Television display leveling

• US 8,553,149 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ansfield, Frederick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Werner, David N
• Application Number:
  US12/803,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20120007990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/569
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

A television leveling module determines, using at least one accelerometer module in response to activation of the television leveling module, an angle of orientation relative to horizontal of a television coupled to a horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly. An indication of the angle of orientation relative to horizontal is displayed on a television display. The display of the indication of the angle of orientation relative to horizontal of the television is iteratively updated in response to detected adjustments of the angle of orientation. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A method of leveling a television, comprising:

receiving accelerometer calibration information from a first accelerometer module mounted on an axis of rotation of a horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television;

receiving acceleration measurement information from a second accelerometer module mounted on a horizontal axis of the television that perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly;

comparing the received accelerometer calibration information with the received acceleration measurement information;

determining a difference between the received accelerometer calibration information and the received acceleration measurement information;

determining, in response to activating a television leveling module, an angle of orientation relative to the horizontal axis of the television, wherein the angle of orientation is determined based upon a magnitude of the calculated difference;

displaying an indication of the determined angle of orientation relative to the horizontal axis of the television; and

iteratively updating the displayed indication of the angle of orientation in response to adjustment of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the television leveling module is activated in response to detection of a change in voltage across a momentary switch associated with the television.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the television leveling module is activated in response to detection of contact between a first set of conductors associated with the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television and a second set of conductors associated with the television.

4. A method of leveling a television, comprising:

determining, via at least one accelerometer module in response to activating a television leveling module, an angle of orientation relative to a horizontal level plane, wherein the television is coupled to a horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly, wherein the television leveling module is activated in response to detection of contact between a first set of conductors associated with the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly and a second set of conductors associated with the television;

displaying an indication of the determined angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane on a television display; and

iteratively updating the displayed indication of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane in response to adjustments of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving accelerometer calibration information from a first accelerometer module mounted on an axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television;

receiving acceleration measurement information from a second accelerometer module mounted on a horizontal axis of the television that perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly;

comparing the received accelerometer calibration information with the received acceleration measurement information; and

determining a difference between the received accelerometer calibration information and the received acceleration measurement information.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane comprises:

determining the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane based upon a magnitude of the difference between the received accelerometer calibration information and the received acceleration measurement information.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein displaying the indication of the determined angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane on the television display comprises displaying a first line intersecting a second line at a point of intersection on the television display, wherein an angle of the second line relative to the first line forms the angle of orientation.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

displaying the first line on the television display coincident with the horizontal level plane; and

displaying the second line on the television display at the angle of orientation relative to horizontal level plane.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a first adjustment of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane to a new angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane; and

iteratively updating the displayed indication of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane in response to the detected first adjustment of the angle of orientation,

wherein the iterative updating of the displayed indication comprises;

determining the new angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane; and

adjusting the display of the second line to indicate the new angle of orientation relative to the first line in response to detecting the first adjustment of the angle of orientation.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein displaying the indication of the angle of orientation comprises displaying the first line and the second line as intersecting at a point of terminus of each of the first line and the second line on the television display.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising displaying a radius arc relative to the point of terminus extending from the first line to the second line.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising filling an area enclosed between the first line, the second line, and the radius arc with a color.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first line and the second line are displayed as crossing at the point of intersection.

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

displaying a first radius arc relative to the point of intersection extending from the first line to the second line to a left side of the point of intersection; and

displaying a second radius arc relative to the point of intersection extending from the first line to the second line to a right side of the point of intersection.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

filling an area enclosed between the first line, the second line, and the first radius arc with a color; and

filling an area enclosed between the first line, the second line, and the second radius arc with the color.

16. The method according to claim 4, further comprising

terminating the display of the indication of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane in response to determining that the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane is zero.

17. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

comparing accelerometer calibration information received from a first accelerometer module mounted on an axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television with acceleration measurement information received from a second accelerometer module mounted on a horizontal axis of the television that perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly; and

activating the television leveling module automatically in response to determining a difference between the accelerometer calibration information and the acceleration measurement information.

18. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

detecting an initial consumer power on activation of the television; and

activating the television leveling module automatically in response to detecting the initial consumer power on activation of the television.

19. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a movement of the television; and

activating the television leveling module in response to detecting the movement of the television.

20. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a request to activate the television leveling module via a menu system of the television; and

activating the television leveling module in response to detecting the request to activate the television leveling module.

