Portable display and method for controlling same with speech

• US 20010035845A1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rembrandt Portable Display Technologies, LP (Rembrandt IP Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rembrandt Portable Display Technologies, LP (Rembrandt IP Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Zwern, Arthur L.
• Application Number:
  US09/895,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035845A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/008 using visual presentation of the information for the partially sighted
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A virtual computer monitor is described which enables instantaneous and intuitive visual access to large amounts of visual data by providing the user with a large display projected virtually in front of the user. The user wears a head-mounted display containing a head-tracker, which together allow the user to position an instantaneous viewport provided by the head-mounted display at any position within the large virtual display by turning to look in the desired direction. The instantaneous viewport further includes a mouse pointer, which may be positioned by turning the user'"'"'s head, and which may be further positioned using a mouse or analogous control device. A particular advantage of the virtual computer monitor is intuitive access to enlarged computer output for visually-impaired individuals.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for assisting a user in the control and operation of a display driven computer system, the computer system being display driven in that a primary source of feedback for interacting with the computer system is visual feedback generated by the computer system, the visual feedback intended for display upon any display screen coupled with the computer system, the computer implemented method comprising the acts of:

equipping a user with a display device coupled to a display driven computer system;

mapping visual feedback generated by the computer system into a virtual desktop suitable for display via the display device;

displaying a certain portion of the virtual desktop via the display device;

tracking movement of the display device;

updating the displayed certain portion of the virtual desktop in response to the tracked movement of the display device;

monitoring audio input in order to recognize verbal user commands; and

controlling the computer system according to recognized verbal user commands.

2. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, the computer implemented method further comprising the acts of:

recognizing that a monitored verbal command corresponds to a magnification factor selection; and

updating the displayed certain portion of the virtual desktop in a manner correlated to the recognized magnification factor selection.

3. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 2

, wherein the recognized magnification factor selection is an absolute magnification command.

4. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 2

, wherein the recognized magnification factor selection is a relative magnification command.

5. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, the computer implemented method further comprising the acts of:

recognizing that a monitored verbal command corresponds to a position command; and

updating the displayed certain portion of the virtual desktop in a manner correlated to the recognized position command.

6. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 5

, wherein the recognized position command corresponds to a “

center me”

command so that the act of updating the displayed certain portion results in centering the displayed certain portion within the virtual desktop.

7. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 5

, wherein the recognized position command corresponds to a “

top right”

command so that the act of updating the displayed certain portion results in positioning the displayed certain portion within the top right of the virtual desktop.

8. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, the computer implemented method further comprising the acts of:

recognizing that the recognized verbal command corresponds to a control tracking command; and

controlling the display driven computer system in a manner correlated to the recognized control tracking command.

9. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 8

, wherein the recognized control tracking command is a “

lock vertical”

command and the act of controlling the display driven computer system includes a lock-out response to vertical tracking, whereby control of horizontal movement is made simpler for the user.

10. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the recognized verbal command corresponds to a switch system operating mode command.

11. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the recognized verbal command is an application specific command.

12. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the recognized verbal command corresponds to a “

page down”

command.

13. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the recognized verbal command corresponds to a “

scroll text”

command.

14. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the recognized verbal command corresponds to a font control command.

15. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the recognized verbal command corresponds to a text edit command.

16. A computer implemented method as recited in

claim 1

, further including the act of monitoring audio input in order to recognize verbal user content.

17. A computer implemented method for assisting a user in the control and operation of a display driven computer system, the computer system being display driven in that a primary source of feedback for interacting with the computer system is visual feedback generated by the computer system, the visual feedback intended for display upon any display screen coupled with the computer system, the computer implemented method comprising the acts of:

equipping a user with a display device coupled to a display driven computer system;

mapping visual feedback generated by the computer system into a virtual desktop suitable for display via the display device;

displaying a certain portion of the virtual desktop via the display device;

tracking movement of the display device;

updating the displayed certain portion of the virtual desktop in response to the tracked movement of the display device;

monitoring audio input in order to recognize verbal user content; and

providing the display driven computer system content according to recognized verbal user content.

18. A device for assisting a user in the control and operation of a display driven computer system, the computer system being display driven in that a primary source of feedback for interacting with the computer system is visual feedback generated by the computer system, the visual feedback intended for display upon a display screen coupled with the computer system, comprising:

a tracking device for sensing motion of the display device, converting a sensory input generated by said motion sensed into tracking data, and inputting said tracking data into said computer; and

an audio input device for converting user audio data into a digital format.

19. A device as recited in

claim 18

, wherein said tracking device includes at least one gyroscope.

20. A device as recited in

claim 18

, wherein said tracking device includes at least one accelerometer.

21. A device as recited in

claim 18

, wherein said audio input device includes a microphone.

22. A device as recited in

claim 18

, wherein said audio input device includes a voice recognizer.

23. A device as recited in

claim 18

, wherein said audio input device is capable of distinguishing between audio commands and audio content.

24. A device for assisting a user in the control and operation of a display driven computer system, the computer system being display driven in that a primary source of feedback for interacting with the computer system is visual feedback generated by the computer system, the visual feedback intended for display upon a display screen coupled with the computer system, comprising:

a tracking device for sensing motion of the display device, converting a sensory input generated by said motion sensed into tracking data, and inputting said tracking data into said computer, said tracking device including at least one accelerometer; and

an audio input device for converting user audio data into a digital format, said audio input device including a voice recognizer operable to distinguish between audio command and audio content.