Multi-screen mobile device that launches applications into a revealed desktop

• US 10,331,296 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• 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): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Nelson
• Application Number:
  US14/831,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345173-179
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

A dual-screen user device and methods for launching applications from a revealed desktop onto a logically chosen screen are disclosed. Specifically, a user reveals the desktop and then launches a selected application from one of two desktops displayed on a primary and secondary screen of a device. When the application is launched, it is displayed onto a specific screen depending on the input received and the logical rules determining the display output. As the application is displayed onto the specific screen, the desktop is removed from display and the opposite screen can display other data.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an application from a desktop revealed to a multi-display device, comprising:

displaying, at a first time, a first window of a first application on a first display of the multi-display device and a second window of the first application on a second display of the multi-display device;

receiving a first predetermined input to display a desktop on the first display and the second display of the multi-display device;

in response to receiving the first predetermined input;

moving, at a second time, the first window off the first display and the second window off the second display;

registering, in memory, the first application for display by the first display and the second display;

displaying, at a third time, the desktop on the first display and the second display of the multi-display device;

preventing the first application from displaying on the first display and the second display when the desktop is displayed to the first display and the second display;

wherein access to the memory is provided such that the first application can be retrieved; and

while the desktop is revealed to both the first display and the second display, receiving a second predetermined input onto a portion of the desktop displayed on the second display that represents an instruction to display output of a second application on the second display of the multi-display device;

in response to receiving the second predetermined input;

ceasing display of the desktop on the first display and the second display of the multi-display device;

displaying, at a fourth time, output of the first application on the first display of the multi-display device; and

displaying, at the fourth time, output of the second application on the second display of the multi-display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is displayed in a maximized mode on both the first and second display at the first time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual stack is split into a left stack and a right stack.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first application is split into a first part and a second part, and wherein the first part is stored in a first stack of the virtual stack and the second part is stored in a second stack of the virtual stack;

and

wherein the first stack represents data displayed on the first display and the second stack represents data displayed on the second display; and

wherein the first stack is stored in the left stack and the second stack is stored in the right stack.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to the second predetermined input the first application is displayed on the first display in a single-page format.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second applications are different applications.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving the second predetermined input and prior to ceasing display of the desktop on the first display and the second display of the multi-display device, the method further comprises:

determining which application was selected from the desktop to be displayed; and

determining on which display of the first and second display the second predetermined input was made.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the first window off the first display includes moving the first window off the first display to a left-hand side of the multi-display device and moving the second window off the second display includes moving the second window off the second display to a right-hand side of the multi-display device.

9. The A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a computing system to execute a method, the instructions comprising:

instructions that display, at a first time, a first window of a first application on a first display of a multi-display device;

instructions that display, at the first time, a second window of the first application on a second display of a multi-display device;

instructions that receive a first predetermined input that represents an instruction to reveal a desktop on the first display and the second display of the multi-display device;

in response to receiving the first predetermined input;

instructions that move, at a second time, the first window from the first display;

instructions that move, at the second time, the second window from the second display;

instructions that register, in memory, the first window of the first application for display by the first display and the second window of the first application for display by the second display;

instructions that display, at a third time, the desktop on the first display and the second display of the multi-display device;

instructions that prevent the first application from displaying on the first display and the second display when the desktop is displayed to the first display and the second display;

wherein access to the memory is provided such that the first application can be retrieved; and

while the desktop is revealed to both the first display and the second display, instructions that receive a second predetermined input in a portion of the desktop that represents an instruction to display output of a second application on the second display of the multi-display device;

in response to receiving the second predetermined input;

instructions that cease display of the desktop on the first display and the second display of the multi-display device;

instructions that display, at a fourth time, output of the first application on the first display of the multi-display device; and

instructions that display, at the fourth time, output of the second application on the second display of the multi-display device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first display corresponds to a primary display and wherein the second display corresponds to a secondary display.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first application is displayed in a maximized mode on both the first and second display at the first time.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the virtual stack is split into a left stack and a right stack.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first application is split into a first part and a second part, and wherein the first part is stored in a first stack of the virtual stack and the second part is stored in a second stack of the virtual stack;

and

wherein the first stack represents data displayed on the first display and the second stack represents data displayed on the second display; and

wherein the first stack is stored in the left stack and the second stack is stored in the right stack.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein in response to the second predetermined input the second window of the first application is in the right stack of the virtual stack and not displayed to the second display.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first and second applications are the different applications.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim claim 9, wherein the first window of the first application is a parent window and the second window of the first application is a child window.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein moving the first window off the first display includes moving the first window off the first display to a left-hand side of the multi-display device and moving the second window off the second display includes moving the second window off the second display to a right-hand side of the multi-display device.

18. A dual-display user device, comprising:

a first display including a first display area;

a second display including a second display area; and

a processor in communication with the first display and the second display, the processor operable to execute a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions comprise;

instructions that display, at a first time, a first window of a first application on the first display and a second window of the first application on the second display of the dual-display user device;

instructions that receive a first predetermined input that represents an instruction to reveal a desktop on the first display and the second display of the dual-display user device;

in response to the first predetermined input;

instructions that move, at a second time, the first window of the first application from the first display and the second window of the first application from the second display;

instructions that register, in memory, the first window of the first application for display by the first display and the second window of the first application for display by the second display;

instructions that display, at a third time, the desktop on the first display and the second display of the dual-display user device;

instructions that prevent the first application from displaying on the first display and the second display when the desktop is displayed to the first display and the second display;

wherein access to the memory is provided such that the first application can be retrieved; and

while the desktop is revealed to both the first display and the second display, instructions that receive a second predetermined input into a portion of the desktop that represents an instruction to display output of a second application on the first display of the dual-display user device;

in response to the second predetermined input;

instructions that cease display of the desktop on the first display and the second display of the dual-display user device;

instructions that display, at a fourth time, the output of the second application on the first display; and

instructions that display, at the fourth time, the second window of the first application on the second display.

19. The dual-display user device of claim 18, wherein the first application is displayed in a maximized mode on both the first and second display at the first time.

20. The dual-display user device of claim 18, wherein the virtual stack is split into a first stack and a separate second stack, wherein the first application is split into a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is stored in the first stack of the virtual stack and the second part is stored in the separate second stack of the virtual stack, and wherein the first stack represents data displayed on the first display and the second stack represents data displayed on the second display.