Granted Patent B2

US 8,471,781 · App. 12/406,090 · Granted Jun 25, 2013

Abstract

Claims (69)

1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a multiple monitor layout in a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting, by a processor, a number of monitors installed on the computer system;

providing, based on the detected number of monitors, a graphical user interface that enables a user to configure one or more monitor layouts for displaying a plurality of application windows on the monitors, each monitor layout reflecting a configuration of how at least one application window is displayed on each of the monitors installed on the computer system;

displaying a plurality of previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface based on the detected number of monitors;

receiving a selection of a first one of the displayed previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface; and

displaying the plurality of application windows on at least one monitor according to the selected first previously configured monitor layout.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first previously configured monitor layout was previously configured by an end user of the computer system.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the graphical user interface, an input designating at least one user-defined characteristic of how to display content on at least one of the monitors;

configuring a user-defined monitor layout based on the user-defined characteristic; and

saving the user-defined monitor layout in a memory.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

displaying content on at least one of the monitors according to the user-defined monitor layout.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one user-defined characteristic includes at least one of a size, a shape, and a location of a first application window on a first monitor installed on the computer system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , the method further comprising:

receiving, via the graphical user interface, a selection of a first application for generating content displayed in the first application window.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one user-defined characteristic includes at least one of a size, a shape, and a location of a second application window displayed on a second monitor installed on the computer system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , herein the detected number of monitors installed on the computer system is one, the method further comprising:

determining that the selected first previously configured monitor layout includes a configuration for displaying a first application window on a first monitor and a second application window on a second monitor; and

displaying the second application window on the first monitor based on detecting that the number of monitors installed on the computer system equals one.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the detected number of monitors installed on the computer system is two, the method further comprising:

providing, by the processor, a set of monitor layout options for two monitors via the graphical user interface, each set of monitor layout options reflecting how the plurality of application windows are displayed on a first monitor and a second monitor of the computer system;

configuring the monitor layout based on a selection of one of the monitor layout options via the graphical user interface; and

displaying the plurality of application windows based on the selected monitor layout.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting the number of monitors installed on the computer system is performed in response to determining that an application for displaying content on the computer system has been opened.

11. A computer system for configuring a multiple monitor layout, the system comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to:

detect a number of monitors installed on the computer system;

provide, based on the detected number of monitors, a graphical user interface that enables a user to configure one or more monitor layouts for displaying a plurality of application windows on the monitors, each monitor layout reflecting a configuration of how at least one application window is displayed on each of the monitors installed on the computer system;

display a plurality of previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface based on the detected number of monitors;

receive a selection of a first one of the displayed previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface; and

display the plurality of application windows according to the selected first previously configured monitor layout.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first previously configured monitor layout was previously configured by an end user of the computer system.

13. The system of claim 11 , the processor is further configured to:

receive, via the graphical user interface, an input designating at least one user-defined characteristic of how to display content on at least one of the monitors;

configure a user-defined monitor layout based on the at least one user-defined characteristic; and

save the user-defined monitor layout in a memory.

14. The system of claim 13 , the processor is further configured to:

display content according to the user-defined monitor layout.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one user-defined characteristic includes at least one of a size, a shape, and a location of a first application window on a first monitor installed on the computer system.

16. The system of claim 15 , the processor is further configured to:

receive, via the graphical user interface, a selection of a first application for generating content displayed in the first application window.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one user-defined characteristic includes at least one of a size, a shape, and a location of a second application window displayed on a second monitor installed on the computer system.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide a set of monitor layout options for displaying the plurality of application windows on the first and second monitor;

receive a selection of one of the monitor layout options;

configure the monitor layout of the computer system in accordance with the selected via the graphical user interface; and

display the plurality of application windows based on the configured monitor layout, the plurality of application windows including a first application window generated by a first application running on the computer system and a second application window generated by the first application or a second application running on the computer system that is different from the first application.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect the number of monitors installed on the computer system in response to determining that an application for displaying content on the computer system has been opened.

20. A computer-readable medium storing one or more computer readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

detect a number of monitors installed on the computer system;

provide, based on the detected number of monitors, a graphical user interface that enables a user to configure one or more monitor layouts for displaying a plurality of application windows on the monitors, each monitor layout reflecting a configuration of how at least one application window is displayed on each of the monitors installed on the computer system;

display a plurality of previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface based on the detected number of monitors;

receive a selection of a first one of the displayed previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface; and

display the plurality of application windows according to the selected first previously configured monitor layout.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , the computer readable instructions further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

receive, via the graphical user interface, an input designating at least one user-defined characteristic of how to display content on at least one of the monitors;

configure a user-defined monitor layout based on the user-defined characteristic; and

save the user-defined monitor layout in a memory.

22. A device for configuring a multiple monitor layout, comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the stored instructions to:

detect a number of monitors installed on a computer system;

provide, based on the detected number of monitors, a graphical user interface that enables a user to configure one or more monitor layouts for displaying a plurality of application windows on the monitors, each monitor layout reflecting a configuration of how at least one application window is displayed on each of the monitors installed on the computer system;

provide information reflecting a plurality of previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface based on the detected number of monitors;

receive a selection of a first one of the displayed previously configured monitor layouts via the graphical user interface; and

direct the plurality of application windows to be displayed according to the selected first previously configured monitor layout.

Assignments (10)