Methods and systems for providing an automated split-screen user interface on a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588674-B2
Application number	US-201213690758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2012
Priority date	Nov 30, 2012
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a split-screen user interface for a computer device. According to one embodiment, a primary application is displayed on a display associated with the computing device in a first viewing mode. Upon receiving a request from the user to launch to a split-screen operating mode for enabling simultaneous display of multiple applications, the first viewing mode is transitioned to a split-screen view such that the primary application is shown within a first display area and a plurality of applications are shown within a second display area adjacent to the first display area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a split-screen user interface on a device, the method comprising:
displaying content of a primary application in a first viewing mode on at least a portion of a display associated with the device;
receiving a request from a user to launch a second application of a particular type, the request received in response to the user activating an object within the primary application displayed as a first portion of the content of the primary application, wherein the particular type of the second application is determined based on the object within the primary application;
transitioning, in response to the received request to launch the second application, from the first viewing mode to a split-screen viewing mode, wherein the split-screen viewing mode shows the content of the primary application within a first display area and shows content of the second application within a second display area adjacent to the first display area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object displayed within the primary application is a link, and the user activating the object includes the user activating the link.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of applications shown within the second display area is automatically closed when new content associated with the primary application is activated.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein when a new application is launched based on user activation of an action object within at least one application of a plurality of applications shown within the second display area, the new application is opened and added to the stack of the plurality of applications shown within the second display area.

5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored executable instructions for providing a split-screen user interface on a device, that when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
display content of a primary application in a single application mode on at least a portion of a display associated with the device;
based on receiving a request to launch a second application of a particular type, the request received in response to the user activating an object within the primary application displayed as a first portion of the content of the primary application, and the particular type of the second application being determined based on the object within the primary application, received from a user:
launch to a split-screen mode; and
transition from the single application mode to the split-screen mode, wherein the split-screen mode shows the content of the primary application within a first display area and shows content of the second application within a second display area adjacent to the first display area.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein a plurality of applications displayed within the second display area is automatically closed when new content associated with the primary application is activated.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein when a new application is launched based on user activation of an action object of at least one application of a plurality of applications within the second display area, the new application is opened and added to the stack of the plurality of applications within the second display area.

8. An apparatus for providing a split-screen user interface on a portable electronic device, the apparatus comprising:
means for displaying content of a primary application in a single application mode on at least a portion of a display associated with the device;
means for receiving a mode change request from a user to launch to a split-screen mode for enabling simultaneous display of multiple applications, wherein the mode change request represents user activation of a link within the primary application displayed as a first portion of the content of the primary application, the link requiring launch of a second application of a particular type, wherein the particular type of the second application is determined based on the link within the primary application; and
means for transitioning from the single application mode to a split-screen mode based on the mode change request such that the content of the primary application is shown within a first display area and content of the second application is shown within a second display area adjacent to the first display area.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: transitioning, in response to the user activating another object within the primary application displayed as a second portion of the content of the primary application, back to the first viewing mode, wherein the first viewing mode is a full screen mode.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5 , further comprising: instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to transition, in response to the user activating another object within the primary application displayed as a second portion of the content of the primary application, back to the single application mode, wherein the single application mode is a full screen mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising: means for transitioning, in response to the user activating another link within the primary application displayed as a second portion of the content of the primary application, back to the single application mode, wherein the single application mode is a full screen mode.

12. An apparatus configured for providing a split-screen user interface on a device, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
display content of a primary application in a first viewing mode on at least a portion of a display associated with the device;
receive a request from a user to launch a second application of a particular type, the request received in response to the user activating an object within the primary application displayed as a first portion of the content of the primary application, wherein the particular type of the second application is determined based on the object within the primary application;
transition, in response to the received request to launch the second application, from the first viewing mode to a split-screen viewing mode, wherein the split-screen viewing mode shows the content of the primary application within a first display area and shows content of the second application within a second display area adjacent to the first display area.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transition, in response to the user activating another object within the primary application displayed as a second portion of the content of the primary application, back to the first viewing mode, wherein the first viewing mode is a full screen mode.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Strutin-Belinoff Pilar Ariella
• Rottler Benjamin Andrew
• Arroyo Gregory Robert
• Vonshak Itai

Classifications

• G01C21/3664

  Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

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

• G06F3/04883 Primary

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