Application management in a computing device

Abstract

In various embodiments, a card metaphor is established, in which each activity can be represented within an area of the screen referred to as a card. In various embodiments, any of several display modes are available for viewing, interacting with, manipulating, initiating, and dismissing cards. A persistent positional relationship can be established among cards, represented by a one-dimensional sequence. Newly opened cards are generally placed at the end of the sequence, although a new card that bears a relationship to an already open card may, in some embodiments, be placed adjacent to the already open card. In various embodiments, cards may be grouped, with such groups being represented as stacks of cards or by other visually distinctive means.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing device comprising:
 a processor;   a touch-sensitive display screen coupled to the processor, the processor to receive gesture input on the touch-sensitive display screen and operate the computing device in any one of at least two display modes, wherein:
 during a given duration, the processor operates a plurality of applications concurrently, the plurality of applications including at least a first application, a second application, a third application, and a fourth application; 
 in a full-screen mode, the processor provides, on the touch-sensitive display screen, a user interface for only one application of the plurality of applications; and 
 in a windowed mode, the processor:
 provides on the touch-sensitive display screen a plurality of cards in a two-dimensional arrangement, the plurality of cards including at least a first card corresponding to the first application, a second card corresponding to the second application, a third card corresponding to the third application, and a fourth card corresponding to the fourth application; 
 responds to a directional contact along a first direction on the touch-sensitive display screen by changing a position of the first card relative to the touch-sensitive display screen in the first direction; and 
 responds to a directional contact on a selected card of the first card, the second card, the third card, and the fourth card to move the selected card along a direction that is different from the first direction on the touch-sensitive display screen by:
 identifying the selected card based on the directional contact; and 
 dismissing the selected card off the touch-sensitive display screen in the second direction so that the corresponding application is closed; 
 
 
 wherein the processor, in response to receiving user input, transitions the computing device at least (i) from the full-screen mode to the windowed mode, or (ii) from the windowed mode to the full-screen mode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is substantially horizontal on the touch-sensitive display screen, and the second direction is substantially vertical on the touch-sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the second direction is substantially upwards. 
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is transverse to the second direction. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the directional contact along the second direction comprises a drag gesture. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the directional contact along the second direction comprises a flicking action. 
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first application, the second application, the third application, and the fourth application are different applications. 
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the user input for transitioning the computing device from the full-screen mode to the windowed mode comprises an upward swipe gesture. 
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cards further includes at least a fifth card corresponding to a fifth application and a sixth card corresponding to a sixth application, and wherein the processor is further configured to provide on the touch-sensitive display screen, while in the windowed mode, the entirety of at least some of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cards and only a portion of at least some of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cards. 
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein in the windowed mode, at least one of the first card, the second card, the third card, or the fourth card comprises a static representation of a user interface for a corresponding activity. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is substantially vertical on the touch-sensitive display screen, and wherein the second direction is substantially horizontal on the touch-sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein in the windowed mode, each card comprises a user interface for a corresponding application activity. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein while operating the computing device in the windowed mode, the processor is further configured to shift the remaining cards to fill a void left by the dismissed card. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the selected card is dismissed in the second direction off an edge of the touch-sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         15 . A method for operating a computing device, the method performed by one or more processors and comprising:
 receiving gesture input on a touch-sensitive display screen of the computing device;   operating the computing device in any one of at least two display modes;   operating, during a given duration, a plurality of applications concurrently, the plurality of applications including at least a first application, a second application, a third application, and a fourth application;   providing, in a full-screen mode, a user interface on the touch-sensitive display screen for only one application of the plurality of applications;   in a windowed mode:
 providing on the touch-sensitive display screen a plurality of cards in a two-dimensional arrangement, the plurality of cards including at least a first card corresponding to the first application, a second card corresponding to the second application, a third card corresponding to the third application, and a fourth card corresponding to the fourth application; 
 responding to a directional contact along a first direction on the touch-sensitive display screen by changing a position of the first card relative to the touch-sensitive display screen in the first direction; and 
 responding to a directional contact on a selected card of the first card, the second card, the third card, and the fourth card to move the selected card along a direction that is different from the first direction on the touch-sensitive display screen by:
 identifying the selected card based on the directional contact; and 
 dismissing the selected card off the touch-sensitive display screen in the second direction so that the corresponding application is closed; and 
 
   transitioning, in response to receiving user input, the computing device at least (i) from the full-screen mode to the windowed mode, or (ii) from the windowed mode to the full-screen mode.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first direction is substantially horizontal on the touch-sensitive display screen, and the second direction is substantially vertical on the touch-sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second direction is substantially upwards. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first direction is transverse to the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the directional contact along the second direction comprises a drag gesture. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the directional contact along the second direction comprises a flicking action. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first application, the second application, the third application, and the fourth application are different applications. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the user input for transitioning the computing device from the full-screen mode to the windowed mode comprises an upward swipe gesture. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of cards further includes at least a fifth card corresponding to a fifth application and a sixth card corresponding to a sixth application, and wherein the method further comprises:
 while in the windowed mode, providing on the touch-sensitive display screen the entirety of at least some of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cards and only a portion of at least some of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cards.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in the windowed mode, at least one of the first card, the second card, the third card, or the fourth card comprises a static representation of a user interface for a corresponding activity. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first direction is substantially vertical on the touch-sensitive display screen, and wherein the second direction is substantially horizontal on the touch-sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in the windowed mode, each card comprises a user interface for a corresponding application activity. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 while operating the computing device in the windowed mode, shifting the remaining cards to fill a void left by the dismissed card.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the selected card is dismissed in the second direction off an edge of the touch-sensitive display screen.