Patent Application
20100060547
In recent years, mobile phones have evolved from devices used primarily for voice communications into multi-functional communication devices capable of both voice and data communications. Mobile telephones are now used to surf the web, send and receive e-mail messages, chat with friends, view images, play music, and perform other tasks that previously required a computer. Many mobile telephones now also include a camera for capturing still and video images.
One of the challenges facing manufacturers of mobile telephones is how to increase the display area without significantly increasing the size of the mobile telephone. A larger display area makes it easier to use the mobile telephone and is generally preferred by consumers. At the same time, consumers prefer mobile telephones that have a small form factor. Therefore, there is a need for new ways to increase the display area while, at the same time, maintaining a small form factor.
The present invention provides an enabling technology for increasing the size of a display area on a mobile telephone or other hand-held device while maintaining a small form factor. A mobile telephone or other device may be provided with two or more displays that slide relative to one another to vary the size of the available display area. For example, the displays may be arranged in an overlapping relation and configured for relative sliding movement. A detector detects relative movement of the displays. In response to the relative movement, a processor determines the size of the available display area and dynamically alters the displayed image to fit the available display area. Thus, a displayed image may be enlarged as the display area increases in size, and may be reduced as the display area decreases in size.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention comprise a method of controlling the display of an image on a variable display area defined by at least two relatively movable displays. The method comprises displaying an image to fit a first display area; detecting relative movement between said displays varying the size of the display area while the image is displayed; determining the size of a second display area created by the relative movement of the displays; dynamically altering the displayed image to fit the second display area responsive to the detection of the relative movement; and outputting the altered image for display on at least one of said displays.
In one exemplary method, the displays overlap and the relative movement exposes or conceals a portion of one of said displays to vary the display area.
In one exemplary method, the relative movement comprises sliding movement in at least one direction.
In one exemplary method, dynamically altering the displayed image comprises at least one of cropping/uncropping the image, scaling the image, and stretching/shrinking the displayed image in one dimension.
The exemplary method may further comprise shifting the image in the second display area to center the altered image in the second display area.
In one exemplary method, detecting the relative movement between said displays comprises detecting the relative movement using at least one motion detector.
In one exemplary method, the motion detector comprises an accelerometer for detecting relative movement between said displays.
In one exemplary method, the motion detector comprises a separate accelerometer for detecting movement of each display.
In one exemplary method, detecting the relative movement between said displays comprises detecting a change in position using at least one position detector.
In one exemplary method, the position detector comprises one or more optical sensors.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also include a display device comprising first and second displays relative movable with respect to one another to vary a display area visible to a user; a detector to detect relative movement between the displays varying the size of the display area; a processor configured to determine the size of the available display area and to alter an image to fit the size of the available display area responsive to the detection of the relative movement between said displays by said detector; and a display controller to output the altered image for display on at least one of said first and second displays.
In one exemplary display device, the first and second displays overlap.
In one exemplary display device, the first and second displays slide relative to one another.
In one exemplary display device, the processor alters the image to fit the available display area by performing at least one of cropping/uncropping the image, scaling the image, or stretching/shrinking the displayed image in one dimension.
In one exemplary display device, the processor further shifts the displayed image to maintain the image centered in the display.
In one exemplary display device, the detector comprise at least one motion detector.
In one exemplary display device, the motion detector comprises an accelerometer for detecting relative movement between the displays.
In one exemplary display device, the motion detector comprises a separate accelerometer for detecting movement of each display.
In one exemplary display device, the detector comprises a position detector.
In one exemplary display device, the position detector comprises one or more optical sensors.
Referring now to the drawings, a mobile communication device according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown therein and indicated generally by the numeral 100. The illustrated embodiment of the mobile communication device comprises a smart phone or personal digital assistant (PDA). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mobile communication device 100 may also comprise a tablet, laptop computer, or notebook with wireless communications capabilities.
Mobile communication device 100 comprises a housing 102 having first and second housing sections 104, 106. The first housing section 104, referred to herein as the top section, includes an electronic display 120 and a control button 122. The electronic display 120 preferably comprises a touchscreen display, but may comprise a conventional liquid crystal display or other types of electronic displays. The second housing section 106, referred to herein as the bottom section, also includes an electronic display 124, which may also comprise a touchscreen display or liquid crystal display.
The top and bottom sections 104,106 of housing 102 slide relative to one another as indicated by the arrow in
According to the present invention, mobile communication device 100 may operate in a single display mode or multi-display mode. In the single display mode, second display 124 is hidden from view and the mobile communication device 100 outputs images to the first display 120. In the multi-display mode, the second display 124 is at least partially exposed to view. Also in the multi-display mode, the mobile communication device 100 treats displays 120, 124 as a single display when displaying images or video. The total available display area is therefore the combined visible area of displays 120, 124. While an image is displayed, the user may slide or move the displays 120, 124 to change the size of the available display area. In response to movement of the displays 120, 124, mobile communication device 100 dynamically alters the displayed image in real time to give the user the impression that the user is physically manipulating the image. For example, the image may become larger as the user increase the size of the display area, and may become smaller as the user decrease the size of the display area.
Image processor 112 outputs the resized image to the display controller 114. In the exemplary embodiment, display controller 114 includes two video outputs, one for each display 120, 124. The display controller 114 maps the image data to displays 120, 124 depending on the position of the displays 120, 124. If display 124 is hidden from view, the display controller 114 maps the entire image to the first display 120 and generates a video signal for the display 120. If the display area includes a portion of display 124, the display controller 114 treats the entire available display area as a single display, maps the image data to displays 120, 124, and generates a video output signal for both displays 120, 124.
In
When the user slides display 124 out from behind display 120, the size of the display area increase. In
In
Seam carving algorithms typically scan the image and find seams with the least amount of “interestingness.” For example, when shrinking the image along one dimension, the seam carving algorithm looks for a pixel-wide path with the least amount of change in color and/or contrast along the path. Removing that seam reduces the dimension of the image by one pixel width. The same approach may be used to make the image wider by duplicating a seam.
When the user slides display 124 out from behind display 120, a morphing or seam carving algorithm may be used to stretch the image in the horizontal direction. Conversely, when display 124 slides behind display 120 to reduce the display area, the image may be shrunk in the horizontal direction. Thus, the user is given the impression that the user is stretching and shrinking the image by moving the displays 120, 124 relative to one another.
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
