Selective Rendering Mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018349151-A1
Application number	US-201715628034-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable media for selectively placing an application into a reduced-priority rendering mode during system user interface (UI) operations are described. Techniques disclosed herein transition an executing (foreground) application from a synchronous render mode (having a first render priority) to an asynchronous render mode (having a second, lower, render priority) when the system moves from supporting execution of the application into displaying a system UI. In this new state, the application's UI display element (e.g., an icon or reduced size viewing window) may continue to be updated (e.g., in accordance with the lower render priority) but does not interfere with the system UI's responsiveness.

First claim

1 . A selective rendering mode method, comprising:
rendering, at a high render priority, a first application's user interface to a display element of an electronic device; receiving, while rendering the first application's user interface, a first request to switch to a system user interface; adjusting, in response to the first request, the first application's render priority to a lower render priority; rendering, at the high render priority, the system user interface to the display element, the system user interface including a representation of the first application, the representation visually updated in accordance with the lower render priority; receiving, while rendering the system user interface, a second request to switch from the system user interface to a second application's user interface; adjusting, in response to the second request, the second application's render priority to the lower render priority; transitioning, in response to the second request, from the system user interface to the second application's user interface; and adjusting, concomitant with transitioning to the second application's user interface, the second application's render priority to the high render priority.

2 . The selective render mode method of claim 1 , wherein rendering a first application's user interface comprises, rendering the first application's user interface as a full-screen user interface.

3 . The selective render mode method of claim 1 , wherein rendering the system user interface to the display element comprises, rendering the system user interface as a full-screen user interface.

4 . The selective render mode method of claim 1 , wherein transitioning from the system user interface to the second application's user interface comprises, transitioning from the system user interface to a full-screen user interface of the second application.

5 . The selective render mode method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second applications are different applications.

6 . The selective render mode method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the second application's render priority to the lower render priority further comprises suspending the first application.

7 . The selective render mode method of claim 6 , wherein suspending the first application further comprises capturing a visual snapshot of the first application based on a status of the application when the snapshot is captured.

8 . The selective render mode method of claim 1 , wherein rendering a first application's user interface to a display element further comprises rendering, at the high render priority, a third application's user interface to the display element of the electronic device.

9 . The selective render mode method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting, in response to the first request, the first application's render priority to a lower render priority further comprises adjusting the third application's render priority to the lower render priority.

10 . A non-transitory program storage device comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processors to:
render, at a high render priority, a first application's user interface to a display element of an electronic device; receive, while rendering the first application's user interface, a first request to switch to a system user interface; adjust, in response to the first request, the first application's render priority to a lower render priority; render, at the high render priority, the system user interface to the display element, the system user interface including a representation of the first application, the representation visually updated in accordance with the lower render priority; receive, while rendering the system user interface, a second request to switch from the system user interface to a second application's user interface; adjust, in response to the second request, the second application's render priority to the lower render priority; transition, in response to the second request, from the system user interface to the second application's user interface; and adjust, concomitant with transitioning to the second application's user interface, the second application's render priority to the high render priority.

11 . The non-transitory program storage device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to render a first application's user interface comprise instructions to render the first application's user interface as a full-screen user interface.

12 . The non-transitory program storage device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to render the system user interface to the display element, comprise instructions to render the system user interface as a full-screen user interface.

13 . The non-transitory program storage device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to transition from the system user interface to the second application's user interface, comprise instructions to transition from the system user interface to a full-screen user interface of the second application.

14 . The non-transitory program storage device of claim 10 , wherein the first and second applications are different applications.

15 . The non-transitory program storage device of claim 14 , wherein the instructions to adjust the second application's render priority to the lower render priority further comprise instructions to suspend the first application.

16 . The non-transitory program storage device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions to suspend the first application, further comprise instructions to capture a visual snapshot of the first application based on a status of the application when the snapshot is captured.

17 . An electronic device, comprising:
a display element; a memory operatively coupled to the display element; and one or more processors operatively coupled to the display element and the memory, the one or more processors configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory, the program instructions configured to cause the electronic device to—
render, at a high render priority, a first application's user interface to a the display element,
receive, while rendering the first application's user interface, a first request to switch to a system user interface,
adjust, in response to the first request, the first application's render priority to a lower render priority,
render, at the high render priority, the system user interface to the display element, the system user interface including a representation of the first application,
visually update the representation in accordance with the lower render priority,
receive, while rendering the system user interface, a second request to switch from the system user interface to a second application's user interface,
adjust, in response to the second request, the second application's render priority to the lower render priority,
transition, in response to the second request, from the system user interface to the second application's user interface, and
adjust, concomitant with the transition to the second application's user interface, the second application's render priority to the high render priority.

18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to render a first application's user interface comprise instructions to render the first application's user interface as a full-screen user interface.

19 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to render the system user interface to the display element, comprise instructions to render the system user interface as a full-screen user interface.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hagedorn Joseph A
• Ciechanowski Bartosz
• Zhang Chendi

Classifications

• G06F9/451 Primary

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F9/4881

  Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  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 title

• G06F9/4443 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic