Display Device Managing Method

• US 20090298545A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lutzeler, Michael, Kittel, Kay, Lukas, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing a display device (DSP) of a portable communications device (MFG) having the following characteristics: said display device is used for displaying graphical subject matter, it also comprises a processing device (LAE) for carrying out first and second applications, each of which has an output subject matter. A control device (IM) for managing the graphical display surface of the display device is also provided, wherein the control device of the first application allocates a first display area and the control device of the second application allocates a second display area in such a way that no overlap of said display areas is produced, thereby avoiding the harmful influence of the first performed application on the second later invoked application.

Claims

1. A method of managing a display device (DSP) of a portable communication unit (MFG), comprising:

Executing a first application (AP1) on the portable communication unit;

Assigning a first display area (AB1) of the display device (DSP) to the first application for outputting first graphic output content;

Executing a second application (AP2) on the portable communication unit;

Assigning a second display area (AB2) of the display device to the second application for outputting second graphic output content with the relevant display areas (AB1, AB2) being assigned so that they do not overlap.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which a first display area (AB1) is first assigned to the first application (AP1) and is then adjusted to define the second display area (AB2) for the second application (AP2).

3. A method according to claim 1 in which a priority is assigned to the first application and the second application with the size of the relevant display area being determined depending on the assigned priority.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which the larger display area is assigned to the application having the higher priority.

5. A method according to claims 1 in which a minimum required display area is predetermined for the application.

6. A method according to claim 3 in which:

in which a minimum required display area is predetermined for the application; and

at least the minimum required display area is assigned to the application having a higher priority.

7. A method according to claim 1 in which the size of the relevant display area for an application is determined depending on which application was executed first.

8. A method according to claim 7 in which the larger display area is assigned to the application which was executed first.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which, in the event of adjustment in the form of a reduction in the first display area because of assignment of a second display area, the scaling of the first graphic output content is adjusted in order that the entire first output content can continue to be displayed.

10. A portable communication unit (MFG) comprising:

A display device (DSP) with a display surface (AZF) for displaying graphic content;

A processor (LAE) for executing a first application (AP1) and a second application (AP2) which each provide graphic output content;

A controller (IM) for managing the graphic display surface of the display device (DSP) with the controller assigning a first display area (AB1) to the first application (AP1) and assigning a second display area (AB2) to the second application (AP2) on the display surface of the display device so that there is no overlapping of display areas (AB1, AB2).

11. A portable communication unit according to claim 10 in which the controller (IM) is set up so that a first display area is first assigned to the first application and the first display area is adapted in order to determine the second display area for the second application.

12. A portable communication unit according to claim 10 which is designed as at least one of a mobile radio device and a portable computer.

13. A portable communication unit according to claim 11 which is designed as at least one of a mobile radio device and a portable computer.

14. A portable communication unit comprising:

a display device having a display surface configured to display graphic content; and

a circuit configured to manage the graphic display surface of the display device, the circuit configured to assign a first display area to a first application and assign a second display area to a second application on the display surface of the display device so that the first display area does not overlap the second display area.

15. The portable communications unit of claim 14, wherein the first application provides a first display output and the circuit is configured such that the first display area provides a display of substantially the entire first display output.

16. The portable communications unit of claim 14, wherein the circuit is configured to rescale information displayed based on the first application in order to display information from the second application.

17. The portable communications unit of claim 14, wherein the unit is a mobile radio device.

18. The portable communications unit of claim 14, wherein the unit is a portable computer.

19. The portable communications unit of claim 14, wherein the circuit is configured to assign at least one of the first display area to the first application and the second display area to the second application based on a minimum required display area for the first application.

20. A portable communication unit comprising:

a display having a display surface configured to display graphic content; and

a means for assigning a first display area of the display to a first application and assigning a second display area of the display to a second application so that the first display area does not overlap the second display area.