Display device detecting gaze location and method for controlling thereof

• US 8,743,021 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Hyorim, Lee, Doyoung, Kim, Yongsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tryder, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US13/949,787
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-162, 345/184, 345 11- 22, 345 7- 9, 715/776
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

The present specification relates to a display device detecting a gaze location and a method of controlling therefor, and more particularly, to a method of displaying a reading interface based on a gaze location of a user and displaying content. According to one embodiment, a display device includes a display unit configured to display content, the display unit including a first display area and a second display area, an image capturing unit configured to capture a front image of the display device, and a processor configured to control the display unit and the image capturing unit and configured to detect a gaze location of a user located at a front of the display device from the captured image.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising

a display unit configured to display a content, the display unit comprising a first display area and a second display area;

an image capturing unit configured to capture a front image of the display device; and

a processor configured to control the display unit and the image capturing unit and detect a gaze location of a user located at a front of the display device from the captured image,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

display a first reading interface in the first display area, wherein the first reading interface displays a first part of the content,

detect a gaze location of a first point in the first display area,

when a gaze location on a second point in the second display area is detected,

display a second reading interface in the second display area and display an immediately following part of the first part of the content in the second display area if the first point is positioned in a first area of the first display area, and

display the second reading interface in the second display area and display an immediately previous part of the first part of the content in the second display area if the first point is positioned in a second area of the first display area, the second area being different from the first area.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display content having continuity using the first reading interface and the second reading interface.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display a second part of the content when a gaze location of a third point in the second display area is detected after the gaze location of the second point is detected, wherein the second part corresponds to an immediately following part of the immediately following part of the first part of the content.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein the third point is positioned at a left side of a lower part of the second display area.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to display the immediately following part of the first part of the content in the first display area when the gaze location of the third point in the second display area is detected after the gaze location of the second point is detected.

6. The display device of claim 3, wherein the third point is positioned at a right side of a lower part of the second display area.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to maintain a display for the first part of the content in the first display area when the gaze location of the third point in the second display area is detected after the gaze location of the second point is detected.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first reading interface and the second reading interface display a same content.

9. The display device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display content different from the content displayed in the first reading interface in the second display area when the first reading interface is displayed in the first display area.

10. The display device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to deactivate the second display area when the first reading interface is displayed in the first display area.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein the immediately following part of the first part of the content corresponds to a continuously following page of a first part displayed in a first display unit.

12. The display device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display the immediately following part of the first part of the content in the first display area when a lack of gaze of the second point is detected within the predetermined time after the gaze location of the first point is detected.

13. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first point is positioned at a lower part of the first display area.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first point is positioned at an upper portion of the first display area.

15. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device corresponds to a Head Mounted Display (HMD) containing the first display area and the second display area.

16. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a foldable display device.

17. A method of controlling a display device, comprising the steps of:

displaying a first reading interface in a first display area, wherein the first reading interface displays a first part of content;

detecting a gaze location of a first point in the first display area;

when a gaze location on a second point in the second display area is detected,

displaying a second reading interface in the second display area and displaying an immediately following part of the first part of the content in the second display area if the first point is positioned in a first area of the first display area; and

displaying the second reading interface in the second display area and displaying an immediately previous part of the first part of the content in the second display area if the first point is positioned in a second area of the first display area, the second area being different from the first area.