Primary display with selectively autonomous secondary display modules

• US 8,601,195 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Smith, Dana S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US13/168,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20120331200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 892 Days
• Field of Search: 710300-317
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/10 Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092

Abstract

A multi-function display is provided with selectively autonomous secondary modules. A primary device is made up of a central display controller for determining display functions, and at least one docking port. Each docking port selectively connects a SDD to the primary device mechanically, and electrically connects a docked SDD to the central display controller. Each SDD includes a local display screen, and a local display controller for determining local display functions. Each SDD includes a docking port for selectively interfacing to a primary device docking port, and also includes a governor module. The governor module has an interface to determine if the SDD is docked to the primary device. The governor module permits the central display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD being docked with the primary device, or permits the local display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD not being docked.

Claims

1. A multi-function display with selectively autonomous secondary modules, the multi-function display comprising:

a primary device including;

a central display controller for determining display functions;

a docking station with a plurality of docking ports, each docking port selectively connecting a secondary display device (SDD) to the primary device mechanically, and electrically connecting a docked SDD to the central display controller;

a plurality of SDDs, each SDD including;

a local display screen panel for presenting visual content to a viewer;

a local display controller for determining local display functions;

a docking port selectively interfacing to a primary device docking port; and

,

a governor module having an interface to determine if the SDD is docked to the primary device, the governor module permitting the central display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD being docked with the primary device, and permitting the local display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD not being docked.

2. The multi-function display of claim 1 wherein a first SDD is docked with the primary device docking station;

and,

wherein the central display controller determines the first SDD local display functions.

3. The multi-function display of claim 1 wherein the primary device includes a central display screen panel for presenting content to a viewer.

4. The multi-function display of claim 1 wherein the primary device includes a hardwired link;

wherein the first SDD includes a hardwired link for transceiving communications with the central display controller when undocked from the primary device docking station; and

,

wherein the first SDD local controller selects a display function provided by the central display controller via the hardwired link.

5. The multi-function display of claim 1 wherein the first SDD has a wireless interface selected from a group consisting of a broadcast television receiver, WiFi, wireless universal serial bus (USB), near field communication (NFC), and infrared data association (IrDA);

and,

wherein the first SDD local controller selects a local display function with content provided via the wireless interface.

6. The multi-function display of claim 1 wherein the primary device has a wireless interface selected from a group consisting of WiFi, wireless USB, NFC, and IrDA;

wherein the first SDD has the selected wireless interface; and

,

wherein the first SDD local controller selects a display function provided by the central display controller via the selected wireless interface.

7. The multi-function display of claim 1 wherein the primary device further comprises:

a central display screen panel including;

a permanent display section panel; and

,

a tertiary display section panel adjacent to the permanent display section panel, and underlying the SDD, when the SDD is connected to the docking port.

8. The multi-functional display of claim 1 wherein the first SDD includes a local user interface to accept a display default override command;

and,

wherein the first SDD governor module determines that the first SDD is not docked to the primary device, but permits the central display controller to determine local display functions in response to the display default override command.

9. The multi-functional display of claim 1 wherein the first SDD includes a local user interface to accept a display default override command;

and,

wherein the first SDD governor module determines that the first SDD is docked to the primary device, but permits the local display controller to determine local display functions in response to the display default override command.

10. The multi-function display of claim 3 wherein a first SDD is docked with the primary device docking station;

wherein the central display controller determines the first SDD local display functions and selects a distributed display function where a visual image is divided into a first portion and a second portion;

wherein the central display screen panel presents the first portion of the visual image; and

,

wherein the first SDD local display screen panel presents the second portion of the visual image.

11. The multi-function display of claim 3 wherein a first SDD is docked with the primary device docking station;

wherein the central display controller determines the first SDD local display functions and selects a multi-display function for the presentation of a first visual image and a second visual image;

wherein the central display screen panel presents the first visual image; and

,

wherein the first SDD local display screen panel presents the second visual image.

