U.S. patent application number 12/972967 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-21 for application-launching interface for multiple modes.
This patent application is currently assigned to MICROSOFT CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Varun Bahl, Benjamin A. Betz, Rebecca Deutsch, Marina Dukhon, Jeffrey S. Miller, Patrice L. Miner.
Application Number | 20120159395 12/972967 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46236183 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120159395 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Deutsch; Rebecca ; et
al. |
June 21, 2012 |
APPLICATION-LAUNCHING INTERFACE FOR MULTIPLE MODES
Abstract
This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling an
application-launching interface for multiple modes. This interface
enables a user to quickly and easily select to launch applications
associated with different modes. A user may avoid wading through
multiple interfaces, making multiple selections, and/or a cognitive
load associated with deciding on a mode with which to interact.
Inventors: |
Deutsch; Rebecca; (Seattle,
WA) ; Dukhon; Marina; (Kirkland, WA) ; Bahl;
Varun; (Jersey City, NJ) ; Miner; Patrice L.;
(Kirkland, WA) ; Miller; Jeffrey S.; (Woodinville,
WA) ; Betz; Benjamin A.; (Redmond, WA) |
Assignee: |
MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Redmond
WA
|
Family ID: |
46236183 |
Appl. No.: |
12/972967 |
Filed: |
December 20, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/835 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 9/445 20130101;
G06F 9/451 20180201; G06F 3/04842 20130101; G06F 3/04886 20130101;
G06F 3/04845 20130101; G06F 3/0481 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/835 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/048 20060101
G06F003/048 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: presenting, in a
single user interface and at a one time, labels associated with
applications of two different modes, the labels intermixed within
the single user interface; and responsive to a single selection,
causing one of the applications to launch within its respective
mode.
2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein
another of the applications is currently-executing and further
comprising, responsive to another single selection of a label
associated with the other, currently-executing application,
presenting the other, currently-executing application within its
respective mode.
3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein
the single selection is a single mouse click, gesture, or hot key
and the single selection is the same to launch applications of the
two different modes.
4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein a
first of the two different modes is a windows-based mode and a
second of the two different modes is an immersive mode.
5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein
at least one of the labels includes an indicator indicating which
of the two different modes the application will be launched
responsive to the single selection.
6. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein:
presenting labels presents at least some of the labels in a group,
the labels in the group associated with applications of the two
different modes; the single selection is selection of the group;
and causing one of the applications to launch launches all of the
applications of the group responsive to the single selection of the
group.
7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein
the labels in the group are included in the group responsive to
explicit selection to group the labels, the explicit selection
received through the single user interface.
8. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein
the labels in the group are included in the group based on a
history of prior selections received through the single user
interface.
9. A computer-implemented method comprising: presenting, in a
single user interface, selectable labels associated with
applications, at least one of the applications associated with a
windows-based mode and at least one of the applications associated
with an immersive mode, and a selectable group associated with two
or more grouped applications, at least one of the grouped
applications associated with the windows-based mode and at least
one of the grouped applications associated with the immersive mode;
and responsive to selection of one of the selectable labels,
causing the selected application associated with the selected label
to launch within its respective mode, or responsive to selection of
the selectable group, causing the grouped applications to launch
within their respective modes, or enabling selection of each of the
grouped applications and, responsive to selection of a selected
grouped application, causing the selected grouped application to
launch in its respective mode.
10. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, wherein
the selection is of the selectable group and the method causes the
grouped applications to launch within their respective modes, and
further comprising causing the applications to be presented in both
modes at a same time.
11. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, further
comprising, prior to the act of presenting the selectable group,
enabling selection of selectable labels to be placed into the
group.
12. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, further
comprising launching the grouped applications responsive to login,
resume from a low-power mode, a user-configured trigger, a pre-set
time, or movement of a computing device that presents the
selectable labels.
13. A computer-implemented method comprising: presenting selectable
labels associated with applications, at least one of the
applications associated with a windows-based mode and at least one
of the applications associated with an immersive mode; and
responsive to selection of a selectable label, causing the selected
application associated with the selected label to be launched
within its respective mode.
14. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein
the selected application is associated with the windows-based mode
and causing the selected application to be launched launches the
selected application within the windows-based mode in a window
having a frame, the frame having controls for moving or sizing the
window.
15. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein
the selected application is associated with the immersive mode and
causing the selected application to be launched launches the
selected application within the immersive mode.
16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein
at least one of the selectable labels include an indicator
indicating the mode in which the application will be launched.
17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein
the selection of the selectable label is a single mouse click,
gesture, or hot key.
18. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, further
comprising enabling a same type of selection to select the at least
one of the applications associated with a windows-based mode and
the at least one of the applications associated with an immersive
mode.
19. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein
the selected application is associated with both the windows-based
mode and the immersive mode, further comprising determining which
of the modes in which to launch the selection application, and
wherein causing the selected application to be launched launches
the selected application within the determined mode.
20. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein
the selected application is a first selected application and its
respective mode is a first respective mode, and further comprising,
responsive to selection of a second selectable label, causing a
second selected application associated with the second selected
label to be launched within its second respective mode.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Many conventional application-launching interfaces permit
users to launch applications into a windows-based mode. Most
windows-based modes present a launched application with a frame
having controls for interacting with the application as well as
controls for moving, sizing, or otherwise managing the layout of
the window frame. This window frame, however, occupies part of a
display that might otherwise be dedicated to the application's
content. If a user wishes to launch an application into an
immersive or other non-windows-based mode, such as to avoid a
window frame, the user typically first selects to launch a
secondary launching application from within the conventional
interface, waits for the secondary launching application to launch
within the windows-based mode, views other applications within the
secondary launching application's window frame, selects one of
these other applications, and then waits for that other application
to be launched within the non-windows-based mode.
[0002] Some other conventional application-launching interfaces
permit users to launch applications directly into an immersive
mode. These other conventional application-launching interfaces,
however, launch applications only into the immersive mode. Most
immersive modes permit a user to view and interact with more of an
application's content than that of the windows-based mode, though
they lack much of the flexibility permitted by the windows-based
mode.
SUMMARY
[0003] This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling
an application-launching interface for multiple modes. This
interface enables a user to avoid having to use multiple
interfaces, make numerous selections, or know where and how to
launch applications into different modes.
[0004] This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts
for an application-launching interface for multiple modes that are
further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary
is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed
subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope
of the claimed subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Embodiments of techniques and apparatuses for an
application-launching interface for multiple modes are described
with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are used
throughout the drawings to reference like features and
components:
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system in which techniques
enabling an application-launching interface for multiple modes can
be implemented.
[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates an example method enabling an
application-launching interface for multiple modes.
[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates an example application-launching
interface having selectable labels for various applications of
different modes.
[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates the example application-launching
interface of FIG. 3 along with an example gesture selection of a
selectable label associated with an immersive-mode application.
[0010] FIG. 5 illustrates the immersive-mode application of FIG. 4
launched into an immersive mode.
[0011] FIG. 6 illustrates an example application-launching
interface having two selectable groups of applications.
[0012] FIG. 7 illustrates an example display split into two
portions, one portion having an immersive mode and the other having
a windows-based mode in which applications selected through the
application-launching interface of FIG. 6 are presented.
[0013] FIG. 8 illustrates an example application-launching
interface having selectable labels for groups of applications and
presentation of selectable labels for applications of a selected
group.
[0014] FIG. 9 illustrates an example device in which techniques
enabling an application-launching interface for multiple modes can
be implemented.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview
[0015] This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling
an application-launching interface for multiple modes. This
interface enables a user to quickly and easily select to launch
applications associated with different modes. A user may avoid
wading through multiple interfaces, making multiple selections,
and/or a cognitive load associated with deciding on a mode with
which to interact.
