ALLOWING MULTIPLE ORIENTATIONS IN DUAL SCREEN VIEW

• US 20120084674A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: IMERJ LLC (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Visosky, John Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,047,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/761
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• 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 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 : display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/02 : Affine transformations for image registration G06T3/147; for image mosaicing G06T3/4038
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 : Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 : Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 : Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A dual-screen user device and methods for revealing a combination of selected desktops and applications on single and dual screens are disclosed. Desktops and applications can be shifted between screens by user gestures, and/or moved off of the screens and therefore hidden. Hidden desktops and screens can be re-displayed by other gestures. The desktops and applications are arranged in a window stack that represents a logical order of the desktops and applications providing a user with an intuitive ability to manage multiple applications/desktops running simultaneously. One embodiment provides the user with the ability to selectively change the orientation of one display and leaving the other display unaffected when the user has two applications or desktops displayed on respective screens. The user can therefore selectively change on a screen-by-screen basis the orientation of any desktops or applications displayed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling data displayed by a multi-screen device, comprising:

determining that the multi-screen device has been placed in a dual display state with a first desktop or application displayed on a first display and second desktop or application displayed on a second display, wherein data from the first and second desktops/application are displayed on their respective first and second displays;

determining that the first and second desktops or applications are each displayed in respective first portrait or landscape orientations;

determining that an input is received from at least one of the desktops or applications, or from the device, or from a user, instructing that the first orientations of one of the desktops or applications should change to a second different orientation; and

in response to determining that an input is received, causing the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in the second different orientation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second desktops or applications are displayed in first portrait orientations, and in response to determining that the input is received, causing the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in a landscape orientation as the second different orientation, and the non-selected one of the first or second desktops remains in the first portrait orientation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second desktops or applications are displayed in first landscape orientations, and in response to determining that the input is received, causing the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in a portrait orientation as the second different orientation, and the non-selected one of the first or second desktops remains in the first landscape orientation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is at least one of a user input, application input, or device input comprising data received from a position sensor or an accelerometer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a user sets a control protocol to determine precedence in which input from a plurality of inputs controls the data from the selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in the second different orientation.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one input comprises a plurality of inputs including application, device, and user inputs.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining that an input is received from the user instructing that the first orientation of one of the desktops or applications should be locked, and in response to determining that the user input is received, causing the data from another selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to remain displayed in the first orientation while the data from the selected one of the first or second desktops is displayed in the second different orientation.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a computing system to execute a method, the instructions comprising:

instructions configured to determine that the multi-screen device has been placed in a dual display state with a first desktop or application displayed on a first display and second desktop or application displayed on a second display, wherein data from the first and second desktops/application are displayed on their respective first and second displays;

instructions configured to determine that the first and second desktops or applications are each displayed in respective first portrait or landscape orientations;

instructions configured to determine that an input is received from at least one of the desktops or applications, or from the device, or from a user, instructing that the first orientations of one of the desktops or applications should change to a second different orientation; and

in response to determining that an input is received, instructions configured to cause the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in the second different orientation.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first and second desktops or applications are displayed in first portrait orientations, and in response to determining that the input is received, causing the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in a landscape orientation as the second different orientation, and the non-selected one of the first or second desktops remains in the first portrait orientation.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first and second desktops or applications are displayed in first landscape orientations, and in response to determining that the input is received, causing the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in a portrait orientation as the second different orientation, and the non-selected one of the first or second desktops remains in the first landscape orientation.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the input is at least one of a user input, application input, or device input comprising data received from a position sensor or an accelerometer.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein a user sets a control protocol to determine precedence in which input from a plurality of inputs controls the data from the selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in the second different orientation.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one input comprises a plurality of inputs including application, device, and user inputs.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further including:

determining that an input is received from the user instructing that the first orientation of one of the desktops or applications should be locked, and in response to determining that the user input is received, causing the data from another selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to remain displayed in the first orientation while the data from the selected one of the first or second desktops is displayed in the second different orientation.

15. A multi-screen user device, comprising:

a first display including a first display area;

a second display including a second display area;

an independent display orientation element configured to manage a plurality of inputs corresponding to data to determine the orientation of desktops or applications displayed on the first and second displays; and

a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that include;

a first set of instructions configured to determine that the multi-screen device has been placed in a dual display state with a first desktop or application displayed on a first display and second desktop or application displayed on a second display, wherein data from the first and second desktops/application are displayed on their respective first and second displays;

a second set of instructions configured to determine that the first and second desktops or applications are each displayed in respective first portrait or landscape orientations;

a third set of instructions configured to determine that an input is received from at least one of the desktops or applications, or from the device, or from a user, instructing that the first orientations of one of the desktops or applications should change to a second different orientation; and

in response to determining that an input is received, a fourth set of instructions configured to cause the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in the second different orientation.

16. The multi-screen device of claim 15, wherein the first and second desktops or applications are displayed in first portrait orientations, and in response to determining that the input is received, causing the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in a landscape orientation as the second different orientation, and the non-selected one of the first or second desktops remains in the first portrait orientation.

17. The multi-screen device of claim 15, wherein the first and second desktops or applications are displayed in first landscape orientations, and in response to determining that the input is received, causing the data from a selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in a portrait orientation as the second different orientation, and the non-selected one of the first or second desktops remains in the first landscape orientation.

18. The multi-screen device of claim 15, wherein a user sets a control protocol to determine precedence in which input from a plurality of inputs controls the data from the selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to be displayed in the second different orientation.

19. The multi-screen device of claim 15, wherein the at least one input comprises a plurality of inputs including application, device, and user inputs.

20. The multi-screen device of claim 15 further including:

a fourth set of instructions to determine that an input is received from the user instructing that the first orientation of one of the desktops or applications should be locked, and in response to determining that the user input is received, causing the data from another selected one of the first or second desktops or applications to remain displayed in the first orientation while the data from the selected one of the first or second desktops is displayed in the second different orientation.