Tilt direction detector for orienting display information

• US 8,102,458 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kaneda, Hideo, Ishiwata, Takehito
• Primary Examiner(s): Misleh, Justin P
• Application Number:
  US11/905,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20080036876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters

Abstract

An electronic apparatus having a display function is able to alter the orientation of an image displayed on a display means for displaying images between a first orientation and a second orientation different from the first orientation. A plurality of operating means are provided at positions symmetrical between disposal positions which take the first orientation as a standard orientation and disposal positions which take the second orientation as a standard orientation.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus having a display function, the apparatus comprising:

a rectangular display unit;

a touch sensor which is located on the rectangular display unit;

a tilt sensor which detects a direction of a tilt of the electronic apparatus;

a processor that runs an electronic application in response to a user selection of an icon corresponding to the application, and controls an orientation of displayed information of the application based on the tilt direction of the electronic apparatus;

an operation unit disposed on a line which is perpendicular to a short side of the rectangular display unit and starts and ends in a middle of the short side of the rectangular display unit; and

a camera unit, wherein

the processor starts an automatic screen direction adjustment process routine as a result of the application being run in response to the user selection of the icon corresponding to the application, and controls the orientation of the displayed information of the application in accordance with the automatic screen direction adjustment process routine.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the rectangular display unit to display a plurality of icons or a menu.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor enlarges the displayed information based on a user input on the touch sensor.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor scrolls up and down the displayed information based on a user input on the touch sensor.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor starts the automatic screen direction adjustment process routine only after one of a plurality of applications is run.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor runs one of a schedule application and an address list application in response to the user selection of the icon corresponding to the application.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the rectangular display unit to display a plurality of icons in a grid pattern.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the orientation of the displayed information of the application in real time.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the rectangular display unit to display a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of applications, and runs the application in response to a user selection of one of the plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of applications.

10. A method of adaptive display and organization of information on an electronic apparatus including a camera based on a tilt direction of the electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying an icon corresponding to an electronic application on a rectangular display unit;

receiving a user selection of the icon corresponding to the application via a touch sensor, which is located on the rectangular display unit;

running the application corresponding to the icon, in response to the user selection of the icon;

detecting the tilt direction of the electronic apparatus by a tilt sensor;

starting an automatic screen direction adjustment process routine as a result of the application being run in response to the user selection of the icon corresponding to the application; and

controlling an orientation of displayed information of the application based on the tilt direction of the electronic apparatus, and in accordance with the automatic screen direction adjustment process routine, by a processor.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

controlling, by the processor, the rectangular display unit to display a plurality of icons or a menu.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

controlling, by the processor, the rectangular display unit to enlarge the displayed information based on a user input on the touch sensor.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

controlling, by the processor, the rectangular display unit to scroll up and down the displayed information based on a user input on the touch sensor.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the starting step comprises starting the automatic screen direction adjustment process routine only after one of a plurality of applications is run.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the display step comprises displaying a plurality icons corresponding to a plurality of applications;

and

the receiving step comprises receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of applications.

16. An electronic apparatus having a display function, the apparatus comprising:

a rectangular display unit;

a touch sensor which is located on the rectangular display unit;

a tilt sensor configured to detect a direction of a tilt of the electronic apparatus;

a processor configured to run an electronic application based on a user selection of an icon corresponding to the application, and to control an orientation of displayed information of the application based on the detected tilt direction of the electronic apparatus; and

a camera unit, wherein

the processor is configured to start an automatic screen direction adjustment process routine when the application is run based on the user selection of the icon corresponding to the application, and to control the orientation of the displayed information of the application in accordance with the automatic screen direction adjustment process routine.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to control the rectangular display unit to display a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of applications, and to run the application based on a user selection of one of the plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of applications.