Video Display Pan Function for Viewer Direction Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video display systems fail to dynamically track and maintain moving objects within the visible area of the screen as the viewer's head or eye direction changes, leading to objects becoming invisible due to cropping and zoom limitations.

Innovation Solution

A video display apparatus that uses sensors to detect viewer direction and applies a dynamically tracking pan/tilt function, shifting the displayed image based on thresholds and hysteresis to keep objects centered, while also adapting audio to match the visual shifts, ensuring that moving objects remain visible and the audio source appears to move with the image.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a zoom function is applied to display a portion of the picture, then the visible detail is improved, but the visible area of the screen is reduced causing objects to become invisible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisible detailVSAvoidvisible area
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamic pan/tilt functions that automatically adjust the visible portion of the picture based on detected viewer head/eye direction. Instead of a static zoom, the system dynamically shifts the displayed picture region to track moving objects, ensuring they remain visible while maintaining zoomed detail quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If a pan function is applied to shift the displayed picture, then moving objects can be kept visible, but the system complexity increases due to threshold and hysteresis control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject visibilityVSAvoidcontrol mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from sensors detecting viewer head and eye direction to automatically control pan/tilt adjustments. The detected viewing angles are fed back to the picture shifting mechanism, creating a closed-loop system that maintains object visibility without requiring complex manual control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The pan/tilt function operates autonomously based on viewer direction detection. The system self-adjusts the displayed picture region without requiring manual intervention, using the detected viewing direction to automatically determine when and how to shift the picture to keep moving objects visible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the picture is shifted rapidly to prevent objects from disappearing, then object visibility is maintained, but picture stability is reduced causing bouncing effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject visibilityVSAvoidpicture stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The hysteresis mechanism provides a buffer zone that prevents immediate picture shifting when the viewer's viewing direction is near threshold angles. This cushioning effect smooths out rapid back-and-forth adjustments, reducing picture bouncing while maintaining object visibility through controlled, gradual shifts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP3036601B1Video display with pan function controlled by viewing direction
Publication Date: 2020.01.08 INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS SAS
  • EP3036601B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP3036601B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3036601B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A video processor is responsive to an output of a pair of cameras that are used for determining a viewer viewing direction of a display screen. As long as the viewer's viewing angular direction is directed toward a center region of a display screen, the pan function is disabled. When the viewer's viewing angle crosses a first threshold angular direction away from the screen center, dynamically tracking pan function is enabled so as to shift the displayed picture. When the viewer's viewing angle crosses an even larger, second threshold angular direction, the picture will shift in the same direction but at a faster rate. When the viewer's viewing angular direction decreases in a manner to cross a threshold angular direction that is smaller than the first threshold angular direction further picture shift is suspended. Thereby, a hysteresis feature is incorporated. When the viewer's viewing angular direction continues changing in the same direction that causes the suspension in the picture shift in a manner to cross a third threshold angular direction, that is adaptable to the accumulated picture shift, the picture shifts in the opposite direction.