US20120304132A1 - Switching back to a previously-interacted-with application - Google Patents

Abstract

This document describes techniques and apparatuses for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable selection of a user interface not currently exposed on a display through a simple gesture that is both easy-to-use and remember.

Description

BACKGROUND
• moon Conventional techniques for selecting a previously-interacted-with application that is not currently exposed on a display are often confusing, take up valuable display space, cannot be universally applied across different devices, or provide a poor user experience.
• Some conventional techniques, for example, enable selection of a previously-interacted-with application through onscreen controls in a task bar, within a floating window, or on a window frame. These onscreen controls, however, take up valuable display real estate and can annoy users by requiring users to find and select the correct control.
• Some other conventional techniques enable selection of a previously-interacted-with application through hardware, such as hot keys and buttons. At best these techniques require users to remember what key, key combination, or hardware button to select. Even in the best case users often accidentally select keys or buttons. Further, in many cases hardware-selection techniques cannot be universally applied, as hardware on computing devices can vary by device model, generation, vendor, or manufacturer. In such cases, either the techniques will not work or work differently across different computing devices. This exacerbates the problem of users needing to remember the correct hardware, as many users have multiple devices, and so may need to remember different hardware selections for different devices. Further still, for many computing devices hardware selection forces users to engage a computing device outside the user's normal flow of interaction, such as when a touch-screen device requires a user to change his or her mental and physical orientation from display-based interactions to hardware-based interactions.
• Still another conventional technique enables users to select a previously-interacted-with application by selecting to enter an application-selecting mode, search through various gesture-based controls, select the control, and then select to interact with the selected application's user interface once it is presented. As is readily apparent, this technique requires numerous user actions and can provide a poor user experience.
SUMMARY
• This document describes techniques and apparatuses for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable selection of a user interface not currently exposed on a display through a simple gesture that is both easy-to-use and remember.
• This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Techniques and/or apparatuses for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application are also referred to herein separately or in conjunction as the “techniques” as permitted by the context.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Embodiments for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application are described with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components:
• FIG. 1 illustrates an example system in which techniques for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application can be implemented.
• FIG. 2 illustrates an example method for enabling edge gestures that can be used to select to switch back to a previously-interacted-with application, the edge gestures being approximately perpendicular to an edge in which the gesture begins.
• FIG. 3 illustrates an example tablet computing device having a touch-sensitive display presenting an immersive interface.
• FIG. 4 illustrates the example immersive interface ofFIG. 3 along with example edges.
• FIG. 5 illustrates the example immersive interface ofFIGS. 3 and 4 along with angular variance lines from a perpendicular line and a line from a start point to a later point of a gesture.
• FIG. 6 illustrates the edges of the immersive interface shown inFIG. 4 along with two regions in the right edge.
• FIG. 7 illustrates an application-selection interface presented by a system-interface module in response to an edge gesture made over the immersive interface and webpage ofFIG. 3.
• FIG. 8 illustrates an example method for enabling edge gestures including determining an interface to present based on some factor of the gesture.
• FIG. 9 illustrates an example method enabling expansion of, or ceasing presentation of, a user interface presented in response to an edge gesture or presentation of another user interface.
• FIG. 10 illustrates a laptop computer having a touch-sensitive display having a windows-based email interface and two immersive interfaces.
• FIG. 11 illustrates the interfaces ofFIG. 10 along with two gestures having a start point, later points, and one or more successive points.
• FIG. 12 illustrates the windows-based email interface ofFIGS. 10 and 11 along with an email handling interface presented in response to an edge gesture.
• FIG. 13 illustrates the interfaces ofFIG. 12 along with an additional-email-options interface presented in response to a gesture determined to have a successive point a preset distance from the edge.
• FIG. 14 illustrates a method for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application using a queue.
• FIG. 15 illustrates an example interaction order in which a user interacts with various applications.
• FIG. 16 illustrates the immersive interface ofFIG. 3 along with a thumbnail image of a user interface of a prior application.
• FIG. 17 illustrates a method for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application, which may or may not use a queue.
• FIG. 18 illustrates the immersive interface ofFIGS. 3 and 16, two progressive presentations, and two gesture portions.
• FIG. 19 illustrates an example device in which techniques for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application can be implemented.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONOverview
• This document describes techniques and apparatuses for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. These techniques, in some embodiments, enable a user to quickly and easily select prior applications.
• Consider a case where a user visits a shopping website, then interacts with a local word-processing document, then visits the shopping website again, then visits a social-networking website, and then visits a web-enabled radio website. Assume that the user, when listening to songs on the radio website, decides to revisit the shopping website. The described techniques and apparatuses enable her to do so quickly and easily with two or even one input. She may simply swipe at an edge of her display to quickly see the social-networking website and then swipe again to revisit the shipping website. The techniques in this example permit the user to revisit prior applications based on which were most-recently interacted with rather than when opened, without taking up valuable display real estate with onscreen controls, and without requiring the user to find or remember a hardware button. Further still, no gesture, other than one starting from an edge, is used by the techniques in this example, thereby permitting applications to use nearly all commonly-available gestures.
