Method and apparatus for user interface in a system having two operating system environments

An apparatus comprising:

• a first device comprising a central processing unit (CPU);
• a second device comprising a central processing unit (CPU);
• and
• a graphical user interface (GUI) coupled to one of the first and second devices,
• wherein the CPU of the first device executes a first operating system environment (first OSE) that controls the states of a set of applications of the first OSE, wherein each application is controlled to be in one of at least a closed state, an open-running state, and an open-suspended state, and
• wherein the CPU of the second device executes a second operating system environment (second OSE) that
• renders a set of application status indicators on the GUI, each of which indicates an identity and a current state of one of the open applications of the first OSE, wherein the open applications comprise applications that are in one of the open-running and open-suspended states;
• determines a user input to alter the state of one of the applications (a identified application) of the open applications to a different state that is one of at least closed, open-running, and open-suspended;
• communicates to the first OSE an identity of the identified application and the different state;
• and
• changes the rendering of the application status indicator of the identified application to indicate the different state.

A tangible computer readable medium that stores instructions that are executable by a processor for performing a method of rendering a window that comprises:

• controlling by a first operating system environment (first OSE) the states of a set of applications of the first OSE, wherein each application is controlled to be in one of at least a closed state, an open-running state, and an open-suspended state;
• rendering by a second operating system environment (second OSE) a set of application status indicators on a graphical user interface each of which indicates an identity and a current state of one of the open applications of the first OSE, wherein the open applications comprise applications that are in one of the open-running and open-suspended states;
• determining by the second OSE a user input to alter the state of one of the applications (a identified application) of the open applications to a different state that is one of at least closed, open-running, and open-suspended;
• communicating by the second OSE to the first OSE an identity of the identified application and the different state;
• and
• changing by the second OSE the rendering of the application status indicator of the identified application to indicate the different state.