Managing obstructed views of multiple display surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9448756-B2
Application number	US-201514951418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2007
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods for managing multiple overlapping electronic displays are disclosed, including the electronic displays of electronic paper, electronic books, computer monitors, and other electronic display devices. In one embodiment, a method includes sensing an overlap area of a first display and a second display relative to a specified view location, determining a nearest unobstructed display to the specified view location, and displaying within the overlap area of the nearest unobstructed display a highest priority information from among first and second information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coordination system relative to a first display, a second display, and a third display, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to detect the second display relative to the first display, to detect the third display relative to the second display; and to detect the third display relative to the first display; and
a processing component operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and to at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display, the processing component configured to:
determine an overlap area of the first display, the second display, and the third display relative to one another and a specified view location, wherein the overlap area includes a first portion of at least one of the first display, the second display, and the third display that is overlapped by a second portion of at least one of the other of the first display, the second display, and the third display;
determine a nearest unobstructed display among the first display, the second display, and the third display relative to the specified view location; and
operatively communicate with at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display to cooperatively enable to be displayed within the nearest unobstructed display a highest priority information from the overlap area,
wherein the highest priority information is displayed on at least two of the first display, the second display, and the third display when the highest priority information is included in the overlap area and a non-overlap area of at least one of the first display, the second display, and the third display.

2. A coordination system relative to a first display, a second display, and a third display, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to detect the second display relative to the first display, to detect the third display relative to the second display, and to detect the third display relative to the first display; and
circuitry operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and to at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display, wherein the circuitry is configured to:
determine an overlap area of the first display, the second display, and the third display relative to one another and a specified view location, wherein the overlap area includes a first portion of at least one of the first display, the second display, and the third display that is overlapped by a second portion of at least one of the other of the first display, the second display, and the third display;
determine a nearest unobstructed display among the first display, the second display, and the third display relative to the specified view location; and
operatively communicate with at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display to cooperatively enable to be displayed within the nearest unobstructed display a highest priority information from the overlap area,
wherein the highest priority information is displayed on at least two of the first display, the second display, and the third display when the highest priority information is included in the overlap area and a non-overlap area of at least one of the first display, the second display, and the third display.

3. The coordination system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display comprises at least one of an electronic document, or a monitor.

4. The coordination system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display comprises an electronic paper device.

5. The coordination system of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
determine a highest priority area associated with the highest priority information, the highest priority area being less than or equal to the overlap area; and
operatively communicate with the at least one other display device to cooperatively enable to be displayed within the highest priority area of the overlap area of the nearest unobstructed display the highest priority information.

6. The coordination system of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine the overlap area using a first orientation indicium relating to the first display and a second orientation indicium relating to the at least one of the second display or the third display.

7. The coordination system of claim 6 , wherein the first display is rotated with respect to the at least one of the second display or the third display.

8. The coordination system of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
determine a highest priority area associated with the highest priority information, the highest priority area being less than or equal to the overlap area; and cause to be displayed within the highest priority area of the overlap area of the nearest unobstructed display the highest priority information.

9. The coordination system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors are coupled to the first display.

10. The coordination system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors are distal from the first display.

11. A method of coordinating display on a first display, a second display, and a third display, comprising:
detecting the second display relative to the first display, the third display relative to the second display, and the third display relative to the first display; and
determining an overlap area of the first display, the second display, and the third display relative to one another and a specified view location, wherein the overlap area includes a first portion of at least one of the first display, the second display, and the third display that is overlapped by a second portion of at least one of the other of the first display, the second display, and the third display;
determining a nearest unobstructed display among the first display, the second display, and the third display relative to the specified view location; and
communicating with at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display to cooperatively enable to be displayed within the nearest unobstructed display a highest priority information from the overlap area,
wherein the highest priority information is displayed on at least two of the first display, the second display, and the third display when the highest priority information is included in the overlap area and a non-overlap area of at least one of the first display, the second display, and the third display.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display comprises at least one of an electronic document, or a monitor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first display, the second display, or the third display comprises an electronic paper device.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a highest priority area associated with the highest priority information, the highest priority area being less than or equal to the overlap area; and
communicating with the at least one other display device to cooperatively enable to be displayed within the highest priority area of the overlap area of the nearest unobstructed display the highest priority information.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining the overlap area using a first orientation indicium relating to the first display and a second orientation indicium relating to the at least one of the second display or the third display.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first display is rotated with respect to the at least one of t

Assignees

• Searete Llc
• Invent Science Fund I Llc

Inventors

• Jung Edward K Y
• Cohen Alexander J
• Levien Royce A
• Lord Robert W
• Malamud Mark A
• Rinaldo Jr John D

Classifications

• G06F3/1423 Primary

  controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display · CPC title

• G09G2310/04

  Partial updating of the display screen · CPC title

• G09G5/14

  Display of multiple viewports · CPC title

• G09G2300/023

  Display panel composed of stacked panels · CPC title

• G09G2340/12

  Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels · CPC title