Patent Application
20140040823
The present disclosure relates to the field of window browsing technology and, more particularly, relates to methods and devices for multi-window browsing.
Due to screen size, technical implementation, and other hardware and software limitations, conventional window browsing methods provided by browsers on mobile terminals such as iPad, aPad, notebook computers, tablet computers, POS (i.e., point of sale) devices, and computers on board vehicles, usually include visual-display-type multi-tab-switching windows. As illustrated in
However, the browser of a mobile terminal can only display one window at one time, and a user also can only perform relevant browsing operations with respect to one window that the user is currently browsing. Therefore, the conventional window browsing methods cannot satisfy user's needs of simultaneously managing multiple windows and simultaneously performing browsing operations with respect to multiple windows. For example, the conventional window browsing methods cannot satisfy user's needs for playing a video in one window and simultaneously browsing a web page in another window and thus is very inconvenient for a user to use.
According to various embodiments, there is provided a multi-window browsing method. A target-object selection control command can be received by a multi-window browsing device. The target-object selection control command can be issued according to each of one or more target objects selected to be added to a multi-window browsing interface. The multi-window browsing device can determine whether a number of the one or more target objects reaches a preset value and can start the multi-window browsing interface to simultaneously display the one or more target objects on the multi-window browsing interface, when the number of the one or more target objects is determined that reaches the preset value.
According to various embodiments, there is also provided a multi-window browsing device. The multi-window browsing device can include a receiving unit, a determining unit, and a display unit. The receiving unit can be configured to receive a target-object selection control command. The target-object selection control command can be issued by a control unit according to each of one or more target objects selected to be added to a multi-window browsing interface. The determining unit can be configured to determine whether a number of the one or more target objects reach a preset value. The display unit can be configured to start the multi-window browsing interface and to simultaneously display the one or more target objects on the multi-window browsing interface, when the number of the one or more target objects is determined that reaches the preset value.
Other aspects or embodiments of the present disclosure can be understood by those skilled in the art in light of the description, the claims, and the drawings of the present disclosure.
The following drawings are merely examples for illustrative purposes according to various disclosed embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
As shown in
The communication network 602 may include any appropriate type of communication network for providing network connections to the server 604 and terminal 606 or among multiple servers 604 or terminals 606. For example, the communication network 602 may include the Internet or other types of computer networks or telecommunication networks, either wired or wireless.
A terminal, as used herein, may refer to any appropriate user terminal device with certain computing capabilities, for example, a personal computer (PC), a work station computer, a notebook computer, a car computer (e.g., carrying in a car or other vehicles), a server computer, a hand-held computing device (a tablet computer), a mobile terminal (a mobile phone, a smart phone, an iPad, an aPad), a POS (i.e., point of sale) device, or any other user-side computing device. In various embodiments, the terms “terminal” and “terminal device” can be used interchangeably. In various embodiments, the terminal 606 can include a multi-window browsing device.
A server, as used herein, may refer one or more server computers configured to provide certain server functionalities, for example, search engines and database management. A server may also include one or more processors to execute computer programs in parallel.
The server 604 and the terminal 606 may be implemented on any appropriate computing platform.
The processor 702 can include any appropriate processor or processors. Further, the processor 702 can include multiple cores for multi-thread or parallel processing. The storage medium 704 may include memory modules, for example, ROM, RAM, and flash memory modules, and mass storages, for example, CD-ROM, U-disk, removable hard disk, etc. The storage medium 704 may store computer programs for implementing various processes, when executed by the processor 702.
Further, the peripherals 712 may include I/O devices, for example, keyboard and mouse, and the communication module 708 may include network devices for establishing connections through the communication network 602. The database 710 may include one or more databases for storing certain data and for performing certain operations on the stored data, for example, webpage browsing, database searching, etc.
In operation, the terminal 606 may cause the server 604 to perform certain actions, for example, an Internet search or other database operations. The server 604 may be configured to provide structures and functions for such actions and operations. More particularly, the server 604 may include a data searching system for real-time database searching. In various embodiments, a terminal, for example, a mobile terminal involved in the disclosed methods and systems can include the terminal 606.
In Step S200 of
In Step S201, the target object-selection control command is received and it is determined whether a number of selectively added target objects has reached a preset value. When a result of the determining is YES, i.e., when it is determined that a number of selectively added target objects has reached the preset value, the method then proceeds to perform Step S203. When the result of the determining is NO, i.e., when it is determined that a number of selectively added target objects has not reached the preset value, the method continues with Step S201.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
In various embodiments, Step 5201 can also include the following step: using a counter to count the number of the selectively added target objects (e.g., to count how many target objects are selected to be added) so as to obtain the number of the selectively added target objects.
For example, the number of the selectively added target objects can be obtained by obtaining a number of counts of the counter. In a case where the target objects are web pages, the number of counts of the counter can initially be set to be about 0. Every time a target object (e.g., a web page in this case) is selectively added, the number of counts of the counter is increased by 1. Assuming a total of two target web pages are added, the number of counts of the counter is 2. By obtaining the number of counts (e.g., which is 2 in this case) of the counter, the number (e.g., which is 2 in this case) of the selectively added target web pages can be obtained.
In Step S203, a multi-window browsing interface is started and the selectively added target objects are simultaneously displayed on the multi-window browsing interface.
