Application Window Management With Grouped Identifiers for Faster Discovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multi-task management services in intelligent terminals cannot enable users to intuitively determine the number of application windows belonging to each application or quickly view all application windows corresponding to an application with multiple windows.

Innovation Solution

The method involves displaying a multi-window identifier at a preset location on application windows belonging to applications with multiple open windows, allowing users to trigger this identifier to view all application windows corresponding to that application on the multi-task management interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all application windows are displayed on the multi-task management interface, then users can view all running applications, but users cannot intuitively determine the number of application windows belonging to each application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about number of application windowsVSAvoidmulti-task management interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the application windows into groups based on their belonging to the same application. By introducing a multi-window identifier that groups windows belonging to the same application, the interface organizes information hierarchically - first by application, then by individual window. This segmentation allows users to intuitively determine the number of windows per application through the grouped display structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a multi-window identifier as an intermediary element between the application window and the user. This identifier acts as a mediator that conveys the relationship between multiple windows and their parent application, enabling users to understand the window-count information without requiring complex interface changes or additional data display mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If all application windows are displayed individually, then users can see all running applications, but users cannot quickly view all application windows corresponding to a specific application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime to find and view application windowsVSAvoidsearch efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary organization of application windows by application before the user needs to search for them. The multi-window identifier is pre-displayed on each window, pre-grouping them by application. This preliminary action eliminates the need for users to manually search through all windows, as the grouping structure is already in place and ready for quick access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the application window structure through the multi-window identifier. This identifier serves as a visual copy that represents the entire group of windows belonging to an application, allowing users to quickly identify and access all windows for a specific application without having to individually examine each window.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If applications with multiple windows are marked with an identifier, then users can intuitively learn the quantity of windows, but the interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser intuition about window quantityVSAvoidinterface structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the local quality principle by placing the multi-window identifier only on specific elements (application windows that belong to applications with multiple windows) rather than uniformly across the entire interface. This localized application of the identifier provides the necessary information where it is most needed - on the windows themselves - without cluttering the entire interface with redundant information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12346557B2Application window management method, terminal device, and computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.07.01 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A method is disclosed including displaying, on a multi-task management interface, M application windows opened in a full-screen mode, where M is an integer greater than 2, 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 of the M application windows, 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 the first application corresponding to the triggered multi-window identifier.