Auxiliary display unit for a computer system

• US 7,030,837 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2000
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vong, William H., Fry, Kenneth V., Kaneko, Steven T., Adan, Manolito E., Robertson, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas I.
• Application Number:
  US09/556,982
• Time in Patent Office: 2,185 Days
• Field of Search: 345/3, 345/1.1, 345/2.3, 345/3.1, 345/502, 345/717, 345/2.1, 345/733, 345/749, 345/750, 345/751, 345/1.3, 345/2.2, 345/661, 345/660, 345/5, 709/232, 709/238, 709/216, 709/223, 709/224, 710/33, 713/201, 358/426.12, 708/104, 715/733, 715/734, 715/804
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

A host computer is provided with a main display unit and an auxiliary display unit. The host computer can free up screen space on the main display screen by routing certain types of display information to the auxiliary display unit for display. Display information can range from notification of events such as receipt of email, appointments, system messages, and information from separate applications. The auxiliary display panel may function as a user interface for audio, video, “push information”, MP3 player or become the hardware equivalent of a multimedia player. The auxiliary display panel may be integrated together with the host computer in the same physical structure or may be part of a standalone display unit that is wired or wirelessly coupled to the host computer.

Claims

1. A personal computer system comprising:

a personal computer;

a main display unit coupled to said personal computer, said main display unit configured to receive first information associated with a first application launched by said personal computer and display the first information;

an auxiliary display unit coupled to said personal computer and distinct from said main display unit, said auxiliary display unit configured to receive second information associated with a second application launched by said personal computer, said auxiliary display unit including

a display for displaying the second information, and

an input user interface dedicated to said auxiliary display unit and configured to receive inputs allowing user interaction with the second application in response to the second information being displayed on said display; and

a second auxiliary display unit coupled to said personal computer and distinct from said main display unit and said auxiliary display unit, said second auxiliary display unit configured to receive third information from a third application launched by said personal computer and display the third information,

wherein said personal computer is configured to dynamically control which information said second auxiliary display unit receives by determining whether said second auxiliary display unit is capable of providing display functionality for the information.

2. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said personal computer, said main display unit and said auxiliary display unit are integrated together in a single physical structure.

3. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said main display unit and said auxiliary display unit are not physically attached to each other.

4. The personal computer system according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface for coupling said auxiliary display unit to said personal computer.

5. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said input user interface is configured to receive an input to change a variable associated with the second application.

6. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said main display unit includes a display, the display of said auxiliary display unit being larger than the display of said main display unit.

7. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein the display of said auxiliary display unit is an electro-luminescent panel.

8. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein the second application is a messaging application.

9. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said input user interface of said auxiliary display unit includes features not available with an input user interface associated with said main display unit.

10. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said second auxiliary display unit is further configured to receive the first information and/or the second information.

11. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said personal computer is configured to determine whether said second auxiliary display unit has sufficient display space available to receive the first or second information.

12. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said personal computer is configured to determine whether a user of said second auxiliary display unit is authorized to receive the first or second information.

13. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary display unit only receives and displays information associated with the second application.

14. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said input user interface is configured to receive user authorization information from a user, the user authorization information being processed to determine whether the user is authorized to change a variable associated with the second application.

15. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said input user interface is configured to receive user authorization information from a user, the user authorization information being processed to determine a level of interaction with the second application for which the user is authorized.

16. The personal computer system according to claim 15, wherein the second application is a messaging application and the level of interaction includes viewing messages.

17. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein the second application is a messaging application and one of the inputs is a request to access a message.

18. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein the second information includes a graphical user interface associated with the second application.

19. The personal computer system according to claim 18, wherein the second application is an audio, video or multimedia player application, and said input user interface is configured to receive inputs for controlling aspects of the second application represented in the graphical user interface.

20. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary display unit is physically remote from said main display unit.

21. The personal computer system according to claim 20, wherein only one of said auxiliary display unit and said main display unit can be seen by a single user at a single moment in time due to the physical proximity of said main display unit and said auxiliary display unit.

22. The personal computer system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary display unit is portable.

23. The personal computer system according to claim 22, where the auxiliary display unit is physically attachable to a user.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary display unit is a standalone unit including the display and the input user interface.