Mobile terminal and method for controlling 3 dimension display thereof

• US 8,692,853 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jonghwan, Yu, Jaehwa
• Primary Examiner(s): McDowell, Jr., Maurice L
• Application Number:
  US13/049,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 345/679, 345/629
• US Class Current: 345/679
• 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: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/156 Mixing image signals

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a display unit configured to display at least a first 3D object at a first 3D depth level and a second 3D object at a second 3D depth level that is different than the first 3D depth level; and a controller configured to receive a first selection action on the first 3D object and a second selection action on the second 3D object image, to convert the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object to match the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object based on the first and second selection actions, and to control the display unit to display the first and second 3D objects at the first 3D depth level.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display unit configured to display at least a first 3D object at a first 3D depth level and a second 3D object at a second 3D depth level that is different than the first 3D depth level; and

a controller configured to receive a first selection action on the first 3D object and a second selection action on the second 3D object image, to convert the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object to match the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object based on the first and second selection actions, and to control the display unit to display the first and second 3D objects at the first 3D depth level.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first and second selection actions are received at a same time or are sequentially received.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first and second 3D depth levels include at least one of a positive three-dimensional display level and a negative three-dimensional display level.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to set the first 3D object as a reference object and the second 3D object as a conversion object to be converted to the same 3D depth level as the first 3D object based on at least one of an input order of the first and second selection actions, an input pattern of the first and second selection actions, object attributes of the first and second 3D objects, and whether the first and second 3D objects are photo images or drawing images.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to gradually convert the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object to match the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object in predetermined depth level increments, and to control the display unit to display the second 3D object as gradually being converted from the second 3D depth level to the first 3D depth level.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to insert the second 3D object into the first 3D object when converting the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object into the first 3D depth level.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to overlay the second 3D object onto the first 3D object when converting the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object into the first 3D depth level.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to change a transparency of the second 3D object when the second 3D object is overlaid onto the first 3D object.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein when the first and second 3D objects appear overlaid, the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display the second 3D object and the first 3D object as being substantially parallel when viewed, when converting the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object into the first 3D depth level.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit configured to output a notification action notifying that the conversion of the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object is being converted into the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object.

11. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying, via a display unit on the mobile terminal, at least a first 3D object at a first 3D depth level and a second 3D object at a second 3D depth level that is different than the first 3D depth level; and

receiving, via a controller on the mobile terminal, a first selection action on the first 3D object and a second selection action on the second 3D object image;

converting, via the controller, the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object to match the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object based on the first and second selection actions; and

displaying, via the display unit, the first and second 3D objects at the first 3D depth level.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second selection actions are received at a same time or are sequentially received.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second 3D depth levels include at least one of a positive three-dimensional display level and a negative three-dimensional display level.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the converting step further comprises:

setting the first 3D object as a reference object and the second 3D object as a conversion object to be converted to the same 3D depth level as the first 3D object based on at least one of an input order of the first and second selection actions, an input pattern of the first and second selection actions, object attributes of the first and second 3D objects, and whether the first and second 3D objects are photo images or drawing images.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

gradually converting the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object to match the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object in predetermined depth level increments; and

displaying the second 3D object as gradually being converted from the second 3D depth level to the first 3D depth level on the display unit.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

inserting the second 3D object into the first 3D object when converting the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object into the first 3D depth level.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the converting step further comprises:

overlaying the second 3D object onto the first 3D object on the display unit when converting the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object into the first 3D depth level.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the converting step further comprises:

changing a transparency of the second 3D object when the second 3D object is overlaid onto the first 3D object.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein when the first and second 3D objects appear overlaid, the method further comprises:

displaying the second 3D object and the first 3D object as being substantially parallel when viewed, when converting the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object into the first 3D depth level.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

outputting, via an output unit, a notification action notifying that the conversion of the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object is being converted into the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object.