DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
Claims 1, 5, 8, 15, and 17 have been amended, claims 2, 4, 10-12, 18, and 19 have been canceled, and no claims have been added.
Claims 1, 3, 5-9, 13-17, and 20-25 are pending with claims 1, 8, and 15 as independent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 6-7, 15-16, 20-22, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2014/0068475, hereinafter as Li) in view of Trainor et al. (US 2015/0058787, hereinafter as Trainor).
Claim 1. A method comprising:
displaying a web browser, the web browser including:
an address bar that [receives text input]; a viewing panel displaying content; an active tab associated with the content, the active tab displaying a first close button; and multiple inactive tabs, the multiple inactive tabs displaying second close buttons; Li discloses in [0017] “Dynamic navigation features of this disclosure may include a slide bar graphical element rendered adjacent or proximate to a row of graphical navigation tabs or browsing tabs, i.e. graphical tabs, where each graphical tab is associated with a different page, window, application, or other application process, whether of a browser application or other application.” And in [0038-0044] “The tab edge lines 88 may serve as indicators of the clustering density of the tabs in tab row 30, with the tab edge lines 88 spaced relatively far apart adjacent to the edges of the currently selected tab 78 or currently active tab 78, whereas the other tab edge lines 88 are clustered more densely, to show the proportional clustering of the other tabs in tab row 30… As with the smartphone computing device 10 depicted in FIGS. 1-6, tablet computing device 10B has a presence-sensitive screen 12B on which a browser application renders a browser GUI 20B. Browser GUI 20B includes an information bar 110, a tab bar 112, and a URL box 114. A user currently has tabs 90-106 open in the tab bar 112. In this example, the browser application operates the functions of a slide bar as described above superimposed on the URL box 114… As FIG. 7 shows, the currently magnified tab 98 shows identifying information in the form of an icon and the beginning of a page title, while partially magnified tabs 96 and 100 display an icon and the very beginning of a page title, tabs 94 and 102 are magnified just enough to show an identifying icon, and tabs 90, 92, 104, and 106 are too demagnified to display any identifying information.” (emphasis added) examiner note: browser GUI comprises the URL box as an address bar, tab 78, in fig. 6, or tab 98, in fig. 7, as an active tab such that the current active tab may include information such as close button indicated by cross icon indicator as shown in figs. 6-7. The browser GUI further comprises inactive tabs such as tabs 92-96 and 100-104, which also close buttons indicated by cross icon indicators as shown in fig. 7,
determining that a number of the multiple inactive tabs exceeds a tab threshold; based on determining that the number of the multiple inactive tabs exceeds the tab threshold, causing the multiple inactive tabs to stop displaying the second close buttons; Li discloses in [0034] tabs 76 and 80 are slightly demagnified since they are adjacent to currently selected tab 78, then tabs 74 and 82 are rendered in a further demagnified state, tabs 72 and 84 are yet further demagnified, and tabs 70 and 86 are maximally demagnified, corresponding to their respective distance from the currently selected tab 78. If intermediate sizes adjacent to the magnified tab are used, the intermediate magnification may also continue preceding and following the main magnification as a gesture input is dragged along the slide bar. This pattern of graduated demagnification of the tabs surrounding the currently selected or currently proximate tab may therefore be applied during the process of a user gesture input along slide bar 28, so that a subset of partially magnified tabs are dynamically magnified and demagnified in a moving range surrounding the current position of the user gesture input, so that the amount of information the user can see from the surrounding tabs is proportional to the proximity of the user gesture input.” And in [0044] “the currently magnified tab 98 shows identifying information in the form of an icon and the beginning of a page title, while partially magnified tabs 96 and 100 display an icon and the very beginning of a page title, tabs 94 and 102 are magnified just enough to show an identifying icon, and tabs 90, 92, 104, and 106 are too demagnified to display any identifying information.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the tab threshold number may be three tabs, tabs 72, 74, 76 on the left and 80, 82,84 on the right, distance from the currently displayed tab 78, in fig. 5 or three tabs, tabs 92, 94, 96 on the left and tabs 100, 102, 104 on the right of the currently displayed tab 98 in fig. 7. Inactive tabs 70 and 86 do not display close tab icons based on applying maximum demagnification based on the threshold as shown in fig. 5. Similarly, inactive tabs 90 and 106 do not display close button icons based on applying demagnification and tab threshold number as shown in fig. 7,
in response to receiving a drag input [on the active tab, moving the active tab with respect to the address bar and the multiple inactive tabs]; Li discloses in [0043] “the functionality of the slide bar 28 may be superimposed on the tab row 30, and the browser application may interpret different forms of gesture input on the combined tab row/slide bar as inputs for selecting a tab or for sliding along the tab row to progressively magnify and demagnify the tabs and to navigate among the tabs.” And in [0062] “Computing device 10C may also include or be configured to connect with any of a variety of other input and/or output devices such as physical buttons, a physical keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a voice user interface system, an accelerometer, a vibration component, a sound card, a video graphics adapter card, or any other type of device for detecting and/or interpreting inputs from a user or for converting a signal into a form of graphical, audio, tactile, or other form of user output that can be sensed by a user.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the finger dragging gesture would magnify selected tab so that all information on the tab element may be displayed such as page title, any icon associated with the page and closing icon indicated by the cross simple.
