Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to user interfaces for digital photo frames. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Digital photo frames have been provided which can present, on a computer-controlled display, digital photographs. These frames mimic in size and shape traditional photo frames, but have the advantages of allowing users to rapidly view multiple photos in succession without flipping through a hard copy album, and allowing users to quickly and easily change the image that is presented in the frame without having to remove the back of the frame and swap hard copy photos. 
     To facilitate image browsing and selection, digital photo frames may employ touch screens on which user interfaces may be presented. Existing user interfaces can be obtrusive to viewing the photo and may not be conveniently configured for the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As understood herein, users typically grasp digital photo frames in the same manner as traditional frames, that is, along the left and right edges with the fingers behind the frame and the thumbs in front. 
     Accordingly, in one embodiments a digital photo frame includes a frame, a touch screen bordered by the frame, and a computer readable storage medium bearing digital images. A processor causes a user-selected image from the medium to be presented on the touch screen. The processor also receives touch signals from the touch screen. The processor causes the touch screen to present a user interface (UI) that may include at least first and second partially arcuate rings. Each ring bears plural discreet selector elements, and each selector element is manipulable by a person to input a respective selection represented by the selector element. At least one menu navigation arrow is juxtaposed with at least one of the rings and is manipulable by a person to navigate through a menu of selections selectable using respective selector elements. 
     In some embodiments, each selector element on the first ring represents a root selection and each selector element on the second ring represents a branch of a selected root from the first ring. A ring can be caused to appear to rotate when a user moves a finger along the ring to expose selector elements previously not presented on the touch screen. 
     In one implementation of the UI, the frame defines left and right edges, each ring defines a straight boundary and an arcuate selector element segment extending from a first end of the respective boundary to a second end of the respective boundary, and the boundaries of the first and second rings are respectively juxtaposed with and parallel to the left and right edges of the frame. With this UI a person can conveniently manipulate the selector elements using only respective thumbs of the person. 
     In another implementation of the UI the first ring defines a straight boundary and a first arcuate selector element segment extending from a first end of the boundary to a second end of the boundary, the second ring defines a second arcuate selector element segment positioned against the first selector element segment parallel thereto, and the boundary is juxtaposed with and parallel to one of the left or right edges of the frame. A person can conveniently manipulate the selector elements using only a left or right thumb of the person. 
     In yet another UI implementation each ring defines a straight boundary and an arcuate selector element segment extending from a first end of the respective boundary to a second end of the respective boundary and the boundaries of the first and second rings are displayed on a centerline of the digital picture frame that is midway between the left and right edges. Or, the arcuate segments can be reversed, i.e., midpoints of the selector element segments can be substantially tangential to each other at a centerline of the digital picture frame that is midway between the left and right edges. 
     While contemplated in some intended environments for use with digital photo frames, the UI may be used for other types of digital frames including mobile devices, book readers, and any touch screen device with a pictorial or textual display. 
     In another aspect, a touch screen is controlled by processor to present a user interface (UI). The UI includes at least two groups of selector elements with each group arranged in a respective arc. A first group of selector elements can be manipulated to establish an input genre root, while a second group of selector elements can be manipulated to select an input branching from a genre root selected using an element in the first group. At least one arc may be rotatable to reveal previously unpresented selector elements when a person moves a hand along the respective arc. 
     In still another aspect, an apparatus has a frame, a touch screen bordered by the frame, and a computer readable storage medium bearing digital images. A processor causes at least one image from the medium to be presented on the touch screen. The processor also receives touch signals from the touch screen, with the processor causing the touch screen to present a user interface (UI) that has at least two groups of selector elements. Each group is arranged in a respective arc. A first group of selector elements can be manipulated to establish an input genre root. In contrast, a second group of selector elements can be manipulated to select an input branching from a genre root selected using an element in the first group. At least one arc reveals previously unpresented selector elements when a person moves a hand along the respective arc. 
     The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of an example digital picture frame, showing internal components schematically; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the digital picture frame of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the root and branch selection provided by the user interface (UI); 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of an alternate example digital picture frame; 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of another alternate example digital picture frame. 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of yet another alternate example digital picture frame; and 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of still another alternate example digital picture frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a digital picture frame  10  includes a hollow frame  12  that may be rectilinear as shown, defining left and right edges  14 ,  16 . The frame  12  may assume other shapes, e.g., ovular with left and right ends. The digital picture frame  10  is sized as a picture frame so that it is substantially flat and can be grasped by a user&#39;s left and right hands  18 ,  20  as shown along the left and right edges  14 ,  16 , with the user&#39;s fingers in back and the thumbs in front as shown. 
     In the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the digital picture frame  10  can hold a processor  22  that receives time input from a clock  24 , as well as still or moving image data input from various sources such as but not limited to a universal serial bus (USB) interface  26  and/or a computer readable storage medium  28  such as but not limited to solid state storage or disk-based storage. In some embodiments the medium  28  may be removable, e.g., the medium  28  may be implemented by a memory card. In any case, photos from a digital camera, for example, may be conveyed to the medium  28  directly by engaging the medium  28  with the camera and loading photos onto the medium  28 , then disengaging the medium  28  from the camera and sliding it into a receptacle of the digital picture frame  10 . Or, the photos may be transferred from a camera or other source of photos through the USB interface  26  onto the medium  28  in the digital picture frame  10 . 
     Also, the processor  22  may receive input from a wireless or wired network interface  30  such as but not limited to a WiFi interface. Images received from the network interface  30  may also be displayed in addition to images from cameras as set forth further below. 
