Information processing apparatus, display control method, and program

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus having an internal display and a connection module for an external display, includes a storage module configured to store items of virtual desktop information to be displayed on an actual display screen of one of the internal display and the external display and items of information of a display which displays the items of virtual desktop information in association with each other, and a control module configured to read out, from the storage module, an item of virtual desktop information in association with the external display and to supply the item of virtual desktop information in association with the external display to external display upon detecting that the external display is connected to the connection module when one of the items of virtual desktop information is displayed on the actual display screen of the internal display.

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising an internal display and a connector for an external display, comprising:
 a storage module configured to store virtual desktop information to be displayed on display screens of the internal display and the external display, and information of a display that is configured to display the virtual desktop information, in association with each other; and   an external display controller configured to read out virtual desktop information associated with the external display from the storage module, and to supply the virtual desktop information associated with the external display to the external display upon detecting a connection of the external display to the connector while one of the virtual desktop information associated with the external display and the virtual desktop information associated with the internal display is displayed on the display screen of the internal display.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage module is configured to store virtual desktop information displayed on a display screen of the external display associated with information of the external display upon detecting a disconnection of the external display from the connector. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the external display controller is configured to supply the virtual desktop information displayed on the display screen of the one of the internal display and the external display to the other of the internal display and the external display, upon receiving a switching request when the virtual desktop information is displayed on the display screen of the one of the internal display and the external display. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a buffer memory configured to temporarily store virtual desktop information to be displayed on the display screen of the external display; and   storage areas corresponding to the buffer memory configured to temporarily store virtual desktop information to be displayed on the display screen of the internal display and the external display.   
     
     
         5 . A display control method for an information processing apparatus comprising an internal display and a connector for an external display, comprising:
 storing virtual desktop information to be displayed on display screens of the internal display and the external display and information of a display that is configured to display the virtual desktop information, in association with each other; and   reading out virtual desktop information associated with the external display and to supply the portion of virtual desktop information associated with the external display to the external display upon detecting a connection of the external display to the connector while one of the virtual desktop information associated with the external display and the virtual desktop information associated with the internal display is displayed on the display screen of the internal display.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein virtual desktop information displayed on a display screen of the external display is stored in a storage module associated with information of the external display upon detecting a disconnection of the external display from the connector. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the virtual desktop information displayed on the display screen of the one of the internal display and the external display is supplied to the other of the internal display and the external display, upon receiving a switching request when the virtual desktop information is displayed on the display screen of the one of the internal display and the external display. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the information processing apparatus further comprises:
 a buffer memory configured to temporarily store virtual desktop information to be displayed on the display screen of the external display; and   storage areas corresponding to the buffer memory are allocated and configured to temporarily store the virtual desktop information to be displayed on the display screen of the internal display and the external display.   
     
     
         9 . A computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon for an information processing apparatus comprising an internal display and a connector for an external display, wherein the computer program causes the information processing apparatus to execute functions comprising:
 storing in a storage module virtual desktop information to be displayed on a display screens of the internal display and the external display and information of a display that is configured to display the virtual desktop information, in association with each other; and   reading out virtual desktop information associated with the external display from the storage module, and to supply the virtual desktop information associated with the external display to the external display upon detecting a connection of the external display to the connector while one of virtual desktop information associated with the external display and the virtual desktop information associated with the internal display is displayed on the display screen of the internal display.