Electronic device

• US 9,436,218 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hiroki, Okamoto, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, MD Saiful A
• Application Number:
  US13/416,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20120229374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345 21- 23, 345 31- 33, 345173-179
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

An electronic device and methods are disclosed. The electronic device comprises a plurality of display screens, an operation module, and a control module. The operation module is operable to be operated by a user, and the control module is electrically coupled to the display screens and the operation module, and comprises an operation display module. The operation display module is operable to display an active application from among a plurality of applications running on a first display screen from among the display screens. The operation display module is further operable to display operable information related to the active application on a second display screen, when the operation module is operated by the user.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of display screen areas comprising a first display screen area and a second display screen area positioned below the first display screen area;

an operation module comprising;

a first operation module corresponding to the first display screen area operable to be operated by a user, comprising a first touch panel area; and

second operation module corresponding to the second display screen area operable to be operated by a user, comprising a second touch panel area; and

a control module electrically coupled to the first and second display screen areas, the first and second touch panel areas and the operation module, and operable to;

display a first application of a plurality of applications on the first display screen area and display a second application of the plurality of applications on the second display screen area; and

in response to a touch to a predetermined input region of the displayed first application on the first display screen area, then replace the display of the second application on the second display screen area with a display of a software keyboard; and

in response to a touch to a predetermined input region of the displayed second application displayed on the second display screen area, then replace the display of the first application with a display of the second application on the first display screen area, and display the software keyboard on the second display screen area.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first application or the second application is a text editing application.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first application or the second application is email software, browser software or video viewer software.

4. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of display screens comprising a first display screen and a second display screen positioned below the first display screen;

an operation module operable to be operated by a user, the operation module comprising;

a first touch panel for accepting touch inputs on the first display screen, and a second touch panel for accepting the touch inputs on the second display screen; and

a control module electrically coupled to the first and second display screens, the first and second touch panels and the operation module, and operable to;

display a plurality of applications comprising at least a first application on the first display screen and at least a second application on the second display screen;

and

in response to a touch to a predetermined input region of the displayed first application on the first display screen, then replace the display of the at least the second application on the second display screen with a display of a software keyboard; and

in response to a touch to the predetermined input region of the displayed second application on the second display screen, then replace the display of the at least the second application on the second display screen with a display of the software keyboard, and replace the display of the at least the first application on the first display screen with a display of the at least the second application.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first application or the second application is a text editing application.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first application or the second application is email software, browser software or video viewer software.

7. A method for displaying screens on an electronic device, comprising:

displaying a first application of a plurality of applications on a first touch screen display area;

displaying a second application of the plurality of applications on a second touch screen display area positioned below the first touch screen display area;

in response to a touch to a predetermined input region of the displayed first application on the first display screen area, then replacing the second application on the second touch screen display area with a software keyboard; and

in response to a touch on the predetermined input region of the displayed second application on the second display screen area, then replacing the first application on the first touch screen display area with the second application, and replacing the second application on the second touch screen display area with the software keyboard.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first application or the second application is a text editing application.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first application or the second application is email software, browser software or video viewer software.