Patent Application
20090322690
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to presentation of displays on a display screen(s) and, more particularly, viewing of the displays by multiple people.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Currently mobile telephone displays do not support shared usage of the telephone by more than one user at a same time. The devices are so small that it is quite difficult for two people to view a display on the relatively small display screen at the same time even when the two people are sitting right next to each other.
Mobile telephone handsets are know which have two display screens. However, the usage of the display screens is traditional in a sense that the second display screen is meant for a user to view things and the first display screen (a touch screen) is meant for the same user to control things. The two display screens do not support shared experiences, i.e. they have the same problems as traditional phones with one display (touch or non-touch).
Currently, if a first person wants to share something on the display(s) of his/her phone, the first person has to give the second person the phone or at least point the display screen to the second person thereby preventing the first person from viewing the display screen at a same time. Sharing images, such as photographs, might be especially problematic. For example if the telephone of the first person has a lot of images, some of which the first person does not want the second person to see, but the first person still wants the second person to view multiple ones of the images, the first person has to open one image, give the phone to the second person, the second person looks at the image and then gives the phone back to the first person. The first person then has to open another image, give the phone to the second person again, and so on and so on. This is very cumbersome for the two people.
Another problem is that mobile phones do not support shared gaming experiences together on a single handset.
The following summary is merely intended to be exemplary. The summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided including a housing; at least one display screen on a first side of the housing; and a controller. The controller is configured to display a first display on the at least one display screen and a second display on the at least one display screen at a same time such that the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen and the second display has a bottom side proximate a top end of the at least one display screen. The first display and the second display are generally flipped relative to each other.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided comprising displaying a first display on at least one display screen of an apparatus, wherein the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen; and displaying a second display on the at least one display screen at a same time that the first display is displayed on the at least one display screen, wherein the second display has a bottom side proximate a top end of the at least one display screen, wherein the second display is flipped about 180 degrees relative to the first display.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a program storage device is provided which is readable by an apparatus, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the apparatus for performing operations to present displays on at least one display screen of the apparatus, the operations comprising displaying a first one of the displays on the at least one display screen, wherein the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen; and displaying a second one of the displays on the at least one display screen at a same time that the first display is displayed on the at least one display screen, wherein the second display has a bottom side proximate a top end of the at least one display screen, wherein the second display is flipped about 180 degrees relative to the first display.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided comprising a housing; at least one display screen on a first side of the housing; and a controller. The controller is configured to display a first display on the at least one display screen and a second display on the at least one display screen at a same time. The controller is configured to operate in a first mode of operation to display the first display with a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen and the second display with a bottom side proximate a middle of the housing. The controller is configured to operate in a second mode of operation to display the first display with its bottom side proximate the bottom end of the at least one display screen and the second display with its bottom side proximate a top end of the at least one display screen such that the first display and the second display are generally flipped relative to each other in the second mode of operation.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided comprising displaying a first display on at least one display screen of an apparatus, wherein the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen; displaying a second display on the at least one display screen of the apparatus at a same time that the first display is displayed on the at least one display screen, wherein the second display is displayed in a first orientation having a bottom side opposite a top side of first display; and switching orientation of the second display on the at least one display screen to a second orientation having the bottom side of the second display being located at a top end of the at least one display screen, wherein orientation of the first display remains unchanged when the orientation of the second display is switched from the first orientation to the second orientation.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a program storage device is provided which is readable by an apparatus, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the apparatus for performing operations to present displays on at least one display screen of the apparatus, the operations comprising displaying a first one of the displays on at least one display screen, wherein the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen; displaying a second one of the displays on the at least one display screen at a same time that the first display is displayed on the at least one display screen, wherein the second display is displayed in a first orientation having a bottom side opposite a top side of first display; and switching orientation of the second display on the at least one display screen to a second orientation having the bottom end of the second display being located at a top end of the at least one display screen, wherein orientation of the first display remains unchanged when the orientation of the second display is switched from the first orientation to the second orientation.
