18199331. Systems and Methods for Interacting with Multiple Applications on an Electronic Device simplified abstract (Apple Inc.)

Systems and Methods for Interacting with Multiple Applications on an Electronic Device

Organization Name

Apple Inc.

Inventor(s)

John O. Louch of Boulder CO (US)

Tuhin Kumar of Oakland CA (US)

Bryant A. Jow of San Mateo CA (US)

Shubham Kedia of San Francisco CA (US)

Chun Kin Minor Wong of San Jose CA (US)

Raymond S. Sepulveda of Portland OR (US)

Morgan A. Price of San Francisco CA (US)

Systems and Methods for Interacting with Multiple Applications on an Electronic Device - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18199331 titled 'Systems and Methods for Interacting with Multiple Applications on an Electronic Device

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a method performed by a computer system that allows for the concurrent display of interactive and non-interactive windows.

• The method involves displaying a first set of interactive windows and a representation of a second set of non-interactive windows simultaneously.
• Users can manipulate the content of the interactive windows through user inputs, but not the content of the non-interactive windows.
• When a user selects the representation of the non-interactive windows, the display of the interactive windows is ceased.
• In response to the user's selection, one or more of the non-interactive windows are displayed in an interactive mode, while the first set of interactive windows are displayed in a non-interactive mode.

Potential applications of this technology:

• Multi-tasking: Users can work on multiple tasks simultaneously by having interactive and non-interactive windows displayed concurrently.
• Presentation mode: Presenters can display non-interactive windows as representations while still having access to interactive windows for real-time manipulation.
• User interface customization: Users can choose which windows to display in an interactive or non-interactive mode based on their preferences and needs.

Problems solved by this technology:

• Efficient multitasking: Users can easily switch between interactive and non-interactive windows without losing their progress or disrupting their workflow.
• Enhanced user experience: The ability to display windows in different modes provides flexibility and customization options for users.
• Improved productivity: Users can work on multiple tasks simultaneously without the need to constantly switch between different windows.

Benefits of this technology:

• Streamlined workflow: Users can seamlessly transition between interactive and non-interactive modes, improving efficiency and productivity.
• Customizable user interface: Users have the freedom to choose how they want to interact with different windows based on their specific requirements.
• Improved multitasking capabilities: The concurrent display of interactive and non-interactive windows allows for better organization and management of tasks.

Original Abstract Submitted

A method is performed at a computer system that is in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices. A first set of one or more windows in an interactive mode, and a representation of a second set of one or more windows in a non-interactive mode are concurrently displayed. While a window is displayed in an interactive mode, the content of the window can be manipulated in response to user inputs. While a representation of a window is displayed in a non-interactive mode, the content of the window is not available to be manipulated in response to user inputs. An input selecting the representation of the second set of one or more windows is detected. In response to detecting the input, the first set of one or more windows in the interactive mode are ceased to be displayed. In response to detecting the input, one or more of the second set of one or more windows are displayed in the interactive mode concurrently with a representation of the first set of one or more windows displayed in a non-interactive mode.