Dock for favorite applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9310958-B2
Application number	US-201113151860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2011
Priority date	Jun 2, 2011
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

Systems, methods and products are described that provide a dock for favorite applications. One aspect includes providing a dock point on a display device of an information handling device; responsive to user input associated with said dock point, launching a utility organizing a sub-set of user applications installed on said information handling device in a predetermined arrangement of launch points; providing an animated movement of said launch points in said utility responsive to user input; and responsive to user input selecting a launch point in said utility, launching an application associated with said launch point on the information handling device. Other embodiments are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a toolbar on a display device of an information handling device;
providing, within the toolbar, a dock point on the display device of the information handling device, said dock point being a consistent point among scrollable desktop views;
responsive to user input associated with said dock point, determining if the user input is a settings input;
launching a utility that animates a display organizing a sub-set of user applications installed on said information handling device in a predetermined arrangement of application icon launch points if the input is not settings input;
launching a utility that allows for user modification of the sub-set of user applications displayed on said information handling device if the input is settings input;
said utility overlaying an underlying desktop view and providing an animated movement of said application icon launch points in said utility responsive to user input;
said utility organizing the application icon launch points in a wheel arrangement with overlapping tiles extending from a side of the display device and arcing towards a central portion of the display device; and
responsive to user input selecting an application icon launch point in said utility, launching an application associated with said application icon launch point on the information handling device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing an editing arrangement for editing the sub-set of applications represented in said utility.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said editing arrangement comprises an add/remove panel displayed on said display device.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
responsive to user input at said add/remove panel, performing one or more of:
adding an application from an application library area of said display device to an unoccupied launch point slot in said add/remove panel; and
removing an application from an occupied launch point slot in said add/remove panel to an application library of said display device.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said editing arrangement comprises a wheel arrangement having one or more unoccupied launch point slots.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising, responsive to user input dragging an application icon from a library area of said display device to an unoccupied launch point slot in said wheel arrangement, populating said empty launch point with said application.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said utility organizing a sub-set of user applications installed on said information handling device in a predetermined arrangement of launch points comprises a utility organizing the sub-set of user applications in a wheel arrangement centered about lower corner of said display device.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to user input, providing animated movement of said launch points in a wheel like motion.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the launch points comprise four layers comprising an application icon, including:
an outline layer, an icon layer, a screen capture layer, and a shadow layer;
said screen capture layer associated with a view of user interface content of an underlying application associated with a particular launch point.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overlapping tiles are differentially sized.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the overlapping tiles increase in size as they are animated towards the central portion of the display device.

12. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a display device;
wherein, responsive to execution of computer program instructions accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more processors:
provide a toolbar on the display device of said system;
provide, within the toolbar, a dock point on the display device of said system, said dock point being a consistent point among scrollable desktop views;
responsive to user input associated with said dock point, determining if the user input is a settings input;
launch a utility that allows for user modification of the sub-set of user applications displayed on said system if the input is settings input;
launch a utility organizing a sub-set of user applications installed on said system in a predetermined arrangement of application icon launch points;
said utility overlaying an underlying desktop view and providing an animated movement of said application icon launch points in said utility responsive to user input;
said utility organizing the application icon launch points in a wheel arrangement with overlapping tiles extending from a side of the display device and arcing towards a central portion of the display device; and
responsive to user input selecting an application icon launch point in said utility, launching an application associated with said application icon launch point on said system.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein, responsive to execution of computer program instructions accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more processors:
provide an editing arrangement for editing the sub-set of applications represented in said utility.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein said editing arrangement comprises an add/remove panel displayed on said display device.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein, responsive to execution of computer program instructions accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more processors:
responsive to user input at said add/remove panel, perform one or more of:
adding an application from an application library area of said display device to an unoccupied launch point slot in said add/remove panel; and
removing an application from an occupied launch point slot in said add/remove panel to an application library of said display device.

16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein said editing arrangement comprises a wheel arrangement having one or more unoccupied launch point slots.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein, responsive to execution of computer program instructions accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more processors:
responsive to user input dragging an application icon from a library area of said display device to an unoccupied launch point slot in said wheel arrangement, populate said unoccupied launch point with said application.

18. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said utility organizing a sub-set of user applications installed on said system in a predetermined arrangement of launch points comprises a utility organizing the sub-set of user applications in a wheel arrangement centered about lower corner of said display device.

19. The system according to claim 12 , wherein, responsive to execution of computer program instructions accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more:
responsive to user input, provide animated movement of said launch points in a wheel like motion.

20. A computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage device having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code being executable by a processor and comprising:
computer readable program code that provides a toolbar on a display device of an information handling device;
computer readable program code that provides a dock point on the display device of the information handling device, said dock point being a consistent

Assignees

• Kluttz Karen R
• Hunt James A
• Rivera David
• Waltermann Rod D
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Kluttz Karen R
• Hunt James A
• Rivera David
• Waltermann Rod D

Classifications

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/0481 Primary

  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