• This is but one example of many ways in which the techniques enabling switching back to a previously-interacted-with applications, others of which are described below.
Example System
• FIG. 1 illustrates anexample system100 in which techniques for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application can be embodied.System100 includes acomputing device102, which is illustrated with six examples: alaptop computer104, atablet computer106, asmart phone108, a set-top box110, adesktop computer112, and agaming device114, though other computing devices and systems, such as servers and netbooks, may also be used.
• Computing device102 includes computer processor(s)116 and computer-readable storage media118 (media118).Media118 includes anoperating system120, windows-basedmode module122,immersive mode module124, system-interface module126,gesture handler128,application manager130, which includes or has access toapplication queue132, and one ormore applications134, each having one or moreapplication user interfaces136.
• Computing device102 also includes or has access to one ormore displays138 andinput mechanisms140. Four example displays are illustrated inFIG. 1.Input mechanisms140 may include gesture-sensitive sensors and devices, such as touch-based sensors and movement-tracking sensors (e.g., camera-based), as well as mice (free-standing or integral with a keyboard), track pads, and microphones with accompanying voice recognition software, to name a few.Input mechanisms140 may be separate or integral withdisplays138; integral examples include gesture-sensitive displays with integrated touch-sensitive or motion-sensitive sensors.
• Windows-basedmode module122 presentsapplication user interfaces136 through windows having frames. These frames may provide controls through which to interact with an application and/or controls enabling a user to move and resize the window.
• Immersive mode module124 provides an environment by which a user may view and interact with one or more ofapplications134 throughapplication user interfaces136. In some embodiments, this environment presents content of, and enables interaction with, applications with little or no window frame and/or without a need for a user to manage a window frame's layout or primacy relative to other windows (e.g., which window is active or up front) or manually size or positionapplication user interfaces136.
• This environment can be, but is not required to be, hosted and/or surfaced without use of a windows-based desktop environment. Thus, in some casesimmersive mode module124 presents an immersive environment that is not a window (even one without a substantial frame) and precludes usage of desktop-like displays (e.g., a taskbar). Further still, in some embodiments this immersive environment is similar to an operating system in that it is not closeable or capable of being un-installed. While not required, in some cases this immersive environment enables use of all or nearly all of the pixels of a display by applications. Examples of immersive environments are provided below as part of describing the techniques, though they are not exhaustive or intended to limit the techniques described herein.
• System-interface module126 provides one or more interfaces through which interaction withoperating system120 is enabled, such as an application-launching interface, a start menu, or a system tools or options menu, to name just a few.
• Operating system120,modules122,124, and126, as well asgesture handler128 andapplication manager130 can be separate from each other or combined or integrated in any suitable form.
Example Methods
• Example methods200,800, and900 address edge gestures and are described prior tomethods1400 and1700, which address switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. Any one or more ofmethods200,800, and900 may be used separately or in combination with, in whole or in part,methods1400 and/or1700. An edge gesture may be used to select to switch back to a prior application as but one example of ways in which the various methods can be combined or act complimentary, though use of the edge gesture is not required bymethods1400 and/or1700.
• FIG. 2 depicts amethod200 for enabling edge gestures based on the edge gesture being approximately perpendicular to an edge in which the gesture begins. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1, reference to which is made for example only.
• Block202 receives a gesture. This gesture may be received at various parts of a display, such as over a windows-based interface, an immersive interface, or no interface. Further, this gesture may be made and received in various manners, such as a pointer tracking a movement received through a touch pad, mouse, or roller ball or a physical movement made with arm(s), finger(s), or a stylus received through a motion-sensitive or touch-sensitive mechanism.
• By way of example considerFIG. 3, which illustrates atablet computing device106.Tablet106 includes a touch-sensitive display302 shown displaying animmersive interface304 that includes awebpage306. As part of an ongoing example, atblock202gesture handler128 receivesgesture308 as shown inFIG. 3.
• Block204 determines whether a start point of the gesture is at an edge. As noted above, the edge in question can be an edge of a user interface, whether immersive or windows-based, and/or of a display. In some cases, of course, an edge of a user interface is also an edge of a display. The size of the edge can vary based on various factors about the display or interface. A small display or interface may have a smaller size in absolute or pixel terms than a large display or interface. A highly sensitive input mechanism permits a smaller edge as well. Example edges are rectangular and vary between one and twenty pixels in one dimension and an interface limit of the interface or display in the other dimension, though other sizes and shapes, including convex and concave edges may instead be used.
• Continuing the ongoing example, considerFIG. 4, which illustratesimmersive interface304 andgesture308 ofFIG. 3 as well asleft edge402,top edge404, right edge406, andbottom edge408. Forvisual clarity webpage306 is not shown. In this example the dimensions of the interface and display are of a moderate size, between that of smart phones and that of many laptop and desktop displays.Edges402,404,406, and408 have a small dimension of twenty pixels, an area of each shown bounded by dashed lines at twenty pixels from the display or interface limit atedge limit410,412,414, and416, respectively.
• Gesture handler128 determines thatgesture308 has astart point418 and that thisstart point418 is withinleft edge402.Gesture handler128 determines the start point in this case by receiving data indicating [X,Y] coordinates in pixels at whichgesture308 begins and comparing the first of these coordinates to those pixels contained within each edge402-408.Gesture handler128 often can determine the start point and whether it is in an edge faster than a sample rate, thereby causing little or no performance downgrade from techniques that simply pass gestures directly to an exposed interface over which a gesture is made.
