Display method and system for stimulating the blinking of the eyes of a user by subliminal modification of display parameters

• US 8,188,990 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Zamorsky, Maximilian, Hartenau, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US11/569,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,923 Days
• Field of Search: 345/204, 345589-605, 345/690, 345/691, 345/4, 345/6, 345/7, 345/9
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 5/00 Exercisers for the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/12 using special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

In a method for displaying visual information (9) on a display surface (3, 13, 20, 21), a display parameter (P) is modified, at trigger intervals, in at least one region of the display surface (3, 13) for a subliminal period of time. The display parameter (P) is preferably selected from the brightness, color, illumination, contrast, focus, frequency or connection/disconnection of the display. By said measure, a viewer of the display surface (3) is prompted to perform a blinking movement which leads to the moistening of the eye with tear fluid and thereby prevents eye irritation without the viewer consciously perceiving the externally controlled blinking.

Claims

1. A method for displaying visual information on a display surface, wherein a display parameter is modified, at trigger intervals, in at least one region of the display surface for a subliminal period of time, several superimposed display levels including an uppermost display level being shown on the display surface, with a transparent region being provided as the uppermost display level in the at least one region of the display surface, which transparent region is switched, for the subliminal period of time, into a mode which is not entirely transparent according to the display parameter, wherein at least some of the display levels are shown in display windows and the transparent region is placed over at least one area of the visual information, wherein the display windows can be shown on the display surface and one of the display windows is selectable as an active display window acted upon by user inputs, wherein the display parameter is modified in the active window and in the transparent region.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transparent region includes a transparent window placed over at least one area of the visual information, wherein the transparent window is switched, for the subliminal period of time, into a mode which is not entirely transparent according to the display parameter.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the active window is separate from the uppermost display level.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the several superimposed display windows can be shown on the display surface, wherein the modification of the region of the display surface is effected by means of a window faded in for the subliminal period of time and exhibiting display properties which have been predetermined by the display parameter.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display parameter is selected from a group consisting of the brightness, color, illumination, contrast, focus, frequency and connection/disconnection of the display.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subliminal period of time is adjustable.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display parameter is modified in at least one region of the display surface for an optionally adjustable supraliminal period of time.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger interval is adjustable to at least one of a value and a value profile by at least one of a user and a random generator.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the variability of the trigger interval lies within predetermined limits.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display surface is integral with a display and the modification of the display parameter is caused by changing the control of the display.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display surface is at least one of a projection surface and a support surface provided with the visual information and the modification of the display parameter comprises irradiating the display surface with light from at least one of a source of light and a projector for the subliminal period of time.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a display parameter is modified in such a region of the display surface in which at least one of a cursor, a mouse pointer, an input field, an active screen window and another indicator attracting the viewer'"'"'s attention is located.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein a display parameter is modified in such a region of the display surface on which the viewer'"'"'s attention detected via attention detection means is focused.

14. A computer program product which is suitable for displaying visual information on a display surface and which is loadable directly into a memory of a computer and comprises software code portions, wherein the software code portions modify a display parameter, at trigger intervals, in at least one region of the display surface for a subliminal period of time, several superimposed display levels including an uppermost display level being shown on the display surface, with a transparent region being provided as the uppermost display level in the at least one region of the display surface, which transparent region is switched, for the subliminal period of time, into a mode which is not entirely transparent according to the display parameter, the software code portions being processed by means of the computer when the computer program product is processed on the computer, wherein at least some of the display levels are shown in display windows and the transparent region is placed over at least one area of the visual information, wherein the display windows can be shown on the display surface and one of the display windows is selectable as an active display window acted upon by user inputs, the display parameter being modified in the active window and in the transparent region.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the computer program product is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

16. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the computer comprises an arithmetic unit and an internal memory which processes the computer program product.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the computer includes an operating system that allows the display of several superimposed display levels on a display surface.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the computer includes an operating system for the display of several display windows of which one display window is selectable as an active display window.

19. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the computer includes an operating system that allows the display of several superimposed display windows on a display surface.

20. A display system comprising a display and at least one display device which shows visual information on a display surface of the display, wherein display modifying means acts upon the display device, which display modifying means are designed to modify a display parameter, at trigger intervals, in at least one region of the display surface for a subliminal period of time, several superimposed display levels including an uppermost display level being shown on the display surface, with a transparent region being provided as the uppermost display level in the at least one region of the display surface, which transparent region is switched, for the subliminal period of time, into a mode which is not entirely transparent according to the display parameter, wherein at least some of the display levels are shown in display windows and the transparent region is placed over at least one area of the visual information, wherein the display windows can be shown on the display surface and one of the display windows is selectable as an active display window acted upon by user inputs, the display parameter being modified in the active window and in the transparent region.

21. The display system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the position and the size of the region of the display surface which is modified is/are variable.