ANNUNCIATOR DRAWER
A dual-screen user device and methods for revealing a combination of selected desktops and applications on single and dual screens are disclosed. Desktops and applications can be shifted between screens by user gestures, and/or moved off of the screens and therefore hidden. Hidden desktops and screens can be re-displayed by other gestures. The desktops and applications are arranged in a window stack that represents a logical order of the desktops and applications providing a user with an intuitive ability to manage multiple applications/desktops running simultaneously. One embodiment provides an annunciator window extending across both screens in a dual screen configuration. The annunciator window provides alerts, notifications, and statuses of the device in an increased area thereby enhancing viewability of the information in the window. The annunciator window can be expanded over a selected screen to view full contents of the window without having to minimize or close running applications.
1 . A method of displaying information on a multi-screen device including a plurality of desktops and/or applications each having at least one window, and an annunciator window, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a first input that represents an instruction to reveal one of a desktop or application on a first or second display of the multi-screen device and selecting a desktop or application to display on the first or second display;
displaying, by a processor, the selected desktop or application on the first or second displays;
displaying, by a processor, a pre-configured annunciator window having information therein showing at least one of a device status, a connectivity status, and a messaging status;
configuring, by a processor, the annunciator window to extend across both said first and second displays;
expanding, by a processor, a size of the annunciator window in response to a user input gesture wherein the annunciator is expanded as a drawer over a selected one of said first or second displays; and
wherein the annunciator window displays information selectively across substantially all or part of said expanded annunciator window.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further including:
modifying, by a processor, the display of the annunciator window in response to a changed state of at least one of said device status, a connectivity status, and messaging status.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said modifying step includes displaying the changed state including text corresponding to at least one of a phone message, email message, or text message.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said modifying step includes displaying the changed state across a portion of said annunciator window and masking at least one icon representing said device status, a connectivity status, or messaging status.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said modifying step includes displaying the changed state across substantially all of said annunciator window.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further including:
positioning, by a processor, the annunciator window across adjacent upper or lower edges of said first and second displays.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the annunciator window is expanded across a selected one of said first or second displays in response to the user input gesture executed on the selected display.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected desktop or application runs on the first or second display, the user executes the user input gesture on the same display upon which the desktop or application is running resulting in the annunciator window expanding over the desktop or application without the user having to close or minimize the desktop or application.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user executes another user input gesture to minimize or close the annunciator window drawer causing the running desktop or application be re-displayed on the same first or second display.
10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a computing system to execute a method, the instructions comprising:
instructions configured to receive a first input that represents an instruction to determine and reveal a desktop or application on a first or second display of the multi-screen device;
instructions configured to respond to the first input with an output that cause the desktop or application to be displayed on the first or second displays;
instructions configured to receive a second input that represents an instruction to display a pre-configured annunciator window having information therein showing at least one of a device status, a connectivity status, and a messaging status;
instructions configured to respond to the second input with an output that causes the annunciator window to be displayed in a configuration extending across both of said first and second displays;
instructions configured to receive a third input that represents an instruction to expand the annunciator window over a selected one of said first or second displays;
instructions configured to respond to the third input with an output that causes an annunciator window drawer to be expanded over the selected one of said first or second displays.
11 . The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further including:
instructions configured to receive a fourth input that represents instructions to display a changed state of said device including a display of text corresponding to at least one of a phone message, email message, or text message; and
instructions configured to respond to the fourth input with an output that causes the annunciator window to be displayed in a changed configuration extending across both of said first and second displays.
12 . The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the third input is a user gesture executed on the same display upon which the desktop or application is running, resulting in the annunciator window expanding over the desktop or application without the user having to close or minimize the desktop or application.
13 . The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further including:
instructions configured to receive a fourth input that represents an instruction to minimize or close the annunciator window on the selected one of said first or second displays; and
instructions configured to respond to the fourth input with an output that causes the annunciator window drawer to be minimized or closed causing the running desktop or application be re-displayed on the same first or second display.
14 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said instructions configured to respond to the fourth input cause a changed configuration to be displayed masking at least one icon representing said device status, a connectivity status, or messaging status.
15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said instructions configured to respond to the second predetermined input causes said annunciator window to be displayed across adjacent upper or lower edges of said first and second displays.
16 . A multi-screen user device, comprising:
a first display including a first display area;
a second display including a second display area;
a first user input gesture area of the first display;
a second user input gesture area of the second display, wherein the first and second user input gesture areas are configured to accept input from a user;
an annunciator display extending across a portion said first and second display areas of said first and second displays for displaying at least one of a device status, a connectivity status, and a messaging status;
a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that include:
a first set of instructions configured to determine a number and identity of desktops or applications selected to be run by a user and subsequently displayed on selected ones of said first or second displays;
a second set of instructions configured to determine information to be displayed in said annunciator display based on selected user gestures and respective states of said device status, a connectivity status, and a messaging status; and
a third set of instructions configured to expand an area of the annunciator display defining a drawer, as presented on the first or second displays in response to a user gesture executed on a selected display;
17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein: the second set of instructions include information regarding a changed state of one of said statuses including text displayed corresponding to at least one of a phone message, email message, or text message.
18 . The device of claim 16 , wherein said second set of instructions result in displaying said annunciator window across adjacent upper or lower edges of said first and second displays.
19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the third set of instructions result in the annunciator display expanding over a corresponding desktop or application without further instructions required to close or minimize displayed desktops or applications.
20 . The device of claim 16 , further including:
a fourth set of instructions configured to minimize or close the annunciator window drawer on the first or second displays in response to another user gesture executed on the selected display causing the desktop or application to be re-displayed on the same first or second displays.