Resolution enhancer for electronic visual displays

• US 9,514,711 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Castellani, Marzia E., Loppini, Fabrizio, Ragusa, Ciro, Ragusa, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Yi
• Application Number:
  US14/474,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20150279002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/36 Level of detail
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4053 based on super-resolution, i.e. the output image resolution being higher than the sensor resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0457 Improvement of perceived resolution by subpixel rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/022 Centralised management of display operation, e.g. in a server instead of locally
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/22 Detection of presence or absence of input display information or of connection or disconnection of a corresponding information source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

A method of enhancing a visual image of a display is described. The visual image is displayed on a first display of a display device having a first display pixel density and a first display dimension. The display device detects an enhancer device oriented in an operable position to the display device. The enhancer display device has a second display having a second display pixel density higher than the first display pixel density and a second display dimension less than the first display dimension. A spatial orientation is determined between the first display of the display device with the second display of the enhancer display device. The display device sends the visual image and the spatial orientation to the enhancer display device to display a portion of the visual image that is defined by the spatial orientation on the second display in the second display pixel density.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing an electronic visual image of a first display, comprising:

displaying the electronic visual image on the first display of a first display device having a first display pixel density and a first display dimension;

detecting an enhancer display device overlying and oriented in an operable position to the first display device, the enhancer display device having a second display, a second display pixel density higher than the first display pixel density, and a second display dimension less than the first display dimension, where detecting the enhancer display device overlying and oriented in an operable position includes, at least, detecting a unique physical signature, in the form of a unique physical structure, of the enhancer display device in contact with the first display of the first display device, wherein the unique physical signature identifies the enhancer display device to the first display device and indicates that the enhancer display device is in an operable position-relative to the first display device;

determining a spatial orientation between the first display of the first display device and the second display of the enhancer display device;

sending at least a portion of the electronic visual image to the enhancer display device, wherein the enhancer display device is capable of displaying at least a portion of the sent electronic visual image on the second display in the second display pixel density, based on the spatial orientation, such that the displayed electronic visual image on the enhancer display device corresponds to a portion of the electronic visual image on the first display that is directly overlaid by the enhancer display device;

receiving, at the first display device, an input event from the enhancer display device, and having occurred on the second display of the enhancer display device; and

updating the electronic visual image on the first display as if the input event occurred on the corresponding portion of the electronic visual image on the first display overlaid by the enhancer display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the electronic visual image and the spatial orientation is streamed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique physical signature is made up of contact points having a specific geometric disposition.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unique physical signature has four contact points in the geometric disposition of a trapezoid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein to be oriented in the operable position, the first display and the second display are substantially parallel and the second display overlaps at least a portion of the first display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending at least a portion of the electronic visual image to the enhancer display device comprises:

cropping the electronic visual image based on the determined spatial orientation between the first display device and the enhancer display device, such that the cropped image, if displayed in the enhancer display device, would correspond to the portion of the electronic visual image on the first display that is directly overlaid by the enhancer display device; and

sending the cropped electronic visual image to the enhancer display device for display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending at least a portion of the electronic visual image to the enhancer display device comprises:

sending both the electronic visual image and information relating to the determined spatial orientation to the enhancer display device, such that the enhancer display device can determine a relevant portion of the electronic visual image to display that corresponds to a portion of the electronic visual image on the first display that is directly overlaid by the enhancer display device.

8. A method of enhancing an electronic visual image of a first display, comprising:

receiving, with an enhancer display device, a spatial orientation of a first display of a first display device to a second display of the enhancer display device, when the enhancer display device is in an operable position with the first display device, where the first display has a first display pixel density and a first display dimension, and the second display has a second display pixel density higher than the first display pixel density and a second display dimension less than the first display dimension, wherein the enhancer display device being in an operable position is indicated to the first display device by a unique physical signature of the enhancer display device, in the form of a unique physical structure, being in contact with the first display of the first display device;

receiving an electronic visual image viewed on the first display;

determining a portion of the electronic visual image to be displayed on the second display of the enhancer display device, the portion is defined by the spatial orientation of the second display to the first display, wherein the portion of the electronic visual image to be displayed corresponds to a portion of the electronic visual image viewed on the first display that is directly overlaid by the enhancer display device;

displaying on the second display of the enhancer display device the portion of the electronic visual image of the first display device determined by the enhancer display device;

detecting an input event made on the enhancer display device; and

sending the input event to the first display device to update the electronic visual image on the first display device as if the input event occurred on the corresponding portion of the electronic visual image on the first display overlaid by the enhancer display device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving an electronic visual image and the spatial orientation is streamed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein to be in the operable position, the first display and the second display are substantially parallel and the second display overlaps at least a portion of the first display.