Device and method for adjusting orientation of a data representation displayed on a display

• US 8,244,068 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Thörn, Ola
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhatnagar, Anand
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARK, SOO JIN
• Application Number:
  US11/692,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 382/296, 382/289
• US Class Current: 382/289
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/242 by image rotation, e.g. by 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 using facial parts and geometric relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/38 with means for controlling the display position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body

Abstract

An electronic device, preferably in the form of a mobile phone, comprising a support structure and a camera carried by the support structure. An orientation detector is connected to the camera. The orientation detector is configured to identify images features in an image captured by the camera, such as the eyes and the mouth of the user, and to determine rotation orientation of the image relative to a reference orientation. A display carried by the support structure is configured to display a data representation, and further to display this data representation in an orientation dependent on the determined rotation orientation. This way a data presentation can e.g. be displayed in a portrait orientation or in a landscape orientation in dependence of which rotational orientation the device is currently held in when the data representation is viewed by a user of the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a support structure;

a camera carried by the support structure;

a display carried by the support structure;

a data storing device; and

wherein the camera is aimed in a direction substantially common with a normal viewing direction of the display to capture an image of a user viewing the display,

an orientation detector connected to the camera and configured to;

identify features in an image of a user viewing the display captured by the camera aimed in a direction substantially common with a normal viewing direction of the display to capture an image of a user viewing the display,

determine rotation orientation of the image of the user captured by the camera relative to a reference orientation defined by a reference coordinate system of the electronic device,

place the image features in an image coordinate system,

determine a rotation angle (θ

) between the image coordinate system and the reference coordinate system,

use the rotation angle (θ

) to determine a rotation orientation of the image of the user captured by the camera relative to a reference orientation,

determine a display orientation of the data representation on the display based on the determined rotation orientation;

wherein the rotation angle (θ

) is stored in the data storing device such that the rotation angle (θ

) is available for subsequent use in determining the display orientation; and

wherein the orientation detector is further configured to use the stored rotation angle (θ

) to determine the display orientation in the event that the orientation detector is unable to determine the rotation angle (θ

).

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to capture images continuously.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the orientation detector is configured to identify three or more features from an image captured by the camera.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the orientation detector is configured to identify image features of a human user.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the image features includes facial features.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the image features includes an eye.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the image features includes a mouth.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the image features includes a chin.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the image features includes an eyebrow.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein the image features includes a silhouette of the human user.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the data representation includes data.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the data includes text and/or a visual image.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the orientation detector is configured to detect the orientation of a captured image relative to a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation, and to determine that the support structure is either vertically oriented or horizontally orientated dependent on which of these orientations matches closest with the captured image of the camera.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a device from the group comprising:

a portable radio communication equipment, a mobile radio terminal, a mobile telephone, a cellular telephone, a pager, a communicator, an electronic organizer, a smart phone, a digital camera, a digital media player, a portable game console, a GPS device or a computer.

15. A method for adjusting a data representation orientation on a display of an electronic device, comprising:

capturing an image using a camera carried by a support structure of the electronic device, wherein the camera is aimed in a direction substantially common with a normal viewing direction of the display to capture an image of a user viewing the display;

identifying image features in the image captured by the camera;

placing the image features in an image coordinate system;

determining a rotation angle (θ

) between the image coordinate system and a reference coordinate system;

using the rotation angle (θ

) to determine a rotation orientation of the image captured by the camera relative to a reference orientation;

determining a display orientation of the data representation on the display based on the determined rotation orientation;

displaying the data representation on the display in the determined display orientation;

storing the rotation angle (θ

) in a data storing device such that the rotation angle (θ

); and

using the previously stored rotation angle (θ

) to determine the display orientation in the event that the orientation detector is unable to determine the rotation angle (θ

).

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

capturing images continuously.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising:

aiming the camera towards a user of the device.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising:

identifying three or more features from an image captured by the camera.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising:

identifying image features of a human user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the image features includes facial features.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the image features includes an eye.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the image features includes a mouth.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the image features includes a chin.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the image features includes an eyebrow.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the image features includes a silhouette of the human user.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the data representation includes data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the data includes text and/or a visual image.

28. The method of claim 15, comprising:

detecting the orientation of an image captured by the camera relative to a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation;

determining that the support structure is either vertically oriented or horizontally orientated dependent on which of these orientations matches closest with the captured image of the camera.