Mobile terminal to display an object on a perceived 3D space

• US 9,104,275 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Nam, Seung Woo, Kim, Jong Hwan, Kang, Yeon Joo
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burwell, Joseph R
• Application Number:
  US12/906,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method may include displaying at least one first object on a perceived 3D space having at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer has a 3D level of a first depth and the second layer has a 3D level of a second depth, and wherein the at least one first object is arranged on the first layer. The method may also include receiving a user input for selecting one of the at least one first object while displaying the at least one first object, arranging at least one second object on the second layer when the 3D level of the second layer changes to the first depth, and displaying the at least one second object, wherein each of the at least one second object corresponds to a sub-menu of a menu corresponding to the selected first object.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal comprising:

displaying, on a display of the mobile terminal, at least one first object on a perceived three-dimensional (3D) space having at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is a topmost layer of the 3D space, the third layer is a bottommost layer of the 3D space, and the second layer is between the first layer and the third layer, wherein the first layer has a 3D level of a first depth and the second layer has a 3D level of a second depth, and wherein the at least one first object is arranged on the first layer provided at a reference depth;

receiving a user input for selecting one of the at least one first object at the mobile terminal while displaying the at least one first object on the first layer provided at the reference depth;

automatically arranging at least one second object on the second layer when the 3D level of the second layer changes to the first depth and the second layer is provided at the reference depth;

changing the 3D level of the first layer from the first depth to the third depth by changing a visual characteristic of the first layer, wherein the visual characteristic is a translucency of an object displayed on the first layer; and

displaying the at least one second object on the second level of the display, as the 3D level of the first layer changes from the first depth to the third depth,

automatically varying a translucency of the at least one second object on the second layer as the second layer is provided at the reference depth, wherein the first layer becomes translucent as the first layer is removed from the reference depth and is provided at another depth such that the at least one second object on the second layer provided at the reference depth can be seen through the first layer, and

wherein each of the at least one second object corresponds to a sub-menu of a menu corresponding to the selected one of the at least one first object,

wherein the first layer and the second layer are planar layers, and the first layer and the second layer are parallel to each other,

wherein the first depth is perceived to be seen closer to a user than the second depth, and the second depth is perceived to be seen closer to the user than the third depth, and

wherein the display displays the perceived 3D space in a stereoscopic manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input for selecting one of the at least one first object includes a clamping gesture.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the 3D level of the first layer from the first depth to the third depth, when the 3D level of the second layer changes to the first depth and the second layer is provided at the reference depth.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input for selecting one of the at least one first object is determined by a proximity sensor of the mobile terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input for selecting one of the at least one first object is determined by a touchscreen of the mobile terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second layer is invisible while the 3D level of the first layer corresponds to the first depth and the first level is provided at the reference depth.

7. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display to display at least one first object on a perceived three-dimensional (3D) space having at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the 3D space includes the first layer as a topmost layer of the 3D space, the third layer as a bottommost layer of the 3D space and the second layer is between the first layer and the third layer, wherein the first layer has a 3D level of a first depth and the second layer has a 3D level of a second depth, and wherein the at least one first object is arranged on the first layer provided at a reference depth;

an input device to receive a user input for selecting one of the at least one first object while the display displays the at least one first object; and

a controller to automatically arrange at least one second object on the second layer when the 3D level of the second layer changes from the third depth to the first depth and the second layer is provided at the reference depth, the controller to change the 3D level of the first layer from the first depth to the third depth by changing a visual characteristic of the first layer, wherein the visual characteristic is a translucency of an object displayed on the first layer, and

the controller to display the at least one second object on the second level of the display as the 3D level of the first layer changes from the first depth to the third depth, the controller to automatically vary a translucency of the at least one second object on the second layer as the second layer is provided at the reference depth, wherein the first layer becomes translucent as the first layer is removed from the reference depth and is provided at another depth such that the at least one second object on the second layer provided at the reference depth can be seen through the first layer,

wherein each of the at least one second object corresponds to a sub-menu of a menu corresponding to the selected one of the at least one first object,

wherein the first layer and the second layer are planar layers and are parallel to each other,

wherein the first depth is perceived to be seen closer to a user than the second depth, and the second depth is perceived to be seen closer to the user than the third depth, and

wherein the display displays the perceived 3D space in a stereoscopic manner.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the user input for selecting one of the at least one first object includes a clamping gesture.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller changes the 3D level of the first layer from the first depth to the third depth, when the 3D level of the second layer changes to the first depth and the second layer is provided at the reference depth.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the input device includes a proximity sensor, and the controller determines the user input for selecting one of the at least one first object based on the proximity sensor.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the input device includes a touch screen, and the controller determines the user input for selecting one of the at least one first object based on the user input at the touch screen.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the second layer is invisible while the 3D level of the first layer corresponds to the first depth and the first level is provided at the reference depth.