Transparent layer application

• US 9,575,655 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rytivaara, Markku
• Primary Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US11/618,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,707 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/173, 715/700, 715/764, 715/768, 715/777, 715/781, 715/790
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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 3/04886 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

An apparatus comprising a processor and a display connected to the processor, the display being configured to present a first and second application on the display so that the second application is transparently presented over the first application wherein the first and second applications are active applications.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

cause display of first content associated with a first application, the first content including at least a first user-selectable control; and

cause display of second content associated with a second application, wherein the second content is displayed transparently over the first content and the second content including at least a second user-selectable control;

wherein each of the at least first and second user-selectable controls is associated with a functionality of its respective first and second application, and

wherein the first user-selectable control of the first content remains user-selectable when the second content is displayed transparently over the first content.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

cause display of one or more indicators associated with one or more applications, each indicator corresponding to an application, including the second application, to be run in a transparent mode;

receive selection of the one of the indicators; and

in response to receiving the selection of the one or more indicators, execute one or more applications corresponding to the selected one or more indicators, including the second application, wherein content associated with the one or more applications are transparently presented over the first application.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more indicators are presented in a menu.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second applications are active applications that are configured to operate simultaneously and operate independent of each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least the second user-selectable control is transparently presented, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

cause the at least the second user-selectable control to be selectable when the at least the first user-selectable control is selectable.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least the first user-selectable control that remains user-selectable is presented at least partially under the at least the second user-selectable control.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least the first user-selectable control and the at least the second user-selectable control are simultaneously user-selectable.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive a first user input from the at least the first user-selectable control and receive a second user input from the at least the second user-selectable control.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to operate the first application with the first user input and operate the second application with the second user input.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive one of the first or second user inputs via a keypad of the apparatus, and receive the other user input via a touch screen display of the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to assign a different portion of a user interface for each application, including the first and second applications.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least the first user-selectable control and the at least the second user-selectable control comprise at least one icon.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises one of:

a mobile communications device;

a television;

a television set-top box;

a PDA-style device;

a personal communicator;

a tablet computer;

or

a laptop or desktop computer.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to present at least one indicator for closing or hiding the second application.

15. A method comprising:

causing display of a first content associated with a first application, the first content including at least a first user-selectable control; and

causing display of a second content associated with a second application, wherein the second content is displayed transparently over the first content and the second content including at least a second user-selectable control;

wherein each of the at least first and second user-selectable controls is associated with a functionality of its respective first and second application, and

wherein the first user-selectable control of the first content remains user-selectable when the second content is displayed transparently over the first content.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing display of one or more indicators associated with one or more applications, each indicator corresponding to an application, including the second application, to be run in a transparent mode;

receiving selection of the one of the indicators; and

in response to receiving the selection of the one or more indicators, executing one or more applications corresponding to the selected one or more indicators, including the second application, wherein content associated with the one or more applications are transparently displayed over the first application.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is implemented by one of:

a mobile communications device;

a television;

a television set-top box;

a PDA-style device;

a personal communicator;

a tablet computer;

or

a laptop or desktop computer.

18. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:

cause display of first content associated with a first application, the first content including at least a first user-selectable control; and

cause display of second content associated with a second application, wherein the second content is displayed transparently over the first content and the second content including at least a second user-selectable control;

wherein each of the at least first and second user-selectable controls is associated with a functionality of its respective first and second application, and

wherein the first user-selectable control of the first content remains user-selectable when the second content is displayed transparently over the first content.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

cause display of one or more indicators associated with one or more applications, each indicator corresponding to an application, including the second application, to be run in a transparent mode;

receive selection of the one of the indicators; and

in response to receiving the selection of the one or more indicators, execute one or more applications corresponding to the selected one or more indicators, including the second application, wherein content associated with the one or more applications are transparently displayed over the first application.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, perform on any one of:

a mobile communications device;

a television;

a television set-top box;

a PDA-style device;

a personal communicator;

a tablet computer;

or

a laptop or desktop computer.