Systems and methods for shared display in a hybrid environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9507558-B2
Application number	US-97853810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2010
Priority date	Dec 24, 2010
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments operating shared peripherals in a hybrid computing system are described. Embodiments control one or more shared peripheral devices variously between a primary system and a secondary system via one or more communication links, where the secondary system is detachable from the primary system and operates as an independent computing device in the disconnected state, while operating as a display device in the connected state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a base device having one or more processors therein, the base device having a first operating system; and
a display device having one or more processors and one or more shared peripheral devices therein, the display device being detachably connected to the base device, the display device having a second operating system; and
a connector providing one or more communication links between the base device and the display device;
wherein control of the one or more shared peripheral devices is switched from the display device to the base device responsive to connecting the display device to the base device; and
wherein the one or more communication links comprise a wired connection providing: a low level communication link transmitting control communications between a controller in the base device and a controller in the display device; and a higher bandwidth communication link transmitting media file data between a processor of the base device and a processor of the display device.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the low level communication link operates using a first communication protocol.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the higher bandwidth communication link operates using a second communication protocol.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more shared peripheral devices comprise one or more of: a camera, a display, a microphone, a speaker and a wireless antenna.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the display device is configured to control the one or more shared peripheral devices when the display device is not connected to the base device.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the display device is a tablet computing device.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein, responsive to connection of the display device to the base device, control of the one or more shared peripheral devices is switched from the second operating system of the display device to the first operating system of the base device.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the higher bandwidth communication link operates according to a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of: a serial bus communication protocol, a peripheral component interconnect communication protocol, and a network connection communication protocol.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the connector further comprises a power connector connecting a power source of the base device to a battery of the display device; wherein the base device charges the battery of the display device via the power connector.

10. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a back plate extending from the base device and shaped to support the display device.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the base device is configured to stop communications with the display device responsive to disconnection of the display device and the base device; and
wherein the base device is configured to establish communications with the display device responsive to connection of the display device and the base device.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the display device is configured to enter a low power state responsive to connection to the base device.

13. A method comprising:
sharing one or more peripheral devices between: a base device having one or more processors and a first operating system; and a display device having one or more processors, the one or more shared peripheral devices, and a second operating system;
communicating information between the base device and the display device via one or more communication links; and
switching control of the one or more shared peripheral devices from the display device to the base device responsive to connecting the display device to the base device; and
wherein the one or more communication links comprise a wired connection providing: a low level communication link transmitting control communications between a controller in the base device and a controller in the display device; and a higher bandwidth communication link transmitting media file data between a processor of the base device and a processor of the display device.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the low level communication link operates using a first communication protocol.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the higher bandwidth communication link operates using a second communication protocol.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more shared peripheral devices comprise one or more of: a camera, a display, a microphone, a speaker and a wireless antenna.

17. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising controlling with the display device the one or more shared peripheral devices when the display device is not connected to the base device.

18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the display device is a tablet computing device.

19. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising, responsive to connection of the display device to the base device, switching control of the one or more shared peripheral devices from the second operating system of the display device to the first operating system of the base device.

20. A computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage device having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:
computer readable program code configured to share one or more peripheral devices between: a base device having one or more processors and a first operating system; and a display device having one or more processors, the one or more shared peripheral devices, and a second operating system;
computer readable program code configured to communicate information between the base device and the display device via one or more communication links; and
computer readable program code configured to switch control of the one or more shared peripheral devices from the display device to the base device responsive to connecting the display device to the base device; and
wherein the one or more communication links comprise a wired connection providing: a low level communication link transmitting, control communications between a controller in the base device and a controller in the display device; and a
higher bandwidth communication link transmitting media file data between a processor of the base device and a processor of the display device.

Assignees

• Davis Mark C
• Hao Chen
• Yuru Jin
• Xingwen Chen
• Vanover Michael T
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Davis Mark C
• Hao Chen
• Yuru Jin
• Xingwen Chen
• Vanover Michael T

Classifications

• G09G2354/00

  Aspects of interface with display user · CPC title

• G06F3/1438 Primary

  using more than one graphics controller · CPC title

• G09G2370/16

  Use of wireless transmission of display information · CPC title