[0016] Assume, for example, that a user wishes to begin her workday
with four applications, two of which are windows-based and two of
which are immersive. Conventional techniques may require her to
select a windows-based application-launching interface, select to
launch the first of the two windows-based applications, wait for it
to launch, then return to the interface, select to launch the
second of the two windows-based applications, and then wait for the
second application to launch. With these two launched, the user
then either opens an immersive application-launching interface or
launches an application or secondary launching interface through
the windows-based application-launching interface. In either case,
the user then selects a first of the two immersive applications,
waits for it to launch, returns to the immersive
application-launching interface (or windows-based application
capable of launching into the immersive mode), selects the second
application, and then waits for the second application to
launch.
[0017] As is readily apparent, this is time consuming for the user.
It also requires the user to know from which of the interfaces or
launch-capable applications to launch the four applications. This
knowledge is an example of cognitive load, which is often
considered a factor contributing to a poor user experience.
[0018] The techniques, however, permit the user to select to launch
all four applications through a single interface, thereby reducing
the user's cognitive load and effort. Furthermore, the techniques
also permit selection of each application with a single selection
or even, in some cases, multiple applications with a single
selection, thereby significantly reducing the time and/or cognitive
load needed to launch applications.
Example System
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 in which techniques
enabling an application-launching interface for multiple modes can
be embodied. System 100 includes a computing device 102, which is
illustrated with six examples: a laptop computer 104, a tablet
computer 106, a smart phone 108, a set-top box 110, a desktop
computer 112, and a gaming device 114, though other computing
devices and systems, such as servers and netbooks, may also be
used.
[0020] Computing device 102 includes computer processor(s) 116 and
computer-readable storage media 118 (media 118). Media 118 includes
an operating system 120, windows-based mode module 122, immersive
mode module 124, launcher 126, and applications 128, each of which
may provide content 130. Computing device 102 also includes or has
access to one or more displays 132, four examples of which are
illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0021] Windows-based mode module 122 presents at least some of
applications 128 and accompanying content 130 through windows
having frames. These frames may provide controls through which to
interact with an application and/or controls enabling a user to
move and size the window.
[0022] Immersive mode module 124 provides a mode by which a user
may view and interact with one or more of applications 128 and
corresponding content 130. In some embodiments, this mode presents
content of, and enables interaction with, applications with little
or no window frame and/or without a need for a user to manually
size or position content. This mode can be, but is not required to
be, hosted and/or surfaced without use of a typical desktop (e.g.,
windows-based) mode. Thus, in some cases immersive mode module 124
presents an immersive mode that is not a window (even one without a
substantial frame) and precludes usage of desktop-like displays
(e.g., a taskbar). Further still, in some embodiments this
immersive mode is similar to an operating system in that it is not
closeable or capable of being un-installed. Examples of immersive
modes are provided below as part of describing the techniques,
though they are not exhaustive or intended to limit the
techniques.
[0023] Launcher 126 provides an application-launching interface
that permits selection to launch applications of different modes,
such as windows-based and immersive modes, though other modes are
also permitted. In some embodiments, launcher 126 permits selection
to present applications that are currently executing. Thus,
launcher 126 can enable a user to select applications of different
modes to launch into a respective mode or to be presented in a
respective mode, based on whether the applications is not or is
currently executing, respectively. Note that a user may or may not
be aware of which applications are currently executing and may not
notice a difference between selecting an application that is or is
not executing, as in both cases the application is shown in its
respective mode responsive to being selected.
[0024] Operating system 120, mode modules 122 and 124, and launcher
126 can be separate from each other or combined or integrated in
some form. Thus, in some cases operating system 120 includes mode
modules 122 and 124 and launcher 126.
Example Methods
[0025] FIG. 2 depicts a method 200 for an application-launching
interface for multiple modes. This method is shown as a set of
blocks that specify operations performed but is not necessarily
limited to the order shown for performing the operations by the
respective blocks. In portions of the following discussion
reference may be made to system 100 of FIG. 1, reference to which
is made for example only.
[0026] Block 202 presents, in a single user interface and/or at one
time, labels associated with applications of two different modes.
These different modes may include windows-based and immersive
modes, though other modes are also permitted by the techniques.
