Mobile Device Camera for 3D Content Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The small screen size of portable devices like smartphones and tablets makes interactions with high-resolution content cumbersome due to the absence of conventional pointing devices, limiting user interaction with complex content and restricting application window resizing and multi-window functionality.
Innovation Solution
A user interface that allows manipulation of digital content on mobile devices through natural movements by detecting the device's motion relative to a textured surface using a camera, enabling features like zooming, panning, and resizing of application windows by tracking the device's pose in 3D space and projecting content onto virtual surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the screen size of portable devices is kept small for portability, then device portability is improved, but user interaction with high-resolution content becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the interaction space from the 2D screen to 3D physical space by allowing the device to capture and interact with real-world surfaces through the camera. Users can place content on virtual surfaces in 3D space and manipulate them by moving the device through space, effectively adding a spatial dimension to the interaction model.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual surfaces as an intermediary between the user and the content. Instead of directly manipulating content on the small screen, users interact with virtual surfaces that can be positioned in 3D space, and the device acts as a mediator to capture, render, and update these surfaces based on device motion.
2Ease of operation
If conventional pointing devices are added to mobile devices, then ease of manipulation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the camera serve multiple functions: it captures images for pose estimation, captures the real-world environment for augmented reality, and enables natural pointing interactions. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated pointing devices while leveraging an existing component.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses its own camera and motion sensors to enable interaction, rather than requiring external pointing devices. The system self-services by utilizing its built-in capabilities (camera, accelerometer, gyroscope) to provide pointing and manipulation functionality.
3Device complexity
If application windows are restricted to fixed sizes, then device simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different content sizes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes application windows dynamic by allowing their size and position to change based on device motion. As users move the device, the virtual surfaces and their associated content automatically resize and reposition, providing adaptive window management that responds to user actions in real-time.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile device, such as a smart phone, is provided with a camera. Digital content displayed on display screen of the mobile device may be manipulated in response to natural movements of the mobile device by a user. Motion of the mobile device is detected relative to a nearby textured surface by analyzing images of the textured surface. The displayed digital content is manipulated in response to the detected motion of the mobile device.