UNIFIED DESKTOP BIG BROTHER APPLICATIONS
Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface or “desktop” across two devices are provided. More particularly, a unified desktop is presented across a device and a computer system that comprise a unified system. The unified desktop acts as a single user interface that presents data and receives user interaction in a seamless environment that emulates a personal computing environment. To function within the personal computing environment, the unified desktop includes a process for docking and undocking the device with the computer system. The unified desktop presents a new user interface to allow access to functions of the unified desktop.
1 . A method, comprising:
providing a device;
providing a computer system;
docking the device to the computer system to form a unified system;
generating a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes at least a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system, and wherein the unified desktop emulates a personal computer environment;
receiving a first input, wherein the first input moves an application display of a first application from a first user interface to a second user interface; and
in response to the first input, re-executing the first application in a big brother application.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the big brother application is executed by the computer system and has functionality similar to a second application executed by the device.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining if a big brother application is associated with the application.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising the computer system receiving a directive from the unified system to begin execution of the big brother application.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising the computer system receiving state information for the first application.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the state information includes at least a current state of the first application before being moved to the second display.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first input is a docking of the device.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first input is a user interface input that moves the application display from the first user interface to the second user interface.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the directive is a command from the device to the computer system to execute the big brother application.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the state information follows in a second message after the directive.
11 . A unified system, comprising:
a device comprising:
a first screen;
a first memory;
a first processor;
a computer system comprising:
a second screen;
a second memory;
a second processor, wherein the device is docked with the computer system to form the unified system;
wherein the unified system is configured to:
generate a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes at least a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system, and wherein the unified desktop emulates a personal computer environment;
receive a first input, wherein the first input moves an application display of a first application from a first user interface to a second user interface; and
in response to the first input, re-execute the first application in a big brother application.
12 . The unified system of claim 11 , wherein the big brother application is executed by the computer system and has functionality similar to a second application executed by the device, and the unified system is further configured to determine if a big brother application is associated with the application.
13 . The unified system of claim 11 , wherein the unified system is further configured to receive state information for the first application, wherein the state information includes at least a current state of the first application before being moved to the second display, and wherein the state information follows in a second message after a directive.
14 . The unified system of claim 11 , further comprising the computer system receiving a directive from the unified system to begin execution of the big brother application, and wherein the directive is a command from the device to the computer system to execute the big brother application.
15 . The unified system of claim 11 , wherein the first input is one of a docking of the device or a user interface input that moves the application display from the first user interface to the second user interface.
16 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor to execute a method for providing a unified desktop, the computer-executable instructions comprising:
upon docking a device with a computer system, instructions to generate a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system, and wherein the unified desktop emulates a personal computer environment;
instructions to receive a first input, wherein the first input moves an application display of a first application from a first user interface to a second user interface; and
in response to the first input, instructions to re-execute the first application in a big brother application.
17 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the big brother application is executed by the computer system and has functionality similar to a second application executed by the device, and further comprising instructions to determine if a big brother application is associated with the application.
18 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions to receive state information for the first application, wherein the state information includes at least a current state of the first application before being moved to the second display, and wherein the state information follows in a second message after a directive.
19 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 , further instructions to receive a directive from the unified system to begin execution of the big brother application, and wherein the directive is a command from the device to the computer system to execute the big brother application.
20 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first input is one of a docking of the device or a user interface input that moves the application display from the first user interface to the second user interface.