Li does not expressly disclose
an address bar that receives text input. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0015] “The toolbar may be provided as a part of an application, such as an address bar of a web browser where users may view or enter a uniform resource locator (URL).” (emphasis added) examiner note: the web browser address bar may receive text input by a user entering a URL,
in response to receiving a drag input [on the active tab moving the active tab with respect to the multiple inactive tabs; and based on the active tab moving with respect to the multiple inactive tabs, disabling the address bar while the active tab is moving with respect to the address bar and the multiple inactive tabs. Further, Trainor teaches in [0015-0016] “A user may swipe the toolbar displayed on the touch screen to switch from the tab currently displayed on the touch screen to another tab open in the application. Upon detecting a swipe gesture on the toolbar for the application, the application is configured to switch from displaying the content associated with the first tab to displaying content associated with another tab open in the application.” And in [0017] “By providing the user with a means to switch between tabs in a web browser using a swipe gesture on an address bar, other user interface elements used for switching tabs do not need to be displayed, thus saving space for other content (e.g., web page content or other application interface components) or allowing existing content to be enlarged. Furthermore, whether or not other interface elements for switching tabs are displayed, allowing a user to switch between tabs by swiping an address bar provides a convenient method for switching tabs.” And in [0025] “Although multiple tabs may be open in the application, in accordance with some aspects, the application interface 205 displayed on the touch screen does not display any other user interface component that provides an indication of the open tabs. Nor is any other user interface component displayed that allows a user to switch between tabs. Instead, the user may switch tabs by using a swipe gesture on the address bar 215. As a result, the space saved from not needing to display these additional user interface components may be used for other content.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the swipe gesture associated with toolbar (address bar) would more the display from the current selected tab to the next selected tab that inactive (not displaying page/application information). Since the drag input gesture of Li, which magnifies selected tab and demagnifies tab element, and the user swipe, which moves or switch display of information from active tab to display information of an inactive tab, are implemented on the toolbar (address bar), the two input gestures may be combined to magnify tab element information and switch from active tab, to make it inactive, to inactive tab, to make it active tab. Thus, the address bar may detect swipe gesture for a mode that provide navigating between different tabs while a mode (may be tab gesture to invoke graphical keyboard) for text entry (URL) may be disabled. The phrase “whether or not other interface elements for switching tabs are displayed, allowing a user to switch between tabs by swiping an address bar provides a convenient method for switching tabs” may indicate that a user may move an active tab using tab displayed interface element.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages and save space for other content by not displaying tab component. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Claim 6. The rejection of the method of claim 1 is incorporated, further comprising:
Li does not expressly disclose receiving input in the address bar; and in response to receiving the input in the address bar, causing the viewing panel to display additional content, the additional content not being associated with the active tab. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0028-0030] “FIG. 2B shows that as the swipe gesture 230 continues to the left, the content of the tab 210 previously displayed in the application interface 205 is dragged to the left and the content of another tab 250 open in the application begins to appear in the application interface 205… the user wishes to switch tabs to the tab 250 to the right of tab 210, the user may continue the swipe gesture 230. Once the swipe gesture 230 reaches a threshold, the switching of the tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 will complete. As is seen in FIG. 2C, the switching of tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 is complete and the content of tab 250, the new active tab, is displayed in the application interface 205.” (emphasis added) examiner note: based on receiving swipe gesture 230 on address bar 215, as shown in fig. 2A, additional content associated with the subsequent inactive tab begins to appear in application interface 205 (viewing panel), as shown in fig. 2B, and complete display of the addition content associated with the subsequent inactive tab, now active tab, is shown in fig. 2C.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Claim 7. The rejection of the method of claim 1 is incorporated, further comprising Li does not expressly disclose causing the viewing panel to display additional content associated with transitioning the multiple inactive tabs from an inactive state to an active state. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0028-0030] “FIG. 2B shows that as the swipe gesture 230 continues to the left, the content of the tab 210 previously displayed in the application interface 205 is dragged to the left and the content of another tab 250 open in the application begins to appear in the application interface 205… the user wishes to switch tabs to the tab 250 to the right of tab 210, the user may continue the swipe gesture 230. Once the swipe gesture 230 reaches a threshold, the switching of the tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 will complete. As is seen in FIG. 2C, the switching of tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 is complete and the content of tab 250, the new active tab, is displayed in the application interface 205.” (emphasis added) examiner note: based on receiving swipe gesture 230 on address bar 215, as shown in fig. 2A, additional content associated with the subsequent inactive tab begins to appear in application interface 205 (viewing panel), as shown in fig. 2B, wherein the partial display of the additional content associated with the subsequent inactive tab may be additional content associated with transitioning from inactive state to an active state because the complete display of the addition content associated with the subsequent inactive tab, now active tab, is shown in fig. 2C.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Claim 15. The claim is directed towards a computing device to implement the method of claim 1, accordingly, the claim is similarly rejected as claim 1. Further the claim comprising: at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon. Li discloses in [0047-0049] “computing device 10C includes one or more processors 200, memory 202, a network interface 204, one or more data storage devices 206… Operating system 190, in one example, facilitates the interaction of browser application 120 with any or all of processors 200, memory 202, network interface 204, data storage device 206… operating system 190 and browser application 120 may include code and/or data that are stored on one or more data storage devices 206 and that are read and executed or processed by one or more processors 200, and may in the process be stored at least temporarily in memory 202.” (emphasis added).
Claim 16. The rejection of the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 is incorporated, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to:
generate an additional tab in the web browser; Li discloses in [0027] “Tab 22 for the current browser window is rendered in a larger size, or magnified, relative to tab 24, which is rendered in a smaller size, or demagnified, since it is associated with the currently non-selected browser window. Tab row 30 also includes a new tab button 26 which may be selected for opening a new browser window and associated tab.” (emphasis added),
determine that a number of tabs in the web browser exceeds a tab threshold; and based on determining that the number of tabs exceeds the tab threshold, cause the inactive tab to stop displaying the second close button. Li discloses in [0034] tabs 76 and 80 are slightly demagnified since they are adjacent to currently selected tab 78, then tabs 74 and 82 are rendered in a further demagnified state, tabs 72 and 84 are yet further demagnified, and tabs 70 and 86 are maximally demagnified, corresponding to their respective distance from the currently selected tab 78. If intermediate sizes adjacent to the magnified tab are used, the intermediate magnification may also continue preceding and following the main magnification as a gesture input is dragged along the slide bar. This pattern of graduated demagnification of the tabs surrounding the currently selected or currently proximate tab may therefore be applied during the process of a user gesture input along slide bar 28, so that a subset of partially magnified tabs are dynamically magnified and demagnified in a moving range surrounding the current position of the user gesture input, so that the amount of information the user can see from the surrounding tabs is proportional to the proximity of the user gesture input.” And in [0044] “the currently magnified tab 98 shows identifying information in the form of an icon and the beginning of a page title, while partially magnified tabs 96 and 100 display an icon and the very beginning of a page title, tabs 94 and 102 are magnified just enough to show an identifying icon, and tabs 90, 92, 104, and 106 are too demagnified to display any identifying information.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the tab threshold number may be three tabs, tabs 72, 74, 76 on the left and 80, 82,84 on the right, distance from the currently displayed tab 78, in fig. 5 or three tabs, tabs 92, 94, 96 on the left and tabs 100, 102, 104 on the right of the currently displayed tab 98 in fig. 7. Inactive tabs 70 and 86 do not display close tab icons based on applying maximum demagnification based on the threshold as shown in fig. 5. Similarly, inactive tabs 90 and 106 do not display close button icons based on applying demagnification and tab threshold number as shown in fig. 7.
