Method and apparatus for showing stored window display

• US 8,943,434 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Reeves, Paul Edward, Chen, Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): IPAKCHI, MARYAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/247,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/802
• 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

Systems and methods are provided for changing a user interface for a multi-screen device. The user interface can change based on the movement of a window. The system can receive a user interface event that modifies the display of windows in the user interface. Upon receiving the user interface event, the system determines if a window has been covered or uncovered. If a window has been covered, the window is placed in a sleep state. If a window is uncovered, the window is activated from a sleep state. A sleep state is a window state where an application associated with the window does not receive user interface inputs and/or does not render the window. Moreover, in a sleep state an image representing the window is maintained in memory.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a display of a window on a multi-screen device, comprising:

providing a windows stack, wherein at least a first window in the windows stack is in an active and displayed state, wherein at least a second window in the windows stack is in an inactive and not displayed state, wherein the inactive and not displayed state is a state where a window that was opened and displayed is now fully behind an active window and not displayed, and wherein the second window is stored in memory as one of an image of the second window as it appeared in one of a last active state or an image representing the second window;

presenting, using at least a first screen of the device, the first window in the active and fully displayed state;

receiving a first user input, wherein the first user input includes a signal to uncover the second window and cover the first window fully;

discontinuing the presentation of the first window;

presenting, using at least the first screen of the device, the second window, wherein the second window is presented in a displayed state and inactive state with an associated application being in a suspended state and initiating operation of a timer at a time corresponding to the presenting of the second window; and

putting the first window in an inactive and not displayed state, wherein the first window is stored in memory as one of;

an image of the first window as it appeared in one of a last active state when the first user input signal to uncover the second window and fully cover the first window was received or as an image representing the first window;

wherein a predetermined time corresponds to a period during which the second window is presented and maintained in the fully displayed and inactive state and wherein at an expiration of the predetermined time, as determined by the timer, placing the second window in an active and fully displayed state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein while displayed in the inactive state, the second window is displayed using the at least a first screen as the one of an image of the second window as it appeared in a last active state or as an image representing the second window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a third window in the windows stack is in an inactive and not displayed state, and wherein the third window is stored in memory as one of an image of the third window as it appeared in one of a last active state or as an image representing the third window, the method further comprising:

receiving a second user input, wherein the second user input includes a signal to fully uncover the third window and cover the second window fully;

discontinuing the presentation of the second window; and

presenting, using the first screen, the third window, wherein the third window is presented in a fully displayed state with an associated application being in a suspended state.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein during the presentation of the second window between at least the receipt of the first user input and the receipt of the second user input the second window remains in the fully displayed state with the associated application being in a suspended state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a third window in the windows stack is in an active and fully displayed state, the method further comprising:

presenting using a second screen of the device the third window in the active and fully displayed state, and wherein the window stack in the second screen of the device can be managed separately from the first screen.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the third window remains in the active and displayed state during discontinuation of the presentation of the first window and presentation of the second window.

7. A multi-screen device, comprising:

a first screen, wherein the first screen includes a first touch sensitive display;

memory;

a processor in communication with the first screen and the memory;

application programming stored in the memory and executed by the processor, wherein the application programming is operable to;

maintain at least a first set of windows, wherein the at least a first set of windows is stored in the memory, wherein the first set of windows includes a plurality of windows,

wherein at least a first window in the first set of windows is in an active and fully displayed state, wherein at least a second window in the first set of windows is in an inactive and not displayed state, wherein the inactive and not displayed state is a state where a window that was opened and displayed is now fully behind an active window and not displayed, and wherein the second window is stored in memory as one of an image of the second window as it appeared in one of a last active state or an image representing the second window;

present the first window in the active and fully displayed state using the first screen;

receive a first user input, wherein the first user input includes a signal to present the second window and fully discontinue the presentation of the first window;

in response to the first user input, fully discontinue the presentation of the first window and present the second window in an inactive and fully displayed state using the first screen with an associated application being in a suspended state and initiate operation of a timer at a time corresponding to the presenting of the second window; and

continue to implement the timer, wherein after a expiration of a first period of time from the initiation of the timer during which the second window is presented and maintained in the inactive and fully displayed state, the second window is activated and is presented in an active and fully displayed state.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second window is presented in the form of the image stored in memory for at least the first period of time.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of windows in the first set of windows includes a third window, wherein the application programming is further operable to:

receive a second user input, wherein the second user input includes a signal to present the third window and discontinue the presentation of the second window, wherein the second user input is received while the second window is presented in the inactive and displayed state;

in response to the second user input, discontinue the presentation of the second window and present the second window in an inactive and displayed state.

10. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a second screen, wherein the second screen is in communication with the processor, wherein the application programming is further operable to maintain a second set of windows, wherein the second set of windows is stored in memory, wherein the second set of windows includes a third window, wherein the third window is in an active and displayed state, and wherein the third window is presented in the active and displayed state by the second screen for at least a portion of a time that the first window is displayed by the first screen and for at least a portion of a time that the second window is displayed by the first screen.

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

instructions to maintain a first set of windows, wherein at least a first window is maintained in the first set of windows as an active and fully displayed window, and wherein at least a second window is maintained in the first set of windows as an inactive and not displayed window;

instructions to present the first window on a first screen of the device in an active and displayed state;

instructions to receive a first user interface event, wherein the first user interface event directs the second window to be placed in a displayed state;

instructions to, in response to the first user interface event directing the second window to be placed in a displayed state, place the first window in an inactive and not displayed state and to present the second window on the first screen of the device in a fully displayed state with an associated application being in a suspended state and initiate operation of a timer at a time corresponding to the presenting of the second window; and

instructions to continue to implement the timer, wherein a first period of time corresponds to a predetermined period of time after initiation of the timer corresponding to the presenting of the second window during which the second window is maintained in the inactive and fully displayed state, and wherein after the expiration of the first period of time, the second window is activated and is presented in an active and fully displayed state.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein in the inactive and displayed state the second window is presented as an image of the window in a last active state.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, the computer executable instructions further comprising:

instructions to maintain a second set of windows, wherein at least a third window is maintained in the second set of windows as an active and displayed window, and wherein at least a fourth window is maintained in the second set of windows as a not displayed window with an associated application being in a suspended state;

instructions to present the third window on a second portion of the screen of the device in an active and fully displayed state;

instructions to receive a second user interface event, wherein the second user interface event directs the fourth window to be placed in a fully displayed state;

instructions to, in response to the second user interface event directing the fourth window to be placed in a fully displayed state, place the third window in a not fully displayed state with an associated application being in a suspended state, and to present the fourth window on the second portion of the screen of the device in a fully displayed state with the associated application being in a suspended state.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein for at least the first period of time, the second window is presented on the screen of the device in the fully displayed state with an associated application being in a suspended state and the fourth window is presented on the full screen of the device in the displayed state with an associated application being in a suspended state.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first user interface event is received before the second user interface event, and wherein after the first period of time, and for at least a second period of time, the second window is presented in an active and fully displayed state and the fourth window is displayed in the fully displayed state with the associated application being in a suspended state.