Application program interaction method, device, and medium

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an application interaction method, device, and medium. The method, applied to a terminal, comprises: receiving a user's designated interaction instruction; displaying switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen; determining a target application selected by the user from among the switchable applications; and displaying the target application in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen. This method allows users to quickly switch between different applications, a switching process that better aligns with user usage habits and allows for a wider range of applications to be quickly switched.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of smart terminals, and in particular to an application program interaction method, device, and medium. Background Art

[0002] Smart devices are now being used by an increasing number of users, with mobile phones being the largest group. Mobile phones originated in the last century and have evolved through the evolution of pagers, mobile phones, small-screen monochrome candy-bar phones, resistive touchscreens, and capacitive touchscreens. In the past two years, new forms with side screen areas have emerged, including waterfall screens, wraparound screens, and foldable screens. With the continuous advancement of technology, the way to operate mobile phones has also been continuously optimized, from two or three buttons to matrix keyboards, then to resistive touchscreens, and finally to capacitive touchscreens in recent years, making operation increasingly smooth.

[0003] Currently, there are several ways to quickly switch between apps on mobile phones: trigger the multitasking interface and then make a selection; click on a link to jump, such as through the return channel in the upper left corner after jumping to the app on an iPhone; swipe up from the bottom and swipe left and right at the same time, using full-screen gestures. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. Triggering the multitasking interface is inconvenient in operation and slow in time; the link method is too limited and is only used in a few cases; the swipe up from the bottom is better, but when switching left and right, you need to remember which app you swiped to switch to, and it is not easy to reach the bottom of the large screen. Therefore, if users want to switch to other apps while using a certain app, the process is relatively cumbersome and the delay is relatively long. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in the related art, the present disclosure provides an application interaction method, device and medium.

[0005] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an application interaction method, the method being applied to a terminal, the method comprising:

[0006] Receive user-specified interaction instructions;

[0007] Displaying switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen;

[0008] Determine a target application selected by the user among the switchable applications;

[0009] The target application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0010] The receiving of a user's designated interaction instruction includes any one of the following:

[0011] receiving the designated interaction instruction input by the user through a second setting area on the terminal screen;

[0012] The designated interaction instruction input by the user through voice is received.

[0013] The displaying of switchable applications in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen includes:

[0014] The icons of switchable applications are displayed in a set arrangement in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0015] The displaying of icons of switchable applications in a set arrangement includes:

[0016] Display the switchable applications in order of their usage frequencies; or

[0017] The switchable applications are displayed based on the ranking of intelligently recommended applications obtained through a network.

[0018] The determining of the target application selected by the user from the switchable applications includes:

[0019] When a setting operation of a user on an application among the switchable applications is detected, the application targeted by the setting operation is determined as a target application selected by the user.

[0020] The setting operation includes any one of the following:

[0021] A click operation on the application icon, a press operation on the application icon, a finger lift operation on the application icon, an operation of pressing the application icon and sliding the application icon toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0022] After displaying the switchable application in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen, the method further includes:

[0023] When a pressing operation of the user on the second setting area and a sliding operation from the second setting area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen are detected, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0024] The step of displaying the switchable application in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen includes:

[0025] Acquire a sliding distance of the sliding operation from the second set area toward the main screen area;

[0026] When the sliding distance is less than a set threshold, displaying the switchable application in the main screen area, and the size of the switchable application interface is proportional to the sliding distance;

[0027] When the sliding distance is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the switchable application is displayed in full screen on the main screen area.

[0028] The first setting area and / or the second setting area are located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0029] The first setting area is located on the main screen area.

[0030] The switchable applications include at least one of the following: an application selected based on preset rules, an application selected based on user usage habits, and an application selected by the user.

[0031] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an application interaction device, which is applied to a terminal and is characterized in that the device includes:

[0032] A receiving module is configured to receive a user's specified interaction instruction;

[0033] a display module configured to display switchable applications in a first set area of ​​a terminal screen;

[0034] a determination module, configured to determine a target application selected by the user from among the switchable applications;

[0035] The display module is further configured to display the target application in a main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0036] The receiving module is further configured to receive a user's specified interaction instruction in any of the following ways:

[0037] receiving the designated interaction instruction input by the user through a second setting area on the terminal screen;

[0038] The designated interaction instruction input by the user through voice is received.

[0039] Wherein, the display module is further configured to:

[0040] The icons of switchable applications are displayed in a set arrangement in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0041] The display module is further configured to display icons of switchable applications in the following manner:

[0042] Display the switchable applications in order of their usage frequencies; or

[0043] The switchable applications are displayed based on the ranking of intelligently recommended applications obtained through a network.