Claim 20. The rejection of the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 is incorporated, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to:
Li does not expressly disclose receive input in the address bar; and in response to receiving the input in the search field address bar, cause the viewing panel to display additional content, the additional content not being associated with the active tab. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0028-0030] “FIG. 2B shows that as the swipe gesture 230 continues to the left, the content of the tab 210 previously displayed in the application interface 205 is dragged to the left and the content of another tab 250 open in the application begins to appear in the application interface 205… the user wishes to switch tabs to the tab 250 to the right of tab 210, the user may continue the swipe gesture 230. Once the swipe gesture 230 reaches a threshold, the switching of the tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 will complete. As is seen in FIG. 2C, the switching of tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 is complete and the content of tab 250, the new active tab, is displayed in the application interface 205.” (emphasis added) examiner note: based on receiving swipe gesture 230 on address bar 215, as shown in fig. 2A, additional content associated with the subsequent inactive tab begins to appear in application interface 205 (viewing panel), as shown in fig. 2B, and complete display of the addition content associated with the subsequent inactive tab, now active tab, is shown in fig. 2C.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Claim 21. The rejection of the method of claim 1 is incorporated, wherein causing the multiple inactive tabs to stop displaying the second close buttons reduces area occupied by the multiple inactive tabs. Li discloses in [0044] “the currently magnified tab 98 shows identifying information in the form of an icon and the beginning of a page title, while partially magnified tabs 96 and 100 display an icon and the very beginning of a page title, tabs 94 and 102 are magnified just enough to show an identifying icon, and tabs 90, 92, 104, and 106 are too demagnified to display any identifying information.” (emphasis added) examiner note: after the partially magnified inactive tabs as tab threshold number, inactive tabs 70 and 86 may be maximum demagnification such that inactive tabs 70 and 86 do not display any identification information including close buttons as shown in figs. 5 and 7. Because the inactive tabs 70 have been clustered more densely on a portion area of tab row 30, area occupied by the inactive tabs 70 may be reduced with comparison with portion area occupied by active tab 98.
Claim 22. The rejection of the method of claim 1 is incorporated, wherein the tab threshold is a maximum number of tabs that can be displayed on a tab strip, the tab strip being included in the web browser. Li discloses in [0040-0041] “as the user opens more tabs so that they don't all fit at full width within the edges of the screen, the non-focus tabs (i.e. the tabs for the processes/windows not currently active) may have their width steadily reduced. In the run-off option, the tab width can be constrained to a certain minimum width, such as just enough width to display the tab's icon, and as additional tabs are opened after the minimum tab width has already been reached, the tab row becomes extended off the edge of the screen… the browser application may impose a minimum tab width of seven millimeters, or some other minimum tab width somewhere in the range of five to twelve millimeters, or another value outside that range, but that is selected to maintain the tabs at a size that each one may still be easily selectable by a user gesture input, as appropriate to the form of user gesture inputs that are accepted for that device.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the tab threshold maximum number to fit on the tab row may be the number of tabs that may be displayed with minimum tab width on tab row before the tab row becomes extended off the edge of the screen.
Claim 24. The rejection of the method of claim 1 is incorporated, Li does not expressly disclose wherein the address bar includes a search field that receives search queries. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0015] “The toolbar may be provided as a part of an application, such as an address bar of a web browser where users may view or enter a uniform resource locator (URL).” (emphasis added).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Claims 3, 5, 8-9, 13-14, 17, 23, and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li and Trainor as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of DeVries et al. (US 2022/0263940, filed 4/28/2022, hereinafter as DeVries).
