Application switching via a touch screen interface

• US 20080001924A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: los Reyes, August de, Henderson, Paul E., Chandley, Adrian M., de los Reyes, August, Ackermann, Edith, Sayegh, Allen, McGrath, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,880,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• 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

Abstract

Detailed herein is a technology which, among other things, provides a touch screen interface for computer system which allows intuitive switching between several applications. In one approach to this technology, a touch screen display is used to display an interface for an application. A touch sensitive border region is defined at the edge of this display, and is associated with another application. Receiving input at the touch sensitive border region causes the touch screen display to display the interface for the second application.

Claims

1. A touchscreen interface for computer system, comprising:

a viewing area, for displaying an first interface associated with a first application;

a first touch sensitive border region, adjacent to said viewing area, for accessing a second interface associated with a second application; and

a second touch sensitive border region, adjacent to said viewing area, for accessing a third interface associated with the third application.

2. The touchscreen interface of claim 1, wherein said first touch sensitive border region appears at the left edge of said viewing area.

3. The touchscreen interface of claim 1, wherein said second touch sensitive border region appears at the right edge of said viewing area.

4. The touchscreen interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a third touch sensitive border region, adjacent to said viewing area and appearing at the upper edge of said viewing area, for accessing a fourth interface associated with a fourth application; and

a fourth touch sensitive border region, adjacent to said viewing area and appearing at the lower edge of said viewing area, for accessing a faith interface associated with the faith application.

5. The touchscreen interface of claim 1, wherein, upon user input to said first touch sensitive border region, said viewing area is configured to display said second interface associated with said second application.

6. The touchscreen interface of claim 5, wherein, upon user input to said first touch sensitive border region, said first touch sensitive border region is no longer associated with said second application.

7. A method of using a touch screen interface, comprising:

displaying a first interface for a first application;

defining a first touch sensitive border region, for use in accessing a second application;

upon receiving input to said first touch sensitive border region, displaying a second interface for said second application.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

defining a second touch sensitive border region, for use in accessing a third application;

upon receiving input to said second touch sensitive border region, displaying a third interface for said third application.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

upon receiving input to said first touch sensitive border region or said second touch sensitive border region, updating said first touch sensitive border region and said second touch sensitive border region to allow access to different applications.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving repeated input to said first touch sensitive border region cycles through a plurality of interfaces associated with a plurality of applications.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving repeated input to said second touch sensitive border region cycles through said plurality of interfaces associated with said plurality of applications in reverse order.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a portion of said second interface for said second application within said first touch sensitive border region.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a representation of a data object within said first interface for said first application; and

upon receiving a touch screen instruction to move as a data object from said first application to said second application, displaying a graphical transition between said first application and said second application.

14. A computer system, comprising:

a processor for processing computer instructions;

a memory, coupled to said processor, for temporarily storing data;

a data storage, coupled to said processor, for retreat of the storing data; and

a touch sensitive display, coupled to said processor, for displaying information and for receiving input from a user,

wherein said touch sensitive display is configured to display a graphical user interface having a centralized viewing area for displaying an interface for an application, and a plurality of selectable border regions for accessing an additional plurality of applications.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein said touch sensitive display is further configured to display a representation of a data object within said centralized viewing area.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said computer system is configured to receive an instruction through said touch sensitive display to manipulate said data object.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said instruction comprises dragging said representation of said data object from said centralized viewing area to one of said plurality of selectable border regions.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein said computer system, upon receiving said instruction, is configured to display a graphical transition.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein said graphical transition comprises said one of said plurality of selectable border regions visually expanding.

20. The computer system of claim 14, disposed within a computer kiosk.