Real-time management of content depicted on a plurality of displays

• US 9,235,373 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Toren, Jamie, Causey, Mark Edward, Daly, Brian Kevin, Hu, Qingmin, Mullis, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRIS, DOROTHY H
• Application Number:
  US13/539,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20140002327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,291 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/026 Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0693 Calibration of display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens

Abstract

The subject disclosure provides devices, methods, and computer readable programs for establishing a secure wireless connection among a plurality of displays thus forming a screen for purposes of depicting a larger version of a content. The formation of the screen may be initiated by a master display detecting a presence of a plurality of slave displays in the master display'"'"'s vicinity and requesting permission to connect to the detected slave displays. Furthermore, provided are methods and computer-executable programs that may facilitate easier collaboration and exchange of the content among users, a real-time adjustment of the content displayed on the screen, as well as an easier depiction of 3-dimensional content on a screen created by arranging the plurality of displays in a 3-dimensional configuration.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a first display comprising a processor and a sensor, a second display within a first distance of the first display and further detecting a third display within a second distance of the first display, the first distance being shorter than the second distance;

connecting, by the processor of the first display based on detecting the second display being within the first distance of the first display and the third display being within the second distance of the first display, the first display with the second display to form a screen for depicting a content, the screen comprising only the first display and the second display;

in response to connecting with the second display to form the screen, assigning, by the processor of the first display, a first segment of the content to the first display and a second segment of the content to the second display;

transmitting, by the processor of the first display to the second display, the second segment of the content for display by the second display;

causing, by the processor of the first display, the first segment of the content to be displayed on the first display;

after the content is displayed on the screen formed by the first display and the second display, further transmitting, by the processor of the first display, a copy of the content to the second display;

receiving, by the processor of the first display from the second display, a warning that the second display has utilized a feature to terminate a connection with the first display; and

after receiving the warning from the second display, receiving, by the processor of the first display from the second display, a confirmation message indicating a removal of the second display from the screen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting, from the second display, an authorization to form the screen, wherein requesting the authorization to form the screen comprises transmitting a message to the second display, the message requesting a password for an approval to form the screen;

receiving, from the second display, a notification of the approval to form the screen; and

forming the screen in response to receiving the notification of the approval from the second display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second display and the third display are detected by the sensor associated with the first display and wherein the sensor is located on an edge of the first display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one of an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, a location sensor, an electronic compass, a near-field communication device, or a viewer sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display is designated as a master display, the master display hosting the content depicted on the screen and being capable of terminating the screen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically saving, by the processor of the first display, the first segment of the content and the second segment of the content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a change in a position of the second display relative to the first display, the change in the position comprising the second display being moved a distance from the first display greater than the first distance; and

in response to determining the change in the position of the second display, terminating the screen, wherein terminating the screen causes the second display to display the content.

8. A first display comprising:

a processor;

a sensor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting a second display within a first distance of the first display and further detecting a third display within a second distance of the first display, the first distance being shorter than the second distance,

connecting, based on detecting the second display being within the first distance of the first display and the second display being within the second distance of the first display, with the second display to form a screen for depicting a content, the screen comprising only the first display and the second display,

in response to connecting with the second display to form the screen, assigning a first segment of the content to the first display and a second segment of the content to the second display,

transmitting the second segment of the content to the second display for display by the second display,

causing the first segment of the content to be displayed on the first display,

after the content is displayed on the screen formed by the first display and the second display, further transmitting a copy of the content to the second display,

receiving, from the second display, a warning that the second display has utilized a feature to terminate a connection with the first display, and

after receiving the warning from the second display, receiving, from the second display, a confirmation message indicating a removal of the second display from the screen.

9. The first display of claim 8, wherein the sensor is proximate an edge of the first display.

10. The first display of claim 8, wherein the first display is designated as a master display, the master display hosting the content depicted on the screen and being capable of terminating the screen.

11. The first display of claim 8, wherein the first display or the second display comprises a cellular device comprising a liquid crystal display, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer.

12. The first display of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a change in a position of the second display relative to the first display, the change in the position comprising the second display being moved a distance from the first display greater than the first distance; and

in response to determining the change in the position of the second display, terminating the screen, wherein terminating the screen causes the second display to display the content.

13. The first display of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises one of a motion sensor, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, a near-field communication device, an electronic compass, or a viewer sensor.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first display, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a second display within a first distance of the first display and further detecting a third display within a second distance of the first display, the first distance being shorter than the second distance;

connecting, based on detecting the second display being within the first distance of the first display and the third display being within the second distance of the first display, with the second display to form a screen for depicting a content, the screen comprising only the first display and the second display;

in response to connecting with the second display to form the screen, assigning a first segment of the content to the first display and a second segment of the content to the second display;

transmitting the second segment of the content to the second display for display by the second display;

causing the first segment of the content to be displayed on the first display;

after the content is displayed on the screen formed by the first display and the second display, further transmitting a copy of the content to the second display;

receiving, from the second display, a warning that the second display has utilized a feature to terminate a connection with the first display; and

after receiving the warning from the second display, receiving, from the second display, a confirmation message indicating a removal of the second display from the screen.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

requesting, from the second display, an authorization to form the screen, wherein requesting the authorization to form the screen comprises transmitting a message to the second display, the message requesting a password for an approval to form the screen;

receiving, from the second display, a notification of the approval to form the screen; and

forming the screen in response to receiving the notification of the approval from the second display.