System and method utilizing motion input for manipulating a display of data

• US 6,567,101 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Keith C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/416,983
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 345/123, 345/126, 345/127, 345/684, 345/660, 345/667, 345/670, 345/671, 345/689
• US Class Current: 345/649
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 1/1694 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 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for manipulating a display of data by utilizing motion input. In an exemplary embodiment, a digital information appliance suitable for utilization of motion input and for display of data includes a detector for detecting rotation of the digital information appliance about an axis and a display device for displaying data. Wherein, a display of data is manipulated in response to the detected rotation. In an additional exemplary embodiment, a digital information appliance suitable for utilization of motion input and for display of data includes a detector for detecting translation of a digital information appliance along an axis and a display device for displaying data. Wherein, a display of data is at least one of enlarged and reduced in response to the detected translation. In a further exemplary embodiment, a digital information appliance, suitable for utilization of motion input and for display of data, includes a detector for detecting rotation of the digital information appliance about an axis and a display device for displaying data. A display of data is orientated on the display device with respect to an environment surrounding the digital information appliance. Wherein, the display of data is manipulated for viewing on the display device so as to keep the display of data orientated on the display device with respect to an environment. Therefore, the orientation of the display of data is not affected by the rotation of the digital information appliance about an axis.

Claims

1. A digital information appliance suitable for utilization of motion input and for display of data, comprising:

a housing;

a display device for displaying data, the display device disposed in the housing; and

a detector for detecting rotation of the digital information appliance about an axis;

wherein a display of data includes a display of a cursor suitable for movement across the display device in response to the detected rotation.

2. The digital information appliance as described in claim 1, wherein the detector includes at least one of an inclinometer, gravity sensor, positional sensor and accelerometer.

3. The digital information appliance as described in claim 1, wherein at least one axis extends through the digital information appliance.

4. The digital information appliance as described in claim 1, wherein the display of data includes at least one of text and graphics.

5. The digital information appliance as described in claim 1, further comprising a calibrator for calibrating an orientation of the digital information appliance with respect to at least one axis.

6. The digital information appliance as described in claim 5, wherein the calibrator is suitable for manual activation.

7. The digital information appliance as described in claim 1, wherein the display of data is scrolled in response to the detected rotation.

8. The digital information appliance as described in claim 7, wherein the display of data is scrolled in an amount on the display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

9. The digital information appliance as described in claim 7, wherein the display of data is scrolled at a rate on the display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

10. The digital information appliance as described in claim 1, wherein the display of the cursor is moved at a rate on the display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

11. The digital information appliance as described in claim 1, wherein the display of the cursor is moved in an amount on the display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

12. A method for manipulating a display of data on a digital information appliance, comprising;

rotating a digital information appliance about an axis;

detecting the rotation of the digital information appliance; and

manipulating a display of data including a cursor in response to the detected rotation in a manner corresponding to the detected rotation so that the cursor is moved in relation to the display of data.

13. The method as described in claim 12, wherein at least one axis extends through the digital information appliance.

14. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the data includes at least one of text and graphics.

15. The method as described in claim 12, further comprising calibrating an orientation of the digital information appliance with respect to at least one axis.

16. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the manipulating step includes scrolling the display of data in response to the detected rotation.

17. The method as described in claim 16, wherein the display of data is scrolled in an amount across a display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

18. The method as described in claim 16, wherein the display of data is scrolled at a rate on the display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

19. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the display of the cursor is moved in an amount on the display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

20. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the display of the cursor is moved at a rate on the display device proportional to an amount of detected rotation.

21. A digital information appliance suitable for utilization of motion input and for display of data, comprising:

a housing;

a display device for displaying data, the display device disposed in the housing; and

a detector for detecting translation of a digital information appliance along an axis from a first location to a second location;

wherein a display of data is at least one of enlarged and reduced in response to the detected translation so as to appear as a generally uniform size to a user viewing the display of data when the digital information appliance is in the second location as when the digital information appliance was in the first location.

22. The digital information appliance as described in claim 21, wherein the detector includes at least one of an inclinometer, gravity sensor, positional sensor and accelerometer.