[0044] Wherein, the determining module is further configured to:

[0045] When a setting operation of a user on an application among the switchable applications is detected, the application targeted by the setting operation is determined as a target application selected by the user.

[0046] The setting operation includes any one of the following:

[0047] A click operation on the application icon, a press operation on the application icon, a finger lift operation on the application icon, an operation of pressing the application icon and sliding the application icon toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0048] Wherein, the display module is further configured to:

[0049] After displaying the switchable application in the first setting area of ​​the terminal screen, when detecting the user's pressing operation in the second setting area and sliding operation from the second setting area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0050] Wherein, the display module is further configured to:

[0051] Acquire a sliding distance of the sliding operation from the second set area toward the main screen area;

[0052] When the sliding distance is less than a set threshold, displaying the switchable application in the main screen area, and the size of the switchable application interface is proportional to the sliding distance;

[0053] When the sliding distance is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the switchable application is displayed in full screen on the main screen area.

[0054] The first setting area and / or the second setting area are located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0055] The first setting area is located on the main screen area.

[0056] The switchable applications include at least one of the following: an application selected based on preset rules, an application selected based on user usage habits, and an application selected by the user.

[0057] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an application interaction device, comprising:

[0058] processor;

[0059] a memory for storing processor-executable instructions;

[0060] The processor is configured to implement the following steps when executing the executable instructions:

[0061] Receive user-specified interaction instructions;

[0062] Displaying switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen;

[0063] Determine a target application selected by the user among the switchable applications;

[0064] The target application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0065] According to a fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided. When instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of a device, the device is enabled to perform an application interaction method, the method comprising:

[0066] Receive user-specified interaction instructions;

[0067] Displaying switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen;

[0068] Determine a target application selected by the user among the switchable applications;

[0069] The target application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0070] This disclosure provides a method for switching applications, particularly applicable to terminals that include a visible and touch-responsive side screen in addition to a front screen. The method includes: receiving a user's instruction to switch applications; displaying switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen; determining an application selected by the user from the switchable applications; and displaying the selected application on the main interface of the terminal screen.

[0071] In the disclosed method, after receiving a user's designated interactive command, switchable applications are displayed in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen. The target application selected by the user from among the switchable applications is then determined and displayed on the terminal screen's main interface. This method allows users to quickly switch to the target application. This switching process is more consistent with user usage habits, allowing for a wider range of applications to be quickly switched to. In most usage scenarios, it can replace the desktop launcher, thus resolving the inconvenience of switching applications, as well as the long delay or complex operation process associated with existing methods.

[0072] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0073] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0074] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile phone according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0075] Figure 2 The figure is a flowchart showing a method for switching applications according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0076] Figure 3 The figure is a schematic diagram showing sliding and lifting a finger to select an application icon according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0077] Figure 4 The figure is a schematic diagram showing sliding a finger toward a home screen to select an application icon according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0078] Figure 5 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing that the size of a multitasking window changes as a finger slides according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0079] Figure 6 The figure is a schematic diagram showing sliding a finger on a home screen to select an application icon according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0080] Figure 7 The figure is a flowchart showing a method for switching applications according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0081] Figure 8 The figure is a block diagram showing a switching application device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0082] Figure 9 It is a block diagram of a device according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, like numbers in different figures represent like or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all possible embodiments consistent with the present invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present invention, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0084] Currently, if users want to switch to another app while using one, they can use the following methods: double-clicking the physical button on iOS-based phones; long-pressing / re-pressing the side of iOS-based phones; swiping up and pausing on full-screen phones; using the multitasking button installed at the bottom; or using some floating balls. Each of these methods has its pros and cons. For example, with the current trend of screen size increases, the physical button is eliminated, making it impossible to switch apps using the physical button; the virtual floating ball blocks the screen and has an unstable position, making it inconvenient to use; the Android bottom bar takes up space, and full-screen phones eliminate this function; swiping up and pausing on the bottom is not easy to reach on larger screens, and the need to pause can be somewhat inconvenient.

[0085] For example, a phone with an on-screen fingerprint recognition area can unlock the phone by pressing a finger on the fingerprint recognition area. Several app icons will be displayed near the finger press area for selection, allowing for quick operation. However, this solution has the following disadvantages: the phone must be unlocked with an on-screen fingerprint; in addition, this method can only be used in unlocked scenarios.

[0086] The present disclosure proposes a method for switching applications, which is particularly applicable to terminals that include a visible and touch-responsive side screen in addition to a front screen. The method includes: receiving a user's instruction to switch applications; displaying switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen; determining the application selected by the user from the switchable applications; and displaying the selected application on the main interface of the terminal screen. Using this method, the user experience is improved by quickly switching to different applications in response to the user's input operation on the touch screen on the side of the mobile phone. For example, the method of the present disclosure can also be applied to folding screens, curved screens, or waterfall screens, such as setting the first set area on the small screen of a folding screen or on the curved surface of a curved screen.