Each label is associated with an application and indicates this
association, such as with a graphic or textual descriptor.
Applications are selectable, in some cases, through these labels,
such as through a mouse click or gesture (e.g., through a
touch-screen implementation of display 130). In some cases,
however, the applications are selectable as a group and/or through
a hot key or other selection manner other than directly through a
label.
[0027] Consider example application-launching interface 300 of FIG.
3, which illustrates selectable labels for various application of
different modes. Here launcher 126 of FIG. 1 provides interface 300
having 15 selectable labels associated with applications of two
modes--a windows-based mode and an immersive mode.
[0028] Note that applications of these different modes are
intermixed within interface 300, namely immersive-mode applications
having labels 302, 304, and 306 and windows-based-mode applications
have labels 308, 310, and 312. Further, consider in greater detail
label 308, which illustrates optional windows indicator 314 and
immersive indicator 316. Optional indicators 314 and 316 are
completely optional. These indicators do not need to be presented
within interface 300.
[0029] While not shown in interface 300 (except in label 308), any
of the labels of interface 300 may include an indicator showing
which mode into which they will be launched on selection. This is
of interest to some users but not others. Further still,
applications that are currently executing and not currently
executing may also be intermixed and optionally include an
indicator showing whether they are executing. As noted above,
launcher 126 enables selection of executing and non-executing
application through a same interface, either differently or with a
same type of selection.
[0030] In some example cases, an application may be launched into
multiple modes. A mode for launch may be selected by launcher 126
by default, though it may also enable a user to select which mode,
here by selecting one of indicators 314 or 316. This is but one
example of ways in which a single selection may launch an
application differently based on that selection.
[0031] Block 204 receives a selection. As noted, selection of one
or more applications can be made in various manners, including a
single selection to launch one application or even a single
selection to launch multiple applications. Continuing the ongoing
example, consider selection of the immersive-mode application
associated with label 304 of FIG. 3. Selection here is received
through a gesture 402 shown in FIG. 4. Note that this single
selection made through gesture 402 selects the content that is to
be displayed when the application is launched. This is another
example of reducing a user's effort and cognitive load, in this
case by launching directly to desired content.
[0032] Block 206, responsive to selection, causes the selected
application(s) to launch within respective mode(s). Before
proceeding to cover launching multiple applications with a single
selection, consider the ongoing embodiment in which a user
selected, through gesture 402 of selectable label 304 associated
with the application, to launch this "News" application. As noted,
this application is associated with an immersive mode. Thus, in
response to receiving the gesture, launcher 126 causes the News
application to launch. Here launcher 126 does so by passing this
selection on to immersive mode module 124. Immersive mode module
124 launches the News application. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of
this launch on display 500 into immersive mode 502 with content 504
of the News application. The News application is one example of
applications 128, display 500 of display 132, and content 504 of
content 130, all of FIGS. 1 and 5.
[0033] By way of another example, consider a second selection
through interface 300, this selection through the same gesture as
illustrated in FIG. 4 but selecting instead a word-processing
application associated with a windows-based mode and selected
through windows-based label 310 of FIG. 3 (selection not shown).
Responsive to receiving this selection, launcher 126 launches the
word-processing application into a windows-based mode by passing
this selection to windows-based mode module 122 of FIG. 1. Note
that applications of different modes are selectable through the
same type of selection, though this is not required. Doing so
permits a user to avoid the cognitive load of having to know two
different selection manners for these two different modes. The
windows-based mode is not illustrated for this example but is
illustrated later below in the context of launching multiple
applications with a single selection.
[0034] Launcher 126 may also or instead present labels in groups
and/or enable selection of multiple applications. Note that these
groups and selection of multiple applications through a single
selection is completely optional. Consider application-launching
interface 600 of FIG. 6. In this case, launcher 126 (performing
block 202 of FIG. 2), presents interface 600 having two selectable
groups of applications, a "Work" group shown at 602 and a "Play"
group shown at 604. The applications associated with each of these
groups may be determined based on a user's selection or history, to
name a few. A user's history can include how often, when, and how
applications are used, for example. In this illustration, the
applications are grouped based on a user's explicit selection to
create these groups, which may be enabled by launcher 126 through a
graphical selection of labels to create a group.
