim 1, wherein:

the portable communication apparatus is a portable phone.

8. The method of changing a display of a task according to claim 2, wherein:

the generated icon is deleted from the second display region if the restoring is performed.

9. A portable communication apparatus capable of processing a plurality of tasks in parallel and of providing a plurality of display regions for displaying data, the plurality of tasks including a communication task, the apparatus comprising:

icon generation means for generating an icon associated with a task;

control means for, upon receiving a call,

controlling the icon generation means to generate an icon associated with one of the plurality of tasks, which is being displayed in a first display region, the first display region serving as a main display region;

displaying the communication task in the first display region; and

displaying the generated icon in a second display region, the second display region serving as a sub display region.

10. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

if an icon is selected among icons being displayed in the second display region, restoring and displaying a task associated with the selected icon in the first display region.

11. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the icon is generated so as to be associated with a most recent state of the task.

12. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the icon is generated so as to be associated with a state at which the task is suspended or stopped.

13. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the icon is generated so as to be associated with an initial state of the task.

14. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the icon is generated by reducing an image displayed in the first display region.

15. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the portable communication apparatus is a portable phone.

16. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the generated icon is deleted from the second display region if the restoring is performed.