Methods of manipulating a screen space of a display device

• US 20070226647A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Louch, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,595,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods to manipulate a screen space of a display device are disclosed. A plurality of application windows of a plurality of applications are displayed on a screen space. At least a first application and a second application are executing to display a plurality of windows. A user interface of system level applications maybe displayed. A selection of a single application mode is received. In response to the receiving of the selection of the single application mode, all the windows are removed automatically from the screen space, except for a first application window. At least the first and second applications continue being executed. The user interface of the system level applications may continue to be displayed. Next, a request to display a second application window is received. The second application window is displayed while the first application window is removed from the screen space.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method, comprising:

displaying a plurality of windows on a screen space, wherein at least a first application and a second application are executing to display the plurality of windows;

receiving a selection of a single application mode;

removing, in response to the selection, all the windows from the screen space, except for one or more first application windows of the first application;

receiving a request to display a second application window of the second application while in the single application mode; and

displaying, in response to the request, the second application window while removing the first application window from the screen space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the single application mode includes controlling a major portion of the screen space by one user level application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second application continues to execute after the removing all the windows from the screen space, except for the first application window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application continues to execute after the removing the first application window from the screen space.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying a first user interface to show applications, whose windows have been removed from the screen space.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first user interface is a dock.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing the all the windows from the screen space includes animating the removal of all the windows, except for the first application window.

9. The method of claim 1, further including displaying a second user interface of system level applications.

8. The method of claim 8, wherein the animating is performed by zooming all the windows, except the first application window.

10. A machine implemented method, comprising:

displaying a first user level application window and a second user level application window, and a first user interface of a system level application, wherein the first user level application window and the second user level application window are displayed in a multi-application mode that includes concurrently displaying application windows of a plurality of executing applications;

switching from the multi-application mode to a single application mode;

removing, in response to the switching, the second user level application window while leaving the first user level application window displayed;

continuing to display the first user interface of the system level application;

receiving a request to display the second user level application window; and

displaying, in response to the request, the second user level application window while removing the first user level application window.

11. The method of claim 10, further including displaying a second user interface to show user level applications, whose windows have been removed from the screen space and that are executing.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the removing includes continuing to execute the second user level application.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the single application mode includes controlling a major portion of the screen space by a single application.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the switching is performed in response to receiving a selection of the single application mode.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the removing the second user level application window includes animating the second user level application window.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first user interface and a second user interface includes a dock.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the switching includes selecting a command to enter the single application mode.

18. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a plurality of windows on a screen space, wherein at least a first application and a second application are executing to display the plurality of windows;

receiving a selection of a single application mode;

removing, in response to the selection, all the windows from the screen space, except for one or more first application windows of the first application;

receiving a request to display a second application window of the second application while in the single application mode; and

displaying, in response to the request, the second application window while removing the first application window from the screen space.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the single application mode includes controlling a major portion of the screen space by one user level application.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 18, the second application continues to execute after the removing all the windows from the screen space, except for the first application window.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the first application continues to execute after the removing the first application window from the screen space.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a first user interface to show applications, whose windows have been removed from the screen space.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the first user interface is a dock.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the removing the all the windows from the screen space includes

animating the removal of all the windows, except for the first application window.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 24, wherein the animating is performed by zooming all the windows from the screen space, except for the first application window.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a second user interface of system level applications.

27. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a first user level application window and a second user level application window, and a first user interface of a system level application, wherein the first user level application window and the second user level application window are displayed in a multi-application mode that includes concurrently displaying application windows of a plurality of executing applications;

switching from the multi-application mode to a single application mode;

removing, in response to the switching, the second user level application window while leaving the first user level application window displayed;

continuing to display the first user interface of the system level application;

receiving a request to display the second user level application window; and

displaying, in response to the request, the second user level application window while removing the first user level application window.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a second user interface to show user level applications, whose windows have been removed from the screen space, and are executing.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the removing includes continuing to execute the second user level application.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the single application mode includes controlling a major portion of the screen space by a single application.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the switching is performed in response to receiving a selection of the single application mode.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the removing the second user level application window includes animating the second user level application window.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein each of the first user interface and a second user interface includes a dock.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the switching includes selecting a command to enter the single application mode.

35. A system, comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of windows on a screen space, wherein at least a first application and a second application are executing to display the plurality of windows;

means for receiving a selection of a single application mode;

means for removing, in response to the selection, all the windows from the screen space, except for one or more first application windows of the first application;

means for receiving a request to display a second application window of the second application while in the single application mode; and

means for displaying, in response to the request, the second application window while removing the first application window from the screen space.

36. A system, comprising:

means for displaying a first user level application window and a second user level application window, and a first user interface of a system level application, wherein the first user level application window and the second user level application window are displayed in a multi-application mode that includes concurrently displaying application windows of a plurality of executing applications;

means for switching from the multi-application mode to a single application mode;

means for removing, in response to the switching, the second user level application window while leaving the first user level application window displayed;

means for continuing to display the first user interface of the system level application;

means for receiving a request to display the second user level application window; and

means for displaying the second user level application window while removing the first user level application window.

37. A machine implemented method, comprising:

displaying a plurality of windows on a screen space, wherein at least a first set of applications and a second set of applications are executing to display the plurality of windows;

receiving a selection of a selected applications mode;

removing, in response to the selection, all the windows from the screen space, except for one or more windows of the first set;

receiving a request to display one or more windows of a second set while in the selected applications mode; and

displaying, in response to the request, the one or more windows of the second set while removing all the windows of the first set from the screen space.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the selected applications mode includes controlling a major portion of the screen space by one set of applications.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the second set of applications continues to execute after the removing all the windows from the screen space, except for the one or more windows of the first set.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the first set of applications continues to execute after the removing all the windows of the first set from the screen space.

41. The method of claim 37, further including:

displaying a first user interface to show applications, whose windows have been removed from the screen space.

42. The method of claim 37, further including

marking the first set of applications to be displayed in a selected applications mode.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the removing the all the windows from the screen space includes

animating the removal of all the windows, except for the one or more windows of the first set.

44. The method of claim 37, further including displaying a second user interface of system level applications.

45. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a plurality of windows on a screen space, wherein at least a first set of applications and a second set of applications are executing to display the plurality of windows;

receiving a selection of a selected applications mode;

removing, in response to the selection, all the windows from the screen space, except for one or more windows of the first set;

receiving a request to display one or more windows of a second set while in the selected applications mode; and

displaying, in response to the request, the one or more windows of the second set while removing all the windows of the first set from the screen space.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the selected applications mode includes controlling a major portion of the screen space by one set of applications.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the second set of applications continues to execute after the removing all the windows from the screen space, except for the one or more windows of the first set.

48. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the first application continues to execute after the removing the first application window from the screen space.

49. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a first user interface to show applications, whose windows have been removed from the screen space.

50. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

marking the first set of applications to be displayed in a selected applications mode.

51. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the removing the all the windows from the screen space includes

animating the removal of all the windows, except for the one or more windows of the first set.

52. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the machine-accessible medium further includes data that cause the machine to perform operations comprising,

displaying a second user interface of system level applications.

53. A system, comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of windows on a screen space, wherein at least a first set of applications and a second set of applications are executing to display the plurality of windows;

means for receiving a selection of a selected applications mode;

means for removing, in response to the selection, all the windows from the screen space, except for one or more windows of the first set;

means for receiving a request to display one or more windows of a second set while in the selected applications mode; and

means for displaying, in response to the request, the one or more windows of the second set while removing all the windows of the first set from the screen space.