Methods and apparatuses for managing and presenting content through a spherical display device

• US 20050001920A1
• Filed: 04/07/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yasutomi, Hiroshi, Endler, Sean Christopher, Proehl, Andy
• Application Number:
  US10/820,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001920A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/53 of electronic viewfinders, e.g. rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses display a first content on a flat display surface within a spherical display; simultaneously display a second content on a spherical display surface within the spherical display; and scroll through the second content based on instructions while displaying the first content, wherein the spherical display surface is imposed over the flat display surface such that the first content and the second content are distinctly and simultaneously viewed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a first content on a flat display surface within a spherical display;

simultaneously displaying a second content on a spherical display surface within the spherical display; and

scrolling through the second content based on instructions while displaying the first content,

wherein the spherical display surface is imposed over the flat display surface such that the first content and the second content are distinctly and simultaneously viewed.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising storing the first content and the second content in a storage device.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising capturing the first content with a content capturing device.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the content capturing device is a video camera.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the content capturing device is a digital camera.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first content is one of a video stream and digital image.

7. The method, according to claim 1 wherein the instructions are based on rotating a playback ring to scroll through the second content.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the instructions are based on rotating a knob to scroll through the second content.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second content menu information.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the spherical display surface displays the second content in a three dimensional viewpoint.

11. A system comprising:

means for displaying a first content on a flat display surface within a spherical display;

means for simultaneously displaying a second content on a spherical display surface within the spherical display; and

means for scrolling through the second content based on instructions while displaying the first content,

wherein the spherical display surface is imposed over the flat display surface such that the first content and the second content are distinctly and simultaneously viewed.

12. A method comprising:

capturing an original video stream with a lens having a fixed focal length;

magnifying a portion of the original video stream forming a magnified video stream;

displaying the magnified video stream such that the magnified video stream is viewed with an effective focal length that is longer than the fixed focal length of the original video stream; and

storing the original video stream and the magnified video stream.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising transitioning from the fixed focal length of the original video stream to the effective focal length of the magnified video stream.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising capturing the transitioning and forming a transition video stream.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising storing the transition video stream.

16. The method according to claim 12 further comprising transitioning from the effective focal length of the magnified video stream to the fixed focal length of the original video stream.

17. The method according to claim 12 further comprising displaying the original video stream on a display screen.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising positioning a focus ring over an area of the display screen wherein the area represents the portion of the original video stream forming the magnified video stream.

19. The method according to claim 12 wherein magnifying the portion of the original video stream is a digital zoom.

20. The method according to claim 12 wherein the lens is a wide angle lens.

21. The method according to claim 12 wherein the lens produces a fish eye perspective.

22. A method comprising:

capturing a content stream;

detecting a gravitation force corresponding with the content stream; and

displaying the content stream based on the gravitation force.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein displaying occurs on a spherical display.

24. The method according to claim 22 further comprising orienting the content stream to be perpendicular to the gravitational force.

25. The method according to claim 22 further comprising storing the content stream and the gravitational force corresponding to the content stream.

26. A device, comprising:

a spherical display for simultaneously displaying a video stream and menu information wherein the spherical display further comprises a flat display surface for the video stream and a spherical display surface for the menu information;

a playback ring for scrolling through the menu information; and

a storage module to store the video stream and the menu information.

27. The device according to claim 26 wherein the spherical display shows the menu information with a three dimensional effect to distinguish from the video stream.

28. The device according to claim 26 wherein the menu information is shown overlaid on top of the video stream.

29. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

capturing an original video stream with a lens having a fixed focal length;

magnifying a portion of the original video stream forming a magnified video stream;

displaying the magnified video stream such that the magnified video stream is viewed with an effective focal length that is longer than the fixed focal length of the original video stream; and

storing the original video stream and the magnified video stream.