[0087] The terminals in this disclosure may include mobile phones, PADs, wearable devices, etc. Taking mobile phones as an example, Figure 1 As shown, it includes a screen and a driving circuit 110 , a touch sensing layer 120 covering the outside of the screen, a speaker 130 , a vibration motor 140 , a central processing unit 150 , a battery and a power conversion circuit 160 .

[0088] The mobile phone has a flexible screen. The flexible screen can be a screen that extends from the side or wraps around the side to extend toward the back of the phone (partially or completely covering the side of the phone), or a foldable soft screen. During use, at least the side screen beyond the front screen must be visible and responsive to touch. The flexible screen is connected to the processor 150 and can display various content and applications. Specifically, these applications can be displayed in the form of an application list.

[0089] The capacitive touch sensor layer 120 of the screen is also flexible and is connected to the processor 150. It is used to receive the electrode change signal generated by the user's touch and convert the signal into information such as coordinates and intensity and transmit it to the processor 150. The speaker 130 and the vibration motor 140 are connected to the processor 150 to output sound and vibration, and provide sound and vibration feedback to the user while responding to user operations. The central processing unit 150 is used to receive digital input signals converted from different types of touch modes from the touch sensor layer 120, and provide corresponding feedback based on the different digital input signals and the described method, so that the screen displays the corresponding content and the speaker and motor vibrate.

[0090] Based on the above structure, the side screen outside the application display area on the front of the mobile phone screen is used for operation. Through various operations such as clicking, double-clicking, long pressing, hard pressing, sliding, etc., applications are displayed in the side and front screen areas for users to quickly select and switch to the target application, which provides convenience for users.

[0091] Figure 2 is a flow chart showing an application interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment, the method is applied to a terminal, such as Figure 2 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0092] Step 201: receiving a user's designated interaction instruction;

[0093] Step 202: Display switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen;

[0094] Step 203: determining the target application selected by the user from the switchable applications;

[0095] Step 204: Display the target application in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0096] In step 201, the terminal receives a user's designated interaction instruction. The designated interaction instruction can be issued by the user via voice or by the user through a set area on the terminal screen, as described in detail in the following embodiments. In addition, the designated interaction instruction can be an instruction to switch applications when an application interface is currently displayed on the main screen, or an instruction to start an application when no application interface is currently displayed on the main screen.

[0097] In step 202, after receiving the application switching instruction, the terminal displays switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the screen. The switchable applications may be displayed in the form of an icon list.

[0098] In steps 203 and 204 , the user makes a selection from the displayed switchable applications, the target application selected by the user is determined, and the target application is displayed on the main interface of the screen, thus completing the application switching.

[0099] Using the above method, users can quickly switch to the target application. This switching process is more in line with the user's usage habits, and the range of applications that can be quickly switched is wider. In most usage scenarios, it can replace the desktop launcher, thus solving the problem of inconvenient application switching in existing methods, as well as the long delay in calling up the application or the complex operation process.

[0100] In an optional implementation manner, receiving a user's specified interaction instruction includes any one of the following:

[0101] receiving the designated interaction instruction input by the user through a second setting area on the terminal screen;

[0102] The designated interaction instruction input by the user through voice is received.

[0103] The second set area here is the trigger area that triggers the execution of the specified interactive command. For the convenience of users, this trigger area is usually set to the upper part of the side screen located to the right of the main screen (most users use their right hands to operate the mobile phone). For example, when it is detected that the user's finger touches the trigger area, it is considered that the user wants to switch applications or start an application. The touch here can be long pressing the trigger area for a set time period, pressing the trigger area hard to reach a set pressure, etc. For another example, when it is detected that the user's finger clicks the trigger area, it is considered that the user wants to switch applications or start an application. The click here can be a single click, a double click, etc.

[0104] Specifically, the situations of receiving a specified interaction instruction from a user are as follows:

[0105] (1) Long press: When the side of the touch screen detects a user's finger pressing operation, and the pressing operation continues for a set period of time, it is determined that a specified interaction instruction has been received;

[0106] (2) Press hard. When the side of the touch screen detects the user's finger pressing operation and detects that the contact area between the finger and the screen increases to reach a threshold, it is determined that the specified interaction instruction has been received;

[0107] (3) Click: When the side of the touch screen detects a user's finger clicking operation, it is determined that a specified interaction instruction has been received;

[0108] (4) Double-click: When the touch screen detects a double-click operation by the user's finger, it is determined that a specified interaction instruction has been received;

[0109] (5) Sliding: When the side of the touch screen detects a sliding operation of the user's finger, it is determined that a specified interaction instruction has been received.