• Returning tomethod200 generally, ifblock204 determines that the start point of the gesture is not at an edge,method200 proceeds along a “No” path to block206. Block206 passes the gestures to an exposed user interface, such as an underlying interface over which the gesture was received. Altering the ongoing example, assume thatgesture308 was determined not to have a start point within an edge. In such acase gesture handler128 passes buffered data forgesture308 toimmersive user interface304. After passing the gesture,method200 ends.
• Ifblock204 determines that the start point of the gesture is in an edge,method200 proceeds along a “Yes” path to block208.Block208 responds to the positive determination ofblock204 by determining whether a line from the start point to a later point of the gesture is approximately perpendicular from the edge.
• Block208, in some embodiments, determines the later point used.Gesture handler128, for example, can determine the later point of the gesture based on the later point being received a preset distance from the edge or the start point, such aspast edge limit410 foredge402 or twenty pixels fromstart point418, all ofFIG. 4. In some other embodiments,gesture handler128 determines the later point based on it being received a preset time after receipt of the start point, such an amount of time slightly greater than used generally by computingdevice102 to determine that a gesture is a tap-and-hold or hover gesture.
• For the ongoing embodiment,gesture handler128 uses a later-received point ofgesture308 received outside ofedge402 so long as that later-received point is received within a preset time. If no point is received outside of the edge within that preset time,gesture handler128 proceeds to block206 and passesgesture308 toimmersive interface304.
• Using the start point, block208 determines whether a line from the start point to the later point of the gesture is approximately perpendicular to the edge. Various angles of variance can be used in this determination byblock208, such as five, ten, twenty, or thirty degrees.
• By way of example, consider an angle of variance of thirty degrees from perpendicular.FIG. 5 illustrates this example variance, showingimmersive interface304,gesture308, leftedge402, leftedge limit410, and startpoint418 ofFIGS. 3 and 4 along with a thirty-degree variance lines502 fromperpendicular line504. Thus,gesture handler128 determines thatline506 fromstart point418 to later point508 (which is at about twenty degrees from perpendicular) is approximately perpendicular based on being within the example thirty-degree variance line502.
• Generally, ifblock208 determines that the line is not approximately perpendicular to the edge,method200 proceeds along a “No” path to block206. As noted in part above, block208 may also determine that a later point or other aspect of a gesture disqualifies the gesture. Examples include when a later point is within the edge, such as due to a hover, tap, press-and-hold, or up-and-down gesture (e.g., to scroll content in the user interface), or when the gesture is set to be a single-input gesture and a second input is received (e.g., a first finger starts at an edge but a second finger then lands anywhere).
• Ifblock208 determines that the line is approximately perpendicular based a later point outside the edge,method200 proceeds along a “Yes” path to block210.
• Block210 responds to the positive determination ofblock208 by passing the gesture to an entity other than the exposed user interface. This entity is not a user interface over which the gesture was received, assuming it was received over a user interface at all.Block210 may determine to which entity to pass the gesture as well, such as based on an edge or region of an edge in which the start point of the gesture is received. ConsiderFIG. 6, for example, which illustratesimmersive interface304 andedges402,404,406, and408 ofFIG. 4 but addstop region602 andbottom region604 to right edge406. A start point intop region602 can result in a different entity (or even a same entity but a different user interface provided in response) than a start point received tobottom region604. Likewise, a start point intop edge404 can result in a different entity or interface thanleft edge402 orbottom edge408.
• In some cases, this entity is an application associated with the user interface. In such a case, passing the gesture to the entity can be effective to cause the application to present a second user interface enabling interaction with the application. In the movie example above, the entity can be the media player playing the movie but not the immersive interface displaying the movie. The media player can then present a second user interface enabling selection of subtitles or a director's commentary rather than selections enabled by the interface displaying the movie, such as “pause,” “play,” and “stop.” This capability is permitted inFIG. 1, where one ofapplications134 can include or be capable of presenting more than oneapplication user interface136. Thus, block210 can pass the gesture to system-interface module126, the one ofapplications134 currently presenting the user interface, or another ofapplications134, to name just three possibilities.
• Concluding the ongoing embodiment, atblock210gesture handler128 passesgesture308 to system-interface module126. System-interface module126 receives the buffered portion ofgesture308 and continues to receive the rest ofgesture308 as it is made by the user.FIG. 7 illustrates a possible response upon receivinggesture308, showing an application-selection interface702 presented by system-interface module126 and overimmersive interface304 andwebpage306 fromFIG. 3. Application-selection interface702 enables selection of various other applications and their respective interfaces atselectable application tiles704,706,708, and710.
• The example application-selection interface702 is an immersive user interface presented usingimmersive mode module124, though this is not required. Presented interfaces may instead be windows-based and presented using windows-basedmodule122. Both of these modules are illustrated inFIG. 1.
• Block210 may also or instead determine to pass the gesture to different entities and/or interfaces based on other factors about the gesture received. Example factors are described in greater detail inmethod800 below.
• Note thatmethod200 and other methods described hereafter can be performed in real-time, such as while a gesture is being made and received. This permits, among other things, a user interface presented in response to a gesture to be presented prior to completion of the gesture. Further, the user interface can be presented progressively as the gesture is received. This permits a user experience of dragging out the user interface from the edge as the gesture is performed with the user interface appearing to “stick” to the gesture (e.g., to a mouse point or person's finger making the gesture).
• FIG. 8 depicts amethod800 for enabling edge gestures including determining an interface to present based on some factor of the gesture. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1, reference to which is made for example only.Method800 may act wholly or partly separate from or in conjunction with other methods described herein.
• Block802 determines that a gesture made over a user interface has a start point at an edge of the user interface and a later point not within the edge.Block802 may operate similarly to or use aspects ofmethod200, such as determining a later point on which to base block802's determination.Block802 may act differently as well.
