Content presentation and interaction across multiple displays

• US 9,360,997 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Missig, Julian K., Bernstein, Jeffrey T., Coelho, Marcelo H.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US13/598,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20140068520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 715/740, 715/841
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/02 Networking aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/06 Consumer Electronics Control, i.e. control of another device by a display or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

An application can generate multiple user interfaces for display across multiple electronic devices. After the electronic devices establish communication, an application running on at least one of the devices can present a first set of information items on a touch-enabled display of one of the electronic devices. The electronic device can receive a user selection of one of the first set of information items. In response to receiving the user selection, the application can generate a second set of information items for display on the other electronic device. The second set of information items can represent an additional level of information related to the selected information item.

Claims

1. A method of presenting information, the method comprising:

establishing a connection, by a first electronic device having a touch-enabled display, with a second electronic device having a second display;

causing application content for a communication session, including at least part of multiple communication messages, to be presented on the second display of the second electronic device;

presenting a first set of information items on the touch-enabled display of the first electronic device, the first set of information items being navigable and selectable by a user of the first electronic device, the first set of information items including editable content to be part of the communication session and a plurality of editing tools, wherein the first set of information items are distinct and different from the application content;

receiving, from the user via the touch-enabled display of the first electronic device, a request to edit the editable content using the plurality of editing tools;

in response to receiving the request to edit the editable content, generating a new communication message from the editable content; and

enabling a second set of information items including the application content along with the new communication message to be presented on the second display of the second electronic device while the first set of information items is presented on the touch-enabled display of the first electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of information items and the second set of information items are associated with a single application program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is a tablet computing device and the second electronic device is a desktop computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of editing tools includes a virtual keyboard and wherein the editable content includes an instant message that is being constructed by the user of the first electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of information items is stored locally on the first electronic device and transmitted from the first electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the new communication message, thereby enabling the new communication message to be displayed on the second display of the second electronic device as part of the communication session.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a touch-enabled display;

a memory device coupled to the processor, the memory device including instructions to be executed for presenting information, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

cause application content for a communication session, including at least part of multiple communication messages, to be presented on another display of another electronic device;

present a first set of information items on the touch-enabled display of the electronic device, the first set of information items being navigable and selectable by a user of the electronic device, the first set of information items including editable content to be part of the communication session and a plurality of editing tools, wherein the first set of information items are distinct and different from the application content;

receive a request to edit the editable content using the plurality of editing tools;

in response to receiving the request to edit the editable content, generate a new communication message from the editable content; and

,

cause a second set of information items including the application content along with the new communication message to be presented on the other display of the other electronic device while the first set of information items is presented on the touch-enabled display of the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the electronic device and the other electronic device are communicatively coupled via a wireless network.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of information items are stored locally on the electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of editing tools includes a virtual keyboard and wherein the editable content includes a communication message that is being constructed by the user of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a user indication for composing the message, wherein the plurality of editing tools are presented in response to receiving the user indication for composing the message,

the plurality of editing tools being capable of receiving character input in a portion of the touch-enabled display;

receive user input specifying a set of characters; and

in response to receiving the user input, display the set of characters on the touch-enabled display of the electronic device, wherein the editable content includes the set of characters.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a touch-enabled display, cause the device to:

cause application content for a communication session, including at least part of multiple communication messages, to be presented on another display of another electronic device;

present a first set of information items on the touch-enabled display of the electronic device, the first set of information items being navigable and selectable by a user of the electronic device, the first set of information items including editable content to be part of the communication session and a plurality of editing tools, wherein the first set of information items are distinct and different from the application content;

receive a request to edit the editable content using the plurality of editing tools;

in response to receiving the request to edit the editable content, generate a new communication message from the editable content; and

,

cause a second set of information items including the application content along with the new communication message to be presented on the other display of the other electronic device while the first set of information items is presented on the touch-enabled display of the electronic device.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first set of information items and the second set of information items are associated with a single application program.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the single application program running on the electronic device generates a first user interface and a second user interface, the first user interface presents the first set of information items on the touch-enabled display of the electronic device and the second user interface presents the second set of information items on the other display of the other electronic device.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the electronic device is a tablet computing device and the other electronic device is a desktop computer.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the second set of information items is stored locally on the electronic device and transmitted from the electronic device.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, including instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

send the new communication message, thereby enabling the new communication message to be displayed on the other display of the other electronic device as part of the communication session.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first and second sets of information items are stored locally on the electronic device.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the plurality of editing tools include a virtual keyboard and wherein the editable content includes a communication message that is being constructed by the user of the electronic device.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, including instructions which, when executed, cause the device to:

receive a user indication for composing the message, wherein the plurality of editing tools are presented in response to receiving the user indication for composing the message,

the plurality of editing tools being capable of receiving character input in a portion of the touch-enabled display;

receive user input specifying a set of characters; and

in response to receiving the user input, display the set of characters on the touch-enabled display of the electronic device, wherein the editable content includes the set of characters.