[0110] In addition, the user can also issue a specific interactive instruction in the form of voice, and the terminal receives the instruction through voice recognition technology.

[0111] By using these two methods to receive user-initiated interaction commands, users can conveniently trigger application switching, for example, by speaking or simply placing a finger naturally on the screen while holding the terminal. Furthermore, when the second set area, or trigger zone, is located on the side screen, finger placement is more effortless and convenient.

[0112] It should be noted that, when the designated interaction instruction is received, the terminal emits a sound or a motor vibrates to provide feedback to the user that the designated interaction instruction has been received. Simultaneously or subsequently, the switchable applications are displayed in the first setting area.

[0113] In an optional implementation manner, displaying the switchable application in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen includes:

[0114] The icons of switchable applications are displayed in a set arrangement in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0115] The first setting area can be located at the lower part of the side screen on the right side of the main screen (most users operate the mobile phone with their right hand), that is, set below the trigger area, so that it is convenient for the user's finger to slide down and select the application after contacting the trigger area to issue an application switching command.

[0116] In an optional embodiment, displaying icons of switchable applications in a set arrangement includes:

[0117] Display the switchable applications in order of their usage frequencies; or

[0118] The switchable applications are displayed based on the ranking of intelligently recommended applications obtained through a network.

[0119] Switchable apps usually include multiple apps, so these apps need to be displayed in a certain order.

[0120] The setting order here can be the frequency ranking of the applications recently used by the user, or the order of the intelligent recommended applications generated by the terminal system or obtained through the network. For example, based on the user's use of the application within a period of time (one day, one week or one month), the terminal obtains the number of times each application is used, and displays the icons of the corresponding applications in descending order according to the number of uses (frequency of use). The first setting area can display only the recently used application icons, or only the intelligently recommended application icons, or simultaneously display the recently used application icons and the intelligently recommended application icons. That is, the function of the system intelligently recommending applications can be turned off.

[0121] The arrangement of the application icons (eg, multiple rows and one column, multiple rows and multiple columns) may be based on a default setting of the terminal or based on a user setting.

[0122] By adopting the above display method, the user can find and select the application he wants to switch to as quickly as possible.

[0123] In addition, when displaying application icons, the display can be based on the terminal's default settings or based on user settings. For example, the icon display can adopt a constant light mode, a delayed display mode (display within a period of time after receiving the application switching instruction), and a side icon constant gray anti-false trigger mode. The position of the application icon displayed in the first set area can be adjusted according to system settings or user settings.

[0124] In an optional implementation manner, determining the target application selected by the user from the switchable applications includes:

[0125] When a setting operation of a user on an application among the switchable applications is detected, the application targeted by the setting operation is determined as a target application selected by the user.

[0126] The terminal can determine the target application selected by the user by detecting a setting operation for an application among the switchable applications. The setting operation is described in detail as follows.

[0127] In an optional implementation manner, the setting operation includes any one of the following:

[0128] A click operation on the application icon, a press operation on the application icon, a finger lift operation on the application icon, an operation of pressing the application icon and sliding the application icon toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0129] (1) Clicking the icon of the application

[0130] When the user selects an application from the switchable applications, he can click the application icon, for example, by clicking or double-clicking. When the terminal detects the user's click operation, it obtains the application icon corresponding to the click position and determines the corresponding application as the target application selected by the user.

[0131] (2) Pressing the application icon

[0132] When the user selects an application from the switchable applications, he or she may press the application icon, for example, by long pressing or re-pressing the application icon. When the terminal detects the user's pressing operation, it obtains the application icon corresponding to the clicked position and determines the corresponding application as the target application selected by the user.

[0133] (3) Lifting the finger on the icon of the application

[0134] After the user presses the trigger area, the switchable applications are displayed in the first set area. The user slides his finger down along the side screen. When he slides to an application icon in the switchable applications, he lifts his finger. When the terminal detects that the finger starts sliding from the trigger area and the finger stops contacting the side screen (i.e., the finger is lifted), it obtains the application icon corresponding to the finger lift position and determines the corresponding application as the target application selected by the user. Figure 3 As shown, 301 represents the side of the terminal (represented as a flat unfolded view for easy viewing), 302 represents the trigger area, 303 represents the finger sliding path, and 304 represents the switchable applications.

[0135] (4) Pressing the application icon and sliding the application icon toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen

[0136] When the user selects an application from the switchable applications, he can press the icon of the application and slide the icon of the application toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen. When the terminal detects that the user's finger presses the icon of an application and slides from the icon toward the main screen area, the application corresponding to the icon is determined as the target application selected by the user. Figure 4 As shown, 401 represents the side of the terminal (represented as a flat unfolded view for easy viewing), 402 represents the finger sliding path, 403 represents the history or recommended application icon, and 404 represents the application interface after switching.

