Gravity drop

Abstract

A multi-screen user device and methods for controlling data displayed thereby are disclosed. Specifically, the data displayed by the multiple screens of the multi-screen user device is conditioned upon the relative position of the multiple screens. A gravity drop display feature is also disclosed in which data from a first application on a first screen is automatically displayed on a second screen when the device is rotated. Modal windows can be displayed with the gravity drop display feature in which the modal windows can either be dismissed upon execution of the gravity drop feature, or can remain being displayed.

1 . A method of controlling data displayed by a multi-screen device, comprising:
 providing the multi-screen device including a first screen and a second screen;   providing a first display for the first screen, and a second display for the second screen, the first and second displays being portions of a single application or being separate applications;   detecting the device in a first orientation, wherein the device is in an open state and the first display is located horizontally adjacent to the second display;   rotating the device from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the device remains in an open state and the first display is placed above the second display;   detecting the device in the second orientation; and   executing a gravity drop function, wherein data from the first display also occupies the second display, the second display is dismissed, and the first display therefore being maximized across both screens.   
     
     
         2 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second orientation corresponds to an open landscape state.   
     
     
         3 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 rotation of the device is detected, at least in part, by an accelerometer of the device.   
     
     
         4 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 when the gravity drop function is executed, the first display is enlarged across both screens.   
     
     
         5 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 when the gravity drop function is executed, elements of the first display not shown when the first display was located horizontally adjacent to the second display, are shown when the first display also occupies the second display.   
     
     
         6 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rotating step is executed through a predetermined angle.   
     
     
         7 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rotating step is executed through an angle of approximately 90°.   
     
     
         8 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including:
 further rotating the device from the second orientation to the first orientation, and the device remaining in the open state, wherein the device is rotated in a reverse angle approximately the same magnitude as the first rotating step;   detecting the device in the first orientation;   returning the device to its original display configuration in which the first display is on the first screen, and the second display is on the second screen.   
     
     
         9 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first display includes at least one of a user application, a control page, or a webpage.   
     
     
         10 . A method, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first display includes at least one of a user application, a control page, or a webpage.   
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling data displayed by a multi-screen device, comprising:
 providing the multi-screen device including a first screen and a second screen;   providing a first display for the first screen and a second display for the second screen, the first and second displays being portions of a single application or being separate applications, at least one of the first or second applications further including a modal window;   detecting the device in a first orientation, wherein the device is in an open state and the first display is located horizontally adjacent to the second display;   rotating the device from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the device remains in an open state and the first display is placed above the second display;   detecting the device in the second orientation; and   executing a gravity drop function, wherein data from the first display also occupies the second display, the second display and the modal window is dismissed, and the first display therefore being maximized across both screens.   
     
     
         12 . A method, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 said modal window is a modal dialog box.   
     
     
         13 . A method, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 said modal window is a modeless dialog box.   
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling data displayed by a multi-screen device, comprising:
 providing the multi-screen device including a first screen and a second screen;   providing a first display for the first screen and a second display for the second screen, the first and second displays being portions of a single application or being separate applications, at least one of the first or second applications further including a modal window;   detecting the device in a first orientation, wherein the device is in an open state and the first display is located horizontally adjacent to the second display;   rotating the device from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the device remains in an open state and the first display is placed above the second display;   detecting the device in the second orientation; and   executing a gravity drop function, wherein data from the first display also occupies the second display, the second display being dismissed, the first display therefore being maximized across both screens, and the modal window continue being displayed.   
     
     
         15 . A method, as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein:
 said modal window is a modal dialog box.   
     
     
         16 . A method, as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein:
 said modal window is a modeless dialog box.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transient computer readable medium comprising microprocessor executable instructions operable to perform at least the following steps for a multi screen device having a first display for a first screen and a second display for a second screen, the first and second displays being portions of a single application or being separate applications:
 detecting the device in a first orientation, wherein the device is in an open state and the first display is located horizontally adjacent to the second display;   detecting rotating the device from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the device remains in an open state and the first display is placed above the second display;   
       detecting the device in the second orientation; and 
       executing a gravity drop function, wherein data from the first display also occupies the second display, the second display is dismissed, and the first display therefore being maximized across both screens. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transient computer readable medium comprising microprocessor executable instructions operable to perform at least the following steps for a multi screen device having a first display for a first screen and a second display for a second screen, the first and second displays being portions of a single application or being separate applications, at least one of the first or second applications further including a modal window:
 detecting the device in a first orientation, wherein the device is in an open state and the first display is located horizontally adjacent to the second display;   detecting rotating the device from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the device remains in an open state and the first display is placed above the second display;   
       detecting the device in the second orientation; and 
       executing a gravity drop function, wherein data from the first display also occupies the second display, the second display is dismissed, the first display therefore being maximized across both screens, and the modal window continue being displayed. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transient computer readable medium comprising microprocessor executable instructions operable to perform at least the following steps for a multi screen device having a first display for a first screen and a second display for a second screen, the first and second displays being portions of a single application or being separate applications, at least one of the first or second applications further including a modal window:
 detecting the device in a first orientation, wherein the device is in an open state and the first display is located horizontally adjacent to the second display;   detecting rotating the device from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the device remains in an open state and the first display is placed above the second display;   
       detecting the device in the second orientation; and 
       executing a gravity drop function, wherein data from the first display also occupies the second display, the second display is dismissed, the first display therefore being maximized across both screens, and the modal window being dismissed.