Allowing multiple orientations in dual screen view

• US 9,047,047 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Visosky, John Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Distefano, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US13/247,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 715/761
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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-display device, comprising:

determining that the multi-display device has been placed in a first dual display state;

displaying a first desktop in a portrait orientation on a first display of the multi-display device;

displaying a second desktop in the portrait orientation on a second display of the multi-display device;

receiving an input to launch a first application in the multi-display device;

moving the first desktop to an inactive position in a display stack;

displaying a first window of the first application on the first display;

receiving an input to launch a second application in the multi-display device;

moving the second desktop to an inactive position in the display stack;

displaying a second window of the second application on the second display;

determining that the first and second windows are each displayed in the portrait orientation;

determining, by an independent display orientation module, that an input to lock is received instructing that the portrait orientation of the first window should be locked, wherein the input to lock is received from the first application, wherein the independent display orientation module is operable to manage the display of applications, wherein the independent display orientation module is operable to receive inputs from applications which require a specific orientation and inputs from a user instructing a different orientation as between the first desktop or the first application displayed on the first display and the second desktop or the second application displayed on the second display;

determining that an orientation input is received from the second application, or from the device, or from the user, instructing that the portrait orientation of the second window should change to a landscape orientation; and

in response to determining that the orientation input is received, the independent display orientation module causing the second window of the second application to be displayed in the landscape orientation, and the first window remains in the portrait orientation, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in a portrait mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, receiving an input to close the second application;

ceasing display of the second window;

moving the second desktop to an active position in the display stack; and

displaying the second desktop in the portrait orientation on the second display of the multi-display device, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in the portrait mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, receiving an input to launch a third application in the multi-display device;

ceasing display of the second window;

moving the second application to an inactive position in the display stack;

displaying a third window of the third application in the portrait orientation on the second display of the multi-display device, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in the portrait mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display and the second display are on a common first screen, wherein the orientation input is at least one of a user input, an application input, or a device input comprising data received from a position sensor or an accelerometer, and wherein there are two or more orientation inputs including two or more user inputs, application inputs, or device inputs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display is on a first screen, wherein the second display is on a different second screen, and wherein the user sets a control protocol to determine precedence in which orientation input from a plurality of orientation inputs controls the second window to be displayed in the landscape orientation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input to lock is received from at least one of the user or the device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before displaying the second window, determining, by a requirements module, that the second application requires a particular display orientation;

determining, by the requirements module, that the first dual display state of the multi-display device is not the particular display orientation; and

generating, by the requirements module, the orientation input.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

after the requirements module generates the orientation input, generating, by a display configuration module, a display configuration for the second application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before determining that the orientation input is received, determining, by a preferences module, a display preference for the second application;

after determining the display preference for the second application, determining, by the preferences module, that the portrait orientation of the second application is not the display preference;

determining, by the preferences module, that the landscape orientation is the display preference;

determining, by the preferences module, that the multi-display device can support the landscape orientation; and

generating, by a requirements module, the orientation input.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, determining that the multi-display device has been placed in a second dual display state and the first and second displays are both in a landscape mode; and

in response to determining the second dual display state, displaying the first window on the first display in the portrait orientation and the second window on the second display in the landscape orientation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an input to launch a fourth application in the multi-display device;

ceasing display of the first window;

moving the first application to an inactive position in the display stack;

displaying a fourth window of the fourth application on the first display in the landscape orientation, wherein the multi-display device remains in the second dual display state and the first and second displays are both in the landscape mode.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a multi-display device to execute a method, the instructions comprising:

instructions configured to determine that the multi-display device has been placed in a first dual display state;

instructions configured to display a first desktop in a portrait orientation on a first display of the multi-display device;

instructions configured to display a second desktop in the portrait orientation on a second display of the multi-display device;

instructions configured to launch a first application in the multi-display device;

instructions configured to move the first desktop to an inactive position in a display stack;

instructions configured to display a first window of the first application on the first display;

instructions configured to launch a second application in the multi-display device;

instructions configured to move the second desktop to an inactive position in the display stack;

instructions configured to display a second window of the second application on the second display;

instructions configured to determine that the first and second windows are each displayed in the portrait orientation;

instructions configured to determine, by an independent display orientation module, that an input to lock is received instructing that the portrait orientation of the first window should be locked, wherein the input to lock is received from the first application, wherein the independent display orientation module is operable to manage the display of applications, wherein the independent display orientation module is operable to receive inputs from applications which require a specific orientation and inputs from a user instructing a different orientation as between the first desktop or the first application displayed on the first display and the second desktop or the second application displayed on the second display;

instructions configured to determine that an orientation input is received from the second application, or from the device, or from the user, instructing that the portrait orientation of the second window should change to a landscape orientation; and

in response to determining that the orientation input is received, instructions configured to cause the second window of the second application to be displayed by the independent display orientation module in the landscape orientation, and the first window remains in the portrait orientation, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in a portrait mode.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, instructions configured to receive an input to close the second application;

instructions configured to cease display of the second window;

instructions configured to move the second desktop to an active position in the display stack; and

instructions configured to display the second desktop in the portrait orientation on the second display of the multi-display device, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in the portrait mode.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, instructions configured to launch a third application in the multi-display device;

instructions configured to cease display of the second window;

instructions configured to move the second application to an inactive position in the display stack;

instructions configured to display a third window of the third application in the portrait orientation on the second display of the multi-display device, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in the portrait mode, and wherein the first display and the second display are on a common first screen.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first display is on a first screen, wherein the second display is on a different second screen, and wherein the orientation input comprises a plurality of orientation inputs including application, device, and user inputs.

16. A multi-display 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;

instructions configured to determine that the multi-display device has been placed in a first dual display state;

instructions configured to display a first desktop in a portrait orientation on the first display;

instructions configured to display a second desktop in the portrait orientation on the second display;

instructions configured to launch a first application in the multi-display device;

instructions configured to move the first desktop to an inactive position in a display stack;

instructions configured to display a first window of the first application on the first display;

instructions configured to launch a second application in the multi-display device;

instructions configured to move the second desktop to an inactive position in the display stack;

instructions configured to display a second window of the second application on the second display;

instructions configured to determine that the first and second windows are each displayed in the portrait orientation;

in response to determining that an input to lock is received, instructions causing the independent display orientation element to lock the portrait orientation of the first window, wherein the input to lock is received from at least one of the first application, a user, or the device, wherein the independent display orientation module is operable to manage the display of applications, wherein the independent display orientation element is operable to receive inputs from applications which require a specific orientation and inputs from the user instructing a different orientation as between the first desktop or the first window displayed on the first display and the second desktop or the second window displayed on the second display;

instructions configured to determine that an orientation input is received from the second application, or from the device, or from the user, instructing that the portrait orientation of the second window should change to a landscape orientation; and

in response to determining that the orientation input is received, instructions configured to cause the independent display orientation element to display the second window of the second application in the landscape orientation, and instructions configured to cause the independent display orientation element to display the first window of the first application in the portrait orientation, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in a portrait mode;

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, instructions configured to determine that the multi-display device has been placed in a second dual display state and the first and second displays are both in a landscape mode; and

in response to determining the second dual display state, instructions configured to display the first window on the first display in the portrait orientation and the second window on the second display in the landscape orientation.

17. The multi-display device of claim 16, further comprising:

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, instructions configured to receive an input to close the second application;

instructions configured to cease display of the second window;

instructions configured to move the second desktop to an active position in the display stack; and

instructions configured to display the second desktop in the portrait orientation on the second display of the multi-display device, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in the portrait mode, and wherein the first display and the second display are on a common first screen.

18. The multi-display device of claim 16, further comprising:

after displaying the second window in the landscape orientation, instructions configured to launch a third application in the multi-display device;

instructions configured to cease display of the second window;

instructions configured to move the second application to an inactive position in the display stack;

instructions configured to display a third window of the third application in the portrait orientation on the second display of the multi-display device, wherein the multi-display device remains in the first dual display state and the first and second displays are both in the portrait mode.

19. The multi-display device of claim 16, wherein the first display is on a first screen, wherein the second display is on a different second screen, and wherein the user sets a control protocol to determine precedence in which orientation input from a plurality of orientation inputs controls the second window to be displayed in the landscape orientation.

20. The multi-display device of claim 16, wherein the orientation input comprises a plurality of orientation inputs including application, device, and user inputs.