Claim 3. The rejection of the method of claim 1 is incorporated, further comprising, Li does not expressly disclose in response to receiving the drag input, causing the active tab to stop presenting the first close button while the active tab is moving. However, DeVries, in analogous art, teaches in [0235-0236] “device 600 receives user input 652 (e.g., hard press) on preselected application view 634 that corresponds to a music application. User input 652 is for selecting and reordering the preselected application view in the sequence of application views in the set of application views… Referring to FIG. 6I, in response to user input 652, device 600 visually distinguishes the selected preselected view 634 that corresponds to the music application from the other views in the set of application views. The visual distinguishing of the selected application view may include change of size (e.g., larger than the other application views), change of location (e.g., vertical offset from the other application views), change to being translucent, change to being dimmed, etc.” (emphasis added) examiner note: in response to slide gesture to reorder music application view 634, visual appearance of the application view may be changed, wherein the change is described as being translucent, being dimmed, etc. Thus, similar technique used to change application view 634 may be utilized to change the appearance of the selected active tab view such that details on the active tab do not be displayed while in the movement state as shown in 6I and 6J.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of DeVries because functions such as play button on music application do not need to be activated while the application is in the moving state. The advantage is that the user would not accidently close the active tab during the drag operation if the user only interested in moving the active tab from point A to point B.
Claim 5. The rejection of the method of claim 1 is incorporated, further comprising: Li does not expressly disclose receiving the drag input, the drag input being associated with the active tab; and while moving the active tab with respect to the multiple inactive tabs, causing the active tab to stop presenting the first close button. However, DeVries, in analogous art, teaches in [0235-0236] “device 600 receives user input 652 (e.g., hard press) on preselected application view 634 that corresponds to a music application. User input 652 is for selecting and reordering the preselected application view in the sequence of application views in the set of application views… Referring to FIG. 6I, in response to user input 652, device 600 visually distinguishes the selected preselected view 634 that corresponds to the music application from the other views in the set of application views. The visual distinguishing of the selected application view may include change of size (e.g., larger than the other application views), change of location (e.g., vertical offset from the other application views), change to being translucent, change to being dimmed, etc.” (emphasis added) examiner note: in response to slide gesture to reorder music application view 634, visual appearance of the application view may be changed, wherein the change is described as being translucent, being dimmed, etc. Thus, similar technique used to change application view 634 may be utilized to change the appearance of the selected active tab view such that details on the active tab do not be displayed while in the movement state as shown in 6I and 6J.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of DeVries because functions such as play button on music application do not need to be activated while the application is in the moving state. The advantage is that the user would not accidently close the active tab during the drag operation if the user only interested in moving the active tab from point A to point B.
Claim 8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing device to:
display a web browser, the web browser including:
an address bar that receives text input; a viewing panel displaying content; an active tab associated with the content, the active tab displaying a close button; and an inactive tab; Li discloses in [0017] “Dynamic navigation features of this disclosure may include a slide bar graphical element rendered adjacent or proximate to a row of graphical navigation tabs or browsing tabs, i.e. graphical tabs, where each graphical tab is associated with a different page, window, application, or other application process, whether of a browser application or other application.” And in [0038-0044] “The tab edge lines 88 may serve as indicators of the clustering density of the tabs in tab row 30, with the tab edge lines 88 spaced relatively far apart adjacent to the edges of the currently selected tab 78 or currently active tab 78, whereas the other tab edge lines 88 are clustered more densely, to show the proportional clustering of the other tabs in tab row 30… As with the smartphone computing device 10 depicted in FIGS. 1-6, tablet computing device 10B has a presence-sensitive screen 12B on which a browser application renders a browser GUI 20B. Browser GUI 20B includes an information bar 110, a tab bar 112, and a URL box 114. A user currently has tabs 90-106 open in the tab bar 112. In this example, the browser application operates the functions of a slide bar as described above superimposed on the URL box 114… As FIG. 7 shows, the currently magnified tab 98 shows identifying information in the form of an icon and the beginning of a page title, while partially magnified tabs 96 and 100 display an icon and the very beginning of a page title, tabs 94 and 102 are magnified just enough to show an identifying icon, and tabs 90, 92, 104, and 106 are too demagnified to display any identifying information.” (emphasis added) examiner note: browser GUI comprises the URL box as an address bar, tab 78, in fig. 6, or tab 98, in fig. 7, as an active tab such that the current active tab may include information such as close button indicated by cross icon indicator as shown in figs. 6-7. The browser GUI further comprises inactive tabs such as tabs 92-96 and 100-104, which also close buttons indicated by cross icon indicators as shown in fig. 7,
