Patent ID: 8839148

Claim:
A method for managing processing resources in a portable electronic device comprising a processing unit interconnected with a display device, a memory device and an input device, said processing unit processing a plurality of applications running in the background such that said plurality of applications are initially not viewable on said display device, said method comprising: controlling an area of said display device to provide a banner region comprising device state data, said device state data indicating a state of at least one electronic component of said portable electronic device, said area of said display device enabled to receive focus using said input device, any icon that can be selected to execute a function initially absent from said banner region; while said focus is in said banner region, receiving first input data, and responsively controlling said display device to provide in said banner region an indication of a first application running in the background, said indication of said first application replacing said device state data; and, receiving further input data while said indication of said first application is provided in said banner region and, in response, at least one of: bringing said first application to the foreground by controlling said display device to provide a representation of said first application; and, closing said first application such that resources used by said processing unit are reduced.