Window display system and window display method

Abstract

When a choice is made between several items offered in a first window on a display screen, a second window is displayed in front of the first window. An image of an watcher who is watching the display screen is captured to detect watcher's eye position relative to the display screen. When the watcher's eye position moves, the second window is displaced to uncover the first window in such a way that the second window moves upward in response to a downward movement of the eye position, downward in response to an upward movement of the eye position, rightward in response to a leftward movement of the eye position or leftward in response to a rightward movement of the eye position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when read in connection with the accompanied drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the digital camera;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a setting menu;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the digital camera;

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are explanatory diagrams illustrating a sequence of detecting a change in watcher's eye position relative to a display screen of the digital camera;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a relationship between the distance of the watcher's eye position from the display screen and the distance between watcher's eyes as detected by a rear camera;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a sequence of processes for displaying the setting menu;

FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C are explanatory diagrams illustrating how a window moves in response to the change in watcher's eye position;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a mobile multi-player according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a sequence of processes for displaying a setting menu;

FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C are explanatory diagrams illustrating how a window moves in response to a change in angular position of a display screen;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a mobile multi-player according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a structure of a gravity sensor;

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a conductive member and a resister pattern, as essential components of the gravity sensor; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a mobile multi-player according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A window display system for displaying at least a main window and a sub window on a display screen, wherein said main window offers a choice of several items, and said sub window is displayed in front of said main window when the choice is made in said main window, to show information on the chosen item, said window display system comprising: an imaging device for capturing an image of a watcher who is watching said display screen;a position detecting device for detecting a watching position of the watcher to said display screen by analyzing the image of the watcher;a position change detecting device for detecting a direction and a distance of a parallel movement of said watching position relative to said display screen; anda window displacing device for displacing said sub window from the front of said main window based on the movement of said watching position as detected by said position change detection device.

2. A window display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window displacing device moves said sub window in an opposite direction to the direction of the movement of said watching position detected by said position change detection device.

3. A window display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said position detecting device detects eyes of the watcher from the image, to determine an eye position of the detected eyes within an image frame to be corresponding to said watching position.

4. A window display system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a distance detecting device for detecting a distance of the watcher from said display screen based on the size of the eyes in the image, the distance between the eyes in the image, or both, wherein if eyes of more than one person are detected from the image, said position detecting device determines said watching position by the eyes of the nearest person to said display screen.

5. A window display system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said movement detecting device detects a change in distance of said eye position from a center of the image frame.

6. A window display system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a distance detecting device for detecting a distance of the watcher from said display screen, and a judging device for judging whether the parallel movement of said watching position reaches a reference value that is decided by the distance of the watcher from the display screen, wherein said window displacing device displaces said sub window when it is judged that the parallel movement of said watching position reaches the reference value.

7. A window display system for displaying at least a main window and a sub window on a display screen, wherein said main window offers a choice of several items, and said sub window is displayed in front of said main window when the choice is made in said main window, to show information on the chosen item, said window display system comprising: a position change detection device for detecting a change in position of said display screen; anda window displacing device for displacing said sub window from the front of said main window based on the detected change in position of said display screen.

8. A window display system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said position change detection device comprises a tilt detector for detecting a tilt of said display screen.

9. A window display system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said tilt detector comprises a gyro magnetic sensor that detects a direction and an angular velocity of a rotational movement of said display screen.

10. A window display system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said tilt detector comprises a gravity sensor that detects a tilt of said display screen with respect to plumb-vertical direction.

11. A window display system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said gravity sensor comprises a sensor body consisting of a cylindrical portion and a pair of conical portions protruding from opposite open ends of said cylindrical portion, a resistance pattern consisting of a pair of parallel strips provided on an inner periphery of said cylindrical portion of said sensor body, and a conductive member movable inside said sensor body, wherein said conductive member short-circuits said resistance pattern at a point variable according to an angular position of said display screen, so the electric resistance of said resistance pattern varies with the angular position of said display screen, allowing detecting the angular position of said display screen based on the electric resistance of said resistance pattern, and wherein said conductive member leaves said resistance pattern into one of said conical portions when said display screen takes an angular position where an apex of one of said conical portions is oriented toward the plumb-vertical direction.

12. A window display system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said window displacing device returns said sub window to an initial position in front of said main window when said display screen returns to a given standard position.

13. A window display system as claimed in claim 12, wherein each time a choice is made in said main window the present angular position of said display screen is set to be said standard position.

14. A window display system as claimed in claim 13, wherein when said display screen is kept at the same angular position for a certain time, said angular position is reset to be said standard position.

15. A window display system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said tilt detector comprises a first member for detecting a rotational movement of said display screen about an axis parallel to a vertical direction of said display screen, and a second member for detecting a rotational movement of said display screen about an axis parallel to a horizontal direction of said display screen.

16. A window display system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said tilt detector further comprises a third member for detecting a rotational movement of said display screen about an axis parallel to a geomagnetic direction.

17. A window display system for displaying at least a main window and a sub window on a display screen, wherein said main window offers a choice of several items, and said sub window is displayed in front of said main window when the choice is made in said main window, to show information on the chosen item, said window display system comprising: an input device for inputting a direction to displace said sub window; anda window displacing device for displacing said sub window from the front of said main window in the input direction.

18. A window display method for displaying at least a main window and a sub window on a display screen, wherein said main window offers a choice of several items, and said sub window is displayed in front of said main window when the choice is made in said main window, to show information on the chosen item, said window display method comprising the steps of: capturing an image of a watcher who is watching said display screen;detecting a watching position of the watcher to said display screen by analyzing the image of the watcher;detecting a direction and a distance of a parallel movement of said watching position relative to said display screen; anddisplacing said sub window from the front of said main window based on the movement of said watching position as detected.

19. A window display method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said window displacing step moves said sub window in an opposite direction to the direction of the movement of said watching position.

20. A window display method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said position detecting step comprises the steps of: detecting eyes of said watcher from said image; anddetermining an eye position of the detected eyes within an image frame to be corresponding to said watching position.

21. A window display method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the steps of: detecting a distance of the watcher from said display screen based on the size of the eyes in the image, the distance between the eyes in the image, or both,determining said watching position by the eyes of the nearest person to said display screen if eyes of more than one person are detected from the image.

22. A window display method for displaying at least a main window and a sub window on a display screen, wherein said main window offers a choice of several items, and said sub window is displayed in front of said main window when the choice is made in said main window, to show information on the chosen item, said window display method comprising the steps of: detecting a change in position of said display screen; anddisplacing said sub window from the front of said main window based on the detected change in position of said display screen.

23. A window display method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said change in position of said display screen is a tilt of said display screen.

24. A window display method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said tilt is detected by a gyro magnetic sensor.

25. A window display method for displaying at least a main window and a sub window on a display screen, wherein said main window offers a choice of several items, and said sub window is displayed in front of said main window when the choice is made in said main window, to show information on the chosen item, said window display method comprising the steps of: inputting a direction to displace said sub window;displacing said sub window in said input direction from the front of said main window.