Content display methods

• US 8,947,323 B1
• Filed: 03/20/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Raffle, Hayes Solos, Wong, Adrian, Geiss, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Hong
• Application Number:
  US13/425,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 345156-169, 359/630, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/36 characterised by the display of a graphic pattern, e.g. using an all-points-addressable [APA] memory

Abstract

Methods and systems involving a graphic display in a head mounted display (HMD) are disclosed herein. An exemplary system may be configured to: (1) at a computing system associated with a head-mountable display, receive head-movement data indicative of head movement; (2) use one or more context signals to determine a first activity associated with the head-mountable device; (3) determine a head-movement interpretation scheme corresponding to the first activity; (4) apply the determined head-movement interpretation scheme to determine input data corresponding to the received head-movement data; and (5) provide the determined input data for at least one function of the head-mountable display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a computing system associated with a head-mountable display, receiving head-movement data indicative of head movement;

determining that at least a portion of the head-movement data corresponds to non-UI-targeted head movements, wherein one or more sensitivity parameters are used to distinguish between UI-targeted head movements and the non-UI-targeted head movements;

using (1) one or more context signals and (2) at least the portion of the head-movement data corresponding to the non-UI-targeted head movements to determine a first activity associated with the head-mountable display;

determining a head-movement interpretation scheme corresponding to the first activity, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme comprises determining a first value for at least one sensitivity parameter used to distinguish between the UI-targeted head movements and the non-UI-targeted head movements;

applying the determined head-movement interpretation scheme to determine the received head-movement data corresponds to one or more UI commands; and

providing the one or more UI commands for at least one function of the head-mountable display;

wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter maps a given amount of received head-movement data to the non-UI-targeted head movements, and wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme based on the first activity comprises;

adjusting the first value to a different value for the at least one sensitivity parameter corresponding to the first activity;

based on the different value, modifying the given amount of head-movement data mapped to the non-UI-targeted head movements; and

determining a second activity using the modified head-movement data mapped to the non-UI-targeted head movements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter is used to adjust one or more sensors, and wherein the one or more sensors provide at least one context signal to determine a second activity associated with the head-mountable device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein using the one or more context signals to determine the second activity associated with the head-mountable device comprises:

obtaining translational and rotational data; and

using the translational and rotational data to determine the second activity associated with the head-mountable device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more context signals are based on the head-movement data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter maps a given amount of the received head-movement data to the UI-targeted head movements, and wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme based on the first activity comprises:

adjusting the first value to a second value for the at least one sensitivity parameter corresponding to the first activity;

based on the second value, modifying the given amount of head-movement data mapped to the UI-targeted head movements; and

determining the head-movement interpretation scheme using the modified head-movement data mapped to the UI-targeted head movements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme that corresponds to the first activity comprises:

determining an amount of virtual movement that corresponds to a particular amount of head movement; and

providing a visual representation of the amount of virtual movement.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more context signals comprise one or more of:

(a) a current time, (b) a current date, (c) a current day of the week, (d) a current month, (e) a current season, (f) a time of a future event or future context, (g) a date of a future event or future context, (h) a day of the week of a future event or future context, (i) a month of a future event or future user-context, (j) a season of a future event or future context, (k) a time of a past event or past context, (l) a date of a past event or past context, (m) a day of the week of a past event or past context, (n) a month of a past event or past context, (o) a season of a past event or past context, (p) ambient temperature, (q) a current, future, or past weather forecast at a current location, (r) a current, future, or past weather forecast at a location of a planned event, (s) a current, future, or past weather forecast at or near a location of a previous event, (t) information on a calendar associated with a user-profile, (u) information accessible via a user'"'"'s social networking account, (v) noise level or any recognizable sounds detected by a device, (w) devices that are currently available to the head-mountable device, (x) devices in proximity to the head-mountable device, (y) devices that are able to communicate with the head-mountable device, (z) information derived from cross-referencing any two or more of;

information on the user'"'"'s calendar, information available via the user'"'"'s social networking account, and/or other context signals or sources of context information, (aa) health statistics or characterizations of the user'"'"'s current health, (bb) a user'"'"'s recent context as determined from sensors on or near the user and/or other sources of context information, (cc) a current location, (dd) a past location, and (ee) a future location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme that corresponds to the first activity comprises:

mapping the first activity to a corresponding head-movement interpretation scheme using an activity-to-interpretation-scheme database.

