Windows position control for phone applications

• US 10,156,969 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Sirpal, Sanjiv, Gimpl, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): WENG, PEI YONG
• Application Number:
  US15/235,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20170038934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface for a phone application are provided. More particularly, a change in the display mode of a multiple screen device can be determined. More particularly, a presentation of a user interface for an in-process call of a phone application can be retained after receiving a flick in an off-screen gesture area of the device. However, the user interface moves from a first screen to a second screen (or vice versa) in response to receiving the flick. The user interface provides detail information about a phone call that is currently in-process.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a device having at least first and second screens connected with a hinge, the first and second screens each including a touch sensitive display and each including a configurable area separate from the respective touch sensitive display adapted to receive an input, each of the configurable areas having limited display capabilities relative to the touch sensitive displays, and each of the configurable areas configured for specific inputs depending upon a running application or information displayed on the respective touch sensitive display, wherein the device executes a phone application, and wherein the phone application is in an in-call mode;

in a first display mode, presenting a first user interface for the phone application on the first screen and a desktop for the device on the second screen, wherein the phone application on the first screen does not have a child window, wherein in the first display mode the device is in a portrait orientation, and wherein the first display mode includes displaying the first user interface for the phone application on the first screen and the desktop for the device on the second screen;

receiving input from a user, wherein the input includes a change in the display for the phone application on the first screen;

determining a second, different, display mode, wherein the second display mode is in the portrait orientation; and

in response to the input and the determination that the device is in a second display mode, presenting the first user interface for the phone application on the second screen and the desktop for the device on the first screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the first user interface presents the same content on the first or second screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the phone application remains in a single application mode during the change in the display for the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the phone application is in a first application mode of two or more application modes.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, in the in-call mode, the device is conducting an outgoing call, and in-coming call, or a previously made call.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the input is one of a flick or drag.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the flick or drag occurs in an off-screen gesture area or either the first screen or the second screen.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

executing the phone application;

receiving a manifest;

setting a display binding for the phone application based on the first display mode; and

providing the display binding to the phone application.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

setting a second display binding in response to the input; and

providing the second display binding to the phone application to present the first user interface in the second screen.

10. A device, comprising:

a first screen, the first screen including a touch sensitive display area;

a second screen, the second screen including a touch sensitive display area, the first screen and the second screen connected with a hinge, the first and second screens each including a separate configurable area adapted to receive an input, each of the separate configurable areas having display capabilities less than the touch sensitive display area, and each of the configurable areas configured for specific inputs depending upon a running application or information displayed on the respective touch sensitive display, wherein in a first display mode the first screen displays an in-call user interface and the second screen displays a desktop for the device, wherein the in-call user interface on the first screen does not have a child window;

a memory;

a processor; and

a phone application program stored in the memory and executed by the processor, wherein the phone application is in an in-call mode, wherein the application programming is operable to;

send a manifest to a multi-display management module, the manifest providing a preferred display mode;

receive a display binding, the display binding providing a first display mode; and

present the first user interface in the first display mode on the first screen and the desktop for the device on the second screen.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor receives a flick or drag in an off-screen gesture area and, in response to the flick or drag, sends a second display binding to the phone application, and wherein the phone application program is further operable to:

receive the second display binding, the second display binding providing a second display mode; and

present, instead of the desktop for the device, the first user interface in the second screen while in the second display mode.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

the phone application program further operable to;

receive an input for the phone application program;

in response to the input, send a second manifest to the multi-display management module, the second manifest providing a second preferred display mode; and

receive a second display binding, the second display binding providing the first display mode; and

present only the first user interface in the first display mode, wherein the first user interface is provided on the first screen.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising a multi-display management module operable to:

receive the manifest;

determine a display mode;

create the display binding; and

send the display binding to the phone application program.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first display mode is a dual display mode in portrait orientation with the first screen displays a window for the phone application, and wherein the second display mode is a dual display mode in portrait orientation with the second screen displays the window for the phone application.

15. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor to execute a method for providing a user interface for a phone application on a device, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

instructions to execute the phone application, wherein the phone application is in an in-call mode;

instructions to generate a manifest for the phone application, wherein the manifest provides a preferred display mode for the phone application;

instructions to receive the manifest;

instructions to determine a configuration for the device, wherein the configuration is open with at least two screens visible by a user and in portrait orientation, the at least two screens connected with a hinge, the at least two screens including respective touch sensitive displays, and the at least two screens each including a separate configurable area adapted to receive an input, each of the separate configurable areas having limited display capabilities and each of the configurable areas configured for specific inputs depending upon a running application or information displayed on the respective touch sensitive display;

instructions to determine a first display mode for the device;

instructions to create a display binding for the phone application;

instructions to send the display binding to the phone application; and

in response to determining the first display mode and receiving the display binding, instructions to generate a first user interface for the phone application on a first screen and a desktop for the device on the second screen, wherein the first user interface for the phone application does not have a child window.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to receive one of a flick or a drag in an off-screen gesture area of a first screen or a second screen.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising, in response to receiving one of the flick or drag, instructions to switch to a second display mode.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising;

in response to switching to the second display mode, instructions to create a second display binding;

instructions to receive the second display binding; and

instructions to present the first user interface on the second screen.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first user interface is a call information window for an in-process call.