Method and system for adjusting a display based on user distance from display device

• US 20050229200A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce, Kirkland, Dustin, Ratliff, Emily Jane, Halcrow, Michael Austin
• Application Number:
  US10/821,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229200A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system that adjusts the contents on a display screen based on the distance of the user from the screen. This invention comprises a display screen with a distance approximator mechanism either attached the display screen or positioned in close proximity to the screen. This distance approximator detects user movement and calculates the distance that the user is from the screen. As the distance of the user from the screen increases or decreases, the method of the invention adjusts the contents of the screen. The screen adjustments can comprise enlarging the size of the information on the screen as the user moves further from the screen. The contents can also be reduced as the user returns to a local distance to the display screen. The display content adjustment techniques of the present invention enable a user to view screen contents from abnormally far distances from the screen without the need for the user to continually travel back and forth to and from the display screen.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a screen display based on a user'"'"'s distance from the display device comprising the steps of:

establishing a relationship between the distance of a user from a display screen and the size of the display on the screen;

detecting the movement of the user with respect to the display screen;

adjusting the size of the screen display based on the location of the user with respect to the display screen; and

displaying the display in the adjusted display size.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing a threshold distance of the user from the display screen.

3. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising before said size adjusting step, the step of determining whether detected movement of the user is beyond the established threshold distance.

4. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising the step of establishing a local user area within a defined distance from the display screen.

5. The method as described in claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether display has multiple sections; and

when display does have multiple sections, identifying a selected section by user for adjustment.

6. The method as described in claim 4 wherein the threshold distance is the outer boundary of the local user area.

7. The method as described in claim 2 wherein the threshold distance comprises multiple threshold ranges.

8. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising before said adjusting step, the step of determining whether said detected user movement is a valid movement.

9. The method as described in claim 8 wherein said valid movement determination step further comprises determining the amount of time a user is out of the local area.

10. The method as described in claim 9 further comprises the step of establishing a minimum time the user has to be out of the local area to trigger a movement beyond the threshold distance.

11. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for adjusting a screen display based on a user'"'"'s distance from the display device comprising:

instructions for establishing a relationship between the distance of a user from a display screen and the size of the display on the screen;

instructions for detecting the movement of the user with respect to the display screen;

instructions for adjusting the size of the screen display based on the location of the user with respect to the display screen; and

instructions for displaying the display in the adjusted display size.

12. The computer program product as described in claim 11 further comprising instructions for establishing a threshold distance of the user from the display screen.

13. The computer program product as described in claim 12 further comprising before said size adjusting instructions, instructions for determining whether detected movement of the user is beyond the established threshold distance.

14. The computer program product as described in claim 12 further comprising instructions for establishing a local user area within a defined distance from the display screen.

15. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether display has multiple sections; and

when display does have multiple sections, instructions for identifying a selected section by user for adjustment.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 12 further comprising before said adjusting instructions, instructions for determining whether said detected user movement is a valid movement.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 16 wherein said valid movement determination instructions further comprise instructions for determining the amount of time a user is out of the local area.

18. The method as described in claim 17 further comprises instructions for establishing a minimum time the user has to be out of the local area to trigger a movement beyond the threshold distance.

19. A system for adjusting a screen display based on a user'"'"'s distance from the display device comprising

a display device;

a distance approximation device for determining the location of a user from said display device;

software for determining the whether the determined distance of a user from the display device is beyond an established threshold distance; and

software for adjusting the size of the display on the display device based on the determined distance of the user from the display device.

20. The system as described in claim 19 wherein said distance approximation device is part of the display device.

21. The system as described in claim 19 wherein said distance approximation device is positioned immediately adjacent the display device.

22. The system as described in claim 19 wherein said size adjusting software further comprises routines to adjust one or more sections of the display.