Unified desktop triad control user interface for file manager

• US 8,990,712 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Reeves, Paul E., Sirpal, Sanjiv, de Paz, Alexander, Gimpl, Martin, Schrock, Rodney W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US13/604,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 715/740, 715/761
• US Class Current: 715/761
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface or “desktop” across two devices are provided. More particularly, a unified desktop is presented across a device and a computer system that comprise a unified system. The unified desktop acts as a single user interface that presents data and receives user interaction in a seamless environment that emulates a personal computing environment. To function within the personal computing environment, the unified desktop includes a process for docking and undocking the device with the computer system. The unified desktop presents a new user interface to allow access to functions of the unified desktop.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a device;

providing a computer system;

docking the device to the computer system to form a unified system;

generating a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes at least a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system,

while docked, receiving a first user interface input in a triad control area;

in response to the first user interface input, providing a triad control;

receiving a second user interface input on a user-selectable icon in the triad control,

wherein the user-selectable icon is associated with a file manager; and

in response to the second user interface input, providing a file manager user interface, wherein the file manager is a single user interface showing representations for files stored both on the device and on the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file manager user interface includes information about a file.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the file is associated with an application executed in the unified system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the file is a recently-opened file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information includes one or more of a filename, a date when the file was last opened, and a size of the file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information is presented as one or more user interface devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more user interface devices are selectable in the file manager user interface to open the file associated with the user interface device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the file manager user interface includes information about a folder.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the folder is selectable to access a file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a set of two or more folders is generated based on input from a user.

11. A unified system, comprising:

a device comprising;

a first screen;

a first memory;

a first processor;

a computer system comprising;

a second screen;

a second memory;

a second processor, wherein the device is docked with the computer system to form the unified system;

wherein the unified system is configured to;

generate a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes at least a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system, and wherein the unified desktop emulates a personal computer environment;

while docked, receive a first user interface input in a triad control area;

in response to the first user interface input, provide a triad control;

receive a second user interface input on a user-selectable icon in the triad control, wherein the user-selectable icon is associated with a file manager; and

in response to the second user interface input, provide a file manager user interface, wherein the file manager is a single user interface showing representations for files stored both on the device and on the computer system, and wherein the representations are sorted.

15. The unified system of claim 11, wherein the file manager user interface includes information about a folder, wherein the folder is selectable to access a file, and wherein a set of two or more folders is generated based on input from a user.

12. The unified system 11, wherein the file manager user interface includes information about a file, and wherein the file is associated with an application executed in the unified system.

13. The unified system of claim 12, wherein the information includes one or more of a filename, a date when the file was last opened, and a size of the file.

14. The unified system of claim 12, wherein the file is a recently-opened file.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor to execute a method for providing a unified desktop, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

upon docking a device with a computer system, instructions to generate a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system, and wherein the unified desktop emulates a personal computer environment;

while docked, instructions to receive a first user interface input in a triad control area;

in response to the first user interface input, instructions to provide a triad control;

instructions to receive a second user interface input on a user-selectable icon in the triad control, wherein the user-selectable icon is associated with a file manager; and

in response to the second user interface input, instructions to provide a file manager user interface, wherein the file manager is a single user interface showing representations for files stored both on the device and on the computer system, and wherein the representations are filtered.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the file manager user interface includes information about a file, wherein the file is associated with an application executed in the unified system, and wherein the information includes one or more of a filename, a date when the file was last opened, and a size of the file.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the file is a recently-opened file.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the file manager user interface includes information about a folder, wherein the folder is selectable to access a file, and wherein a set of two or more folders is generated based on input from a user.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the information is presented as one or more user interface devices, and wherein the one or more user interface devices are selectable in the file manager user interface to open the file associated with the user interface device.