In various embodiments, after Step S203, the above-described process can further include the following step: adjusting widths of windows displayed in the multi-window browsing interface when an interface adjustment control command is received. The exemplary multi-window browsing interface 400 shown in
For example, when an interface adjustment control command, generated by a user by pressing the tab 403 at a border between the two browsing windows 401 and 402 and by dragging the tab 403 left or right, is received, displaying widths of the two browsing windows 401 and 402 can be adjusted accordingly. Specifically, when the tab 403 at the border between the browsing windows 401 and 402 is dragged left, the displaying width of the browsing window 401 can be narrowed and the displaying width of the browsing window 402 can be widened accordingly. When the tab 403 at the border between the browsing windows 401 and 402 is dragged right, the displaying width of the browsing window 401 can be widened and the displaying width of the browsing window 402 can be narrowed accordingly.
In various embodiments, after Step S203, the above-described process can further include the following step: closing the currently displayed multi-window browsing interface, restoring original browsing interfaces of the target objects, and clearing the counter, when a control command for closing the multi-window browsing interface is received.
The exemplary multi-window browsing interface 400 shown in
In one embodiment, when the number of selectively added target objects has reached a preset value, the multi-window browsing interface can be started and the selectively added target objects can be simultaneously displayed on the multi-window browsing interface. This allows a user to simultaneously manage multiple browsing windows and simultaneously perform relevant browsing operations with respect to multiple windows. For example, a user can play a video in one window and at the same time browse a web page in another window. This is more user-friendly.
The control unit 500 can be used to issue a corresponding target object-selection control command based on a target object that is selectively added to a multi-window browsing interface.
For example, as illustrated in
The receiving unit 501 can be used to receive the target object-selection control command and the determining unit 502 can be used to determine whether a number of selectively added target objects has reached the preset value. When the number of selectively added target objects is determined that has not reached the preset value, the determining unit 502 can continue to perform the determining process.
The display unit 503 can be used to start a multi-window browsing interface when the number of selectively added target objects has reached the preset value and simultaneously display the selectively added target object(s) on the multi-window browsing interface.
In the exemplary multi-window browsing interface as illustrated in
Further, the multi-window browsing device can also include a counter 505, a closing unit 507, and/or an adjusting unit 509.
The counter 505 can be used to count the number of selectively added target objects and obtain the number of the selectively added target objects. The number of counts of the counter 505 can be the number of the selected target objects. For example, in the case where the target objects are web pages, the number of counts of the counter is initially set to be 0. Every time a target object (e.g., a web page in this case) is selectively added, the number of counts of the counter can be increased by 1. In an example where a total of two target web pages are added, the number of counts of the counter can be 2. In this manner, by obtaining the number of counts of the counter 505, the determining unit 502 can know that the number of the selectively added target objects is 2.
When a control command for closing the multi-window browsing interface is received, the closing unit 507 can be used to close the currently displayed multi-window browsing interface, restore original browsing interfaces of the target objects, and clear the counter 505.
In an example of
When an interface adjustment control command is received, the adjusting unit 509 can be used to adjust widths of windows displayed on the multi-window browsing interface.
Still using
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, when the number of selectively added target objects has reached a preset value, the multi-window browsing interface can be started and the selectively added target objects can be simultaneously displayed on the multi-window browsing interface. This allows a user to simultaneously manage multiple browsing windows and simultaneously perform relevant browsing operations with respect to multiple windows. For example, a user can play a video in one window and at the same time browse a web page in another window. This is more user-friendly.
In various embodiments, the disclosed modules can be configured in one apparatus or configured in multiple apparatus as desired. The modules disclosed herein can be integrated in one module or in multiple modules. Each of the modules disclosed herein can be divided into one or more sub-modules, which can be recombined in any manner.
One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that suitable software and/or hardware (e.g., a universal hardware platform) may be included and used in the disclosed methods and systems. For example, the disclosed embodiments can be implemented by hardware only, which alternatively can be implemented by software products only. The software products can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium including, e.g., ROM/RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc. The software products can include suitable commands to enable a terminal device (e.g., including a mobile phone, a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to implement the disclosed embodiments.
The embodiments disclosed herein are exemplary only. Other applications, advantages, alternations, modifications, or equivalents to the disclosed embodiments are obvious to those skilled in the art and are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.
Without limiting the scope of any claim and/or the specification, examples of industrial applicability and certain advantageous effects of the disclosed embodiments are listed for illustrative purposes. Various alternations, modifications, or equivalents to the technical solutions of the disclosed embodiments can be obvious to those skilled in the art and can be included in this disclosure.
Multi-window browsing methods and devices are provided herein. A target-object selection control command can be received by a multi-window browsing device. The target-object selection control command can be issued according to each of one or more target objects selected to be added to a multi-window browsing interface. The multi-window browsing device can determine whether a number of the one or more target objects reaches a preset value and can start the multi-window browsing interface to simultaneously display the one or more target objects on the multi-window browsing interface, when the number of the one or more target objects is determined that reaches the preset value. An exemplary multi-window browsing device can include a receiving unit, a determining unit, and a display unit.
In this manner, when the number of selectively added target objects has reached the preset value, the multi-window browsing interface can be started and the selectively added target objects can be simultaneously displayed on the multi-window browsing interface. This allows a user to simultaneously manage multiple browsing windows and simultaneously perform relevant browsing operations with respect to multiple windows. For example, a user can play a video in one window and at the same time browse a web page in another window. This is more user-friendly.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201210275229.7 | Aug 2012 | CN | national |
This application is a continuation of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CN2013/080611, filed on Aug. 1, 2013, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. CN201210275229.7, filed on Aug. 3, 2012, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/CN2013/080611 | Aug 2013 | US |
| Child | 14034843 | US |
