Collaboratively controlling display of information across multiple displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10798137-B2
Application number	US-201615282840-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for collaboratively controlling the display of information across multiple displays is disclosed. A plurality of electronic devices linked to a plurality of co-located display devices are accessed. At least one of the plurality of electronic devices is a master electronic device. Different users can select and transfer content elements from the set displayed on the master display device to the remainder of display devices, such that the selected and transferred content elements advance in order across the remainder of display devices. Users can select individual content elements from a device under their control for display by one or more display devices without the need to transfer an entire document or file from which the content element is taken. Once a content element is so displayed, other currently displayed content elements are advanced in a logical manner, or removed from display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of collaboratively controlling display of content elements across multiple displays, utilizing a plurality of electronic devices and a plurality of display devices, the method comprising:
accessing a plurality of electronic devices linked to a plurality of co-located display devices, wherein the plurality of electronic devices comprises a master electronic device and a plurality of second electronic devices, wherein the plurality of second electronic devices comprises a smart phone and a tablet computer, wherein the plurality of co-located display devices comprises a master display device and a plurality of second display devices, and wherein each of the plurality of second display devices comprises multiple display areas;
assigning a device identifier to each of the plurality of display devices such that said display devices are identifiable on a graphical user interface running on the master electronic device;
retrieving a unique ID for each of the multiple display areas such that each of the multiple display areas is identifiable on a graphical user interface displayed in a control window on the master display device;
displaying, in the control window on the master display device, a first set of content elements and a set of images corresponding to each of the multiple display areas, based on the unique ID for each of the multiple display areas;
selecting and transferring content elements from the first set of content elements to the plurality of second display devices, such that the selected and transferred content elements are displayed by, and advance in order across, the multiple display areas; and
selecting and transferring at least one content element from a second set of content elements on at least one of the plurality of second electronic devices to at least one of the second display devices such that one or more content elements displayed by at least one of the plurality of second display devices is replaced in the respective of the multiple display areas and one or more content elements displayed by at least one of the plurality of second display devices are advanced in order across the multiple display areas.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the at least one additional content element from the second set of content elements to the at least one of the plurality of second display devices occurs directly from the at least one of the plurality of second electronic devices to the at least one of the plurality of second display devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising advancing the one or more selected and transferred content elements across a plurality of remote display devices, each of the remote display devices corresponding to, and displaying an identical content element as, a display device from amongst the plurality of second display devices.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling the master display device from at least one of the second electronic devices.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the content elements replaced is among the content elements further advanced.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising editing one or more content elements displayed on or more of the display areas using a first type of portable electronic device from among the plurality of second electronic devices, and editing one or more content elements displayed and editing one or more other content elements displayed on one or more other display areas using a second type of portable electronic device from among the plurality of second electronic devices.

7. A system for collaboratively controlling display of content elements across multiple displays, utilizing a plurality of electronic devices and a plurality of display devices, the system comprising:
at least one processor in signal communication with a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
access a plurality of electronic devices linked to a plurality of co-located display devices, wherein the plurality of electronic devices comprises a master electronic device and a plurality of second electronic devices having different operating systems, and wherein the plurality of co-located display devices comprises a master display device and one or more second display devices;
assign or retrieve a unique ID for each of the one or more second display devices such that said one or more second display devices are identifiable on a graphical user interface of the master display device;
display, in a control window of the master display device, a first set of content elements and a set of images corresponding to the one or more second display devices, based on their unique IDs;
transfer, responsive to one or more selections at the master electronic device, content elements from the first set of content elements displayed on the master display device to the one or more second display devices, such that the transferred content elements, are displayed by, and advance in order across, the one or more second display devices; and
transfer, responsive to one or more other selections at one of the plurality of second devices , at least one content element from a second set of content elements on at least one of the plurality of second electronic devices to at least one of the one or more second display devices such that at least one of the displayed content elements is replaced in the respective of the one or more second display devices and at least some of the content elements further advance in order across the one or more second display devices; and
edit at least one of the displayed content elements responsive to one or more inputs received from one or more of the second electronic devices.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
advance the transferred content elements across a plurality of remote display devices, each of the remote display devices corresponding to, and displaying the same content elements as, a display device from amongst the plurality of co-located display devices.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
transfer control of the master display device to at least one of the remaining electronic devices.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
select and transfer at least one of the content elements from the second set of content elements to at least one of the display devices such that at least one of the displayed content elements is replaced in the respective of the one or more second display devices and at least some of the content elements further advance in order across display devices.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the content element is among the content elements further advanced.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
select one or more content elements displayed on or more of the display devices,
transfer the one or more selected content elements to one or more other display devices from amongst the plurality of display devices; and
advance at least a portion of the remaining displayed content elements across at least a portion of the display devices.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions associated with a processor for controlling display of content elements across multiple displays, the processor

Assignees

• Polycom Inc

Inventors

• Nimri Alain Elon
• Shao Junqing
• Gao Shu
• Murphy Rob
• Schaefer Stephen

Classifications

• H04L65/1089

  by adding media; by removing media · CPC title

• G06F8/38

  for implementing user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  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 · CPC title

• H04L65/403

  Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) · CPC title