Multi-display handheld device and supporting system

Abstract

Current approaches to paperless books use single screen laptop computers or electronic paper display (EPD)-based book readers. Laptop computers consume too much power and cannot be used for extended periods of time, such as an entire school day, without recharging its battery. EPD devices are limited in functionality due to their slow refresh rate and grey-scale only images. An embodiment of the present invention integrates bi-stable display technology and refresh display technology into a single device and manages the use of these technologies to achieve power savings while providing a rich set of display functionalities to support user interaction with content in a synergistic manner. The power savings functionality enables the device to have a battery operating life between charges of many hours of operation, such as eight hours or more, while the display functionality enables users to access, display, and interact with content in ways users have become accustomed and in ways not before possible.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 an interface component configured to receive a request to display content via a first display, of a bi-stable display of the device or a refresh display of the device, comprising a first operating specification; and   a first controller associated with the first display, wherein the first controller is configured to, in response to a determination that a second operating specification of a second display, of the bi-stable display or the refresh display, satisfies a display criterion for the content and that the first operating specification does not satisfy the display criterion, send a message to a second controller associated with the second display, wherein the message instructs the second controller to render the content via the second display.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller is configured to determine that the second operating specification satisfies the display criterion and that the first operating specification does not satisfy the criterion based on a comparison of the second operating specification with the first operating specification. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the content comprises first content, and the display device further comprises a master/slave module configured to send a message comprising another instruction to display second content on another device. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising an interface module configured to send the other instruction to the other device via at least one of a wired connection, a radio-frequency signal, or an optical signal. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the content comprises first content, and the device further comprises a master/slave module configured to display second content on at least one of the bi-stable display or the refresh display in response to receipt of another message from another device. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the display criterion comprises at least one of a power criterion, a refresh rate criterion, a color criterion, an image motion criterion, a speed criterion, a page refresh criterion, a resolution criterion, a content format criterion, or a media type criterion. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the message comprises a pointer to an object stored in a memory of the device, and wherein the content is determined based on the object. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second controller is further configured to render the content via the second display in multiple orientations, and the second controller selects a first orientation, of the multiple orientations, based on a second orientation of the device. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second controller is further configured generate at least two virtual displays via the second display, to render a first instance of the content on a first of the at least two virtual displays in a first orientation, and to render a second instance of the content on a second of the at least two virtual displays in a second orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a pivoting hinge that connects the bi-stable display and the refresh display and is configured to convey the message from the first controller to the second controller. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a power savings module configured to determine an orientation of at least one of the bi-stable display or the refresh display and to control power consumption by the device based on the orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a wireless on/off module configured to periodically monitor for receipt of a wireless message, and to at least one of turn off a wireless capability of the device or turn on the wireless capability based on the receipt of the wireless message. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 identifying, by a device comprising a processing device, a request to display content via a first display, of a bi-stable display or a refresh display, comprising a first operating specification;   in response to the identifying, determining that a second operating specification of a second display, of the bi-stable display or the refresh display, satisfies a display criterion for the content and that the first operating specification does not satisfy the display criterion;   in response to the determining, sending a message from a first processor associated with the first display to a second processor associated with the second display via an operating system, wherein the message instructs the second display to render the content; and   rendering the content via the second display.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determining comprises determining that the second operating specification satisfies the display criterion and that the first operating specification does not satisfy the display criterion based on a comparison of the second operating specification with the first operating specification. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising initiating sending another message to another device, wherein the other message instructs the other device to render other content on a display of the other device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the initiating the sending comprises initiating the sending of the other message via at least one of a wired connection, a radio-frequency signal, or an optical signal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving another message from another device, wherein the other message instructs the device to display other content via at least one of the bi-stable display or the refresh display; and   in response to receiving the other message, rendering the other content via at least one of the bi-stable display or the refresh display.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determining that the second operating specification satisfies the display criterion comprises determining that the second operating specification satisfies at least one of a power criterion, a refresh rate criterion, a color criterion, an image motion criterion, a speed criterion, a page refresh criterion, a resolution criterion, a content format criterion, or a media type criterion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering the content via the second display in a first orientation selected based on a second orientation of the device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the rendering comprises:
 generating virtual displays via the second display;   rendering a first instance of the content in a first orientation on a first of the virtual displays; and   rendering a second instance of the content in a second orientation on a second of the virtual displays.   
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:
 receiving a request to display content via a first display, of a bi-stable display or a refresh display, comprising a first operating specification;   in response to the receiving, determining that a second operating specification of a second display, of the bi-stable display or the refresh display, satisfies a display criterion for the content and that the first operating specification does not satisfy the display criterion;   in response to the determining, sending a message from a first processor associated with the first display to a second processor associated with the second display via an operating system, wherein the message instructs the second display to render the content; and   rendering the content via the second display.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the display criterion comprises at least one of a power criterion, a refresh rate criterion, a color criterion, an image motion criterion, a speed criterion, a page refresh criterion, a resolution criterion, a content format criterion, or a media type criterion. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise comparing the second operating specification of the second display with the first operating specification of the first display, and wherein the determining is based on a result of the comparing.