Abstract: System and methods for context-based view navigation guidance system for large virtual displays, 360° media, and three-dimensional virtual models. Guidance map comprises graphical objects that represent the virtual display and the screen view. The guidance map may be placed in a heads-up display layer within a relatively small user defined area of the physical display to provide a context-based indication of the current position of the screen view and the magnification level, with minimal obstruction of the contents information. Colors selections for the guidance map graphical objects may be automatically determined based on the background colors in the main display layer beneath the map. The position of the guidance map may be dynamically changed during the view navigation to minimize obstruction of the contents information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for touch gesture detection between two objects wherein a potential touch gesture that was detected by visual analysis of captured images of the two objects is confirmed by a correlated movement of one or more movable surface artifacts on at least one of the objects. A non-confirmed potential touch gesture may be determined to be a hovering gesture. Sound sensors that independently detect and locate finger touches, as well as motion sensors that detect vibration corresponding to actual touch tap events, may be combined with the captured images to improve the detection accuracy. For wearable smart devices like smartwatches, the skin area over the back hand with its movable surface artifacts may serve as a virtual touchpad, accepting touch gestures by the user's fingers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using portions of the surface around a wearable smart device as virtual touchpads for data and command entry are disclosed. For wearable smart devices worn on the wrist like smartwatches, the skin area over the back hand as well as the surface area over the arm adjacent to the device may serve as virtual touchpads. One or more side looking cameras facing each virtual touchpad may be used to detect touches and movements by one or more fingers on the virtual touchpads to simulate equivalent tactile gestures that control the device. Various surface artifact movements captured by the cameras may be used to confirm that the finger is actually touching the virtual touchpad and not just hovering above it. Sound sensors that independently detect and locate finger touches, as well as motion sensors that detect vibration corresponding to actual touch tap events, may be combined with the cameras to improve the detection accuracy of the tactile gestures.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tilt-based scrolling of a magnified contents view on a mobile device with a relatively small screen display. The user controls the scrolling by changing the device's tilt relative to a baseline tilt. The scrolling control can follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the relative tilt directly controls the screen position over the contents view, or a Dynamic Scroll mode where the relative tilt controls the scrolling speed. The present invention obtains a criterion for automatically selecting the best scrolling mode when the dimensions of the contents view change. The baseline tilt is updated when the screen display reaches an edge of the contents view to eliminate the creation of a non responsive range of tilt changes when the user changes tilt direction during Proportional Scroll mode, and to return the current tilt of the screen display to an optimal viewing condition during Dynamic Scroll mode.

Abstract: System and method for view navigation guidance system for a physical display that is smaller than the virtual display it needs to display. Guidance map placed in a heads-up display layer within a small user defined area of the physical display provides an instantaneous indication of the current position of the screen view with minimal obstruction of the contents information. Colors selections for heads on display layer are automatically determined based on the background colors in the main display layer beneath the map. The guidance map area on a touch screen display may include tapping controls, and the position of the guidance map can be dynamically altered by the user during the view navigation to control the navigation parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for motion-based scrolling of contents view on a display with a screen view that is smaller than the contents view are described. During an augmented tilt control mode, scrolling follows changes in a primary tilt direction aligned with the scrolling direction, while a secondary tilt along a direction perpendicular to the scrolling direction is used to modify at least one scrolling control parameter. The scrolling control may follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the primary tilt directly controls the screen view position over the contents view, or follow a Dynamic Scroll mode, where the primary tilt controls the scrolling speed. In some implementations, the scroll mode is determined automatically based on the magnification of the contents view. A predefined gestured in the secondary tilt may temporarily override the scroll mode selection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for motion-based scrolling of contents view on a display with a screen view that is smaller than the contents view are described. During an augmented tilt control mode, scrolling follows changes in a primary tilt direction aligned with the scrolling direction, while a secondary tilt along a direction perpendicular to the scrolling direction is used to modify at least one scrolling control parameter. The scrolling control may follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the primary tilt directly controls the screen view position over the contents view, or follow a Dynamic Scroll mode, where the primary tilt controls the scrolling speed. In some implementations, the scroll mode is determined automatically based on the magnification of the contents view. A predefined gestured in the secondary tilt may temporarily override the scroll mode selection.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tilt-based scrolling of a magnified contents view on a mobile device with a relatively small screen display. The user controls the scrolling by changing the device's tilt relative to a baseline tilt. The scrolling control can follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the relative tilt directly controls the screen position over the contents view, or a Dynamic Scroll mode where the relative tilt controls the scrolling speed. The present invention obtains a criterion for automatically selecting the best scrolling mode when the dimensions of the contents view change. The baseline tilt is updated when the screen display reaches an edge of the contents view to eliminate the creation of a non responsive range of tilt changes when the user changes tilt direction during Proportional Scroll mode, and to return the current tilt of the screen display to an optimal viewing condition during Dynamic Scroll mode.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tilt-based scrolling of a magnified contents view on a mobile device with a relatively small screen display. The user controls the scrolling by changing the device's tilt relative to a baseline tilt. The scrolling control can follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the relative tilt directly controls the screen position over the contents view, or a Dynamic Scroll mode where the relative tilt controls the scrolling speed. The present invention obtains a criterion for automatically selecting the best scrolling mode when the dimensions of the contents view change. The baseline tilt is updated when the screen display reaches an edge of the contents view to eliminate the creation of a non responsive range of tilt changes when the user changes tilt direction during Proportional Scroll mode, and to return the current tilt of the screen display to an optimal viewing condition during Dynamic Scroll mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using portions of the surface around a wearable smart device as virtual touchpads for data and command entry are disclosed. For wearable smart devices worn on the wrist like smartwatches, the skin area over the back hand as well as the surface area over the arm adjacent to the device may serve as virtual touchpads. One or more side looking cameras facing each virtual touchpad may be used to detect touches and movements by one or more fingers on the virtual touchpads to simulate equivalent tactile gestures that control the device. Various surface artifact movements captured by the cameras may be used to confirm that the finger is actually touching the virtual touchpad and not just hovering above it. Sound sensors that independently detect and locate finger touches, as well as motion sensors that detect vibration corresponding to actual touch tap events, may be combined with the cameras to improve the detection accuracy of the tactile gestures.