[0137] When a click operation, a press operation, or a lift operation is detected on an application icon, the application icon may be displayed in an enlarged manner, a darkened color, or in a three-dimensional manner to highlight the target application icon.

[0138] In an optional implementation manner, after displaying the switchable application in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen, the method further includes:

[0139] When a pressing operation of the user on the second setting area and a sliding operation from the second setting area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen are detected, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0140] In this embodiment, to facilitate the user to more clearly view the switchable applications, the switchable applications displayed in the first set area can be displayed in the main screen area. At this time, the user presses the finger in the second set area and slides from the pressed position toward the main screen area, which means that the switchable application displayed in the first set area is displayed on the main screen. The switchable application displayed in the first set area can also be referred to as a multitasking window. When the terminal detects the above operation of the user's finger, it displays the multitasking window in the main screen area. When displayed in the main screen area, the display position on the main screen can be changed as the finger slides on the main screen.

[0141] In an optional embodiment, displaying the switchable application in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen includes:

[0142] Acquire a sliding distance of the sliding operation from the second set area toward the main screen area;

[0143] When the sliding distance is less than a set threshold, displaying the switchable application in the main screen area, and the size of the switchable application interface is proportional to the sliding distance;

[0144] When the sliding distance is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the switchable application is displayed in full screen on the main screen area.

[0145] When a switchable application (multitasking window) is displayed in the main screen area, when the user's thumb slides toward the main screen, the size of the multitasking window (i.e., the size of the switchable application interface) changes with the sliding distance. The larger the sliding distance, the larger the multitasking window. When the sliding distance is greater than the set threshold, the multitasking window is displayed full screen on the main screen area. In addition, when the sliding distance is less than the set threshold, when it is detected that the sliding operation stops, the size of the multitasking window no longer changes, and if it is detected that the sliding operation is in the opposite direction, the multitasking window will move toward the second set area until it returns to display in the second set area. Figure 5 As shown, 501 represents the side of the terminal (represented as a flat unfolded view for easy viewing), 502 represents the trigger area, 503 represents the sliding path, and 504, 505, and 506 represent multi-tasking windows.

[0146] In a specific embodiment, on the home screen, the multitasking window gradually expands as the user slides the finger away from the second set area. If the user pulls the finger back to the side of the screen, the multitasking window shrinks and disappears. When the user slides the finger away from the second set area far enough and releases the finger, the multitasking window expands to full screen.

[0147] In an optional implementation manner, the first setting area and / or the second setting area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0148] As described above, the first setting area and the second setting area can both be located in the side area of ​​the terminal screen, or only one of them can be located in the side area of ​​the terminal screen. When both the first setting area and the second setting area are located in the side area of ​​the terminal screen, user use is more convenient. In a specific embodiment, the first setting area is set in the area above the second setting area to make it more convenient for users to use.

[0149] In this embodiment, a quick response is provided by responding to a trigger operation in the trigger area on the side of the phone, allowing the user to quickly switch to a different application. This switching process is more in line with the user's usage habits, and the range of applications that can be quickly switched is wider. In most usage scenarios, it can replace the desktop launcher, thus solving the problems of inconvenient application switching in existing methods, as well as the long delay in calling up applications or the complicated operation process. In addition, the side of the phone is located outside the main screen, and a part of the area can be fixed as a touch response area without affecting the normal use of the main screen. Therefore, this switching process does not occupy the main screen area and does not affect other operations. It also provides users with multiple optional operation positions, reducing user resistance and improving the user experience.

[0150] In an optional implementation, the first setting area is located on the main screen area.

[0151] When the user touches the trigger area of ​​the side screen with his finger, a command to switch applications is issued. After receiving the command, the terminal displays the icons of the switchable applications in the right area of ​​the main screen. Figure 6 As shown, 601 represents the side of the terminal (shown as a flat unfolded view for easier viewing), 602 represents the trigger area, 603 represents the sliding path, and 604 represents the history or recommended application icons. The user presses the trigger area 602 with his thumb, then slides along the path 603, and releases his thumb on an icon 604 to switch to the application corresponding to that icon.

[0152] In addition, the trigger area in the present disclosure can be set to have a function similar to a virtual home button. For example, when the trigger area is pressed twice quickly, the desktop is displayed in the main screen area.

[0153] In an optional implementation manner, the switchable application includes at least one of the following: an application selected based on a preset rule, an application selected based on user usage habits, and an application selected by the user.

[0154] Here, the list of switchable applications can be generated based on user usage habits or intelligently recommended by the system, so that users can quickly switch to the required applications, making the user experience more convenient and efficient.

[0155] The following describes a specific embodiment of the present disclosure in conjunction with a specific application scenario. In this embodiment, the terminal is a mobile phone with a curved screen that bends toward the right side. The first setting area and the second setting area are located on the right side of the mobile phone. The first setting area is located below the second setting area, and the second setting area has the function of a virtual home button. Figure 7 As shown, the process of switching applications includes the following steps:

[0156] Step 701: Receive a designated interaction instruction issued by the user by long pressing the virtual home button (trigger area) with a finger.

[0157] In step 702 , the vibration motor vibrates to provide feedback to the user, and the most recently used applications are displayed in the first setting area.

[0158] Step 703: Detecting an operation in which the user's finger slides from the trigger area along the side of the mobile phone and is lifted.

[0159] Step 704 : Acquire the application icon corresponding to the finger lift position, and determine the application corresponding to the icon as the target application selected by the user.

[0160] Step 705: Display the target application selected by the user on the mobile phone home screen.

[0161] It should be noted that, in the method of the present invention, when receiving a user's instruction, a sound may be emitted or a motor may vibrate to provide feedback to the user.

[0162] The present disclosure also provides an application interaction device, which is applied to a terminal, such as Figure 8 As shown, the device includes:

[0163] The receiving module 801 is configured to receive a user's designated interaction instruction;

[0164] The display module 802 is configured to display switchable applications in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen;

[0165] A determination module 803 is configured to determine a target application selected by the user from among the switchable applications;

[0166] The display module 802 is further configured to display the target application in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0167] In an optional implementation manner, the receiving module 801 is further configured to receive the user's specified interaction instruction in any of the following ways:

[0168] receiving the designated interaction instruction input by the user through a second setting area on the terminal screen;

[0169] The designated interaction instruction input by the user through voice is received.

[0170] In an optional implementation manner, the display module 802 is further configured to:

[0171] The icons of switchable applications are displayed in a set arrangement in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0172] In an optional embodiment, the display module 802 is further configured to display icons of switchable applications in the following manner:

[0173] Display the switchable applications in order of their usage frequencies; or

[0174] The switchable applications are displayed based on the ranking of intelligently recommended applications obtained through a network.

[0175] In an optional implementation manner, the determining module 803 is further configured to:

[0176] When a setting operation of a user on an application among the switchable applications is detected, the application targeted by the setting operation is determined as a target application selected by the user.

[0177] In an optional implementation manner, the setting operation includes any one of the following:

[0178] A click operation on the application icon, a press operation on the application icon, a finger lift operation on the application icon, an operation of pressing the application icon and sliding the application icon toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0179] In an optional implementation manner, the display module 802 is further configured to:

[0180] After displaying the switchable application in the first setting area of ​​the terminal screen, when detecting the user's pressing operation in the second setting area and sliding operation from the second setting area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0181] In an optional implementation manner, the display module 802 is further configured to:

[0182] Acquire a sliding distance of the sliding operation from the second set area toward the main screen area;

[0183] When the sliding distance is less than a set threshold, displaying the switchable application in the main screen area, and the size of the switchable application interface is proportional to the sliding distance;

[0184] When the sliding distance is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the switchable application is displayed in full screen on the main screen area.

[0185] In an optional implementation manner, the first setting area and / or the second setting area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0186] In an optional implementation, the first setting area is located on the main screen area.

[0187] In an optional implementation manner, the switchable application includes at least one of the following: an application selected based on a preset rule, an application selected based on user usage habits, and an application selected by the user.

[0188] Regarding the apparatus in the above embodiment, the specific manner in which each module performs operations has been described in detail in the embodiment of the method, and will not be elaborated here.

[0189] By adopting this method, the following beneficial effects can be achieved:

[0190] (1) By responding to the trigger operation of the trigger area on the side of the mobile phone, the user can quickly switch to different applications. This switching process is more in line with the user's usage habits, and the range of applications that can be quickly switched is wider. In most usage scenarios, it can replace the desktop launcher, thereby solving the problem of inconvenience in switching applications in the existing method, as well as the long delay in calling out applications or the complex operation process.

[0191] (2) The list of switchable applications can be generated based on user usage habits or intelligently recommended by the system, so that users can quickly switch to the required applications, making the user experience more convenient and efficient.

[0192] (3) The side of the mobile phone is located outside the main screen, and a part of the area can be fixed as a touch response area without affecting the normal use of the main screen. Therefore, this switching process does not occupy the main screen area and does not affect other operations. In addition, it provides users with multiple optional locations for operation, reducing user resistance and improving the user experience.