in response to receiving a drag input [on the active tab, move the active tab with respect to the address bar and the inactive tab]; Li discloses in [0043] “the functionality of the slide bar 28 may be superimposed on the tab row 30, and the browser application may interpret different forms of gesture input on the combined tab row/slide bar as inputs for selecting a tab or for sliding along the tab row to progressively magnify and demagnify the tabs and to navigate among the tabs.” And in [0062] “Computing device 10C may also include or be configured to connect with any of a variety of other input and/or output devices such as physical buttons, a physical keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a voice user interface system, an accelerometer, a vibration component, a sound card, a video graphics adapter card, or any other type of device for detecting and/or interpreting inputs from a user or for converting a signal into a form of graphical, audio, tactile, or other form of user output that can be sensed by a user.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the finger dragging gesture would magnify selected tab so that all information on the tab element may be displayed such as page title, any icon associated with the page and closing icon indicated by the cross simple.
Li does not expressly disclose drag input on the active tab, move the active tab with respect to the inactive tabs; and based on the active tab moving with respect to the inactive tab: disable the address bar while the active tab is moving with respect to the address bar and the inactive tab. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0015-0016] “A user may swipe the toolbar displayed on the touch screen to switch from the tab currently displayed on the touch screen to another tab open in the application. Upon detecting a swipe gesture on the toolbar for the application, the application is configured to switch from displaying the content associated with the first tab to displaying content associated with another tab open in the application.” And in [0017] “By providing the user with a means to switch between tabs in a web browser using a swipe gesture on an address bar, other user interface elements used for switching tabs do not need to be displayed, thus saving space for other content (e.g., web page content or other application interface components) or allowing existing content to be enlarged. Furthermore, whether or not other interface elements for switching tabs are displayed, allowing a user to switch between tabs by swiping an address bar provides a convenient method for switching tabs.” And in [0025] “Although multiple tabs may be open in the application, in accordance with some aspects, the application interface 205 displayed on the touch screen does not display any other user interface component that provides an indication of the open tabs. Nor is any other user interface component displayed that allows a user to switch between tabs. Instead, the user may switch tabs by using a swipe gesture on the address bar 215. As a result, the space saved from not needing to display these additional user interface components may be used for other content.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the swipe gesture associated with toolbar (address bar) would more the display from the current selected tab to the next selected tab that inactive (not displaying page/application information). Since the drag input gesture of Li, which magnifies selected tab and demagnifies tab element, and the user swipe, which moves or switch display of information from active tab to display information of an inactive tab, are implemented on the toolbar (address bar), the two input gestures may be combined to magnify tab element information and switch from active tab, to make it inactive, to inactive tab, to make it active tab. Thus, the address bar may detect swipe gesture for a mode that provide navigating between different tabs while a mode (may be tab gesture to invoke graphical keyboard) for text entry (URL) may be disabled. The phrase “whether or not other interface elements for switching tabs are displayed, allowing a user to switch between tabs by swiping an address bar provides a convenient method for switching tabs” may indicate that a user may move an active tab using tab displayed interface element.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Li does not expressly disclose cause the active tab to stop presenting the close button. However, DeVries, in analogous art, teaches in [0235-0236] “device 600 receives user input 652 (e.g., hard press) on preselected application view 634 that corresponds to a music application. User input 652 is for selecting and reordering the preselected application view in the sequence of application views in the set of application views… Referring to FIG. 6I, in response to user input 652, device 600 visually distinguishes the selected preselected view 634 that corresponds to the music application from the other views in the set of application views. The visual distinguishing of the selected application view may include change of size (e.g., larger than the other application views), change of location (e.g., vertical offset from the other application views), change to being translucent, change to being dimmed, etc.” (emphasis added) examiner note: in response to slide gesture to reorder music application view 634, visual appearance of the application view may be changed, wherein the change is described as being translucent, being dimmed, etc. Thus, similar technique used to change application view 634 may be utilized to change the appearance of the selected active tab view such that details on the active tab do not be displayed while in the movement state as shown in 6I and 6J.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of DeVries because functions such as play button on music application do not need to be activated while the application is in the moving state. The advantage is that the user would not accidently close the active tab during the drag operation if the user only interested in moving the active tab from point A to point B.
