APPLICATION DISPLAY TRANSITIONS BETWEEN SINGLE AND MULTIPLE DISPLAYS

• US 20120081271A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• 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: Gimpl, Martin, Reeves, Paul, Sirpal, Sanjiv
• Granted Patent: US 9,152,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• 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 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 : display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/02 : Affine transformations for image registration G06T3/147; for image mosaicing G06T3/4038
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 : Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 : Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 : Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A multi-screen user device and methods for controlling data displayed are disclosed. The data displayed by the multiple screens of the device is dependent on the physical orientation of the device, whether the content for an application is displayed across a plurality of the multiple screens, and whether the data being displayed for the application originated from a single-screen application or a multi-screen application.

Claims

1. A method of controlling data displayed by a multi-screen device, comprising:

determining that the multi-screen device has moved from a first physical orientation to a different second physical orientation, wherein the first and second physical orientations differ by the first physical orientation being one of;

folded or in a landscape orientation;

determining whether a first screen and a second screen of the multi-screen device are each displaying content for a same application;

changing a display of the application to conform to a predetermined display configuration of the of the application on at least one of the first and second screens, wherein the display configuration is dependent upon the second physical orientation and a result of the step of determining;

wherein the step of changing includes a step of modifying a display of the application;

(a) from being displayed on only the first screen to being displayed on both the first and second screens at a same time, or (b) from being displayed on both the first and second screens at a same time to being displayed on only the first screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first screen is determined to be above the second screen.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a relative position of the first to the second screen is determined, at least in part, based on data received from an accelerometer.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether the application is a single-screen application or a multi-screen application; and

wherein controlling data displayed on the second screen in an open landscape state is also based on whether the application is a single-screen application or a multi-screen application.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the application is a multi-screen application, the method further comprising:

automatically causing data from the application to be displayed on the second screen in a landscape state such that the device is not in a folded closed configuration.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the application is a single-screen application and wherein data from a different second application is concurrently displayed on the second screen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the second physical orientation is a portrait orientation, (b) the first physical orientation is a landscape orientation, (c) prior to the step of changing, the first and second screens each display content for the application, and the step of modifying includes displaying the application on only the first screen.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein data from a second application is displayed on the second screen simultaneous with data from the application being displayed on the first screen.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the second physical orientation is an unfolded orientation of the device, (b) the first physical orientation is a folded orientation, (c) prior to the step of changing, the only first screen displays the content of the application, and the step of modifying includes displaying concurrently at least a portion of the content on each the first and second screens.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having machine instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

a first set of the instructions configured to determine that a multi-screen device has moved from a first physical orientation to a different second physical orientation, wherein the first and second physical orientations differ by the first physical orientation being one of;

folded or in a landscape orientation;

a second set of the instructions configured to determine whether a first screen and a second screen of the multi-screen device are each displaying content for a same application; and

a third set of the instructions configured to change a display of the application to conform to a predetermined display configuration of the of the application on at least one of the first and second screens, wherein the display configuration is dependent upon the second physical orientation and a result of the step of determining;

wherein the third set of the instructions are configured to modify a display of the application;

(a) from being displayed on only the first screen to being displayed on both the first and second screens at a same time, or (b) from being displayed on both the first and second screens at a same time to being displayed on only the first 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 method of claim 10, wherein the first screen is determined to be above the second screen, and wherein data displayed on the second display in an open landscape state is also based on whether the application is a single-screen application or a multi-screen application.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the application is a multi-screen application and wherein the instructions configured to control data displayed on the first and second displays also generates a transition area on the second display that moves across and progressively fills the second display with data from the first application.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the data from the application is automatically displayed on both the first and second displays when:

(a) the second physical orientation is an unfolded orientation of the device, (b) the first physical orientation is a folded orientation, (c) prior to a corresponding execution of the instructions for modifying the display of the application, the only first screen displays the content of the application, and after the execution of the instruction for modifying, concurrently displaying at least a portion of the content on each the first and second screens.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the application is a single-screen application and wherein data from a second application is automatically displayed on the second screen immediately after the device transitions to the open landscape state.

16. A multi-screen user device, comprising:

a first screen including a first display area;

a second screen including a second display area;

an attachment configured to foldably 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 relative positions of the first screen to the second screen; and

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

a first set of the instructions configured to determine that the multi-screen device has moved from a first physical orientation to a different second physical orientation, wherein the first and second physical orientations differ by the first physical orientation being one of;

folded or in a landscape orientation;

a second set of the instructions configured to determine, whether a first screen and a second screen of the multi-screen device are each displaying content for a same application; and

a third set of the instructions configured to change a display of the application to conform to a predetermined display configuration of the of the application on at least one of the first and second screens, wherein the display configuration is dependent upon the second physical orientation and a result of the step of determining; and

wherein the third set of the instructions are configured to modify a display of the application;

(a) from being displayed on only the first screen to being displayed on both the first and second screens at a same time, or (b) from being displayed on both the first and second screens at a same time to being displayed on only the first screen.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the application is a multi-screen application and wherein the third set of instructions is further configured to generate a transition area on the second display that moves across and progressively fills the second display with data from the application.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the data from the application is automatically displayed on both the first and second displays when:

(a) the second physical orientation is an unfolded orientation of the device, (b) the first physical orientation is a folded orientation, (c) prior to a corresponding execution of the instructions for modifying the display of the application, the only first screen displays the content of the application, and after the execution of the instruction for modifying, concurrently displaying at least a portion of the content on each the first and second screens.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the data from the application is automatically displayed on only the first screen when (a) the second physical orientation is a portrait orientation, (b) the first physical orientation is a landscape orientation, (c) prior to a corresponding execution of the third set of instructions, the first and second screens each display content for the application, and after corresponding execution of the third set of instructions, displaying the application on only the first screen.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the first screen is determined to be above the second screen, based at least partially on the second signal.