23. The digital information appliance as described in claim 21, wherein at least one axis extends through the digital information appliance.

24. The digital information appliance as described in claim 21, wherein the display of data includes at least one of text and graphics.

25. The digital information appliance as described in claim 21, further comprising a calibrator for calibrating the distance of the digital information appliance from a point with respect to at least one axis.

26. The digital information appliance as described in claim 25, wherein the calibrator is suitable for manual activation.

27. The digital information appliance as described in claim 21, wherein the display of data is at least one of enlarged and reduced in an amount on the display device proportional to an amount of detected translation.

42. The digital information appliance as described in claim 21, wherein a portion of the digital information appliance is oriented at an angle from a user, the portion of the appliance further away from the user has a corresponding portion of the display manipulated accordingly so that the display of data appears as a generally uniform size to the user viewing the display.

28. A method for manipulating a display of data a digital information appliance, comprising;

translating a digital information appliance along an axis from a first location to a second location with respect to a user;

detecting the translation of the digital information appliance; and

manipulating a display of data in response to the detected translation

wherein the display of data is at least one of enlarged and reduced in response to the detected translation so that the display of data appears as a generally similar size at the second location as the first location with respect to the user.

29. The method as described in claim 28, wherein at least one axis extends through the digital information appliance.

30. The method as described in claim 28, wherein the display of data includes at least one of text and graphics.

31. The method as described in claim 28, further comprising calibrating the distance of the digital information appliance from a point with respect to at least one axis.

32. A digital information appliance suitable for utilization of motion input and for display of data, comprising:

a housing;

a display device for displaying data, the display device disposed in the housing;

a display of data orientated on the display device with respect to a point of reference; and

a detector for detecting rotation of the digital information appliance about an axis;

wherein when the digital information appliance is rotated about the axis, the display of data is manipulated for viewing on the display device so that the display of data appears generally oriented on the display device with respect to the point of reference so that the orientation of the display of data is not affected by rotation of the digital information appliance.

33. The digital information appliance as described in claim 32, wherein the detector includes at least one of an inclinometer, gravity sensor, positional sensor and accelerometer.

34. The digital information appliance as described in claim 32, wherein at least one axis extends perpendicularly through the digital information appliance.

35. The digital information appliance as described in claim 32, wherein the display of data includes at least one of text and graphics.

36. The digital information appliance as described in claim 32, further comprising a calibrator for calibrating an orientation of the digital information appliance with respect to at least one axis.

37. The digital information appliance as described in claim 36, wherein the calibrator is suitable for manual activation.

38. A method for manipulating a display of data on a digital information appliance, comprising;

displaying data on a digital information appliance orientated on a display device with respect to a point of reference;

rotating the digital information appliance about an axis;

detecting the rotation of the digital information appliance; and

manipulating a display of data in response to the detected rotation;

wherein the display of data is manipulated for viewing on the display device so as to keep the display of data orientated on the display device with respect to the point of reference so that the orientation of the display of data is not affected by the rotation of the digital information appliance about the axis.

39. The method as described in claim 38, wherein at least one axis extends through the digital information appliance.

40. The method as described in claim 38, wherein the data includes at least one of text and graphics.

41. The method as described in claim 40, further comprising calibrating an orientation of the digital information appliance with respect to at least one axis.

43. A method for manipulating a display of data on a digital information appliance, comprising;

rotating a digital information appliance about an axis;

detecting the rotation of the digital information appliance; and

manipulating a display of in response to the detected rotation in a manner corresponding to the detected rotation wherein a portion of the digital information appliance is oriented at an angle from a user, the portion of the appliance further away from the user has a corresponding portion of the display manipulated accordingly so that the display of data appears as a generally uniform size to the user viewing the display.

44. The method as described in claim 43, further comprising:

translating a digital information appliance along an axis from a first location to a second location with respect to a user;

detecting the translation of the digital information appliance; and

manipulating a display of data in response to the detected translation, wherein the display of data is at least one of enlarged and reduced in response to the detected translation so that the display of data appears as a generally similar size at the second location as the first location with respect to the user.