Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090013282 | Single-Axis Window Manager - A system and a method are disclosed for implementing a single-axis window manager on a mobile computing device to view and access multiple applications in a limited display area utilizing limited input capabilities. The mobile computing device initializes a virtual display space having a first dimension with a fixed size. For example, the virtual display space is initialized to have a horizontal dimension equal to the horizontal dimension of the display screen. At least one window is generated having a fixed size in the first dimension but also sizeable in a second direction. For example, the at least one window has a fixed horizontal dimension but is vertically sizeable. The at least one window is then inserted into the virtual display space and displayed on a display device. | 01-08-2009 |
20090138815 | ENHANCING VISUAL CONTINUITY IN SCROLLING OPERATIONS - A visual indicator distinguishes between newly displayed content and previously displayed content during and/or after a scrolling operation. The newly displayed content is displayed in a different format, or with a different background, or with some other visual indication, as compared with content that was previously displayed and is still displayed after the scrolling operation. In this manner, the user is given a visual context for scrolling operations that provides an intuitive reference point when scrolling through a document. A user can easily determine where the newly displayed content picks up from where the previously displayed content left off. The visual indicator can be transitory if desired, so that it gradually fades after some period of time. | 05-28-2009 |
20090164534 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DERIVE HIGH LEVEL FILE SYSTEM INFORMATION BY PASSIVELY MONITORING LOW LEVEL OPERATIONS ON A FAT FILE SYSTEM - A method (and corresponding system and computer program product) detects modified files and/or directories in a storage device. The method builds a file-sector coordination table for files in the storage device before relinquishing access control of the storage device to a host computer. The method passively monitors write transactions in the storage device from the host computer. The method identifies sectors affected by the monitored write transactions and stores in a sector list. The method regains access control of the storage device from the host computer and builds a list of modified files by intersecting the sector list with the file-sector coordination table. The method may optionally share the list of modified files with related applications. | 06-25-2009 |
20090172597 | ON-SCREEN MENU BUTTONS INCLUDING MULTIPLE MODES - Menu items are displayed on a screen, for example in the form of user-activatable on-screen buttons. A root menu is displayed, including a “more” button that allows the user to navigate to one or more sub-menus. Each menu can contain function buttons, menu buttons, or any combination thereof. Function buttons provide direct access to functions. Menu buttons provide access to sub-menus, which may be provided in a hierarchical arrangement. In some sub-menus, a menu title button replaces the “more” button and provides access to a previously displayed menu. The user can activate a displayed function button in any menu or sub-menu to perform an action associated with the function button. | 07-02-2009 |
20090187847 | Operating System Providing Consistent Operations Across Multiple Input Devices - An operating system of a mobile computing device translates primitive input signal from an input device to a navigation message invoking a navigation operation at application programs. The navigation operation represents a unit of action (e.g., ‘select’ an item) intended by a user on an application program. Different input signals from different input devices are mapped to navigation messages at the operating system. The application program receives and processes the navigation message; and thus, the application program is relieved of tasks associated with processing primitive input signals. By providing the navigation messages from the operating system, consistent navigation operations can be achieved at different application programs, and application programmers can conveniently program application programs for computing devices with different hardware configurations. | 07-23-2009 |
20090189915 | Structured Display System with System Defined Transitions - A disclosed system (and method) is configured to receive an instruction to transition from a first view to a second view. The first view and the second view include two or more visual elements. The system receives data corresponding to visual elements in the first view and visual elements in the second view. The system groups the visual elements to include visual elements moved out between the first view and the second view, visual elements retained from the first view in the second view, and visual elements moved into the second view. The system retrieves a system defined transition style for rendering the visual elements between the first view and the second view. Using the groupings the system transitions the first view to render the second view through application of the transition style on the groups of visual elements. | 07-30-2009 |
