COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE STATE TRANSITIONS
Methods and devices for configuring and displaying individual display screens of a multi-display device relative to the device state and/or user orientation of the device. More particularly, the device is equipped with one or more sensors that facilitate the detectability of the relationship of the primary screen to the secondary screen, and the general orientation of the device. The method includes correlating or controlling device state to management of windows, and correlating or controlling transitional states between open and closed states to device behavior and/or window operations. The method and device may present, for example, a closed state with both windows viewable, an open state with both windows viewable or a semi-open state with one or more of the windows viewable.
1 . A method for controlling a multi-screen device comprising:
providing a device having at least a first and second screens, wherein each of the first and second screens are configured to display at least one of a first display mode and a second display mode, each display mode configured to display at least one user interface element;
receiving a first input from at least one sensor indicating a position of the first screen relative to the second screen;
receiving a second input from the at least one sensor indicating a movement of the first screen relative to the second screen;
determining a state of the device based on at least one of the first and second input; and
controlling, based on at least the state of the device, at least one of: i) the at least one user interface element of each screen and ii) the at least one of a first and second display mode of each screen.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one user interface element of each screen is controlled.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a first and second display mode of each screen is controlled.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device states comprise a special state, a transition state, an open state and a closed state.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the special state is an easel state.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the transition state comprises an opening state, a closing state and a first state to a second state transitioning state.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the open state is a state wherein the first and the second screen are planar or substantially planar.
8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the closed state is a state wherein the first screen is back-to-back with the second screen.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the transition state exists when there is a predefined angular relationship between the first screen and the second screen.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor provides an indication when the two screens reach a relative position in relation to one another.
11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the state of the device is determined based on at least the first and the second input.
12 . A multi-screen user device comprising:
a first and a second screen configured to display at least one of a first display mode and a second display mode, each display mode configured to display at least one user interface element;
at least one sensor;
a memory;
a processor in communication with the memory, the first screen, and the second screen, the processor operable to:
receive a first input from the at least one sensor indicating a position of the first screen relative to the second screen;
receive a second input from the at least one sensor indicating a movement of the first screen relative to the second screen;
determine a state of the device based on at least one of the first and second input; and
control, based on at least the state of the device, at least one of: i) the at least one user interface element of each screen and ii) the at least one of a first and second display mode of each screen.
13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one user interface element of each screen is controlled.
14 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one of a first and second display mode of each screen is controlled.
15 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the device states comprise a special state, a transition state, an open state and a closed state.
16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the special state is an easel state.
17 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the transition state comprises an opening state, a closing state and a first state to a second state transitioning state.
18 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the open state is a state wherein the first and the second screen are planar or substantially planar, and the closed state is a state wherein the first screen is back-to-back with the second screen.
19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer- executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor of a device to execute a method for controlling a multi-screen device, wherein the device has at least a first and second screen, wherein each of the first and second screens are configured to display at least in a portrait mode and a landscape mode and configured to display at least one user interface element, the computer-executable instructions comprising:
instructions to receive a first input from the at least one sensor indicating a position of the first screen relative to the second screen;
instructions to receive a second input from the at least one sensor indicating a movement of the first screen relative to the second screen;
instructions to determine a state of the device based on at least one of the first and second input; and
instructions to control, based on at least the state of the device, at least one of: i) the at least one user interface element of each screen and ii) the at least one of a first and second display mode of each screen.
20 . The medium of claim 19 , wherein the state of the device is determined based on at least the first and the second input, and the at least one user interface element of each screen is controlled.