1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to user-interfaces for computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus that uses advanced graphics rendering capability to solve user interaction issues in selecting and running multiple applications through screens with physical size limitations.
2. Related Art
The Internet has made seamless access to information a common facet in the everyday life for millions of computer users. Advances in communications and computing technology have led to dramatic changes in both the way and the frequency with which people access information, and have led to an expectation that data should be accessible anywhere and at any time via mobile devices. In order to meet these expectations, mobile devices such as mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and car navigation systems have become increasingly more sophisticated. While such devices previously supported only a limited number of applications running serially, they have begun to support a larger number of applications, with multiple applications running concurrently.
Unfortunately, because of physical size limitations, these mobile devices have relatively small screens, which makes user interactions with such devices challenging. For example, due to this small screen size, individual mobile applications typically fill the entire screen. Consequently, when switching between two applications, these devices typically change the screen instantly to the new application without any transitional effect. This abrupt application switching can give the user an impression that the previous application has been terminated, even if it is still running in the background. As a result, the user might abandon the previously running application.
Furthermore, this small screen size also makes it hard for the user to access multiple applications that are installed to the device. Typically, when multiple applications are running concurrently on the device, the user can only actively interact with one of them using full-screen mode because of the limited screen real estate. Hence, it becomes particularly challenging if the user desires to simultaneously monitor changes or updates in one or more active background applications.
Ongoing hardware developments can potentially be used to solve these problems. The latest high-end mobile phones include a three-dimensional (3D) accelerator that provides a significant improvement in graphics rendering capability. Some of these high-end devices also include unique input mechanisms, such as a jog dial and touch screen, as well as advanced output mechanisms, such as stereo sound. Unfortunately, at present these advanced capabilities are not being used to help a user understand application status, other than just providing “eye candy.”
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus that remedies the above-described user-application interaction issues on mobile devices with small screens.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses three-dimensional (3D) and other rendering effects within a graphical display environment on a mobile device to enable a new application to be displayed while a currently-running application window remains visible within a main viewing area of a screen. During operation, the system receives a request to display a new application in the graphical display environment. Next, in response to the request, the system generates a slanted view of the currently-running application window by slanting the currently-running application window through a 3D rendering effect and moving the currently-running application window towards an edge of the screen to make room for the new application. Finally, the system displays the new application in a new display window next to the slanted view of the currently-running application window.
In a variation on this embodiment, if the new application completes running before the currently-running application completes, then the system closes the new display window for the new application in the main viewing area of the screen. Next, the system restores the currently-running application window back to its original size, shape and position in the main viewing area of the screen.
In a variation on this embodiment, the new application is an interrupting application.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses three-dimensional (3D) and other rendering effects within a graphical display environment on a mobile device to enable a second application which is displayed in the background of the graphical display environment to receive attention from a user who is interacting with a first application. During operation, the system displays a window for the first application in a main viewing area of the graphical display environment. Next, the system displays a scaled-down window for the second application in the graphical display environment. When the second application requires attention, the system then applies a 3D rendering effect to the displayed scaled-down window for the second application to alert the user that the second application requires attention.
In a variation on this embodiment, the system displays the scaled-down window for the second application in the graphical display environment next to the window for the first application in the main viewing area, wherein the scaled-down window is miniaturized.
In a variation on this embodiment, the system displays the scaled-down window for the second application in the graphical display environment so that the scaled-down window overlaps the window for the first application in the main viewing area, wherein the scaled-down window is translucent.
In a variation on this embodiment, the 3D rendering effect can include an animation action of the scaled-down window.
In a variation on this embodiment, the system uses a stereo sound effect associated with the location of the scaled-down window to alert the user that the second application requires attention.
In a variation on this embodiment, the system uses a vibration generator associated with the rendering effects to alert the user that the second application requires attention.
The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the claims.
The data structures and code described in this detailed description are typically stored on a computer-readable storage medium, which may be any device or medium that can store code and/or data for use by a computer system. This includes, but is not limited to, magnetic and optical storage devices such as disk drives, magnetic tape, CDs (compact discs), DVDs (digital versatile discs or digital video discs), or any device capable of storing data usable by a computer system.
The User-Interface of a Mobile Device
Displaying an Interrupting Application While Running an Application
Note that the new application can be an interrupting application, such as an incoming phone call or the arrival of an SMS message that results in an interrupting dialog. In
In
Note that the direction from which interrupting application 304 enters the screen can also include the left, the top and the bottom of screen 300. Alternatively, interrupting application 304 can enter the screen at an arbitrary angle with respect to an edge of the screen. Regardless of the direction, currently-running application 302 displays the 3D animation effect that the window is being pushed aside by the new application window, and becomes slanted.
During operation, the system receives a request to display a new application on the small screen which has a graphical display environment, while a currently-running application is displayed in a full-screen mode (step 400). Next, in response to the request, the system generates a slanted view of the currently-running application window through a 3D rendering effect (step 402). By slanting the currently-running application window, the system condenses the window towards an edge of the screen to make room for the new application.
The system then displays the new application in a new display window next to the slanted window for the currently-running application (step 404). Note that the slanted view is sufficiently large to allow the contents of the current running application remain visible.
Enabling a Background Running Application to Receive Attention
3D display capability can also be used to monitor selected applications. For example, selected applications running in the background can be displayed in a scaled-down manner in the same screen as the currently-running application window. Although the user may not be able to understand the details of the scaled-down display, 3D animation effects can be applied to the scaled-down display for an application combined with other visual clues which make it easy to recognize that a status change has occurred in the application. The system can also expand the signaling application back into the central display area in full-screen form if necessary.
In one embodiment of the present invention, when application 504 needs attention from the user, it can generate a noticeable change in its associated display by utilizing a 3D animation effect.
For example,
In another example,
In yet another example,
In all scenarios illustrated in
In one embodiment of the present invention, if the user desires to monitor a background application more closely, the system can display a scaled-down window of the background application above the foreground application, as shown in
Note that displaying a scaled-down window above the currently-running application window allows more efficient utilization of the display area for the currently-running application. Also note that the 3D animation effects described in
During operation, the system displays a full-size window for the currently-running application in the main display area of the mobile device (step 600). Next, the system displays each of the concurrently-running applications as a scaled-down window in the same screen as the currently-running application window (step 602). Note that each of the scaled-down windows can be positioned so that they overlap (or do not overlap) the currently-running application window.
Next, when an application requires attention from the user, the system applies a 3D rendering effect to the associated window for that application to alert the user that the application requires attention (step 604).
The foregoing descriptions of embodiments of the present invention have been presented only for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the forms disclosed. Accordingly, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Additionally, the above disclosure is not intended to limit the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
This application is related to a pending U.S. patent application, entitled, “Visual Representation and Other Effects for Application Management on a Device with a Small Screen,” by inventors Hideya Kawahara, Paul Byrne, Frank E. Ludolph, Yoojin Hong, Curtis J. Sasaki, and Eitaro Nishijima, having Ser. No. 11/159,951, and filing date 23 Jun. 2005 (Attorney Docket No. SUN05-0809).