Personal information device on a mobile computing platform

• US 20030100963A1
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Potts, John F. L., Booth, Lawrence A. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• 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 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 3/04886 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 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/393 Arrangements for updating the contents of the bit-mapped memory

Abstract

A method and apparatus for integrating a personal information device (PID) on a mobile computer that includes activating a first mode to display data originating with the PID in a first display area of a display. The mobile computer switches to a second mode to display data associated with the second mode in a second display area of the display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

operating in a first mode to display data originating with a personal information device (PID) in a first display area of a display; and

switching to a second mode to display data in a second display area of the display.

2. The method of claim 1 including receiving the PID data over a communications link.

3. The method of claim 1 including operating in the first mode in response to a power-on event.

4. The method of claim 1 including switching between the first mode and the second mode in response to a mode event.

5. The method of claim 1 including synchronizing changes to the PID data with the source of the PID data.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a display having a first display area and a second display area;

a first computing module coupled to the display, the first computing module comprising a first processor configured to;

operate in a first mode to display data received from a personal information device (PID) in the first display area; and

a second computing module coupled to the display, the second computing module comprising a second processor configured to;

switch to a second mode to display data in the second display area of the display.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second processor is configured to process a power on event to cause the activation of the first mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second processor is configured to process a mode event that causes a switch between the first mode and the second mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the PID data is received over a communications link.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first processor consumes less power per unit time than the second processor.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the size of the first display area is smaller than the size of the second display area.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the PID data includes electronic mail (EMAIL) data.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the display includes an organic light emitting diode.

14. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second processor is configured to synchronize changes to the PID data with a source of the PID data.

15. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the display is shared by the first computing module and the second computing module.

16. An article comprising a computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer system to:

operate in a first mode to display data originating with a personal information device (PID) in a first display area of a display; and

switch to a second mode to display data in a second display area of the display.

17. The article of claim 16 including instructions for causing the computer to:

operate in the first mode in response to a power-on event.

18. The article of claim 16 including instructions for causing the computer to:

switch between the first mode and the second mode in response to a mode event.

19. The article of claim 16 including instructions for causing the computer to:

synchronize changes to the PID data with a source of the PID data.

20. A system comprising:

a source of personal information device data; and

a computing device coupled to the source of the PID data, the computing device comprising;

a display having a first display area and a second display area,

a first computing module coupled to the display, the first computing module comprising a first processor coupled to a first memory, the first processor configured to;

operate in a first mode to display data originating with the PID in the first display area, and

a second computing module coupled to the display, the second computing module comprising a second processor coupled to a second memory, the second processor configured to;

switch to a second mode to display data in the second display area of the display.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the second processor is configured to process a power-on event that causes the activation of the first mode.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the second processor is configured to process a mode event that causes a switch between the first mode and the second mode.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the source of the PID data is coupled to the apparatus over a communications link.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the first processor consumes less power per unit time than the second processor.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the first display area is smaller than the size of the second display area.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the PID data includes electronic mail (EMAIL) data.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the display includes a organic light emitting diode.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein changes to the PID data are synchronized with the source of the PID data.

29. The system of claim 20 wherein the display is shared between the first computing module and the second computing module.