System and method of switching between multiple viewing modes in multi-head computer system

• US 8,907,986 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hunt, Peter D., Wang, Lan, Salazar, Pablo J., Baerenstecher, Mark E., Ali, Vali
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US12/356,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 345/659
• US Class Current: 345/659
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The present technique provides a system and method for automatically switching a computer system between multiple display profiles in response to a system event, such as a hardware event. The present technique detects the system event, identifies the hardware configuration of the computer system, and automatically reconfigures the computer system to accommodate the hardware configuration in real-time. The system event may be a physical rotation of a display between landscape and portrait orientations or between viewing and writing orientations. The system event also may be a physical docking or undocking of a first computing device with a second device in a variety of mounting positions. Any suitable sensor, switch, or hardware/software detection mechanism may be used for the foregoing event detection.

Claims

1. A method executed by a computer system, comprising:

detecting, by the computer system, a docking event between a tablet computer and a multi-positionable docking station;

detecting, by the computer system, a positional state of the tablet computer in the multi-positionable docking station; and

automatically changing, by the computer system, a viewing orientation between portrait and landscape orientations of images being displayed on a display of the tablet computer upon detecting the docking event to ensure that text and images are displayed in an upright and readable orientation for a user,

wherein the act of detecting the docking event comprises the act of sensing a coupling of the tablet computer and another display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of detecting the docking event comprises the act of sensing a decoupling of the tablet computer from the multi-positionable docking station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of detecting the positional state comprises the act of identifying an upright or writing screen surface position of the display, wherein the upright screen surface position includes a substantially vertical plane orientation with respect to a work surface, and wherein the writing screen surface position includes a substantially horizontal plane orientation with respect to the work surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of detecting the positional state comprises the act of identifying an orientational state of the display as either a landscape or portrait orientation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, choosing a writing configuration enabling user input by a computer pen for the display.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, launching at least one software application on the display.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, reinitializing viewing properties of the display.

8. A method executed by a computer system, comprising:

detecting, by the computer system, a change of a physical configuration of the computer system including docking or undocking a mobile device with a multi-positionable docking device of the computer system, wherein the mobile device includes a first display and the multi-positionable docking device selectively includes a second display; and

automatically changing, by the computer system, a viewing orientation between portrait and landscape orientations of images being displayed on the first display upon detecting the changing of the physical configuration to ensure that text and images are displayed in an upright and readable orientation of the first display for a user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of changing the physical configuration comprises the act of rotating the mobile device between landscape and portrait viewing orientations while the mobile device is docked with the multi-positionable docking device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of changing the physical configuration comprises the act of moving the mobile device between viewing and writing orientations, wherein the viewing orientation includes a generally vertical plane orientation of the first display with respect to a work surface that supports the mobile device, and wherein the writing position includes a generally horizontal plane orientation of the first display with respect to the work surface.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising the act of selecting a view profile for at least one of a plurality of different physical configurations of a computer system.

12. The method of claim 8, comprising the act of creating a view profile for a tablet computing device in each of a plurality of docked and undocked positions.