Rotation of visual content on a display unit

• US 10,664,051 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Original Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Inventors: Yu, Aron, Skogo, Marten, Gavelin, Robert, Nystedt, Per
• Primary Examiner(s): Craddock, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US16/171,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20190332169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/25 Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns

Abstract

A graphics presentation apparatus including a display unit, an eye-tracking module, and a data output module. The eye-tracking module registers image data representing at least one eye of a user of the apparatus. Furthermore, the eye-tracking module determines, based on the registered image data, an orientation of the at least one eye relative to the display unit. Finally, in response thereto, the eye-tracking module generates a control signal controlling the data output module to produce visual content with such orientation on the display unit that a misalignment between the orientation of said at least one part and the orientation of the at least one eye of the user is minimized.

Claims

1. A graphics presentation apparatus, comprising:

a display unit configured to present visual content;

a data output module configured to;

receive graphics data and a control signal; and

produce, in response to receiving the graphics data and the control signal, the visual content, wherein that the visual content has a particular orientation relative to the display unit; and

an eye-tracking module configured to;

register image data representing at least one eye of a user of the graphics presentation apparatus;

determine, based on said image data, an orientation of the at least one eye of the user relative to the display unit; and

generate, in response to determining an orientation, the control signal so that the control signal controls the data output module to produce the visual content with an angle that is adaptively adjustable to the orientation of the at least one eye of the user in increments other than 90 degrees.

2. The graphics presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the eye-tracking module is configured to:

generate, in response to determining an orientation, the control signal so that the control signal controls the data output module to produce the visual content with the same angle as the orientation of the at least one eye of the user.

3. The graphics presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the eye-tracking module configured to:

generate, in response to determining an orientation, the control signal so that the control signal controls the data output module to produce the visual content with an angle that is adaptively and continuously adjustable to the orientation of the at least one eye of the user.

4. The graphics presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the graphics presentation apparatus is included in a portable electronic device and the portable device comprises a main body relative to which the display unit has a permanently fixed orientation.

5. The graphics presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the eye-tracking device comprises at least one illuminator configured to emit light towards the user of the graphics presentation apparatus.

6. The graphics presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the eye-tracking device comprises at least one illuminator configured to emit light towards the user of the graphics presentation apparatus.

7. A method of presenting visual content on a display unit of a graphics presentation apparatus, the method comprising:

presenting the visual content with a particular orientation relative to the display unit; and

producing the visual content in response to graphics data and a control signal, wherein producing the visual content further comprises;

registering image data representing at least one eye of a user of the graphics presentation apparatus;

determining, based on said image data, an orientation of the at least one eye of the user relative to the display unit; and

generating, in response to determining an orientation of the at least one eye of the user relative to the display unit, the control signal so that the visual content is produced with an angle that is adaptively adjustable to the orientation of the at least one eye of the user in increments other than 90 degrees.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein producing the visual content comprises generating, in response to determining an orientation of the at least one eye of the user relative to the display unit, the control signal so that the visual content is produced with the same angle as the orientation of the at least one eye of the user.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein producing the visual content comprises generating, in response to determining an orientation of the at least one eye of the user relative to the display unit, the control signal so that the visual content is produced with an angle that is adaptively and continuously adjustable to the orientation of the at least one eye of the user.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the graphics presentation apparatus is included in a portable electronic device and the portable device comprises a main body relative to which the display unit has a permanently fixed orientation.

11. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions executable to control the steps of:

presenting the visual content with a particular orientation relative to the display unit; and

producing the visual content in response to graphics data and a control signal, wherein producing the visual content further comprises;

registering image data representing at least one eye of a user of the graphics presentation apparatus;

determining, based on said image data, an orientation of the at least one eye of the user relative to the display unit; and

generating, in response to determining an orientation of the at least one eye of the user relative to the display unit, the control signal so that the visual content is produced with an angle that is adaptively adjustable to the orientation of the at least one eye of the user in increments other than 90 degrees.