Multiple document viewing apparatus and user interface

• US 20050257145A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Cynthia Joanne Gage
• Inventors: Gage, Cynthia Joanne
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1631 Panel PC, e.g. single housing hosting PC and display panel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/903 Modular display

Abstract

An apparatus for display of multiple electronic documents. The apparatus includes one or more tilting, rotatable, and detachable display devices coupled to a display stand, or to a personal computer or other data processing apparatus via a hinge or the like. A screen control user interface running on the data processing apparatus is provided for switching electronic documents between the various display devices. One or more of the display devices may include a local memory, power supply, and application software so that the screen can be detached from the multiple document display apparatus and still display an electronic document. The displayed electronic document may then be marked up by a second user and returned to a first user for editing purposes.

Claims

1. A computer display system comprising:

a data processing apparatus including a first display screen, a first user input device, and a processor coupled to the first display screen and the first user input device, the processor providing a graphics user interface including a plurality of operation selection icons on the first display screen; and

a first display device in communication with the data processing apparatus, the first display device including a second display screen, wherein, in response to a user selection of a first operation selection icon on the graphics user interface using the first user input device, the processor applies a first operation with respect to the second display screen.

2. The computer display system of claim 1, wherein the first operation is moving an image between the first display screen and the second display screen.

3. The computer display system of claim 1, wherein the first operation invokes the second display screen as a current working screen.

4. The computer display system of claim 1, wherein the first operation hides an image displayed on the second display screen.

5. The computer display system of claim 1 further comprising a second display device in communication with the data processing apparatus, the second display device including a third display screen.

6. The computer display system of claim 5, wherein a second operation is applied with respect to the third display screen in response to a user selection of a second operation selection icon on the graphics user interface using the first user input device, wherein the second operation moves an image between the second display screen and the third display screen.

7. The computer display system of claim 1, wherein the first display device is mechanically coupled to the data processing apparatus.

8. The computer display system of claim 1 further comprising a display stand, wherein the first display device is removably coupled to the display stand.

9. The computer display system of claim 1, wherein the first display device further includes a controller, a memory, and a second user input device, the memory storing program instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to perform the steps of:

displaying an electronic document on the second display screen;

receiving a user annotation with respect to the displayed electronic document, the annotation being entered using the second user input device;

displaying the user annotation on the second display screen; and

storing the user annotation in the memory.

10. In a computer display system including a data processing apparatus including a first display screen, a first user input device, and a processor coupled to the first display screen and the first user input device, the processor providing a graphics user interface including a plurality of operation selection icons on the first display screen, the computer display system further including a display apparatus in communication with the data processing apparatus, the display apparatus comprising:

a display stand; and

a first display device coupled to the display stand, the first display device including a second display screen, wherein, in response to a user selection of a first operation selection icon on the graphics user interface using the first user input device, the processor applies a first operation with respect to the second display screen.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first operation is moving an image between the first display screen and the second display screen.

12. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first operation invokes the second display screen as a current working screen.

13. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first operation hides an image displayed on the second display screen.

14. The display apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a second display device coupled to the display stand, the second display device including a third display screen.

15. The display apparatus of claim 14, wherein a second operation is applied with respect to the third display screen in response to a user selection of a second operation selection icon on the graphics user interface using the first user input device, wherein the second operation moves an image between the second display screen and the third display screen.

16. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first display device further includes a controller, a memory, and a second user input device, the memory storing program instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to perform the steps of:

displaying an electronic document on the second display screen;

receiving a user annotation with respect to the displayed electronic document, the annotation being entered using the second user input device;

displaying the user annotation on the second display screen; and

storing the user annotation in the memory.

17. In a computer display system including a first display device including a first display screen, and a data processing apparatus in communication with the first display device, the data processing apparatus comprising:

a second display screen displaying a graphics user interface including a plurality of operation selection icons;

a user input device selecting a first operation selection icon from the graphics user interface; and

a processor coupled to the second display screen and the user input device, the processor providing the graphics user interface on the second display screen and applying a first operation with respect to the first display screen in response to the selection of the first operation selection icon.

18. The data processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first operation is moving an image between the first display screen and the second display screen.

19. The data processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first operation invokes the first display screen as a current working screen.

20. The data processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first operation hides an image displayed on the first display screen.

21. The data processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the data processing apparatus is in communication with a second display device including a third display screen, and a second operation is applied with respect to the third display screen in response to a user selection of a second operation selection icon on the graphics user interface, wherein the second operation moves an image between the second display screen and the third display screen.

22. In a computer display system including a data processing apparatus including a first display screen and a first user input device, and a first display device in communication with the data processing apparatus, the first display device including a second display screen, a method for manipulating images displayed on the computer display system comprising:

providing on the first display screen a graphics user interface including a plurality of operation selection icons;

receiving, via the first user input device, a user selection of a first operation selection icon from the graphics user interface; and

applying a first operation with respect to the second display screen in response to the selection of the first operation selection icon.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first operation is moving an image between the first display screen and the second display screen.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first operation invokes the second display screen as a current working screen.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the first operation hides an image displayed on the second display screen.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the data processing apparatus is in communication with a second display device including a third display screen, the method further comprising:

receiving, via the first user input device, a user selection of a second operation selection icon from the graphics user interface; and

applying a second operation with respect to the third display screen in response to the selection of the second operation selection icon, wherein the second operation moves an image between the second display screen and the third display screen.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the first display device is coupled to a display stand and includes a second user input device, the method further comprising:

displaying an electronic document on the second display screen;

detaching the first display device from the display stand while the electronic document is displayed on the second display screen;

receiving a user annotation with respect to the displayed electronic document, the annotation being entered via the second user input device while the first display device is detached from the display stand;

displaying the user annotation on the second display screen; and

storing the user annotation in the memory.

28. In a computer display system including a data processing apparatus including a first display screen and a first user input device, and a display apparatus in communication with the data processing apparatus, the display apparatus including a display stand and a first display device coupled to the display stand, the first display device including a second display screen and a second user input device, a method for manipulating images displayed on the computer display system comprising:

providing on the first display screen a graphics user interface including a plurality of operation selection icons;

displaying on the first display screen an electronic document;

receiving, via the first user input device, a user selection of a first operation selection icon from the graphics user interface;

moving the display of the electronic document from the first display screen to the second display screen in response to the user selection of the first operation selection icon;

detaching the first display device from the display stand while the electronic document is displayed on the second display screen;

receiving a user annotation with respect to the electronic document displayed on the second display screen, the annotation being entered using the second user input device while the first display device is detached from the display stand;

displaying the user annotation on the second display screen;

reattaching the first display device on the display stand; and

performing an operation on the electronic document displayed on the second display screen via the first user input device.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

receiving, via the first user input device, a user selection of a second operation selection icon from the graphics user interface; and

performing the operation on the electronic document displayed on the second display screen in response to the selection of the second operation selection icon.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

displaying a second electronic document on the first display screen concurrently with the electronic document displayed on the second display screen.