Combined Surface User Interface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A mobile computing device comprising:
- a projector that displays a user interface on a surface external to the mobile computing device, the user interface occupying a projection area on the surface;
an illuminator that illuminates the projection area with non-visible light;
a camera that monitors the non-visible illumination of the projection area to detect touch-type interaction with the displayed user interface and to detect portions of the projection area that overlap with projection areas of one or more neighboring computing devices;
a communication system allowing the mobile computing device to communicate with the one or more neighboring computing devices;
collaboration logic that interacts with the one or more neighboring computing devices through the communication system to (a) graphically stitch the projection area of the mobile computing device with projection areas of the one or more neighboring computing devices based on the detection of overlapping portions of the projection area and (b) create a combined seamless user interface utilizing the projection area of the mobile computing device and the projection areas of the one or more neighboring computing devices; and
wherein the combined seamless user interface allows graphical representations to span the projection areas of the mobile computing device and the one or more neighboring computing devices in response to the touch-type interaction with the combined seamless user interface.
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Abstract
Techniques for utilizing two or more mobile devices equipped with projectors to generate a combined seamless user interfaces by stitching projection areas generated by the projectors.
68 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A mobile computing device comprising:
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a projector that displays a user interface on a surface external to the mobile computing device, the user interface occupying a projection area on the surface; an illuminator that illuminates the projection area with non-visible light; a camera that monitors the non-visible illumination of the projection area to detect touch-type interaction with the displayed user interface and to detect portions of the projection area that overlap with projection areas of one or more neighboring computing devices; a communication system allowing the mobile computing device to communicate with the one or more neighboring computing devices; collaboration logic that interacts with the one or more neighboring computing devices through the communication system to (a) graphically stitch the projection area of the mobile computing device with projection areas of the one or more neighboring computing devices based on the detection of overlapping portions of the projection area and (b) create a combined seamless user interface utilizing the projection area of the mobile computing device and the projection areas of the one or more neighboring computing devices; and wherein the combined seamless user interface allows graphical representations to span the projection areas of the mobile computing device and the one or more neighboring computing devices in response to the touch-type interaction with the combined seamless user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of collaborating between first and second mobile computing devices having user interfaces that are projected in respective projection areas on a common projection surface, comprising:
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optically detecting an overlapping portion of the projection area of the first mobile computing device that overlaps with the projection area of the second mobile computing device; clipping at least part of the detected overlapping portion from the projection area of the first mobile computing device to leave a remaining projection area of the first mobile computing device; and graphically stitching the remaining projection area of the first mobile computing device with the projection area of the second mobile computing device to create a seamless user interface that includes at least portions of the projection areas of the first and second mobile computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A mobile computing device comprising:
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a projector that displays a user interface on a surface external to the mobile computing device, the user interface occupying a projection area on the surface; an input sensor that senses user interaction with the displayed user interface; a communication system allowing the mobile computing device to communicate with one or more neighboring computing devices; and collaboration logic that stitches the projection area of the mobile computing device with projection areas of the one or more neighboring computing devices to create a combined user interface utilizing the projection area of the mobile computing device and the projection areas of the one or more neighboring computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification