Unified desktop docking flow

Abstract

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 desktops or windows based on the displays that were pre-existing before docking or undocking.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . 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 a first portion associated with the device and a second portion associated with the computer system;   in response to the docking, hiding a first window previously displayed on the second user interface before docking;   while docked, displaying a second window on the device;   undocking the device;   checking what a display configuration of the computer system was before docking;   based on the checking of the display configuration, determining that the first window previously displayed on the second user interface before docking;   in response to undocking the device and the determination that the first window was previously displayed on the second user interface before docking, again presenting the first window on the second user interface; and   in response to undocking the device, maintaining the display of the second window on the device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: presenting the second portion of the unified desktop on the second user interface. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: determining if a first application window was visible on the first user interface before docking. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a processor associated with the device accesses information in a frame buffer associated with the device to determine if the first application window was visible on the first user interface. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , if the first application window was visible on the first user interface before docking, migrating the first application window to the second user interface. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein migrating the first application window includes opening a new instance of the first application window in the second user interface. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein a freeform window is opened to accept the migrating first application window. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , if the first application window was not visible on the first user interface before docking, displaying the unified desktop on the second user interface. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 in response to undocking the device from the computer system:
 hiding the unified desktop opened on the second user interface; 
 determining if a second application window was visible on the first user interface before undocking; 
 if the second application window was visible, maintaining the second application window on the first user interface after undocking; and 
 if the second application window was not visible, providing a second desktop on the first user interface. 
   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 re-docking the device with the computer system;   re-displaying the first application window displayed on the second user interface that was displayed during the previous docking.   
     
     
         31 . A unified system, comprising:
 a computer system comprising:
 a first screen; 
 a processor; 
 a memory 
   a device comprising:
 a second screen; 
 a second memory; 
 a second processor; 
 wherein the device is docked with the computer system to form the unified system, the device is operable to:
 generate a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes a first portion associated with the device and a second portion associated with the computer system; 
 in response to the docking, hide a first window previously displayed on the second user interface before docking; and 
 present the unified desktop on the second user interface; 
 while docked, display a second window on the device; 
 
 wherein the device is undocked from the computer system, the computer system operable to:
 check what a display configuration of the computer system was before docking; 
 based on the checking of the display configuration, determine that the first window previously displayed on the second user interface before docking; 
 
   in response to undocking the device and the determination that the first window was previously displayed on the second user interface before docking, re-present the first window in the second user interface; and
 in response to undocking the device, maintaining the display of the second window on the device. 
   
     
     
         32 . The unified system  31 , further comprising: the device operable to determine if a second window was visible on the first user interface before docking by accessing information in a frame buffer associated with the device to determine if the second window was visible on the first user interface. 
     
     
         33 . The unified system of  claim 32 , if the second window was visible on the first user interface before docking, the device operable to migrate the second window to the second user interface, wherein migrating the second window includes opening a new instance of the second window in the second user interface. 
     
     
         34 . The unified system of  claim 32 , if the second window was not visible on the first user interface before docking, the device operable to display the second portion of the unified desktop on the second user interface. 
     
     
         35 . The unified system of  claim 32 , wherein in response to undocking the device from the computer system:
 the computer system operable to hide the second portion of the unified desktop opened on the second user interface;   the device operable to determine if a third application window was visible on the first user interface before undocking;   if the third application window was visible, the device operable to maintain the third window on the first user interface after undocking; and   if the third application window was not visible, the device operable to provide a second desktop on the first user interface.   
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory 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 portion associated with the device and a second portion associated with the computer system;   in response to the docking, instructions to hide a first window previously displayed on the second user interface before docking;   instructions to present the second portion of the unified desktop on the second user interface;   instructions to determine if a second window was visible on the first user interface before docking;   if the second window was visible on the first user interface before docking, instructions to migrate the second window to the second user interface;   while docked, instructions to display a third window on the device;   instructions to receive a signal indicating the device is undocked from the computer system; and   in response to the signal:
 instructions to check what a display configuration of the computer system was before docking; 
 based on the checking of the display configuration, instructions to determine that the first window previously displayed on the second user interface before docking; 
 based on the determination that the first window was previously displayed on the second user interface before docking instructions to re-present the first window on the computer system; and 
 instructions to maintain the display of the second window on the device. 
   
     
     
         37 . The computer readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein migrating the second window includes opening a new instance of the second window in the second user interface. 
     
     
         38 . The computer readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the device is undocked from the computer system, further comprising:
 instructions to determine if a third window was visible on the first user interface before undocking;   if the third window was visible, instructions to maintain the third window on the first user interface after undocking; and   if the third window was not visible, instructions to provide a second desktop on the first user interface.   
     
     
         39 . The computer readable medium of  claim 38 , further comprising instructions to hide a fourth window displayed on the second user interface upon undocking. 
     
     
         40 . The computer readable medium of  claim 39 , upon re-docking the device with the computer system, instructions to re-display the fourth window displayed on the second user interface that was displayed during a previous docking.