US 11,573,597 B2Granted

Displaying a unified desktop across connected devices

AssigneeZ124

InventorsPaul E. Reeves, Sanjiv Sirpal, Alexander de Paz, Martin Gimpl

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Embodiments provide for a handheld device with a unified desktop for integrating the functionality of the handheld device with a larger computer system. When connected to a peripheral display and/or a display of the larger computer system, the handheld device provides a unified desktop displayed across the screen(s) of the handheld device and the peripheral display. The unified desktop unifies the functionality provided by the larger computer system and the handheld functionality, e.g., communication applications (e.g., phone, SMS, MMS). A user can seamlessly interact with applications, e.g., open, move, close, receive notifications, on the unified desktop whether the applications are displayed on the screens of the handheld device, or the peripheral display of the larger computer system.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

displaying a first desktop by at least one processor of a multi-screen device, wherein the first desktop is displayed on at least one screen of the multi-screen device;
displaying a window of an open application from the multi-screen device on the first desktop;
and
determining that the multi-screen device is connected to a peripheral display associated with a personal computer,
in response to the determining:
displaying a unified desktop, the unified desktop unifying functionality provided on the peripheral display associated with the personal computer connected to the multi-screen device, wherein the first desktop becomes a second portion of the unified desktop, a second desktop displayed on the personal computer becomes a first portion of the unified desktop, the first portion of the unified desktop is displayed on the peripheral display, and the first desktop is at least partially overlapped by the second portion of the unified desktop;
moving based on a user input to the unified desktop, one or more windows of open applications from one or more of the first desktop and the second desktop to the unified desktop;
reordering based on a user input to an application manager of the unified desktop, indications of the one or more windows of the open applications, the indications displayed in the application manager,
wherein reordering includes repositioning at least one of the indications with respect to at least one other of the indications by removing the at least one of the indications from one position and inserting the at least one of the indications at another position among positions of the indications displayed in the application manager, and
wherein the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications are displayed concurrently with one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop,
wherein in a linear mode, the one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop are aligned in a row and reordering of the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications displayed in the application manager, automatically reorders the one or more windows of the open applications to correspond to the reordered indications, and
wherein in a freeform mode, the one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop are not aligned in a row and reordering of the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications displayed in the application manager does not reorder the one or more windows of the open applications to correspond to the reordered indications.

9 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor perform a method comprising:

displaying a first desktop by at least one processor of a multi-screen device, wherein the first desktop is displayed on at least one screen of the multi-screen device;
displaying a window of an open application on the first desktop;
and
determining that the multi-screen device is connected to a peripheral display,
in response to the determining:
displaying a unified desktop, wherein the first desktop becomes a second portion of the unified desktop, a second desktop displayed on a personal computer becomes a first portion of the unified desktop, the first portion of the unified desktop is displayed on the peripheral display, and the first desktop is at least partially overlapped by the second portion of the unified desktop;
moving based on a user input to the unified desktop, one or more windows of open applications from one or more of the first desktop and the second desktop to the unified desktop;
reordering based on a user input to an application manager of the unified desktop, indications of the one or more windows of the open applications, the indications displayed in the application manager,
wherein reordering includes repositioning at least one of the indications with respect to at least one other of the indications by removing the at least one of the indications from one position and inserting the at least one of the indications at another position among positions of the indications displayed in the application manager, and
wherein the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications are displayed concurrently with one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop,
wherein in a linear mode, the one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop are aligned in a row and reordering of the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications displayed in the application manager, automatically reorders the one or more windows of the open applications to correspond to the reordered indications, and
wherein in a freeform mode, the one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop are not aligned in a row and reordering of the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications displayed in the application manager does not reorder the one or more windows of the open applications to correspond to the reordered indications.

9 more elements

A dual screen communication device, comprising:

a first touch sensitive display on a first screen;
a second touch sensitive display on a second screen;
and
a computer readable medium that stores computer executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor perform a method comprising:
displaying a first desktop by at least one processor of a multi-screen device,
wherein the first desktop is displayed on at least one screen of the multi-screen device;
displaying a window of an open application on the first desktop;
and
determining that the multi-screen device is connected to a peripheral display,
in response to the determining:
displaying a unified desktop, wherein the first desktop is a second portion of the unified desktop, a second desktop displayed on a peripheral display associated with a personal computer becomes a first portion of the unified desktop, the first portion of the unified desktop is displayed on the peripheral display, and the first desktop is at least partially overlapped by the second portion of the unified desktop;
moving based on a user input to the unified desktop, one or more windows of open applications from one or more of the first desktop and the second desktop to the unified desktop;
reordering based on a user input to an application manager of the unified desktop, indications of the one or more windows of the open applications, the indications displayed in the application manager,
wherein reordering includes repositioning at least one of the indications with respect to at least one other of the indications by removing the at least one of the indications from one position and inserting the at least one of the indications at another position among positions of the indications displayed in the application manager, and
wherein the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications are displayed concurrently with one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop,
wherein in a linear mode, the one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop are aligned in a row and reordering of the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications displayed in the application manager, automatically reorders the one or more windows of the open applications to correspond to the reordered indications, and
wherein in a freeform mode, the one or more windows of the open applications from one or more of the first portion of the unified desktop or the second portion of the unified desktop are not aligned in a row and reordering of the indications of the one or more windows of the open applications displayed in the application manager does not reorder the one or more windows of the open applications to correspond to the reordered indications.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/676,640Filed 7 Nov 2019 · continuation
Priority: 27 Sep 2011
Published: US 2020/0125313 A123 Apr 2020
Granted: 7 Feb 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification108 codes

G06F 1/1616
With several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function: with folding flat displays,…
B29D 11/00673
Production of light guides: supports for light guides
E05D 3/12
With two or more pins: with two parallel pins and one arm
G02B 6/0001
Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings: specially adapted for…

Family

Application61/539,884Us provisional application · filed 27 Sep 2011
Application13/411,075Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Mar 2012
Application14/965,638Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Dec 2015
US 2020/0125313 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Apr 2020
US 2013/0080936 A1Published application
US 2016/0196007 A1Published application
US 11,573,597 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.