Windows position control for phone applications

• US 9,189,018 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Sirpal, Sanjiv, Gimpl, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): DRAGOESCU, CLAUDIA B
• Application Number:
  US13/436,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752, 715/761, 715781-801
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface for a phone application are provided. More particularly, a change in the display mode of a multiple screen device can be determined. More particularly, a presentation of a user interface for an in-process call of a phone application can be retained after the device is rotated or opened. However, the user interface may move from a first screen to a second screen (or vice versa) in response to receiving the device open signal. The user interface provides detail information about a phone call that is currently in-process.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a device having at least a first screen with a first display and a second screen with a second display, wherein when the device is in a closed state the first and second displays face opposite directions and when the device is in an open state the first and second displays face a same direction;

determining that the device is in a first configuration, wherein the device is in the closed state in a portrait orientation;

executing, by the device, a phone application in an in-call mode, wherein in the in-call mode, the device is one of conducting a call, receiving an in-coming call, and dialing for an out-going call;

determining a first display mode for an in-call user interface of the phone application based on the first configuration, wherein the in-call user interface displays information about the call that is being conducted, the in-coming call being received, or the out-going call being dialed;

presenting the in-call user interface on the first display in the first display mode;

receiving a rotation input of the device from a user;

determining that the device is in a second configuration, wherein the device is in the closed state in a landscape orientation;

determining a second display mode for the in-call user interface of the phone application based on the second configuration;

changing, in the second display mode, an orientation and a location of at least one user-selectable button of the in-call user interface in relation to a different component of the in-call user interface, wherein the second display mode includes displaying the in-call user interface in the landscape orientation;

changing, in the second display mode, a number of user-selectable buttons displayed in the in-call user interface, wherein a different number of user-selectable buttons were previously displayed in the in-call user interface in the first display mode, and wherein the changing includes eliminating at least one user-selectable button displayed in the in-call user interface in the first display mode; and

in response to the rotation input and the determination that the device is in the second configuration, presenting the in-call user interface in the landscape orientation on the first display in the second display mode, wherein only the in-call user interface is displayed in the first display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-call user interface presents the same information in the first display mode and the second display mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein when the phone application is in the in-call mode, the phone application presents the in-call user interface on one of the first display and the second display, and wherein the device is operable to present a different user interface of a different application or desktop on the other one of the first display and the second display.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the phone application remains in the in-call mode when the device changes from the first configuration to the second configuration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the in-call mode of the phone application is one of two or more modes of the phone application, wherein the phone application includes a dialer mode with a dialer user interface, wherein the phone application includes a call log mode with a call log user interface, and wherein the phone application includes a favorites mode with a favorites user interface.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the rotation input is a counterclockwise rotation of the device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

after presenting the in-call user interface in the landscape orientation on the first display in the second display mode, determining that the device is in a third configuration, wherein the device is in the open state in the landscape orientation with the second screen and the second display above the first screen and the first display;

moving the in-call user interface from the first display;

presenting the in-call user interface on the second display in the second display mode; and

presenting a different user interface of a different application or desktop on the first display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first display mode for the in-call user interface further comprises:

receiving, from the phone application, a manifest that indicates user interface configurations for the phone application based on a configuration of the device;

setting a first display binding for the phone application based on the first configuration; and

providing the first display binding to the phone application.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the second display mode for the in-call user interface further comprises:

setting a second display binding for the phone application based on the second configuration; and

providing the second display binding to the phone application to present the in-call user interface in landscape orientation.

10. A device, comprising:

a first screen with a first display;

a second screen with a second display, wherein when the device is in a closed state the first and second displays face opposite directions, and wherein when the device is in an open state the first and second displays face a same direction;

