Methods, Systems, And Computer Program Products For Interacting Simultaneously With Multiple Application Programs

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes allowing a first application program to be associated with a second application program. The first and second application programs are responsive to inputs received via a user interface for interacting with respective user interface components associated with the first and second application programs. Further, an input is received via the user interface when the first application program has focus within the user interface. The received input is neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program. The association between the first and second application programs is used to present a portion of information related to the second application program while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface in response to receiving the input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a user interface while a first application program has focus in the user interface, input corresponding to a prior association between the first application program and a second application program, the input not being for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first and second application programs;   determining, based on the input and the prior association, instructions associated with the prior association for retrieving information related to the second application program; and   presenting, while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface, at least a portion of the information related to the second application program based on the instructions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first application program the second application program includes at least one of a calendar application program, an e-mail application program, an appliance application program, a web browser application program, and a word processing application program. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving an input via the user interface includes receiving one of a predetermined mouse gesture, predetermined speech input, one or more predetermined keystrokes, and predetermined gaze input. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the at least a portion of information related to the second application program includes using the association between the first and second application programs to display a window including the portion of information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein displaying a window includes displaying the window overlaying a portion of one of the first application program and the second application program. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the at least a the portion of information related to the second application program includes using the association between the first and second application programs to display the portion of information on a portion of a display surrounding a window associated with the first application program. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the at least a the portion of information related to the second application program includes using the association between the first and second application programs to display the portion of information in a stack of overlay windows. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the at least a portion of information related to the second application program includes using the association between the first and second application programs to display the portion of information in a taskbar associated with the second application program. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the at least a the portion of information related to the second application program includes using the association between the first and second application programs to display the portion of information in a position on a display of the second application program. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the at least a the portion of information related to the second application program includes using the association between the first and second application programs to display the portion of information in a predetermined position on a display. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting the at least a portion of information related to the second application program includes presenting the portion of information with predetermined presentation characteristics. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface includes maintaining a context of a user interaction with the first application program. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein maintaining a context of a user interaction with the first application program includes maintaining one of a scroll context with the first application program, a selection context with the first application program, and a highlight context with the first application program. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  comprising creating a record of the prior association including data identifying the application programs and the input and retrieving the instructions from the record of the prior association. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 (a) receiving a plurality of inputs in sequence via the user interface when the first application program has focus with the user interface, wherein the received inputs are neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program; and 
 (b) in response to receiving the inputs, using the prior association between the first and second application programs to present an increasing amount of information related to the second application program based on the received sequence of inputs. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 (a) determining user input with respect to the first and second application programs; and 
 (b) creating an association including the first and second application programs based on the determined user input. 
 
     
     
         17 . A system for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs, the system comprising system components including:
 a user interface component configured to receive, while a first application program has focus in the user interface, input corresponding to a prior association between the first application program and a second application program, the input not being for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first and second application programs;   an associated application program manager component configured to determine, based on the input and the prior association, instructions associated with the prior association for retrieving information related to the second application program; and   the user interface component configured to present, while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface, at least a portion of the information related to the second application program based on the instructions,   wherein at least one of the system components includes at least one electronic hardware component.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the user interface is configured to receive one of a predetermined mouse gesture, predetermined speech input, one or more predetermined keystrokes, and predetermined gaze input. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to allow one of a calendar application program, an e-mail application program, an appliance application program, a web browser application program, and a word processing application program to be associated with one of another of a calendar application program, an e-mail application program, an appliance application program, a web browser application program, and a word processing application program. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to use the instructions to provide for the user interface to display a window including the portion of information. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to provide for the user interface to display the window overlaying a portion of one of the first application program and the second application program. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to use the instructions to provide for the user interface to display the portion of information on a portion of a display surrounding a window associated with the first application program. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to use the instructions to provide for the user interface to display the portion of information in a stack of overlay windows. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to use the instructions to provide for the user interface to display the portion of information in a taskbar associated with the second application program. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to use the instructions to provide for the user interface to display the portion of information in a position on a display of the second application program. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to use the instructions to provide for the user interface to display the portion of information in a predetermined position on a display. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to provide for the user interface to present the portion of information with predetermined presentation characteristics. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to provide for the user interface to present the portion of information related to the second application program based on the received input. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to maintain a context of a user interaction with the first application program. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the associated application program manager is configured to maintain one of a scroll context with the first application program, a selection context with the first application program, and a highlight context with the first application program. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the user interface is configured to receive a plurality of inputs in sequence via the user interface when the first application program has focus with the user interface, wherein the received inputs are neither for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first application program nor the second application program, and
 wherein the associated application program manager is configured to use the data from the record of the association identifying the first and second application programs to provide for the user interface to present an increasing amount of information related to the second application program based on the received sequence of inputs in response to receiving the inputs. 
 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the association application program manger is configured to determine user input with respect to the first and second application programs, and configured to associate the first and second application programs based on the determined user input. 
     
     
         33 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program, executable by a machine, for interacting simultaneously with multiple application programs, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
 receiving, via a user interface while a first application program has focus in the user interface, input corresponding to a prior association between the first application program and a second application program, the input not being for interacting with the user interface components associated with the first and second application programs;   determining, based on the input and the prior association, instructions associated with the prior association for retrieving information related to the second application program; and   presenting, while maintaining the focus of the first application program within the user interface, at least a portion of the information related to the second application program based on the instructions.