9. A system, comprising:

a head-mountable display, wherein the system is configured for;

receiving head-movement data from the head-mountable display indicative of head movement;

determining that at least a portion of the head-movement data corresponds to non-UI-targeted head movements, wherein one or more sensitivity parameters are used to distinguish between UI-targeted head movements and the non-UI-targeted head movements;

using (1) one or more context signals and (2) at least the portion of the head-movement data corresponding to the non-UI-targeted head movements to determine a first activity associated with the head-mountable display;

determining a head-movement interpretation scheme corresponding to the first activity, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme comprises determining a first value for at least one sensitivity parameter used to distinguish between the UI-targeted head movements and the non-UI-targeted head movements; and

applying the determined head-movement interpretation scheme to determine the received head-movement data corresponds to one or more UI commands; and

providing the one or more UI commands for at least one function of the head-mountable display;

wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter maps a given amount of received head-movement data to the non-UI-targeted head movements, and wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme based on the first activity comprises;

adjusting the first value to a different value for the at least one sensitivity parameter corresponding to the first activity; and

based on the different value, modifying the given amount of head-movement data mapped to the non-UI-targeted head movements; and

determining a second activity using the modified head-movement data mapped to the non-UI-targeted head movements.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter is used to adjust one or more sensors, and wherein the one or more sensors provide at least one context signal used to determine a second activity associated with the head-mountable device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein using the one or more context signals to determine the second activity that is associated with the head-mountable display comprises:

obtaining translational and rotational data; and

using the translational and rotational data to determine the second activity associated with the head-mountable device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more context signals are based on the head-movement data.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter maps a given amount of the received head-movement data to the UI-targeted head movements, and wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme based on the first activity comprises:

adjusting the first value to a second value for the at least one sensitivity parameter corresponding to the first activity;

based on the second value, modifying the given amount of head-movement data mapped to the UI-targeted head movements; and

determining the head-movement interpretation scheme using the modified head-movement data mapped to the UI-targeted head movements.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme that corresponds to the first activity comprises:

determining an amount of virtual movement that corresponds to a particular amount of head movement; and

providing a visual representation of the amount of virtual movement.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more context signals comprise one or more of:

(a) a current time, (b) a current date, (c) a current day of the week, (d) a current month, (e) a current season, (f) a time of a future event or future context, (g) a date of a future event or future context, (h) a day of the week of a future event or future context, (i) a month of a future event or future user-context, (j) a season of a future event or future context, (k) a time of a past event or past context, (l) a date of a past event or past context, (m) a day of the week of a past event or past context, (n) a month of a past event or past context, (o) a season of a past event or past context, (p) ambient temperature, (q) a current, future, or past weather forecast at a current location, (r) a current, future, or past weather forecast at a location of a planned event, (s) a current, future, or past weather forecast at or near a location of a previous event, (t) information on a calendar associated with a user-profile, (u) information accessible via a user'"'"'s social networking account, (v) noise level or any recognizable sounds detected by a device, (w) devices that are currently available to the head-mountable device, (x) devices in proximity to the head-mountable device, (y) devices that are able to communicate with the head-mountable device, (z) information derived from cross-referencing any two or more of;

information on the user'"'"'s calendar, information available via the user'"'"'s social networking account, and/or other context signals or sources of context information, (aa) health statistics or characterizations of the user'"'"'s current health, (bb) a user'"'"'s recent context as determined from sensors on or near the user and/or other sources of context information, (cc) a current location, (dd) a past location, and (ee) a future location.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme that corresponds to the first activity comprises:

mapping the first activity to a corresponding head-movement interpretation scheme using an activity-to-interpretation-scheme database.

