Patent Application
20110292009
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and particularly to an electronic device with a method for automatically adjusting an opening angle.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic device, such as a notebook computer, usually includes a base and a display pivotably connecting to the base. When the notebook computer is in an open state, an opening angle is defined between the base and the display. However, it is inconvenience that users have to adjust the opening angle by manual operations.
Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.
The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiment of an electronic device with a method for automatically adjusting an opening angle. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Referring to
The display 10 includes a cover 11, a screen 13, and a detecting module 15. The cover 11 is pivotably connected to the base 20 by the hinge 30, thus the cover 11 can rotate with respect to the base 20 to open or be closed. The screen 13 is set on the inside of the cover 11. When the electronic device 100 is in a closed state, the screen 13 covers the base 20.
The detecting module 15 is used for detecting whether a user is in front of the display 10, and further for detecting a positional relationship between the display 10 and the user when the user is in front of the display 10. In this embodiment, the position relationship is a distance between the screen 13 and a face of the user. In other embodiments, the detection module 15 detects the face using a skin color model in YCbCr space or a face template matching technology.
The electronic device 100 can display a menu item for activating the detecting module 15. The electronic device 100 can also set a key for activating the detecting module 15. For example, when the electronic device 100 is in an open state, and the base 20 of the electronic device 100 is activated, the user can activate the detecting module 15 by selecting the menu item or pressing the key. The detecting module 15 includes a capturing unit 150, a recognizing unit 152, and a calculating unit 156.
The capturing unit 150 is used for capturing an image within a predetermined field of view, and the image is located in front of the screen 13 in that field of view. In this embodiment, the capturing unit 150 is a camera installed on the cover 11 beside the screen 13.
The recognizing unit 152 is used for judging whether a human exists within the image, and for further determining a face in the image if it is judged that a human exists within the image.
The calculating unit 156 is used for calculating an area of the face of the image, and further for generating a distance between the screen 13 and the face of the user accordingly. As the capturing unit 150 captures images within the predetermined field of view, all the captured images have a specified distance. Within the predetermined field of view, the farther the distance between the screen 13 and the face of the user is, the smaller the area of the image that the face takes up on the image. The distance between the screen 13 and the face of the user is in proportion to the area that the face takes up on the image. When the calculating unit 156 calculates the area of the face of the image, the distance relative to that face area can be calculated according to proportional differences generated by empirical data.
In this embodiment, the recognizing unit 152 and the calculating unit 156 are preprogrammed into the base 20.
Referring to
The processing unit 23 is used for receiving the distance, determining whether the distance is equal to a predetermined distance which is stored in the storing unit 27, and further for generating an adjusting signal when the distance is not equal to a predetermined distance. The storing unit 27 further stores the proportional differences.
The driving unit 25 is used for receiving the adjusting signal, and further for adjusting an opening angle defined between the display 10 and the base 20 accordingly. Thus, the distance between the screen 13 and the face of the user can keep the predetermined distance. In this embodiment, the driving unit 25 includes two motors. The hinge 30 is set on the cover 11. Two opposite ends of the hinge 30 are received in the housing 21. The two motors are received in the housing and are set on opposite ends of the hinge 30. The two motors are coaxial with the hinge 30 to drive the hinge 30 to rotate. The two motors are electrically connected to the processing unit 23 for receiving the adjusting signal. Thus, the two motors drive the hinge 30 to rotate according to the adjusting signal.
As discussed above, when the electronic device 100 is in the open state, the detecting unit 15 can detect a distance between the screen 13 and the face of the user, and the processing unit 23 generates an adjusting signal according to the distance. The opening angle defined between the display 10 and the base 20 is adjusted by the driving unit 25 according to the adjusting signal. Thus, the distance between the screen 13 and the face of the user can always keep the predetermined distance which is suitable for the user looking at the display 10.
In this embodiment, the driving unit 25 has a range. When the opening angle is out of the range, the processing unit 23 will not activate the driving unit 25 to adjust. The range is about 50˜135 degrees, and is stored in the storing unit 27.
In this embodiment, the storing unit 27 can be embedded into the processing unit 23.
Referring to
In other embodiments, the calculating unit 256 can be a sonar probe or a distance laser sensor which is embedded into a housing of the capturing unit 150.
In other embodiments, the capturing unit 150 and the recognizing unit 152 can be omitted, and whether a human exists within the image is determined by a user.
The electronic device 200 has the similar advantage of the electronic device 100.
Referring to
In step S50, capturing an image with a predetermined field of view, and the image is located in front of the screen 13 in that field of view. This step is performed by the capturing unit 150.
In step S52, judging whether a human exists within the image.
In step S53, determining a face in the image if it is judged that a human exists within the image. If it is judged that the image does not include a human face, returning step S50. Steps S52 and S53 are performed by the recognizing unit 152.
In step S54, calculating an area of the face of the image.
In step S56, generating a distance between the display 10 and a face of the user according to the area of the face of the image, and a position relationship is defined by the distance. Steps S54 and S56 are performed by the calculating unit 156.
In step S58, determining whether the distance is equal to a predetermined distance.
In step S510, generating an adjusting signal if it is determined that the distance is not equal to the predetermined distance. If it is determined that the distance is equal to the predetermined distance, returning to step S50. Steps S52 and S53 are performed by the processing unit 23.
In step S512, adjusting an opening angle defined between the display 10 and the base 20 according to the adjusting signal. This step is performed by the driving unit 25.
Finally returning to step S50, a new cycle is started. Thus, the distance between the display 10 and the face of the use can always keep as the predetermined distance which is suitable for the user looking at the display 10.
Referring to
In step S60, capturing an image located in front of the screen 13 in that field of view. This step is performed by the capturing unit 150.
In step S62, judging whether a human exists within the image. This step is performed by the recognizing unit 152.
In step S64, if it is judged that a human exists within the image, calculating a distance between the display 10 and a body of a user relative to the human face, and a position relationship is defined by the distance. This step is performed by the calculating unit 256. If it is judged that the image does not include a human face, returning to step S60.
In step S66, determining whether the distance is equal to a predetermined distance.
In step S68, generating an adjusting signal if it is determined that the distance is not equal to the predetermined distance. If it is determined that the distance is equal to the predetermined distance, returning to step S60. Steps S66 and S68 are performed by the processing unit 23.
In step S610, adjusting an opening angle defined between the display 10 and the base 20 according to the adjusting signal. This step is performed by the driving unit 25.
Finally returning to step S60, a new cycle is started. Thus, the distance between the display 10 and the use can always keep as the predetermined distance which is suitable for the user looking at the display 10.
While various exemplary and preferred embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. To the contrary, various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art) are intended to also be covered. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201010188636.5 | Jun 2010 | CN | national |
