DESKTOP REVEAL EXPANSION

• US 20120081267A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: IMERJ LLC (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sirpal, Sanjiv, Gimpl, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,947,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

A dual-screen user device and methods for revealing a combination of desktops on single and multiple screens are disclosed. Specifically, a determined number of desktops is displayed to at least one of the screens of the device conditioned upon input received and the state of the device. Where a screen of the device is determined to be inactive, the desktop is not displayed to the screen, but is stored in a virtually displayed state by the device. Upon receiving input that the inactive screen is active, the device can actually display the desktop to the screen.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a desktop on a multi-screen device, comprising:

receiving a first predetermined input that represents an instruction to reveal a desktop on a first screen of the multi-screen device;

determining a first desktop to display on the first screen;

determining a second desktop to display on a second screen of the multi-screen device; and

responding to the first predetermined input with an output that causes the first desktop to be displayed on the first screen and which also causes the second desktop to be at least one of (i) actually displayed on the second screen and (ii) virtually displayed on the second screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined input comprises at least one of the following:

i) a user input gesture;

ii) a combination of user input gestures;

iii) a memory output;

iv) a response to a programmed condition; and

v) hardware timers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein responding to the first predetermined input comprises at least one of the following:

i) referring to a memory;

ii) selecting an output; and

iii) providing the output as an electrical signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second desktop is virtually displayed by:

registering in memory the second desktop for display by the second screen;

preventing the second desktop from displaying on the second screen where the second screen is determined to be inactive; and

wherein access to the memory is provided such that the second desktop can be retrieved.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second desktop is actually displayed by:

registering in memory the second desktop for display by the second screen where the second screen is determined to be active; and

displaying the second desktop on the second screen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second predetermined input after the first predetermined input, the second predetermined input representing an instruction to navigate a plurality of desktops;

discontinuing display of the first desktop on the first screen and storing the first desktop in a virtual desktop stack memory;

replacing the first desktop on the first screen with the second desktop from the second screen for display on the first screen;

displaying a third desktop to be at least one of (i) actually displayed on the second screen and (ii) virtually displayed on the second screen.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third desktop is virtually displayed on the second screen while the multi-screen device is in a closed state.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the third desktop is actually displayed on the second screen while the multi-screen device is in an open state.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein display rules are referenced and followed according to:

a) when both screens are active the first desktop is actually displayed on the first screen and the second desktop is actually displayed on the second screen; and

b) when the second screen is inactive the first desktop is actually displayed on the first screen and the second desktop is virtually displayed on the second screen.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a computing system to execute a method, the instructions comprising:

instructions configured to receive a first predetermined input that represents an instruction to reveal a desktop on a first screen of the multi-screen device;

instructions configured to determine a first desktop to display on the first screen;

instructions configured to determine a second desktop to display on a second screen of the multi-screen device; and

instructions configured to respond to the first predetermined input with an output that causes the first desktop to be displayed on the first screen and which also causes the second desktop to be at least one of (i) actually displayed on the second screen and (ii) virtually displayed on the second screen.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first screen corresponds to a primary screen and wherein the second screen corresponds to a secondary screen.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions configured to receive a second predetermined input that represents an instruction to move the second desktop from the second screen to be displayed on the first screen of the multi-screen device.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions configured to determine whether the multi-screen device is in an open or closed state;

instructions configured to actually display the first desktop on the first screen and actually display the second desktop on the second screen when the multi-screen device is in the open state; and

instructions configured to actually display the first desktop on the first screen and virtually display the second desktop on the second screen when the multi-screen device is in the closed state.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions configured to determine whether the second screen is active or inactive;

instructions configured to actually display the first desktop on the first screen and actually display the second desktop on the second screen when both screens are active; and

instructions configured to actually display the first desktop on the first screen and virtually display the second desktop on the second screen when the first screen is active and the second screen is inactive.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

instructions configured to receive a second predetermined input after the first predetermined input, the second predetermined input representing an instruction to navigate a plurality of desktops;

instructions configured to move the first desktop off the first screen and store the first desktop in a virtual desktop stack memory;

instructions configured to replace the first desktop on the first screen with the second desktop from the second screen for display on the first screen; and

instructions configured to introduce a third desktop to be at least one of (i) actually displayed on the second screen and (ii) virtually displayed on the second screen.

16. A multi-screen user device, comprising:

a first screen including a first display area;

a second screen including a second display area;

a hinge configured to connect the first screen with the second screen;

a first sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a position of the hinge;

a second sensor configured to produce a second signal indicative of a relative position of the first screen and the second screen; and

a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that include;

a first set of instructions configured to determine, based at least partially on the first signal, whether the hinge is in a first position or second position; and

a second set of instructions configured to determine, based on the first signal, whether to actually display or virtually display a second desktop on the second screen.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the first screen corresponds to a primary screen and wherein the second screen corresponds to a secondary screen.

18. The device of claim 16, further comprising:

a first user input gesture area of the first screen;

a second user input gesture area of the second screen; and

wherein the first and second user input gesture areas are configured to accept input from a user.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first user input gesture area is located on the first screen and outside of the first display area.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the second user input gesture area is located on the second screen and outside of the second display area.