Abstract: Systems and methods for motion-based scrolling of contents view on a display with a screen view that is smaller than the contents view are described. During an augmented tilt control mode, scrolling follows changes in a primary tilt direction aligned with the scrolling direction, while a secondary tilt along a direction perpendicular to the scrolling direction is used to modify at least one scrolling control parameter. The scrolling control may follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the primary tilt directly controls the screen view position over the contents view, or follow a Dynamic Scroll mode, where the primary tilt controls the scrolling speed. In some implementations, the scroll mode is determined automatically based on the magnification of the contents view. A predefined gestured in the secondary tilt may temporarily override the scroll mode selection.

Abstract: System and method for view navigation guidance system for a physical display that is smaller than the virtual display it needs to display. Guidance map placed in a heads-up display layer within a small user defined area of the physical display provides an instantaneous indication of the current position of the screen view with minimal obstruction of the contents information. Color selection for the guidance map is automatically determined based on the background color in the main display layer beneath the map. The guidance map area on a touch screen display may include tapping controls, and the position of the guidance map can be dynamically altered by the user during the view navigation to control the navigation parameters.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tilt-based scrolling of a magnified contents view on a mobile device with a relatively small screen display. The user controls the scrolling by changing the device's tilt relative to a baseline tilt. The scrolling control can follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the relative tilt directly controls the screen position over the contents view, or a Dynamic Scroll mode where the relative tilt controls the scrolling speed. The present invention obtains a criterion for automatically selecting the best scrolling mode when the dimensions of the contents view change. The baseline tilt is updated when the screen display reaches an edge of the contents view to eliminate the creation of a non responsive range of tilt changes when the user changes tilt direction during Proportional Scroll mode, and to return the current tilt of the screen display to an optimal viewing condition during Dynamic Scroll mode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and methods for motion-based scrolling of a relatively large contents view on an electronic device with a relatively small screen display. The user controls the scrolling by changing the device's tilt relative to a baseline tilt. The scrolling control can follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the relative tilt directly controls the screen position over the contents view, or a Dynamic Scroll mode where the relative tilt controls the scrolling speed. The present invention obtains a criterion for automatically selecting the best scrolling mode when the dimensions of the contents view change. The baseline tilt is updated when the screen reaches an edge of the contents view to eliminate the creation of a non responsive range of tilt changes when the user changes tilt direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and methods for motion-based scrolling of a relatively large contents view on an electronic device with a relatively small screen display. The user controls the scrolling by changing the device's tilt relative to a baseline tilt. The scrolling control can follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the relative tilt directly controls the screen position over the contents view, or a Dynamic Scroll mode where the relative tilt controls the scrolling speed. The present invention obtains a criterion for automatically selecting the best scrolling mode when the dimensions of the contents view change. The baseline tilt is updated when the screen reaches an edge of the contents view to eliminate the creation of a non responsive range of tilt changes when the user changes tilt direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and methods for motion-based scrolling of a relatively large contents view on an electronic device with a relatively small screen display. The user controls the scrolling by changing the device's tilt relative to a baseline tilt. The scrolling control can follow a Proportional Scroll mode, where the relative tilt directly controls the screen position over the contents view, or a Dynamic Scroll mode where the relative tilt controls the scrolling speed. The present invention obtains a criterion for automatically selecting the best scrolling mode when the dimensions of the contents view change. The baseline tilt is updated when the screen reaches an edge of the contents view to eliminate the creation of a non responsive range of tilt changes when the user changes tilt direction.

Abstract: System and method for view navigation guidance system for a physical display that is smaller than the virtual display it needs to display. Guidance map placed in a heads-up display layer within a small user defined area of the physical display provides an instantaneous indication of the current position of the screen view with minimal obstruction of the contents information. Color selection for the guidance map is automatically determined based on the background color in the main display layer beneath the map. The guidance map area on a touch screen display may include tapping controls, and the position of the guidance map can be dynamically altered by the user during the view navigation to control the navigation parameters.

Abstract: System and method for view navigation guidance system for a physical display that is smaller than the virtual display it needs to display. Guidance map placed in a heads-up display layer within a small user defined area of the physical display provides an instantaneous indication of the current position of the screen view with minimal obstruction of the contents information. Color selection for the guidance map is automatically determined based on the background color in the main display layer beneath the map. The guidance map area on a touch screen display may include tapping controls, and the position of the guidance map can be dynamically altered by the user during the view navigation to control the navigation parameters.

Abstract: An expandable umbrella-like device for insertion into the urinary bladder of an individual. The umbrella may be used in the treatment of urinary incontinence or in treating urinary bladder dysfunctions.

Abstract: Disclosed are several embodiments of panning and zooming devices that may assist individuals with low vision. The present invention employs imaging devices that capture an image and then select a smaller portion of the image for full display. The size of the selected portion of the captured image determines the magnification that is achieved. Further, different portions of the captured image can be selected to provide for panning of the image. In this fashion, a stationary mounted camera can be used which allows an image to be both panned and zoomed. Further, automated techniques can be used for panning and zooming control. Small aperture optics are used so that images can be focused for a large depth of field which allows the present invention to be employed without the necessity for using expensive optical focusing techniques. Electrical zooming and panning also allows the device of the present invention to be employed for both writing on and reading a document.