Visual focus-based control of coupled displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9658687-B2
Application number	US-201113249239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2011
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

Various technologies described herein pertain to controlling functionality of a display based on visual focus of a user in a multiple display or multiple computational device environment. A particular display from a set of displays on which a user is visually focused is identified. The set of displays includes at least a first display and a second display. Moreover, a type of input receivable from the user via the first display and/or content rendered on the first display is controlled based on the visual focus of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling functionality of a first display of a first computational device, comprising:
receiving visual focus information that specifies a particular display from a set of displays in an environment on which a user is visually focused, wherein the environment comprises at least the first display of the first computational device and a second display of a second computational device viewable by the user;
selectively utilizing the first display of the first computational device as a peripheral touch-enabled input device for the second computational device based on the visual focus information, wherein the first display of the first computational device is utilized to:
receive input from the user for a first application executed by the first computational device when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display, the first computational device being controllable by the first display when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display; and
receive input from the user for a second application executed by the second computational device when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the second display, the first display of the first computational device being utilized as the peripheral touch-enabled input device for the second computational device when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the second display, and the second computational device being controllable by the first display when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the second display; and

controlling content rendered on the first display for at least one of the first application or the second application as a function of the visual focus information.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting the visual focus information that specifies the particular display from the set of displays on which the user is visually focused from an output of a sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising detecting the visual focus information by performing at least one of eye tracking, head tracking, or movement tracking on the output of the sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the content rendered on the first display as a function of the visual focus information further comprises:
rendering the content on the first display when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display; and
inhibiting rendering of the content on the first display when the visual focus information specifies that the particular display from the set of displays on which the user is visually focused differs from the first display.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the content rendered on the first display as a function of the visual focus information further comprises:
selecting a granularity of the content rendered on the first display as a function of the visual focus information, wherein the granularity of the content is more detailed when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display and less detailed when the visual focus information specifies that the particular display from the set of displays on which the user is visually focused differs from the first display; and
rendering the content on the first display with the selected granularity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a first set of input types are receivable via the first display to control the first computational device when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display; and
a second set of input types are receivable via the first display to control the second computational device when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the second display, wherein the first set of input types differs from the second set of input types.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving contextual information related to the second display, wherein the contextual information is indicative of content rendered on the second display at a position on the second display at which the user last interacted; and
when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display:
identifying the content to be rendered on the first display as a function of the content rendered on the second display at the position on the second display at which the user last interacted; and
rendering, on the first display, the content identified as a function of the content rendered on the second display at the position on the second display at which the user last interacted.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first application executed by the first computational device is a companion application, the second application executed by the second computational device is a primary application, and the companion application complements the primary application.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
optimizing the first display for the first application executed by the first computational device when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display; and
optimizing the first display for the second application executed by the second computational device when the visual focus information specifies that the particular display from the set of displays on which the user is visually focused differs from the first display.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising switching between the first display being:
a dedicated input device for the second computational device when configured utilized as the peripheral touch-enabled input device for the second computational device responsive to the visual focus information specifying that the user is visually focused on the second display; and
an input device and output device that renders the content when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the content rendered on the first display further comprises:
rendering, on the first display, an indication of a property of disparate content rendered on the second display when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display; and
manipulating the property of the disparate content rendered on the second display, the property being manipulated based on the input from the user for the first application executed by the first computational device received via the first display when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display, wherein a manifestation of the property of the disparate content as manipulated is displayed on the second display when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the second display.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first display is a touch enabled display.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the content rendered on the first display further comprises:
rendering, on the first display, metadata about disparate content rendered on the second display when the visual focus information specifies that the user is visually focused on the first display.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the content rendered on the first display further comprises:
rendering, on the first display, a differing view of disparate content rendered on the second display when the visual focus information spec

Assignees

• Gibson Tyler Edward
• Hammontree Monty Lee
• Bapat Vikram
• Athans Emmanuel John
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Gibson Tyler Edward
• Hammontree Monty Lee
• Bapat Vikram
• Athans Emmanuel John

Classifications

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• G09G2354/00

  Aspects of interface with display user · CPC title

• G06F3/1454

  involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay · CPC title

• G06F3/1423 Primary

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

• G06F3/013 Primary

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title