Application Window Grouping for Faster Multitask Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multi-task management services on intelligent terminals fail to enable users to intuitively determine the number of application windows corresponding to each application and quickly view all application windows for applications with multiple windows.

Innovation Solution

Display a multi-window identifier at a preset location of application windows to indicate if they belong to multiple windows, allowing users to trigger and view all windows corresponding to that identifier.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If all application windows are displayed independently on the multi-task management interface, then each application window can be accessed individually, but users cannot intuitively determine the number of windows per application and cannot quickly view all windows for a specific application

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of identifying window quantity and accessing multiple windowsVSAvoidloss of information about window quantity and application grouping
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the display by introducing visual grouping elements (such as icons or markers) that categorize application windows by their corresponding applications. This segmentation allows users to visually distinguish between different applications and immediately perceive the quantity of windows per application through the grouped display structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary visual element (the grouping icon or marker) between the application window and the application identity. This intermediary element serves as a mediator that conveys both the application association and the window quantity information, enabling users to quickly identify window quantities and access all windows for a specific application without examining each window individually.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If application windows are displayed without grouping indicators, then the interface remains simple, but users experience difficulty in quickly finding and viewing all windows for a specific application

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproductivity in searching and viewing application windowsVSAvoidcomplexity of the multi-task management interface
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by adding grouping indicators only at specific locations where application windows are displayed, rather than fundamentally redesigning the entire interface. The indicators are placed locally at the window group level, providing just enough information for quick identification and access without adding unnecessary complexity throughout the entire system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-grouping application windows by their corresponding applications and pre-marking the window quantity through visual indicators before the user needs to search for a specific application. This preliminary organization eliminates the need for users to manually search through all windows, significantly improving productivity while maintaining interface simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4597280A1Application window management method, terminal device, and computer-readable storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4597280A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4597280A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4597280A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An application window management method, a terminal device, and a storage medium are provided. The application window management method includes: displaying, on a multi-task management interface, an application window corresponding to an application in a running state (S31); displaying, at a second preset location of an application window corresponding to a first application, a multi-window identifier corresponding to the first application, where the first application is an application that corresponds to at least two application windows and that is in the application in a running state (S32); and if it is detected that any one of the multi-window identifiers is triggered, displaying, on the multi-task management interface, all application windows corresponding to only a first application corresponding to the triggered multi-window identifier (S33). Therefore, a user can intuitively learn a quantity of application windows corresponding to an application to which each application window belongs. In addition, the user can quickly view, by triggering the multi-window identifier, all application windows corresponding to the first application corresponding to the multi-window identifier triggered by the user.