GRAPHICS CONTROLS FOR PERMITTING BACKGROUND SIZE CHANGES

• US 20070257941A1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AI-CORE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transpacific Image LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Plut, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,610,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

This invention provides systems and methods that allow a user to change the size of a background used with a graphics-based user interface. This enables tailored background sizes based on user preference and allowable conditions, which are particularly useful with display devices having a large display area. By custom sizing a background to current conditions, a user may navigate an image among obstacles at a receiving surface and obstacles along a projection path between a projection lens and receiving surface. In addition, a user may customize the background size on a large LCD screen according to more suitable dimensions for an image used in the background or to a personal preference, thereby creating a personalized look and feel for the graphics-based user interface. One embodiment of the present invention defines a usable area for a graphics-based user interface according to the current size of the background. Changing the background size in this case also then changes the usable area for the graphics-based user interface.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium storing a graphics control for permitting a manual alteration of a background used with a graphics based user interface, the computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for displaying the graphics control, the graphics control including video information and at least one background control tool configured to allow a person to manually change size of the background to a new background size that is less than a maximum image size for a projection-type display device that outputs the background;

instructions for receiving input from the person, via the at least one background control tool, that indicates the new background size, wherein the new background size is less than a maximum image size allowed by the projection-type display device when the background video information is for display without substantial keystone distortion; and

instructions for changing the background size to the new background size in response to the input from the person.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the at least one background control tool includes one or more position tools that allow the person to manually position the new background size within the maximum image size.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2 wherein the one or more position tools permit the person to manually drag a video representation of the new background size within the maximum image size.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the at least one background control tool includes an aspect ratio tool that allows the person to manually set an aspect ratio for the new background size.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4 wherein the aspect ratio tool allow the person to manually select an aspect ratio for the new background size from a predetermined list of aspect ratios.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 4 wherein the aspect ratio tool allows the person to manually drag an edge of the background to create the aspect ratio for the new background size.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 wherein the at least one background control tool includes an arrow for display at the edge of the background that allows the person to manually drag the edge of the background to set the aspect ratio for the new background size.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the at least one background control tool includes a size tool that allows the person to manually enter a new percentage size for the new background size.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the at least one background control tool includes a display that shows a size of the new background size relative to the maximum image size.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein the at least one background control tool includes a display that shows the new background size within the maximum image size.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the new background size is sized to avoid an obstacle at a receiving surface of a projected output for the projection-type display device or to avoid an obstacle along a projection path between the projection-type display device and the receiving surface.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising instructions for displaying the new background size using the projection-type display device.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the background defines a usable area for the graphics-based user interface.

14. A computer readable medium storing a graphics control for changing the size of a background used with a graphics based user interface, the computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for displaying the graphics control, the graphics control including a) video information, b) at least one background control tool configured to allow a person to manually change size of the background to a new background size that is less than a maximum image size for a projection-type display device that outputs the background, and c) one or more position tools configured to allow the person to manually position the new background size within the maximum image size;

instructions for receiving input from the person, via the at least one background control tool, that indicates the change to the new background size, wherein the new background size is less than a maximum image size allowed by the display device when the background video information is for display without substantial keystone distortion; and

instructions for changing the background size to the new background size in response to the person input.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the one or more position tools permit the person to manually drag a video representation of the new background size within the maximum image size.

16. A method for changing the size of a background associated with a graphics-based user interface and output by a projection-type display device, the method comprising:

displaying a background control tool that allows a user to manually change the dimensions of a background to produce a new background size that is less than a maximum image size allowed by the projection-type display device when the background video information is displayed without substantial keystone distortion, wherein the background defines a usable area for the graphics-based user interface;

receiving user input, via the background control tool, that manually changes the dimensions of the background to create the new background size that is less than a maximum image size allowed by the projection-type display device;

in response to the user input that manually changes the dimensions of the background to the new background size, displaying a video representation of the new background size;

receiving manual acceptance of the new background size;

changing the dimensions of the background to the new background size; and

displaying the new background size.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising receiving manual input from the user that positions the new background size within a maximum image size for the projection-type display device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one background control tool includes an aspect ratio tool that allows the person to manually drag an edge of the background to create a new aspect ratio for the new background size.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein displaying the visual representation of the new background size displays the new background size within a visual representation of the maximum image size.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the background is sized to avoid an obstacle at a receiving surface for the projection-type display device or sized to avoid an obstacle along a projection path between the projection-type display device and the receiving surface.