System and method for providing notifications on a mobile computing device

Abstract

A system and method for providing notifications on a mobile computing device are disclosed. The method comprises enabling multiple applications that operate on the mobile computing device to generate notifications in response to event occurrences. A plurality of notification representations are presented in a notification bar on the display. The plurality of notification representations are individually generated by a corresponding application in response to an event occurrence. The plurality of notification representations are represented in a first portion of the notification bar and with a number that represents how many notification representations from an application have been generated and not dismissed by a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for operating a computing device, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:
 providing a notification feature on a home screen of the computing device; 
 detecting one or more notifications generated by a number of applications operating on the computing device; 
 presenting, in response to a first swipe or drag gesture on the home screen by a user, a group notification representation for each of the number of applications, wherein each of the group notification representations indicates how many of the notifications generated by a corresponding one of the applications have not been viewed or acted upon; and 
 dismissing, in response to a second swipe or drag gesture by the user on a selected one of the group notification representations, the selected group notification representation. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected group notification representation is dismissed without launching the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the group notification representations displays the one or more notifications generated by the corresponding one of the applications as individual layers, the individual layers being stacked on each other. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the group notification representations as a drop down feature from the home screen. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each group notification representation includes content associated with at least one of the notifications generated by the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the group notification representations includes a graphic image representing the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 launching, in response to a user selection of one of the group notification representations, the corresponding one of the applications. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, in response to a user selection of one of the group notification representations, a record for the corresponding one of the applications. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a messaging application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates a sender of a message. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a calendar application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates event details of at least one calendar event. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a phone application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates a sender of at least one voicemail or of at least one missed call. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a social networking application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates at least one post from a social networking website associated with the social networking application. 
     
     
       13. A computing device, comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:
 provide a notification feature on a home screen of the computing device; 
 detect one or more notifications generated by a number of applications operating on the computing device; 
 present, in response to a first swipe or drag gesture on the home screen by a user, a group notification representation for each of the number of applications, wherein each of the group notification representations indicates how many of the notifications generated by a corresponding one of the applications have not been viewed or acted upon; and 
 dismiss, in response to a second swipe or drag gesture by the user on a selected one of the group notification representations, the selected group notification representation. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein execution of the instructions causes the selected group notification representation to be dismissed without launching the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       15. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the group notification representations displays the one or more notifications generated by the corresponding one of the applications as individual layers, the individual layers being stacked on each other. 
     
     
       16. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the computing device to:
 display the group notification representations as a drop down feature from the home screen. 
 
     
     
       17. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein each group notification representation includes content associated with at least one of the notifications generated by the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       18. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the group notification representations includes a graphic image representing the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       19. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the computing device to:
 launch, in response to a user selection of one of the group notification representations, the corresponding one of the applications. 
 
     
     
       20. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the computing device to:
 display, in response to a user selection of one of the group notification representations, a record for the corresponding one of the applications. 
 
     
     
       21. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a messaging application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates a sender of a message. 
     
     
       22. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a calendar application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates event details of at least one calendar event. 
     
     
       23. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a phone application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates a sender of at least one voicemail or of at least one missed call. 
     
     
       24. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a social networking application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates at least one post from a social networking website associated with the social networking application. 
     
     
       25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 provide a notification feature on a home screen of the computing device; 
 detect one or more notifications generated by a number of applications operating on the computing device; 
 present, in response to a first swipe or drag gesture on the home screen by a user, a group notification representation for each of the number of applications, wherein each of the group notification representations indicates how many of the notifications generated by a corresponding one of the applications have not been viewed or acted upon; and 
 dismiss, in response to a second swipe or drag gesture by the user on a selected one of the group notification representations, the selected group notification representation. 
 
     
     
       26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the selected group notification representation is dismissed without launching the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the group notification representations is to display the one or more notifications generated by the corresponding one of the applications as individual layers, the individual layers being stacked on each other. 
     
     
       28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the computing device to:
 display the group notification representations as a drop down feature from the home screen. 
 
     
     
       29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein each group notification representation includes content associated with at least one of the notifications generated by the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the group notification representations includes a graphic image representing the corresponding one of the applications. 
     
     
       31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the computing device to:
 launch, in response to a user selection of one of the group notification representations, the corresponding one of the applications. 
 
     
     
       32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the computing device to:
 display, in response to a user selection of one of the group notification representations, a record for the corresponding one of the applications. 
 
     
     
       33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a messaging application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates a sender of a message. 
     
     
       34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a calendar application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates event details of at least one calendar event. 
     
     
       35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a phone application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates a sender of at least one voicemail or of at least one missed call. 
     
     
       36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein a first application of the number of applications corresponds to a social networking application, and wherein the group notification representation for the first application indicates at least one post from a social networking website associated with the social networking application.