System and method for automatic display switching

• US 20060146012A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Charlier, Michael L., Arneson, Theodore R., Neumann, John C.
• Application Number:
  US11/028,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146012A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system, method and apparatus including a first display screen component (302) configured to provide content in a real image display mode and a second display screen component (202) configured to provide content in a virtual image mode, a proximity sensor (318) and an automatic switching module (704) in communication with the proximity sensor (318) for activating the virtual image display screen component (202) and deactivating the real image display screen component (302) in the event the proximity sensor (318) detects an object such as a user (102) within a predetermined distance to the proximity sensor (318).

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first display screen component configured to provide content in a first display mode;

a second display screen component configured to provide content in a second display mode;

a proximity sensor; and

a first switch in communication with the proximity sensor for activating the first display mode when the proximity sensor detects an object within a predetermined distance to the proximity sensor.

2. An electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the first display screen component is configured to provide content in a field-of-view enhancing manner.

3. An electronic device as recited in claim 2 wherein the first switch is for deactivating the second display mode when the proximity sensor detects an object within a predetermined distance to the proximity sensor.

4. An electronic device as recited in claim 2 wherein the second display screen component is configured to provide content in a real image manner.

5. An electronic device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a touch sensing system.

6. An electronic device as recited in claim 5 further comprising:

a second switch in communication with the touch sensing system for deactivating the touch sensing system when the proximity sensor detects an object within the predetermined distance to the proximity sensor.

7. An electronic device as recited in claim 6 wherein the second switch and the first switch are a single switch.

8. An electronic device as recited in claim 5 wherein the first display screen component, the second display screen component and the touch sensing system are positioned in parallel.

9. An electronic device as recited in claim 5 wherein the touch sensing system is positioned on top of the first display screen component.

10. An electronic device as recited in claim 5 wherein the touch sensing system is positioned underneath the first display screen component.

11. An electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first display screen component and the second display screen component are positioned in a housing adjacent to an optics support module.

12. An electronic device as recited in claim 11 wherein the optics support module includes an acoustic damper.

13. An electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first switch deactivates the first display mode when the proximity sensor fails to detect an object within a predetermined distance to the proximity sensor.

14. An electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first switch activates the second display mode when the proximity sensor fails to detect and object within a predetermined distance to the proximity sensor.

15. An electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first display screen component overlays the second display screen component.

16. A method for operating a display screen of an electronic device, the display screen having a first display screen mode and a second display screen mode, the method comprising:

detecting an object within a predetermined distance from the display screen of the electronic device; and

automatically switching from the first display screen mode to the second display screen mode when the object is detected within the predetermined distance.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

automatically switching from the second display screen mode to the first display screen mode when the object fails to be detected within the predetermined distance.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein

the first display screen mode provides content in a real image manner;

and

the second display screen mode provides content in a field-of-view enhancing manner.

19. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the electronic device further comprises a touch sensing system, the method further comprising:

automatically switching the touch sensing system off when the object is detected within the predetermined distance.

20. An electronic device system including a display screen having first and second modes, the first mode for normal viewing, the second mode for near-to-eye viewing, comprising:

a proximity sensing module for detecting an object'"'"'s distance from the display screen; and

a switching module for switching between the first mode and the second mode depending upon an object'"'"'s distance from the display screen.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

a decision module for determining whether content transmitted to the system is appropriate for near-to-eye viewing.

22. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

a touch sensing module for providing navigation capability when the first mode is activated.

23. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

a manually activated switching module for manually switching between the first mode and the second mode.

24. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a housing unit, wherein the display screen is supported in a housing adjacent to an optics support structure with a support structure to secure an acoustic speaker.

25. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the support structure includes a damping element.