# US 2014/0195898 A1 · Computing Apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195898 A1 - Document ID: US20140195898A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/761,030 - Filed: 2013-02-06 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Inventors: Roel Vertegaal; Paul Strohmeier; Aneesh Pradyumna Tarun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195898A1 ## CPC - 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 - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F 3/0483: Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Apparatus for displaying a plurality of electronic documents to a user. The apparatus comprising a desk having a plurality of proximity zones which comprise at least a first proximity zone which is close to a user of the apparatus and at least a second proximity zone which is further away from said user; at least one display device comprising a display for displaying one of said plurality of electronic documents and at least one sensing device for determining the proximity zone within which said at least one display device is located. The functionality of said display device is determined by the proximity zone within which it is located. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for displaying a plurality of electronic documents to a user, the apparatus comprising: a desk having a plurality of proximity zones which comprise at least a first proximity zone which is close to a user of the apparatus and at least a second proximity zone which is further away from said user; at least one display device comprising a display for displaying one of said plurality of electronic documents and at least one sensing device for determining the proximity zone within which said at least one display device is located wherein the functionality of said display device is determined by the proximity zone within which it is located. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of display devices wherein the functionality of each display device of said plurality of display devices is determined by the proximity zone within which it is located. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one sensing device determines the proximity of each display device to the other of said plurality of display devices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the or each display device comprises a thin-film display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising an electrophoretic display. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first proximity zone comprises all areas on the desk within approximately 70 cm of the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display device is within the first proximity zone when the at least one display device is being held by the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second proximity zone comprises all areas on the desk between approximately 70 cm to 110 cm away from the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the or each display device is configured to allow a user to edit a document displayed on said display when the display device is within the first proximity zone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the or each display device is configured to lock a document when the display device is within the second proximity zone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the or each display device is configured to turn off said display when the display device is within the second proximity zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the desk comprises a third proximity zone which is located further from the user than the second proximity zone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the or each display device is configured to turn off said display when the display device is within the third proximity zone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the or each display device comprises an indicator to show within which proximity zone each display device is located. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the indicator comprises a first colored light for said first proximity zone and a second colored light for said second proximity zone. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resolution of a document displayed on the display is determined by the proximity zone within which the or each display device is located. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the or each display device is configured to display file thumbnails for said document when the or each display device is in the second proximity zone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16, 17) Apparatus according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the or each display device is configured to display a full page of said document when the or each display device is in the first proximity zone. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the resolution of a document displayed on the or each display device is changed when the display device moves from the first proximity zone to the second proximity zone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the resolution of a document displayed on said display device is unaltered when the display device moves from the second proximity zone to the first proximity zone. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a keyboard. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the sensing device determines which display device is closest to the keyboard, wherein actions on the keyboard are input to said closest display device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the keyboard comprises an input for linking said keyboard to a linked display device, wherein actions on the keyboard are input to said linked display device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of display devices is flexible and comprises a bending sensor for sensing bending of said flexible display device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein in response to bending of said flexible display device, said display device is configured to enlarge content displayed on said display device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein in response to bending a corner of said flexible display device, said display device is configured to display a subsequent page of a document which is being displayed on said display. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises a location sensor on the or each display device and a sensing processor on the desk to process data received from the sensor. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the desk comprises a processor which is configured to receive and process inputs from the or each display device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27, 28) Apparatus according to claim 28 when dependent on claim 27, wherein the sensing processor is configured to send the processed sensor data to the processor and wherein the processor is configured to send coordinate data to the display device. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24, 28) Apparatus according to claim 28 when dependent on claim 24, wherein the bending sensor processor is configured to send bending data to the processor and wherein the processor is configured to process said bending data and send instructions to the display device to alter the display based on said processed bending data. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the or each display device comprises a user input in the form of a touch sensitive screen. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the touch sensitive screen is connected to a activator whereby when a user holds the display device and touches the display device to a second display device, the activator activates the touch sensitive screen of the second display device. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31, 32) Apparatus according to claim 31 or claim 32, wherein the touch sensitive screen is a capacitive sensor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display device comprises a proximity sensor for determining when the at least one display device is adjacent a second display device and wherein the second display device comprises a display for displaying information relating to a document on the at least one display device when the second display device is adjacent the at least one display device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the proximity sensor is in the form of a touch sensor and the second display device comprises an activator for activating the touch sensor when a user is holding the second display device. ### Claim 36 Apparatus for displaying a plurality of electronic documents to a user, the apparatus comprising: a first display device comprising a first display for displaying one of said plurality of electronic documents, a second display device comprising a second display and an activation system for determining when said second display device is adjacent said first display device and activating said second display to display information relating to said document on the first display when the second display device is adjacent the first display device. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the activation apparatus comprises a touch sensor on the first display device and an activator on the second display device wherein the activator for activating the touch sensor when a user is holding the second display device against the first display device. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the first display device displays a thumbnail and the second display device displays a full screen preview of the thumbnail. ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the first display device displays a document comprising a URL and the second display device displays a full screen preview of the webpage represented by the URL. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the first display device and the second display device display portions of a map.