Transparent display device and control method therefor

• US 9,990,034 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Gunho
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini, Javid A
• Application Number:
  US15/036,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 345632
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects

Abstract

Disclosed is a transparent display device. A transparent display device according to one embodiment displays a predetermined image through a transparent display panel and senses the direction of the line of sight of a person gazing at the transparent display panel, thereby displaying detailed information of an object on the transparent display panel if the line of sight of the person is directed toward the object positioned on the rear surface of the transparent display panel.

Claims

1. A transparent display device, comprising:

a first transparent display panel being implemented by a see-through display and displaying an image;

a first gaze detection sensor detecting gaze of a person looking at the first transparent display panel; and

a controller configured to;

analyze the gaze of the person to determine whether the gaze of the person is directed toward an object located behind a rear surface of the first transparent display panel;

cause the first transparent display panel to display an indicator corresponding to the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the object;

cause the first transparent display panel to stop the displaying of the indicator when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the indicator for a first threshold time period;

cause the first transparent display panel to display detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the indicator; and

cause the first transparent display panel to stop the displaying of the detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the detailed information of the object for a second threshold time period.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the first transparent display panel to:

stop the displaying of the indicator when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the indicator; and

display the detailed information of the object at a position where the indicator was previously displayed such that the indicator is replaced by the detailed information of the object on the first transparent display panel.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein, the controller is further configured to cause the first transparent display panel to display the indicator or the detailed information of the object at a variable position of the first transparent display panel based on a position of the person looking at the object such that:

the indicator or the detailed information of the object is displayed at a first position of the first transparent display panel when the person is at a first position; and

the indicator or the detailed information of the object is displayed at a second position of the first transparent display panel when the person is at a second position.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein, when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to any one of a plurality of objects located behind the rear surface of the first transparent display panel, the controller is further configured to cause the first transparent display panel to display:

a first indicator corresponding to a first object to which the person'"'"'s gaze is directed; and

a second indicator guiding the person'"'"'s gaze to a second object related to the first object.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein, the first and second indicators are displayed at different positions on the first transparent display panel, and the controller is further configured to cause the first transparent display panel to display:

detailed information of the first object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator; and

,

detailed information of the second object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein, when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator, the second indicator, the detailed information of the first object, or the detailed information of the second object for a third threshold time period, the controller is further configured to cause the first transparent display panel to stop the displaying of the first indicator, the second indicator, the detailed information of the first object, or the detailed information of the second object.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second transparent display panel disposed at an opposite side of a front surface, a rear surface, a left-side surface, a right-side surface, an upper surface, or a lower surface of the first transparent display panel, the second transparent display panel implemented by a see-through display and displaying an image.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to display a first indicator corresponding to a first object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first object located behind the rear surface of the first transparent display panel; and

cause the second transparent display panel to display a second indicator corresponding to a second object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second object located behind a rear surface of the second transparent display panel.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to display detailed information of the first object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator displayed on the first transparent display panel; and

cause the second transparent display panel to display detailed information of the second object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator displayed on the second transparent display panel.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to stop displaying the first indicator or detailed information of the first object when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator or detailed information of the first object for a fourth threshold time period; and

cause the second transparent display panel to stop displaying the second indicator or detailed information of the second object when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the second indicator or detailed information of the second object for a fifth threshold time period.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a mirror display panel disposed behind the rear surface of the first transparent display panel such that the object is positioned between the first transparent display panel and the mirror display panel, the mirror display panel implemented by a see-through display and displaying an image.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to display a first indicator corresponding to object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to front of the object through the first transparent display panel; and

cause the mirror display panel to display a second indicator corresponding to object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to a rear surface of the object through the mirror display panel.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to display detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator displayed on the first transparent display panel; and

cause the mirror display panel to display detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator displayed on the mirror display panel.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to stop displaying the first indicator or detailed information when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator or detailed information of the object displayed on the first transparent display panel for a sixth threshold time period; and

cause the mirror display panel to stop displaying the second indicator or detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the second indicator or detailed information of the object displayed on the mirror display panel for a seventh threshold time period.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second transparent display panel disposed behind the rear surface of the first transparent display panel, the second transparent display panel implemented by a see-through display, and displaying an image; and

a second gaze detection sensor detecting a gaze direction of a person looking at the second transparent display panel.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to display a first indicator corresponding to the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the object through the first transparent display panel; and

cause the second transparent display panel to display a second indicator corresponding to the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the object through the second transparent display panel.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to display detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator displayed on the first transparent display panel; and

cause the second transparent display panel to display detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator displayed on the second transparent display panel.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the first transparent display panel to stop displaying the first indicator or detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator or detailed information of the object displayed on the first transparent display panel for an eighth threshold time period; and

cause the second transparent display panel to stop displaying the second indicator or detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the second indicator or detailed information of the object displayed on the second transparent display panel for a ninth threshold time period.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a gaze direction determination unit calculating position coordinates of a person and gaze direction of the person by analyzing a gaze direction of the person detected by the first gaze detection sensor, wherein the controller is further configured to determine to which direction the person'"'"'s gaze is directed based on the position coordinates of the person and gaze direction of the person.