17. A wearable-computing system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store at least program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable-computing system to carry out functions comprising;

receiving head-movement data indicative of head movement;

determining that at least a portion of the head-movement data corresponds to non-UI-targeted head movements, wherein one or more sensitivity parameters are used to distinguish between UI-targeted head movements and the non-UI-targeted head movements, and wherein;

determining the head-movement interpretation scheme comprises determining a first value for at least one sensitivity parameter used to distinguish between UI-targeted head movements and the non-UI-targeted head movements;

using (1) one or more context signals and (2) at least the portion of the head-movement data corresponding to the non-UI-targeted head movements as a basis for determining a first activity that is associated with the wearable-computing system;

determining a head-movement interpretation scheme corresponding to the first activity; and

applying the determined head-movement interpretation scheme to determine the received head-movement data corresponds to one or more UI commands; and

communicating the one or more UI commands;

wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter maps a given amount of received head-movement data to the non-UI-targeted head movements, and wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme based on the first activity comprises;

adjust the first value to a different value for the at least one sensitivity parameter corresponding to the first activity; and

based on the different value, modify the given amount of head-movement data mapped to the non-UI-targeted head movements; and

determining a second activity using the modified head-movement data mapped to the non-UI-targeted head movements.

18. The wearable-computing system of claim 17, further comprising one or more sensors, wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter is used to adjust the one or more sensors, and wherein the functions further comprise requesting that the one or more sensors provide at least one context signal to determine a second activity associated with the wearable-computing system.

19. The wearable-computing system of claim 18, wherein determining second the activity associated with the wearable-computing system comprises:

obtaining translational and rotational data from the one or more sensors; and

use the translational and rotational data to determine the second activity associated with the wearable-computing system.

20. The wearable-computing system of claim 17, wherein the one or more context signals are based on the head-movement data.

21. The wearable-computing system of claim 17, wherein the first value for the at least one sensitivity parameter maps a given amount of the received head-movement data to the UI-targeted head movements, and wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme based on the first activity comprises:

adjusting the first value to a second value for the at least one sensitivity parameter corresponding to the first activity;

based on the second value, modifying the given amount of head-movement data mapped to the UI-targeted head movements; and

determining the head-movement interpretation scheme using the modified head-movement data mapped to the UI-targeted head movements.

22. The wearable-computing system of claim 17, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme that corresponds to the first activity comprises:

determining an amount of virtual movement that corresponds to a particular amount of head movement; and

provide a visual representation of the amount of virtual movement.

23. The wearable-computing system of claim 17, wherein the one or more context signals comprise one or more of:

(a) a current time, (b) a current date, (c) a current day of the week, (d) a current month, (e) a current season, (f) a time of a future event or future context, (g) a date of a future event or future context, (h) a day of the week of a future event or future context, (i) a month of a future event or future user-context, (j) a season of a future event or future context, (k) a time of a past event or past context, (l) a date of a past event or past context, (m) a day of the week of a past event or past context, (n) a month of a past event or past context, (o) a season of a past event or past context, (p) ambient temperature, (q) a current, future, or past weather forecast at a current location, (r) a current, future, or past weather forecast at a location of a planned event, (s) a current, future, or past weather forecast at or near a location of a previous event, (t) information on a calendar associated with a user-profile, (u) information accessible via a user'"'"'s social networking account, (v) noise level or any recognizable sounds detected by a device, (w) devices that are currently available to the head-mountable device, (x) devices in proximity to the head-mountable device, (y) devices that are able to communicate with the head-mountable device, (z) information derived from cross-referencing any two or more of;

information on the user'"'"'s calendar, information available via the user'"'"'s social networking account, and/or other context signals or sources of context information, (aa) health statistics or characterizations of the user'"'"'s current health, (bb) a user'"'"'s recent context as determined from sensors on or near the user and/or other sources of context information, (cc) a current location, (dd) a past location, and (ee) a future location.

24. The wearable-computing system of claim 17, wherein determining the head-movement interpretation scheme that corresponds to the first activity comprises mapping the first activity to a corresponding head-movement interpretation scheme using an activity-to-interpretation-scheme database.