Electronic device and application control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016253187-A1
Application number	US-201615056190-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device and a method of application control by an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a memory configured to store a first application list including an application installed in the electronic device; and a processor configured to update the first application list according to at least one of an operation of the application, use history of the application, and a user request, and to limit the operation of the application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
a memory configured to store a first application list including an application installed in the electronic device; and a processor configured
to update the first application list according to at least one of:
an operation of the application,
use history of the application, and
a user request, and

to limit the operation of the application.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to include on the first application list at least one of:
an application that provides a push service, an application set to perform an operation during a time period, an application to not be used during a time period, an application for which a user response to a notification associated with the application is within a probability range, and an application for which there is no user response to a notification associated with the application during a time period.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display,
wherein the operation of the application comprises:
a first operation performed while information corresponding to the operation of the application is displayed on the display;
a second operation performed while the information corresponding to the operation of the application is not displayed on the display; and
a third operation for providing information associated with the application to another application according to a request of the another application, and
wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to use the application according to at least one of the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide a respective weight value to each of the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation, and to determine whether to use the application based on the weight values.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to set the application included in the first application list to one of:
a first state that permits the application to operate according to the use history of the application, a second state that reduces a number of times the application operates, and a third state that limits at least one operation of the application, and to limit the operation of the application according to the set state of the application.

6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to change the set state of the application according to a user input and to limit the operation of the application according to the changed state of the application.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display,
wherein the processor is further configured to limit the operation of the application, if at least part of the display is inactivated.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to limit the operation of the application according to at least one of:
a current time, a current position of the electronic device, a remaining capacity of a battery of the electronic device, and cellular data usage.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a communication module configured to communicate with an external electronic device,
wherein the processor is further configured
to receive a second application list including an application installed in the external electronic device from the external electronic device,
to compare the first application list with the second application list, and
to limit an operation of an application that performs a same function in one of the electronic device and the external electronic device, if the application that performs the same function is identified from comparing the first application list with the second application list.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a command for limiting the operation of the application installed in the external electronic device, to the external electronic device through the communication module, if the processor is set to limit the operation of the application installed in the external electronic device.

11 . A method of application control by an electronic device, the method comprising:
updating a first application list including an application installed in the electronic device, according to at least one of an operation of the application, use history of the application, and a user request; and limiting an operation of the application included in the first application list.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein updating the first application list comprises including on the first application list at least one of:
an application that provides a push service, an application set to perform an operation during a time period, an application to not be used during a time period, an application for which a user response to a notification associated with the application is within a probability range, and an application for which there is no user response to a notification associated with the application during a time period.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the operation of the application comprises:
a first operation performed while information corresponding to the operation of the application is displayed on a display; a second operation performed while the information corresponding to the operation of the application is not displayed on the display; and a third operation for providing information associated with the application to another application according to a request of the another application, and wherein updating of the first application list comprises determining whether to use the application, according to at least one of the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein determining whether to use the application comprises:
providing respective weight values to each of the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation; and determining whether to use the application based on the weight values.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein limiting the operation of the application comprises:
setting the application included in the first application list to one of:
a first state that permits the application to operate according to the use history of the application,
a second state that reduces a number of times the application operates, and
a third state that limits at least one operation of the application; and
limiting the operation of the application according to the set state of the application.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein limiting the operation of the application further comprises:
changing the set state of the application according to a user input; and limiting the operation of the application according to the changed state of the application.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein limiting the operation of the application comprises limiting the operation of the application according to at least one of whether a display is inactivated, a current time, a current position of the electronic device, a remaining capacity of a battery of the electronic device, and cellular data usage.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving, from an external electronic device, a second application list including an application installed in the external electronic device; de

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Byung Wook
• Kim Hee Deog
• Kim Moo Young
• Kim Hak Ryoul
• Lee Jin Goo
• Uh Rae Jin
• Lee Ju Beam

Classifications

• G06F9/44505 Primary

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• H04W52/0258

  controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day · CPC title

• G06F1/3212 Primary

  Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level · CPC title

• G06F9/4893

  taking into account power or heat criteria (power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206) · CPC title

• G06F1/3215

  Monitoring of peripheral devices · CPC title