Restricted multiple-application user experience via single-application mode

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor in a computerized device, perform a method for enabling single-application (SA) modes to provide a restricted multiple-application user experience, the method comprising:

• configuring, each of a plurality of restricted single-application (SA) applications stored in the media, with an SA mode, said SA mode:
• activating every time an SA application begins running on the processor;
• preventing all applications, aside from the running SA application, from running while the SA application is running;
• preventing the running SA application from exiting;
• and remaining active until the occurrence of a deactivation event, said deactivation event being one of a set of predetermined deactivation events, wherein the occurrence of a predetermined deactivation event deactivates the active SA mode of the running SA application;
• linking, at least a first SA application to a second SA application, in a manner that allows a user of the device to navigate from the first SA application to the second SA application without the entry of a password, the link enabling a multiple-application user experience while adhering to the restrictions of the SA modes of each SA application, said linking via the defining, in the first SA application, of a transfer event that is independent of the entry of a password, further defining said transfer event as a deactivation event, and, when said transfer event occurs during the running of said first SA application:
• deactivating the SA mode of the first SA application;
• exiting the first SA application from running;
• and navigating a user to the second SA application by calling the second SA application to run, whereupon the SA mode of the called SA application is activated;
• configuring one of the plurality of SA applications as a dashboard application, and the remaining SA applications as peripheral applications;
• defining, in the dashboard application, in addition to at least one transfer event, an escape event that involves the entry of a password, further defining said escape event as a deactivation event, and, when said escape event occurs during the running of the dashboard application, deactivating the SA mode of the dashboard application, said deactivation of the SA mode terminating the restricted experience and enabling a user to exit the dashboard application and call an unrestricted application to run, said unrestricted application being an application unrestricted by an SA mode;
• and minimizing a risk of an unrestricted application running during a handoff state in a transfer, said transfer being when the transfer event of a first SA application occurs during the running of the first SA application and a user is navigated to a second SA application, and said handoff state being after the SA mode of the first SA application deactivates and before the SA mode of the second SA application activates, wherein said minimizing the risk comprises configuring the processor to sequentially execute computer-executable instructions to activate the SA mode of the second SA application immediately following execution of computer-executable instructions to deactivate the SA mode of the first SA application and exit the first SA application.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor on a computer system, perform a method for enabling a single-application (SA) mode to provide a restricted multiple-application user experience, the method comprising:

• configuring one of a plurality of applications stored on the media as a dashboard application, and a plurality of the remaining applications stored on the media as nested applications;
• configuring the dashboard application with a nested SA mode, said nested SA mode:
• activating every time the dashboard application begins running on the processor;
• preventing all applications, aside from the dashboard application, from running independently while the dashboard application is running;
• allowing only the predetermined nested applications to run within the dashboard application;
• preventing the dashboard application from exiting;
• and remaining active until an occurrence of an escape event, the escape event involving an entry of a password, said escape event predetermined by the dashboard application, the occurrence of the predetermined escape event of the dashboard application during the running of the dashboard application, deactivating the nested SA mode of the dashboard application, said deactivation of the nested SA mode terminating the restricted experience and enabling a user to exit the dashboard application and call an unrestricted application to run, said unrestricted application being an application unrestricted by a nested SA mode, wherein the entry of the password is in response to a password prompt, said password prompt that is displayed in response to a predetermined gesture, and said gesture includes:
• pressing a physical button or a predetermined location on a touchscreen for a predetermined duration of time;
• or receiving a predetermined voice command via a microphone.