CONTROLLING IMAGES AT MOBILE DEVICES USING SENSORS

• US 20130229406A1
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Elyada, Oded, Merin, Guy Asi, Ben-Dor, Karen Rachel Master, Diamant, Adi
• Granted Patent: US 9,785,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 3/0487 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Controlling images at mobile devices using sensors is described, for example, for interactive advertisements which respond to sensor readings at a mobile computing device. In various embodiments images are displayed at a mobile computing device according to sensor readings observed at the device and before user input is received at the images. For example, different regions of an image depicting a panorama are displayed as a mobile device is panned around or tilted. In another example images of an object in different orientations are presented as a mobile device is tilted in order to display the object as rotating. In various examples the images are displayed as part of a web page by using a template in the web page to control the display of images according to sensor readings. In various examples sensor readings are used to report user engagement with advertisements.

Claims

1. A method of controlling at least one image at a mobile computing device comprising:

displaying a web page at the mobile computing device, the web page having a template for displaying at least a first image;

receiving readings from sensors integral with the device;

displaying the image at the web page according to the sensor readings, according to criteria in the template and before user input is received at the displayed image.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising displaying the image at the web page by revealing different regions of the image according to changes in the sensor readings.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the image depicts a panorama and different regions of the panorama are revealed according to changes in sensor readings that indicate a change in orientation of the mobile computing device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the image depicts a scene and different regions of the scene are revealed as if under a spotlight according to changes in sensor readings that indicate a change in orientation of the mobile computing device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using the criteria in the template to select one of a plurality of images to display at the web page according to the sensor readings.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of the plurality of images depicts the same object in a different orientation and wherein the criteria in the template specify that the images are selected for display according to sensor readings that indicate a change in orientation of the mobile device such that in use, a user is able to view different orientations of the object by changing the orientation of the device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using the template to display at least part of a second image as a layer over the first image, and displaying relative motion between the first and second images according to the sensor readings such that in use, the second image appears at a different depth with respect to the first image.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using the template to render the image from a 3D object model and using the sensor readings to change a camera viewpoint of the rendered image.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using the template to rotate all or part of the image on the basis of sensor readings which indicate a change in orientation of the device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using the template to display at least part of a second image as a layer over the first image, and displaying relative motion between the first and second images according to the sensor readings such that in use, a user is able to aim an element depicted in the second image onto part of a scene depicted in the first image.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using the template to display a plurality of images each depicting a particle and using the template to control a displayed motion of each particle according to the sensor readings.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using the template to render the image such that it depicts a texture which flows according to the sensor readings.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising calculating at least one engagement indicator from the sensor readings and according to the template by calculating a number of times that assets of the template are displayed, assets of the template being images for display by the template.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensor readings comprise a geographical location of the mobile computing device and displaying the image at the web page comprises displaying an indicator of a direction.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensor readings comprise light sensor readings and displaying the image at the web page comprises using the template to adjust intensity levels in the image such that in use, an object depicted in the image is lit by different amounts according to the ambient light indicated by the light sensor readings.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensor readings comprise touch screen input and displaying the image at the web page comprises using the template to change the opacity of regions in the image according to the touch screen input such that in use, a user is able to scratch an opaque image to reveal detail as if scratching a lottery card.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensor readings comprise microphone readings and displaying the image at the web page comprises using the template to change animation of an avatar.

18. A method of controlling at least one image at a mobile computing device comprising:

displaying a web page at the mobile computing device, the web page having a template for displaying an advertisement comprising at least a first image;

receiving readings from sensors integral with the device;

displaying the advertisement at the web page according to the sensor readings, according to criteria in the template and before user input is received at the displayed image;

sending the sensor readings to another entity as measures of engagement of a user with the advertisement.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 comprising filtering and smoothing the sensor readings before using them to control display of the advertisement.

20. A mobile computing device comprising:

a processor having a web browser arranged to display a web page at the mobile computing device, the web page having a template for displaying an advertisement having at least a first image;

at least one sensor integral with the device;

a display screen;

the processor being arranged to display the image at the web page on the display screen according to the readings from the at least one sensor, according to criteria in the template and before user input is received at the displayed image.