Portable display with improved functionality

• US 20080122785A1
• Filed: 11/25/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Harmon, John Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/604,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122785A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• 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 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A method for improving display functionality comprising: (A) detecting movement of a portable display over a physical area by using a motion detector; (B) obtaining a set of data related to the physical area by using an image device; (C) processing the set of data related to the physical area; and (D) displaying the set of data related to the physical area on the portable display, wherein a mode of display is based on a mode of movement of the portable display.

Claims

1. A method for improving display functionality, comprising:

(A) detecting movement of a portable display over a physical area;

(B) obtaining a set of data related to said physical area;

(C) processing said set of data related to said physical area;

and

(D) displaying said set of data related to said physical area on said portable display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (A) further comprises:

(A1) using a motion detector to detect movement of said portable display over said physical area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (A) further comprises:

(A2) using a pattern recognition device to detect movement of said portable display over said physical area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (A) further comprises:

(A3) selecting said physical area from the group consisting of;

{1D physical area;

2D physical area;

3D physical area;

2D physical area perpendicular to the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field; and

2D physical area parallel with the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field}.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (A) further comprises:

(A4) selecting said portable display from the group consisting of;

{a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) display;

a laptop display;

a digital watch display;

a cell phone display;

a blackberry-type data device display;

a digital camera display; and

a digital camcorder display}.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said step (A1) further comprises:

(A1,

     1) selecting said motion detector from the group consisting of;

{an accelerometer;

a compass;

a gyroscope; and

an inertial navigation device}.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said step (A2) further comprises:

(A2,

     1) selecting said pattern recognition device from the group consisting of;

{a digital camera;

a digital camcorder; and

an optical mouse}.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (B) further comprises:

(B1) obtaining a set of images of objects located in said physical area by using an image device attached to said portable display;

wherein said image device is selected from the group consisting of;

{a digital camera; and

a digital camcorder}.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (B) further comprises:

(B2) obtaining a set of data from a database, wherein said set of data from said database is related to said physical area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor, a memory, and a local database;

and wherein said step (B2) further comprises;

(B2,

     1) programming said processor to select and extract from said local database a set of data related to said physical area.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor and a memory, wherein said computer includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a remote database by using a wireless link, and wherein said step (B2) further comprises:

(B2,

     2) programming said processor to communicate with said remote database by using said wireless transceiver and to select and extract from said remote database a set of data related to said physical area.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor and a memory, and wherein said step (C) further comprises:

(C1) processing a set of images related to said physical area.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor, a memory, and a local database;

and wherein said step (C) further comprises;

(C2) processing a set of data obtained from said local database;

and

(C3) mapping said set of data obtained from said local database to said physical area.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

(C4) superimposing said set of data obtained from said local database and mapped to said physical area on said set of images of said physical area.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor and a memory, wherein said computer includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a remote database by using a wireless link, and wherein said step (C) further comprises:

(C5) processing a set of data obtained from said remote database;

and

(C6) mapping said set of data obtained from said remote database to said physical area.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

(C7) superimposing said set of data obtained from said remote database on said set of images of said physical area.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (D) further comprises:

(D1) selecting said portable display from the group consisting of;

{a time display;

a 1D display;

a 2D display;

a 3D display;

a (1D+time) display;

a 1D+time) display; and

a (3D+time) display}.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (D) further comprises:

(D2) selecting a mode of display by selecting a mode of movement of said portable display.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step (D2) further comprises:

(D2,

     1) moving said portable display in the plane perpendicular to the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field, wherein said portable display displays a set of images related to said physical area.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said step (D2) further comprises:

(D2,

     2) moving said portable display in the plane parallel with the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field, wherein said portable display displays a superimposition of a set of data obtained from said database on a set of images of said physical area.

21. A method of viewing selected portions of an image, comprising:

(A) providing an image to be viewed;

(B) providing a display device configured to view at least a part of said image;

(C) providing a motion detector in said display device;

and

(D) providing a processor for interpreting position change detected by said motion detector to access a different part of the displayed view of said image.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step (D) further comprises:

(D1) mapping a set of scale factors to a set of reference points in a displayed view of said image;

and

(D2) accessing a particular part of said displayed view of said image according to a scale factor mapped to said particular reference point on said image.

