MODE-SWITCHING IN ULTRA MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20090037825A1
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Vanover, Michael T., Thrasher, James J., Perrin, Steven R., Zawacki, Jennifer G., Rutledge, James S., Dubs, Justin T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,360,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Arrangements for managing displays of ultra-mobile devices (UMD'"'"'s). Automatically or manually, a small-mode interface on a UMD screen, wherein one application window is visible, is switched to a large-mode interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a UMD computer system, the UMD computer system comprising a screen;

effecting a small-mode interface on the UMD computer system screen, wherein one application window is visible on the screen;

effecting a second interface on the UMD computer system screen;

switching between the small-mode interface and the second interface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said effecting of a second interface comprises effecting a large-mode interface.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching comprises automatically switching between the small-mode interface and the second interface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching comprises:

automatically switching from the small-mode interface to the second interface if a connection with a docking station is detected; and

automatically switching from the second interface to the small-mode interface if a lack of a connection with a docking station is detected.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching comprises:

automatically switching from the small-mode interface to the second interface if a connection with a large-screen monitor is detected; and

automatically switching from the second interface to the small-mode interface if a lack of a connection with a large-screen monitor is detected.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching comprises:

automatically switching from the small-mode interface to the second interface if a connection with a keyboard is detected; and

automatically switching from the second interface to the small-mode interface if a lack of a connection with a keyboard is detected.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching comprises:

automatically switching from the small-mode interface to the second interface if a connection with a mouse is detected; and

automatically switching from the second interface to the small-mode interface if a lack of a connection with a mouse is detected.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching comprises manually switching between the small-mode interface and the second interface.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said switching comprises manually switching from the small-mode interface to the second interface via a manual actuator connected with the UMD computer system.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said effecting of a small-mode interface comprises effecting a reduction in power consumption of the UMD computer system.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said effecting of a reduction in power consumption comprises re-nicing a UMD computer system process.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said effecting of a reduction in power consumption comprises termination a UMD computer system process.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said effecting of a reduction in power consumption comprises suppressing a backlight associated with the screen.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said switching arrangement acts to:

automatically switch from the small-mode interface to the second interface if a connection with a docking station is detected; and

automatically switch from the second interface to the small-mode interface if a lack of a connection with a docking station is detected.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said switching arrangement acts to manually switch between the small-mode interface and the second interface.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement for effecting a small-mode interface acts to effect a reduction in power consumption of said UMD computer system.

14. A UMD computer system comprising:

a CPU;

a system memory in communication with said CPU;

a screen;

an arrangement for effecting a small-mode interface on the UMD computer system screen, wherein one application window is visible on said screen;

an arrangement for effecting a second interface on the UMD computer system screen; and

an arrangement for switching between the small-mode interface and the second interface.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said arrangement for effecting a second interface comprises an arrangement for effecting a large-mode interface.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said switching arrangement acts to automatically switch between the small-mode interface and the second interface.

20. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising:

providing a UMD computer system, the UMD computer system comprising a screen;

effecting a small-mode interface on the UMD computer system screen, wherein one application window is visible on the screen;

effecting a second interface on the UMD computer system screen;

switching between the small-mode interface and the second interface.