Information processing apparatus and information processing method for occlusion avoidance in tabletop displays

• US 10,176,787 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakao, Isamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini, Javid A
• Application Number:
  US15/336,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20170047049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 345672
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/38 with means for controlling the display position

Abstract

According to an illustrative embodiment, an image display method is provided. The method includes detecting a position of a user, detecting a position of a physical object, and defining a non-display area of a display based on the position of the user and the position of the physical object.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

control a display screen to display content at a first position on the display screen;

detect first position information of a first object on the display screen;

detect second position information of a user'"'"'s body part;

determine a plurality of areas on the display screen, based on the second position information and tangent lines set corresponding to the first object;

move the content to a second position in a first area of the plurality of areas on the display screen based on a relation between the first position information and the second position information; and

control the display screen to display a trace of the movement of the content from the first position to the second position.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit configured to detect the first object on the display screen.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the imaging unit is a near-infrared imaging unit.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the display screen further comprises a backlight and a liquid crystal display, and

wherein the imaging unit is between the backlight and the liquid crystal display.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

define the first area of the plurality of areas of the display screen based on the first position information and the second position information, wherein the second position on the display screen is outside the first area.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the trace of the movement of the content makes a detour of the first object.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

define the first area of the plurality of areas of the display screen based on the first position information and the second position information, wherein the second position on the display screen is within the first area.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit configured to:

detect a first profile of the first object based on the first position information; and

detect a second profile of the user'"'"'s body part based on the second position information.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

set the first area of the plurality of areas on the display screen based on the first profile of the first object, wherein the second position on the display screen is outside the first area.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to set the tangent lines to the first object based on the second position information.

8. An information processing method, comprising:

in an information processing apparatus;

controlling a display screen to display content at a first position on the display screen;

detecting first position information of a first object on the display screen;

detecting second position information of a user'"'"'s body part;

determining a plurality of areas on the display screen, based on the second position information and tangent lines set corresponding to the first object;

moving the content to a second position in a first area of the plurality of areas on the display screen based on a relation between the first position information and the second position information; and

controlling the display screen to display a trace of the movement of the content from the first position to the second position.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions, which when executed by an information processing apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to execute operations, the operations comprising:

controlling a display screen to display content at a first position on the display screen;

detecting first position information of a first object on the display screen;

detecting second position information of a user'"'"'s body part;

determining a plurality of areas on the display screen, based on the second position information and tangent lines set corresponding to the first object;

moving the content to a second position in a first area of the plurality of areas on the display screen based on a relation between the first position information and the second position information; and

controlling the display screen to display a trace of the movement of the content from the first position to the second position.