METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY SWITCHING BETWEEN SCALABLE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20120030584A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bian, Brian
• Application Number:
  US12/847,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030584A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/746
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system enable mobile platforms to dynamically switch between scalable graphical user interfaces. Mobile device users may couple their mobile devices to computing platforms with larger display devices. Upon detection of the larger display device, the mobile platform may select an appropriate user interface scheme to display the content on the larger display device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

on a mobile platform having a mobile display screen with a user interface scheme, identifying at least one new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

determining the type of the at least one new display device coupled to a mobile platform;

determining a new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of at least one new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

dynamically switching to the new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform; and

dynamically switching display output from the mobile platform to the new display device coupled to the mobile platform.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

retaining the mobile display screen'"'"'s user interface scheme on the mobile display screen and displaying the new interface scheme on the at least one new display device.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically switching to an input scheme corresponding to the type of at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein switching the input device further comprises retaining an input scheme for the mobile display screen as an input to the at least one new display device.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform is a user interface scheme that is native to the type of display device.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the type of display device includes at least one of a large screen computing monitor, a television and a media center display.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

determining a type of the second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

determining a second new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

dynamically switching to the second new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of second new display device coupled to the mobile platform; and

dynamically switching to the second new display device while continuing to display to the new display device coupled to the mobile platform.

8. A mobile platform having a mobile display screen with a user interface scheme, comprising:

a display driver to identify at least one new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

a display port selection driver coupled to the display driver, the display port selection driver to determine the type of the at least one new display device coupled to a mobile platform;

a user interface (UI) controller to determine a new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the at least one new display device coupled to the mobile platform, the UI controller to instruct a windows manager to dynamically switch to the new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform, the UI controller to further instruct the display port selection driver to dynamically switch display output from the mobile platform to the new display device coupled to the mobile platform.

9. The mobile platform according to claim 8 wherein the UI controller to further retain the mobile display screen'"'"'s user interface scheme on the mobile display screen and displaying the new interface scheme on the at least one new display device.

10. The mobile platform according to claim 8 wherein the UI controller to further dynamically switch to an input scheme corresponding to the type of at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform.

11. The mobile platform claim 10 wherein switching the input device further comprises retaining an input scheme for the mobile display screen as an input to the at least one new display device.

12. The mobile platform according to claim 8 wherein the user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform is a user interface scheme that is native to the type of display device.

13. The mobile platform according to claim 12 wherein the type of display device includes at least one of a large screen computing monitor, a television and a media center display.

14. The mobile platform according to claim 8 wherein:

the display driver to further identify a second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

the display port driver to further determine a type of the second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

a user interface (UI) controller to determine a second new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the second new display device coupled to the mobile platform, the UI controller to instruct the windows manager to dynamically switch to the second new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of second new display device coupled to the mobile platform, the UI controller additionally to instruct the device port selection driver to dynamically switch to the second new display device while continuing to display to the new display device coupled to the mobile platform.

15. A machine-accessible device having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

identify at least one new display device coupled to a mobile platform having a mobile display screen with a user interface scheme;

determine the type of the at least one new display device coupled to a mobile platform;

determine a new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of at least one new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

dynamically switch to the new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform; and

dynamically switch to the new display device coupled to the mobile platform.

16. The machine-accessible device according to claim 15 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to further:

retain the mobile display screen'"'"'s user interface scheme on the mobile display screen and display the new interface scheme on the at least one new display device.

17. The machine-accessible device according to claim 15 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to further dynamically switch to an input scheme corresponding to the type of at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform.

18. The machine-accessible device according to claim 17 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to further switch the input device while continuing to retain an input scheme for the mobile display screen as an input to the at least one new display device.

19. The machine-accessible device according to claim 15 wherein the user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the at least one display device coupled to the mobile platform is a user interface scheme that is native to the type of display device.

20. The machine-accessible device according to claim 19 wherein the type of display device includes at least one of a large screen computing monitor, a television and a media center display.

21. The machine-accessible device according to claim 15 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to further:

identify a second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

determine a type of the second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

determine a second new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of the second new display device coupled to the mobile platform;

dynamically switch to the second new user interface scheme corresponding to the type of second new display device coupled to the mobile platform; and

dynamically switch to the second new display device while continuing to display to the new display device coupled to the mobile platform.