NAVIGATING AMONG ACTIVITIES IN A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20090293007A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shiplacoff, Daniel Marc Gatan, Duarte, Matias Gonzalo, Lyon, Jeremy Godfrey, Thomas, Ralph, Mercer, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,296,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.

Claims

1. A system for navigating among a plurality of activities in a computing device, the activities being ordered in a sequence, comprising:

a processor, for running at least two activities concurrently;

a display screen, coupled to the processor, having at least a full-screen mode and a windowed mode, wherein;

in the full-screen mode, the display screen displays an interface for a single one of the activities; and

in the windowed mode, the display screen displays;

a first window having focus and corresponding to a first activity; and

adjacent to the first window, a portion of at least a second window corresponding to at least a second activity, wherein the first and second activities are adjacent to one another in the sequence; and

an input device, coupled to the processor, for accepting user input;

wherein;

responsive to a first user input, the display screen toggles between the full-screen mode and the windowed mode; and

responsive to a second user input, the display screen repositions the windows and changes focus to another window.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second user input comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

direct manipulation of at least one window;

the user moving at least one displayed window;

the user activating a window not having focus;

keyboard input; and

a gesture.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a touch-sensitive layer for the display screen;

a pointing device;

a touch-sensitive surface;

a stylus;

a track-ball;

a rocker switch;

a directional keypad;

a mouse; and

a touchpad.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the windows are constrained to move along a single axis.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first window is positioned substantially centrally with respect to the axis of movement, and wherein the at least one second window is positioned adjacent to the first window along the axis of movement.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen further displays:

adjacent to the first window, a portion of at least a third window corresponding to at least a third activity, wherein the first and third activities are adjacent to one another in the sequence, and wherein the first window is displayed between the portions of the second and third windows.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each activity comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a software application;

a task;

a message;

a document;

a web page;

a desk accessory;

a widget;

an applet; and

a function.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

responsive to a third user input, the display screen changes the order of activities in the sequence;

responsive to an activity being launched, the display screen adds the launched activity to the sequence and changes focus to a window corresponding to the launched activity; and

responsive to an activity being terminated or closed, the display screen;

removes the launched activity from the sequence; and

responsive to a window associated with the activity being displayed, removes the window from the display.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to the second user input, the display screen moves all displayed windows in concert with one another.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a trigger event while the display screen is in windowed mode, the display screen switches to full-screen mode.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the trigger event comprises one selected from the group consisted of:

the user interacting with an activity;

a predetermined period of time elapsing since the most recent first or second user input.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the display screen toggles between the full-screen mode and the windowed mode by performing a transition effect; and

the display screen repositions the windows by performing a transition effect.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein, in the windowed mode, the window having focus is visually distinguishable from any displayed window not having focus.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein, in the windowed mode, the window having focus is larger than any displayed window not having focus.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein, in the full-screen mode, the displayed activity occupies substantially the entire display screen.

16. A method for navigating among a plurality of activities in a computing device, the activities being ordered in a sequence, comprising:

running at least two activities concurrently;

on a display screen, displaying output for at least one of the activities in a mode selected from the group consisting of;

a full-screen mode comprising an interface for a single one of the activities; and

a windowed mode, comprising;

a first window having focus and corresponding to a first activity; and

adjacent to the first window, a portion of at least a second window corresponding to at least a second activity, wherein the first and second activities are adjacent to one another in the sequence;

receiving user input; and

responsive to the user input, performing at least one of;

toggling between the full-screen mode and the windowed mode for the displayed output; and

repositioning at least one displayed window and changing focus to another window.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving user input comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

receiving user input indicating direct manipulation of at least one window;

receiving user input indicating movement of at least one displayed window;

receiving user input indicating activation of a window not having focus;

receiving keyboard input; and

receiving a gesture.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving user input comprises receiving user input comprises receiving user input via at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a touch-sensitive layer;

a pointing device;

a touch-sensitive surface;

a stylus;

a track-ball;

a rocker switch;

a directional keypad;

a mouse; and

a touchpad.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the windows are constrained to move along a single axis.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving additional user input; and

responsive to the additional user input indicating a change in an order of activities, changing the order of activities;

responsive to an activity being launched, adding the launched activity to the sequence and changing focus to a window corresponding to the launched activity; and

responsive to an activity being terminated or closed;

removing the launched activity from the sequence; and

responsive to a window associated with the activity being displayed, removing the window from the display.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein repositioning at least one displayed window comprises moving all displayed windows in concert with one another.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein displaying output in the full-screen mode comprises displaying output for a single one of the activities occupying substantially the entire display screen.

23. A computer program product for navigating among a plurality of activities in a computing device, the activities being ordered in a sequence, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, programmatically configured to perform the steps of;

running at least two activities concurrently;

on a display screen, displaying output for at least one of the activities in a mode selected from the group consisting of;

a full-screen mode comprising an interface for a single one of the activities; and

a windowed mode, comprising;

a first window having focus and corresponding to a first activity; and

adjacent to the first window, a portion of at least a second window corresponding to at least a second activity, wherein the first and second activities are adjacent to one another in the sequence;

receiving user input; and

responsive to the user input, performing at least one of;

toggling between the full-screen mode and the windowed mode for the displayed output; and

repositioning at least one displayed window and changing focus to another window.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer program code for receiving user input comprises computer program code programmatically configured to perform at least one selected from the group consisting of:

receiving user input indicating direct manipulation of at least one window;

receiving user input indicating movement of at least one displayed window;

receiving user input indicating activation of a window not having focus;

receiving keyboard input; and

receiving a gesture.