• In one case, for example, block802 determines that a gesture is a single-finger swipe gesture starting at an edge of an exposed immersive user interface and having a later point not at the edge but not based on an angle of the gesture. Based on this determination, block802 proceeds to block804 rather than pass the gesture to the exposed immersive user interface.
• Block804 determines which interface to present based on one or more factors of the gesture.Block804 may do so based on a final or intermediate length of the gesture, whether the gesture is single or multi-point (e.g., a single-finger or multi-finger gesture), or a speed of the gesture. Thus, block804 may determine to present a start menu in response to a multi-finger gesture, an application-selection interface in response to a relatively short single-finger gesture, or a system-control interface permitting selection to shut downcomputing device102 in response to relatively long single-finger gesture, for example. To do so,gesture handler128 may determine the length of the gesture or a number of inputs (e.g., fingers). In response, block806 presents the determined user interface.
• Assume, by way of example, thatgesture handler128 determines, based on a factor of the gesture, to present a user interface enabling interaction withoperating system120. In response system-interface module126 presents this user interface. Presentation of the user interface can be similar to manners described in other methods, such as with a progressive display of application-selection user interface702 ofFIG. 7.
• Followingmethod200 and/ormethod800 in whole or in part, the techniques may proceed to performmethod900 ofFIG. 9.Method900 enables expansion of a user interface, presentation of another interface, or ceasing presentation of the user interface presented in response to an edge gesture.
• Block902 receives a successive point of the gesture and after presentation of at least some portion of the second user interface. As noted in part above,methods200 and/or800 are able to present or cause to be presented a second user interface, such as a second user interface for the same application associated with a current user interface, a different application, or a system user interface.
• By way of example, considerFIG. 10, which illustrates alaptop computer104 having a touch-sensitive display1002 displaying a windows-basedemail interface1004 and twoimmersive interfaces1006 and1008. Windows-basedemail interface1004 is associated with an application that manages email, which can be remote or local tolaptop computer104.FIG. 10 also illustrates two gestures,1010 and1012.Gesture1010 proceeds in a straight line whilegesture1012 reverses back (shown with two arrows to show two directions).
• FIG. 11 illustratesgesture1010 having astart point1102, alater point1104, and asuccessive point1106, andgesture1012 having asame start point1102, alater point1108, and a firstsuccessive point1110, and a secondsuccessive point1112.FIG. 11 also shows abottom edge1114, a later-point area1116, and an interface-addition area1118.
• Block904 determines, based on the successive point, whether the gesture includes a reversal, an extension, or neither.Block904 may determine a reversal by determining that a successive point is at the edge or is closer to the edge than a prior point of the gesture.Block904 may determine that the gesture extends based on the successive point being a preset distance from the edge or the later point. If neither of these is determined to be true,method900 may repeatblocks902 and904 to receive and analyze additional successive points until the gesture ends. Ifblock904 determines that there is a reversal,method900 proceeds along “Reversal” path to block906. Ifblock904 determines that the gesture is extended,method900 proceeds along an “Extension” path to block908.
• In the context of the present example, assume thatgesture handler128 receives firstsuccessive point1110 ofgesture1012.Gesture handler128 then determines that firstsuccessive point1110 is not atedge1114, is not closer than a prior point of the gesture to edge1114 (e.g., is not closer than later point1108), and is not a preset distance from the edge or later point by not being within interface-addition region1118. In such acase method900 returns to block902.
• On a second iteration ofblock902, assume thatgesture handler128 receives secondsuccessive point1112. In such a case,gesture handler128 determines that secondsuccessive point1112 is closer to edge1114 than firstsuccessive point1110 and thusgesture1012 includes a reversal.Gesture handler128 then proceeds to block906 to cease to present the second user interface previously presented in response to the gesture. By way of example, considerFIG. 12, which illustrates anemail handling interface1202. In this example case ofblock906,gesture handler128 causes the email application to cease to presentinterface1202 in response to a reversal of gesture1012 (not shown removed).
• Block908, however, presents or causes presentation of a third user interface or expansion of the second user interface. Continuing the ongoing example, considerFIG. 13, which illustrates additional-email-options interface1302 in response togesture1010 determined to have successive point1106 a preset distance fromedge1104, in this case being within interface-addition region1118 ofFIG. 11. This region and preset distance can be set based on a size of the user interface previously presented in response to the gesture. Thus, a user wishing to add additional controls may simply extend the gesture past the user interface presented in response to an earlier portion of the gesture.
• Method900 can be repeated to add additional user interfaces or expand a presented user interface. Returning to theexample interface702 ofFIG. 7, for example,gesture handler128 can continue to add interfaces or controls to interface702 asgesture308 extendspast interface702, such as by presenting an additional set of selectable application tiles. Ifgesture308 extends past the additional tiles,gesture handler128 may cause system-interface module124 to present another interface adjacent the tiles to enable the user to select controls, such as to suspend, hibernate, switch modes (immersive to windows-based and the reverse), or shut downcomputing device102.
• While the above example user interfaces presented in response to an edge gesture are opaque, they may also be partially transparent. This can be useful by not obscuring content. In the movie example described above, a user interface presented can be partially transparent thereby permitting the movie to be only partially obscured during use of the user interface. Similarly, in the example ofFIGS. 12 and 13,interfaces1202 and1302 may be partially transparent, thereby enabling a user to see the text of the email while also selecting a control in one of the interfaces.
• As noted above,example methods200,800, and900 address edge gestures and are described prior tomethods1400 and1700, which address switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. Any one or more ofmethods200,800, and900 may be used separately or in combination with, in whole or in part,methods1400 and1700.
