Switching display modes based on connection state

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for switching display modes based on connections between devices. In one aspect, it is determined that an external display has been connected to or disconnected from a mobile device. Based on the determining, an application executing on the mobile device is switched between a first display mode and a second display mode. In the first display mode, a single user interface is displayed on the touch screen of the mobile device. In the second display mode, a first user interface is displayed on the external display and a second user interface, for receiving user inputs, is displayed on the touch screen of the mobile device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining that an external display has been connected to or disconnected from a mobile device; and   based on determining that the external display has been connected to or disconnected from the mobile device, switching an application executing on the mobile device between a first display mode in which the application generates a single user interface for display on a touch screen of the mobile device, and a second display mode in which the application generates a first user interface for display on the external display and a different, second user interface for display on, and for receiving user inputs through, the touch screen of the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 determining that an external display has been connected to or disconnected from a mobile device further comprises determining that the external display has been connected to the mobile device, and   switching an application further comprises switching the application from the first display mode to the second display mode.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 determining that the external display has been connected to or disconnected from the mobile device further comprises determining that the external display has been disconnected from the mobile device, and   switching an application further comprises switching the application from the second display mode to the first display mode.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the touch screen of the mobile device in the first display mode, a visual element and a first set of controls for receiving user inputs to control the visual element;   displaying, on the external display in the second display mode, the visual element; and   displaying, on the touch screen of the mobile device in the second display mode, a second set of controls for receiving the user inputs to control the visual element.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second set of controls includes controls that are not included in the first set of controls. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second set of controls includes all controls of the first set of controls and additional controls. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in the first display mode, displaying a control in a first size; and   in the second display mode, displaying the control in a second size that is larger than the first size.   
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable storage medium storing computer software instructions executable by one or more data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 determining that an external display has been connected to or disconnected from a mobile device; and   based on determining that the external display has been connected to or disconnected from the mobile device, switching an application executing on the mobile device between a first display mode in which the application generates a single user interface for display on a touch screen of the mobile device, and a second display mode in which the application generates a first user interface for display on the external display and a different, second user interface for display on, and for receiving user inputs, through the touch screen of the mobile device.   
     
     
         9 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein:
 determining that an external display has been connected to or disconnected from a mobile device further comprises determining that the external display has been connected to the mobile device, and   switching an application further comprises switching the application from the first display mode to the second display mode.   
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein determining that the external display has been connected to or disconnected from the mobile device further comprises determining that the external display has been disconnected from the mobile device, and
 switching an application further comprises switching the application from the second display mode to the first display mode.   
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
 displaying, on the touch screen of the mobile device in the first display mode, a visual element and a first set of controls for receiving user inputs to control the visual element;   displaying, on the external display in the second display mode, the visual element; and   displaying, on the touch screen of the mobile device in the second display mode, a second set of controls for receiving the user inputs to control the visual element.   
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 11 , wherein the second set of controls includes controls that are not included in the first set of controls. 
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 11 , wherein the second set of controls includes all controls of the first set of controls and additional controls. 
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
 in the first display mode, displaying a control in a first size; and   in the second display mode, displaying the control in a second size that is larger than the first size.   
     
     
         15 . A system comprising: one or more computers; and a computer-readable storage medium storing computer software instructions executable by the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 determining that an external display has been connected to or disconnected from a mobile device; and   based on determining that the external display has been connected to or disconnected from the mobile device, switching an application executing on the mobile device between a first display mode in which the application generates a single user interface for display on a touch screen of the mobile device, and a second display mode in which the application generates a first user interface for display on the external display and a different, second user interface for display on, and for receiving user inputs, through the touch screen of the mobile device.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 determining that an external display has been connected to or disconnected from a mobile device further comprises determining that the external display has been connected to the mobile device, and   switching an application further comprises switching the application from the first display mode to the second display mode.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein determining that the external display has been connected to or disconnected from the mobile device further comprises determining that the external display has been disconnected from the mobile device, and
 switching an application further comprises switching the application from the second display mode to the first display mode.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 displaying, on the touch screen of the mobile device in the first display mode, a visual element and a first set of controls for receiving user inputs to control the visual element;   displaying, on the external display in the second display mode, the visual element; and   displaying, on the touch screen of the mobile device in the second display mode, a second set of controls for receiving the user inputs to control the visual element.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second set of controls includes controls that are not included in the first set of controls. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second set of controls includes all controls of the first set of controls and additional controls.