System and Method for Automated Display Orientation Detection and Compensation

• US 20080013053A1
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Anson, Chad R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,658,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/69
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/00 Systems for exchange of information between different pieces of apparatus, e.g. for exchanging trimming information, for photo finishing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

Automated orientation of an image presented by a display, such as a projector, with the orientation of the display simplifies presentation of images generated by an information handling system. A display orientation sensor detects the orientation of a display so that a display orientation module automatically adjusts the orientation of an image presented by the display to align with the display orientation. For example, display orientation is sensed by an accelerometer associated with the display or by determining the attachment point of the display to a support.

Claims

1. A display for presenting an output image on a display surface, the display having a display orientation, the display comprising:

a graphics system operable to format the output image for presentation at a display surface, the output image having an image orientation;

a display orientation sensor operable to detect the display orientation; and

a display orientation module interfaced with the graphics system and the display orientation sensor, the display orientation module operable to automatically adjust the image orientation according to the display orientation sensed by the display orientation sensor.

2. The display of claim 1 further comprising a display support operable to couple to the display at one or more attachment points, each attachment point associated with a display orientation and wherein the display orientation sensor comprises a sensor operable to detect coupling of display support at the one or more attachment points, the display orientation sensor determining the display orientation from the display orientation associated with an attachment point coupled to the display.

3. The display of claim 1 wherein the display orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer operable to determine the display orientation relative to gravitational acceleration and wherein the display orientation module adjusts the image orientation to have an upright appearance relative to gravitational acceleration.

4. The display of claim 3 wherein the display orientation module adjusts the image orientation by assuming a display surface aligned with gravitational acceleration and correcting for keystone at the display surface.

5. A display for displaying visual information communicated from a video source at a display surface, the display having a display orientation, the display comprising:

a graphics system operable to generate output images from the visual information and to format the output images for presentation at a display surface, the output images having an image orientation associated with the visual information;

a display orientation sensor operable to detect the display orientation; and

a display orientation module interfaced with the graphics system and the display orientation sensor, the display orientation module operable to generate automatic adjustments to the image orientation according to the display orientation sensed by the display orientation sensor, the display orientation module communicating the image orientation adjustments to the video source for adjusting the visual information.

6. The display claim 5 wherein the display orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer operable to determine a vertical axis and the display orientation module adjusts the image orientation to align with the vertical axis.

7. The display of claim 6 wherein the display orientation sensor adjusts the image orientation by sending an inversion request to the video source.

8. The display of claim 6 wherein the display orientation sensor adjusts the image orientation by sending a keystone correction to the video source.

9. A graphics system for generating images for presentation at a display, the display having a display orientation, the graphics system comprising:

an image processing module operable to generate visual information, the video information defining images having an image orientation;

a source device operable to couple to the display, to communicate the visual information to the display and to receive display orientation information from the display apparatus;

whereby the image processing module is operable to adjust the image orientation of the visual information to adjust the image orientation for the display orientation information received from the display.

10. The graphics system of claim 9 wherein the image processing module is integrated into the source device.

11. The graphics system of claim 9 wherein the display comprises a projector and the display orientation information comprises an image inversion signal.

12. A method for adjusting a display image orientation to a display orientation, the method comprising:

detecting a display orientation with a sensor associated with the display;

determining an image orientation aligned according to the detected display orientation; and

automatically presenting an image from the display at the determined image orientation.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein detecting a display orientation further comprises:

sensing a vertical axis with an accelerometer integrated with the display along a predetermined axis; and

determining the display orientation from the difference between the sensed vertical axis and the predetermined axis.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein detecting a display orientation further comprises sensing that a support device is coupled to an attachment point of the display, the attachment point associated with a predetermined display orientation.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined orientation comprises an inverted orientation.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the display device comprises a projector.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein detecting a display orientation further comprises:

detecting a position of the display relative to a display support; and

determining the display orientation from the difference between the position of the display relative to the display support and a predetermined axis associated with the display support.

18. A system for aligning an image orientation of an image presented by a display with a display orientation of the display, the system comprising:

a display orientation sensor associated with the display and operable to determine an orientation of the display; and

a display orientation module interfaced with the display orientation sensor and operable to automatically align the image presented by the display with the orientation of the display sensed by the display orientation sensor.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the display orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer integrated in the display, the accelerometer operable to determine an upright vertical axis, the display orientation module automatically aligning the image with the upright vertical axis.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the display orientation sensor comprises:

one or more actuators associated with a display support each actuator associated with a predetermined display orientation; and

one or more sensors associated with the display, the sensors arranged to align with actuators if the display support couples the display in the predetermined display orientation.