Information display apparatus with proximity detection performance and information display method using the same

• US 9,110,513 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2014
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Koshiyama, Atsushi, Oba, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): MANDEVILLE, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US14/177,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/169, 345173-178, 178/18.06, 348/169, 715/700, 715/862, 715/864, 715763-764
• 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 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An information display apparatus with proximity detection performance contains a display device that displays image information, a sensor constituted of plural detection electrodes, and an adjusting device of detection resolution that adjusts the detection resolution to be detected based on a distance between the sensor and an object that is contacted to any one of the detection electrodes.

Claims

1. A display control method comprising the steps of:

detecting a three dimensional spatial position of an object by a sensor provided in connection with a display; and

controlling image information, which is arranged along a circumference of a closed curved shape on a display surface, in rotation speed and rotation direction around the closed curved shape based upon a detected locus of the object, wherein the spatial position of the object is detected relative to a surface of the sensor which includes first, second and third detection spaces, the first detection space located between first and second predetermined distances from the surface of the sensor, the first predetermined distance being further from the surface of the sensor than the second predetermined distance, the second detection space located between the second predetermined distance and a vicinity immediately in front of the surface of the sensor,

and wherein when the object moves to the first detection space the image information is controlled so that the image information is arranged along the circumference of the closed curved shape and when the object rotates in the second detection space, display of the image information is controlled so that the image information is rotated in synchronism with the rotation direction and rotational speed of the object along a same direction as that of the object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third detection space indicates a contact point on the surface of the sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image information is arranged in a middle of the display surface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image information is controlled in size based upon the detected spatial position of the object.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting detection resolution based on the detected spatial position of the object.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting detection sensitivity of the sensor based on the detected spatial position of the object.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of detecting the contact point of the object on the surface of the sensor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a user can control selection and display of image information based on user control of the object.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein as the object approaches the surface of the sensor, the detection resolution is successively switched from a highest level to a lowest level based on a distance between the sensor and the object.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image information, arranged along the circumference of the circle, surrounds a projection point of the object.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the image information is controlled so that light is focused around the projection point of the object.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image information is a plurality of icons.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein as the detected object approaches the surface of the sensor, the number of icons displayed is reduced in number and rearranged on the display surface.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed on the display surface and the spatial position of the object is detected relative to the display surface which includes the first, second and third detection spaces, the third detection space indicating a contact point on the display surface.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of detecting a contact point of the object on the display surface.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein as the object approaches the display surface, detection resolution is successively switched from a highest level to a lowest level based on a distance between the display surface and the object.

10. An image display apparatus comprising:

a sensor provided in connection with a display detecting a three dimensional spatial position of an object; and

display controller controlling image information, which is arranged along a circumference of a closed curved shape on a display surface, in rotation speed and rotation direction around the closed curved shape based upon a detected locus of the object, wherein the spatial position of the object is detected relative to a surface of the sensor which includes first, second and third detection spaces, the first detection space located between first and second predetermined distances from the surface of the sensor, the first predetermined distance being further from the surface of the sensor than the second predetermined distance, the second detection space located between the second predetermined distance and a vicinity immediately in front of the surface of the sensor,

and wherein when the object moves to the first detection space the image information is controlled so that the image information is arranged along the circumference of the closed curved shape and when the object rotates in the second detection space, display of the image information is controlled so that the image information is rotated in synchronism with the rotation direction and rotational speed of the object along a same direction as that of the object.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the third detection space indicates a contact point on the surface of the sensor.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image information is arranged in a middle of the display surface.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display controller controls the image information in size based upon the detected spatial position of the object.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display controller adjusts detection resolution of the sensor based upon the detected spatial position of the object.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display controller adjusts detection sensitivity of the sensor based on detected spatial position of the object.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sensor detects the contact point of the object on the surface of the sensor.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a user can control selection and display of the image information based on user control of the object.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein as the object approaches the surface of the sensor, the detection resolution is successively switched from a highest level to a lowest level based on a distance between the sensor and the object.

26. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image information, arranged along the circumference of the circle, surrounds a projection point of the object.

27. The apparatus according according to claim 26, wherein the image information is controlled so that light is focused around the projection point of the object.

28. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image information is a plurality of icons.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein as the detected object approaches the surface of the sensor, the number of icons displayed is reduced in number and rearranged on the display surface.

30. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the sensor is disposed on the display surface and the spatial position of the object is detected relative to the display surface which includes the first, second and third detection spaces, the third detection space indicating a contact point on the display surface.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the contact point of the object on the display surface is detected.

32. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein as the object approaches the display surface, detection resolution is successively switched from a highest level to a lowest level based on a distance between the display surface and the object.

33. A display control method comprising the steps of:

detecting a three dimensional spatial position of an object by a sensor disposed on a display surface; and

controlling image information, which is arranged along a circumference of a closed curved shape on the display surface, in rotation speed and rotation direction around the closed curved shape based upon a detected locus of the object, wherein the spatial position of the object is detected relative to the display surface which includes first, second and third detection spaces, the first detection space located between first and second predetermined distances from the display surface, the first predetermined distance being further from the display surface than the second predetermined distance, the second detection space located between the second predetermined distance and a vicinity immediately in front of the display surface,

and wherein when the object moves to the first detection space the image information is controlled so that the image information is arranged along the circumference of the closed curved shape and when the object rotates in the second detection space, display of the image information is controlled so that the image information is rotated in synchronism with the rotation direction and rotational speed of the object along a same direction as that of the object.

34. An image display apparatus comprising:

a sensor disposed on a display surface detecting a three dimensional spatial position of an object; and

a display controller controlling image information, which is arranged along a circumference of a closed curved shape on the display surface, in rotation speed and rotation direction around the closed curved shape based upon a detected locus of the object, wherein the spatial position of the object is detected relative to the display surface which includes first, second and third detection spaces, the first detection space located between first and second predetermined distances from the display surface, the first predetermined distance being further from the display surface than the second predetermined distance, the second detection space located between the second predetermined distance and a vicinity immediately in front of the display surface,

and wherein when the object moves to the first detection space the image information is controlled so that the image information is arranged along the circumference of the closed curved shape and when the object rotates in the second detection space, display of the image information is controlled so that the image information is rotated in synchronism with the rotation direction and rotational speed of the object along a same direction as that of the object.