Mobile browser context switching

• US 8,713,473 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Shah, Roma, Jitkoff, Nicholas, Murphy, Glen, Weber, Arnaud, Feldstein, Michael, Ainslie, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US13/094,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20120278756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 715/790, 715/765
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing and displaying content are disclosed. An example method of operation may include initializing two or more windows on a mobile device, and displaying a first window of the two or more windows on the mobile device. The method may also include receiving an on-screen switcher indication causing a display view change from the first window being displayed to a combination of the first window and at least one more additional windows being displayed. The method may also include determining a space amount for each of the two or more windows, adjusting a size of each of the two or more windows based on the space amount. The method may further include displaying a frame around each of the two or more windows with the respective adjusted size, and displaying each frame overlaid on top of one another. The example method provides multiple web pages to be concurrently active in a common viewing area of a mobile display device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a display device configured to;

display a first application window of a plurality of application windows initialized on a mobile device, wherein the plurality of application windows comprise;

the first application window,

a second application window, and

one or more remaining application windows, wherein the second application window and the one or more remaining application windows are hidden from display;

an input receiver, implemented with a computing device, configured to receive a switching indication; and

a content adjustor, implemented with a computing device, configured to;

in response to receiving the switching indication;

determine a space amount for each of the plurality of application windows,

adjust a size of the first and second application windows based on the space amount,

provide to the display device the first and second application windows including respective frames displayed for each of the first and second application windows, wherein each of the respective frames includes a viewable portion corresponding to the adjusted size of a respective application window, at least portions of the respective frames for the first and second application windows are overlaid on top of each other, and each of the respective frames for the first and second application windows includes a respective title associated with a respective application window, and

provide to the display device the one or more remaining application windows in stacked form, wherein the stacked form includes displaying a respective frame for each of the one or more remaining application windows, such that only an outline of the respective frame is viewable and a respective application window and a respective title associated with the respective application window are hidden.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the content adjustor is further configured to determine a space amount for each of the plurality of application windows according to the following formula:

(a height of total area−

a padding)/(a number of pages*a scale amount), wherein the height of total area is a height of the area on the mobile device, the padding is a predetermined amount of space between each application window, the number of pages is the number of application windows initialized, and the scale amount is a scaling factor variable that is inversely proportional to the number of pages.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of application windows is at least one of an application or a webpage.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the input receiver is further configured to:

receive a selection associated with an application window of the plurality of application windows, and wherein the display device is further configured to;

display the application window associated with the selection without a frame, and

remove from display each of the plurality of application windows not associated with the selection.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each application window includes an associated title and an associated favicon.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device is further configured to display a switcher icon, and wherein the input receiver is further configured to receive a switcher indication by receiving input from the switcher icon.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the content adjuster is further configured to provide to the display device one or more additional application windows in stacked form initialized on the mobile device, wherein the stacked form includes displaying frames for each of the one or more additional application windows, wherein the frames are stacked such that only a portion of the frames are viewable and their respective application windows are hidden.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the input receiver is further configured to receive a touch indication associated with the remaining number of the plurality of application windows displayed on the mobile device, and wherein the display device is further configured to:

remove from display each of the plurality of application windows; and

display each of the one or more additional application windows until the maximum number of application windows is reached by;

determining a space amount for each of the remaining number of application windows,

adjusting a size of each of the remaining application windows based on the space amount, and

displaying frames for each of the one or more additional application windows wherein each of the frames includes a viewable portion corresponding to the adjusted size of a respective application window and at least portions of the frames are overlaid on top of each other.

9. A computer-implemented method for switching between application windows, comprising:

initializing a plurality of application windows on a mobile device, wherein the plurality of application windows comprise;

a first application window,

a second application window, and

one or more remaining application windows;

displaying the first application window of the plurality of application windows on the mobile device such that the second application window and the one or more remaining application windows are hidden from display;

receiving a switching indication; and

in response to receiving the switching indication;

determining a space amount for each of the plurality of application windows,

adjusting a size of each of the first and second application windows based on the space amount,

displaying respective frames for each of the first and second application windows, wherein each of the respective frames includes a viewable portion corresponding to the adjusted size of a respective window, at least portions of the respective frames for the first application window and the second application window are overlaid on top of each other, and each of the respective frames for the first and second application windows includes a respective title associated with a respective application window, and

stacking the one or more remaining application windows, wherein the stacking includes displaying a respective frame for each of the one or more remaining application windows, such that only an outline of the respective frame is viewable and a respective application window and a respective title associated with the respective application window are hidden.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining a space amount for each of the plurality of application windows comprises:

determining the space amount for each application window according to the following formula;

(a height of total area−

a padding)/(a number of pages*a scale amount), wherein the height of total area is a height of the area on the mobile device, padding is a predetermined amount of space between each application window, the number of pages is the number of application windows initialized, and the scale amount is a scaling factor variable that is inversely proportional to the number of pages.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection associated with a window of the plurality of application windows;

displaying the application window associated with the selection without a frame; and

removing from display each of the plurality of application windows not associated with the selection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein each frame includes an associated title and an associated favicon.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the switching indication comprises receiving an input from a switcher icon.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

initializing one or more additional application windows on the mobile device;

stacking the one or more additional application windows, wherein the stacking includes displaying frames for each of the one or more additional application windows, wherein the frames are stacked such that only a portion of the frames are viewable and their respective application windows are hidden.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a touch indication associated with the one or more additional application windows displayed on the mobile device;

removing from display each of the plurality of application windows; and

displaying each of the one or more additional application windows until the maximum number of application windows is reached by;

determining a space amount for each of the remaining number of application windows,

adjusting a size of each of the remaining application windows based on the space amount, and

displaying frames for each of the one or more additional application windows wherein each of the frames includes a viewable portion corresponding to the adjusted size of a respective application window and at least portions of the frames are overlaid on top of each other.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed causes a processor to perform:

initializing a plurality of application windows on a mobile device, wherein the plurality of application windows comprise;

a first application window,

a second application window, and

one or more remaining application windows;

displaying the first application window of the plurality of application windows on the mobile device such that the second application window and the one or more remaining application windows are hidden from display;

receiving a switching indication; and

in response to receiving the switching indication;

determining a space amount for each of the plurality of application windows,

adjusting a size of each of the first and second application windows based on the space amount,

displaying respective frames for each of the first and second application windows, wherein each of the respective frames includes a viewable portion corresponding to the adjusted size of a respective application window and at least portions of the respective frames for the first and second application windows are overlaid on top of each other, and each of the respective frames for the first and second application windows includes a respective title associated with a respective application window, and

stacking the one or more remaining application windows, wherein the stacking includes displaying a respective frame for each of the one or more remaining application windows, such that only an outline of the respective frame is viewable and a respective application window and a respective title associated with the respective application window are hidden.