Proximity based computer display

• US 20090079765A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hoover, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,203,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A computer that can alter display the format or content of a computer display in response to context information indicating the proximity of a user to the display. Such a display may enable a person to make better use of information organization and delivery capabilities of the computer as the person engages in an active task. While the person is close to the display, the computer may present text in a relatively smaller size and information allowing interaction with the computer, such as objects that implement control functions, may be displayed. When the person is further from the display, the computer may present text in a relatively larger size and may omit control objects from the display to create space for the larger size text.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer having a display, the method comprising:

displaying (420, 422, 424) information in a first mode;

sensing the proximity of a user of the computer to the display (410); and

displaying (430, 432, 434) information in a second mode selected (412) based on the sensed proximity of the user.

2. The method of operating a computer of claim 1, wherein:

displaying information in the first mode comprises displaying first information as text with a first size (424); and

displaying information in the second mode comprises displaying the first information as text with a second size, different than the first size (434).

3. The method of operating a computer of claim 1, wherein:

displaying information in the first mode comprises displaying first information as text with a first size (424); and

displaying information in the second mode comprises displaying a portion of the first information as text with a second size, larger than the first size (434).

4. The method of operating a computer of claim 1, wherein:

the display is touch sensitive (114);

displaying information in the first mode comprises displaying text with a first size (212E) and a touch-sensitive control (214E); and

displaying information in the second mode comprises displaying at least a portion of the first information as text with a second size, larger than the first size (262E), the at least a portion being displayed without the touch sensitive control.

5. The method of operating a computer of claim 1, further comprising selecting between the first mode and the second mode based on whether the user is sensed to be within a distance of about 2 feet (60 cm).

6. The method of operating a computer of claim 1, wherein:

displaying information in the first mode comprises displaying a plurality of objects with a first size (212A . . . 212F) and at least one control object (422); and

displaying information in the second mode comprises displaying a portion of the plurality of objects with a second size, larger than the first size.

7. The method of operating a computer of claim 6, wherein:

displaying the at least one control object comprises displaying a menu bar object (242A . . . 242I).

8. The method of operating a computer of claim 6, wherein:

displaying the plurality of objects with the first size comprises displaying a list of text objects (424);

displaying the at least a portion of the plurality of objects comprises displaying a first portion of the text objects in the list (434); and

the method further comprises;

receiving voice command input indicating a scroll command (440); and

in response to the voice command input, displaying a second portion of the text objects on the list (442).

9. A computer display device (110), comprising:

a display area adapted to display information to a user (114); and

a proximity sensor (112), the proximity sensor positioned to detect a user (120) adjacent the display area.

10. The computer display device of claim 9, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

11. The computer display device of claim 9, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an acoustic transducer.

12. The computer display device of claim 9, wherein the display device is touch sensitive (314).

13. The computer display device of claim 12, further comprising a voice command input element (330).

14. The computer display device of claim 13, wherein the display area comprises an LCD display.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for execution on a computer having a display device, comprising:

at least one application component for generating a plurality of objects (320);

a context component for generating user context information (312);

a display interface component (310) adapted to receive the plurality of objects and the user context information and, the display interface component for rendering at least a portion of the plurality objects for display on the display device with a size based on the user context information.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the at least one application component is adapted for generating the plurality of objects with an indication of a mode (356A, 356B) for each of the plurality of objects in which the object is to be display; and

the display interface component is adapted to selectively render objects for display based on the mode for the object and the user context information.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the objects generated by the application component comprise text objects (352B) and the display interface component renders the text objects for display in a size dependent on the user context information.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the context component comprises a user interface for receiving user input indicating display information in a near mode or a far mode.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the user interface is adapted to receive information from a user operated remote control (170).

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the user interface is adapted to receive information from a user operated control on the display device (160).