METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING VIEWING ANGLE OF SCREEN

• US 20090167737A1
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Hsi-Kun, Wang, Hui-Wen, Chen, Chi-Nien, Chen, Chao-Yi
• Granted Patent: US 9,361,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/028 by changing the viewing angle properties, e.g. widening the viewing angle, adapting the viewing angle to the view direction
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/068 for control of viewing angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen are provided. The method is suitable for dynamically adjusting a viewing range of a screen of a handheld electronic device, wherein the viewing angle of the screen is adjustable. The method is as follows. First, a shifting value of a target deviating from the viewing range of the screen is detected by a sensor. Next, the viewing range of the screen is dynamically adjusted according to the shifting value, so as to cover the target within the viewing range of the screen. Accordingly, the snooping for the content of a frame displayed on the screen by others can be prevented and a user can view the frame displayed on the screen more conveniently.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen, for dynamically adjusting a viewing range of a screen of a handheld electronic apparatus, wherein the viewing angle of the screen is adjustable, the method comprising:

detecting a shifting value of a target deviating from the viewing range of the screen via a sensor; and

dynamically adjusting the viewing range of the screen according to the shifting value, so as to cover the target within the viewing range of the screen.

2. The method for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the viewing range of the screen according to the shifting value, so as to cover the target within the viewing range of the screen comprises:

dynamically transforming liquid crystal material of the screen according to the shifting value, so as to shield the light emitted from a backlight source of the screen to an area out of the adjusted viewing range.

3. The method for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the shifting value of the target deviating from the viewing range of the screen via the sensor comprises:

detecting a tilting angle of the screen during normal utilization via a G sensor, so as to determine a reference plane; and

detecting a shifting value of a present plane of the screen deviating from the reference plane via the G sensor, so as to determine the shifting value of the target deviating from the viewing range of the screen.

4. The method for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the shifting value of the target deviating from the viewing range of the screen via the sensor comprises:

capturing an image displayed on the screen while the target views the screen via an image sensor; and

determining the shifting value of the target deviating from the viewing range of the screen according to a position of the target in the image.

5. The method for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein after the step of detecting the shifting value of the target deviating from the viewing range of the screen via the sensor, the method further comprises:

adjusting a position and an angle of the screen via a screen position adjuster of the handheld electronic apparatus according to the shifting value, so as to guide the screen facing to the target;

detecting a shifting value of the target deviating from the viewing range of the adjusted screen via the sensor again; and

dynamically adjusting the viewing range of the screen according to the shifting value, so as to cover the target within the viewing range of the screen.

6. An apparatus for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen, comprising:

a screen having an adjustable viewing angle;

a sensor, for detecting a shifting value of a region where a target is located deviating from a viewing range of the screen; and

a control unit, for dynamically adjusting the viewing range of the screen according to the shifting value, so as to cover the region where the target is located within the viewing range of the screen.

7. The apparatus for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a G sensor for detecting the shifting value of a present plane of the screen deviating from a reference plane of the screen during normal utilization.

8. The apparatus for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor for capturing an image displayed on the screen while the target views the screen, and the shifting value of the target deviating from the viewing range of the screen is determined according to a position of the target in the image.

9. The apparatus for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 6, wherein material of the screen comprises liquid crystal material for being transformed according to the shift value, so as to shield the light emitted from a backlight source of the screen to an area out of the adjusted viewing range.

10. The apparatus for dynamically adjusting a viewing angle of a screen as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a screen position adjuster, for adjusting a position and an angle of the screen according to the shifting value, so as to guide the screen facing to the target.