Methods and apparatus for accessing peripheral content

• US 20120249424A1
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Lee, Vincent, Bove, Victor Michael, Alfaro, Santiago
• Granted Patent: US 9,597,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera

Abstract

In exemplary implementations of this invention, a main content feed is displayed on a main screen. A user may select one or more auxiliary feeds of content to display simultaneously on a second screen. The second screen is located on a handheld device. The user makes the selection by changing the orientation of the handheld device relative to the main screen. For example, the user may select which auxiliary feed to display by pointing the device at different areas that are around the periphery of the main screen. The handheld device includes one or more sensors for gathering data, and one or more processors for (a) processing the sensor data to calculate the orientation of the handheld device relative to the main screen and (b) based at least in part on that orientation, selecting which of the auxiliary feeds to display.

Claims

1. A method comprising, in combination:

using one or more sensors to gather sensor data,

using one or more computer processors

to process the sensor data to make an estimation of an orientation of a handheld device relative to a first display screen that is remote from the handheld device (or of a pattern of change of that orientation), and

to select (based at least in part on that estimation) one or more particular channels of content, and

visually displaying the one or more particular channels on a second screen, which second screen is part of the handheld device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of audibly outputting at least one of the particular channels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the particular channels comprises a television channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the sensor data is inertial data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the sensor data is magnetometer data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more gyroscopes, accelerometers or IMUs.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors also include a camera.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the first display screen to visually display a first channel of content, which first channel is different than the particular channels.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of audibly outputting the first channel.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first channel comprises a television channel and at least one of the particular channels comprises a different television channel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein different orientations of the handheld device relative to the first display screen correspond to selections of different channels, respectively, out of the particular channels.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the different orientations is along a line that intersects a different area, respectively, and each of the different areas is located adjacent to the perimeter of the first display screen.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the particular channels, respectively, displays a different viewing angle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein

at least a subset of the particular channels each display a different portion of a specific scene, which specific scene is (or would be, if real) visible from a single vantage point that is the same for all of the subset,

the different portions of the specific scene are each at a different viewing angle from the vantage point, and

the different portions of the specific scene may overlap in part.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein different orientations of the handheld device relative to a person holding the handheld device (or relative to a point at which the person is located) correspond to different viewing angles relative to the vantage point.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the computer processors modifies an image from a feed to change a viewing angle or other apparent geometric property of the image.

17. A method comprising, in combination:

accepting input that is indicative of a selection by a human, the selection being of one or more particular channels of content, and

visually displaying the one or more particular channels in a first area and simultaneously visually displaying an additional channel of content in a second area,

wherein

the first area is different than the second area,

the second area is remote from a handheld device,

the handheld device has an orientation relative to the second area, which orientation may change, and

the selection is indicated by that orientation or by a pattern of change in that orientation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more particular channels are visually projected onto the first area and the first area is remote from the handheld device.

19. A handheld device comprising, in combination:

a first display screen, and

one or more processors adapted (or means for communicating with one or processors adapted);

to accept sensor data indicative of measurements gathered by one or more sensors,

to analyze the sensor data to make a calculation of an orientation of the handheld device relative to a second display screen, which second display screen is remote from the handheld device, and

to select (based at least in part on the calculation) one or more channels of content to display on the first display screen.

20. The handheld device of claim 19, wherein at least one of the sensors is part of the handheld device.