Systems and methods for configuring the display magnification of an electronic device based on distance and user presbyopia

• US 9,626,741 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2016
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pais, Martin R., Chen, Sylvia
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEADERICK, ELLIOTT J
• Application Number:
  US15/007,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20160140692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/28 involving image processing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4092 Image resolution transcoding, e.g. by using client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/171 Local features and components; Facial parts eye characteristics G06V40/18; Occluding parts, e.g. glasses; Geometrical relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2350/00 Solving problems of bandwidth in display systems
• 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 5/373 for modifying the size of the graphic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

Systems and methods dynamically configure a display (104) of an electronic device (102) to a desired display resolution and/or a magnification factor without noticeable impact on the user viewing experience. According to certain aspects, the distance between a user (100) and the display is measured (1002), and the desired display resolution is determined (1006) based on the distance. If a user is exhibiting (1008, 1010) symptoms of presbyopia, a magnification factor may be determined (1012). A request indicating the desired display resolution and/or magnification factor is transmitted (1016) to a server that supplies images, such as pictures or videos. The image is received (1018) from the server and displayed (1020) on the display. A focus area distance and/or a pupil orientation of the user may also influence the desired display resolution. Bandwidth, processing, and power savings may result through the use of these systems and methods.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, in response to identifying that an electronic device has moved according to a series of movements in a z-axis direction comprising at least one forwards movement and at least one backwards movement, that a user of the electronic device is having difficulty visually focusing on at least one feature displayed on the electronic device;

responsive to determining that the user is having difficulty visually focusing on the at least one feature, determining a desired increased magnification factor for increasing magnification of the at least one feature displayed on the electronic device; and

outputting, for transmission to a server, a request indicating the desired increased magnification factor, wherein the server is capable of supplying at least one of a magnified image and magnified text according to the desired increased magnification factor and wherein determining that the user of the electronic device is having difficulty focusing on the at least one feature is not dependent on the state of the face of the user when the electronic device moves according to the series of movements.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the server, the at least one of the image and text according to the desired magnification factor; and

outputting, for display, the received at least one of the image and text.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one feature corresponds to at least one of an image and text displayed on the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the series of movements corresponds to a pattern of movements indicating that the user is exhibiting symptoms of presbyopia.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a distance between the display and the user;

comparing the measured distance to a minimum distance threshold; and

responsive to determining that the measured distance is less than the minimum distance threshold, determining the desired magnification factor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is having difficulty visually focusing on the at least one feature comprises receiving an indication of a level of presbyopia of the user, and wherein the desired magnification factor is determined based at least in part on the level of presbyopia.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the server, the image as part of a video at the desired magnification factor; and

outputting, for display, the received image when a scene changes in the video.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the server, the image at a display resolution that is different from a desired display resolution;

modifying the received image based on the desired magnification factor to produce a magnified image; and

outputting, for display, the magnified image.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to;

determine, in response to identifying that the electronic device has moved according to a series of movements in a z-axis direction comprising at least one forwards movement and at least one backwards movement, that a user of the electronic device is having difficulty visually focusing on at least one feature displayed on the electronic device;

responsive to determining that the user is having difficulty visually focusing on the at least one feature, determine a desired increased magnification factor for increasing magnification of the at least one feature displayed on the electronic device, and

output, for transmission to a server, a request indicating the desired increased magnification factor, wherein the server is capable of supplying at least one of a magnified image and magnified text according to the desired increased magnification factor and wherein determining that the user of the electronic device is having difficulty focusing on the at least one feature is not dependent on the state of the face of the user when the electronic device moves according to the series of movements.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to:

receive, from the server, the at least one of the image and text according to the desired magnification factor; and

output, for display, the received at least one of the image and text.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one feature corresponds to at least one of an image and text displayed on the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the series of movements corresponds to a pattern of movements indicating that the user is exhibiting symptoms of presbyopia.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device further comprises a distance measurement component configured to measure a distance between a display of the electronic device and the user, and wherein the stored instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to:

compare the measured distance to a minimum distance threshold; and

responsive to determining that the measured distance is less than the minimum distance threshold, determining the desired magnification factor.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device further comprises a transceiver configured to receive the image at a display resolution that is different from a desired display resolution, and wherein the stored instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to modify the image based on the desired magnification factor to produce a magnified image and output, for display, the magnified image.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein determining whether the user is having difficulty visually focusing on the at least one feature comprises receiving an indication of a level of presbyopia of the user, and wherein the desired magnification factor is determined based at least in part on the level of presbyopia.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to:

receive the image as part of a video at the desired magnification factor; and

output, for display, the received image when a scene changes in the video.