Adaptive Screen Interfaces Based on Viewing Distance

• US 20140225931A1
• Filed: 02/13/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Plagemann, Christian, Kauffmann, Alejandro
• Granted Patent: US 9,159,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting

Abstract

Voice commands and gesture recognition are two mechanisms by which an individual may interact with content such as that on a display. In an implementation, interactivity of a user with content on a device or display may be modified based on the distance between a user and the display. An attribute such as a user profile may be used to tailor the modification of the display to an individual user. In some configurations, the commands available to the user may also be modified based on the determined distance between the user and a device or display.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a distance between a user and a display;

based on the determined distance and an attribute, selecting a presentation style of content on the display; and

determining at least a portion of a plurality of commands to be available to the user based on at least one of the determined distance, the attribute, and the presentation style;

modifying at least a portion of the content on the display based on the presentation style of content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

user height, content context, a user profile, a user number, an environment, and a vantage point.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a median or average distance of at least one user from the display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of commands comprises a plurality of gestures.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the user as having primary control.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining one of a plurality of ranges based on the determined distance between the user and the display.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the one of the plurality of ranges based on at least one of user height, content context, a user profile, a user number, an environment, and a vantage point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a user position is determined using one or more cameras.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more cameras is co-located with the monitor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the distance exceeds a threshold distance.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising reducing or increasing the content on the display.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising reducing or increasing a number of gesture inputs available.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a scaling function for a display;

receiving content for the display;

determining a distance between a user and the display; and

modifying an output of the display based upon the determined distance and the scaling function.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the scaling function is based on a user preference.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting a user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user is detected by a technique selected from the group consisting of:

a facial recognition, a voice recognition, and a pattern recognition.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting a second user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the average distance from the display for each of the first user and the second user.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising assigning a gesture set available to the user based on at least one of the output of the display, the determined distance, the scaling function.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a command availability based on the determined distance.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising modifying the command availability based on the determined distance.

22. A system comprising:

a database, wherein the database stores a user preference;

a processor connected to the database, the processor configured to;

receive a scaling function for a display;

receive content for the display;

determine a distance between a user and the display; and

modify an output of the display based upon the determined distance and the scaling function.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the scaling function is based on a user preference.

24. The method of claim 22, the processor further configured to detect a user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the user is detected by a technique selected from the group consisting of:

a facial recognition, a voice recognition, and a pattern recognition.

26. The system of claim 22 the processor further configured to detect a second user.

27. The system of claim 26, the processor further configured to determine the average distance from the display for each of the first user and the second user.

28. The system of claim 22, the processor further configured to assign a gesture set available to the user based on at least one of the output of the display, the determined distance, the scaling function.

29. The system of claim 22, the processor further configured to determine a command availability based on the determined distance.

30. The system of claim 29, the processor further configured to modify the command availability based on the determined distance.