Adjusting electronic displays based on user viewing position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9898076-B1
Application number	US-201514611671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 2, 2015
Priority date	Feb 2, 2015
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

The disclosure pertains to aligning an electronic display or light reflected from the electronic display relative to a position of a user (i.e., viewer), and thus enhancing an overall perceived brightness, contrast ratio, and viewing angle performance of an electronic display (e.g., a specular reflective display) irrespective of illumination conditions (e.g., sunlight, airplane lighting, and overhead lamps). In some embodiments, an electronic device may determine user position data for a position of a user with respect to the electronic display. For example, the electronic device may capture images of the user using one or more image sensors. The user position data may then be processed by the electronic device to generate signals which may modify display characteristics of the electronic display to align an electronic display or light reflected from the electronic display relative to the position of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining, based at least in part on data from an image sensor, position data representing an area where at least a portion of a head of a user is relative to an electronic display;
transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a first signal to a first mechanism;
transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a second signal to a second mechanism;
causing, via the first mechanism and using the first signal, movement of at least a portion of the electronic display; and
causing, via the second mechanism and using the second signal, movement of a light guide disposed in front of the electronic display by adjusting an angle between the light guide and the electronic display,
wherein the light guide is disposed between a front light source and the electronic display,
wherein the movement of the light guide causes incoming light originating from the front light source to pass through the light guide and to exit the light guide at a first angle as first redirected light towards the electronic display, and
wherein the movement of at least the portion of the electronic display causes the first redirected light to reflect from the electronic display at a second angle as second redirected light to intersect the area where at least the portion of the head of the user is relative to the electronic display.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising causing, based at least in part on the position data, a third mechanism to move an object that includes a reflective surface, the movement of the object and the reflective surface changing a reflection angle of the incoming light reflected, by the reflective surface, from the front light source towards the light guide.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the front light source comprises a first light source at a first location and a second, different light source at a second, different location, the method further comprising transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a third signal to a light controller to dim or turn off the first light source and intensify or turn on the second, different light source, the first light source and the second light source to emit the incoming light to illuminate the electronic display.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a third signal to a third mechanism to cause the third mechanism to move a light array that includes lights of the front light source.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic display is a specular reflective display.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a third signal to a liquid crystal lens located proximate to a front side of the electronic display to cause the liquid crystal lens to modify a direction of the incoming light prior to the incoming light reaching the light guide.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a third signal to a lens located proximate to a front viewable side of the electronic display to cause movement of electrophoretic liquid within the lens, the movement of the electrophoretic liquid to modify a direction of the incoming light prior to the incoming light reaching the light guide.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a third signal to a layer located proximate to a front viewable side of the electronic display to cause movement of at least one of a reflective polarizer or a prism sheet included in the layer to cause the second redirected light to be directed at the second angle.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, based at least in part on the position data, a third signal to a third mechanism to cause movement of a back reflector of the electronic display, the back reflector to reflect the second redirected light back through the electronic display.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the portion of the electronic display comprises a group of pixels, and the causing the movement of at least the portion of the electronic display causes, via the first mechanism, rotational movement of the group of pixels.

11. An electronic display assembly comprising:
an electronic display;
a light guide disposed in front of the electronic display;
a first mechanism coupled to at least a portion of the electronic display to cause movement of at least the portion of the electronic display;
a second mechanism coupled to the light guide to cause movement of the light guide by adjusting an angle between the light guide and the electronic display;
at least one light source disposed in front of the light guide to direct light through the light guide and towards the electronic display; and
a controller to:
receive position data representing an area where at least a portion of a head of a user is relative to the electronic display;
transmit, based at least in part on the position data, a first signal to the first mechanism; and
transmit, based at least in part on the position data, a second signal to the second mechanism;

the first mechanism configured to use the first signal to cause the movement of at least the portion of the electronic display,
the second mechanism configured to use the second signal to cause the movement of the light guide by adjusting the angle between the light guide and the electronic display,
wherein the movement of the light guide causes, during operation of the electronic display assembly, incoming light originating from the at least one light source to pass through the light guide and to exit the light guide at a first angle as first redirected light towards the electronic display, and
wherein the movement of at least the portion of the electronic display causes, during the operation of the electronic display assembly, the first redirected light to reflect from the electronic display at a second angle as second redirected light to intersect the area associated with the position data.

12. The electronic display assembly as recited in claim 11 , further comprising at least one object having a reflective surface that is movably coupled to the electronic display, and wherein the controller causes movement of the at least one object having the reflective surface to change a direction of the incoming light directed towards the light guide.

13. The electronic display assembly as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a third mechanism coupled to a second portion of the electronic display to cause movement of the second portion of the electronic display, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit, based at least in part on the position data, a third signal to the third mechanism, the third mechanism using the third signal to cause the movement of the second portion of the electronic display, and wherein the movement of at least the portion of the electronic display and the movement of the second portion of the electronic display cause the first redirected light to reflect from the electronic display at the second angle.

14. The electronic display assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein the at least one light source is movable by a third mechanism under control of the controller, and wherein the movement of the at least one light source by the third mechanism causes a change in a direction of the incoming light directed towards the light guide.

15. The electronic display assembly as recited in claim

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Shah Suchit Shreyas

Classifications

• G06F3/012 Primary

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• G09G3/22

  using controlled light sources · CPC title

• G09G2354/00

  Aspects of interface with display user · CPC title

• G09G3/20

  for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix {no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters} · CPC title

• G09G2320/0626

  for control of overall brightness · CPC title