Patent Publication Number: US-2012027373-A1

Title: Head-mounted display device having interactive function and method thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to head-mounted display devices and, particularly, to a head-mounted display device having an interactive function and a method thereof. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Head-mounted display device is widely used for viewing images. However, due to a limitation of a size of the display device, only a portion of the image is displayed on the display device, the user needs to use control keys such as, up/down and left/right keys, to move the image until the user can view the full image. It is inconvenient especially when hands of the user are not free. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of a head-mounted display device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  shows an image displayed by the head-mounted display device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of the head-mounted display device in accordance with another embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method having an interactive function implemented by the head-mounted display device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a head-mounted display device  1  includes a play unit  10  and a display unit  20 . The play unit  10  is configured for playing images. The display unit  20  is configured for displaying the images being played. 
     The head-mounted display device  1  further includes a sensor unit  30 . The sensor unit  30  is configured for sensing a movement and a movement direction of the head-mounted display device  1  relative to an initial position of the head-mounted display device  1  when the head-mounted display device  1  moves. The play unit  10  is further configured for moving the played images according the sensed movement and the movement direction of the head-mounted display device  1  from the sensor unit  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , due to a limitation of size of the display unit  20 , the display unit  20  only displays a portion of the image  2  played by the play unit  10 , e.g., a portion encircled by dotted-lines  20 B. When the head-mounted display device  1  is moved towards the left side, the sensor unit  30  senses the movement and the movement direction of the head-mounted display device  1 . The play unit  10  moves the viewable portion of the image being played towards the left side according to the sensed movement and the movement direction. After the image is moved by the play unit  10 , the display unit  20  displays a different portion of the displayed image, e.g., a portion encircled by lines  20 A. 
     The sensor unit  30  includes an orientation sensor  31  and a movement sensor  32 . The orientation sensor  31  is able to sense the movement direction of the head-mounted display device  1  relative to the initial position of the head-mounted display device  1  when moved. In one embodiment, the orientation sensor  31  is an electronic compass. The movement sensor  32  is able to sense the movement of the head-mounted display device  1  relative to the initial position of the head-mounted display device  1  when moved. In one embodiment, the movement sensor  32  is a combination of a tri-axial acceleration transducer and a gyroscope. In other embodiment, the movement sensor  32  may be a combination of three acceleration transducers and a gyroscope. 
     In another embodiment, the head-mounted display device  1  further includes a transfer switch  14  which switches the sensor unit  12  between an enabled state and a disabled state. For example, when the user does not want the image being played to be moved according the movement direction and the movement of the head-mounted display device  1 , the user operates the transfer switch  14  to switch the sensor unit  12  from the enabled state to the disabled state. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , in a second embodiment of the disclosure, the head-mounted display device  1  further includes an interface  13 . The sensor unit  30  can be an independent sensor, which is connected to the head-mounted display device  1  through the interface  13 . 
     In a third embodiment of the disclosure, the play unit  10  is further configured for detecting a format of the image being played, and comparing the format with a predetermined format to determine whether the image can be moved according the movement and the movement direction of the head-mounted display device  1 . If the format of the image is not the predetermined format, it means that the image cannot be moved according the movement and the movement direction of the head-mounted display device  1 , the play unit  10  will omit the movement and the movement direction information from the sensor unit  30 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method having an interactive function implemented by the head-mounted display devices of  FIGS. 1 and 3 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
     In step S 501 , the sensor unit  30  senses the movement and the movement direction of the head-mounted display device  1  relative to the initial position of the head-mounted display device  1 . 
     In step S 502 , the play unit  10  adjusts a portion of the image being played according the sensed movement and the movement direction from the sensor unit  12 . 
     In step S 503 , the display unit  20  displays the adjusted image. 
     Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.