12. The multi-function display of claim 3 wherein a first SDD is docked with the primary device docking station;

wherein the central display controller relinquishes control over the first SDD local display functions and selects a central display function for the presentation of a visual image;

wherein the central display screen panel presents the visual image; and

,

wherein the first SDD local controller selects a local display function.

13. The multi-function display of claim 3 wherein a first SDD is undocked from the primary device docking station;

wherein the central display controller selects a central display function for the presentation of a visual image;

wherein the central display screen panel presents the visual image; and

,

wherein the first SDD local controller selects a local display function.

14. The multi-function display of claim 4 wherein the first SDD includes a local user interface (UI), the first SDD governor module enabling communications between the local user interface and the central display controller via the hardwired link.

15. The multi-function display of claim 6 wherein the first SDD includes a local UI, the first SDD governor module enabling communications between the local user interface and the central display controller via the selected wireless interface.

16. The multi-function display of claim 7 wherein the central display controller selects a distributed display function where a visual image is divided into a first portion and a second portion;

wherein the central display controller presents the first portion of the visual image on the permanent display section panel;

wherein the SDD local display screen panel presents the second portion of the visual image when connected to the docking port; and

,

wherein the central display controller presents the second portion of the visual image on the tertiary display section panel when the SDD is disconnected from the locking port.

17. The multi-function display of claim 7 wherein the central display controller selects a multi-display function for the presentation of a first visual image and a second visual image;

wherein the central display controller presents the first visual image on the permanent display section panel;

wherein the SDD local display screen panel presents the second visual image when connected to the docking port; and

,

wherein the central display controller presents the second visual image on the tertiary display section panel when the SDD is disconnected from the docking port.

18. The multi-function display of claim 14 wherein the first SDD local UI is selected from a group consisting of an earphone jack, touchscreen, digital scratch pad, CD/DVD/BlueRay drive, microphone, memory card reader, camera, and Bluetooth interface.

19. The multi-function display of claim 15 wherein the first SDD local UI is selected from a group consisting of an earphone jack, touchscreen, digital scratch pad, CD/DVD/BlueRay drive, microphone, memory card reader, camera, and Bluetooth interface.

20. A multi-function display with selectively autonomous secondary modules, the multi-function display comprising:

a primary device including;

a central display controller for determining display functions;

a docking station with at least one docking port, each docking port selectively connecting a secondary display device (SDD) to the primary device mechanically, and electrically connecting a docked SDD to the central display controller;

a permanent display section panel; and

,

a tertiary display section panel adjacent to the permanent display section panel, and underlying the SDD, when the SDD is connected to the docking port;

at least one SDD, each SDD including;

a local display screen panel for presenting visual content to a viewer;

a local display controller for determining local display functions;

a docking port selectively interfacing to a primary device docking port; and

,

a governor module having an interface to determine if the SDD is docked to the primary device, the governor module permitting the central display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD being docked with the primary device, and permitting the local display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD not being docked.

21. A multi-function display with selectively autonomous secondary modules, the multi-function display comprising:

a primary device including;

a central display controller for determining display functions;

a docking station with a plurality of docking ports, each docking port selectively connecting a secondary display device (SDD) to the primary device mechanically, and electrically connecting a docked SDD to the central display controller; and

,

wherein the central display controller determines if docked SDDs are permitted control over their local display functions.

22. The multi-function display of claim 21 further comprising:

a plurality of SDDs, each SDD including;

a local display screen panel for presenting visual content to a viewer;

a local display controller for determining local display functions;

a docking port selectively interfacing to a primary device docking port; and

,

a governor module having an interface to determine if the SDD is docked to the primary device, the governor module permitting the central display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD being docked with the primary device, and permitting the local display controller to determine local display functions in response to the SDD not being docked.

23. The multi-function display of claim 21 wherein the primary device further comprises:

a central display screen panel including;

a permanent display section panel; and

,

a tertiary display section panel adjacent to the permanent display section panel, and underlying the SDD, when the SDD is connected to the docking port.