MOBILE DEVICE INTERFACE WITH DUAL WINDOWS

• US 20100081475A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Chiang, Ching-Liang, Chen, Chao-Yi, Chiang, Chi-Pang, Tai, Chih-Wei
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• 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 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile device having a user interface supporting multiple windows is disclosed. The user interface is suitable for use in any device having a handheld form factor, such as a mobile phone or mobile Internet device. The user interface includes two windows that are displayed on the mobile device'"'"'s screen. The mobile device may be configured to switch between a single window mode and a dual window mode. The device may also be configured to launch applications in either mode. It may be configured to switch between modes automatically or in response to a user command. The windows may also be re-oriented in response to a change in the device'"'"'s orientation or to a user'"'"'s command.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a housing having a form factor suitable for handheld use;

a display screen carried by the housing;

an input component configured to receive commands to the mobile communication device;

a storage component configured to store a mobile application;

a processor configured to execute the mobile application;

a first window control component configured to control the interface displayed on a first portion of the display screen and to respond to inputs directed to the first portion of the display screen;

a second window control component configured to control the interface displayed on a second portion of the display screen and to respond to input directed to the second portion of the display screen;

a coordinator component configured to selectively enable or disable the first window control component and the second window control component to switch the mobile communication device between a single window mode and a dual window mode, wherein when the mobile communication device is in the dual window mode, the first window control component and the second window control component are configured to simultaneously control the display screen.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the first window control component causes the display to show an interface of the mobile application in the first portion of the display screen and the second window control component causes the display to show an interface of a second mobile application in the second portion of the display screen.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 2, wherein the coordinator component is configured to switch the mobile communication device to the single window mode when the second mobile application is deactivated.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the first window control component displays a first interface window of the mobile application and the second window control component displays a second interface window of the mobile application.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the coordinator component is additionally configured to communicate a command received by the first window control component to the second window control component and wherein the second window control component is configured to respond to the command received by the first window control component.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the coordinator component is configured to switch between the single window mode and the dual window mode in response to a user command received from the input component.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the second window control component is inactive when the mobile communication device is in the single window mode.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the input component receives commands through a touch-sensitive screen.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the size of the first portion of the display screen is equal to the size of the second portion of the display screen.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the first portion of the display screen and the second portion of the display screen are square.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the input component includes a touch-sensitive screen and wherein the coordinator is further configured to switch the mobile communication device to the dual window mode in response to a command gesture received through the touch-sensitive screen.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the input component includes a touch-sensitive screen,

the coordinator is further configured to switch the mobile communication device in the dual window mode in response to a command gesture received through the touch-sensitive screen, and

the first window control component is further configured to display a control menu at a location on the display corresponding to the location of the command gesture on the touch-sensitive screen.

13. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a housing having a form factor suitable for handheld use;

a display screen carried by the housing, wherein the display screen is capable of displaying one or more windows;

an interface management component configured to selectively vary the number of windows displayed by the display screen, wherein each of the windows can be independently controlled.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising an input component carried by the housing configured to receive commands to the mobile communication device.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the display screen can display either one or two windows.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein:

the mobile communication device is capable of running a plurality of mobile applications simultaneously; and

the interface management component is further configured to display an interface for a different mobile application in each of the one or more windows.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the interface management component is configured to change the number of displayed windows in response to a user command.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

a contacts application displayed in a first window of the one or more windows, the display including a contact list item having an associated telephone number; and

a telephone dialing application displayed in a second window of the one or more windows, wherein the telephone dialing application is configured to dial the associated telephone number in response to a user command dragging the contact list item from the first window to the second window.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

a contacts application displayed in a first window of the one or more windows, the display including a contact list item having an associated telephone number; and

a telephone dialing application displayed in a second window of the one or more windows,

wherein, if a telephone call with a first remote device is in progress, the telephone dialing application is configured to initiate a conference call including the first remote device and the associated telephone number in response to a user command dragging the contact list item from the first window to the second window

20. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a housing having a form factor suitable for handheld use;

a display screen carried in the housing;

a means for receiving commands to the mobile communication device;

a first control means for controlling the interface displayed on a first window of the display screen;

a second control means for controlling the interface displayed on a second window of the display screen, wherein the second control means is capable of controlling the display screen simultaneously with the first control means;

a means for coordinating the activity of the first control means and the second control means, wherein coordinating comprises selectively enabling or disabling the first control means and the second control means to switch the mobile communication device between a single window mode and a dual window mode.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 20, further comprising a means for receiving commands, wherein the means for receiving commands is configured to send commands directed to the first window to the first control means and to send commands directed to the second window to the second control means.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 20, wherein the means for coordinating is configured to switch the mobile communication device between the single window mode and the dual window mode in response to a user command.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 20, wherein the means for coordinating is configured to change the size, location, or orientation of the first window of the display screen.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 23, wherein the means for coordinating is configured to automatically change the size, location, or orientation in response to a change in the orientation of the mobile communication device.

25. A method for controlling a user interface of a mobile communication device having a form factor suitable for handheld use, comprising:

accepting an input requesting a change in a user interface that is capable of displaying one or more windows on a display screen of the mobile communication device;

determining whether the requested change directs the user interface to display a single window interface or a multiple window interface; and

displaying the single window interface or the multiple window interface according to the determination.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein accepting an input further comprises:

launching a mobile application; and

receiving configuration information associated with the application requesting the change in the user interface.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the user interface is initially displaying a single window interface of a first mobile application; and

the input is a command to open a second mobile application and display the multiple window interface having two windows.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the user interface is initially displaying a multiple window interface with an interface of a first mobile application displayed in all of the windows; and

the input is a command to display a single window interface.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the user interface is initially displaying the multiple window interface with two windows, with a first mobile application displayed in a first window of the multiple window interface and a second mobile application displayed in a second window of the multiple window interface;

the input is a command to close the first mobile applications; and

the determination is to display the single window interface with the interface of the second mobile application displayed.

30. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing the method of claim 25.