20. A method for controlling a transparent display device comprising a first transparent display panel being implemented by a see-through display and displaying an image, the method comprising:

detecting gaze of a person looking at the first transparent display panel by a first gaze detection sensor;

analyzing the gaze of the person to determine whether the gaze of the person is directed toward an object located behind a rear surface of the first transparent display panel;

displaying an indicator corresponding to the object on the first transparent display panel when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the object;

causing the first transparent display panel to stop the displaying of the indicator when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the indicator for a first threshold time period;

displaying detailed information of the object on the first transparent display panel when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the indicator; and

causing the first transparent display panel to stop the displaying of the detailed information of the object when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the detailed information of the object for a second threshold time period.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to any one of a plurality of objects located behind the rear surface of the first transparent display panel, displaying a first indicator corresponding to a first object to which the person'"'"'s gaze is directed on the first transparent display panel, and at the same time, displaying on the first transparent display panel a second indicator guiding the person'"'"'s gaze to a second object related to the first object;

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator, displaying detailed information of the first object on the first transparent display panel, and when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator, displaying detailed information of the second object on the first transparent display panel; and

when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator, the second indicator, the detailed information of the first object, or the detailed information of the second object for a third threshold time period, causing the first transparent display panel to stop displaying the first indicator, the second indicator, the detailed information of the first object, or the detailed information of the second object.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the transparent display device further comprises a second transparent display panel disposed at an opposite side of a front surface, a rear surface, a left-side surface, a right-side surface, an upper surface, or a lower surface of the first transparent display panel, the second transparent display panel implemented by a see-through display, and displaying an image, and

wherein the method further comprises:

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to a first object disposed behind the rear surface of the first transparent display panel, displaying a first indicator corresponding to the first object on the first transparent display panel, and when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to a second object disposed behind a rear surface of the second transparent display panel, displaying a second indicator corresponding to the second object on the second transparent display panel;

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator displayed on the first transparent display panel, displaying detailed information of the first object on the first transparent display panel and when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator displayed on the second transparent display panel, displaying detailed information of the second object on the second transparent display panel; and

when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator or detailed information of the first object for a fourth threshold time period, causing the first transparent display panel to stop displaying the first indicator or detailed information of the first object, and when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the second indicator or detailed information of the second object for a fifth threshold time period, causing the second transparent display panel to stop displaying the second indicator or detailed information of the second object.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the transparent display device further comprises a mirror display panel implemented by a mirror and displaying an image, and

wherein the method further comprises:

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to front of the object through the first transparent display panel, displaying a first indicator corresponding to the object on the first transparent display panel, and when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to a rear surface of the object through the mirror display panel, displaying a second indicator corresponding to the object on the mirror display panel;

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator, displaying detailed information of the object on the first transparent a display panel, and when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator, displaying detailed information of the object on the mirror display panel;

when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator or detailed information of an object displayed on the first transparent display panel for a sixth threshold time period, causing the first transparent display panel to stop displaying the first indicator or detailed information of the object; and

when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the second indicator or detailed information of the object displayed on the mirror display panel for a seventh threshold time period, causing the mirror display panel to stop displaying the second indicator or detailed information of the second object.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the transparent display device further comprises:

a second transparent display panel disposed behind the rear surface of the first transparent display panel, the second transparent display panel implemented by a see-through display, and displaying an image; and

a second gaze detection sensor detecting a gaze direction of a person looking at the second transparent display panel, and

wherein the the method further comprises;

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the object through the first transparent display panel, displaying a first indicator corresponding to the object on the first transparent display panel, and when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the object through the second transparent display panel, displaying a second indicator corresponding to the object on the second transparent display panel;

when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the first indicator, displaying detailed information of the object on the first transparent display panel, and when the person'"'"'s gaze is directed to the second indicator, displaying detailed information of the object on the second transparent display panel;

when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the first indicator or detailed information of the object displayed on the first transparent display panel for a eighth threshold time period, causing the first transparent display panel to stop displaying the first indicator or detailed information of the object; and

when the person'"'"'s gaze is not directed to the second indicator or detailed information of the object displayed on the second transparent display panel for a ninth threshold time period, causing the second transparent display panel to stop displaying the second indicator or detailed information of the object.