Navigation of Immersive and Desktop Shells

• US 20120304102A1
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: LeVee, Brian S., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Sareen, Chaitanya Dev, Nan, Jennifer, Miner, Patrice L., Steinglass, Alice P., Wong, Tsz Yan, Pittappilly, Theresa B., Chen, Raymond J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,417,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/779
• 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

Abstract

Desktop as an immersive application techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an immersive environment module is configured to provide an immersive shell through which a user may interact with applications of a computing device. The immersive environment module is further configured to provide a desktop shell within the immersive shell to support additional techniques for interaction with the application of the computing device. The desktop shell, for instance, may be configured for accessibility similar to that provided to applications in the immersive shell.

Claims

1. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising

displaying a start screen of an immersive shell including a first tile that is representative of an application and that is selectable to launch execution of the application and a second tile that is representative of a desktop shell that is selectable to launch execution of the desktop shell;

and

responsive to receipt of an input that indicates selection of the second tile, launching execution of the desktop shell within the immersive shell.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the second tile includes representations of one or more applications that are executed within the desktop shell.

3. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the representations of the one or more applications include windows having data generated through execution of respective said applications.

4. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the representations of the one or more applications are selectable to navigate directly to a corresponding said application.

5. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising displaying data that results from execution of the desktop shell within the immersive shell.

6. A method as described in claim 5, wherein the displaying of data that results from execution of the desktop shell within the immersive shell is performed concurrently with displaying data generated by a corresponding application outside of the desktop shell and within the immersive shell.

7. A method as described in claim 5, wherein the displaying of the desktop shell including displaying a splash screen.

8. A method as described in claim 5, wherein:

the desktop shell employs one or more windows and the immersive shell, absent the desktop shell, is not so configured; and

the desktop shell is configured to employ chrome and the immersive shell, outside of the desktop shell, is not so configured.

9. A method as described in claim 5, wherein the desktop shell is configured to include a task bar and the immersive shell, outside of the desktop shell, is not so configured.

10. A method as described in claim 5, wherein the desktop shell is configured to support a display of depth such that data from one application appears to be displayed over at least a portion of data from another said application and the immersive shell, outside of the desktop shell, is not so configured.

11. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

displaying an immersive shell including a simultaneous display of a primary region and a secondary region, the primary region including data obtained through execution of an application and the secondary region including data describing a desktop shell;

recognizing an input as indicating that the data describing the desktop shell is to be positioned in the primary region; and

responsive to the recognizing, displaying the data describing the desktop shell in the primary region of the immersive shell.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the displaying responsive to the recognizing further comprises displaying the data obtained through execution of the application in the secondary region.

13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the displaying responsive to the recognizing further comprises displaying data obtained through execution of another application in the secondary region.

14. A method as described in claim 13, wherein the displaying responsive to the recognizing further comprises ceasing the display of the data obtained from the application and the execution of the application.

15. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the data describing the desktop shell includes a display of a plurality of windows that correspond to a plurality of applications that are executable within the desktop shell.

16. A method as described in claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of windows is selectable in the display in the secondary region to navigate directly to the window in the primary region.

17. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving an input provided through interaction with a primary shell of an operating system to initiate a launch of a desktop shell of the operating system;

responsive to the receiving, launching execution of the desktop shell; and

displaying data of the execution of the desktop shell within the primary shell of the operating system.

18. A method as described in claim 17, wherein the display includes a display of data involving execution of an application in the primary shell, and outside of the desktop shell, concurrently with the data of the execution of the desktop shell.

19. A method as described in claim 17, wherein the input involves a cursor control device or recognition of a gesture.

20. A method as described in claim 17, wherein the primary shell is configured as an immersive shell and wherein:

the desktop shell is configured to display a plurality of windows that correspond to a plurality of applications that are executable within the desktop shell;

the desktop shell is configured to employ chrome and the immersive shell, outside of the desktop shell, is not so configured;

the desktop shell is configured to include a task bar and the immersive shell, outside of the desktop shell, is not so configured;

the desktop shell is configured to support a display of depth such that data from one application appears to be displayed over at least a portion of data from another said application and the immersive shell, outside of the desktop shell, is not so configured; and

the desktop shell includes a plurality of representations configured as icons of applications executable within the desktop shell and at least one representation of a folder to support a hierarchical file structure of the computing device.