APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING A PORTION OF A PLURALITY OF BACKGROUND APPLICATIONS

• US 20160357409A1
• Filed: 06/04/2015
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: GIL, Hyunseok
• Granted Patent: US 10,289,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An apparatus and method for displaying a portion of plurality of background applications are provided, wherein an open application is in the foreground and one or more other open applications are in the background. The method includes receiving a user input to display an application currently in the background, in response to the user input, removing a portion of the application in the foreground, at a location on the display screen where the portion of the foreground application is removed, displaying at least a portion of an application currently in the background, and maintaining, at remaining locations, display of the application in the foreground.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile device comprising a plurality of applications open concurrently, wherein an open application is in the foreground and one or more other open applications are in the background, the method comprising:

receiving a user input to display an application currently in the background;

in response to the user input, removing a portion of the application in the foreground;

at a location on the display screen where the portion of the foreground application is removed, displaying at least a portion of an application currently in the background; and

maintaining, at remaining locations, display of the application in the foreground.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if no input is received within a predetermined time the removed portion of the foreground application is restored.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input to restore the foreground application; and

in response to receiving the second user input, restoring the removed portion of the foreground application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed background application comprises a background application which was most recently in the foreground.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a second user input selecting a different background application to be displayed at the location; and

displaying the selected background application at the location.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving the user input again;

removing a portion of the displayed background application; and

at the location, displaying another background application which was next most recently in the foreground.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying at least a border portion of each displayed background application.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the displayed other background application is displayed smaller than the displayed background application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input; and

in response to the second user input, changing a displayed portion of the background application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the location is determined according to the received user input.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein an initially displayed portion of the background application is determined according to the received user input.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and a shape of the removed portion are predetermined.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of a size and a shape of the removed portion are dynamically resizable.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input; and

in response to the second user input, changing the location and removed portion of the foreground application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the displayed portion of the background application is changed according to the changed location of the removed portion of the foreground application.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the displayed portion of the background application is maintained without regard to the change of the removed portion of the foreground application.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input selecting the background application having the portion thereof displayed.

18. An apparatus for a mobile device comprising a plurality of applications open concurrently, wherein an open application is in the foreground and one or more other open applications are in the background, the apparatus comprising:

a display screen; and

a controller configured to receive a user input to display an application currently in the background, to remove a portion of the application in the foreground in response to the user input, to display at least a portion of an application currently in the background at a location on the display screen where the portion of the foreground application is removed, and to maintain, at remaining locations, display of the application in the foreground.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein if no input is received within a predetermined time the removed portion of the foreground application is restored.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a second user input to restore the foreground application; and

in response to receiving the second user input, restore the removed portion of the foreground application.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the displayed background application comprises a background application which was most recently in the foreground.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a second user input selecting a different background application to be displayed at the location; and

display the selected background application at the location.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive the user input again;

remove a portion of the displayed background application; and

at the location, display another background application which was next most recently in the foreground.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to:

display at least a border portion of each displayed background application.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the displayed other background application is displayed smaller than the displayed background application.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a second user input; and

in response to the second user input, change a displayed portion of the background application.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the location is determined according to the received user input.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein an initially displayed portion of the background application is determined according to the received user input.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the location and a shape of the removed portion are predetermined.

30. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least one of a size and a shape of the removed portion are dynamically resizable.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a second user input; and

in response to the second user input, change the location and removed portion of the foreground application.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the controller is configured to change the displayed portion of the background application according to the changed location of the removed portion of the foreground application.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the displayed portion of the background application without regard to the change of the removed portion of the foreground application.

34. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

store an image of a most recently displayed screen of each background application; and

in response to the user input, exchange the background application displayed in the portion with the foreground application and dismiss or maintain the portion view.