The foregoing aspects and other features of the invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring to
The apparatus 10 generally comprises a controller 12, a memory 14, a user interface 16 and other circuitry 18. In one example embodiment the apparatus is a hand-held mobile telephone. However, in alternate embodiments the apparatus 10 could be any suitable type of portable electronic device, such as a stand alone digital camera for example. As is know in the art, besides wireless communications, hand-held mobile telephones can include additional applications, such as a digital camera, Internet browsing, a calendar, reminders, storage of notes and addresses and other text information, GPS mapping, and gaming for example.
The controller 12 could comprise a microprocessor for example. The memory 14 is connected to the controller 12. The user interface 16 comprises at least one display screen. Examples of the user interface 16 are shown in
In
In
In the hand-held mobile telephone embodiment, the other circuitry 18 can include, for example, a transceiver and an antenna. The other circuitry 18 can also include a digital camera for example. The controller 12, memory 14 and display screen(s) could be configured with suitable hardware and software to present displays on the display screen(s), such as photograph images, video images, text and games for example.
Referring also to
In addition, the housing could comprise more than two housing sections or only a mono or block type of housing as shown in
In this embodiment the screens 20, 22 are both touch screens. However, in alternate embodiments one or both of the screens might not be touch screens. The first screen 20 has a control display 36 shown on the screen 20 for controlling an application. The example control display 36 has left and right arrows for controlling scrolling through pictures in a picture viewer application. However, any suitable control display could be shown. In addition, if the screen is not touch sensitive, it might not show a control display.
One aspect of the invention will be described with reference to
In
In the first mode of operation shown in
Referring also
With the handset operating in the second mode of operation, the user 38 can allow a second person 60 (such as a friend) to view the second display 50′ with the second person located opposite and facing the user 38. The invention can provide an apparatus (such as a mobile telephone handset for example) which can present two displays at a same time, and one of the displays can be rotated relative to the other display in order to support shared usage of the apparatus; the usage being viewing in the example described above.
As noted above, currently mobile phones do not support shared usage of the display(s) on a phone handset at a same time. Conventional devices are so small that it is quite difficult to view the small display screen when people are sitting next to each other. The type of sharing experience which can be provided with the invention can support shared usage. Thus, the invention can provide a lot of new usage scenarios and application development possibilities.
In one example of the invention, a second display on a second display screen of a two display phone could be rotated 180 degrees so that another person sitting/standing opposite to the person holding the phone can view the second display. The second display screen is not rotated; merely the second display/image is rotated in the second display screen. The first display on a first display screen could be orientated for viewing to the first person holding the phone allow the first person to control the second display. This scenario supports, for example, showing images to your friend while you still hold the phone. Your first display could contain thumbnails of images, from which you could choose images that are shown in the second display. When images are opened as the second display, they can be rotated 180 degrees so that your friend (located opposite you) sees them properly.
In this example scenario, as seen in
Another scenario is that both of the display screens in the phone could be touch enabled. This way, when the second display is rotated 180 degrees, both the user 38 and the second person 60 could control, at least partially, viewing of the images on one or both of the display screens of the phone. An example of this is shown in
In the thumbnail/image example scenario mentioned above, in order to avoid the case that the second person 60 recognizes images from the small thumbnails upside down towards him/her, the thumbnails could be so small that the second person could not properly recognize them, but still allow the first person 38 (the user/owner) to recognize the images since they are familiar to him/her.
When both of the display screens have touch support, the apparatus could support even more sharing cases. When viewing images, it is nice that the other person can perform basic viewing tasks (e.g. zoom the image or do something with it); preferably as long as any changes are not saved to the original image unless authorized by the user/owner of the apparatus.
This type of scenario supports different sharing experiences, work-together usages as well as different types of games. For example, if a user wants to show images to a friend, the second display could be rotated as in the earlier example noted with reference to
There are many potential advantages in this invention. Sharing media files, such as images, with another person is more convenient because you do not have to sit very close to each other trying to see from the same small display. The user does not need to give the other person the phone in order for him/her to properly view images and, thus, the user has control over the viewing; only images that user selects are shown in the second display.
