Biometric Sensor Orientation Control for Display Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling the orientation of display content on portable electronic devices can be clumsy, often requiring users to manually adjust the device or activate sensors, leading to user frustration, especially when transitioning from lock mode to unlock mode.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a biometric-based orientation control system that uses biometric sensors, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, to determine the device's orientation relative to the user and adjust the display accordingly, eliminating the need for manual reorientation and sensor activation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If positional sensors (accelerometers, gravitational sensors) are used to control display orientation, then the display orientation can be adjusted according to device position, but the system requires manual activation and sensor triggering which causes user frustration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay orientation controlVSAvoidsensor activation requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by capturing biometric data (fingerprint, facial image) and device orientation data simultaneously during the unlock process. The orientation of the biometric data is determined before the display needs to be adjusted, allowing the display orientation to be pre-configured based on the detected device orientation, eliminating the need for manual activation after unlocking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automatically detecting device orientation through biometric sensor data and autonomously adjusting display orientation without requiring manual user intervention. The biometric authentication process itself provides the orientation information needed to automatically configure the display, making the system self-regulating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If manual adjustment of device orientation is required for proper display alignment, then display orientation can be controlled, but user frustration increases especially during lock-to-unlock transitions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay alignmentVSAvoidmanual adjustment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines the orientation of biometric data (fingerprint or facial image) captured during the unlock process and uses this information to pre-adjust the display orientation before the user needs to view or interact with the unlocked device. This preliminary determination and adjustment eliminates the time loss associated with manual reorientation after unlocking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical/manual orientation adjustment system with an automated biometric-based system. Instead of requiring users to physically rotate or reposition the device, the biometric sensor captures orientation information and the system automatically configures the display orientation, substituting manual mechanical adjustment with automated sensor-based control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Extent of automation

If biometric sensors are used to determine device orientation, then automatic display orientation control is achieved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay orientation controlVSAvoidbiometric sensor integration
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies multi-functionality by using the biometric sensor for dual purposes: authentication verification and orientation detection. The same biometric data (fingerprint or facial image) that identifies the user also provides orientation information, eliminating the need for separate orientation sensors and reducing overall system complexity despite the automation achieved.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter interpretation of biometric data by not only using it for authentication but also extracting orientation parameters from it. The orientation of the captured biometric features (fingerprint ridge orientation or facial feature geometry) is used as a parameter to determine device orientation, thereby achieving automation without adding dedicated orientation sensing hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3520381B1Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to use biometric sensors to control an orientation of a display
Publication Date: 2023.09.27 INTEL CORP
  • EP3520381B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3520381B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3520381B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for a portable electronic device that uses biometric content to determine an orientation in which a display device is presenting content are disclosed. Example electronic devices include a display device, a biometric sensor to capture a biometric sample, and an orientation determination tool to determine a device orientation relative to a user based on the biometric sample. Example devices further include an orientation adjustment tool to change a content orientation in which the display device of the portable electronic device presents content based on the determination of the device orientation of the at least one of the display device and the portable electronic device. In some examples, the biometric sensor is a fingerprint sensor or an image sensor.