Claim 9. The rejection of the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 is incorporated, wherein:
the close button is a first close button; the inactive tab displays a second close button; Li discloses in [0044] “The currently selected tab 98 is adjacent to the current point of gesture input 120. The tabs are shown rendered such that tabs 92, 94, 96, 100, 102, and 104 are progressively partially magnified as a function of their proximity to currently selected tab 98, while tabs 90 and 106 that are more distant from the currently selected tab 98 are fully demagnified. As FIG. 7 shows, the currently magnified tab 98 shows identifying information in the form of an icon and the beginning of a page title, while partially magnified tabs 96 and 100 display an icon and the very beginning of a page title, tabs 94 and 102 are magnified just enough to show an identifying icon, and tabs 90, 92, 104, and 106 are too demagnified to display any identifying information.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the close button is the first close button on the currently active tab 98, wherein inactive tabs 94 and 102 show second close buttons as shown in fig. 7, and
the instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to:
generate an additional tab in the web browser; Li discloses in [0027] “Tab 22 for the current browser window is rendered in a larger size, or magnified, relative to tab 24, which is rendered in a smaller size, or demagnified, since it is associated with the currently non-selected browser window. Tab row 30 also includes a new tab button 26 which may be selected for opening a new browser window and associated tab.” (emphasis added),
determine that a number of tabs in the web browser exceeds a tab threshold; and based on determining that the number of tabs exceeds the tab threshold, cause the inactive tab to stop displaying the second close button. Li discloses in [0034] tabs 76 and 80 are slightly demagnified since they are adjacent to currently selected tab 78, then tabs 74 and 82 are rendered in a further demagnified state, tabs 72 and 84 are yet further demagnified, and tabs 70 and 86 are maximally demagnified, corresponding to their respective distance from the currently selected tab 78. If intermediate sizes adjacent to the magnified tab are used, the intermediate magnification may also continue preceding and following the main magnification as a gesture input is dragged along the slide bar. This pattern of graduated demagnification of the tabs surrounding the currently selected or currently proximate tab may therefore be applied during the process of a user gesture input along slide bar 28, so that a subset of partially magnified tabs are dynamically magnified and demagnified in a moving range surrounding the current position of the user gesture input, so that the amount of information the user can see from the surrounding tabs is proportional to the proximity of the user gesture input.” And in [0044] “the currently magnified tab 98 shows identifying information in the form of an icon and the beginning of a page title, while partially magnified tabs 96 and 100 display an icon and the very beginning of a page title, tabs 94 and 102 are magnified just enough to show an identifying icon, and tabs 90, 92, 104, and 106 are too demagnified to display any identifying information.” (emphasis added) examiner note: the tab threshold number may be three tabs, tabs 72, 74, 76 on the left and 80, 82,84 on the right, distance from the currently displayed tab 78, in fig. 5 or three tabs, tabs 92, 94, 96 on the left and tabs 100, 102, 104 on the right of the currently displayed tab 98 in fig. 7. Inactive tabs 70 and 86 do not display close tab icons based on applying maximum demagnification based on the threshold as shown in fig. 5. Similarly, inactive tabs 90 and 106 do not display close button icons based on applying demagnification and tab threshold number as shown in fig. 7.