• FIG. 14 depicts amethod1400 for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application using a queue. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1,methods200,800, and/or900, and example embodiments described above, reference to which is made for example only.
• Block1402 maintains a queue of multiple interacted-with applications, the queue arranged by most-recently-interacted-with to least-recently-interacted-with applications other than a current application. Consider, for example,FIG. 15, which illustrates aninteraction order1502 in which a user interacts with various applications. First, the user interacts with a web-searchingapplication1504 through its interface. Second, the user interacts with a web-enabledmedia application1506 through a web browser. Third, the user interacts with a local (non-web)photo application1508 through its interface. Fourth, the user interacts with a social-networking application1510 through the web browser. Fifth, the user returns to interacting with the web-enabledmedia application1506. Sixth, the user interacts with a web-enablednews application1512 again through the web browser.
• For the first interaction no queue is maintained as no other applications have been interacted with prior to this first interaction. For the second through sixth interactions ofinteraction order1502, considerqueues1514,1516,1518,1520, and1522, which correspond to each interaction ininteraction order1502 after the first interaction, respectively.Queues1514 to1522 are example iterations ofapplication queue132 maintained byapplication manager130, both ofFIG. 1.
• As shown inFIG. 15,application manager130 keepsapplication queue132 up-do-date based on a user's interactions.Queue1522, for example, includesmedia application1506 as the most-recently-interacted application, followed by social-networking application1510,photo application1508, and ending with web-searchingapplication1504. As the user interacts withmedia application1506 twice (at the second and fifth interaction)application manager130 removes it fromapplication queue130 at the fifth interaction and reorders the other applications to reflect an up-to-date order of interactions but excluding currently-interacted-with applications.
• Block1404 receives a gesture or gesture portions. This gesture or gesture portions can include one or more of the various gestures or portions described elsewhere herein, such as a pointer tracking a movement received through a touch pad, mouse, or roller ball or a physical movement made with arm(s), finger(s), or a stylus received through a motion-sensitive or touch-sensitive mechanism. In some embodiments, gesture portions are received, each portion being part of one gesture and each resulting in presentation of an application in the queue. Each of these portions may have, but are not required to have, a start point at an edge of a display, a later point not at the edge of the display, and a successive point at the edge of the display. A gesture having multiple portions in this case would look something like a multi-loop spiral, multiple circles, or a back-and-forth (e.g., zigzag) where each loop, circle, or back-and-forth starts, leaves, and returns to an edge of a user interface or display. Optionally,block1404 may receive a number of gestures or gesture portions. These gestures or gesture portions can include one or more of the various gestures or gestures portions described elsewhere herein.
• Continuing the ongoing embodiment, consider againFIG. 3, which illustratestablet computing device106 having touch-sensitive display302 shown displayingimmersive interface304 includingwebpage306. For this example, assume thatimmersive interface304 is associated withnews application1512 and thatwebpage306 is content fromnews application1512.
• As part of this example, atblock1404,gesture handler128 receivesgesture308 as shown inFIG. 3, whichgesture handler128 passes toapplication manager130. For the ongoing example, assume thatgesture308 is determined to be associated with switching back to a previously-interacted-with application rather than some other function or application.
• Block1406, responsive to receiving the gesture or gesture portions, precedes through the queue to another application of the multiple interacted-with applications. Thus, on receiving the gesture or gesture portion(s),application manager130 may precede to the first, and thus the most-recently-interacted-with of the applications ofapplication queue132. In some embodiments, on receiving two gestures or portions,application manager130 may proceed to the second most-recently-interacted-with application ofapplication queue132, thoughmethod1400 may do so by repeatingblocks1404,1406 and/or1408, and so forth as described below.
• Continuing the ongoing embodiment, assume thatgesture308 is received after the sixth interaction at which time the currently-interacted-with application isnews application1512 and thatapplication queue132 is up-to-date and represented byqueue1522 ofFIG. 15. In such a case,application manager130 proceeds tomedia application1506 on receiving the gesture or gesture portion.
• Block1408 presents a user interface associated with the other application. This user interface, in some embodiments, is the same user interface through which interaction with the application was previously made. In some embodiments, the user interface is presented as a thumbnail or transparent overlay above the currently presented user interface.Application manager130 presents this user interface alone or in combination with the associated application, such as by causing the associated application to present the user interface with which the user last interacted.
• For this example,application manager130 presents a thumbnail image of the user interface for the application progressively asgesture308 is received and then expands the thumbnail to encompass the available real estate of the display when the gesture ends.Application manager130 thereby replaceswebpage306 inimmersive interface304 or replacesimmersive interface304 with another interface, which can be immersive or windows-based.
• This is illustrated inFIG. 16 withthumbnail image1602 of a user interface ofmedia application1506 presented overimmersive interface304 andwebpage306 ofnews application1510. Aftergesture308 ends,thumbnail image1602 expands intofull image1604, replacingwebpage306 inimmersive interface304. This is but one example manner for presenting the user interface for the selected application, others manners for responding progressively or otherwise are described elsewhere herein.
• In some embodiments,block1408 shrinks the current user interface to a second thumbnail image and passes the second thumbnail image toward a region of a display from which the first-mentioned thumbnail image is progressively presented. Thus,block1408 expandsthumbnail image1602 intofull image1604 while shrinkingwebpage306 to a thumbnail image and passing that thumbnail to the edge from whichthumbnail image1602 was selected.
• During the presentation of the user interface atblock1408, another gesture or gesture portion may be received, returning to block1404. In some cases, the other gesture or gesture portion is received within an amount of time while the user interface is presented byblock1408. Following the return to block1404, block1406 may then proceed to yet another or subsequent application of the multiple interacted-with applications. Continuing this progression,block1408 then presents a user interface associated with the subsequent application of the multiple interacted-with applications.