[0035] Group 602 includes four selectable labels 606, 608, 610, and
612 associated with four applications, two of which are
windows-based and two of which are immersive. Group 604 includes
seven selectable labels 614, 616, 618, 620, 622, and 624 associated
with seven applications, one of which is windows based and six of
which are immersive. Thus, each of these groups 602, 604 includes
at least one application associated with each of both different
modes and presents them intermixed, in a same interface, and at a
same time.
[0036] Continuing this example, launcher 126 receives a gesture
selection 626 to the Work group 602 made to a non-label area 628.
At block 206, launcher 126 causes all of the applications in the
group to be launched with this single selection. Here launcher 126
causes these launches with a command to launch each application
made to each application's respective mode module (windows-based
mode module 122 or immersive mode module 124 of FIG. 1). These
multiple application launches into multiple modes are illustrated
in FIG. 7, which provides example display 700 split into two
portions, one for the immersive applications at 702 and the other
for the windows-based applications at 704. Note that in this
example the two windows-based applications are launched, though one
is launched with content and the other is launched but awaits
selection to present content. Similarly, both immersive
applications are launched with one presenting content and the other
awaiting further selection.
[0037] Other manners of presenting applications responsive to
selection through the interface are also possible, such as
presenting one mode but launching applications of two modes,
launching applications of one mode and presenting just that mode
and, responsive to a selection to switch to the other mode,
automatically launching the other applications and presenting the
other mode. In some cases a group permits still other functions,
such as selection by a user to automatically launch applications of
a group without further user selection but responsive to some
change.
[0038] Thus, launcher 126 may automatically launch applications
(e.g., those of work group 602 or play group 604) responsive to
numerous conditions, such as a user logging into computing device
102 on a weekday or on a weekend. Other conditions include, by way
of example and not limitation, resuming computing device 102 from a
low-power mode (e.g., sleep or hibernation), movement of computing
device 102 (e.g., to a docking station at work or within range of a
wireless network at home), a user-configured trigger (e.g., an
event capable of being tracked or received by computing device
102), and a pre-set time (e.g., 9 am).
[0039] By way of still another example, consider a different type
of selection of a group, this time through application-launching
interface 800 of FIG. 8. In this example, interface 800 presents
labels 802 and 804 for selecting groups, here label 802 for Work
group 602 and label 804 for Play group 604 of FIG. 6. As noted
above, launcher 126 may launch all of the applications of Work
group 602 with a single selection. Here launcher 126 may do so
without explicitly showing labels associated with all of those
applications. Thus, selection of label 802 may cause all
applications of the Work group 602 to launch. Alternatively,
selection of a group label may instead present all of the labels of
the applications. In this alternate embodiment, launcher 126
presents selectable labels associated with applications of Work
group 602 at 806 responsive to selection 808 shown in FIG. 8. With
these presented, selection of one, multiple, or all of the
applications may be made as noted above.
[0040] The preceding discussion describes methods in which the
techniques may operate to enable an application-launching interface
for multiple modes. Aspects of these methods may be implemented in
hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), firmware, software, manual
processing, or any combination thereof A software implementation
represents program code that performs specified tasks when executed
by a computer processor. The example methods may be described in
the general context of computer-executable instructions, which can
include software, applications, routines, programs, objects,
components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions, and
the like. The program code can be stored in one or more
computer-readable memory devices, both local and/or remote to a
computer processor. The methods may also be practiced in a
distributed computing mode by multiple computing devices. Further,
the features described herein are platform-independent and can be
implemented on a variety of computing platforms having a variety of
processors.
