Interacting with a projected user interface using orientation sensors

A mobile device, comprising:

• an electronic display;
• a projector;
• and
• a processor coupled to the projector and the electronic display, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• projecting a first user interface image of a user interface onto an external surface within a projection frame, the projected first user interface image including a first subset of a plurality of image objects of the user interface visible within the projection frame;
• displaying on the electronic display of the mobile device a second user interface image of the user interface, the displayed second user interface image including a second subset of the plurality of image objects of the user interface, wherein the first subset includes more image objects of the user interface than the second subset;
• adjusting the projected first user interface image as the mobile device moves such that image objects that are visible within the projection frame appear fixed with respect to the external surface, such that at least one image object of the first subset of the plurality of image objects is no longer visible within the projection frame, and such that at least one image object of the plurality of image objects of the user interface that was not in the first subset of the plurality of image objects is now visible within the projection frame, while only the projection frame moves about on the external surface in response to a movement of the mobile device;
• detecting a user input gesture by receiving signals from orientation sensors within the mobile device;
• correlating the received sensor signals to a hand gesture;
• identifying functionality associated with the correlated hand gesture;
• implementing the identified functionality;
• and
• changing the projected first user interface image based on the implemented functionality,
• wherein implementing the identified functionality comprises accomplishing one of scrolling a list, changing a zoom factor applied to an image object displayed within the projected first user interface image, selecting an object within the projected first user interface image, copying an object displayed within the projected first user interface image, deleting an object displayed within the projected first user interface image, and executing an application associated with an object displayed within the projected first user interface image.

A mobile device, comprising:

• means for projecting a first user interface image of a user interface onto an external surface within a projection frame so that the projected first user interface image includes a first subset of a plurality of image objects of the user interface visible within the projection frame;
• means for displaying on an electronic display of the mobile device a second user interface image of the user interface, the displayed second user interface image including a second subset of the plurality of image objects of the user interface, wherein the first subset includes more image objects of the user interface than the second subset;
• means for adjusting the projected first user interface image as the mobile device moves such that image objects that are visible within the projection frame appear fixed with respect to the external surface, such that at least one image object of the first subset of the plurality of image objects is no longer visible within the projection frame, and such that at least one image object of the plurality of image objects of the user interface that was not in the first subset of the plurality of image objects is now visible within the projection frame, while only the projection frame moves about on the external surface in response to a movement of the mobile device;
• means for detecting a user input gesture by receiving signals from orientation sensors within the mobile device;
• means for correlating the received sensor signals to a hand gesture;
• means for identifying functionality associated with the correlated hand gesture;
• means for implementing the identified functionality;
• and
• means for changing the projected first user interface image based on the-implemented functionality,
• wherein means for implementing the identified functionality comprises means for accomplishing one of scrolling a list, changing a zoom factor applied to an image object displayed within the projected first user interface image, selecting an object within the projected first user interface image, copying an object displayed within the projected first user interface image, deleting an object displayed within the projected first user interface image, and executing an application associated with an object displayed within the projected first user interface image.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a mobile device to perform operations comprising:

• projecting a first user interface image of a user interface onto an external surface within a projection frame, the projected first user interface image including a first subset of a plurality of image objects of the user interface visible within the projection frame;
• displaying on an electronic display of the mobile device a second user interface image of the user interface, the displayed second user interface image including a second subset of the plurality of image objects of the user interface, wherein the first subset includes more image objects of the user interface than the second subset;
• adjusting the projected first user interface image as the mobile device moves such that that image objects that are visible within the projection frame appear fixed with respect to the external surface, such that at least one image object of the first subset of the plurality of image objects is no longer visible within the projection frame, and such that at least one image object of the plurality of image objects of the user interface that was not in the first subset of the plurality of image objects is now visible within the projection frame, while only the projection frame moves about on the external surface in response to a movement of the mobile device;
• detecting a user input gesture by receiving signals from orientation sensors within the mobile device;
• correlating the received sensor signals to a hand gesture;
• identifying functionality associated with the correlated hand gesture;
• implementing the identified functionality;
• and
• changing the projected first user interface image based on the implemented functionality,
• wherein implementing the identified functionality comprises accomplishing one of scrolling a list, changing a zoom factor applied to an image object displayed within the projected first user interface image, selecting an object within the projected first user interface image, copying an object displayed within the projected user interface image, deleting an object displayed within the projected first user interface image, and executing an application associated with an object displayed within the projected first user interface image.