Method and device for managing tab window indicating application group including heterogeneous applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10705689-B2
Application number	US-201614994883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Aug 2, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A method and a device for managing a tab window indicating a group including heterogeneous applications. The method includes outputting a display window comprising at least one or more objects for executing one or more applications on a terminal window, receiving a user input that selects the at least one or more objects and moves the selected at least one or more objects to a region excluding the display window, generating an application group comprising at least one or more applications corresponding to the selected at least one or more objects according to the received user input, and outputting a tab window indicating the generated application group to the terminal window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of managing a tab window, the method comprising:
outputting, by at least one processor, a display window comprising a plurality of objects for executing a plurality of applications on a user interface;
receiving, by the user interface, a first user input that selects a first set of objects of the plurality of objects displayed on the user interface;
in response to the receiving of the first user input, generating, by the at least one processor, an application group comprising a first set of applications corresponding to the first set of objects;
receiving, by the user interface, a second user input that selects a mode object displayed on the user interface;
in response to the receiving of the second user input, replacing, by the at least one processor, the application group with a plurality of execution screens corresponding to the first set of applications on the user interface and arranging the plurality of execution screens to allow a user to switch between each application of the first set of applications;
displaying a plurality of tab windows respectively indicating a plurality of application groups on a terminal window and regions indicating the displayed plurality of tab windows do not overlap; and
storing information regarding the application group being displayed on the plurality of tab windows,
wherein the information comprises a list of the first set of applications included in the application group, a location of the plurality of execution screens, and a size of the plurality of execution screens corresponding to the first set of applications.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application group comprises a plurality of heterogeneous applications.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display window is one of an application tray comprising applications installed in a terminal and another tab window indicating a previously generated application group.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the user interface, a third user input that selects a first application of the first set of applications included in the tab window;
executing, by the at least one processor, the first application; and
outputting, by the at least one processor, an execution screen of the first application on at least a partial region of the tab window.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the user interface, a third user input;
changing, by the at least one processor, a location of the tab window based on the third user input;
reducing, by the at least one processor, a region of the tab window, or increasing, by the at least one processor, the region of the tab window based on the third user input; and
outputting, by the at least one processor, the tab window to a terminal screen.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting another tab window to a second region of a terminal screen that is different from a first region including the tab window,
wherein the other tab window indicates a previously generated application group.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving a third user input that executes at least one application of the plurality of applications included in each of the plurality of tab windows;
executing the at least one application of the plurality of applications according to the third user input; and
outputting at least one execution screen of the plurality of execution screens to the terminal screen,
wherein the plurality of execution screens are output on at least a partial region of the plurality of tab windows.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving a third user input that moves an object corresponding to an application included in one of the plurality of tab windows to another tab window;
renewing an application group indicating each of the plurality of tab windows according to the third user input; and
renewing the plurality of tab windows based on the renewed application group and outputting the renewed plurality of tab windows to the terminal screen.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
storing information regarding the renewed plurality of tab windows,
wherein the information comprises a list of the plurality of applications included in the renewed application group or regions of the plurality of tab windows.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
executing an application included in one of the plurality of tab windows based on user input information;
receiving a third user input that moves an object indicating data included in the executed application to an application included in another one of the plurality of tab windows;
executing the data in the application included in another one of the plurality of tab windows according to the third user input; and
outputting an execution screen of the executed application to the terminal screen.

11. A device for managing a tab window, the device comprising:
a terminal screen configured to output a user interface;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory storing one or more computer programs configured to be executed by the at least one processor, wherein the one or more computer programs include instructions to at least:
output a display window comprising a plurality of objects for executing a plurality of applications on the user interface,
receive a first user input that selects a first set of objects of the plurality of objects displayed on the user interface,
in response to the receiving of the first user input, generate an application group comprising a first set of applications corresponding to the first set of objects,
receive a second user input that selects a mode object displayed on the user interface,
in response to the receiving of the second user input, replace the application group with a plurality of execution screens corresponding to the first set of applications on the user interface and arrange the plurality of execution screens to allow a user to switch between each application of the first set of applications,
display a plurality of tab windows respectively indicating a plurality of application groups on a terminal window and regions indicating the displayed plurality of tab windows do not overlap, and
store information regarding the application group being displayed on the plurality of tab windows,

wherein the information comprises a list of the first set of applications included in the application group, a location of the plurality of execution screens, and a size of the plurality of execution screens corresponding to the first set of applications.

12. The device of claim 11 ,
wherein the user interface receives the second user input for selecting an object for executing an application included in the tab window,
wherein the one or more computer programs further include instructions to at least execute an application according to the second user input,
wherein the user interface outputs an execution screen of the executed application, and
wherein the execution screen is output on at least a partial region of the tab window.

13. The device of claim 11 ,
wherein the one or more computer programs further include instructions to at least one of change a location of the tab window, reduce a region of the tab window, or increase the region of the tab window, according to the first user input,
wherein the user interface receives a change user input for changing a region of the tab window that occupies the user interface, and
wherein the one or more computer programs further include instructions to at least output the changed tab window to the user interface.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Doo-Hwan
• Kim Kang-Tae
• Kim Chul-Joo
• Kim Tae-Soo
• Lee Young-Seok

Classifications

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F3/0483 Primary

  Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• G06F3/048 Primary

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title