Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program

• US 9,323,351 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Yusuke, Okumura, Yasushi, Suzuki, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bibbins, Latanya
• Application Number:
  US13/416,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20120326994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity

Abstract

An information processing apparatus may include a display, a touch acquisition unit, a rotation acquisition unit, and a display control unit. The touch acquisition unit may be configured to receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus. The rotation acquisition unit may be configured to receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus. The display control unit may be configured to generate a first signal to cause the display to display an image. Additionally, the display control unit may be configured to, when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a touch acquisition unit configured to receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

a rotation acquisition unit configured to receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

a display control unit configured to;

generate a first signal to cause the display to display an image; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image,

wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal to cause the display to change the image by offsetting, based on a direction of the rotation of the information processing apparatus, at least a portion of the image with respect to the display,

wherein the offsetting of at least the portion of the image brings into clearer view an area of the image, located at a position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input, that is at least partially visually obstructed behind an operator that provides the user input, and

wherein the at least the portion of the image is offset in a direction such that the area of the image located at the position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input is visually depicted as being offset, from an initial displaying of the at least the portion of the image at a first display position that is located directly underneath the operator in a depth direction, to the changed image which comprises a shifting into the display of the at least the portion of the image at the first display position such that the at least the portion of the image is three-dimensionally projected into the display in the depth direction and visually depicted to be located a distance d perpendicularly downward from a surface of the display and also located a distance perpendicularly downward from the operator such that the at least the portion of the image is shifted into unobstructed view from a previous condition of being at least partially visually obstructed behind the operator.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to determine an amount of rotation of the information processing apparatus about an axis parallel to a surface of the display, based on the rotation signal.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal only when the determined amount of rotation exceeds a threshold amount of rotation.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to determine the direction of the rotation of the information processing apparatus about an axis parallel to a surface of the display, based on the rotation signal.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display control unit is further configured to generate the second signal to:

cause the display to change the image by adding a cursor to the image identifying a position of the user input; and

cause the display to change the image by offsetting at least the portion of the image, including the cursor, with respect to the display.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the display control unit is configured to, when the proximity signal indicates the position of the user input has changed, generate a third signal to cause the display to further change the image by moving the cursor such that the cursor identifies the changed position of the user input.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal to cause the display to change the image by adding a line to the image connecting the offset cursor to the position of the user input.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display control unit is configured to, after generating the second signal, when the proximity signal indicates no user input while the rotation signal indicates a rotation, generate a third signal to cause the display to undo the changes to the image caused by the second signal.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch acquisition unit is configured to receive the proximity signal from a capacitive touch sensor.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch acquisition unit is configured to receive the proximity signal from a pressure-sensitive touch sensor.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to receive the rotation signal from an acceleration sensor.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to receive the rotation signal from a camera.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display control unit generates the second signal to cause the display to change the image by offsetting the entire image with respect to the display.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the offsetting of at least the portion of the image is performed while the user input is maintained onto the touch panel.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the offsetting of at least the portion of the image is performed while the user input is maintained onto a same position of the touch panel while the information processing apparatus is concurrently rotated.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the direction in which the at least the portion of the image is offset is substantially opposite in direction to the direction of the rotation of the information processing apparatus.

17. A method of controlling a display of an information processing apparatus, comprising:

generating a first signal to cause a display to display an image;

receiving a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

receiving a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generating a second signal to cause the display to change the image,

wherein the second signal is generated to cause the display to change the image by offsetting, based on a direction of the rotation of the information processing apparatus, at least a portion of the image with respect to the display,

wherein the offsetting of at least the portion of the image brings into clearer view an area of the image, located at a position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input, that is at least partially visually obstructed behind an operator that provides the user input, and

wherein the at least the portion of the image is offset in a direction such that the area of the image located at the position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input is visually depicted as being offset, from an initial displaying of the at least the portion of the image at a first display position that is located directly underneath the operator in a depth direction, to the changed image which comprises a shifting into the display of the at least the portion of the image at the first display position such that the at least the portion of the image is three-dimensionally projected into the display in the depth direction and visually depicted to be located a distance d perpendicularly downward from a surface of the display and also located a distance perpendicularly downward from the operator such that the at least the portion of the image is shifted into unobstructed view from a previous condition of being at least partially visually obstructed behind the operator.

18. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes an information processing apparatus to:

generate a first signal to cause a display to display an image;

receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image,

wherein the second signal is generated to cause the display to change the image by offsetting, based on a direction of the rotation of the information processing apparatus, at least a portion of the image with respect to the display,

wherein the offsetting of at least the portion of the image brings into clearer view an area of the image, located at a position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input, that is at least partially visually obstructed behind an operator that provides the user input, and

wherein the at least the portion of the image is offset in a direction such that the area of the image located at the position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input is visually depicted as being offset, from an initial displaying of the at least the portion of the image at a first display position that is located directly underneath the operator in a depth direction, to the changed image which comprises a shifting into the display of the at least the portion of the image at the first display position such that the at least the portion of the image is three-dimensionally projected into the display in the depth direction and visually depicted to be located a distance d perpendicularly downward from a surface of the display and also located a distance perpendicularly downward from the operator such that the at least the portion of the image is shifted into unobstructed view from a previous condition of being at least partially visually obstructed behind the operator.

19. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a storage medium storing a program; and

a processor configured to execute the program to cause the information processing apparatus to;

generate a first signal to cause a display to display an image;

receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image,

wherein the second signal is generated to cause the display to change the image by offsetting, based on a direction of the rotation of the information processing apparatus, at least a portion of the image with respect to the display,

wherein the offsetting of at least the portion of the image brings into clearer view an area of the image, located at a position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input, that is at least partially visually obstructed behind an operator that provides the user input, and

wherein the at least the portion of the image is offset in a direction such that the area of the image located at the position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input is visually depicted as being offset, from an initial displaying of the at least the portion of the image at a first display position that is located directly underneath the operator in a depth direction, to the changed image which comprises a shifting into the display of the at least the portion of the image at the first display position such that the at least the portion of the image is three-dimensionally projected into the display in the depth direction and visually depicted to be located a distance d perpendicularly downward from a surface of the display and also located a distance perpendicularly downward from the operator such that the at least the portion of the image is shifted into unobstructed view from a previous condition of being at least partially visually obstructed behind the operator.

20. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display;

touch acquisition means for receiving a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

rotation acquisition means for receiving a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

display control means for;

generating a first signal to cause the display to display an image; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generating a second signal to cause the display to change the image,

wherein the second signal is generated to cause the display to change the image by offsetting, based on a direction of the rotation of the information processing apparatus, at least a portion of the image with respect to the display,

wherein the offsetting of at least the portion of the image brings into clearer view an area of the image, located at a position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input, that is at least partially visually obstructed behind an operator that provides the user input, and

wherein the at least the portion of the image is offset in a direction such that the area of the image located at the position of the display corresponding to the position of the user input is visually depicted as being offset, from an initial displaying of the at least the portion of the image at a first display position that is located directly underneath the operator in a depth direction, to the changed image which comprises a shifting into the display of the at least the portion of the image at the first display position such that the at least the portion of the image is three-dimensionally projected into the display in the depth direction and visually depicted to be located a distance d perpendicularly downward from a surface of the display and also located a distance perpendicularly downward from the operator such that the at least the portion of the image is shifted into unobstructed view from a previous condition of being at least partially visually obstructed behind the operator.