Gaming is possible when both of the displays have touch support. An advantage is that the apparatus can enable having games for two users always with the apparatus (such as a hand-held mobile telephone handset for example); so the owner can play with your friend virtually anywhere and anytime. Since both people have their own displays to look at and to play the game with, there is quite a lot of possibilities to create new games, i.e. the display size supports different games. This can merely depend on the imagination of the game developers.
In one example of the invention, a two touch display screen device (with the second display rotated or flipped relative to the first display) can be used for designing games for two users. For example there could be a sort of TETRIS video game, which is similar to a one-player TETRIS game, but enhanced for two-players. An example of this is shown in
For example, when presented with the displays 68, 70 shown in
If the mobile phone is used for work tasks, users could also do some work related things in collaboration using only the one apparatus. For example, two people could modify a document on a single handset having two touch screens. An example of this is shown in
The invention is not limited to an apparatus having two display screens. The invention can comprise an apparatus, such as a mobile phone for example, having a single display screen. The invention could also be used on an apparatus having more than one display, but the invention only being used on one of the displays. For example, the invention could comprise dividing a single display screen into two separate areas to present respective displays in each area of the single display screen. This can be used to support sharing and shared experiences on a single display screen. This might be used, for example, to share some specific images with another person or to play some games that utilize the divided or split view.
For the divided/split screen embodiment, one example could comprise the bottom one of the display being presented normally; facing the phone's owner. The upper display could be orientated on the display screen to face the opposite direction. This supports sharing because each user (located on opposite ends of the single display screen) sees their respective displays orientated normally towards them, even thought the two people are located opposite and facing each another.
This kind of splitting and controls could be utilized, for example, in sharing images. An example of this is shown in
The invention could operate identically to the invention as described above with reference to the two screen example embodiment, but with the area 84 functioning as the first display screen 20 and the area 86 functioning as the second display screen 22. For the picture viewer application, the first area could contain a plurality of the user's images presented as small thumbnails for example. The mobile phone owner could go through his/her images as thumbnails and select images to be displayed on the second area of the display screen so that the other person can look at the image(s). This way the user does not need to give the phone to the other person. The user also does not need to show all the images, but has control what the other person sees. Thus, in the picture viewer application example, thumbnails could be presented at the area 84 as the first display 88 and one of the images of the thumbnails could be presented at the area 86 as the second display 90 having a flipped viewing orientation relative to the viewing orientation of the first display 88.
This use case could work both in non-touch screen and touch screen devices since the upper part 86 does not need any input possibilities; it is only for viewing images. But a touch screen does add something to the experience since the second person 60 that is viewing the images could, for example, zoom the image.
The first person could start an image sharing session, where a single display screen could be divided in two areas: a first area facing the mobile phone owner and a second area facing the other person could fill the rest of the display. The dividing proportions would depend on the usage—it might be 50/50 percent, 70/30 percent, 30/70 percent or what ever fits the use case. Referring also to
The selection of the pre-defined view setting could be automatic, such as with a default setting and/or application situation settings, and/or manually user selectable. Referring also to
For a gaming experience, this feature could be beneficial for touch devices since both views could use the touch screen input mechanism to allow gaming. For example, the first area could be a smaller area, for example 30 percent of the display screen, and the second area could be a bigger area, for example 70 percent of the display screen.
In touch devices, some kinds of games could be provided where the display is divided into two area (such as 50/50 percent) and both areas could have input and user input component control mechanisms based on touch. This type of divided view and user input component control could support developing a lot of different games where interaction is the key element. An example of a game is shown in
The respective displays on the two areas 84, 86 could have different input mechanisms, such as different gestures icons or buttons. They do not need to be exactly the same. As an example game, there might be some kind of speed game where users compete with each other. Both send something from their own display to the other display, and they have to react as quickly as possible to the other person's “material” or what ever is sent between the users.
