SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSITIONING BETWEEN INTERFACE MODES IN VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS

• US 20120086728A1
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aria Glassworks, Inc. (Dropbox, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aria Glassworks, Inc. (Dropbox, Inc.)
• Inventors: MCARDLE, TERRENCE EDWARD, NEWHOUSE, BENJAMIN ZEIS
• Granted Patent: US 8,907,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

One preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method for transitioning a user interface between viewing modes. The method of the preferred embodiment can include detecting an orientation of a mobile terminal including a user interface disposed on a first side of the mobile terminal, wherein the orientation of the mobile terminal includes an imaginary vector originating at a second side of the mobile terminal and projecting in a direction substantially opposite the first side of the mobile terminal. The method of the preferred embodiment can also include transitioning between at least two viewing modes in response to the imaginary vector intersecting an imaginary sphere disposed about the mobile terminal at a first latitudinal point having a predetermined relationship to a critical latitude of the sphere.

Claims

1. A method for transitioning a user interface between operational modes comprising:

detecting an orientation of a user interface, wherein the orientation of the user interface comprises an imaginary vector originating at the user interface and intersecting a surface of an imaginary sphere disposed about the user interface;

rendering a first view in the user interface in response to the imaginary vector intersecting the surface at a first latitudinal position; and

rendering a second view in the user interface in response to the imaginary vector intersecting the surface at a second latitudinal position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a location of the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting an orientation comprises detecting a pitch value, detecting a roll value, and detecting a yaw value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first view comprises one of a virtual reality view or an augmented reality view.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the augmented reality view is superimposed on an image of real space.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the image of real space comprises an image rendered by a camera connected to the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second view comprises a user control view.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first latitudinal position is relatively higher than the second latitudinal position.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the second latitudinal position comprises a value less than or equal to one of a predetermined pitch value or a predetermined roll value.

10. A method for transitioning a user interface between viewing modes comprising:

detecting an orientation of a mobile terminal having a user interface disposed on a first side of the mobile terminal, wherein the orientation of the mobile terminal includes an imaginary vector originating at a second side of the mobile terminal and projecting in a direction substantially opposite the first side of the mobile terminal; and

transitioning between at least two viewing modes in response to the imaginary vector intersecting an imaginary sphere disposed about the mobile terminal at a first latitudinal point having a predetermined relationship to a critical latitude of the sphere.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of determining a location of the mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting an orientation comprises detecting a pitch value, detecting a roll value, and detecting a yaw value.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least two viewing modes comprise a control mode and a reality mode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reality mode comprises one of a virtual reality mode or an augmented reality mode.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the critical latitude corresponds to a predetermined pitch range, a predetermined yaw range, and a predetermined roll range.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined pitch range is more than approximately forty-five degrees below the azimuth.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined yaw range is between zero and one hundred eighty degrees about an imaginary line substantially perpendicular to the imaginary vector.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined roll range is more than approximately forty-five degrees below the azimuth.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface having a display on which at least two viewing modes are visible to a user;

an orientation module configured to determine a three-dimensional orientation of the user interface, wherein the three dimensional orientation includes an imaginary vector originating at the apparatus and intersecting a surface of an imaginary sphere disposed about the apparatus; and

a processor connected to the user interface and the orientation module and adapted to manage a transition between the at least two viewing modes in response to the imaginary vector intersecting the imaginary sphere at a first latitudinal point having a predetermined relationship to a critical latitude of the sphere.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a location module configured to determine a location of the apparatus.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the location module comprises a GPS transceiver.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the orientation module comprises an inertial measurement unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the inertial measurement unit comprises one of a three-axis magnetometer, a three-axis accelerometer, or a three-axis gyroscope.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least two viewing modes comprise a control mode and a reality mode.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the reality mode comprises one of a virtual reality mode or an augmented reality mode.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the critical latitude corresponds to a predetermined pitch range, a predetermined yaw range, and a predetermined roll range.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the predetermined pitch range is more than approximately forty-five degrees below the azimuth.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the predetermined yaw range is between zero and one hundred eighty degrees about an imaginary line substantially perpendicular to the imaginary vector.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the predetermined roll range is more than approximately forty-five degrees below the azimuth.