Mobile browser context switching

• US 8,819,582 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• 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:
  US13/247,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20120278757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 715/790, 715/765, 715/781, 715/863
• 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.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

initializing two or more windows on a mobile device, wherein the two or more windows comprise;

a first window, and

one or more remaining windows;

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

receiving an on-screen switcher indication, wherein receiving the on-screen switcher indication comprises receiving a first input for a switcher icon; and

in response to receiving the on-screen switcher indication;

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, and

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

receiving a second on-screen switcher indication, wherein receiving the second on-screen switcher indication comprises receiving a second input for the switcher icon; and

in response to receiving the second on-screen switcher indication;

displaying the first window of the two or more windows on the mobile device such that the one or more remaining windows are hidden from display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a space amount for each of the two or more windows comprises:

determining the space amount for each 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 window, the number of pages is the number of windows initialized, and the scale amount is a scaling factor variable that is inversely proportional to the number of pages.

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

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection associated with a window of the two or more windows;

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

removing from display each of the two or more windows not associated with the selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each frame includes an associated title and an associated favicon.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initializing one or more additional windows on the mobile device;

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

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

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

removing from display each of two or more windows; and

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

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

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

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

8. A system, comprising:

a display device configured to;

display a first window of two or more windows initialized on a mobile device, wherein the two or more windows comprise;

the first window, and

one or more remaining windows, wherein the one or more remaining windows are hidden from display;

display a switcher icon;

an input receiver, implemented with a computing device, configured to receive a first on-screen switcher indication by receiving a first input for the switcher icon and receive a second on-screen switcher indication by receiving a second input for the switcher icon; and

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

in response to receiving the first on-screen switcher indication;

determine a space amount for the two or more windows,

adjust a size of the two or more windows based on the space amount,

provide to the display device each of the two or more windows including frames displayed for each of the windows, wherein each of the frames includes a viewable portion corresponding to the adjusted size of a respective window and at least portions of the frames are overlaid on top of each other; and

in response to receiving the second on-screen switch indication;

provide to the display device the first window displayed such that the one or more remaining windows are hidden from display.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the content adjustor is further configured to determine a space amount for each of the two or more 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 window, the number of pages is the number of windows initialized, and the scale amount is a scaling factor variable that is inversely proportional to the number of pages.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the two or more windows is at least one of an application or a webpage.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the input receiver is further configured to:

receive a selection associated with a window of the two or more windows, and wherein the display device is further configured to;

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

remove from display each of the two or more windows not associated with the selection.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein each window includes an associated title and an associated favicon.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the content adjuster is further configured to:

provide to the display device one or more additional windows in stacked form initialized on the mobile device, wherein the stacked form includes displaying frames for each of the one or more additional windows, wherein the frames are stacked such that only a portion of the frames are viewable and their respective windows are hidden.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the input receiver is further configured to:

receive a touch indication associated with the remaining number of the two or more windows displayed on the mobile device, and wherein the display device is further configured to;

remove from display each of two or more windows; and

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

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

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

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

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

initializing two or more windows on a mobile device, wherein the two or more windows comprise;

initializing two or more windows on a mobile device, wherein the two or more windows comprise;

a first window, and

one or more remaining windows;

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

receiving an on-screen switcher indication, wherein receiving the on-screen switcher indication comprises receiving a first input for a switcher icon; and

in response to receiving the on-screen switcher indication;

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, and

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

receiving a second on-screen switcher indication, wherein receiving the second on-screen switcher indication comprises receiving a second input for the switcher icon; and

in response to receiving the second on-screen switcher indication;

displaying the first window of the two or more windows on the mobile device such that the one or more remaining windows are hidden from display.