Systems and Methods for Efficiently Navigating Between Applications with Linked Content on an Electronic Device with a Touch-Sensitive Display

• US 20180032228A1
• Filed: 10/10/2017
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lemay, Stephen O., Foss, Christopher P., Lee, Woo-Ram, Yang, Lawrence Y., Stack, Caelan G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,732,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for efficiently navigating between applications are disclosed herein. An example method includes: concurrently displaying: a first user interface (UI) associated with a first application, a status bar with status indications associated with system-wide functions; and a first affordance associated with a second application. While concurrently displaying, the method includes: detecting a first input that corresponds to selection of the affordance and, in response: replacing display of at least a portion of the first UI with a second UI that is associated with the second application; maintaining display of the status bar; and displaying a second affordance that is associated with the first application. While concurrently displaying, the method includes: detecting a second input that corresponds to selection of the second affordance and, in response: replacing display of at least a portion of the second UI with the first UI; and maintaining display of the status bar.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a display and one or more input devices;

concurrently displaying;

a first user interface that is associated with a first application;

a status bar that includes a plurality of status indications associated with respective system-wide functions of the electronic device; and

a first affordance associated with a second application that is different from the first application;

while concurrently displaying the first user interface, the status bar, and the first affordance associated with the second application, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first input that corresponds to selection of the affordance; and

in response to detecting the first input;

replacing display of at least a portion of the first user interface with a second user interface that is associated with the second application;

maintaining display of the status bar; and

displaying a second affordance that is associated with the first application, wherein the second affordance is a newly displayed affordance that was not displayed on the display prior to detecting the first input; and

while concurrently displaying the second user interface, the status bar, and the second affordance, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a second input that corresponds to selection of the second affordance; and

in response to detecting the second input;

replacing display of at least a portion of the second user interface with the first user interface; and

maintaining display of the status bar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first affordance is a notification associated with the second application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification is overlaid on the second application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first affordance is a selectable user interface object within the first application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an appearance of the status bar is changed to display the second affordance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second affordance includes a name of the first application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining display of the status bar in response to detecting the first input includes:

displaying, within the status bar, the second affordance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein maintaining display of the status bar in response to detecting the first input further includes:

updating the status bar to cease displaying at least one of the plurality of status indications.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the second affordance is displayed in an area of the status bar that was previously occupied by the at least one of the plurality of status indications that was removed from the status bar.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein maintaining display of the status bar in response to detecting the second input includes:

ceasing to display the second affordance within the status bar and updating the status bar to re-display the at least one of the plurality of status indications.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second affordance includes a name of the first application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing display of at least the portion of the first user interface with the second user interface includes:

sliding the portion of the first user interface in a first direction across the display until the portion of the first user interface is no longer visible on the display, and

while sliding the portion of the first user interface in the first direction, sliding respective portions of the second user interface in the first direction across the display until the second user interface has replaced the portion of the first user interface on the display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second affordance includes (i) a name of the first application and (ii) a directional indication that points in the first direction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein replacing display of at least the portion of the second user interface with the first user interface includes:

sliding the portion of the second user interface in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, across the display until the portion of the second user interface is no longer visible on the display, and

while sliding the portion of the second user interface in the second direction, sliding respective portions of the first user interface in the second direction across the display until the first user interface has replaced the portion of the second user interface on the display.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

before detecting the first input, the first user interface and the status bar occupy substantially all of the display,

after detecting the first input and before detecting the second input, the second user interface and the status bar occupy substantially all of the display, and

after detecting the second input, the first user interface and the status bar occupy substantially all of the display.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

at least one of the one or more input devices is a touch-sensitive surface that is integrated with the display, and

the first and second inputs are detected via the touch-sensitive surface.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by an electronic device with a display and one or more input devices, cause the electronic device to:

concurrently display;

a first user interface that is associated with a first application;

a status bar that includes a plurality of status indications associated with respective system-wide functions of the electronic device; and

a first affordance associated with a second application that is different from the first application;

while concurrently displaying the first user interface, the status bar, and the first affordance associated with the second application, detect, via the one or more input devices, a first input that corresponds to selection of the affordance; and

in response to detecting the first input;

replace display of at least a portion of the first user interface with a second user interface that is associated with the second application;

maintain display of the status bar; and

display a second affordance that is associated with the first application, wherein the second affordance is a newly displayed affordance that was not displayed on the display prior to detecting the first input; and

while concurrently displaying the second user interface, the status bar, and the second affordance, detect, via the one or more input devices, a second input that corresponds to selection of the second affordance; and

in response to detecting the second input;

replace display of at least a portion of the second user interface with the first user interface; and

maintain display of the status bar.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

one or more input devices;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to;

concurrently display;

a first user interface that is associated with a first application;

a status bar that includes a plurality of status indications associated with respective system-wide functions of the electronic device; and

a first affordance associated with a second application that is different from the first application;

while concurrently displaying the first user interface, the status bar, and the first affordance associated with the second application, detect, via the one or more input devices, a first input that corresponds to selection of the affordance; and

in response to detecting the first input;

replace display of at least a portion of the first user interface with a second user interface that is associated with the second application;

maintain display of the status bar; and

display a second affordance that is associated with the first application, wherein the second affordance is a newly displayed affordance that was not displayed on the display prior to detecting the first input; and

while concurrently displaying the second user interface, the status bar, and the second affordance, detect, via the one or more input devices, a second input that corresponds to selection of the second affordance; and

in response to detecting the second input;

replace display of at least a portion of the second user interface with the first user interface; and

maintain display of the status bar.