METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING A FLEXIBLE USER INTERFACE

• US 20120098863A1
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: ALMSTRAND, CRISTIAN, LARSEN, TONNI
• Application Number:
  US12/909,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098863A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/650
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating a flexible display for a user interface device is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes processing graphical icon information for the user interface device, wherein each graphical icon corresponds with at least one operation on the user interface device, coupling the graphical icon information with gravity information, wherein the each graphical icon maps to at least one gravitational attribute, wherein the at least one gravitational attribute corresponds with motion of the graphical icon relative to the user interface device and in response to an orientation change of the user interface device, generating the each graphical icon at a position determined by the at least one gravitational attribute.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a flexible display for a user interface device, comprising:

processing graphical icon information for the user interface device, wherein each graphical icon corresponds with at least one operation on the user interface device;

coupling the graphical icon information with gravity information, wherein the each graphical icon maps to at least one gravitational attribute, wherein the at least one gravitational attribute corresponds with motion of the graphical icon relative to the user interface device; and

in response to an orientation change of the user interface device, generating the each graphical icon at a position determined by the at least one gravitational attribute.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the each graphical icon further comprises loading the each graphical icon at an initial position based on an initial orientation of the user interface device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the orientation change is caused by movement of the user interface device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface device remotely controls a computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface device is substantially circular in shape.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the each graphical icon further comprising rotating a screen configuration comprising the each graphical icon in response to an opposing rotation of the user interface device, wherein the screen configuration faces a user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the screen configuration rotates less than ninety degrees.

8. An apparatus for providing a flexible display for a user interface device, comprising:

an display module for processing graphical icon information for the user interface device, wherein each graphical icon corresponds with at least one operation on the user interface device, coupling the graphical icon information with gravity information, wherein the each graphical icon maps to at least one gravitational attribute, wherein the at least one gravitational attribute corresponds with motion of the graphical icon relative to the user interface device and in response to an orientation change of the user interface device, generating the each graphical icon at a position determined by the at least one gravitational attribute.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising an accelerometer for providing orientation information associated with a screen configuration that comprises the each graphical icon.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display module generates the each graphical icon further comprises loading the each graphical icon at an initial position based on an initial orientation of the user interface device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the orientation change is caused by movement of the user interface device.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user interface device remotely controls a computing device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a display of the user interface device is substantially circular in shape.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein generating the each graphical icon further comprising rotating a screen configuration comprising the each graphical icon in response to an opposing rotation of the user interface device, wherein the screen configuration faces a user.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the screen configuration is rotated less than ninety degrees.

16. A computer readable storage medium comprising one or more processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

processing graphical icon information for the user interface device, wherein each graphical icon corresponds with at least one operation on the user interface device;

coupling the graphical icon information with gravity information, wherein the each graphical icon maps to at least one gravitational attribute, wherein the at least one gravitational attribute corresponds with a motion of the graphical icon relative to an orientation of the user interface device; and

in response to an orientation change of the user interface device, generating the each graphical icon at a position determined by the at least one gravitational attribute.

17. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more processor executable instructions perform the method further comprising:

loading the each graphical icon at an initial position based on an initial orientation of the user interface device.

18. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more processor executable instructions perform the method further comprising:

controlling functionality of a computing device using a screen configuration comprising the each graphical icon.

19. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more processor executable instructions perform the method further comprising:

rotating a screen configuration comprising the each graphical icon in response to an opposing rotation of the user interface device, wherein the screen configuration faces a user.

20. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more processor executable instructions perform the method further comprising:

rotating the screen configuration less than ninety degrees.