Method and apparatus for enlarging a display area

• US 9,007,321 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Adachi, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): SHENG, TOM V
• Application Number:
  US13/850,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20140285418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 348/E5.055
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An apparatus may include circuitry configured to determine, as a first determination result based on an output of a sensor, that an instruction object is within a predetermined distance of a surface of a display. The circuitry may acquire an image of an area surrounding the apparatus. The circuitry may detect a presence of a facial feature in the captured image. The circuitry may calculate a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature. The circuitry may control the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface based on the first determination result and the line-of-sight calculation.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to;

determine, as a first determination result based on an output of a sensor, that an instruction object is within a predetermined distance of a surface of a display;

determine a position on the display corresponding to the first determination result;

acquire an image of an area surrounding the apparatus;

detect a presence of a facial feature in the captured image;

calculate a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature; and

control the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface and display the enlarged area offset from the position corresponding to the first determination result based on a distance between a reference vector projecting perpendicularly from the display at the position corresponding to the first determination result and a line-of-sight vector corresponding to the line-of-sight angle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the circuitry is configured to control the display to display the enlarged area offset upwards or downwards relative to the position corresponding to the first determination result based on the line-of-sight angle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the circuitry is configured to;

control the display to display the position corresponding to the first determination result within the enlarged area, and

when the enlarged area is offset upwards, control the display to display the enlarged area such that a greater portion of the displayed interface is displayed above the position corresponding to the first determination result than below the position corresponding to the first determination result.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the circuitry is configured to;

control the display to display the position corresponding to the first determination result within the enlarged area, and

when the enlarged area is offset downwards, control the display to display the enlarged area such that a greater portion of the displayed interface is displayed below the position corresponding to the first determination result than above the position corresponding to the first determination result.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the interface includes a virtual keyboard, and

when the position corresponding to the first determination result corresponds to a key included in the virtual keyboard, the circuitry is configured to control the display to display the enlarged area such that the enlarged area includes the key and a predetermined area surrounding the key.

6. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to;

determine, as a first determination result based on an output of a sensor, that an instruction object is within a predetermined distance of a surface of a display;

determine a position on the display corresponding to the first determination result;

acquire an image of an area surrounding the apparatus;

detect a presence of a facial feature in the captured image;

calculate a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature; and

control the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface based on the first determination result and the line-of-sight calculation, wherein

a vector projecting from the display surface perpendicular to the position corresponding to the first determination result defines a reference vector, and

the circuitry is configured to;

compare a line-of-sight vector corresponding to the line-of-sight angle to the reference vector,

when the line-of-sight angle is above the reference vector, control the display to display the enlarged area offset above the position corresponding to the first determination result, and

when the line-of-sight angle is below the reference vector, control the display to display the enlarged area offset below the position corresponding to the first determination result.

7. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to;

determine, as a first determination result based on an output of a sensor, that an instruction object is within a predetermined distance of a surface of a display;

determine a position on the display corresponding to the first determination result;

acquire an image of an area surrounding the apparatus;

detect a presence of a facial feature in the captured image;

calculate a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature; and

control the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface based on the first determination result and the line-of-sight calculation, wherein

a vector projecting from the display perpendicular to the position corresponding to the first determination result defines a reference vector, and

the circuitry is configured to;

compare a line-of-sight vector corresponding to the line-of-sight angle to the reference vector,

when the line-of-sight vector is within a predetermined angle of the reference vector, control the display to display the enlarged area such that a center of the enlarged area corresponds with the position corresponding to the first determination result.

8. A method comprising:

displaying an interface on a display;

determining, as a first determination result by a sensor, when an instruction object is within a predetermined distance from a surface of the display;

determining, by the circuitry, a position on the display surface corresponding to the first determination result;

acquiring an image of an area surrounding the apparatus;

detecting, by circuitry, a presence of a facial feature in the captured image;

calculating, by the circuitry, a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature; and

controlling, by the circuitry, the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface and display the enlarged area offset from the position corresponding to the first determination result based on a distance between a reference vector projecting perpendicularly from the display at the position corresponding to the first determination result and a line-of-sight vector corresponding to the line-of-sight angle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the enlarged area offset upwards or downwards relative to the position corresponding to the first determination result based on the line-of-sight angle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the position corresponding to the first determination result within the enlarged area;

when the enlarged area is offset upwards, controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the enlarged area such that a greater portion of the displayed interface is displayed above the position corresponding to the first determination result than below the position corresponding to the first determination result, and

when the enlarged area is offset downwards, controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the enlarged area such that a greater portion of the displayed interface is displayed below the position corresponding to the first determination result than above the position corresponding to the first determination result.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display a virtual keyboard in the interface, and

when the position corresponding to the first determination result corresponds to a key included in the virtual keyboard, controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the enlarged area such that the enlarged area includes the key and a predetermined area surrounding the key.

12. A method comprising:

displaying an interface on a display;

determining, as a first determination result by a sensor, when an instruction object is within a predetermined distance from a surface of the display;

determining, by the circuitry, a position on the display surface corresponding to the first determination result;

acquiring an image of an area surrounding the apparatus;

detecting, by circuitry, a presence of a facial feature in the captured image;

calculating, by the circuitry, a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature;

controlling, by the circuitry, the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface based on the first determination result and the line-of-sight calculation;

comparing, by the circuitry, a line-of-sight vector corresponding to the line-of-sight angle to a reference vector projecting from the display perpendicular to the position corresponding to the first determination result;

when the line-of-sight angle is above the reference vector, controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the enlarged area offset above the position corresponding to the first determination result; and

when the line-of-sight angle is below the reference vector, controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the enlarged area offset below the position corresponding to the first determination result.

13. A method comprising:

displaying an interface on a display;

determining, as a first determination result by a sensor, when an instruction object is within a predetermined distance from a surface of the display;

determining, by the circuitry, a position on the display surface corresponding to the first determination result;

acquiring an image of an area surrounding the apparatus;

detecting, by circuitry, a presence of a facial feature in the captured image;

calculating, by the circuitry, a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature;

controlling, by the circuitry, the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface based on the first determination result and the line-of-sight calculation;

comparing, by the circuitry, a line-of-sight vector corresponding to the line-of-sight angle to a reference vector projecting from the display perpendicular to the position corresponding to the first determination result;

when the line-of-sight vector is within a predetermined angle of the reference vector, controlling, by the circuitry, the display to display the enlarged area such that a center of the enlarged area corresponds with the position corresponding to the first determination result.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

displaying an interface on a display;

determining, as a first determination result, when an instruction object is within a predetermined distance from a surface of the display;

acquiring an image of an area surrounding the apparatus;

detecting a presence of a facial feature in the captured image;

calculating a line-of-sight angle based on the detected facial feature; and

controlling the display to enlarge an area of a displayed interface and display the enlarged area offset from the position corresponding to the first determination result based on a distance between a reference vector projecting perpendicularly from the display at the position corresponding to the first determination result and a line-of-sight vector corresponding to the line-of-sight angle.