Portable Device Banner Region for Background App Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Background applications on portable electronic devices consume processing resources, leading to sluggish performance and reduced battery life.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that manage processing resources by creating a banner region on the device's display, allowing users to interact with and close background applications, thereby reducing resource usage through user input and animations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple applications are processed in the background, then application functionality and user convenience are improved, but device performance becomes sluggish and battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts background applications from the main processing environment and places them in a suspended state with minimal resource allocation. By taking out these applications and isolating them in a banner region with restricted access to processing resources, the system maintains their functionality while eliminating their negative impact on overall device performance and battery consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple applications are processed in the background, then application functionality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by allowing background applications to execute only at specific intervals when activated by user interaction with the banner region. Instead of continuous execution, applications are periodically activated based on user needs, thereby maintaining functionality while dramatically reducing energy consumption during idle periods.
3Ease of operation
If background applications are allowed to run, then user convenience is improved, but device responsiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-loading applications into the banner region in a suspended state before they are needed. This allows applications to be readily available for quick activation without requiring full initialization or resource allocation at the moment of use, thereby maintaining user convenience while preserving device responsiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus managing processing resources in a portable electronic device are provided. An area of the display device is controlled to provide a banner region comprising device state data, the area of the display device enabled to receive focus using an input device. While focus is in the banner region, first input data is receiving, and the display device is responsively controlled to provide in the banner region an indication of the first application, replacing the device state data. Further input data is received while the indication of the first application is provided in the banner region. In response and, in response, at least one of the following occurs: the first application is brought to the foreground by controlling the display device to provide a representation of the first application; and the first application is closed such that resources used by the processing unit are reduced.