Navigating among activities in a computing device

Abstract

A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.

What is being claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile computing device comprising:
 a touch-sensitive display screen; and   a processor, coupled to the display screen, to concurrently operate at least two activities and operate the display screen in at least a full-screen mode and a windowed mode;   wherein in the full-screen mode, the processor (i) provides, on the display screen, an interface for a single one of the activities, and (ii) enables a user to interact with the single one of the activities that is provided on the display screen so that subsequent user inputs on the display screen are received by the single one of the activities;   wherein in the windowed mode, the processor provides, on the display screen:
 a first window having focus and corresponding to a first activity of the at least two activities; and 
 linearly adjacent to the first window, a first portion of a second window corresponding to a second activity so that a second portion of the second window is not visible on the display screen, the second activity being different from the first activity; 
   wherein in the windowed mode, responsive to a directional user gesture with the display screen, the processor (i) causes the first window and the second window to move in concert with one another to reposition the first window and the second window in a direction of the directional user gesture, and (ii) changes focus from the first window to the second window on the display screen so that a first portion of the first window is provided on the display screen and a second portion of the first window is not visible on the display screen.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two activities includes one or more applications. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile computing device of  claim 1 , wherein in the windowed mode, the processor provides, on the display screen, the first window having focus by providing the first window in a position substantially centrally with respect to the middle of the display screen. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile computing device of  claim 1 , wherein in the windowed mode, at least the first window displays at least one of (i) an output from an application, (ii) a task, (iii) a message, (iv) a document, or (v) a web page. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile computing device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a physical button; and   wherein in the full-screen mode, responsive to an input provided by the user via the physical button, the processor changes operation from the full-screen mode to the windowed mode.   
     
     
         6 . The mobile computing device of  claim 5 , wherein in the windowed mode, responsive to a tap input on the first window or the second window provided on the display screen, the processor changes operation from the windowed mode to the full-screen mode so that an interface for either the first window or the second window is provided on the display screen. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile computing device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor causes a transition effect to be displayed when changing operation from the windowed mode to the full-screen mode. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile computing device of  claim 1 , wherein in the windowed mode, the processor further provides, on the display screen, linearly adjacent to the first window, a first portion of a third window corresponding to a third activity so that a second portion of the third window is not visible on the display screen. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile computing device of  claim 1 , wherein in the windowed mode, the processor further provides, on the display screen, a plurality of icons positioned beneath at least the first window, the plurality of icons including an icon corresponding to an application. 
     
     
         10 . A method for navigating among a plurality of activities operated on a mobile computing device, the method being performed by a processor and comprising:
 concurrently operating at least two activities; and   providing for display, on a touch-sensitive display screen of the mobile computing device, output for at least one of the two activities in a full-screen mode or a windowed mode, wherein in the full-screen mode, an interface for a single one of the activities is displayed on the display screen so that subsequent user inputs on the display screen are received by the single one of the activities, and wherein in the windowed mode, (i) a first window having focus is displayed on the display screen, the first window corresponding to a first activity, and (ii) linearly adjacent to the first window, a first portion of a second window corresponding to a second activity is displayed on the display screen so that a second portion of the second window is not visible on the display screen, the second activity being different from the first activity;   wherein in the windowed mode:
 receiving a directional user gesture provided on the display screen, and 
 responsive to receiving the directional user gesture, (i) causing the first window and the second window to move in concert with one another to the first window and the second window in a direction of the directional user gesture, and (ii) changing focus from the first window to the second window on the display screen so that a first portion of the first window is provided on the display screen and a second portion of the first window is not visible on the display screen. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least two activities includes one or more applications. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein in the windowed mode, the first window having focus is displayed on the display screen by being displayed in a position substantially centrally with respect to the middle of the display screen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein in the windowed mode, at least the first window displays at least one of (i) an output from an application, (ii) a task, (iii) a message, (iv) a document, or (v) a web page. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 in the full-screen mode:
 receiving an input provided by the user via a physical button of the mobile computing device; and 
 responsive to the input provided by the user via the physical button, changing operation from the full-screen mode to the windowed mode. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 in the windowed mode:
 receiving a tap input on the first window or the second window provided on the display screen; and 
 responsive to the tap input provided by the user, changing operation from the windowed mode to the full-screen mode so that an interface for either the first window or the second window is provided on the display screen. 
   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
 concurrently operating at least two activities;   providing for display, on a touch-sensitive display screen of a mobile computing device, output for at least one of the two activities in a full-screen mode or a windowed mode, wherein in the full-screen mode, an interface for a single one of the activities is displayed on the display screen so that subsequent user inputs on the display screen are received by the single one of the activities, and wherein in the windowed mode, (i) a first window having focus is displayed on the display screen, the first window corresponding to a first activity, and (ii) linearly adjacent to the first window, a first portion of a second window corresponding to a second activity is displayed on the display screen so that a second portion of the second window is not visible on the display screen, the second activity being different from the first activity;   wherein in the windowed mode:
 receiving a directional user gesture provided on the display screen, and 
 responsive to receiving the directional user gesture, (i) causing the first window and the second window to move in concert with one another to the first window and the second window in a direction of the directional user gesture, and (ii) changing focus from the first window to the second window on the display screen so that a first portion of the first window is provided on the display screen and a second portion of the first window is not visible on the display screen. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the at least two activities includes one or more applications. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to provide, on the display screen, the first window having focus by providing the first window in a position substantially centrally with respect to the middle of the display screen. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
 in the full-screen mode:
 receive an input provided by the user via a physical button of the mobile computing device; and 
 responsive to the input provided by the user via the physical button, change operation from the full-screen mode to the windowed mode. 
   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
 in the windowed mode:
 receive a tap input on the first window or the second window provided on the display screen; and 
 responsive to the tap input provided by the user, change operation from the windowed mode to the full-screen mode so that an interface for either the first window or the second window is provided on the display screen.