According to the TGDAily, recently Microsoft acquires patent for SideShow. Microsoft presented the Sideshow technology in early 2006 when unveiled some of the new features to come in Windows Vista. First presented as a secondary display integrated on the back of the laptop lid, Microsoft and his partners came out with a wide range of application and devices from home automation to mp3 video players and phones.

According with an article from itWeek labs Blog the term / concept seems to be first presented in 2001, was called Sideshow and used internally by some Microsoft workers. Perhaps not quite the same descriptions but close enough to recognize the concept.

The patent awarded on May 22 of this year by the US Patent and Trademark Office to the firm details a "method and system for auxiliary display of information for a computing device. An auxiliary display is integrated with a computing system to provide an area where notifications can be peripherally presented off-screen. Whenever a background task sends a notification to the main display of the system, the notification may be redirected to appear instead on the auxiliary display. Any type of information may be presented on the auxiliary display including incoming communications, meeting reminders, system alerts, and information from Internet subscription services."

“Any computing or communication device with a display can also be used as the auxiliary display. This includes general purpose computers, cell phones, and handheld devices such as a personal digital assistant (PDA),”

Full text and images about Sideshow patent may be found at US Patent and Trademark Office website.

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