Touch interaction with a curved display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9459784-B2
Application number	US-34441108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2008
Priority date	Jul 25, 2008
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

Touch interaction with a curved display (e.g., a sphere, a hemisphere, a cylinder, etc.) is facilitated by preserving a predetermined orientation for objects. In an example embodiment, a curved display is monitored to detect a touch input on an object. If a touch input on an object is detected based on the monitoring, then one or more locations of the touch input are determined. The object may be manipulated responsive to the determined one or more locations of the touch input. While manipulation of the object is permitted, a predetermined orientation is preserved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a curved display;
a hardware processor; and
processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, configure the hardware processor to implement a detection unit and an interaction unit, wherein:
the detection unit is adapted to:
monitor the curved display to detect a touch input on a curved exterior portion of the curved display, the touch input identifying an object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, wherein the curved exterior portion of the curved display at least partially encloses a space, and
determine one or more locations of the touch input on the curved exterior portion of the curved display; and

the interaction unit is adapted to:
enable the object to be freely manipulated on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, including changing orientation of the object relative to a pole of an axis that extends through the space that is at least partially enclosed by the curved exterior portion of the curved display, and
cause the object to return to a predetermined orientation relative to the pole of the axis that extends through the space that is at least partially enclosed by the curved exterior portion of the curved display when a user ceases manipulating of the object.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the axis is a tether axis and the interaction unit is adapted to return the object to the predetermined orientation by:
ascertaining a current position of the object on the curved display;
ascertaining a current axis of the object; and
adjusting the current axis of the object to match the tether axis.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the interaction unit is adapted to cause the object to return to the predetermined orientation instantaneously.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the curved display is a spherical display.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the axis is a north-south axis.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined orientation comprises a right-side-up orientation defined by a north pole located on the curved exterior portion of the spherical display.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a photo, a video, a web page, a textual document other than a web page, a spreadsheet, or a window.

8. A device comprising:
a curved display;
a hardware processor; and
processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, configure the hardware processor to implement a detection unit and an interaction unit, wherein:
the detection unit is adapted to:
monitor the curved display to detect a touch input on a curved exterior portion of the curved display, the touch input identifying an object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, wherein the curved exterior portion of the curved display at least partially encloses a space, and
determine one or more locations of the touch input on the curved exterior portion of the curved display; and

the interaction unit is adapted to:
manipulate the object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display responsive to the one or more locations of the touch input on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, and
preserve a predetermined orientation for the object relative to a pole of an axis that extends through the space that is at least partially enclosed by the curved exterior portion of the curved display,
wherein the interaction unit is adapted to preserve the predetermined orientation continuously at a given frequency or interval as the object is manipulated on the curved exterior portion of the curved display.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the curved display is a spherical display.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the pole is a north pole of the spherical display and the predetermined orientation of the object is toward the north pole.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the interaction unit is adapted to:
ascertain a current position of the object on the curved display;
ascertain a current local orientation of the object at the current position relative to the pole of the axis;
determine a deviation angle between the current local orientation of the object and the predetermined orientation; and
adjust the current local orientation of the object to match the predetermined orientation based on the deviation angle.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the interaction unit is adapted to adjust the current local orientation by applying a negative of the deviation angle to the current local orientation to auto-rotate the object.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the axis is a north-south axis.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the curved display is spherical or hemispherical.

15. A device comprising:
a curved display;
a hardware processor; and
processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, configure the hardware processor to implement a detection unit and an interaction unit, wherein:
the detection unit is adapted to:
monitor the curved display to detect a touch input on a curved exterior portion of the curved display, the touch input identifying an object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, wherein the curved exterior portion of the curved display at least partially encloses a space, and
determine one or more locations of the touch input on the curved exterior portion of the curved display; and

the interaction unit is adapted to:
manipulate the object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display responsive to the one or more locations of the touch input on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, and
preserve a predetermined orientation for the object relative to a pole of an axis that extends through the space that is at least partially enclosed by the curved exterior portion of the curved display,
wherein the interaction unit is adapted to preserve the predetermined orientation by continuously adjusting orientation of the object after a predetermined number of pixels of movement of the object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, the predetermined number of pixels of movement being one or more.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined number of pixels is one.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined number of pixels is more than one.

18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the interaction unit is adapted to preserve the predetermined orientation as the object is manipulated while being touched.

19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the curved display is a spherical display.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the pole is a north pole of the spherical display and the predetermined orientation of the object is toward the north pole.

21. A method performed by a hardware processor, the method comprising:
monitoring a curved display to detect a touch input on a curved exterior portion of the curved display, the touch input identifying an object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display, wherein the curved exterior portion of the curved display at least partially encloses a space;
determining one or more locations of the touch input on the curved exterior portion of the curved display;
manipulating the object shown on the curved exterior portion of the curved display responsive to the touch input, including changing orientation of the object relative to a pole of an axis that extends through the space that is at least partially enclosed by the curved ex

Assignees

• Benko Hrvoje
• Wilson Andrew D
• Chen Billy
• Balakrishnan Ravin
• Baudisch Patrick M
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Benko Hrvoje
• Wilson Andrew D
• Chen Billy
• Balakrishnan Ravin
• Baudisch Patrick M

Classifications

• G06F3/042

  by opto-electronic means · CPC title

• G06F2203/04808

  Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F3/0486 Primary

  Drag-and-drop · CPC title