• Thus, by repeatingblocks1404,1406, and1408 user interfaces associated with previously interacted-with applications can be successively presented. In some cases, a user interface associated with a previously-interacted with application can be presented responsive to each gesture received. In the context of the present example, when another gesture is received while presenting the user interface ofmedia application1506, a user interface associated with social-networking application1510 (the second most-recently interacted with application of queue1522) is presented. Receiving yet another gesture or gesture portion during the presentation of the user interface associated with social-networking application1510 results in a presentation of a user interface associated with photo application1508 (the third most-recently interacted with application of queue1522) and so forth.
• Following this switch from presenting a current application to presenting another selected, prior application,block1410 updates the queue responsive to interaction with, or a time period passing during presentation of, the user interface associated with the other application. In some cases a prior application may be selected and then another quickly selected after it, effectively a scanning through of the applications in the queue. In such cases,block1410 may forgo updating the queue, as a quick viewing may not be considered an interaction.
• Example interactions with whichapplication manager130updates application queue132 include an explicit selection to interact with the newly presented interface, such as to control playback or edit information relating to currently playing media using controls shown in the user interface ofmedia player1604 ofFIG. 16. In other cases an interaction is determined based on a time period passing. Assume, for example, that the news application's webpage is presented on selection rather than being the current application. After some period, such as one, two, or three seconds, for example,application manager130 determines that the delay is effectively an interaction based on a likelihood that the user is reading the news article in the webpage. Similarly, presentation of a user interface for a media application atblock1408 that is playing media and remains on the display without another selection of applications inapplication queue132 can also be considered an interaction.
• As noted in part above,application queue132 can be circular. In so doing, selection of applications is not stopped but rather rolls if a user reaches a least-recently-interacted with application ofapplication queue132. For example, on selecting to switch back to a prior application from social-networking application1510 and thus usingqueue1518, switching back once results in selectingphoto application1508, twice results inmedia application1506, and three times to web-searchingapplication1504. A fourth selection to switch back returns, in a circular fashion, to again result in presentingphoto application1508.
• Method1400 describes various ways in which the techniques can enable selection of previously-interacted-with applications and determine which to present based on a queue.Method1700 may operate in conjunction withmethod1400 and other methods described herein, though using a queue is not required. Therefore,method1400 is not intended to limit the techniques as described inexample method1700.
• FIG. 17 depicts amethod1700 for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application, which may or may not use a queue. In portions of the following discussion reference may be made tosystem100 ofFIG. 1,methods200,800,900,1400, and example embodiments described above, reference to which is made for example only.
• Block1702 enables selection of a previously-interacted-with application through a gesture made over a current user interface associated with a current application.Block1702 may do so in various manners described above, such as with an edge gesture or portion thereof, as but one example.
• Block1704, responsive to receiving the gesture and without further selection, presents a previous user interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application.
• Assume, for example, that a portion of a gesture is received associated with selection of a prior application, such as an edge gesture starting at an edge of the current user interface and proceeding approximately perpendicularly away from the edge. In response, block1704 presents the user interface for the previously-interacted-with application or a thumbnail image of the interface, or some indicator that selection has successfully been made along with an indicator of the application or the interface selected.
• Example thumbnail images or indicators include any ofselectable application tiles704,706,708, and710 ofFIG. 7 some of which include a thumbnail image of an interface while other indicate the application selected. Another example isthumbnail image1602 ofFIG. 16.
• Block1704 presents the user interface of the selected, previously-interacted-with application, as shown inFIG. 16 atfull image1604. In so doing, block1704 may enable interaction withphoto application1508 throughimmersive interface304 without further selection. Thus, a user after selecting, with as little as one gesture, a prior application may interact without needing to make another selection. The user need not select to exit an application-selection mode, for example, or make the presented interface “live” or primary or on top of the stack. Simply put, the techniques enable selection of a prior application and further interaction with that prior application with a single input.
• In this example ofFIG. 16, immediately afterfull image1604 is presented and replaceswebpage306, a next input toimmersive interface304 is passed immediately tophoto application1508. Thus, a tap, hot key, or other input is passed directly tophoto application1508, thereby enabling an immediate response byphoto application1508 to the input.
• In some embodiments, the gesture made over the current user interface includes portions, each of which indicates a selection of a prior application. In such a case, block1704 presents the previous user interface in response to the first portion and then, responsive to block1702 receiving the second portion of the gesture, presents a further-previous user interface associated with a further previously-interacted-with application, and so forth.
• This is illustrated inFIG. 18, which presentsimmersive interface304 ofFIG. 16 (shown twice for visual clarity), and ways in which block1704 can respond to multiple gestures or portions of a single gesture.FIG. 18 illustrates two progressive presentations,1802 and1804, and gesture1806 having two gesture portions1806-1 and1806-2, respectively. Firstprogressive presentation1802 illustrates a drag from a left edge ofimmersive interface304 ofthumbnail image1602, and thus selection of the previously-interacted withphoto application1508. Note thatthumbnail image1602 “sticks” to gesture portion1806-1. Note also that gesture1806, unlikegesture308 ofFIGS. 3 and 16, returns to the left edge. In response, rather thangesture308 ending andfull image1604 replacingwebpage306, gesture portion1806-1 of gesture1806 returns to the edge at which it began. In thiscase thumbnail image1602 is progressively displayed with gesture portion1806-1 but then disappears when gesture portion1806-1 returns to the edge or another invalid gesture ending position.
