Responsiveness for application launch

• US 8,176,437 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Taubman, Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): UM, DANIEL H
• Application Number:
  US13/184,710
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/765, 715/757, 715/854
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44578 Preparing or optimising for loading

Abstract

The technology generally relates to predictively launching applications and powering up devices. Embodiments may include a computer-implemented method that maintains a plurality of individual folders. The individual folders may include one or more applications. A command may be used to open a selected folder. In response to receiving the command, embodiments may predict which application in the selected folder will be selected for launching and load program code associated with the predicted application into active memory. A command to launch a selected application included in the selected folder is received and, in response, the selected application is launched.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of folders, wherein individual folders include one or more applications;

receiving a command to open a selected folder of the plurality of folders;

predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching and loading program code associated with the predicted application into active memory in response to receiving the command to open the selected folder, wherein predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching comprises considering data received from (i) a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor when the command to open the selected folder is received and (ii) a microphone when the command to open the selected folder is received;

receiving a command to launch a selected application included in the selected folder; and

launching the selected application in response to receiving the command to launch the selected application.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predicted application is the same as the selected application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predicted application is different than the selected application.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the program code associated with the predicted application corresponds to program code for running hardware associated with the predicted application.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the program code associated with the predicted application corresponds to the predicted application'"'"'s program code.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching further comprises considering a history of applications included in the selected folder that have been selected for launch in the past.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching further comprises considering a history of applications that have been launched within a predefined time period from the time that the command to open the selected folder is received.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching further comprises considering a day and time that the command to open the selected folder is received.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching further comprises considering data received from a light sensor when the command to open the selected folder is received.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching further comprises considering data received from an accelerometer when the command to open the selected folder is received.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein predicting which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching further comprises considering data received from a biometric sensor when the command to open the selected folder is received.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the biometric sensor is configured to measure one at least one of a pulse, a temperature, and an eye movement.

13. A computing device comprising:

a display device configured to display a graphical user interface comprising a plurality of folders, wherein individual folders include one or more applications;

non-transitory computer-readable media comprising active memory configured to store program code associated with one or more active applications and storage memory configured to store program code associated with one or more inactive applications;

a user interface configured to receive a command to open a folder of the plurality of folders; and

a prediction module configured to predict which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching and to initiate the transfer of program code associated with the predicted application from the storage memory to the active memory in response to receiving the command to open the selected folder, wherein the prediction module is configured to predict which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching based on at least (i) a day and time that the command to open the selected folder is received and (ii) data received from a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor when the command to open the selected folder is received.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive a command to launch a selected application included in the selected folder, and wherein the computing device further comprises a launcher module configured to launch the selected application in response to receiving the command to launch the selected application.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the program code associated with the predicted application corresponds to one or more of (i) program code for running hardware associated with the predicted application and (ii) program code associated with the predicted application corresponds to the predicted application'"'"'s program code.

16. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the prediction module is further configured to predict which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching based on at least one of (i) a history of applications included in the selected folder that have been selected for launch in the past and (ii) a history of applications that have been launched within a predefined time period from the time that the command to open the selected folder is received.

17. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the prediction module is further configured to predict which application included in the selected folder will be selected for launching based on at least one of (i) data received from a light sensor when the command to open the selected folder is received, (ii) data received from a microphone when the command to open the selected folder is received, (iii) data received from an accelerometer when the command to open the selected folder is received, and (iv) data received from a biometric sensor when the command to open the selected folder is received.

18. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the computing device is a wearable computing device.