[0193] Figure 9 is a block diagram showing a device 900 for switching applications according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0194] Reference Figure 9 , the device 900 may include one or more of the following components: a processing component 902 , a memory 904 , a power component 906 , a multimedia component 908 , an audio component 910 , an input / output (I / O) interface 912 , a sensor component 914 , and a communication component 916 .

[0195] The processing component 902 generally controls the overall operation of the device 900, such as operations associated with display, phone calls, data communications, camera operation, and recording operations. The processing component 902 may include one or more processors 920 to execute instructions to perform all or part of the steps of the above-described method. In addition, the processing component 902 may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between the processing component 902 and other components. For example, the processing component 902 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between the multimedia component 908 and the processing component 902.

[0196] The memory 904 is configured to store various types of data to support the operations of the device 900. Examples of such data include instructions for any application or method operating on the device 900, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. The memory 904 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device, or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic memory, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0197] The power component 906 provides power to the various components of the device 900. The power component 906 may include a power management system, one or more power supplies, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to the device 900.

[0198] The multimedia component 908 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the device 900 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen can be implemented as a touch screen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touches, slides, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensor can not only sense the boundaries of the touch or slide action, but also detect the duration and pressure associated with the touch or slide operation. In some embodiments, the multimedia component 908 includes a front camera and / or a rear camera. When the device 900 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front camera and / or the rear camera can receive external multimedia data. Each front camera and rear camera can be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0199] The audio component 910 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component 910 includes a microphone (MIC), which is configured to receive external audio signals when the device 900 is in an operating mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode, and a voice recognition mode. The received audio signal can be further stored in the memory 904 or transmitted via the communication component 916. In some embodiments, the audio component 910 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0200] I / O interface 912 provides an interface between processing component 902 and peripheral interface modules, such as a keyboard, click wheel, buttons, etc. These buttons may include but are not limited to: a home button, volume buttons, a start button, and a lock button.

[0201] The sensor assembly 914 includes one or more sensors for providing various aspects of status assessment for the device 900. For example, the sensor assembly 914 can detect the open / closed state of the device 900, the relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of the device 900. The sensor assembly 914 can also detect changes in the position of the device 900 or a component of the device 900, the presence or absence of user contact with the device 900, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of the device 900, and temperature changes of the device 900. The sensor assembly 914 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. The sensor assembly 914 may also include a light sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly 914 may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0202] The communication component 916 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between the device 900 and other devices. The device 900 can access a wireless network based on a communication standard, such as WiFi, 2G or 3G, or a combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 916 receives a broadcast signal or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 916 also includes a near field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module can be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology and other technologies.

[0203] In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 900 may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the above-described method.

[0204] In an exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions is also provided, such as a memory 904 including instructions, and the instructions can be executed by the processor 920 of the apparatus 900 to perform the above method. For example, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can be a ROM, a random access memory (RAM), a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, etc.

[0205] A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, when instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of a mobile terminal, enables the mobile terminal to perform an application interaction method, the method comprising: receiving a user's specified interaction instruction; displaying a switchable application in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen; determining a target application selected by the user from the switchable application; and displaying the target application in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

[0206] Other embodiments of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

[0207] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exact construction described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An application interaction method, the method being applied to a terminal, characterized in that: The method comprises: Receive user-specified interaction instructions; Displaying switchable applications in a first setting area of ​​a terminal screen, wherein the first setting area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen; Determine a target application selected by the user among the switchable applications; displaying the target application in a main screen area of ​​the terminal screen, wherein the first setting area and the main screen area belong to different areas of the terminal screen; The determining of the target application selected by the user from the switchable applications includes: When detecting a setting operation of a user on one of the switchable applications, determining the application targeted by the setting operation as a target application selected by the user; The setting operation includes: sliding the user's finger downward from the trigger area along the side screen to obtain a finger lift operation of the application icon corresponding to the finger lift position; After displaying the switchable application in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen, the method further includes: When a pressing operation of the user in the second setting area and a sliding operation from the second setting area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen are detected, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen. When it is detected that the sliding operation is performed in the opposite direction, the switchable application is reduced to cancel in the main screen area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The receiving of a user's designated interaction instruction includes any one of the following: receiving the designated interaction instruction input by the user through a second setting area on the terminal screen; The designated interaction instruction input by the user through voice is received.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The displaying of switchable applications in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen includes: The icons of switchable applications are displayed in a set arrangement in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein The step of displaying icons of switchable applications in a set arrangement includes: Display the switchable applications in order of their usage frequencies; or The switchable applications are displayed based on the ranking of intelligently recommended applications obtained through a network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein The setting operation also includes any one of the following: A click operation on the application icon, a press operation on the application icon, an operation of pressing the application icon and sliding the application icon toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein Displaying the switchable application in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen includes: Acquire a sliding distance of the sliding operation from the second set area toward the main screen area; When the sliding distance is less than a set threshold, displaying the switchable application in the main screen area, and the size of the switchable application interface is proportional to the sliding distance; When the sliding distance is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the switchable application is displayed in full screen on the main screen area.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein The second setting area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first setting area is located on the main screen area.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein The switchable applications include at least one of the following: an application selected based on a preset rule, an application selected based on user usage habits, and an application selected by the user.

