Full screen processing in multi-application environments

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a foreground application and at least one background application from multiple graphics applications executing within an execution environment are disclosed. Pixel data rendered by the foreground application may be displayed in the execution environment while a rendering thread of the background application may be paused.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A machine readable medium including at least one memory, storage device or storage disk comprising machine readable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to at least:
 execute a first application and a second application, the first application to render first graphics data to a display and the second application to render second graphics data to the display;   responsive to a first instruction, transition the first application to a foreground to cause the first application to continue to render the first graphics data to the display; and   pause the second application responsive to the first instruction.   
     
     
         22 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the first graphics data includes pixel data. 
     
     
         23 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are to cause the one or more processors to transition the second application to a background responsive to the first instruction. 
     
     
         24 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the first application includes a first thread to render first graphics data to a display, and the second application includes a second thread to render second graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         25 . The machine readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions are to cause the one or more processors to cause the first thread of the first application to render the first graphics data to the display responsive to the first instruction. 
     
     
         26 . The machine readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions are to cause the one or more processors to pause the second thread of the second application responsive to the first instruction. 
     
     
         27 . The machine readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are included in a smartphone. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one memory;   instructions; and   processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:
 execute a first application and a second application, the first application to render first graphics data to a display and the second application to render second graphics data to the display; 
 responsive to a first instruction, transition the first application to a foreground to cause the first application to continue to render the first graphics data to the display; and 
 pause the second application responsive to the first instruction. 
   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the first graphics data includes pixel data. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor circuitry is to transition the second application to a background responsive to the first instruction. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the first application includes a first thread to render first graphics data to a display, and the second application includes a second thread to render second graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the processor circuitry is to cause the first thread of the first application to render the first graphics data to the display responsive to the first instruction. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the processor circuitry is to pause the second thread of the second application responsive to the first instruction. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor circuitry is included in a smartphone. 
     
     
         35 . A method comprising:
 executing a first application and a second application, the first application to render first graphics data to a display and the second application to render second graphics data to the display;   responsive to a first instruction, transitioning the first application to a foreground to cause the first application to continue to render the first graphics data to the display; and   pausing the second application responsive to the first instruction.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the first graphics data includes pixel data. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , further including transitioning the second application to a background responsive to the first instruction. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the first application includes a first thread to render first graphics data to a display, and the second application includes a second thread to render second graphics data to the display. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further including:
 causing the first thread of the first application to render the first graphics data to the display responsive to the first instruction; and   pausing the second thread of the second application responsive to the first instruction.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the method is performed by a smartphone.