22. The method of claim 4, wherein the television leveling module is activated in response to detection of a change in voltage across a momentary switch associated with the television.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for leveling a television, the at least one code section being executable by a processor for causing the processor to perform steps comprising:

determining, via at least one accelerometer module in response to activating a television leveling module, an angle of orientation relative to a horizontal level plane, wherein the television is coupled to a horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly, wherein the television leveling module is activated in response to detection of contact between a first set of conductors associated with the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television and a second set of conductors associated with the television;

displaying an indication of the determined angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane; and

iteratively updating the displayed angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane in response to adjustments of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television.

23. A television comprising:

at least one accelerometer module;

a display; and

a processor operable to;

determine in response to activating a television leveling module, an angle of orientation relative to a horizontal level plane, wherein the television is coupled to a horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly, wherein the television leveling module is activated in response to detection of contact between a first set of conductors associated with the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly and a second set of conductors associated with the television;

display an indication of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane on a television display; and

iteratively update the displayed indication of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane in response to adjustments of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television.

24. The television according to claim 23, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive accelerometer calibration information from a first accelerometer module mounted on an axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly coupled to the television;

receive acceleration measurement information from a second accelerometer module mounted on a horizontal axis of the television that perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly;

compare the received accelerometer calibration information with the received acceleration measurement information; and

determine a difference between the received accelerometer calibration information and the received acceleration measurement information.

25. The television according to claim 24,

wherein the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane is determined based upon a magnitude of the difference between the received accelerometer calibration information and the received acceleration measurement information.

26. The television according to claim 23, wherein the processor is operable to display the indication of the angle of orientation as a first line intersecting a second line at a point of intersection on the television display, wherein an angle of the second line relative to the first line forms the angle of orientation.

27. The television according to claim 26, wherein the processor is further operable to:

display the first line on the television display coincident with the horizontal level plane; and

display the second line on the television display at the angle of orientation relative to horizontal level plane.

28. The television according to claim 27, wherein the processor is further operable to:

detect a first adjustment of the angle of orientation relative to horizontal level plane to a new angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane; and

iteratively update the displayed indication of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane in response to the detected first adjustment of the angle of orientation, wherein the iterative updating of the displayed indication comprises;

determine the new angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane; and

adjust the display of the second line to indicate the new angle of orientation relative to the first line in response to detecting the first adjustment of the angle of orientation.

29. The television according to claim 28, wherein the processor is operable to display the indication of the angle of orientation comprising the first line intersecting the second line at a point of terminus of each of the first line and the second line on the television display.

30. The television according to claim 29, wherein the processor is further operable to display a radius arc relative to the point of terminus extending from the first line to the second line on the television display.

31. The television according to claim 30, wherein the processor is further operable to fill an area enclosed between the first line, the second line, and the radius arc with a color.

32. The television according to claim 30, wherein the processor is operable to display the indication of the angle of orientation comprising first line and the second line crossing at a point of intersection on the television display.

33. The television according to claim 32, wherein the processor is further operable to:

display a first radius arc relative to the point of intersection extending from the first line to the second line to a left side of the point of intersection on the television display; and

display a second radius arc relative to the point of intersection extending from the first line to the second line to a right side of the point of intersection on the television display.

34. The television according to claim 33, wherein the processor is further operable to:

fill an area enclosed between the first line, the second line, and the first radius arc with a color; and

fill an area enclosed between the first line, the second line, and the second radius arc with the color.

35. The television according to claim 23, wherein the processor is further operable to:

terminate the display of the indication of the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane in response to determining that the angle of orientation relative to the horizontal level plane is zero.

36. The television of claim 23, wherein the processor is further operable to:

compare accelerometer calibration information received from a first accelerometer module mounted on an axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly with acceleration measurement information received from a second accelerometer module mounted on a horizontal axis of the television that perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the horizontal level-adjustable mounting assembly; and

activate the television leveling module automatically in response to determining a difference between the accelerometer calibration information and the acceleration measurement information.

37. The television according to claim 36, wherein the processor is further operable to:

detect an initial consumer power on activation of the television; and

activate the television leveling module automatically in response to detecting the initial consumer power on activation of the television.

38. The television according to claim 36, wherein the processor is further operable to:

detect a movement of the television; and

activate the television leveling module in response to detecting the movement of the television.

39. The television according to claim 23, where the processor is further operable to:

detect a request to activate the television leveling module via a menu system of the television; and

activate the television leveling module in response to detecting the request to activate the television leveling module.

40. The television according to claim 23, where the processor is further operable to:

detect a change in voltage across a momentary switch associated with the television; and

activate the television leveling module in response to detecting the change in the voltage.