# US 12,112,034 B2 · Devices and methods for interacting with an application switching user interface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,112,034 B2 - Document ID: US12112034B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/388,174 - Filed: 2023-11-08 - Published: 2024-02-29 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-03 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Marcos Alonso Ruiz; Chanaka G. Karunamuni; Brandon M. Walkin; Shubham Kedia - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112034B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/0483: Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - G06F 9/445: Program loading or initiating (bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57) - G06F 9/451: Execution arrangements for user interfaces - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract While user interface objects that correspond to different applications are concurrently displayed at respective depths, with a background located behind the user interface objects visible via a display, a user input including a movement is detected. In response to the user input, if the input is directed to a first user interface object and the movement meets first criteria, the computer system maintains display of the second user interface object while the background remains visible, and ceases to display the first user interface object; and if the input is directed to the second user interface object and the movement meets first criteria, the computer system maintains display of the first user interface object while the background remains visible, and ceases to display the second user interface object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: at a computer system that is in communication with a display generation component and one or more sensors for detecting user inputs: while a first user interface object that corresponds to a first application and a second user interface object that corresponds to a second application are concurrently displayed at respective depths, and at least a first portion of a background that is located behind the first user interface object and the second user interface object is visible via the display generation component, detecting, via the one or more sensors, a first user input that includes a first movement; in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets first criteria: maintaining display of the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application while at least the first portion of the background remains visible via the display generation component; and ceasing to display the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application; and in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application and that the first movement meets the first criteria: maintaining display of the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application while at least the first portion of the background remains visible via the display generation component; and ceasing to display the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is not directed to the first user interface object and the second user interface object and that the first movement meets the first criteria, ceasing to display the first user interface object and the second user interface object and displaying a first system user interface that includes respective application icons corresponding to a plurality of applications. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets the first criteria, moving the first user interface object in accordance with a first portion of the first movement, while maintaining a position of the second user interface object relative to the background; and in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application and that the first movement meets the first criteria, moving the second user interface object in accordance with a second portion of the first movement, while maintaining a position of the first user interface object relative to the background. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application is displayed at a first depth and the first user interface object that corresponds to the second application is displayed at a second depth that is different from the first depth, relative to the first portion of the background that is visible via the display generation component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets second criteria that are different from the first criteria, moving the first user interface object in accordance with a third portion of the first movement to review a portion of a third user interface object that corresponds to a third application. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the first criteria require that the first movement meets a first directional criterion in order for the first criteria to be met, and wherein the second criteria require that the first movement meets a second directional criteria different from the first directional criterion in order for the second criteria to be met. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application includes a respective identifier of the first application and respective content from the first application, and wherein the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application includes a respective identifier of the second application and respective content from the second application. ### Claim 8 A computer system, comprising: a display generation component; one or more sensors for detecting user inputs; one or more processors; and memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: while a first user interface object that corresponds to a first application and a second user interface object that corresponds to a second application are concurrently displayed at respective depths, and at least a first portion of a background that is located behind the first user interface object and the second user interface object is visible via the display generation component, detecting, via the one or more sensors, a first user input that includes a first movement; in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets first criteria: maintaining display of the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application while at least the first portion of the background remains visible via the display generation component; and ceasing to display the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application; and in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application and that the first movement meets the first criteria: maintaining display of the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application while at least the first portion of the background remains visible via the display generation component; and ceasing to display the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the operations include: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is not directed to the first user interface object and the second user interface object and that the first movement meets the first criteria, ceasing to display the first user interface object and the second user interface object and displaying a first system user interface that includes respective application icons corresponding to a plurality of applications. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the operations include: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets the first criteria, moving the first user interface object in accordance with a first portion of the first movement, while maintaining a position of the second user interface object relative to the background; and in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application and that the first movement meets the first criteria, moving the second user interface object in accordance with a second portion of the first movement, while maintaining a position of the first user interface object relative to the background. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application is displayed at a first depth and the first user interface object that corresponds to the second application is displayed at a second depth that is different from the first depth, relative to the first portion of the background that is visible via the display generation component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the operations include: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets second criteria that are different from the first criteria, moving the first user interface object in accordance with a third portion of the first movement to review a portion of a third user interface object that corresponds to a third application. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer system of claim 12, wherein the first criteria require that the first movement meets a first directional criterion in order for the first criteria to be met, and wherein the second criteria require that the first movement meets a second directional criteria different from the first directional criterion in order for the second criteria to be met. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application includes a respective identifier of the first application and respective content from the first application, and wherein the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application includes a respective identifier of the second application and respective content from the second application. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs include instructions, wherein the instructions when executed by a computer system that is in communication with a display generation component and one or more sensors for detecting user inputs, cause the computer system to: while a first user interface object that corresponds to a first application and a second user interface object that corresponds to a second application are concurrently displayed at respective depths, and at least a first portion of a background that is located behind the first user interface object and the second user interface object is visible via the display generation component, detect, via the one or more sensors, a first user input that includes a first movement; in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets first criteria: maintain display of the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application while at least the first portion of the background remains visible via the display generation component; and cease to display the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application; and in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application and that the first movement meets the first criteria: maintain display of the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application while at least the first portion of the background remains visible via the display generation component; and cease to display the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs include instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is not directed to the first user interface object and the second user interface object and that the first movement meets the first criteria, cease to display the first user interface object and the second user interface object and display a first system user interface that includes respective application icons corresponding to a plurality of applications. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs include instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets the first criteria, move the first user interface object in accordance with a first portion of the first movement, while maintaining a position of the second user interface object relative to the background; and in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application and that the first movement meets the first criteria, move the second user interface object in accordance with a second portion of the first movement, while maintaining a position of the first user interface object relative to the background. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application is displayed at a first depth and the first user interface object that corresponds to the second application is displayed at a second depth that is different from the first depth, relative to the first portion of the background that is visible via the display generation component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs include instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to: in response to detecting the first user input that includes the first movement: in accordance with a determination that the first user input is directed to the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application and that the first movement meets second criteria that are different from the first criteria, move the first user interface object in accordance with a third portion of the first movement to review a portion of a third user interface object that corresponds to a third application. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the first criteria require that the first movement meets a first directional criterion in order for the first criteria to be met, and wherein the second criteria require that the first movement meets a second directional criteria different from the first directional criterion in order for the second criteria to be met. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first user interface object that corresponds to the first application includes a respective identifier of the first application and respective content from the first application, and wherein the second user interface object that corresponds to the second application includes a respective identifier of the second application and respective content from the second application.