Mode-switching in ultra mobile devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9360986-B2
Application number	US-83193307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2007
Priority date	Jul 31, 2007
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

Arrangements for managing displays of ultra-mobile devices (UMD's). Automatically or manually, a small-mode interface on a UMD screen, wherein one application window is visible, is switched to a large-mode interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing an ultra-mobile device (UMD) computer system, the UMD computer system comprising a screen;
effecting a small-mode user interface on the UMD computer system screen, the small-mode user interface managing one application window on the UMD computer system screen;
wherein the small-mode user interface occupies substantially all of the UMD computer system screen and is not a sub-portion thereof;
effecting a large-mode user interface responsive to one or more large-mode user interface conditions being detected, the large-mode user interface managing a plurality of application windows; and
switching between the small-mode user interface and the large-mode user interface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said switching comprises automatically switching between the small-mode user interface and the large-mode user interface responsive to detection of a large-mode user interface condition.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said switching comprises:
automatically switching from the small-mode user interface to the large-mode user interface responsive to detection of a connection with a docking station; and
automatically switching from the large-mode user interface to the small-mode user interface responsive to detection of a lack of a connection with a docking station.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said switching comprises:
automatically switching from the small-mode user interface to the large-mode user interface responsive to detection of a connection with a large-screen monitor; and
automatically switching from the large-mode user interface to the small-mode user interface responsive to detection of a lack of a connection with a large-screen monitor.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said switching comprises:
automatically switching from the small-mode user interface to the large-mode user interface responsive to detection of a connection with a keyboard; and
automatically switching from the large-mode user interface to the small-mode user interface responsive to detection of a lack of a connection with a keyboard.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said switching comprises:
automatically switching from the small-mode user interface to the large-mode user interface responsive to detection of a connection with a mouse; and
automatically switching from the large-mode user interface to the small-mode user interface responsive to detection of a lack of a connection with a mouse.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said switching comprises manually switching between the small-mode user interface and the large-mode user interface.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said switching comprises manually switching from the small-mode user interface to the large-mode user interface via a manual actuator connected with the UMD computer system.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said effecting of a small-mode user interface comprises effecting a reduction in power consumption of the UMD computer system.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said effecting of a reduction in power consumption comprises re-nicing a UMD computer system process.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said effecting of a reduction in power consumption comprises terminating a UMD computer system process.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said effecting of a reduction in power consumption comprises suppressing a backlight associated with the screen.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the small-mode interface is a single application interface for single tasking with navigation elements geared toward easy access to common applications.

14. An ultra-mobile device (UMD) computer system comprising:
a CPU;
a system memory in communication with said CPU;
a screen;
an arrangement for effecting a small-mode user interface on the UMD computer system screen, the small-mode user interface managing one application window on the UMD computer system screen;
wherein the small-mode user interface occupies substantially all of the UMD computer system screen and is not a sub-portion thereof;
an arrangement for effecting a large-mode user interface responsive to one or more large-mode user interface conditions being detected, the large-mode user interface managing a plurality of application windows; and
an arrangement for switching between the small-mode user interface and the large-mode user interface.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said switching arrangement acts to automatically switch between the small-mode user interface and the large-mode user interface responsive to detection of a large-mode user interface condition.

16. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said switching arrangement acts to:
automatically switch from the small-mode user interface to the large-mode user interface responsive to detection of a connection with a docking; and
automatically switch from the large-mode user interface to the small-mode user interface responsive to detection of a lack of a connection with a docking station.

17. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said switching arrangement acts to manually switch between the small-mode user interface and the large-mode user interface.

18. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said arrangement for effecting a small-mode user interface acts to effect a reduction in power consumption of said UMD computer system.

19. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine, the program of instructions comprising:
instructions that provide an ultra-mobile device (UMD) computer system, the UMD computer system comprising a screen;
instructions that effect a small-mode user interface on the UMD computer system screen, the small-mode user interface managing one application window on the UMD computer system screen;
wherein the small-mode user interface occupies substantially all of the UMD computer system screen and is not a sub-portion thereof;
instructions that effect a large-mode user interface when one or more large-mode user interface conditions are detected, the large-mode user interface managing a plurality of application windows; and
instructions that switch between the small-mode user interface and the large-mode user interface.

Assignees

• Thrasher James J
• Dubs Justin T
• Perrin Steven R
• Rutledge James S
• Vanover Michael T
• Zawacki Jennifer G
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Thrasher James J
• Dubs Justin T
• Perrin Steven R
• Rutledge James S
• Vanover Michael T
• Zawacki Jennifer G

Classifications

• G06F1/3203 Primary

  Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode · CPC title

• G06F3/0481 Primary

  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

• Y02B60/1242

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F1/3265

  Power saving in display device · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title