IP Library Granted Patent US 8,826,170
Granted Patent B1
US 8,826,170 · App. 13/890,209 · Granted Sep 2, 2014

Window switching interface

Inventors: Arnaud Claude Weber (Saratoga, CA); Alex Neely Ainslie (San Francisco, CA); Roma Rajni Shah (San Francisco, CA); Angela Strange (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Google Inc.
G06F3/0488
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,826,170
App. No.
13/890,209
Granted
Sep 2, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods for switching between tabbed windows are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an input of a touch gesture includes a dragging motion via a touch interface of a device, and determining whether the touch gesture begins within a predetermined distance from a first edge of the touch interface and proceeds towards a second edge of the touch interface. The method also includes providing at least one tabbed window in an application for display from a perspective vertically above the at least one tabbed window in response to determining that the touch gesture begins within the predetermined distance from the first edge and proceeds towards the second edge. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Claims (30)

1. A computer-implemented method for switching between tabbed windows, the method comprising:

receiving an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion via a touch interface of a device;

determining whether the touch gesture begins within a predetermined distance from a first edge of the touch interface and proceeds towards a second edge of the touch interface; and

in response to determining that the touch gesture begins within the predetermined distance from the first edge and proceeds towards the second edge, providing a plurality of tabbed windows in an application for display from a perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows, and

wherein each of the plurality of tabbed windows is configured to be provided for display along a respective plane, and wherein each of the respective planes corresponding to the plurality of tabbed windows is angled at a different degree with respect to the perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows than the remaining respective planes corresponding to the remaining plurality of tabbed windows.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the touch gesture is received when the at least one tabbed window is provided for display from a perspective in front of the at least one tabbed window.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising providing, for display, a visual transition from the perspective in front of the at least one tabbed window to the perspective vertically above the at least one tabbed window in response to receiving the input of the touch gesture.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the touch gesture is received when the at least one tabbed window is provided for display from a perspective in front of the at least one tabbed window, and wherein a distance between the at least one tabbed window and at least one other tabbed window from among the plurality of tabbed windows is greater than a distance between each of the remaining tabbed windows from the plurality of tabbed windows.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dragging motion is received for a length, and wherein the providing at least one tabbed window for display from a perspective vertically above the at least one tabbed window is further in response to determining that the length of the dragging motion exceeds a threshold length.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the touch interface comprises at least one of a touchscreen or touchpad.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distance between at least two adjacent tabbed windows from among the plurality of tabbed windows is configured to be increased in response to at least one of a received multi-touch gesture input or a physical movement of the device.

8. A system for switching between tabbed windows, the method comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to:

receive an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion via a touch interface of a device;

determine whether the touch gesture begins within a predetermined distance from a first edge of the touch interface and proceeds towards a second edge of the touch interface; and

in response to determining that the touch gesture begins within the predetermined distance from the first edge and proceeds towards the second edge, provide a plurality of tabbed windows in an application for display from a perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows,

wherein each of the plurality of tabbed windows is configured to be provided for display along a respective plane, and wherein each of the respective planes corresponding to the plurality of tabbed windows is angled at a different degree with respect to the perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows than the remaining respective planes corresponding to the remaining plurality of tabbed windows.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the touch gesture is received when at least one tabbed window from the plurality of tabbed windows is provided for display from a perspective in front of the at least one tabbed window.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising providing, for display, a visual transition from the perspective in front of the at least one tabbed window to the perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows in response to receiving the input of the touch gesture.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the touch gesture is received when the at least one tabbed window is provided for display from a perspective in front of the at least one tabbed window, and wherein a distance between the at least one tabbed window and at least one other tabbed window from among the plurality of tabbed windows is greater than a distance between each of the remaining tabbed windows from the plurality of tabbed windows.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the dragging motion is received for a length, and wherein the providing the plurality of tabbed windows for display from a perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows is further in response to determining that the length of the dragging motion exceeds a threshold length.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the touch interface comprises a touchscreen.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the touch interface comprises a touchpad.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein a distance between at least two adjacent tabbed windows from among the plurality of tabbed windows is configured to be increased in response to at least one of a received multi-touch gesture input or a physical movement of the device.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for switching between tabbed windows, comprising:

receiving an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion via a touch interface of a device when at least one tabbed window from among a plurality of tabbed windows is provided for display from a perspective in front of the at least one tabbed window;

determining whether the touch gesture begins within a predetermined distance from a first edge of the touch interface and proceeds towards a second edge of the touch interface; and

in response to determining that the touch gesture begins within the predetermined distance from the first edge and proceeds towards the second edge, providing the plurality of tabbed windows in a web browser for display from a perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows, each of the plurality of tabbed windows being provided for display along a respective plane, and wherein each of the respective planes corresponding to the plurality of tabbed windows is angled at a different degree with respect to the perspective vertically above the plurality of tabbed windows than the remaining respective planes corresponding to the remaining plurality of tabbed windows,

wherein the touch interface comprises at least one of a touchscreen or a touchpad.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044277/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2013
From: WEBER, ARNAUD CLAUDE; AINSLIE, ALEX NEELY; SHAH, ROMA RAJNI; STRANGE, ANGELA
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 030600/0348 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 61800261 · Mar 15, 2013