There is clear advantage of dividing and flipping the view in cases such as sharing images, like explained above. Us of dividing and flipping of views/displays fits also for other media sharing, like sharing video clips. There are also many possibilities for developing shared games, as mentioned.
of course, when the apparatus is a mobile telephone handset, an advantage is that you almost always have your phone with you, and you can start a game with your friend whenever and wherever; and the shared experience makes it more fun than games meant for only one person.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus 10 is provided including a housing 28; at least one display screen 20, 22 or 82 on a first side of the housing; and a controller 12. The controller is configured to display a first display (such as 40 for example) on the at least one display screen and a second display (such as 50 for example) on the at least one display screen at a same time such that the first display has a bottom side 42 proximate a bottom end 44 of the at least one display screen and the second display has a bottom side 52 proximate a top end 58 of the at least one display screen. The first display and the second display are generally flipped relative to each other.
Referring also to
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a program storage device (14 for example) is provided which is readable by an apparatus, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the apparatus for performing operations to present displays on at least one display screen of the apparatus, the operations comprising displaying a first one of the displays on the at least one display screen, wherein the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen; and displaying a second one of the displays on the at least one display screen at a same time that the first display is displayed on the at least one display screen, wherein the second display has a bottom side proximate a top end of the at least one display screen, wherein the second display is flipped about 180 degrees relative to the first display.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus (10 or 80 for example) is provided comprising a housing 28; at least one display screen (20, 22 or 82) on a first side of the housing; and a controller 12. The controller is configured to display a first display (40 for example) on the at least one display screen and a second display (50 for example) on the at least one display screen at a same time. The controller is configured to operate in a first mode of operation to display the first display with a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen and the second display with a bottom side proximate a middle of the housing. The controller is configured to operate in a second mode of operation to display the first display with its bottom side proximate the bottom end of the at least one display screen and the second display with its bottom side proximate a top end of the at least one display screen such that the first display and the second display are generally flipped relative to each other in the second mode of operation.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided comprising displaying a first display on at least one display screen of an apparatus as indicated by block 98, wherein the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen; displaying as indicated by block 100 a second display on the at least one display screen of the apparatus at a same time that the first display is displayed on the at least one display screen, wherein the second display is displayed in a first orientation having a bottom side opposite a top side of first display; and switching orientation of the second display on the at least one display screen as indicated by block 102 to a second orientation having the bottom side of the second display being located at a top end of the at least one display screen, wherein orientation of the first display remains unchanged when the orientation of the second display is switched from the first orientation to the second orientation.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a program storage device (14 for example) is provided which is readable by an apparatus, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the apparatus for performing operations to present displays on at least one display screen of the apparatus, the operations comprising displaying a first one of the displays on at least one display screen, wherein the first display has a bottom side proximate a bottom end of the at least one display screen; displaying a second one of the displays on the at least one display screen at a same time that the first display is displayed on the at least one display screen, wherein the second display is displayed in a first orientation having a bottom side opposite a top side of first display; and switching orientation of the second display on the at least one display screen to a second orientation having the bottom end of the second display being located at a top end of the at least one display screen, wherein orientation of the first display remains unchanged when the orientation of the second display is switched from the first orientation to the second orientation.
Features of the invention could be used such as when the apparatus 10, 80 is connected to a larger viewing screen, such as a table top viewer having one or more display screens. The connection could be a wireless connection for example, such as when the apparatus is merely placed on top of the table top viewer for example.
Referring also to
When using one phone/apparatus 80 to do things, such as a phone having a touch screen 82, there could be some kind of button/icon 106 and software, etc. with which the user 38 could allow the other person 60 to continue something, such as editing some document display 108 or playing a game for example on the display screen 82. As seen by comparing
Referring also to
Referring also to
With these embodiments the flip controls, such as dedicated icons 106, 110, are designed to rotate the display (or portion of the display) a predetermined amount of only 180 degrees. The icons 106, 110 cannot be used to rotate the display 90 degrees, such as used with viewer programs such as ADOBE ACROBAT viewer for example. However, an additional icon could be provided to rotate the display 90 degrees such as for using the display screen 82, 82′ in a landscape orientation between the two people 38, 60 with the icons 106 and/or 110 being usable for flipping the display or portion of the display 180 degrees while in that landscape orientation.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. For example, features recited in the various dependent claims could be combined with each other in any suitable combination(s). In addition, features from different embodiments described above could be selectively combined into a new embodiment. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.
