Managing hierarchically related windows in a single display

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to methodologies and devices for handling the display of hierarchically related windows in a single-screen communication device.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by an off-display gesture capture region in a communication device, a first gesture to display a selected window, wherein the gesture capture region being in a pixel-free first portion of a first of the touch sensitive screens and a touch sensitive display being in a second, different portion of the first of the touch sensitive screens;   in response to receiving the first gesture:
 ceasing to display, by the processor executable middleware, a currently displayed window; 
 displaying, by the processor executable middleware, the selected window; 
   at a second time, receiving, by the touch sensitive screen, a second gesture, wherein the first gesture and the second gesture are a same type of gesture; and   in response to receiving the second gesture, changing a characteristic of the selected window.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected window and currently displayed window are hierarchically related and wherein a common multi-screen application outputs the currently displayed and selected windows. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selected window is a parent window and the currently displayed window is a child window and wherein the parent window enters a display of the communication device from a second side and the currently displayed window exits the display from an opposing first side of the communication device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected window is a child window and the currently displayed window is a parent window and wherein the parent window exits a display of the communication device from a second side and the currently displayed window enters the display from an opposing first side of the communication device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected window and currently displayed window are output by different applications and wherein the communication device comprises multiple screens, a first screen being operable and a second screen being inoperable. 
     
     
         6 . A non-transient and tangible computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by processor executable middleware, a command to display a first window and cease display of a second window, the first and second windows being related and being outputted by a multi-screen application; and   applying the following rules:   (i) when the first window is a parent window and the second window is a child window, the first window enters a display of the communication device from a second side and the second window exits the display from an opposing first side of the communication device;   (ii) when the first window is a child window and the second window is a parent window, the second window exits a display of the communication device from a second side and the first window enters the display from an opposing first side of the communication device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the command is received by an off-display gesture capture region of the communication device and wherein the communication device comprises multiple screens, a first screen being operable and a second screen being inoperable. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein rule (i) is applied. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein rule (ii) is applied. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transient and tangible computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         12 . A communication device, comprising:
 at least first and second touch sensitive displays to display windows;   a processor; and   a computer readable memory, the computer readable memory comprising processor executable middleware operable to:
 receive, by an off-display gesture capture region in a communication device, a first gesture to display a selected window, wherein the gesture capture region being in a pixel-free first portion of a first of the touch sensitive screens and a touch sensitive display being in a second, different portion of the first of the touch sensitive screens; 
   in response to receiving the first gesture:
 cease to display, by the processor executable middleware, a currently displayed window; 
 display, by the processor executable middleware, the selected window; 
   at a second time, receiving, by the touch sensitive screen, a second gesture, wherein the first gesture and the second gesture are a same type of gesture; and   in response to receiving the second gesture, changing a characteristic of the selected window.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the selected window and currently displayed window are hierarchically related and wherein a common multi-screen application outputs the currently displayed and selected windows. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the selected window is a parent window and the currently displayed window is a child window and wherein the parent window enters a display of the communication device from a second side and the currently displayed window exits the display from an opposing first side of the communication device. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein, when the second lower level window is opened and displayed, the first lower level window is closed automatically. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the command is a drag or a flick, wherein the lower level window is in the predetermined touch sensitive display when the gesture is received, wherein the higher level window appears to move from the predetermined touch sensitive display to the other touch sensitive display, whereby the lower level window is displayed by the predetermined touch sensitive display and the higher level window is displayed by the other touch sensitive display. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-display communication device is in the portrait display mode and wherein the predetermined touch sensitive display is the right-most touch sensitive display. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the selected window is a child window and the currently displayed window is a parent window and wherein the parent window exits a display of the communication device from a second side and the currently displayed window enters the display from an opposing first side of the communication device. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the selected window and currently displayed window are output by different applications. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled)