Method of displaying applications in a multi-monitor computer system and multi-monitor computer system employing the method

• US 9,052,745 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hill, Douglas B., Rounding, Michael, Mitchell, Daniel, Martin, David, Wang, Luqing, Forrest, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US13/061,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20110241985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345156-158, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1415 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information

Abstract

A multi-monitor computer system includes a plurality of display devices communicating with at least one computing device executing an application management procedure. The application management procedure enables an application window available on one display device to be moved entirely to another display device by selecting the other display device from a dialog box displayed in response to a pointer-dragging input gesture on the application window.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a conference session between a primary computing device and one or more participant computing devices, comprising:

creating a conference session for the primary computing device, the primary computing device comprising at least one primary display device on which content to be shared is displayed; and

for each participant computing device upon successful joining to the conference session, automatically sharing content displayed on the at least one primary display device with the participant computing device for display thereby.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an indicator on at least one primary display device that identifies the number of participant computing devices successfully joined to the conference session.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to a selection of the indicator, displaying a dialog box on at least one primary display device identifying the participant computing devices that are successfully joined to the conference session.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to selection of a participant computing device identified in the dialog box, automatically sending a share screen request to that participant computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating is initiated in response to user selection of an application program on said primary computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, in response to user selection of the application program, displaying a toolbar on the at least one primary display device, the toolbar forming content that is to be shared.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said creating comprises assigning a name and code to the conference session, updating the toolbar so that the toolbar presents the name and conveying the code to users of participant computing devices invited to join the conference session, the assigned code being used to join the conference session.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, prior to said automatically sharing content, prompting the user of the participant computing device to enter the code and upon validation of the entered code, automatically sharing content.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the primary computing device comprises a plurality of primary display devices and wherein said displaying comprises displaying the toolbar on each primary display device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said creating comprises assigning a name and code to the conference session, updating each toolbar so that each toolbar presents the name and conveying the code to users of participant computing devices invited to join the conference session, the assigned code being used to join the conference session.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, prior to said automatically sharing content, prompting the user of the participant computing device to enter the code and upon validation of the entered code, automatically sharing content.

12. A method of joining a participant computing device to an existing conference session between a primary computing device and one or more other participant computing devices, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a participant computing device wishing to join the conference session, an access code to a conference server for validation;

upon validation of the access code, joining the participant computing device to the conference session and automatically receiving, at the participant computing device, content displayed on at least one primary display device of the primary computing device that is to be shared and displaying the shared content on a secondary display device of the participant computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said received content comprises a toolbar displayed on the at least one primary display device.