Patent ID: 8868135

Claim:
A method for managing multiple display modes for a device, the method 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 images in a first display mode and a second display mode, wherein the device is configured to simultaneously display a first display mode on the first screen and a second display mode on the second screen wherein the first display and the second display are of different display orientations that are independent of one another and do not display a single continuous image across the first and second display screens; receiving a first input from at least one of a user and an application, wherein the first input at least requests the first display mode for the first screen; receiving a second input from a sensor indicating an orientation of the device itself, the sensor indicating the orientation of the device automatically; receiving a third input from at least one of a user and an application, wherein the third input at least requests one of the first display mode and the second display mode for the second screen; determining a nominal display mode for the first screen in response to at least one of the first input and the second input, wherein the nominal display mode for the first screen is one of the first display mode and the second display mode; determining a nominal display mode for the second screen in response to at least one of the third input and the second input, wherein the nominal display mode for the second screen is one of the first display mode and the second display mode; and displaying the nominal display mode for the first screen on the first screen of the device and displaying the nominal display mode for the second screen on the second screen of the device, wherein the first display mode is a portrait mode and the second display mode is a landscape mode; wherein the device is configured to automatically change the nominal display modes for each of the first screen and the second screen to the other of the one of the first display mode and the second display mode based on receiving an input from the sensor indicating a change in the orientation of the device itself.