Closing, starting, and restarting applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11256333-B2
Application number	US-201715626115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2017
Priority date	Mar 29, 2013
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

Described herein are embodiments that relate to implementation of multi-stage gestures, using multi-stage gestures to control applications, and allowing, under certain conditions, invocation of an open operation (which would normally only open an application or bring an application to the fore) to cause a target application to terminate before being newly opened. A multi-stage gesture may be used to invoke different functions at respective gesture stages of a same input stroke. The functions may be different forms of application “closing”, such as backgrounding or suspending an application, terminating an application, and restarting an application. The restarting (including termination) of an application when the application is opened may be termed a “smart-restart”, which may involve interpreting from specific user activity that a user intends to restart an application.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of implementing a multi-stage gesture on a computing device comprising a processor, a display, and an input device, the method comprising:
receiving sequentially inputted strokes, each stroke comprising a discrete contiguous two-dimensional path inputted by a user by a respectively corresponding new contact with the display and ended by a respectively corresponding termination of the contact, wherein each stroke respectively corresponds to a single first-stage gesture or a single second-stage gesture;
automatically identifying first-stage gestures by determining that corresponding first of the strokes have each individually satisfied a first condition followed immediately by having ceased being inputted by the user ending a respectively corresponding contact with the display, the first condition comprising a first dwell time, wherein a first visual effect is performed based on the first dwell time being satisfied;
each time a first-stage gesture is identified as part of the discrete contiguous two-dimensional path, responding by automatically triggering a first action on the computing device;
automatically identifying second-stage gestures by determining that second of the strokes have each individually satisfied a second condition followed immediately by having ceased to be inputted by the user by ending a respectively corresponding contact with the display, the second condition comprising, having satisfied the first condition, and immediately thereafter, having satisfied a second dwell time, wherein a second visual effect is performed based on the second dwell time being satisfied; and
each time a second-stage gesture is identified as part of the discrete contiguous two-dimensional path, responding by automatically triggering a second action on the computing device.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the each stroke further comprises features including a plurality of predefined directional features, wherein each directional feature of the plurality of directional features indicates a separate function.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein predefined features of strokes are used to recognize the first-stage gestures and the second-stage gestures of the discrete contiguous two-dimensional path.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first-stage gestures select respective first objects, and based thereon the first action is performed on the first objects.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the second-stage gestures select respective second objects, and
based thereon the first and second actions are performed on the second objects.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the each stroke further comprises features including a relation with a predefined location or region.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first action and the second action are performed on a same object.

8. A method according to claim 1 , the second condition further comprising:
immediately after satisfying the first condition, continuing to be inputted but without substantial movement and for at least a given amount of time.

9. A computing device comprising:
processing hardware;
a display configured to sense touches; and
storage hardware storing information configured to cause the processing hardware to perform a process, the process comprising:
displaying an application comprised of user-selectable graphic objects on the display, each object representing a respective object;
receiving sequentially inputted first and second stroke inputs from the display,
geometry of each stroke input consisting of a respective continuous two-dimensional input path corresponding to a continuous two-dimensional touch sensed by the display that starts with a respective new contact with the display and ends with termination of the contact, wherein intersection of a location of the new contact of the first stroke input with a first of the graphic objects selects the first of the graphic objects representing a first corresponding object, and wherein intersection of a location of the new contact of the second stroke input with a second of the graphic objects selects the second of the graphic objects representing a second corresponding object;
identifying features of the first and second stroke inputs;
making a first determination that a first feature of the first stroke input matches a first condition associated with a first-stage gesture as part of a continuous two-dimensional input path;
based on the first determination and the selection of the first object by the first stroke input, invoking a first operation on the first object, wherein the first stroke input does not invoke a second operation based on the first stroke input ending before being able to satisfy a second condition, wherein the second operation is associated with the second condition, wherein the first condition comprises a first dwell time, wherein a first visual effect is performed based on the first dwell time being satisfied, and wherein the second condition comprises a second dwell time, wherein a second visual effect is performed based on the second dwell time being satisfied;
making a second determination that a first feature of the second stroke input matches the first condition, and based on (i) the second determination and (ii) the selection of the second object by the second stroke input, invoking the first operation on the second object; and
after the second determination, making a third determination that a second feature of the second stroke input matches the second condition, and based on (i) the third determination and (ii) the selection of the second object by the second stroke input, invoking the second operation on the second object, wherein the second feature of the second stroke input corresponds to a portion of the second stroke input that came after a portion of the second stroke input that corresponds to the first feature of the second stroke input.

10. A computing device according to claim 9 , the process further comprising displaying a user interface on the display, the user interface configured to:
display a first graphic feedback responsive to the first determination,
display the first graphic feedback responsive to the second determination, and
display a second graphic feedback responsive to the third determination.

11. A computing device according to claim 9 , wherein the first stroke input drags a first graphic object representing the first object, and wherein the second stroke input drags a second graphic object representing the second object.

12. A computing device according to claim 11 , wherein a first graphic effect is applied to the first graphic object based on the first determination, wherein the first graphic effect is applied to the second graphic object based on the second determination, and wherein a second graphic effect is applied to the second graphic object based on the second determination.

13. A computing device according to claim 9 , wherein the first condition is satisfied by a first segment of the input path of the second stroke input, and wherein the second condition is satisfied by a second segment of the input path of the second stroke input.

14. A computing device according to claim 13 , wherein the first segment starts with the start of the second stroke input, the second segment ends at a beginning of the second stroke input, and the second stroke input ends at the end of the input path of the second stroke input.

15. Computer readable storage hardware storing information configured to enable a computing device to perform a process, the process compris

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Doan Christopher
• Sareen Chaitanya
• Worley Matthew
• Krause Michael
• Vranjes Miron

Classifications

• G06F3/04883 Primary

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/017 Primary

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title