Displaying a unified desktop across devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9213516-B2
Application number	US-201213436823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2012
Priority date	Aug 24, 2011
Publication date	Dec 15, 2015
Grant date	Dec 15, 2015

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
displaying a first desktop by at least one processor of a multi-screen device comprising a first processor, a first screen, and a second screen, wherein the first desktop is displayed on at least one screen of the multi-screen device;
displaying a first window of a first open application on the first desktop;
connecting the multi-screen device to a computer system comprising a display screen and a second processor;
determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system;
in response to determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, displaying a unified desktop, wherein the first desktop is a second portion of the unified desktop, and a first portion of the unified desktop is displayed on the display screen of the computer system;
after displaying the unified desktop, ceasing to display the first window of the first open application on the second portion of the unified desktop and displaying the first window on the first portion of the unified desktop;
after determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, determining, by the processor of the multi-screen device, that the multi-screen device was previously connected to the computer system during a previous connection and a second application was opened during the previous connection;
in response to determining that the second application was opened during the previous connection, displaying a second window of the second application on the first portion of the unified desktop;
after determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, receiving an input to open a third application;
determining one of the first portion and the second portion of the unified desktop in which the input to open the third application was received; and
displaying a third window of the third application in the one of the first portion and the second portion of the unified desktop in which the input was received,
wherein when the input to open the third application is received in the first portion, displaying the third window on the first portion of the unified desktop, and
wherein when the input to open the third application is received in the second portion, displaying the third window on the second portion of the unified desktop.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, displaying a fourth window of a fourth open application on the first desktop; and
in response to determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, displaying the fourth window of the fourth open application on the first portion of the unified desktop, and removing the fourth window from display on the second portion of the unified desktop.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, determining that a fourth window is displayed on the display screen of the computer system;
moving the fourth window to the second portion of the unified desktop; and
ceasing to display the fourth window on the first portion of the unified desktop.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second application is one of a plurality of applications opened during the previous connection to the computer system, wherein windows for the plurality of applications previously opened are displayed on the first portion of the unified desktop, and wherein no windows for the plurality of applications previously opened are displayed on the second portion of the unified desktop.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an input to move the second window to the second portion of the unified desktop;
displaying the second window on the second portion of the unified desktop; and
removing the second window from display on the first portion of the unified desktop.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the third window on the second portion of the unified desktop further comprises:
determining which screen of the multi-screen device received the input to open the third application;
displaying the third window on the first screen of the second portion of the unified desktop when the input to open the third application is received in the first screen of the multi-screen device; and
displaying the third window on the second screen of the second portion of the unified desktop when the input to open the third application is received in the second screen of the multi-screen device.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a multi-screen device perform a method, the computer-executable instructions comprising:
instructions to display a first desktop by the at least one processor of the multi-screen device, wherein the first desktop is displayed on a first screen and a second screen of the multi-screen device;
instructions to display a first window of a first open application on the first desktop;
instructions to determine, after connecting the multi-screen device to a computer system comprising a display screen and a second processor, that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system;
in response to determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, instructions to display a unified desktop, wherein the first desktop is a second portion of the unified desktop, and a first portion of the unified desktop is displayed on the display screen of the computer system;
after displaying the unified desktop, instruction to cease display of the first window of the first open application on the second portion of the unified desktop and to display the first window on the first portion of the unified desktop;
after determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, instructions to determine that the multi-screen device was previously connected to the computer system during a previous connection and a second application was opened during the previous connection;
in response to determining that the second application was opened during the previous connection, instructions to display a second window of the second application on the first portion of the unified desktop;
after determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, instructions to receive an input to open a third application;
instructions to determine one of the first portion and the second portion of the unified desktop in which the input to open the third application was received; and
instructions to display a third window of the third application in the one of the first portion and the second portion of the unified desktop in which the input was received,
wherein when the input to open the third application is received in the first portion, instructions to display the third window on the first portion of the unified desktop, and
wherein when the input to open the third application is received in the second portion, instructions to display the third window on the second portion of the unified desktop.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the multi-screen device is connected to the computer system, instructions to determine that a fourth window is displayed on the display screen of the computer system;
instructions to move the fourth window to the second portion of the unified desktop; and
instructions to cease display of the fourth window on the first portion of the unified desktop.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the second app

Assignees

• Reeves Paul E
• Sirpal Sanjiv
• De Paz Alexander
• Gimpl Martin
• Z124

Inventors

• Reeves Paul E
• Sirpal Sanjiv
• De Paz Alexander
• Gimpl Martin

Classifications

• H04W72/563

  of the wireless resources · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F16/54

  Browsing; Visualisation therefor · CPC title