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the first screen, and the second screen, wherein the processor;

executes a phone application stored in the memory, wherein the phone application is in an in-call mode and the device is one of conducting a call, receiving an in-coming call, and dialing for an out-going call;

determines that the device is in a first configuration, wherein the device is in the closed state in a landscape orientation;

determines a first display mode for an in-call user interface of the phone application, wherein the first display mode includes displaying the in-call user interface in the landscape orientation;

presents the in-call user interface on the first display in the first display mode, wherein the in-call user interface displays information about the call that is being conducted, the in-coming call being received, or the out-going call being dialed;

determines, after presenting the in-call user interface on the first display, that the device is in the open state;

after determining that the device is in the open state, determines one of the first screen and the second screen is a top screen, wherein when the second screen is the top screen and the first screen is the lower screen, the device is in a second configuration with the second display above the first display;

in response to determining the device is in the second configuration, moves the in-call user interface from the first display of the lower first screen to the second display of the top second screen; and

after moving the in-call user interface from the first display, presents a different user interface of a different application or desktop on the first display of the first screen.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to:

after moving the in-call user interface from the first display to the second display, determine that the device is in a fourth configuration, wherein the device is in the open state in a portrait orientation;

determine a second display mode for the in-call user interface of the phone application based on the fourth configuration;

change, in the second display mode, an orientation and a location of at least one user-selectable button of the in-call user interface, wherein the second display mode includes displaying the in-call user interface in the portrait orientation; and

present the in-call user interface in the portrait orientation on the second display in the second display mode.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to:

after determining that the device is in the open state, when the first screen is the top screen, determine that the device is in a third configuration with the first display above the second display;

in response to determining the device is in the third configuration, continue to present the in-call user interface on the first display in the first display mode; and

present the different user interface of the different application or desktop on the second display of the second screen.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the in-call user interface presents the same information when the device is in the first, second, and third configurations, wherein the phone application remains in the in-call mode when the device changes from the closed state to the open state, and wherein when in the in-call mode, the phone application presents the in-call user interface on one of the first display and the second display.

20. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to:

execute a multi-display management module, the multi-display management module operable to receive a manifest from the phone application, the manifest providing a preferred display mode of the phone application based on the first configuration;

set, by the multi-display management module, a first display binding for the phone application based on the manifest; and

send, from the multi-display management module, the first display binding to the phone application.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor of a device to execute a method for providing a user interface for a phone application, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

instructions to execute the phone application in an in-call mode, wherein the device is one of conducting a call, receiving an in-coming call, and dialing for an out-going call;

instructions to determine a first configuration of the device, wherein in the first configuration the device is in a portrait orientation in a closed state with a first display of a first screen visible by a user and a second display of a second screen facing away from the user;

instructions to determine a first display mode for an in-call user interface of the phone application based on the first configuration;

instructions to generate the in-call user interface for the first display of the first screen and no display for the second display of the second screen, wherein the in-call user interface displays information about the call that is being conducted, the in-coming call being received, or the out-going call being dialed, wherein the in-call user interface is in the portrait orientation;

after generating the in-call user interface, instructions to receive a rotation input of the device;

instructions to determine that the device is in a second configuration, wherein the device is in a landscape orientation in the closed state with the first display visible by the user and the second display facing away from the user;

instructions to determine a second display mode for the in-call user interface of the phone application based on the second configuration;

instructions to change, in the second display mode, an orientation and a location of at least one user-selectable button of the in-call user interface, wherein the second display mode includes displaying the in-call user interface in the landscape orientation;

instructions to change, in the second display mode, a number of user-selectable buttons displayed in the in-call user interface, wherein a different number of user-selectable buttons were previously displayed in the in-call user interface in the first display mode, and wherein the changing includes eliminating at least one user-selectable button displayed in the in-call user interface in the first display mode; and

in response to the rotation input and the determination that the device is in the second configuration, instructions to present the in-call user interface in the landscape orientation in the first display in the second display mode.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the phone application remains in the in-call mode when the device is in either the closed state or an open state, and wherein, when in the in-call mode, the phone application presents the in-call user interface on one of the first display and the second display.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

instructions to receive a device open signal; and

in response to receiving the device open signal, instructions to determine the device is in a third configuration, wherein in the third configuration the device is in a landscape orientation in an open state with both the first display and the second display visible by the user, and wherein the second screen is above the first screen.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising;

in response to determining the device is in the third configuration, instructions to migrate the in-call user interface from the first display to the second display; and

instructions to present a window of a different application or desktop on the first display.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions to generate the in-call user interface for the first display further comprise:

instructions to generate a manifest for the phone application, wherein the manifest provides a preferred display mode for the phone application;

instructions to create a first display binding for the phone application based on the first display mode; and

instructions to send the first display binding to the phone application.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the in-call user interface presents the same information in the first display mode and the second display mode.