Hardware buttons activated based on focus

• US 9,632,674 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Multifold International Incorporated Pte. Ltd. (Transpacific IP Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Sirpal, Sanjiv, Reeves, Paul Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US14/476,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20140380202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• 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 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

Methods and devices for providing one or more control buttons in connection with a multiple screen device are provided. More particularly, the screen of a multiple screen device having a current focus is identified, and one or more control buttons are provided as part of or in association with the identified screen. When a change in focus from a previously identified screen to a different screen is detected, the presentation of the one or more control buttons can also change. In particular, control buttons are presented as part of a screen having the current focus, while control buttons are not provided on or in association with a screen that does not have the current focus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a first output on a first touch screen of a device;

providing a second output on a second touch screen of the device;

determining which one of the first and second touch screens contain information that has a current focus; and

displaying, in a touch sensitive configurable area outside of a touch sensitive display area, at least a first control button on the determined one of the first and second touch screens displaying information that currently has focus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which of the touch screens contains information that currently has focus includes determining which of the touch screens contains information that has been selected by a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which of the touch screens contains information that currently has focus includes applying rules to determine which of the touch screens contains information that currently has focus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first output on the first touch screen includes a display of information associated with a first application, wherein the first application is determined to have focus, wherein the first control button is presented by the first touch screen.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second output on the second touch screen includes a display of information associated with the first application, and wherein the first touch screen is a primary touch screen.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second output on the second touch screen includes a display of information including at least a first item of information, wherein user input is received selecting that at least a first item of information, wherein the focus is shifted from the first touch screen to the second touch screen, and wherein in response to the shift in focus the first control button is presented by the second touch screen.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the display of information including the first item of information on the second touch screen is associated with a second application.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a second application;

displaying information associated with the second application on the second touch screen;

shifting focus from the first screen to the second touch screen, wherein in response to the shift in focus the first control button is presented by the second touch screen.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which one of the first and second touch screens contains information that currently has focus is determined in response to receiving input from a user in the form of a gesture.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the gesture is received in a gesture capture region of one of the first screen and the second screen.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the gesture spans portions of the first and second touch screens.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein after a first step of determining the first control button is displayed by the first touch screen and not by the second touch screen, wherein after a second step of determining the first control button is displayed by the second touch screen and not by the first touch screen.

13. A multiple screen device, comprising:

a first touch screen;

a second touch screen;

memory;

a processor; and

application programming stored on the memory and executed by the processor, wherein the application programming is operable to identify one of the first and second touch screens as a screen displaying information having a current focus, and wherein the application programming is operable to display, in a touch sensitive configurable area outside of a touch sensitive display area, at least a first control button on the identified one of the first and second touch screens displaying information having a current focus.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first and second touch screens each include:

the touch sensitive display area;

the touch sensitive configurable area, wherein the at least a first control button is displayed as part of the configurable area of the one of the first and second touch screens identified as displaying information having a current focus.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the application programming is operable to identify one of the first and second touch screens as the screen displaying information having a current focus in response to touch input received at one of the touch sensitive display area or the touch sensitive configurable area of the identified one of the first and second touch screens.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the first and second screens each include:

a gesture capture area, wherein the application programming is operable to identify one of the first and second touch screens as the screen displaying information having a current focus in response to touch input received at the touch sensitive gesture capture area of the identified one of the first and second touch screens.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor to execute a method for presenting a control button, the computer executable instructions comprising:

instructions to display information on first and second touch screens;

instructions to identify one of the first and second screens having current focus; and

instructions to display the control button, on the identified one of the first and second touch screens having a current focus, in a touch sensitive configurable area outside of a touch sensitive display.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the computer readable instructions further comprising:

instructions to receive input from a touch screen area of one of the first and second screens, wherein the touch screen receiving the input is identified as the one of the first and second touch screens having a current focus.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the control button is displayed within a configurable area further based on context.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein a first window related to a first application is displayed on the first touch screen, wherein the first window is an active window, wherein the first screen is identified as having a current focus, and wherein the control button is displayed on the first touch screen.