• Gesture1806 continues with second portion1806-2. In response, block1704 presents secondprogressive presentation1804, illustrating a second drag from the left edge ofimmersive interface304. Here a socialnetwork thumbnail image1808 of a further prior application, social-networking application1510, is progressively presented. Gesture1806 returns to the left edge as part of second portion1806-2. In response, block1704 drops offthumbnail image1808 when gesture portion1806-2 returns to the edge. This is but one example of ways in which the techniques enable users to select and view prior applications, even all of the previously-interacted-with applications, with only a single gesture. At any point in this example, gesture1806 may end or indicate selection to present the full user interface for the selected application, at whichtime block1704 presents the user interface (e.g.,full image1604 ofFIG. 16 or a full user interface for the social-networking application).
• The preceding discussion describes some methods in which the techniques may enable switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. Other methods describe ways in which the techniques enable and/or use edge gestures. These methods are shown as sets of blocks that specify operations performed but are not necessarily limited to the order shown for performing the operations by the respective blocks.
• Aspects of these methods may be implemented in hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), firmware, a System-on-Chip (SoC), software, manual processing, or any combination thereof. A software implementation represents program code that performs specified tasks when executed by a computer processor, such as software, applications, routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions, and the like. The program code can be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices, both local and/or remote to a computer processor. The methods may also be practiced in a distributed computing environment by multiple computing devices.
Example Device
• FIG. 19 illustrates various components ofexample device1900 that can be implemented as any type of client, server, and/or computing device as described with reference to the previousFIGS. 1-18 to implement techniques enabling and using edge gestures and/or switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. In embodiments,device1900 can be implemented as one or a combination of a wired and/or wireless device, as a form of television client device (e.g., television set-top box, digital video recorder (DVR), etc.), consumer device, computer device, server device, portable computer device, user device, communication device, video processing and/or rendering device, appliance device, gaming device, electronic device, and/or as another type of device.Device1900 may also be associated with a user (e.g., a person) and/or an entity that operates the device such that a device describes logical devices that include users, software, firmware, and/or a combination of devices.
• Device1900 includescommunication devices1902 that enable wired and/or wireless communication of device data1904 (e.g., received data, data that is being received, data scheduled for broadcast, data packets of the data, etc.). Thedevice data1904 or other device content can include configuration settings of the device, media content stored on the device, and/or information associated with a user of the device. Media content stored ondevice1900 can include any type of audio, video, and/or image data.Device1900 includes one or more data inputs1906 via which any type of data, media content, and/or inputs can be received, such as user-selectable inputs, messages, music, television media content, recorded video content, and any other type of audio, video, and/or image data received from any content and/or data source.
• Device1900 also includescommunication interfaces1908, which can be implemented as any one or more of a serial and/or parallel interface, a wireless interface, any type of network interface, a modem, and as any other type of communication interface. The communication interfaces1908 provide a connection and/or communication links betweendevice1900 and a communication network by which other electronic, computing, and communication devices communicate data withdevice1900.
• Device1900 includes one or more processors1910 (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like), which process various computer-executable instructions to control the operation ofdevice1900 and to enable techniques for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application. Alternatively or in addition,device1900 can be implemented with any one or combination of hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and control circuits which are generally identified at1912. Although not shown,device1900 can include a system bus or data transfer system that couples the various components within the device. A system bus can include any one or combination of different bus structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures.
• Device1900 also includes computer-readable storage media1914, such as one or more memory devices that enable persistent and/or non-transitory data storage (i.e., in contrast to mere signal transmission), examples of which include random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., any one or more of a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a disk storage device. A disk storage device may be implemented as any type of magnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk drive, a recordable and/or rewriteable compact disc (CD), any type of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like.Device1900 can also include a massstorage media device1916.
• Computer-readable storage media1914 provides data storage mechanisms to store thedevice data1904, as well asvarious device applications1918 and any other types of information and/or data related to operational aspects ofdevice1900. For example, anoperating system1920 can be maintained as a computer application with the computer-readable storage media1914 and executed onprocessors1910. Thedevice applications1918 may include a device manager, such as any form of a control application, software application, signal-processing and control module, code that is native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, and so on.
• Thedevice applications1918 also include any system components or modules to implement the techniques, such asdevice applications1918 including system-interface module122,gesture handler128,application manager130, and application(s)134.
CONCLUSION
• Although embodiments of techniques and apparatuses for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application have been described in language specific to features and/or methods, it is to be understood that the subject of the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example implementations for switching back to a previously-interacted-with application.

