Self-adjusting curved display screen

• US 10,720,123 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2018
• Issued: 07/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Su, Lee, Jinho, Rozner, Eric J., Hwang, Inseok
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US16/153,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20200111441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345175, 345419, 386224
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/028 by changing the viewing angle properties, e.g. widening the viewing angle, adapting the viewing angle to the view direction
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/068 for control of viewing angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0686 with two or more screen areas displaying information with different brightness or colours
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/025 LAN communication management
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/10 Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/03 specially adapted for displays having non-planar surfaces, e.g. curved displays
• 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

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: detecting two or more users, and determining a location of each of the two or more users with respect to a current configuration of a curved display screen by determining a distance between each user and a respective reference point on the curved display screen, and determining, for each user, an angle between a radius of curvature which extends from the respective reference point on the curved display screen and a line extending between the user and the reference point. The locations of the two or more users are further used to determine an optimal configuration of the curved display screen. One or more instructions to rotate the curved display screen according to the optimal angular position are sent. Moreover, one or more instructions to adjust a curvature of the curved display screen according to the optimal curvature are also sent.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

detecting two or more users in proximity to a curved display screen;

determining a location of each of the two or more users with respect to a current configuration of the curved display screen by;

determining a distance between each user and a respective reference point on the curved display screen, and

determining, for each user, an angle between a radius of curvature which extends from the respective reference point on the curved display screen and a line extending between the user and the reference point;

assigning a weight to each of the two or more users, wherein the weight assigned to a given user is based on an amount of attention the given user is paying to what is being displayed on the curved display screen;

using the locations of the two or more users to determine an optimal configuration of the curved display screen, wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen includes an optimal angular position of the curved display screen and an optimal curvature;

sending one or more instructions to rotate the curved display screen according to the optimal angular position; and

sending one or more instructions to adjust a curvature of the curved display screen according to the optimal curvature,

wherein the weight assigned to a given user is based on an orientation of the given user with respect to the curved display screen,

wherein the weights assigned to the two or more users are also used to determine the optimal configuration of the curved display screen.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the weight assigned to the given user is based on an emotional state of the given user, wherein the emotional state of the given user is determined using a form of analysis selected from the group consisting of:

facial recognition, gesture recognition, speech analysis, thermal imaging, and pattern recognition.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen is performed using a detector selected from the group consisting of:

a depth sensor, an infrared sensor, and a wireless receiver.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

monitoring the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen;

determining whether the location of any of the two or more users has changed;

in response to determining that the location of at least one of the two or more users has changed, redetermining the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen;

using the redetermined locations of the two or more users to determine an updated optimal configuration of the curved display screen, wherein the updated optimal configuration of the curved display screen includes an updated optimal angular position of the curved display screen and an updated optimal curvature;

sending one or more instructions to rotate the curved display screen according to the updated optimal angular position; and

sending one or more instructions to adjust a curvature of the curved display screen according to the updated optimal curvature.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein monitoring the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen is performed at a sample rate which is in a range of about once every five seconds to about once every five minutes, wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen is determined using, for each of the two or more users:

an angle between a reference line at the given user'"'"'s position and a first imaginary line which extends between the given user and a second reference point on the curved display screen,

an angle between the reference line at the given user'"'"'s position and a second imaginary line which extends between the given user and a third reference point on the curved display screen, and

an angle between the first or second imaginary line and a radius of curvature extending from the second or third reference point, respectively.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the curved display screen is a flexible display screen.

7. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

detecting, by the processor, two or more users in proximity to a curved display screen;

determining, by the processor, a location of each of the two or more users with respect to a current configuration of the curved display screen by;

determining a distance between each user and a respective reference point on the curved display screen, and

determining, for each user, an angle between a radius of curvature which extends from the respective reference point on the curved display screen and a line extending between the user and the reference point;

assigning, by the processor, a weight to each of the two or more users;

using, by the processor, the locations of the two or more users and the weights assigned to the two or more users to determine an optimal configuration of the curved display screen, wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen includes an optimal angular position of the curved display screen and an optimal curvature;

