Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Lauren Edelmeier

Christian Klein

Ryan Pendlay

Peter Hammerquist

Christoffer Peter Hart Hansen

Diego D Baca Del Rosario

Albert Peter Yih

Scott David Schenone

David Carl Naber

Julia Christine Carlson

Technologies are disclosed herein that enable a foldable computing device having multiple screen regions to perform an inter-region user interface (UI) operation in response to an intra-region UI gesture. For example, a UI gesture that begins and ends within a first region may be used to move a window from the first region to the second region. The disclosed technologies address the technical problems described above by providing succinct, accurate UI gestures that cause foldable computing devices to perform inter-region UI operations. The disclosed technologies further address the technical problems described above by combining different types of UI gestures to increase gesture accuracy and expressiveness of inter-region UI operations.

Predictive gesture optimizations for moving objects across display boundaries

A foldable computing device can be configured to provide a user interface (UI) optimization that enables an application window to be presented in a predictable location when an application is launched, a UI optimization that enables an application window to be moved to an active display area, a UI optimization that enables a modal UI element to be presented in such a way that it does not overlap a seam on the device, a UI optimization that enables an image presented by the device to be adjusted to maintain a view of the focal point of the image across device posture or orientation changes, a UI optimization that enables the device to transition between UI modes optimized for front-facing and world-facing image capture, and/or a UI optimization that enables the device to provide a UI for instructing a user to flip the device when a biometric sensor is in use.

User interface transitions and optimizations for foldable computing devices

Technologies are disclosed herein for positioning application windows based on existing application layout and anticipated user workflows. When an existing application window and a recently launched application window are determined to be related to a workflow, and the default position of the recently launched application window is determined to overlap with the existing application window, the recently launched application window may be displayed in a non-default display region to avoid occlusion. By avoiding occlusion, the foldable device may provide a user-friendly application layout, reducing the number of times a user will move, resize, or switch between application windows in the workflow. This in turn may improve device performance and efficiency while reducing errors attributable to user input. The user-friendly layout may also enable a user to view more content at the same time, increasing productivity, reducing eye strain, facilitating operations such as cut and paste, etc.

Positioning user interface components based on application layout and user workflows

A foldable computing device provides user interface ('UI') transitions and optimizations while operating in a productivity mode. When the foldable computing device is operating in productivity mode, it can present a UI below a hardware keyboard placed over a display region and occluding only a top portion of the display region or a software keyboard presented in the display region occluding only the top portion of the display region. If the hardware keyboard or the software keyboard occlude only the bottom of the display region, a UI can be shown above the hardware keyboard or the software keyboard. The foldable computing device can adjust the position of UI windows that are occluded when the hardware or software keyboard is placed on the display region. The foldable computing device can move the UI windows back to their original positions if the hardware or software keyboard no longer occlude the display region.

Transitions and optimizations for a foldable computing device operating in a productivity mode

A foldable computing device is disclosed that is configured to determine a user interface (UI) component rendering mode based on content occlusion and a prediction of user intent. The foldable computing device is configured to increase, maintain, or reduce prominence of a UI component based whether and where the UI component occludes an underlying application window or other existing UI. The foldable device may also determine an existing UI component's rendering mode based on an anticipated location of an application window associated with an application that was just launched. Furthermore, the foldable device may predict what a user is going to do with the application window, including causing any future occlusion, and adjust the UI component's rendering mode accordingly.

User interface adaptations based on inferred content occlusion and user intent

A bendable computing device can operate in a single display region mode when the device is in an unbent posture and can operate in a multiple display region mode when the device is in a bent posture. The multiple display region mode subdivides the bendable screen of the bendable computing device into a first display region and a second display region. When operating in the multiple display region mode, the bendable computing device can display an artificial hardware seam between the first display region and the second display region. User input gestures originating at the artificial hardware seam or terminating at the artificial hardware seam can be utilized to provide various types of functionality. Various types of functionality can also be provided when the bendable computing device detects that it has transitioned from an unbent posture to a bent posture or from a bent posture to an unbent posture.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Lauren Edelmeier