Claims (20)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining a queue of multiple interacted-with applications, the queue arranged by most-recently-interacted-with to least-recently-interacted-with applications other than a current application;

receiving a gesture or gesture portions;

responsive to receiving the gesture or gesture portions, proceeding to another application of the multiple interacted-with applications of the queue; and

presenting a user interface associated with the other application and through which interaction with the other application was previously made.

2. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, further comprising updating the queue responsive to interaction with, or a time period passing during presentation of, the user interface associated with the other application.

3. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, wherein the gesture or gesture portions include gesture portions of one gesture, the gesture portions each having a start point at an edge of a display, a later point not at the edge of the display, and a successive point at the edge of the display.

4. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, wherein the queue is circular and proceeding through the queue proceeds through the queue more than once responsive to receiving a number of gesture or gesture portions larger than a number of applications in the queue.

5. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, the other application is the most-recently-interacted-with application other than the current application, the current application having a current user interface displayed when the gesture or gesture portions are received.

6. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, further comprising receiving a number of gestures or gesture portions and wherein proceeding through the queue presents, responsive to the number of gestures or gesture portions, a user interface associated with an application of the multiple interacted-with applications that corresponds to the number.

7. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 1, wherein the gesture or gesture portions are independent gestures received at start points within an edge of a display and later points not within the edge of the display.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

enabling selection of a previously-interacted-with application through a gesture made over a current user interface associated with a current application; and

responsive to receiving the gesture and without further selection, presenting a previous user interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application.

9. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, wherein the gesture made over the current user interface includes a first portion and a second portion, presenting the previous user interface is responsive to the first portion, and further comprising, responsive to receiving the second portion of the gesture, presenting a further previous user interface associated with a further previously-interacted-with application.

10. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, wherein enabling selection of a previously-interacted-with application through a gesture made over a current user interface associated with a current application does not present a visible, selectable control over the current user interface or on a display presenting the current user interface.

11. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, wherein the gesture is received through a mouse-like device and represented by movement of a point or indicator over the current user interface.

12. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, further comprising determining that the gesture has a start point at an edge of the gesture-sensitive display and a later point not at the edge, and wherein presenting the previous user interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application is responsive to the determining.

13. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, further comprising receiving a second gesture made over the previous user interface and passing the second gesture to the previous user interface effective to enable the second user interface to respond to the second gesture without further selection.

14. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, wherein the current user interface and the previous user interface are immersive interfaces.

15. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, wherein presenting the previous user interface replaces the current user interface.

16. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, wherein presenting the previous user interface includes presenting a thumbnail image of the previous user interface progressively with the gesture as the gesture is received and, responsive to the gesture ending, expanding the thumbnail image.

17. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 16, further comprising shrinking the current user interface to a second thumbnail image and passing the second thumbnail image toward a region of a display or the current user interface from which the first-mentioned thumbnail image is progressively presented.

18. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, further comprising, prior to receiving the gesture:

receiving a first portion of a prior gesture made over the current user interface;

responsive to receiving the first portion of the prior gesture, presenting an indicator of, a part of, or all of a second previous user interface associated with a second previously-interacted-with application;

receiving a later portion of the prior gesture; and

responsive to receiving the later portion, ceasing to present the indicator of, the portion of, or all of the second previous user interface.

19. A computer-implemented method as described inclaim 8, further comprising, after presenting the previous user interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application:

enabling selection of a second previously-interacted-with application through a second gesture made over the previous user interface associated with the previously-interacted-with application; and

responsive to receiving the second gesture and without further selection, presenting a further previous user interface of a further-previously-interacted-with application.

20. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a gesture made through a gesture-sensitive display presenting a current immersive user interface of a current application, the gesture having a start point at an edge of the gesture-sensitive display and a later point not at the edge of the gesture-sensitive display;

determining a most-recently-interacted-with application other than the current application; and

responsive to determining, presenting an immersive user interface associated with the most-recently-interacted-with application and enabling interaction with the most-recently-interacted-with application through the immersive user interface without further interaction following receipt of the gesture.

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