Multiple application and multiple monitor user interface image format selection system for medical and other applications

• US 7,636,899 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Purcell, Joseph David, Sivakumar, Perumal, O'Donnell, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell; Joshua D
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US11/419,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/778, 715/761, 715/788, 715/790, 715/798, 715/800, 715/804, 345/684, 345/634
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/045 using multiple communication channels, e.g. parallel and serial

Abstract

A screen sharing function enables a main executable application, which typically uses more than one monitor, to switch to single-monitor usage as necessary to allow a user to directly interact with other applications that the main executable application invokes. A system including multiple display monitors for displaying multiple user interface image windows associated with corresponding multiple executable applications employs an image format determination system. The image format determination system includes an input processor for receiving command data representing a command to initiate execution of a function of a second application and display of an associated second image window in response to user entry of a command via a first image window associated with a first application. An image format selection processor, in response to the received command data, automatically initiates reduction in size of the first image window to fit a screen of the multiple display monitors and to prevent mutual overlap of the reduced size first image window and the second image window. A display processor initiates generation of data representing the reduced size first image window and the second image window, for presentation on the multiple display monitors.

Claims

1. An image formatting system for displaying a plurality of user interface image windows associated with a corresponding plurality of executable applications comprising:

a plurality of display monitors comprising at least a first monitor and a different second monitor wherein a first image window associated with a primary application encompasses at least said first monitor and said different second monitor, said primary application enabling initiation of a secondary application and the first image window associated with said primary application being designated in predetermined data as a top-level image window to remain concurrently visible upon display of a second image window associated with said secondary application;

an input processor for receiving command data representing a command to initiate execution of a function of said secondary application and display of an associated second image window, said first image window being exclusive of said second image window, in response to user entry of a command via said first image window;

an image format selection processor for automatically initiating reduction in size of said first image window to encompass said first monitor of said plurality of display monitors and to prevent mutual overlap of said reduced size first image window and said second image window encompassing said different second monitor of said plurality of display monitors, in response to user entry of said command; and

a display processor for initiating generation of data representing said reduced size first image window and said second image window, for presentation on said first and different second monitors, respectively.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said first image window encompasses a third monitor, different from said first monitor and said different second monitor.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window, in response to predetermined data indicating image coordinate space of available logical monitors, to encompass said at least first monitor and said different second monitor, prior to said size reduction, in response to a user command to terminate execution of said function of said secondary application.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said function of said secondary application comprises at least one of, (a) initiation of execution of said secondary application and (b) initiation of display or access to said second image window.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said function of said secondary application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to encompass multiple monitors of said plurality of display monitors.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein

said multiple monitors of said plurality of display monitors include said first monitor, said different second monitor and a third monitor.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said secondary application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to encompass multiple monitors of said plurality of display monitors.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein

said multiple monitors of plurality of display monitors comprise a first monitor, said different second monitor and a third monitor.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said image format selection processor, in response to said received command data, automatically initiates reduction in at least one of, (a) horizontal number of image pixels and (b) vertical number of image pixels, of said first image window to encompass said first monitor of said plurality of display monitors.

10. An image formatting system for displaying a plurality of user interface image windows associated with a corresponding plurality of executable applications comprising:

a plurality of display monitors comprising at least a single first monitor and a different second monitor wherein a first image window associated with a primary application encompasses at least said single first monitor and said different second monitor, said primary application enabling initiation of a secondary application and the first image window associated with said primary application being designated in predetermined data as a top-level image window to remain concurrently visible upon display of a second image window associated with said secondary application;

an input processor for receiving command data representing a command to initiate execution of a function of said secondary application and display of an associated second image window, said first image window being exclusive of said second image window, in response to user entry of a command via said first image window;

an image format selection processor for automatically initiating reduction in size of said first image window to encompass said single first monitor of said plurality of display monitors and to prevent mutual overlap of said reduced size first image window and said second image window encompassing said different second monitor of said plurality of display monitors, in response to predetermined data indicating image space of available monitors and in response to user entry of said command; and

a display processor for initiating generation of data representing said reduced size first image window for display on said single first monitor and data representing said second image window for display on a second different monitor, of said plurality of display monitors.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said first image window encompasses a third monitor, different from said single first monitor and said different second monitor.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said function of said secondary application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to encompass said at least first monitor and said different second monitor, as prior to said size reduction.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said image format selection processor automatically resizes and enlarges the reduced first image window to encompass said at least single first monitor and said different second monitor, as prior to said size reduction, upon command of closing of said secondary application.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein

in response to a user command to terminate execution of said secondary application, said image format selection processor automatically initiates increase in size of said first image window to said at least first monitor and said different second monitor, as prior to said size reduction.