Single-axis window manager
View Patent ↗A system and a method are disclosed for implementing a single-axis window manager on a mobile computing device to view and access multiple applications in a limited display area utilizing limited input capabilities. The mobile computing device initializes a virtual display space having a first dimension with a fixed size. For example, the virtual display space is initialized to have a horizontal dimension equal to the horizontal dimension of the display screen. At least one window is generated having a fixed size in the first dimension but also sizeable in a second direction. For example, the at least one window has a fixed horizontal dimension but is vertically sizeable. The at least one window is then inserted into the virtual display space and displayed on a display device.
1. An operating method for a mobile device, the method comprising:
determining whether to select a vertical dimension or a horizontal dimension as a fixed size in a first dimension, wherein a particular dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension to minimize distortion of application content;
inserting a plurality of windows into first locations in a virtual display space, each window of the plurality of windows having the fixed size in the first dimension, wherein each window of the plurality of windows is resizable in a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first dimension, and wherein resizing the window in the second dimension does not alter the fixed size in the first dimension;
displaying at least a subset of the plurality of windows, the plurality of windows placed at the first locations of the virtual display space on a display device;
displaying a fixed window within the virtual display space for display on the display device;
responsive to receiving a first input, scrolling at least one of the plurality of windows other than the fixed window in a direction corresponding to the second dimension so that at least one different window is displayed on the display device; and
displaying the fixed window overlaid on the scrolled window.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving a second input, resizing at least one window of the plurality of windows in the second dimension.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first input is received from a navigation key on the mobile device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one window of the plurality of windows is associated with at least one system application.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one window of the plurality of windows is associated with at least one general application.
6. A computer readable medium with stored instructions, the instructions when executed cause at least one processor to:
determine whether to select a vertical dimension or a horizontal dimension as a fixed size in a first dimension, wherein a particular dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension to minimize distortion of application content;
insert a plurality of windows into first locations in virtual display space, each window of the plurality of windows having the fixed size in the first dimension, wherein each window of the plurality of windows is resizable in a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first dimension, and wherein resizing the window in the second dimension does not alter the fixed size in the first dimension;
display at least a subset of the plurality of windows, the plurality of windows placed at the first locations of the virtual display space on a display device of a mobile device;
display a fixed window within the virtual display space for display on the display device;
responsive to receiving a first input, scroll at least one of the plurality of windows other than the fixed window in a direction corresponding to the second dimension so that at least one different window is displayed on the display device; and
display the fixed window overlaid on the scrolled window.
7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:
responsive to receiving a second input, resize at least one window of the plurality of windows in the second dimension.
8. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the first input is received from a navigation key on the mobile device.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein at least one window of the plurality of windows is associated with at least one system application.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein at least one window of the plurality of windows is associated with at least one general application.
11. A mobile computing device for executing a plurality of applications comprising:
a window manager configured to:
determine whether to select a vertical dimension or a horizontal dimension as a fixed size in a first dimension, wherein a particular dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension to minimize distortion of application content;
insert a plurality of windows into first locations in a virtual display space, each window of the plurality of windows having the fixed size in the first dimension, wherein each window of the plurality of windows is resizable in a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first dimension, and wherein resizing the window in the second dimension does not alter the fixed size in the first dimension; and
responsive to receiving a first input, scroll at least one window of the plurality of windows in a direction corresponding to the second dimension so that at least one different window is displayed; and
a computer device screen configured to:
display at least a subset of the plurality of windows, the plurality of windows placed at the first locations of the virtual display space;
display a fixed window within the virtual display space; and
display the fixed window overlaid on the scrolled window.
12. The mobile computing device of claim 11 , wherein responsive to receiving a second input, the window manager resizes a window in the second dimension.
13. The mobile computing device of claim 11 , wherein the first input is received from a navigation key on the mobile computing device.
14. The mobile computing device of claim 11 , wherein the window manager associates at least one window of the plurality of windows with a predefined region of the computing device screen.
15. The mobile computing device of claim 11 , wherein responsive to receiving a second input, the window manager overlays a first window and a second window so that the first window obscures a portion of the second window.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixed window obscures at least a portion of the at least one scrolled window.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the fixed window obscures at least a portion of the at least one scrolled window.
18. The mobile computing device of claim 11 , wherein the fixed window obscures at least a portion of the at least one scrolled window.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes:
determining a vertical size of the display device and a horizontal size of the display device,
wherein, when the horizontal dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the horizontal size of the display device, and wherein, when the vertical dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the vertical size of the display device.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the at least one processor to:
determine a vertical size of the display device and a horizontal size of the display device,
wherein, when the horizontal dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the horizontal size of the display device, and wherein, when the vertical dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the vertical size of the display device.
21. The mobile computing device of claim 11 , wherein the window manager is configured to:
determining a vertical size of the computer device screen and a horizontal size of the computer device screen,
wherein, when the horizontal dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the size of the horizontal dimension of the computer device screen, and wherein, when the vertical dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the size of the vertical dimension of the computer device screen.
22. A mobile computing device comprising:
means for determining whether to select a vertical dimension or a horizontal dimension as a fixed size in a first dimension, wherein a particular dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension to minimize distortion of application content;
means for inserting a plurality of windows into first locations in a virtual display space, each window of the plurality of windows having the fixed size in the first dimension, wherein each window of the plurality of windows is resizable in a second dimension that is perpendicular to the first dimension, and wherein resizing the window in the second dimension does not alter the fixed size in the first dimension;
means for displaying at least a subset of the plurality of windows, the plurality of windows placed at the first locations of the virtual display space on a display device;
means for displaying a fixed window within the virtual display space for display on the display device;
means, responsive to receiving a first input, for scrolling at least one of the plurality of windows other than the fixed window in a direction corresponding to the second dimension so that at least one different window is displayed on the display device; and
means for displaying the fixed window overlaid on the scrolled window.
23. The mobile computing device of claim 22 , further comprising:
means, responsive to receiving a second input, for resizing a window in the second dimension.
24. The mobile computing device of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for associating at least one window of the plurality of windows with a predefined region of the computing device screen.
25. The mobile computing device of claim 22 , wherein the fixed window obscures at least a portion of the at least one scrolled window.
26. The mobile computing device of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for determining a vertical size of the display device and a horizontal size of the display device, wherein, when the horizontal dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the size of the horizontal dimension of the display device, and wherein, when the vertical dimension is selected as the fixed size in the first dimension, the fixed size corresponds to the size of the vertical dimension of the display device.