Display apparatus, storage medium having stored in information processing program, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and image display method

• US 9,805,695 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Hiroshi, Hayashi, Yugo
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, M Good
• Application Number:
  US13/724,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• 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: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling

Abstract

An example information processing apparatus determines whether an orientation of a display unit capable of being held by a user is in a first state or in a second state. If it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, the information processing apparatus sets, in a predetermined area, a display range to be displayed in the display unit, in accordance with the orientation of the display unit. If it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the information processing apparatus sets the display range, regardless of the orientation of the display unit.

Claims

1. A portable display apparatus comprising:

a display unit;

an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation of the display unit; and

a processing system, comprising at least one processor, the processing system coupled to the display unit and the orientation sensor and being at least configured to;

scroll an image display range of an image, displayed in the display unit, in accordance with rotation of the display unit about a first axis extending in a vertical direction, and

switch scroll control between an enabled state and a disabled state in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about a second axis extending perpendicularly to the vertical direction, wherein

when a screen of the display unit is generally parallel to the first axis extending in a vertical direction, the scroll control is set to the enabled state to scroll the image display range to be displayed in the display unit so as to move in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the first axis extending in the vertical direction, and

when the screen of the display unit is rotated about the second axis and transitions from being generally parallel to the first axis extending in the vertical direction to being horizontal and directed upward, the scroll control is set to the disabled state to stop the scrolling of the image display range even with a change in rotation of the display unit about the first axis extending in the vertical direction or about the second axis, and display in the display unit predetermined range of the image without scrolling.

2. The portable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the screen of the display unit transitions from being generally parallel to the first axis to being horizontal and directed upward, the scrolling is stopped even when the display unit is not maintained at a constant orientation.

3. The portable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the screen of the display unit transitions from being generally parallel to the first axis to being horizontal and directed upward, the scrolling is stopped and the displayed predetermined range is an image of a display range displayed on the display unit when the scrolling is stopped.

4. The portable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the screen of the display unit transitions from being generally parallel to the first axis to being horizontal and directed upward, the scrolling is stopped and the displayed predetermined range is an image of display range displayed on the display unit a predetermined time before the transition.

5. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having stored therein an information processing program to be executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus, the information processing program causing the computer to execute:

determining whether an orientation of a display unit capable of being held by a user is in a first state or in a second state, wherein at least when a screen of the display unit is parallel to a first axis extending in the vertical direction, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the first state, and at least when the screen of the display unit is parallel to a second axis extending perpendicularly to the vertical direction and directed vertically upward, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the second state;

scrolling an image display range of an image, displayed in the display unit in accordance with rotation of the display unit about the first axis; and

switching scroll control between being enabled and disabled in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the second axis extending perpendicularly to the vertical direction, wherein

if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, the scroll control is enabled to set the image display range to be displayed in the display unit by moving in a left-right direction in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the first axis extending in the vertical direction, and if it has been determined that the display unit is rotated about the second axis and the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the scroll control is disabled to set the image display range, regardless of a change in the rotation of the display unit about the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the second state.

6. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

if the orientation of the display unit has changed from the first state to the second state, a reference range determined in advance is set as the display range.

7. The storage medium according to claim 6, wherein

if the orientation of the display unit has changed from the second state to the first state, a range that is substantially the same as the reference range is set as an initial display range.

8. The storage medium according to claim 5, the information processing program further causing the computer to execute

if the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, determining whether or not the orientation of the display unit is substantially stopped during a predetermined period, wherein

if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is substantially stopped during the predetermined period, a reference range determined in advance is set as the display range.

9. The storage medium according to claim 5, the information processing program further causing the computer to execute:

arranging a plurality of objects in a predetermined area of the image in a predetermined direction such that the objects included in the display range are changed in accordance with movement of the display range in the left-right direction; and

if an operation of specifying one of the objects displayed on the display unit has been performed, performing processing based on the specified object.

10. The storage medium according to claim 5, the information processing program further causing the computer to execute

if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, causing at least some of a plurality of objects arranged in a predetermined area of the image to move, and if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, stopping movement of the at least some objects.

11. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

using a magnitude relationship between a value representing a direction of the screen of the display unit and a threshold, it is determined whether the orientation is in the first state or in the second state, and

the threshold is set to a value varied depending on the first state and the second state such that a range of the orientation where the first state is maintained in the first state and a range of the orientation where the second state is maintained in the second state partially overlap each other.

12. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

a casing including the display unit further includes an operation unit,

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute under the condition that the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, performing information processing based on a predetermined input to the operation unit.

13. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

the display range is set such that, if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, the display range changes in accordance with a change in the orientation of the display unit, and if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the display range does not change in accordance with a change in the orientation of the display unit.

14. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

a casing including the display unit further includes an inertial sensor,

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute calculating the orientation of the display unit on the basis of an output of the inertial sensor.

15. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

the display unit is included in a terminal apparatus separate from, and capable of communicating with, the information processing apparatus.

16. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein

the information processing apparatus is capable of being held by a user and includes the display unit.

17. The storage medium according to claim 5, wherein when it is determined that the orientation of the display unit transitions from being in the first state to being in the second state, the display range movement in the left-right direction is stopped and a display range, displayed on the screen when transitioning to the second state, is displayed on the screen regardless of the change in the orientation of the display unit until the user input is received to change the displayed display range.

18. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an orientation determination unit configured to determine whether an orientation of a display unit capable of being held by a user is in a first state or in a second state, wherein at least when a screen of the display unit is parallel to a first axis extending in a vertical direction, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the first state, and at least when the screen of the display unit is parallel to a second axis extending perpendicularly to the vertical direction and directed vertically upward, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the second state; and

a display range setting unit configured to;

scroll an image display range of an image, displayed in the display unit, in accordance with rotation of the display unit about the first axis; and

switch scroll control between being enabled and disabled in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the second axis, wherein

if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, the scroll control is enabled to set, by moving in a left-right direction, the image display range to be displayed in the display unit, in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the first axis extending in the vertical direction, and if it has been determined that the display unit is rotated about the second axis and the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the scroll control is disabled to set the image display range, regardless of a change in the rotation of the display unit about the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the second state.

19. An information processing system comprising:

a display unit capable of being held by a user; and

an information processing device, comprising at least one processor, the information processing device coupled to the display unit and being at least configured to;

determine whether an orientation of the display unit capable of being held by the user is in a first state or in a second state, wherein at least when a screen of the display unit is parallel to a first axis extending in a vertical direction, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the first state, and at least when the screen of the display unit is parallel to a second axis extending perpendicularly to the vertical direction and directed vertically upward, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the second state;

scroll an image display range of an image, displayed in the display unit, in accordance with rotation of the display unit about the first axis; and

switch scroll control between being enabled and disabled in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the second axis, wherein

if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, the scroll control is enabled to set, by moving in a left-right direction, the image display range to be displayed in the display unit, in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the first axis extending in the vertical direction, and if it has been determined that the display unit is rotated about the second axis and the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the scroll control is disabled to set the image display range, regardless of a change in the rotation of the display unit about the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the second state.

20. The information processing system according to claim 19, further comprising a touch panel, and wherein if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the display range is set in accordance with a direction of a user input on the touch panel.

21. The information processing system according to claim 19, further comprising a directional input device, and wherein if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the display range is set based on a user input to the directional input device, regardless of change in orientation of the display unit.

22. An image display method for displaying an image in a display unit capable of being held by a user, the method comprising:

determining whether an orientation of the display unit is in a first state or in a second state, wherein at least when a screen of the display unit is parallel to a first axis extending in a vertical direction, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the first state, and at least when the screen of the display unit is parallel to a second axis extending perpendicularly to the vertical direction and directed vertically upward, the orientation of the display unit is determined to be in the second state;

scrolling an image display range of the image in accordance with rotation of the display unit about the first axis; and

switching scroll control between being enabled and disabled in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the second axis, wherein

if it has been determined that the orientation of the display unit is in the first state, the scroll control is enabled to set the image display range to be displayed in the display unit by moving in a left-right direction in accordance with the rotation of the display unit about the first axis extending in the vertical direction, and if it has been determined that the display unit is rotated about the second axis and the orientation of the display unit is in the second state, the scroll control is disabled to set the image display range, regardless of a change in the rotation of the display unit about the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the second state.

23. A portable display apparatus comprising:

a display;

a sensor configured to detect an orientation of the display; and

a processing system, comprising at least one processor, the processing system coupled to the display and the sensor and being at least configured to;

scroll an image display range of an image, displayed on the display, in accordance with rotation of the display about a first axis extending in a vertical direction; and

switch scroll control between an enabled state and a disabled state in accordance with the rotation of the display about a second axis extending perpendicularly to the vertical direction, wherein

when the display is determined, based on the detected orientation of the display, to be generally parallel to the first axis, the scroll control is set to the enabled state to scroll the image in accordance with a change of the detected orientation of the display about the first axis, and

when the display is determined, based on the detected orientation of the display, to rotate about the second axis and to transition from being generally parallel to the first axis to being horizontal and directed upward, the scroll control is set to the disabled state to stop the scrolling of the image displayed on the display and displaying a predetermined range of the image so that there is no scrolling of the image even when a change of orientation of the display about the first axis is detected and when a change of orientation of the display about the second axis is detected.

24. The portable display apparatus of claim 23 wherein the processing system is further configured to, when the display is in the horizontal direction and directed upward, receiving a user input and scrolling the displayed image based on the received user input regardless of changes to the orientation of the display.

25. The portable display apparatus of claim 23 wherein, when the screen of the display transitions from being generally parallel to the first axis to being horizontal and directed upward, the scrolling is stopped even when the display is not maintained at a constant orientation.