Dynamic Image Stabilization for Portable Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable electronic devices struggle to maintain legibility of text content during unpredictable movements, such as when the user is walking or in a bumpy vehicle, due to device motion being out of sync with the user's head.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating dynamic image stabilization circuitry that uses sensors and machine learning to detect usage scenarios and adjust image content by shifting or magnifying it in real-time to align with the user's gaze, with additional sensor data from external devices enhancing accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the device moves during usage (e.g., user walking or in bumpy vehicle), then the device can be used in various scenarios, but the text content becomes difficult to read due to screen shaking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage scenario flexibilityVSAvoidtext legibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the image content movable relative to the display screen through software-based image stabilization. The system dynamically adjusts the position of displayed content in real-time based on sensor-detected device motion, allowing the image to move independently from the physical device to maintain readability during movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes) to detect device movement and feeds this information back to the image stabilization algorithm. The algorithm continuously calculates compensation adjustments based on detected motion patterns and applies them to counteract the observed device movement, creating a closed-loop control system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If the screen is shaken during movement, then the device can be used while moving, but the text message becomes illegible to the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice usability during movementVSAvoidtext readability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using mechanical stabilization mechanisms (such as gyroscopic stabilizers or movable display components), the patent substitutes a software-based image processing approach. The system processes image data through algorithms that calculate and apply digital transformations to stabilize the displayed content, replacing complex mechanical systems with computational methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If dynamic image stabilization is applied to all movements, then text legibility is improved, but head movements are incorrectly compensated causing discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetext legibilityVSAvoiduser discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by differentiating between different types of device movements and applying stabilization only to unwanted motion. The algorithm analyzes motion patterns to identify intentional head movements versus unwanted device shaking, applying compensation selectively rather than uniformly to all movements, thereby avoiding discomfort from incorrect compensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The stabilization system dynamically adjusts its compensation behavior based on real-time analysis of motion characteristics. The algorithm modulates the amount and type of stabilization applied according to the detected usage scenario, transitioning between different stabilization modes to accommodate both stationary viewing and movement conditions optimally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Manufacturing precision

If usage scenario detection is implemented to improve stabilization accuracy, then text legibility during movement is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestabilization accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses existing multi-functional components (motion sensors originally designed for other purposes like step counting or orientation detection) for dual purposes: their primary functions plus usage scenario detection for image stabilization. This allows the system to gain additional functionality without adding dedicated hardware components, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11119624B2Dynamic image stabilization using motion sensors

Publication Date: 2021.09.14 APPLE INC

AI summary

An electronic device may include a display for displaying image content to a user and dynamic image stabilization circuitry for dynamically compensating the image content if the device is moving unpredictably to help keep the image content aligned with the user's gaze. The electronic device may include sensors for detecting the displacement of the device. The dynamic image stabilization circuitry may include a usage scenario detection circuit and a content displacement compensation calculation circuit. The usage scenario detection circuit receives data from the sensors and infers a usage scenario based on the sensor data. The content displacement compensation calculation circuit uses the inferred usage scenario to compute a displacement amount by which to adjust image content. When motion stops, the image content may gradually drift back to the center of the display.