23. An apparatus for improving display functionality comprising:

(A) a means for determining position coordinates of said apparatus within a physical area;

(B) a means for detecting movement of a portable display over said physical area;

(C) a means for obtaining a set of data related to said physical area;

(D) a means for processing said set of data related to said physical area;

and

(E) a means for displaying said set of data related to said physical area.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (A) for determining position coordinates of said apparatus within said physical area further comprises:

a means for selecting said physical area from the group consisting of;

{1D physical area;

2D physical area;

3D physical area;

2D physical area perpendicular to the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field; and

2D physical area parallel with the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field}.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (A) for determining position coordinates of said apparatus within said physical area further comprises:

a position determination device configured to determine position coordinates of said apparatus within said physical area.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (B) for detecting movement of said portable display over said physical area further comprises:

a motion detector configured to detect movement of said portable display over said physical area.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said motion detector further comprises:

a motion detector selected from the group consisting of;

{an accelerometer;

a compass;

a gyroscope; and

an inertial navigation device}.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (B) for detecting movement of said portable display over said physical area further comprises:

a pattern recognition device configured to detect movement of said portable digital over said physical area.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said pattern recognition device further comprises:

a pattern recognition device selected from the group consisting of;

{a digital camera;

a digital camcorder; and

an optical mouse}.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (C) for obtaining said set of data related to said physical area further comprises:

an image device attached to said portable display;

wherein said image device is selected from the group consisting of;

{a digital camera; and

a digital camcorder}.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (C) for obtaining said set of data related to said physical area further comprises:

a database.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor and a memory, and wherein said database further comprises:

a local database;

wherein said processor is programmed to select and extract from said local database a set of data related to said physical area.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor and a memory, and wherein said database further comprises:

a remote database; and

wherein said computer further includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with said remote database by using a wireless link; and

wherein said processor is programmed to select and extract from said remote database a set of data related to said physical area.

34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor and a memory, and wherein said means (D) for processing said set of data related to said physical area further comprises:

said processor configured to process a set of images related to said physical area.

35. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor, a memory, and a local database;

and wherein said means (D) for processing said set of data related to said physical area further comprises;

said processor configured to superimpose a set of data obtained from said local database and related to physical area on said set of images of said physical area.

36. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said portable display is attached to a computer having a processor and a memory, wherein said computer includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a remote database by using a wireless link, and wherein said means (D) for processing said set of data related to said physical area further comprises:

said processor configured to superimpose a set of data obtained from said remote database and related to physical area on said set of images of said physical area.

37. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (E) further comprises:

a means for selecting said portable display from the group consisting of;

{a time display;

a 1D display;

a 2D display;

a 3D display;

a (1D+time) display;

a (2D+time) display; and

a (3D+time) display}.

38. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means (E) further comprises:

a switching means configured to switch a mode of display based on a mode of movement of said portable display;

said switching means including the following algorithm comprising at least the following steps;

if said portable display moves in the plane perpendicular to the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field, said portable display displays a set of images related to said physical area;

if said portable display moves in the plane parallel with the Earth'"'"'s gravitational field, said portable display displays a superimposition of a set of data obtained from said remote or said local database on a set of images of said physical area.

39. An apparatus for displaying selected portions of an image, comprising:

(A) an image display device configured to view at least a part of said image;

(B) an image memory configured to store an image;

(C) a relative position motion detector configured for determining movements of said display device;

and

(D) a processor configured to interpret relative position changes n said display device to control a viewing point in said mage, relative to a reference point on said image.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising:

(E) a database of scale-factors including a set of scale factors mapped to a set of reference points in a displayed view of said image;

wherein said processor provides an access to a particular part of said displayed view of said image according to a scale factor in said database of scale-factors.

41. An apparatus for improving display functionality comprising:

a display device coupled with a bus, said display device configured to display a first portion of accessed data;

a memory coupled with said bus;

a motion detector coupled with said bus for sensing movement of said apparatus along a plane of motion;

and

a processor coupled with said bus, said processor causing said display device to display a second portion of accessed data in response to receiving an indication of movement from said motion detector.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said motion detector is selected from the group consisting of:

{an accelerometer;

a compass;

a gyroscope; and

an inertial navigation device}.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said motion detector is configured to determine a vector between a first location of said apparatus and a second location of said apparatus and wherein said processor determines said second portion of said accessed data based upon said determining of said vector.

44. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising:

a position determining component coupled with said bus for determining a first geographic position of said apparatus.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said processor determines a second geographic position of said apparatus based upon said vector and said first geographic position.