[0041] These techniques may be embodied on one or more of the
entities shown in environment 100 of FIG. 1 and/or example device
900 described below, which may be further divided, combined, and so
on. Thus, environment 100 and/or device 900 illustrate some of many
possible systems or apparatuses capable of employing the described
techniques. The entities of environment 100 and/or device 900
generally represent software, firmware, hardware, whole devices or
networks, or a combination thereof In the case of a software
implementation, for instance, the entities (e.g., launcher 126,
mode modules 122 and 124) represent program code that performs
specified tasks when executed on a processor (e.g., processor(s)
116). The program code can be stored in one or more
computer-readable memory devices, such as computer-readable storage
media 118 or computer-readable media 914 of FIG. 9. The features
and techniques described herein are platform-independent, meaning
that they may be implemented on a variety of commercial computing
platforms having a variety of processors.
Example Device
[0042] FIG. 9 illustrates various components of example device 900
that can be implemented as any type of client, server, and/or
computing device as described with reference to the previous FIGS.
1-8 to implement techniques enabling an application-launching
interface for multiple modes. In embodiments, device 900 can be
implemented as one or a combination of a wired and/or wireless
device, as a form of television client device (e.g., television
set-top box, digital video recorder (DVR), etc.), consumer device,
computer device, server device, portable computer device, user
device, communication device, video processing and/or rendering
device, appliance device, gaming device, electronic device, and/or
as another type of device. Device 900 may also be associated with a
user (e.g., a person) and/or an entity that operates the device
such that a device describes logical devices that include users,
software, firmware, and/or a combination of devices.
[0043] Device 900 includes communication devices 902 that enable
wired and/or wireless communication of device data 904 (e.g.,
received data, data that is being received, data scheduled for
broadcast, data packets of the data, etc.). The device data 904 or
other device content can include configuration settings of the
device, media content stored on the device, and/or information
associated with a user of the device. Media content stored on
device 900 can include any type of audio, video, and/or image data.
Device 900 includes one or more data inputs 906 via which any type
of data, media content, and/or inputs can be received, such as
user-selectable inputs, messages, music, television media content,
recorded video content, and any other type of audio, video, and/or
image data received from any content and/or data source.
[0044] Device 900 also includes communication interfaces 908, which
can be implemented as any one or more of a serial and/or parallel
interface, a wireless interface, any type of network interface, a
modem, and as any other type of communication interface. The
communication interfaces 908 provide a connection and/or
communication links between device 900 and a communication network
by which other electronic, computing, and communication devices
communicate data with device 900.
[0045] Device 900 includes one or more processors 910 (e.g., any of
microprocessors, controllers, and the like), which process various
computer-executable instructions to control the operation of device
900 and to enabling an application-launching interface for multiple
modes. Alternatively or in addition, device 900 can be implemented
with any one or combination of hardware, firmware, or fixed logic
circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and
control circuits which are generally identified at 912. Although
not shown, device 900 can include a system bus or data transfer
system that couples the various components within the device. A
system bus can include any one or combination of different bus
structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral
bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that
utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures.
[0046] Device 900 also includes computer-readable storage media
914, such as one or more memory devices that enable persistent
and/or non-transitory data storage (i.e., in contrast to mere
signal transmission), examples of which include random access
memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., any one or more of a
read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a
disk storage device. A disk storage device may be implemented as
any type of magnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk
drive, a recordable and/or rewriteable compact disc (CD), any type
of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like. Device 900 can
also include a mass storage media device 916.
[0047] Computer-readable storage media 914 provides data storage
mechanisms to store the device data 904, as well as various device
applications 918 and any other types of information and/or data
related to operational aspects of device 900. For example, an
operating system 920 can be maintained as a computer application
with the computer-readable storage media 914 and executed on
processors 910. The device applications 918 may include a device
manager, such as any form of a control application, software
application, signal-processing and control module, code that is
native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a
particular device, and so on.
[0048] The device applications 918 also include any system
components or modules to implement techniques enabling an
application-launching interface for multiple modes. In this
example, the device applications 918 can include windows-based mode
module 122, immersive mode module 124, and launcher 126.
CONCLUSION
[0049] Although embodiments of techniques and apparatuses enabling
an application-launching interface for multiple modes have been
described in language specific to features and/or methods, it is to
be understood that the subject of the appended claims is not
necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described.
Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example
implementations for application-launching interface for multiple
modes.
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