Multi-Mode User Interface

Abstract

An approach is provided to display a grid user-interface on a display. The grid user-interface includes a number of medium-sized windows that are displayed in a grid format. Each of the medium-sized windows has a substantially common width and a substantially common height to the other medium-sized windows. The system receives a mixed-mode request from a user. The mixed-mode request corresponds to a selected application that is displayed in one of the medium-sized windows. A second user-interface is displayed in response to receiving the mixed-mode request. The selected application is displayed in a large window and a plurality of small-sized windows is displayed adjacent to the large window. Each of the small-sized windows also has a substantially common width and a substantially common height to the other small-sized windows.

1 . A machine-implemented method comprising:
 displaying a grid user-interface on a display, wherein the grid user-interface includes a plurality of medium-sized windows displayed in a grid format, and wherein each of the medium-sized windows has a substantially common width and a substantially common height;   receiving a mixed-mode request corresponding to a selected application that is displayed in one of the plurality of medium-sized windows; and   displaying a second user-interface display in response to receiving the mixed-mode request wherein the selected application is displayed in a large window and a plurality of small-sized windows is displayed adjacent to the large window, wherein each of the small-sized windows has a second substantially common width that is smaller than the common width and a second substantially common height that is smaller than the common height.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a full-screen mode request corresponding to the selected application that is displayed in one of the plurality of medium-sized windows in the grid user-interface; and 
 displaying a full-screen user-interface on the display in response to receiving the full-screen mode request, wherein the selected application is displayed in a substantially full-screen and wherein the plurality of medium-sized windows is removed from the display. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 displaying an icon ribbon in the grid user-interface that includes a plurality of icons, wherein each of the icons is smaller than each of the medium-displaying one or more ribbon scroll graphic user interface (GUI) controls adjacent to the icon ribbon that, when selected, scroll through a second plurality of icons each corresponding to an available application. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 receiving a selection corresponding to one of the plurality of icons; 
 executing a software application corresponding to the selected icon; and 
 displaying a software application graphical interface corresponding to the executed software application in one of the medium-sized windows. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 displaying a GUI scroll control proximate to the grid user-interface; 
 receiving a scroll request at the GUI scroll control; and 
 displaying a second plurality of medium-sized windows in the grid user-interface in response to receiving the scroll request, wherein the second plurality of medium-sized windows inhibits display of two or more of the medium-sized windows included in the plurality of medium-sized windows. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 displaying a GUI scroll control proximate to the small-sized windows when the second user interface is displayed; 
 receiving a scroll request at the GUI scroll control; and 
 displaying a second plurality of small-sized windows in the second user-interface in response to receiving the scroll request, wherein the second plurality of small-sized windows inhibits display of at least one of the 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the medium-sized windows is a non-resizable window and wherein the grid format includes two rows and at least three columns of medium-sized windows. 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product in a computer-readable storage medium comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a computer, directs the computer to perform actions comprising:
 displaying a grid user-interface on a display, wherein the grid user-interface includes a plurality of medium-sized windows displayed in a grid format, and wherein each of the medium-sized windows has a substantially common width and a substantially common height;   receiving a mixed-mode request corresponding to a selected application that is displayed in one of the plurality of medium-sized windows; and   displaying a second user-interface display in response to receiving the mixed-mode request wherein the selected application is displayed in a large window and a plurality of small-sized windows is displayed adjacent to the large window, wherein each of the small-sized windows has a second substantially common width that is smaller than the common width and a second substantially common height that is smaller than the common height.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 receiving a full-screen mode request corresponding to the selected application that is displayed in one of the plurality of medium-sized displaying a full-screen user-interface on the display in response to receiving the full-screen mode request, wherein the selected application is displayed in a substantially full-screen and wherein the plurality of medium-sized windows is removed from the display. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 displaying an icon ribbon in the grid user-interface that includes a plurality of icons, wherein each of the icons is smaller than each of the medium-sized windows; and 
 displaying one or more ribbon scroll graphic user interface (GUI) controls adjacent to the icon ribbon that, when selected, scroll through a second plurality of icons each corresponding to an available application. 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 receiving a selection corresponding to one of the plurality of icons; 
 executing a software application corresponding to the selected icon; and 
 displaying a software application graphical interface corresponding to the executed software application in one of the medium-sized windows. 
 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 displaying a GUI scroll control proximate to the grid user-interface; 
 receiving a scroll request at the GUI scroll control; and 
 displaying a second plurality of medium-sized windows in the grid user-interface in response to receiving the scroll request, wherein the second plurality of medium-sized windows inhibits display of two or more of the medium-sized windows included in the plurality of medium-sized windows. 
 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein the computer program product directs the computer to perform additional actions comprising:
 displaying a GUI scroll control proximate to the small-sized windows when the second user interface is displayed; 
 receiving a scroll request at the GUI scroll control; and 
 displaying a second plurality of small-sized windows in the second user-interface in response to receiving the scroll request, wherein the second plurality of small-sized windows inhibits display of at least one of the small-sized windows included in the plurality of small-sized windows. 
 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein each of the medium-sized windows is a non-resizable window and wherein the grid format includes two rows and at least three columns of medium-sized windows. 
     
     
         15 . An information handling system comprising:
 one or more processors;   a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;   a set of instructions stored in the memory, wherein the one or more processors executes the set of instructions to perform actions of:
 displaying a grid user-interface on the display, wherein the grid user-interface includes a plurality of medium-sized windows displayed in a grid format, and wherein each of the medium-sized windows has a substantially common width and a substantially common height; 
 receiving a mixed-mode request corresponding to a selected application that is displayed in one of the plurality of medium-sized windows; and 
 displaying a second user-interface display in response to receiving the mixed-mode request wherein the selected application is displayed in a large window and a plurality of small-sized windows is displayed adjacent to the large window, wherein each of the small-sized windows has a second substantially common width that is smaller than the common width and a second substantially common height that is smaller than the common height. 
   
     
     
         16 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 receiving a full-screen mode request corresponding to the selected application that is displayed in one of the plurality of medium-sized windows in the grid user-interface; and 
 displaying a full-screen user-interface on the display in response to receiving the full-screen mode request, wherein the selected application is displayed in a substantially full-screen and wherein the plurality of 
 
     
     
         17 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 displaying an icon ribbon in the grid user-interface that includes a plurality of icons, wherein each of the icons is smaller than each of the medium-sized windows; and 
 displaying one or more ribbon scroll graphic user interface (GUI) controls adjacent to the icon ribbon that, when selected, scroll through a second plurality of icons each corresponding to an available application. 
 
     
     
         18 . The information handling system of  claim 17  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 receiving a selection corresponding to one of the plurality of icons; 
 executing a software application corresponding to the selected icon; and 
 displaying a software application graphical interface corresponding to the executed software application in one of the medium-sized windows. 
 
     
     
         19 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 displaying a GUI scroll control proximate to the grid user-interface; 
 receiving a scroll request at the GUI scroll control; and 
 displaying a second plurality of medium-sized windows in the grid user-interface in response to receiving the scroll request, wherein the second plurality of medium-sized windows inhibits display of two or more of the medium-sized windows included in the plurality of medium-sized windows. 
 
     
     
         20 . The information handling system of  claim 15  wherein the set of instructions performs additional actions comprising:
 displaying a GUI scroll control proximate to the small-sized windows when the second user interface is displayed; 
 receiving a scroll request at the GUI scroll control; and 
 displaying a second plurality of small-sized windows in the second user-interface in response to receiving the scroll request, wherein the second plurality of small-sized windows inhibits display of at least one of the