INTERFACE ORIENTATION USING SHADOWS

• US 20070300182A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bilow, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/799
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A graphical user interface system may position and orient a user interface element to be displayed on an optically-sensitive display surface. The position of the object may be based on the position of a point of contact that an object (e.g., a person'"'"'s finger, a block of wood, etc.) makes against the display surface. The orientation of the object may be determined using the shadow cast by the object on the surface. An axis may be determined between the shadow and the point of contact, and the axis may be used as a frame of reference (e.g., a vertical axis) for the orientation of the interface element. Further movement of the object and/or shadow can either result in further movement/reorientation of the interface, or as an actual input to the interface. If used for an actual input, the interface may be fixed at its initial position and orientation to allow the additional movement to be interpreted.

Claims

1. A method of orienting a user interface element on a computer display, comprising the steps of:

detecting a point of physical contact on said computer display by an object associated with a request for an interface element;

detecting a shadow cast by said object on said computer display;

determining a shadow axis formed by said shadow and said point of physical contact; and

displaying said interface element on said display, wherein said interface element is aligned with said shadow axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said shadow axis runs between a pixel of said shadow and a pixel of said point of contact.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying said shadow axis on said computer display prior to said step of displaying said interface element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of aligning a vertical axis of said element with said shadow axis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of displaying said interface element at an offset from said point of physical contact, wherein said offset is applied based on an orientation of said shadow axis.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said offset is a predetermined distance value.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said offset is a variable value that depends on a current value of a variable setting.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said interface element includes a slider bar having multiple selectable positions corresponding to different settings, and wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of displaying said slider bar with said point of contact aligned with a current value of said variable setting.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said slider bar is a menu.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a rotation of said shadow; and

rotating said interface element in accordance with said rotation.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting further movement of said object; and

moving said interface element in accordance with said movement.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said interface element is a radial selection menu displayed around said area of contact, and said method further comprises the steps of:

detecting a movement of said object; and

selecting an option from said menu based on said movement of said object.

13. One or more computer-readable media storing computer executable instructions for performing the following steps:

determining an orientation to be used for a user interface element based on a point of contact made by an object against a display and a shadow cast by said object on said display; and

displaying said user interface element on said display at said orientation.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further storing computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:

determining a position offset to be used for said user interface, said position offset being measured from said point of contact; and

applying said offset position in said step of displaying.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein said position offset is variable based on a system setting.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein said step of applying results in aligning said point of contact with a current value of said system setting.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further storing computer-executable instructions for adjusting a positioning of said interface to avoid overlapping another object or extending beyond said display.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, further storing computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:

maintaining a position of said interface on said display after said step of displaying; and

detecting further movement of said object with respect to said displayed interface as an input to said interface.

19. A method of orienting a user interface element on a computer display, comprising the steps of:

detecting a point of physical contact on said computer display by an object to request an interface element;

detecting a shadow cast by said object on said computer display;

determining a shadow axis formed by said shadow and said point of physical contact, and an angle of said shadow axis; and

displaying said interface element on said display, wherein said interface element is aligned with said shadow axis by rotating a frame of reference of said interface element based on said shadow axis angle, and wherein said interface element is offset from said point of contact in accordance with a predefined offset parameter; and

maintaining said interface element at an initial position while detecting further movement of said object with respect to said element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said offset varies with a variable system setting.