Coordinated operation method and communication terminal device

• US 8,400,469 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Kuwabara, Masahiko, Aoki, Kazuo, Matsumura, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US11/826,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20080020804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 345/660, 345/670, 345/173, 715/864, 715/781, 715/790, 715/794, 715/800, 455/466, 455/567
• US Class Current: 345/629
• 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 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/395 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of the bit-mapped memory to the screen G09G5/399 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files

Abstract

During execution of an engine application by an engine unit, a host unit determines a region for host display upon a display screen, wherein the host unit determines the display contents, according to the usage direction of the display screen employed. Subsequently, the unit creates a host image; the unit generates an engine application image, when the operation of the engine application starts. A display image generation means then generates an image during engine application execution wherein the host image and the engine application image are overlapped, so that, in the region wherein the region for host display and the region for engine display are superimposed, priority is given to the engine application image. Thus, along with it being possible to build the device as a whole in a more compact manner, it is also possible to ensure the convenience from the point of view of the user.

Claims

1. A coordinated operation method in which a host unit which performs processing associated with communication with the exterior, and an engine unit which executes an engine application under the management of said host unit, operate in a coordinated manner in a communication terminal device, comprising:

a region for host display definition step in which said host unit determines upon a region for host display upon a display screen during execution of said engine application by said engine unit, in which the display contents are determined by said host unit, according to the direction of usage of said display screen which is employed during execution of said engine application by said engine unit;

a host image generation step in which said host unit generates a host image, which is image data to be displayed in said region for host display;

an engine application image generation step in which, according to the progression of execution of said engine application, said engine unit generates an engine application image to be displayed in a region for engine display upon said display screen, which is determined corresponding to said engine application;

an image during engine application execution generation step in which, during execution of said engine application, an image during engine application execution is generated in which said host image and said engine application image are overlapped so that, in the region in which said region for host display and said region for engine display are superimposed, priority is given to said engine application image;

an image during engine application execution display step in which said image during engine application execution is displayed upon said display screen; and

an engine display region shrinkage step in which said region for engine display is shrunk, said engine application image is reduced to a size at which all of said engine application image fits within said shrunk region for engine display, and said reduced engine application image is displayed in said region for engine display, when said engine application is paused.

2. A coordinated operation method according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image during engine application pausing generation step in which, during pausing of said engine application, an image during engine application pausing is generated by overlapping said host image and said engine application image at the time point that said engine application has been paused, so that, in the region in which said region for host display and said region for engine display are superimposed, priority is given to said host image; and

an image during engine application pausing display step in which said image during engine application pausing is displayed upon said display screen.

3. A coordinated operation method according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image during engine application pausing generation step in which, during pausing of said engine application, along with setting the entire area of said display screen as said region for host display, also an image during engine application pausing is generated consisting only of said host image; and

an image during engine application pausing display step in which said image during engine application pausing is displayed upon said display screen.

4. A coordinated operation method according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image during engine application pausing generation step in which, during pausing of said engine application, an image during engine application pausing is generated by overlapping said host image and said engine application image at the time point that said engine application has been paused, so that, in the region in which said region for host display and said region for engine display are superimposed, priority is given to said engine application image; and

an image during engine application pausing display step in which said image during engine application pausing is displayed upon said display screen.

5. A communication terminal device comprising:

a host unit, comprising a host processor, which performs processing associated with communication with the exterior;

an engine unit, comprising an engine processor, which executes an engine application under the management of said host unit;

a display unit comprising a display screen which displays an image; and

a display image generation unit which, under control by said host unit, generates a display image for display upon said display screen, based upon information for a host image from said host unit and information for an engine application image from said engine unit;

and characterized in that;

said host unit, during the execution of said engine application by said engine unit, along with determining a region for host display upon said display screen according to the direction of usage of said display screen which is employed during the execution of said engine application by said engine unit, also generates a host image, which is image data to be displayed in said region for host display;

said engine unit, according to the progress of execution of said engine application, generates an engine application image to be displayed in a region for engine display upon said display screen, which said engine unit determines in correspondence to said engine application; and

said display image generation unit, during the execution of said engine application, according to a command from said host unit, generates an image during engine application execution in which said host image and said engine application image are overlapped so that, in the region in which said region for host display and said region for engine display are superimposed, priority is given to said engine application image, characterized in that said display image generation unit shrinks down said region for engine display, said engine application image is reduced to a size at which all of said engine application image fits within said shrunk region for engine display, and said reduced engine application image is displayed in said region for engine display, when said engine application is paused, according to a command from said host unit.

6. A communication terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that said display image generation unit, during pausing of said engine application, according to a command from said host unit, generates an image during engine application pausing by overlapping said host image and said engine application image at the time point that said engine application has been paused, so that, in the region in which said region for host display and said region for engine display are superimposed, priority is given to said host image.

7. A communication terminal device according to claim 5, characterized in that said display image generation unit, during pausing of said engine application, according to a command from said host unit, along with setting the entire area of said display screen as said region for host display, also generates an image during engine application pausing consisting only of said host image.

8. A communication terminal device according to claim 5, characterized in that said display image generation unit, during pausing of said engine application, according to a command from said host unit, along with said shrinking down of said region for engine display, also generates an image during engine application pausing by overlapping said host image and said engine application image at the time point that said engine application has been paused, so that, in the region in which said region for host display and said region for engine display are superimposed, priority is given to said engine application image.

9. A communication terminal device according to claim 5, characterized in that said host unit further comprises a wireless communication unit, connected to said host processor, for performing wireless communication with a base station of a mobile communication network.