sending, by the processor, one or more instructions to rotate the curved display screen according to the optimal angular position; and

sending, by the processor, one or more instructions to adjust a curvature of the curved display screen according to the optimal curvature

wherein the weight assigned to a given user is based on;

an amount of attention the given user is paying to what is being displayed on the curved display screen, a distance between the given user and the curved display screen, and an orientation of the given user with respect to the curved display screen,

wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen minimizes an average viewing angle of the two or more users detected in proximity to the curved display screen.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the weight assigned to the given user is based on an emotional state of the given user, wherein the emotional state of the given user is determined using facial recognition, and/or gesture recognition.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein determining the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen is performed using a wireless receiver.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, the program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform the method comprising:

monitoring, by the processor, the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen;

determining, by the processor, whether the location of any of the two or more users has changed;

in response to determining that the location of at least one of the two or more users has changed, redetermining, by the processor, the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen;

using, by the processor, the redetermined locations of the two or more users to determine an updated optimal configuration of the curved display screen, wherein the updated optimal configuration of the curved display screen includes an updated optimal angular position of the curved display screen and an updated optimal curvature;

sending, by the processor, one or more instructions to rotate the curved display screen according to the updated optimal angular position; and

sending, by the processor, one or more instructions to adjust a curvature of the curved display screen according to the updated optimal curvature.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein monitoring the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen is performed at a sample rate which is in a range of about once every five seconds to about once every five minutes.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the curved display screen is a flexible display screen, wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen is determined using the equation:

13. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

logic integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, the logic being configured to;

detect, by the processor, two or more users in proximity to a curved display screen;

determine, by the processor, a location of each of the two or more users with respect to a current configuration of the curved display screen by;

determining a distance between each user and a respective reference point on the curved display screen, and

determining, for each user, an angle between a radius of curvature which extends from the respective reference point on the curved display screen and a line extending between the user and the reference point;

assign, by the processor, a weight to each of the two or more users, wherein the weight assigned to a given user is based on an orientation of the given user with respect to the curved display screen;

use, by the processor, the locations of the two or more users and the weights assigned to the two or more users to determine an optimal configuration of the curved display screen, wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen includes an optimal angular position of the curved display screen and an optimal curvature;

send, by the processor, one or more instructions to rotate the curved display screen according to the optimal angular position; and

send, by the processor, one or more instructions to adjust a curvature of the curved display screen according to the optimal curvature,

wherein the curved display screen is a flexible display screen,

wherein the weight assigned to the given user is based on;

an emotional state of the given user, and an amount of attention the given user is paying to what is being displayed on the curved display screen,

wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen minimizes an average viewing angle of the two or more users detected in proximity to the curved display screen.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein determining the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen is performed using at least two detectors selected from the group consisting of:

a depth sensor, an infrared sensor, and a wireless receiver, wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen is determined using, for each of the two or more users;

an angle between a reference line at the given user'"'"'s position and a first imaginary line which extends between the given user and a second reference point on the curved display screen,

an angle between the reference line at the given user'"'"'s position and a second imaginary line which extends between the given user and a third reference point on the curved display screen, and

an angle between the first or second imaginary line and a radius of curvature extending from the second or third reference point, respectively.

15. The system of claim 13, the logic being configured to:

monitor, by the processor, the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen;

determine, by the processor, whether the location of any of the two or more users has changed;

in response to determining that the location of at least one of the two or more users has changed, redetermine, by the processor, the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen;

use, by the processor, the redetermined locations of the two or more users to determine an updated optimal configuration of the curved display screen, wherein the updated optimal configuration of the curved display screen includes an updated optimal angular position of the curved display screen and an updated optimal curvature;

send, by the processor, one or more instructions to rotate the curved display screen according to the updated optimal angular position; and

send, by the processor, one or more instructions to adjust a curvature of the curved display screen according to the updated optimal curvature.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein monitoring the location of each of the two or more users with respect to the current configuration of the curved display screen is performed at a sample rate which is in a range of about once every five seconds to about once every one minute.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the optimal configuration of the curved display screen is determined using the equation: