USER INTERFACE WITH INDEPENDENT DRAWER CONTROL

• US 20120084697A1
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics ID LLC
• Inventors: Reeves, Paul E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,405,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• 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

Methods and apparatus for controlling the display of one or more drawers of a user interface. One or more displays may be provided, each of which may have a corresponding independently controllable drawer displayable therein. The drawers may be opened in response to a gesture input to display data, such as notification data, application data, contact data, calendar data, weather data, etc. the drawers may be opened and/or closed individually or collectively. For instance, a characteristic of the gesture (e.g., a location of the gesture) may determine which of the drawers are opened in response to the gesture input.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a handheld computing device, comprising:

displaying a first screen on a first display and a second screen on a second display;

maintaining a first drawer that is selectively displayable on the first display and a second drawer that is selectively displayable on the second display;

receiving a gesture input at a gesture sensor of the handheld computing device; and

opening at least one of the first drawer and the second drawer in response to the receiving step;

wherein a characteristic of the gesture input at least partially determines which of the first and second drawers is opened.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises a location at which the gesture is received.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein when the gesture input is received at a first location, the first drawer is opened, and wherein when the gesture input is received at a second location, the second drawer is opened, and wherein when the gesture is received at a third location, both the first drawer and the second drawers are opened.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first location includes at least a portion of the first display and the second location includes at least a portion of the second display.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third location is between the first and second locations.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first display is positioned adjacent to the second display along an interface, and wherein the third location is a predetermined distance from the interface.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a graphical portion is provided at the first, second, and third locations.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the graphical portion is manipulatable by a user to open one or more corresponding drawers.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the graphical portion comprises at least a portion of a status bar.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a handle is provided with the one or more corresponding drawers when displayed, and wherein the handle is manipulatable by a user to close the one or more corresponding drawers.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first drawer and second drawer are operable to contain data comprising notification data, application data, contact data, calendar data, weather data, or a combination thereof.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first drawer and the second drawer contain the same data.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first drawer and the second drawer contain different data.

14. A system for controlling a handheld computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a first display in operative communication with the processor and operable to selectively display a first drawer containing first data therein;

a second display in operative communication with the processor and operable to selectively display second drawer containing second data therein; and

,

at least one gesture sensor operable to receive a gesture input from a user;

wherein upon receipt of said gesture input from a user, one or more of the first and second drawers is displayed.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein a characteristic of the gesture input at least partially determines which of the first and second drawers is displayed.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the gesture input includes a location with respect to the gesture sensor at which the gesture input is received.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a second gesture sensor, wherein the characteristic of the gesture input further includes at which gesture sensor the gesture input is received.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one gesture sensor and the second gesture sensor are associated with a corresponding one of the first display and the second display.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the first and the second drawers are both displayed in response to the gesture input.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein a first screen in the first display is covered when the first drawer is displayed and a second screen in the second display is covered when the second drawer is displayed.

21. A method for controlling a handheld computing device, comprising:

operating the handheld computing device in a first state, wherein a first display is visible from the perspective of a user, wherein the first display is operative to render a status portion;

disposing the handheld computing device in a second state, wherein the first display and a second display are visible from the perspective of the user;

modifying the status portion to be rendered on the first display and the second display in response to the disposing step

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein additional content is added to the status portion in the second state.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein when in the second state, the status portion comprises a unitary portion extending between the first and second displays.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein more information is displayed on the status bar when in the second position than when in the first position.

24. A handheld computing device, comprising:

a first display; and

a second display arranged with respect to the first display and positionable between a first position and a second position with respect to the first display, wherein when in the first position only one of the first display and the second display are viewable from the perspective of a user, and when in the second position the first and the second display are viewable from the perspective of a user;

wherein in response to change in position from the first position to the second position, a status bar displayed on the first display is modified to be displayed on the first display and the second display.