Claim 13. The rejection of the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 is incorporated, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to:
Li does not expressly disclose receive input in the address bar; and in response to receiving the input in the search field address bar, cause the viewing panel to display additional content, the additional content not being associated with the active tab. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0028-0030] “FIG. 2B shows that as the swipe gesture 230 continues to the left, the content of the tab 210 previously displayed in the application interface 205 is dragged to the left and the content of another tab 250 open in the application begins to appear in the application interface 205… the user wishes to switch tabs to the tab 250 to the right of tab 210, the user may continue the swipe gesture 230. Once the swipe gesture 230 reaches a threshold, the switching of the tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 will complete. As is seen in FIG. 2C, the switching of tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 is complete and the content of tab 250, the new active tab, is displayed in the application interface 205.” (emphasis added) examiner note: based on receiving swipe gesture 230 on address bar 215, as shown in fig. 2A, additional content associated with the subsequent inactive tab begins to appear in application interface 205 (viewing panel), as shown in fig. 2B, and complete display of the addition content associated with the subsequent inactive tab, now active tab, is shown in fig. 2C.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Claim 14. The rejection of the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of
claim 8 is incorporated, Li does not expressly disclose wherein: the content is first content; and the instructions are further configured to cause the viewing panel to display second content associated with the inactive tab based on transitioning the inactive tab from an inactive state to an active state. However, Trainor, in analogous art, teaches in [0028-0030] “FIG. 2B shows that as the swipe gesture 230 continues to the left, the content of the tab 210 previously displayed in the application interface 205 is dragged to the left and the content of another tab 250 open in the application begins to appear in the application interface 205… the user wishes to switch tabs to the tab 250 to the right of tab 210, the user may continue the swipe gesture 230. Once the swipe gesture 230 reaches a threshold, the switching of the tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 will complete. As is seen in FIG. 2C, the switching of tabs from tab 210 to tab 250 is complete and the content of tab 250, the new active tab, is displayed in the application interface 205.” (emphasis added) examiner note: based on receiving swipe gesture 230 on address bar 215, as shown in fig. 2A, additional content associated with the subsequent inactive tab begins to appear in application interface 205 (viewing panel), as shown in fig. 2B, and complete display of the addition content associated with the subsequent inactive tab, now active tab, is shown in fig. 2C.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of Trainor because it provides web browser address bar that detects a swipe gesture, which allows a user to switch between different browser tabs in order to access different pages. The advantage is combining two functions provided by two user interface components to be provided by a single user interface, which the address bar. Trainor [0025].
Claim 17. The rejection of the method of claim 15 is incorporated, further comprising, Li does not expressly disclose based on the active tab moving with respect to the search field and the inactive tab, input, causing the active tab to stop presenting the first close button while the active tab is moving. However, DeVries, in analogous art, teaches in [0235-0236] “device 600 receives user input 652 (e.g., hard press) on preselected application view 634 that corresponds to a music application. User input 652 is for selecting and reordering the preselected application view in the sequence of application views in the set of application views… Referring to FIG. 6I, in response to user input 652, device 600 visually distinguishes the selected preselected view 634 that corresponds to the music application from the other views in the set of application views. The visual distinguishing of the selected application view may include change of size (e.g., larger than the other application views), change of location (e.g., vertical offset from the other application views), change to being translucent, change to being dimmed, etc.” (emphasis added) examiner note: in response to slide gesture to reorder music application view 634, visual appearance of the application view may be changed, wherein the change is described as being translucent, being dimmed, etc. Thus, similar technique used to change application view 634 may be utilized to change the appearance of the selected active tab view such that details on the active tab do not be displayed while in the movement state as shown in 6I and 6J.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Li with the teaching of DeVries because functions such as play button on music application do not need to be activated while the application is in the moving state. The advantage is that the user would not accidently close the active tab during the drag operation if the user only interested in moving the active tab from point A to point B.
Claim 23. The rejection of the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of
claim 8 is incorporated, Li does not expressly disclose wherein causing the active tab to stop presenting the close button reduces area occupied by the active tab. However, DeVries, in analogous art, teaches in [0235-0236] “device 600 receives user input 652 (e.g., hard press) on preselected application view 634 that corresponds to a music application. User input 652 is for selecting and reordering the preselected application view in the sequence of application views in the set of application views… Referring to FIG. 6I, in response to user input 652, device 600 visually distinguishes the selected preselected view 634 that corresponds to the music application from the other views in the set of application views. The visual distinguishing of the selected application view may include change of size (e.g., larger than the other application views), change of location (e.g., vertical offset from the other application views), change to being translucent, change to being dimmed, etc.” (emphasis added) examiner note: in response to slide gesture to move (