Repurposed screen real estate for enhanced tablet function

• US 9,024,975 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dubs, Justin Tyler, Ganey, Harriss Christopher Neil, Stewart, Aaron Michael, Zawacki, Jennifer Greenwood
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, JIN CHENG
• Application Number:
  US12/145,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/157, 345/530, 345/545, 345/649, 455/566, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 345/649
• 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 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A system, method, and program product is provided that automatically allocates a display screen into two areas when the display screen is pivoted from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation. A hypervisor receives a pivot request (e.g., from a user) to pivot the display screen from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation. When the display screen is oriented in the landscape orientation, a primary operating system displays its data on the display screen. Upon reception of the pivot request, the hypervisor allocates the display screen into a primary display area and a secondary display area. The hypervisor then displays data originating from the primary operating system in the primary display area and displays data originating from a second operating system in the secondary display area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first pivot request to pivot first data displayed on a display screen from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation, wherein a primary operating system displays the first data on the display screen;

in response to receiving the first pivot request, allocating, using a hypervisor, the display screen into a primary display area and a secondary display area below the primary area, displaying the first data originating from the primary operating system in the primary display area, and displaying second data originating from a second operating system in the secondary display area below the primary display area;

receiving a second pivot request to pivot from the portrait orientation to the landscape orientation; and

in response to receiving the second pivot request, de-allocating the secondary display area and reallocating the primary display area to at least substantially occupy an entire area of the display screen on which data is displayable.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a first instruction from the hypervisor to the primary operating system that informs the primary operating system of a first set of dimensions that correspond to the primary display area that is assigned to the primary operating system; and

sending a second instruction from the hypervisor to the secondary operating system that informs the secondary operating system of a second set of dimensions that correspond to the secondary display area that is assigned to the secondary operating system, wherein the secondary operating system is at least one of a hypervisor routine and a hypervisor process, and wherein the secondary operation system does not comprise a guest operation system.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving, at the hypervisor, a first plurality of display requests from the primary operating system;

displaying, using the hypervisor, the first plurality of display requests on the primary display area;

receiving, at the hypervisor, a second plurality of display requests from the secondary operating system; and

displaying, using the hypervisor, the second plurality of display requests on the secondary display area.

4. the method of claim 1 further comprising:

after the allocating, repositioning a task bar utilized by the primary operating system based on user input so that the task bar is positioned between the primary and secondary display areas.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a first instruction from the hypervisor to the primary operating system that informs the primary operating system of a first set of dimensions that correspond to the reallocated primary display area; and

sending a second instruction from the hypervisor to the secondary operating system that informs the secondary operating system that no display area is assigned to the secondary operating system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after allocating the display screen into the primary display area and the secondary display area, setting an aspect ratio of the primary display area to a paper-oriented aspect ratio.

7. An information handling system comprising:

at least one processor;

a display screen accessible to the processor; and

a memory accessible to the processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to;

receive a first pivot request to pivot first data displayed on the display screen from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation, wherein a primary operating system displays the first data on the display screen;

in response to receipt of the first pivot request, allocate the display screen into a primary display area and a secondary display area, display the first data originating from the primary operating system in the primary display area, and display second data originating from a second operating system in the secondary display area;

receive a second pivot request to pivot from the portrait orientation to the landscape orientation; and

in response to receipt of the second pivot request, de-allocate the secondary display area and reallocate the primary display area to at least substantial occupy an entire area of the display screen on which data is displayable.

8. The information handling system of claim 7, wherein a hypervisor executed by the processor performs the allocation.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions are executable to:

send a first instruction from the hypervisor to the primary operating system that informs the primary operating system of a first set of dimensions that correspond to the primary display area that is assigned to the primary operating system; and

send a second instruction from the hypervisor to the secondary operating system that informs the secondary operating system of a second set of dimensions that correspond to the secondary display area that is assigned to the secondary operating system, wherein the secondary operating system does not comprise a guest operating system.

10. The information handing system of claim 9 wherein the instructions are executable to:

receive, at the hypervisor, a first plurality of display requests from the primary operating system;

display, using the hypervisor, the first plurality of display requests on the primary display area;

receive, at the hypervisor, a second plurality of display requests from the secondary operating system; and

display, using the hypervisor, the second plurality of display requests on the secondary display area.

11. The information handling system of Claim 8 wherein the instructions are executable to:

after the allocation, reposition a task bar utilized by the primary operating system based on user input so that the task bar is positioned between the primary and secondary display areas.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions are executable to:

send a first instruction from the hypervisor to the primary operating system that informs the primary operating system of a first set of dimensions that correspond to the reallocated primary display area; and

send a second instruction from the hypervisor to the secondary operating system that informs the secondary operating system that no display area is assigned to the secondary operating system.

13. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the instructions are executable to:

after allocation of the display screen into the primary display area and the secondary display area, set an aspect ratio of the primary display area to a paper-oriented aspect ratio.

14. A computer readable storage medium that is not a transitory signal, the computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by a processor:

receive a first pivot request to pivot first data displayed on a display screen from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation, wherein a primary operating system displays the first data on the display screen;

in response to receipt of the first pivot request, allocate the display screen into a primary display area and a secondary display area, display the first data originating from the primary operating system in the primary display area, and display second data originating from a second operating system in the secondary display area;

receive a second pivot request to pivot from the portrait orientation to the landscape orientation; and

in response to receipt of the second pivot request, de-allocate the secondary display area and reallocate the primary display area to at least substantially occupy an entire area of the display screen on which data is displayable.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein a hypervisor performs the allocation, wherein the primary display area is below the secondary display area when the primary display area and secondary display area are viewed upright when presented in the portrait orientation, and wherein the juxtaposition of the primary display area below the secondary display based on use input.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable to:

send a first instruction from the hypervisor to the primary operating system that informs the primary operating system of a first set of dimensions that correspond to the primary display area that is assigned to the primary operating system; and

send a second instruction from the hypervisor to the secondary operating system that informs the secondary operating system of a second set of dimension that correspond to the secondary display area that is assigned to the secondary operating system.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable to:

receive, at the hypervisor, a first plurality of display requests from the primary operating system;

display, using the hypervisor, the first plurality of display requests on the primary display area;

receive, at the hypervisor, a second plurality of display request from the secondary operating system; and

display, using the hypervisor, the second plurality of display requests on the secondary display area.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable to:

after the allocation, reposition a task bar utilized by the primary operating system based on user input so that the task bar is positioned between the primary and secondary display areas.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable to:

send a first instruction from the hypervisor to the primary operating system that informs the primary operating system of a first set of dimensions that correspond to the reallocated primary display area; and

send a second instruction from the hypervisor to the secondary operating system that informs the secondary operating system that no display area is assigned to the secondary operating system.