Attachable device with flexible electronic display orientation detection

• US 10,121,455 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexterra, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexterra, Inc.
• Inventors: Inagaki, Philippe, Huitema, Hjalmar Edzer Ayco
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Application Number:
  US15/233,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20170098435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345173, 36167903, 368281, 368282, 368223, 368 82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/37 Details of the operation on graphic patterns G09G5/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/38 with means for controlling the display position

Abstract

An attachable article includes a flexible electronic display disposed thereon in a manner so that the display is bendable or conformable to a user'"'"'s wrist or other curved surface thus enabling various images to be displayed on the electronic display in a manner that makes these images easily viewable to the user. The attachable article includes an adjustable band that can be fit to different sized wrists, for example, and includes a band orientation detection and calibration routine that enables messages or display screens to be placed at particular locations on the band with respect to a user'"'"'s wrist. For example, the routine may be used to determine the portions or positions of the display that are at the top of the user'"'"'s wrist and at the bottom of the user'"'"'s wrist, and may thereafter calibrate the display to center display screens on the display at these particular locations.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a flexible band having a flexible substrate and a flexible electronic display, the flexible substrate having first and second ends, and the flexible display disposed over a portion of the flexible substrate between the first and second ends;

a display driver electronically connected to the flexible electronic display for providing public and private image content to the flexible electronic display;

a position detection element disposed on or near the flexible band;

one or more processors coupled to the display driver; and

a memory that stores an orientation detection routine that, when executed by the one or more processors, operates to;

instruct a user to take one or more detection initiation actions to activate the position detection element to determine a point on the flexible band using a signal from the position detection element, wherein the determined point on the flexible band is disposed adjacent to a particular point on an exterior object when the flexible band is disposed around the exterior object, and

calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays the public image content via the flexible electronic display at one or more positions and displays the private image content via the flexible electronic display at one or more other positions based on the location of the determined point on the band,

wherein the orientation detection routine operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display based on an amount of overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible substrate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the position detection element comprises one or more pressure sensors, one or more magnetic sensors, a touchscreen disposed on or near the flexible electronic display, and/or a gyroscopic element.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed by the one or more processors, operates to determine the point on the flexible band by:

using the signal from the position detection element by determining the amount of overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible ban;

or

using the signal from the position detection element indicative of a touch event applied to the flexible band;

or

presenting a message to a user via the flexible electronic display to touch the flexible band at a position adjacent the particular point on the exterior object;

or

presenting a message to a user via the flexible electronic display to touch the flexible band at a position adjacent the bottom of the user'"'"'s wrist.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed by the one or more processors, either:

operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays the public image content and the private image content on the flexible electronic display using a display screen having a fixed reference point determined based on the determined point on the flexible band;

or

operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays the public image content and the private image content on the flexible electronic display using a display screen centered on the determined point on the flexible band;

or

operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver sizes a display screen based on the distance from the determined point to a fixed position on the flexible band.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible band and the position detection element are included in an attachable article.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the memory that stores the orientation detection routine is included in one or more other devices in communicative connection with the attachable article.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the orientation detection routine determines the one or more positions at which the public image content is displayed and determines the one or more positions at which the private image content is displayed.

7. A method of calibrating a flexible electronic display disposed on a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate having first and second ends, that is adjustably attachable around an exterior object, comprising:

detecting, using one or more processors, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on an exterior object when the flexible substrate is disposed at least partially around the exterior object;

calibrating, using the one or more processors, the flexible electronic display based on the detected point and on an amount of overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible substrate;

displaying public image content on the flexible electronic display at one or more positions on the flexible electronic display using the flexible electronic display calibrated based on the detected point on the flexible substrate, and

displaying private image content on the flexible electronic display at one or more other positions on the flexible electronic display using the flexible electronic display calibrated based on the detected point on the flexible substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting, using the one or more processors, the point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to the particular point on the exterior object includes:

detecting the point on the flexible substrate when the first and second ends of the flexible substrate are disposed in an overlapping manner around the exterior object; and

/or

using one or more pressure sensors to detect the point on the flexible substrate;

and/or using one or more magnetic sensors to detect the point on the flexible substrate;

and/or using a touchscreen input device to detect the point on the flexible substrate; and

/or

determining the amount of overlap of first and second ends of the flexible substrate; and

/or

determining the point based on a location of a touch event applied to the flexible electronic display; and

/or

presenting a message to a user via the flexible electronic display to touch the flexible substrate at a position adjacent the particular point on the exterior object.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein calibrating, using the one or more processors, the flexible electronic display based on the detected point includes configuring the flexible electronic display to display the public image content and the private image content via a display screen having a fixed reference point determined based on the detected point on the flexible substrate.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein calibrating, using of the one or more processors, the flexible electronic display includes centering the public image content and/or the private image content, via an electronics module, on the flexible electronic display based on the detected point on the flexible substrate.

11. A system, comprising:

a flexible band having a flexible substrate and a flexible electronic display disposed over a portion of the flexible substrate, the flexible band having first and second ends;

a clasping mechanism coupled to the flexible band that is adjustable so as to enable overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible band by differing amounts;

an electronics module electronically connected to the flexible electronic display and attached onto the flexible band at one or more fixed locations for providing public and private image content to the flexible electronic display, the electronics module including a processor, a display driver and a memory;

one or more sensors disposed within the flexible band, the clasping mechanism or the electronics module; and

an orientation detection and calibration routine stored in one or more memories that, when executed by one or more processors, operates to;

instruct a user to take one or more detection initiation actions with respect to the flexible band;

determine a point on the flexible band using a signal from the one or more sensors in response to the one or more detection initiation actions; and

calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays public image content via the flexible electronic display at one or more positions on the flexible electronic display and displays private image content via the flexible electronic display at one or more other positions based on the determined point on the flexible band, wherein the orientation detection routine operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display based on an amount of overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible band.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the flexible band, the flexible electronic display, the clasping mechanism, the electronics module, and the one or more sensors are included in an adjustable flexible electronic display device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more processors is included in one or more other devices in communicative connection with the adjustable flexible electronic display device, and wherein the at least one of the one or more processors of the one or more other devices executes at least a respective portion of the orientation detection and calibration routine.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor of the electronics module attached onto the flexible band executes at least a respective portion of the orientation detection and calibration routine.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors includes one or more pressure sensors, one or more magnetic sensors, a touchscreen interface disposed on or near the flexible electronic display, and/or a gyroscopic sensor.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed by the one or more processors, operates to determine the point on the flexible band by:

using the signal from the one or more sensors by determining the amount of overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible band;

or

using the signal from the one or more sensors by determining a location of a touch event applied to the flexible electronic display.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed by the one or more processors, instructs the user to take the one or more detection initiation actions with respect to the flexible band by instructing the user to:

touch the flexible band either at a position adjacent to a particular point on an exterior object or at a position adjacent the bottom of the user'"'"'s wrist;

or

move the flexible band in a particular manner;

or

orient the flexible band in a particular manner.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed by the one or more processors, calibrates the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays the public image content and the private image content via a display screen on the flexible electronic display having a fixed reference point determined based on the location of the determined point on the flexible band.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed by the one or more processors, calibrates the flexible electronic display so that:

the display driver displays the public image content and/or the private image content via a display screen centered at the determined point on the flexible band;

or

the display driver sizes a display screen based on the distance from the determined point to a fixed position on the flexible band.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors is disposed in the clasping mechanism.