10. An application interaction device, said device being applied to a terminal, characterized in that: The device comprises: A receiving module is configured to receive a user's specified interaction instruction; A display module is configured to display switchable applications in a first set area of ​​a terminal screen, wherein the first set area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen; a determination module, configured to determine a target application selected by the user from among the switchable applications; The display module is further configured to display the target application in a main screen area of ​​the terminal screen, wherein the first setting area and the main screen area belong to different areas of the terminal screen; The determining module is further configured to: When detecting a setting operation of a user on one of the switchable applications, determining the application targeted by the setting operation as a target application selected by the user; The setting operation includes: sliding the user's finger downward from the trigger area along the side screen to obtain a finger lift operation of the application icon corresponding to the finger lift position; Wherein, the display module is further configured to: After a switchable application is displayed in a first set area of ​​the terminal screen, when a pressing operation of the user in a second set area and a sliding operation from the second set area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen are detected, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen, and when it is detected that the sliding operation is performed in the opposite direction, the switchable application is reduced to cancel in the main screen area.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein The receiving module is further configured to receive a user's specified interaction instruction in any of the following ways: receiving the designated interaction instruction input by the user through a second setting area on the terminal screen; The designated interaction instruction input by the user through voice is received.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein The display module is further configured to: The icons of switchable applications are displayed in a set arrangement in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein The display module is further configured to display icons of switchable applications in the following manner: Display the switchable applications in order of their usage frequencies; or The switchable applications are displayed based on the ranking of intelligently recommended applications obtained through a network.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein The setting operation also includes any one of the following: A click operation on the application icon, a press operation on the application icon, an operation of pressing the application icon and sliding the application icon toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein The display module is further configured to: Acquire a sliding distance of the sliding operation from the second set area toward the main screen area; When the sliding distance is less than a set threshold, displaying the switchable application in the main screen area, and the size of the switchable application interface is proportional to the sliding distance; When the sliding distance is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the switchable application is displayed in full screen on the main screen area.

16. The device according to claim 10, wherein The second setting area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen.

17. The device according to claim 10, wherein The first setting area is located on the main screen area.

18. The device according to claim 10, wherein The switchable applications include at least one of the following: an application selected based on a preset rule, an application selected based on user usage habits, and an application selected by the user.

19. An interactive device for an application, characterized in that: include: processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to implement the following steps when executing the executable instructions: Receive user-specified interaction instructions; Displaying switchable applications in a first setting area of ​​a terminal screen, wherein the first setting area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen; Determine a target application selected by the user among the switchable applications; displaying the target application in a main screen area of ​​the terminal screen, wherein the first setting area and the main screen area belong to different areas of the terminal screen; The determining of the target application selected by the user from the switchable applications includes: When detecting a setting operation of a user on one of the switchable applications, determining the application targeted by the setting operation as a target application selected by the user; The setting operation includes: sliding the user's finger downward from the trigger area along the side screen to obtain a finger lift operation of the application icon corresponding to the finger lift position; After displaying the switchable application in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen, the method further includes: When a pressing operation of the user in the second setting area and a sliding operation from the second setting area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen are detected, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen. When it is detected that the sliding operation is performed in the opposite direction, the switchable application is reduced to cancel in the main screen area.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein when instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of a device, the device is enabled to perform an application interaction method, the method comprising: Receive user-specified interaction instructions; Displaying switchable applications in a first setting area of ​​a terminal screen, wherein the first setting area is located in a side area of ​​the terminal screen; Determine a target application selected by the user among the switchable applications; displaying the target application in a main screen area of ​​the terminal screen, wherein the first setting area and the main screen area belong to different areas of the terminal screen; The determining of the target application selected by the user from the switchable applications includes: When detecting a setting operation of a user on one of the switchable applications, determining the application targeted by the setting operation as a target application selected by the user; The setting operation includes: sliding the user's finger downward from the trigger area along the side screen to obtain a finger lift operation of the application icon corresponding to the finger lift position; After displaying the switchable application in the first set area of ​​the terminal screen, the method further includes: When a pressing operation of the user in the second setting area and a sliding operation from the second setting area toward the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen are detected, the switchable application is displayed in the main screen area of ​​the terminal screen. When it is detected that the sliding operation is performed in the opposite direction, the switchable application is reduced to cancel in the main screen area.

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