20090210441 | INTEGRATION OF STATIC AND DYNAMIC DATA FOR DATABASE ENTITIES AND THE UNIFIED PRESENTATION THEREOF - A method is disclosed for presenting static and dynamic data corresponding to an entity within an application on a mobile device. An entity object is created as part of a data model within the application such that the entity object has a plurality of fields with the plurality of fields having static data corresponding to the entity. Based on the static data corresponding to the entity, dynamic data corresponding to the entity is received into the entity object from at least one of a plurality of applications executable within the mobile device. The static and dynamic data from the entity object corresponding to the entity is displayed simultaneously within a user interface of the application in a single presentation view. | 08-20-2009 |
20090249253 | DISPLAYING MNEMONIC ABBREVIATIONS FOR COMMANDS - Abbreviations are displayed for user-entered text commands, to facilitate discovery of keyboard shortcuts and to reinforce branding. Users enter commands by typing them into a text input field. Commands can be provided in a verb-noun structure, where the verb specifies what is to be done and the noun specifies the object or a parameter for the verb. Upon user entry of a command, or portion thereof, the entered portion is replaced by an abbreviation. The abbreviation can represent a single key, key combination, or multi-character string. The abbreviation can also include a logo or other graphic component, if desired. The abbreviation can replace the verb portion of the entered command, or it can be shown alongside or adjacent to the text input field, or it can be shown in an overlay or according to any other mechanism. A transition effect can be performed when introducing the abbreviation. | 10-01-2009 |
20090278806 | EXTENDED TOUCH-SENSITIVE CONTROL AREA FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A touch-sensitive display screen is enhanced by a touch-sensitive control area that extends beyond the edges of the display screen. The touch-sensitive area outside the display screen, referred to as a “gesture area,” allows a user to activate commands using a gesture vocabulary. In one aspect, the present invention allows some commands to be activated by inputting a gesture within the gesture area. Other commands can be activated by directly manipulating on-screen objects. Yet other commands can be activated by beginning a gesture within the gesture area, and finishing it on the screen (or vice versa), and/or by performing input that involves contemporaneous contact with both the gesture area and the screen. | 11-12-2009 |
20090293007 | NAVIGATING AMONG ACTIVITIES IN A COMPUTING DEVICE - A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows. | 11-26-2009 |
20090300489 | SELECTIVE ACCESS TO A FRAME BUFFER - A method, system, and computer program display data by selectively providing access to a frame buffer. When a request for a destination location for display data is received, a determination is made as to whether the data will require further processing prior to display. If further processing is needed, a location of an external application buffer is provided. If no further processing is needed, a frame buffer is provided. Thus, improved efficiency is achieved, while still providing functionality for processing occlusions and/or composited sections of the display data. | 12-03-2009 |
20090300542 | Structured Displaying of Visual Elements - Presentation descriptions are provided to an operating system of a computing device to present outputs associated with the applications in an organized and intuitive manner to the user. The presentation descriptions provide the operating system with information about the structure and meaning of the output element. The task of organizing at least part of the output elements associated with applications is delegated to the operating system. The operating system analyzes the presentation descriptions, and organizes the output elements associated with the applications at least partly based on the presentation descriptions. | 12-03-2009 |
20100058229 | Compositing Windowing System - A set of buffers is made available on a system-wide basis to provide capabilities for robust presentation of windows. The buffers can include a frame buffer, a system off-screen buffer and a compositing buffer. | 03-04-2010 |
20100058231 | Notifying A User Of Events In A Computing Device - In a computing device, event notifications take the form of alerts that can be presented in different ways. The particular form of each event notification depends on the nature of the event, the user task being performed at the time the event occurs, the user's preferences, or any combination thereof. In one aspect, the present invention presents event notifications in the form of banner alerts. Obtrusiveness is minimized by presenting the notification at a location near the edge of the screen (such as a bottom edge), and slightly shrinking the active display area to make room for the event notification. In this manner, event notifications can be presented without obscuring any part of the active display area. In addition, the user can obtain more information about the event by activating the notification (for example by tapping on it). In another aspect, the present invention provides a summary of pending event notifications. Thus, if the user is unable to (or does not wish to) respond to or acknowledge a notification when it is presented, the user can later view the event notification summary at his or her convenience, and can act on the event notifications at that time. | 03-04-2010 |
20120084711 | Navigating Among Activities in a Computing Device - A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows. | 04-05-2012 |
20130298057 | NAVIGATING AMONG ACTIVITIES IN A COMPUTING DEVICE - A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows. | 11-07-2013 |