Displaying media content on portable devices based upon user interface state transitions

Abstract

A method of displaying media content through a display of a communication device using an activity-based overlay technique. The communication device includes a processor, a user interface and a memory including program code and an activity-based operating system. The method includes painting a View container with the media content to thereby provide a View of the media content on the display. A backing activity is invoked behind the View on a z-axis of the display, the backing activity being configured to perform a monitoring function. The operating system delays execution of the backing activity subsequent to activation of a predefined button of the user interface; however, painting the View is not delayed by the operating system subsequent to the activation of the predefined button.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of displaying media content through a display of a communication device using an activity-based overlay technique, the communication device including a processor, a user interface and a memory including program code and an activity-based operating system, the processor performing the method by executing the program code, the method comprising:
 painting a View container with the media content to thereby provide a View of the media content on the display; and   invoking a backing activity behind the View on a z-axis of the display, the backing activity being configured to perform a monitoring function;   wherein the operating system delays execution of the backing activity subsequent to activation of a predefined button of the user interface;   wherein the painting the View is not delayed by the operating system subsequent to the activation of the predefined button.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the monitoring function includes detecting an additional activation of the predefined button, the method further including responsively removing the View and terminating the backing activity. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the paining the View and the invoking the backing activity occur simultaneously. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the monitoring function includes detecting a transition to other activities and responsively removing the View and terminating the activity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predefined button is a Home button. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further including determining a proper time to render the media content through the display and simultaneously initiating the painting and the invoking at the proper time. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the user interface is rendered by the display. 
     
     
         8 . A communication device comprising:
 a processor;   a display; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing an application program for causing media content to be displayed on the display wherein the application program includes a plurality of activities associated with a plurality of display windows rendered by the display, the memory further including program code and an activity-based operating system providing an interface between the application program and the processor and the display, wherein the program code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
 paint a View container with the media content to thereby provide a View of the media content on the display; and 
 invoke a backing activity behind the View on a z-axis of the display, the backing activity being configured to perform a monitoring function; 
 wherein the operating system delays execution of the backing activity subsequent to activation of a predefined button of the user interface; 
 wherein the painting the View is not delayed by the operating system subsequent to the activation of the predefined button. 
   
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the program code configured to perform the monitoring function includes program code configured for detecting an additional activation of the predefined button and for responsively removing the View and terminating the backing activity. 
     
     
         10 . The communication device of  claim 9  wherein the program code is configured to simultaneously cause the View to be painted and the backing activity to be invoked. 
     
     
         11 . The communication device of  claim 8  wherein the program code configured to perform the monitoring function includes program code configured to detect a transition to other activities and to responsively remove the View and terminate the activity. 
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 8  wherein the predefined button is a Home button. 
     
     
         13 . The communication device of  claim 8  wherein the program code further includes program code configured to determine a proper time to render the media content through the display and to simultaneously initiate the painting of the View and the invoking of the backing activity at the proper time.