Method and apparatus for controlling screen by tracking head of user through camera module, and computer-readable recording medium therefor

• US 9,261,957 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Dae Sung, Ahn, Jai Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLS-BURNS, CHINEYERE D
• Application Number:
  US14/129,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20140210705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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

Controlling a screen by tracking user'"'"'s head using a camera module is described, comprising: (a) when a request for displaying contents is received, displaying a plurality of content regions on a screen and tracking the head of the user looking at the screen through the camera module; and (b) when it is determined in the tracking that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where information on a first content is displayed in a central content region among the plurality of content regions, displaying, in the central content region, information on a second content which was displayed in a peripheral content region, the peripheral content region being positioned in the specific direction or in a direction opposite to the specific direction from the central content region.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a screen by tracking a head of a user through a camera module, comprising the steps of:

when a request for displaying contents is received, displaying a plurality of content regions on a screen and tracking the head of the user looking at the screen through the camera module; and

when it is determined in the tracking that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where information on a first content is displayed in a central content region among the plurality of content regions, displaying, in the central content region, information on a second content which was displayed in a peripheral content region, the peripheral content region being positioned in the specific direction or in a direction opposite to the specific direction from the central content region, displaying a camera screen captured by the camera module on a part of the screen, and changing the camera screen to a predetermined screen control button when a touch input is generated on the camera screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of content regions are displayed on the screen so that they are arranged in a form of a grid.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of content regions are displayed on the screen so that they are shown to the user to be arranged in a form of a three-dimensional sphere.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when it is determined in the tracking that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where the information on the first content is displayed in the central content region among the plurality of content regions, displaying, in the central content region, the information on the second content which was displayed in a peripheral content region, the peripheral content region being positioned in the specific direction or in a direction opposite to the specific direction from the central content region, by having information on a plurality of contents displayed in the plurality of content regions slide while keeping their arrangement order.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting information about whether the head tracking is successfully performed to the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information about whether the head tracking is successfully performed is presented by changing color of a region of the screen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the comprises displaying a predetermined screen control button, and wherein when it is determined in the tracking that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where the predetermined screen control button is selected, the information on the second content which was displayed in a peripheral content region is displayed in the central content region, the peripheral content region being positioned in the specific direction or in a direction opposite to the specific direction from the central content region.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein when it is determined in the tracking that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where a key button signal or an audio signal is input, the information on the second content which was displayed in a peripheral content region is displayed in the central content region, the peripheral content region being positioned in the specific direction or in a direction opposite to the specific direction from the central content region.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein comprises displaying a predetermined screen control button, and wherein if the predetermined screen control button is selected by continuously pressing the button for a predetermined time t1, the displaying of the information on the second content in the central content region is held until the predetermined screen control button is selected again by continuously pressing the button for a predetermined time t2.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising making a movement to a detailed screen for a specific content if information on the specific content is continuously displayed in the central content region for a predetermined time without detecting movement of the head of the user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying a loading image for moving to the detailed screen for the specific content if the information on the specific content is continuously displayed in the central content region for the predetermined time.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising, if it is detected that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where the detailed screen is displayed, making a direct movement to a detailed screen for a previous or next content with reference to the order that the plurality of content regions were arranged on the screen.

13. An apparatus for controlling a screen by tracking a head of a user through a camera module, comprising:

a head tracking unit for tracking the head of the user looking at the screen through the camera module; and

a screen control unit for displaying a plurality of content regions on a screen when a display request of a content is received, and when it is determined in the tracking that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where information on a first content is displayed in a central content region among the plurality of content regions, displaying, in the central content region, information on a second content which was displayed in a peripheral content region, the peripheral content region being positioned in the specific direction or in a direction opposite to the specific direction from the central content region, wherein the screen control unit further displays a camera screen captured by the camera module on a part of the screen, and changes the camera screen to a predetermined screen control button when a touch input is generated on the camera screen.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first content or the second content includes at least one of photo, image, moving images, document, and audio contents.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the screen control unit makes a movement to a detailed screen for a specific content if information on the specific content is continuously displayed in the central content region for a predetermined time without detecting movement of the head of user.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the screen control unit displays a loading image for moving to the detailed screen for the specific content if the information on the specific content is continuously displayed in the central content region for the predetermined time.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, if it is detected that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where the detailed screen is displayed, the screen control unit controls the screen so that a direct movement to a detailed screen for a previous or next content is made, with reference to the order that the plurality of content regions were arranged on the screen.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, if it is detected that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where the detailed screen is displayed, the screen control unit displays an image indicator indicating whether there is a previous or next content, with reference to the order that the plurality of content regions were arranged on the screen.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, if it is detected that the head of the user approaches the camera module or is remote from the camera module in a state where the detailed screen is displayed, the screen control unit allows the detailed screen to be enlarged or reduced.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein, if it is detected that the head of the user moves in a specific direction in a state where the detailed screen is enlarged, the screen control unit allows the detailed screen to be scrolled in the specific direction or in a direction opposite to the specific direction.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, if the specific content is a moving image and it is detected that the head of the user moves in a first direction in a state where the detailed screen is displayed, the screen control unit reproduces the moving image.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein, if it is detected that the head of the user moves in the first direction while the moving image is reproduced, the screen control unit stops the reproduction of the moving image.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, if it is detected that the head of the user moves in a second direction in a state where reproduction of the moving image is stopped, the screen control unit makes a movement to a screen on which the plurality of content regions are displayed.