Full screen processing in multi-application environments

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a foreground application and at least one background application from multiple graphics applications executing within an execution environment are disclosed. Pixel data rendered by the foreground application may be displayed in the execution environment while a rendering thread of the background application may be paused.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A machine readable medium including at least one memory, storage device or storage disk comprising machine readable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to at least:
 start execution of an application;   in response to a first instruction, cause an application to execute in a foreground state, a thread of the application to execute in the foreground state to render graphics data to a display;   cause the application to transition to execution in a background state; and   cause the thread of the application to be suspended in response to a second instruction after the transition to the background state.   
     
     
         22 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are to cause the one or more processors to cause the execution of the application to resume in the foreground state after a third instruction, the thread of the application to resume execution to render the graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         23 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the graphics data includes pixel data. 
     
     
         24 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the application is a first application, the thread is a first thread, and the instructions are to cause the one or more processors to cause a second application to execute in the foreground state while the first thread of the first application is suspended. 
     
     
         25 . The machine readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions are to cause the one or more processors to cause a second thread of the second application to execute in the foreground state. 
     
     
         26 . The machine readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the graphics data is first graphics data, and the second thread is to execute in the foreground state to render second graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         27 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are included in a computer or smartphone. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one memory;   instructions; and   processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:
 start execution of an application; 
 in response to a first instruction, cause an application to execute in a foreground state, a thread of the application to execute in the foreground state to render graphics data to a display; 
 cause the application to transition to execution in a background state; and 
 cause the thread of the application to be suspended in response to a second instruction after the transition to the background state. 
   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor circuitry is to cause the execution of the application to resume in the foreground state after a third instruction, the thread of the application to resume execution to render the graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the graphics data includes pixel data. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the application is a first application, the thread is a first thread, and the processor circuitry is to cause a second application to execute in the foreground state while the first thread of the first application is suspended. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the processor circuitry is to cause a second thread of the second application to execute in the foreground state. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the graphics data is first graphics data, and the second thread is to execute in the foreground state to render second graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor circuitry is included in a computer or smartphone. 
     
     
         35 . A method comprising:
 starting execution of an application;   in response to a first instruction, causing an application to execute in a foreground state, a thread of the application to execute in the foreground state to render graphics data to a display;   causing the application to transition to execution in a background state; and   causing the thread of the application to be suspended in response to a second instruction after the transition to the background state.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further including causing the execution of the application to resume in the foreground state after a third instruction, the thread of the application to resume execution to render the graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the graphics data includes pixel data. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the application is a first application, the thread is a first thread, and further including causing a second application to execute in the foreground state while the first thread of the first application is suspended. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further including causing a second thread of the second application to execute in the foreground state to render second graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the method is performed by a computer or smartphone.