IP Library Granted Patent US 8,933,885
Granted Patent B2
US 8,933,885 · App. 13/626,591 · Granted Jan 13, 2015

Method, apparatus, and computer program product for reducing hand or pointing device occlusions of a display

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,933,885
App. No.
13/626,591
Granted
Jan 13, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is provided for reducing hand or pointing device occlusions of a display, particularly a touch screen or hover display. Detection of the position of a pointing object and eyes relative to a device display may be used to calculate an offset correction. Shifting a user interface component based on the offset correction may reduce pointing object occlusions of the display. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.

Claims (55)

1. A method comprising:

detecting a user's eye location relative to a display;

detecting a pointing object position relative to the display;

calculating, with a processor, an offset correction based on at least the user's eye location, pointing object position, and a detected endmost edge of the pointing object; and

causing display of visual feedback based on at least the offset correction.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

tracking the user's eye movements; and

adjusting the display of the visual feedback based on the eye movements.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

tracking movements of a device; and

adjusting the display of the visual feedback based on the movements.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

tracking movement of the pointing object; and

adjusting the display of the visual feedback based on the movements.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein calculating the offset correction comprises:

calculating an angle between a line of sight to a perceived selection point and a display surface.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein calculating the offset correction comprises:

calculating a thickness of the pointing object based on at least a distance from the detected endmost edge of the pointing object to a point on the display.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein calculating an object thickness comprises:

identifying the pointing object as a human hand; and

calculating the thickness based on data describing human anatomy.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein detecting the user's eye location comprises:

detecting a location of a right and left eye.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein detecting the pointing object position comprises:

detecting the pointing object position using a hover sensor.

10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

detect a user's eye location relative to a display;

detect a pointing object position relative to the display;

calculate an offset correction based on at least the user's eye location, pointing object position, and a detected endmost edge of the pointing object; and

cause display of visual feedback based on at least the offset correction.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

track at least one movement of the user's eye location, the pointing object, or a device; and

adjust the display of the visual feedback based on the at least one movement.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein calculating the offset correction comprises:

calculating an angle between a line of sight to a perceived selection point and a display surface.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein calculating the offset correction comprises:

calculating a thickness of the pointing object based on at least a distance from the detected endmost edge of the pointing object to a point on the display.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein detecting the user's eye comprises:

detecting a location of a right and left eye.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein detecting the pointing object position comprises:

detecting the pointing object using a hover sensor.

16. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:

detect a user's eye location relative to a display;

detect a pointing object position relative to the display;

calculate an offset correction based on at least the user's eye location, pointing object position, and a detected endmost edge of the pointing object; and

cause display of visual feedback based on at least the offset correction.

17. A computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

track at least one movement of the user's eye, the pointing object, or a device; and

adjust the display of the visual feedback based on the at least one movement.

18. A computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein calculating the offset correction comprises:

calculating an angle between a line of sight to a perceived selection point and a display surface.

19. A computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein calculating the offset correction comprises:

calculating a thickness of the pointing object based on at least a distance from the detected endmost edge of the pointing object to a point on the display.

20. A computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein detecting the user's eye comprises:

detecting a location of a right and left eye.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2015
From: NOKIA CORPORATION
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 035215/0973 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2012
From: HAMALAINEN, MATTI; BILCU, RADU CIPRIAN; GRATIOT, DANIEL
To: NOKIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029477/0874 →