Methods and Systems for Determining Orientation of a Display of Content on a Device

• US 20140320536A1
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mok, Vinson, Vasquez, Juan
• Application Number:
  US13/356,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/659
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

Methods and systems for device orientation are described. A display of content on a device may be re-orientated when a device orientation changes. A font of a text or an aspect ratio of a picture displayed on the device may be changed when a device orientation changes to provide a user with an enhanced view. Re-orientation of display of content may not always be desirable. When the device is resting on a horizontal surface or the user is riding in a car, an orientation sensor in the device may trigger the device to re-orientate the display of content without the user desiring or initiating the re-orientation. Within examples herein, re-orientating the display of content on the device when a change in a contact with a perimeter of the device is determined may provide an enhanced experience to the user and may provide optimal device power utilization.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor, that a change in a contact with a perimeter of a device exceeds a predetermined contact change threshold, wherein the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeding the predetermined contact change threshold indicates that a change in orientation of the device may have occurred;

causing, in response to determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold, a sensor coupled to the device to switch from a disabled state to an enabled state, wherein the processor is configured to receive, while the sensor is in the enabled state, information associated with a current orientation of the device;

receiving the information associated with the current orientation of the device;

outputting, at a display operatively coupled to the device, content oriented based on the current orientation of the device; and

causing the sensor to switch back to the disabled state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold comprises receiving information associated with a capacitance associated with a housing of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold comprises receiving information associated with a resistance associated with a housing of the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold comprises receiving information associated with a tactile sensor coupled to a housing of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold comprises receiving information associated with a tactile sensor, wherein a housing of the device includes the tactile sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold comprises receiving information associated with a grip pressure on the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold comprises receiving information associated with a thermal distribution on the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold comprises receiving information associated with a proximity sensor coupled to the device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuously receiving information associated with the contact with the perimeter of the device; and

determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device has occurred.

9-10. -10. (canceled)

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

determine that a change in a contact with a perimeter of a device exceeds a predetermined contact change threshold, wherein the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeding the predetermined contact change threshold indicates that a change in orientation of the device may have occurred;

cause, in response to determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold, a sensor coupled to the device to switch from a disabled state to an enabled state, wherein the computing device is configured to receive, while the sensor is in the enabled state, information associated with a current orientation of the device;

receive the information associated with the current orientation of the device;

output, at a display operatively coupled to the device, content oriented based on the current orientation of the device; and

cause the sensor to switch back to the disabled state.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions executable by the computing device further comprise instructions to cause the computing device to receive given information indicating the change in the contact, wherein the given information is indicative of at least one of the following:

a capacitance associated with a housing of the device;

a resistance associated with the housing of the device;

a tactile sensor coupled to the housing of the device;

a grip pressure on the device;

a thermal distribution on the device; and

a proximity sensor coupled to the device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions executable by the computing device further comprise instructions to cause the computing device to:

continuously receive information associated with the contact with the perimeter of the device; and

determine that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device has occurred.

15. (canceled)

16. A device, comprising:

a processor;

a sensor;

a display; and

a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause the processor to;

determine that a change in a contact with a perimeter of the device exceeds a predetermined contact change threshold, wherein the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeding the predetermined contact change threshold indicates that a change in orientation of the device may have occurred;

cause, in response to determining that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device exceeds the predetermined contact change threshold, the sensor to switch from a disabled state to an enabled state, wherein the processor is configured to receive, while the sensor is in the enabled state, information associated with a current orientation of the device;

receive the information associated with the current orientation of the device;

output, at a display operatively coupled to the device, content oriented based on the current orientation of the device; and

cause the sensor to switch back to the disabled state.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive given information indicating the change in the contact, wherein the given information is indicative of at least one of the following:

a capacitance associated with a housing of the device;

a resistance associated with the housing of the device;

a tactile sensor coupled to the housing of the device;

a grip pressure on the device;

a thermal distribution on the device; and

a proximity sensor coupled to the device.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

continuously receive information associated with the contact with the perimeter of the device; and

determine that the change in the contact with the perimeter of the device has occurred.

18-19. -19. (canceled)