Rotatable Display Adapting Orientation for Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing navigation devices lack the ability to dynamically adjust the display orientation based on user needs and content type, leading to suboptimal viewing experiences during navigation, especially when switching between landscape and portrait orientations.

Innovation Solution

A handheld computer device with a rotatable display unit and a control unit that adapts the orientation of displayed information content in response to user input or automatic detection, allowing seamless transitions between orientations without resizing or zooming, ensuring continued detailed navigation guidance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the display screen is rigidly mounted in a fixed orientation, then the device structure is simple and stable, but the device cannot adapt to different navigation needs and content types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay orientation adaptabilityVSAvoiddisplay mounting mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display screen is made rotatable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically change orientation between landscape and portrait modes. This enables the device to adapt to different navigation needs while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure through a rotatable mounting mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the display orientation changes, then the viewing experience is optimized for different content types, but the information content orientation may become misaligned with user expectations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing experienceVSAvoidinformation orientation consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The displayed information content dynamically rotates to maintain proper orientation relative to the viewer. When the display screen rotates between landscape and portrait modes, the content automatically adjusts its orientation, ensuring that navigation information remains properly aligned and easy to read regardless of the screen's physical orientation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the display is rotated between landscape and portrait orientations, then user convenience is improved, but the navigation information may lose detail during orientation transitions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidnavigation information detail
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the displayed information content to maintain appropriate detail and resolution during orientation transitions. By rotating the content along with the screen and adjusting the display parameters, the system ensures that navigation information maintains its detail and clarity regardless of whether the device is in landscape or portrait mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2568462B1Handheld computer device with display which adapts to the orientation
Publication Date: 2016.11.09 HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYST GMBH
  • EP2568462B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2568462B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP2568462B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A handheld computer device (100) for displaying information content, comprising a navigation unit (110) for receiving signals indicative of geographical location coordinates from a positioning system unit (120) and for outputting signals indicative of the geographical location of the handheld computer device (100), a display unit (200) whose orientation is changeable, and control means (210) for controlling the display unit (200)and configured for adapting the orientation of the display of the information content in response to a orientation signal from an orientation detection unit (230) indicative of the orientation of the display unit (200) . The control unit (210) may also be configured to select different information content to be displayed depending on the orientation of the display unit (200). A user machine interface (190) with touch-sensitive input zone (194) and associated icon or a key panel (190, 194) with changeable orientation is provided for inputting instructions, whereby each icon or label of a key of the key panel is oriented according to the orientation signal and whereby the orientation of the label is controlled by selective illumination. Further provided is a method for displaying information content on a handheld computer device in which the information content and input instruction key label are displayed according to a determined orientation of the device.