Wearable display device, corresponding systems, and method for presenting output on the same

• US 8,947,382 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Winkler, David P., Erpenbeck, Michael J., Johnson, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Gene W
• Application Number:
  US13/407,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20130222270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 4555751-5759
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3861 carried in a hand or on fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 : by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 : by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device can include detectors for altering the presentation of data on one or more displays. In a wearable electronic device, a flexible housing can be configured to enfold about an appendage of a user, such as a user'"'"'s wrist. A display can disposed along a major face of the flexible housing. A control circuit can be operable with the display. A gaze detector can be included to detect a gaze direction, and optionally a gaze cone. An orientation detector can be configured to detect an orientation of the electronic device relative to the user. The control circuit can alter a presentation of data on the display in response to a detected gaze direction, in response to detected orientation of the wearable electronic device relative to the user, in response to touch or gesture input, or combinations thereof. Secondary displays can be hingedly coupled to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a flexible housing configured to enfold about an appendage of a user;

a touch-sensitive display coupled to the flexible housing;

a gaze detector configured to determine a gaze cone; and

a control circuit, operable with the touch-sensitive display and the gaze detector, and configured to output a first presentation of data for display at the touch-sensitive display,

wherein, responsive to the gaze detector determining the gaze cone, the control circuit is configured to alter the first presentation of the data outputting a second presentation of the data for display only at portions of the touch-sensitive display disposed within the gaze cone, and

wherein after outputting the second presentation of the data and responsive to detecting a touch input at the touch-sensitive display, the control circuit is further configured to override the second presentation of the data by outputting a third presentation of the data in which the data at the portions of the touch-sensitive display that were disposed within the gaze cone in the second presentation are displayed at a location of the touch-sensitive display corresponding to the touch input such that the data is no longer output for display only at the portions of the touch-sensitive display disposed within the gaze cone.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein while outputting the second presentation of data for display, the control circuit is configured to turn other portions of the touch-sensitive display not disposed within the gaze cone to a low-power, sleep, or OFF mode.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to alter the first presentation of the data by one of rotating the data based upon a detected gaze direction, moving the data at the touch-sensitive display based upon the detected gaze direction, or combinations thereof.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to additionally alter the first presentation of the data responsive to detecting the touch input at the touch-sensitive display.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to configure the touch-sensitive display in a first operational mode responsive to detecting that the flexible housing is enfolded about the appendage of the user, and to configure the touch-sensitive display in a second operational mode responsive to detecting that the flexible housing is elongated.

6. A method comprising:

outputting, by a control circuit of a wearable electronic device and for display at a touch-sensitive display of the wearable electronic device, a first presentation of data;

responsive to a gaze detector of the wearable electronic device determining a gaze cone, altering, by the control circuit, the first presentation of the data by outputting a second presentation of the data for display only at portions of the touch-sensitive display disposed within the gaze cone; and

after outputting the second presentation of the data and responsive to detecting a touch input at the touch-sensitive display, overriding, by the control circuit, the second presentation of the data by outputting a third presentation of the data in which the data at the portions of the touch-sensitive display that were disposed within the gaze cone in the second presentation are displayed at a location of the touch-sensitive display corresponding to the touch input such that the data is no longer output for display only at the portions of the touch-sensitive display disposed within the gaze cone.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

while outputting the second presentation of the data for display, turning other portions of the touch-sensitive display not disposed within the gaze cone to a low-power, sleep, or OFF mode.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein altering the first presentation of the data comprises one of rotating the data based upon a detected gaze direction, moving the data on the touch-sensitive display based upon the detected gaze direction, or combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

responsive to detecting that a flexible housing of the wearable electronic device is enfolded about an appendage of a user, configuring the touch-sensitive display in a first operational mode; and

responsive to detecting that the flexible housing is elongated, configuring the touch-sensitive display in a second operational mode.