     A touch screen  32  is bounded by the frame  12  as shown. The touch screen  32  is controlled by the processor  22  to present images from the medium  28  and/or USB interface  26  and/or network interface  30  or other source communicating with the processor  22 . Also, user input signals are generated by the touch screen  32  when a user tactiley manipulates the below-described user interfaces (UI), and these signals are sent to the processor  22 , which may execute logic stored on the medium  28  to undertake the UI activities and respond to UI commands as discussed below. 
     With more specificity, the processor  22  can cause the touch screen  32  to present a UI that may include at least first and second partially arcuate rings  34 ,  36 . The rings may be circular as shown. In the embodiment shown, the rings  34 ,  36  are visible; in other embodiments, only the arcuately-arranged selector elements may be visible. 
     Thus, each ring bears plural discreet selector elements  38 ,  40 , and each selector element  38 ,  40  is manipulable by a person to input a respective selection represented by the selector element. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a respective menu navigation arrow  42  is juxtaposed with each of the rings and is manipulable by a person to navigate through a menu of selections selectable using respective selector elements. For example, touching the left arrow  42  can cause the below-described tree-like menu to traverse up the tree, while touching the right arrow  42  can cause a downward traversal. 
     In some embodiments, each selector element  38  on the first ring represents a root selection and each selector element  40  on the second ring represents a branch of a selected root from the first ring. Thus and now referring to  FIG. 2 , if genre # 2  is selected by manipulating the “ 2 ” element on the left ring, then the selector elements  40  on the right ring represent elements in that genre that are available for display (and, thus, the selector elements  40  in  FIG. 2  are labeled “ 2   a ”, “ 2   b ”, and so on for clarity of disclosure). 
     As an example, assume that the arrows  42  have been manipulated to traverse to the root of the tree. This may be regarded as a “list of genres” root. Further manipulation of the arrows  42  may cause selector elements  38  in the left ring to respectively represent “albums”, “Wi-Fi”, and “clock”. 
     Assume “albums” is selected. Selector elements  38  in the left ring may then represent each album available with photos for presentation, e.g., “Album  1 ”, “album  2 ”, and so on. If “album  1 ” is selected then the selector elements  40  of the right ring may indicate respective photos in that album, and a user may manipulate the selector element  40  corresponding to a photo from the selected album desired to be presented on the touch screen  32 . In such a case, a preview of the photo may be superimposed on the UI, or the UI may be superimposed on the selected photo. When the UI times out or upon user command, the UI can disappear until such time as, e.g., the user again touches the screen  32  to indicate a desire to invoke the UI. 
     If the user navigates to “WiFi”, selector elements  40  in the right ring can be correlated to respective WiFi channel numbers. Then again, if the user navigates to “clock”, selector elements in the right ring can correspond to “set hour”, “set minute”, “set second” for digital picture frames having a digital clock also displayed, and then the arrow elements  42  can be manipulated to appropriately set the time. 
     While four selector elements per ring are shown, each ring may virtually include more selector elements than are displayed. Under these circumstances, to display hidden selector elements, a ring (or equivalently the associated arc of selector elements) can be caused to appear to rotate when a user moves a finger along the ring to expose selector elements previously not presented on the touch screen. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each ring  34 ,  36  defines a respective straight boundary  44 ,  46  in addition to the arcuate selector element segment, which extends from end to end on the straight boundary. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the boundaries  44 ,  46  are respectively juxtaposed with and parallel to the left and right edges  14 ,  16  of the frame. Indeed, the boundaries  44 ,  46  lie along the left and right edges of the touch screen  32  as shown. With this UI a person can conveniently manipulate the selector elements using only respective thumbs of the person. 
     In another implementation of the UI and now referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a first ring  50  of selector elements  52  defines a straight boundary  54  and a first arcuate selector element segment  56  extending from end to end of the boundary. In this implementation, the second ring  58  defines a second arcuate selector element segment  60  that is positioned against the first selector element segment  56 , parallel thereto. The straight boundary  54  is juxtaposed with and parallel to the left edge of a digital picture frame  62  ( FIG. 3 ) or to the right edge of the frame ( FIG. 4 ). With this arrangement, a person can conveniently manipulate the selector elements using only a left or right thumb of the person. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show that the UI may be distanced from the left and right edges of the frame and be disposed in the middle of the touch screen for single finger manipulation if desired. With more specificity, starting with  FIG. 5  each of two rings  70 ,  72  that function as described above can define a straight boundary  74  and an arcuate selector element segment extending from a first end of the respective boundary to a second end of the respective boundary, and the boundaries of the first and second rings are displayed on a centerline of the digital picture frame that is midway between the left and right edges  76 ,  78 . In other words, the each semi-circular ring faces the other to establish a complete circle, with selector elements in the right semicircle functioning as the selector elements  40  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and selector elements in the left semicircle functioning as the selector elements  38 . Or, as shown in  FIG. 6  the arcuate segments can be reversed, i.e., midpoints  80 ,  82  of the selector element segments can be substantially tangential to each other at a centerline of the digital picture frame that is midway between the left and right edges of the frame. 
     If desired, in the setup mode the user may be given “UI configuration” options which allows the user to select which one of the above-described UIs to select. 
     It may now be appreciated that present principles provide an unobtrusive UI that can be presented simultaneously with a photo for preview, and in some embodiments is well suited for two thumb-only UI interaction. Present principles provide an easy way to browse options in a clean and elegant UI design. 
     While the particular USER INTERFACE FOR DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.

Technology Category: g