Multiple Application and Multiple Monitor User Interface Image Format Selection System for Medical and Other Applications

• US 20070024645A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: O'Donnell, Chris, Sivakumar, Perumal, Purcell, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/045 using multiple communication channels, e.g. parallel and serial

Abstract

A screen sharing function enables a main executable application, which typically uses more than one monitor, to switch to single-monitor usage as necessary to allow a user to directly interact with other applications that the main executable application invokes. A system including multiple display monitors for displaying multiple user interface image windows associated with corresponding multiple executable applications employs an image format determination system. The image format determination system includes an input processor for receiving command data representing a command to initiate execution of a function of a second application and display of an associated second image window in response to user entry of a command via a first image window associated with a first application. An image format selection processor, in response to the received command data, automatically initiates reduction in size of the first image window to fit a screen of the multiple display monitors and to prevent mutual overlap of the reduced size first image window and the second image window. A display processor initiates generation of data representing the reduced size first image window and the second image window, for presentation on the multiple display monitors.

Claims

1. In a system including a plurality of display monitors for displaying a plurality of user interface image windows associated with a corresponding plurality of executable applications, an image format determination system, comprising:

an input processor for receiving command data representing a command to initiate execution of a function of a second application and display of an associated second image window in response to user entry of a command via a first image window associated with a first application;

an image format selection processor for, in response to said received command data, automatically initiating reduction in size of said first image window to fit a screen of said plurality of display monitors and to prevent mutual overlap of said reduced size first image window and said second image window; and

a display processor for initiating generation of data representing said reduced size first image window and said second image window, for presentation on said plurality of display monitors.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said reduced size first image window is presented on a first monitor of said plurality of display monitors and said second image window is presented on a different second monitor of said plurality of display monitors.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein

said plurality of display monitors comprise said first monitor and said different second monitor and

said first image window prior to said size reduction encompasses said first monitor and said different second monitor.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said function of said second application comprises at least one of, (a) initiation of execution of said second application and (b) initiation of display or access to said second image window.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said function of said second application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to fit a screen of said plurality of display monitors.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein

said plurality of display monitors comprise a first monitor and a different second monitor and

said first image window, in response to said increase in size of said first image window, encompasses display screens of said first monitor and said different second monitor.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said second application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to fit a screen of said plurality of display monitors.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein

said plurality of display monitors comprise a first monitor and a different second monitor and

said first image window, in response to said increase in size of said first image window, encompasses display screens of said first monitor and said different second monitor.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said image format selection processor, in response to said received command data, automatically initiates reduction in at least one of, (a) horizontal number of image pixels and (b) vertical number of image pixels, of said first image window to fit a screen of said plurality of display monitors.

10. In a system including a plurality of display monitors for displaying a plurality of user interface image windows associated with a corresponding plurality of executable applications, an image format determination system, comprising:

an input processor for receiving command data representing a command to initiate execution of a function of a second application and display of an associated second image window in response to user entry of a command via a first image window associated with a first application, said first image window encompassing display screens of said plurality of monitors;

an image format selection processor for, in response to said received command data, automatically initiating reduction in size of said first image window to fit a screen of a single first monitor of said plurality of display monitors and to prevent mutual overlap of said reduced size first image window and said second image window; and

a display processor for initiating generation of data representing said reduced size first application image window for display on said first monitor and data representing said second application image window for display on a second different monitor, of said plurality of display monitors.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said reduced size first image window is presented on a first monitor of said plurality of display monitors and said second image window is presented on a different second monitor of said plurality of display monitors.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said function of said second application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to encompass display screens of said plurality of monitors.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said plurality of display monitors comprise a first monitor and a different second monitor and

said first image window, in response to said increase in size of said first image window, encompasses display screens of said first monitor and said different second monitor.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said second application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to fit a screen of said plurality of display monitors.