Controlling method of three-dimensional user interface switchover and mobile terminal using the same

• US 8,429,564 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Alexanderovitc, Rassenikov Alexander, Kwak, Jaedo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuyetlien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayeni, Abimbola
• Application Number:
  US12/360,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/764, 715/852, 345/173
• US Class Current: 715/852
• 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 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users

Abstract

The exemplary embodiment relates to a method of controlling a three-dimensional user interface, which controls a three-dimensional user interface to follow a user'"'"'s motion, and a mobile terminal using the same. The method comprising: displaying a plurality of three-dimensional menu icons; sensing movement of a user; and rotating at least one of the plurality of three-dimensional menu icons according to the sensed movement such that at least one reference face of the at least one of the plurality of three-dimensional menu icons follows the user'"'"'s movement.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a three-dimensional (3D) user interface of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of 3D menu icons on a screen, wherein the screen is divided into a plurality of areas and each of the plurality of 3D menu icons corresponds to one of the plurality of areas;

sensing at least a user'"'"'s movement or a location of at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes via a camera;

mapping the sensed location to one of the plurality of areas;

selecting a 3D menu icon among the plurality of 3D menu icons, wherein the selected 3D menu icon corresponds to the mapped one of the plurality of areas; and

rotating only the selected 3D menu icon in response to the sensed at least user'"'"'s movement or location of the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes; and

displaying a reference face of the selected 3D menu icon such that the displayed reference face is oriented towards the sensed location of the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a speed at which the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes moves from the sensed location; and

rotating only the selected 3D icon according to the determined speed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an amount of the sensed user'"'"'s movement;

comparing the determined amount of the sensed user'"'"'s movement to a threshold value; and

rotating the selected 3D icon at a specific angle when the determined amount of the sensed user'"'"'s movement is greater than the threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a slope at which the mobile terminal is inclined; and

rotating only the selected 3D icon in a direction that is opposite to the determined slope.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

rotating the selected 3D menu icon in a direction that is opposite to the specific angle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed reference face of the selected 3D menu icon comprises a lateral face that is observable to the user before only the selected 3D menu icon is rotated.

7. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display configured to display a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) menu icons each corresponding to one of a plurality of areas;

a camera configured to sense at least a user'"'"'s movement or a location of at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes; and

a controller configured to;

map the sensed location to one of the plurality of areas;

select a 3D menu icon among the plurality of the 3D menu icons, wherein the selected 3D menu icon corresponds to the mapped one of the plurality of areas;

control the display to rotate only the selected 3D menu icon in response to the sensed at least user'"'"'s movement or location of the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes; and

control the display to display a reference face of the selected 3D menu icon such that the displayed reference face is oriented towards the sensed location of the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a speed at which the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes moves from the sensed location; and

control the display to rotate only the display of the selected 3D menu icon according to the determined speed.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an amount of movement of the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes from a first location to a second location;

compare the determined amount of movement of the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes to a threshold value; and

control the display to rotate only the selected 3D menu icon at a specific angle when the determined amount of movement of the at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes is greater than the threshold value.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, further comprising:

an angle sensor configured to sense an angle at which the mobile terminal is inclined,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the display to rotate the selected 3D menu icon in a direction that is opposite to the specific angle.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 8, further comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a command to select the 3D menu icon among the plurality of 3D menu icons.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, further comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a command to select the 3D menu icon among the plurality of 3D menu icons.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a command to select the 3D menu icon among the plurality of 3D menu icons.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the displayed reference face of the selected 3D menu icon comprises a lateral face that is observable by the user before only the selected 3D menu icon is rotated.