Attachable Device with Flexible Electronic Display Orientation Detection

Abstract

An attachable article, such as a wristband, includes a flexible electronic display disposed thereon in a manner that is bendable or conformable to a user's wrist or other curved surface and that enables various images to be displayed on the electronic display in a manner that makes these images easily viewable to the user. The attachable article includes an adjustable band that can be fit to different sized wrists, for example, and includes a band orientation detection and calibration routine that enables messages or display screens to be placed at particular locations on the band with respect to a user's wrist. For example, the display orientation detection and calibration routine may be used to determine the portions or positions of the display that are at the top of the user's wrist and at the bottom of the user's wrist, and may thereafter calibrate the display to center display screens on the display at these particular locations.

1 . An attachable article, comprising:
 a flexible band having a flexible substrate and a flexible electronic display disposed over a portion of the substrate;   a display driver electronically connected to the flexible electronic display for providing image content to the flexible electronic display;   a position detection element disposed on or near the flexible band;   a processor coupled to the display driver; and   a memory that stores an orientation detection routine that, when executed on the processor, operates to;
 determine a point on the flexible band using a signal from the position detection element, wherein the determined point on the flexible band is disposed adjacent to a particular point on an exterior object when the flexible band is disposed around the exterior object, and 
 calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays image content via the flexible electronic display at one or more positions based on the location of the determined point on the band. 
   
     
     
         2 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible band includes first and second ends and wherein the orientation detection routine executes on the processor to detect a point on the flexible band when the first and second ends of the band are disposed in an overlapping manner around the exterior object. 
     
     
         3 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the position detection element comprises one or more pressure sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the position detection element comprises one or more magnetic sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the position detection element comprises a touchscreen disposed on or near the flexible electronic display. 
     
     
         6 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the position detection element comprises a gyroscopic element. 
     
     
         7 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible band includes first and second ends and the orientation detection routine, when executed on the processor, operates to determine a point on the flexible band using a signal from the position detection element by determining an amount of overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible band. 
     
     
         8 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed on the processor, operates to determine a point on the flexible band, using a signal from the position detection element indicative of a touch event applied to the flexible band. 
     
     
         9 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed on the processor, operates to determine a point on the flexible band by presenting a message to a user via the flexible electronic display to touch the flexible band at a position adjacent the particular point on the exterior object. 
     
     
         10 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed on the processor, operates to present a message to a user via the flexible electronic display to touch the flexible band at a position adjacent the bottom of the user's wrist. 
     
     
         11 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed on the processor, operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays image content on the flexible electronic display using a display screen having a fixed reference point determined based on the determined point on the flexible band. 
     
     
         12 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed on the processor, operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays image content on the flexible electronic display using a display screen centered on the determined point on the flexible band. 
     
     
         13 . The attachable article of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation detection routine, when executed on the processor, operates to calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver sizes a display screen based on the distance from the determined point to a fixed position on the flexible band. 
     
     
         14 . A method of calibrating a flexible electronic display disposed on a flexible substrate that is adjustably attachable around an exterior object, comprising:
 detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on an exterior object when the flexible substrate is disposed at least partially around the exterior object;   calibrating, using the processor, the flexible electronic display based on the detected point; and   displaying image content on the flexible electronic display at one or more positions on the flexible electronic display using the flexible electronic display calibrated based on the detected point on the flexible substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on the exterior object includes detecting the point on the flexible substrate when first and second ends of the flexible substrate are disposed in an overlapping manner around the exterior object. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on the exterior object includes using one or more pressure sensors to detect the point on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on the exterior object includes using one or more magnetic sensors to detect the point on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on the exterior object includes using a touchscreen input device to detect the point on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on the exterior object includes determining an amount of overlap of first and second ends of the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on the exterior object includes determining the point based on a location of a touch event applied to the flexible electronic display. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein detecting, using a processor, a point on the flexible substrate that is disposed adjacent to a particular point on the exterior object includes presenting a message to a user via the flexible electronic display to touch the flexible substrate at a position adjacent the particular point on the exterior object. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein calibrating, using a processor, the flexible electronic display based on the detected point includes configuring the flexible electronic display to display image content via a display screen having a fixed reference point determined based on the determined point on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein calibrating, using a processor, the flexible electronic display includes positioning image content on the flexible electronic display centered on the determined point on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         24 . An adjustable flexible electronic display device, comprising:
 a flexible band having a substrate and a flexible electronic display disposed over a portion of the flexible substrate, the flexible band having first and second ends;   a clasping mechanism coupled to the flexible band that is adjustable so as to enable overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible band by differing amounts;   an electronics module electronically connected to the flexible electronic display and attached onto the flexible band at one or more fixed locations, for providing image content to the flexible electronic display, the electronics module including a processor, a display driver and a memory;   one or more sensors disposed within the flexible band, the clasping mechanism or the electronics module; and   an orientation detection and calibration routine stored in the memory that, when executed on the processor, operates to;
 instruct a user to take a specific action with respect to the flexible band; 
 determine a point on the flexible band using a signal from the one or more sensors in response the specific action; and 
 calibrate the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays image content via the flexible electronic display at one or more positions on the flexible electronic display based on the determined point on the flexible band. 
   
     
     
         25 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more sensors includes one or more pressure sensors. 
     
     
         26 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more sensors includes one or more magnetic sensors. 
     
     
         27 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a touchscreen interface disposed on or near the flexible electronic display. 
     
     
         28 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a gyroscopic sensor. 
     
     
         29 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, operates to determine the point on the flexible band using a signal from the one or more sensors by determining an amount of overlap of the first and second ends of the flexible band. 
     
     
         30 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, operates to determine the point on the flexible band using a signal from the one or more sensors by determining a location of a touch event applied to the flexible electronic display. 
     
     
         31 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, instructs a user to take a specific action with respect to the flexible band by instructing the user to touch the flexible band at a position adjacent a particular point on an exterior object. 
     
     
         32 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, instructs a user to take a specific action with respect to the flexible band by instructing the user to touch the flexible band at a position adjacent the bottom of the user's wrist. 
     
     
         33 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, instructs a user to take a specific action with respect to the flexible band by instructing the user to move the flexible band in a particular manner. 
     
     
         34 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, instructs a user to take a specific action with respect to the flexible band by instructing the user to orient the flexible band in a particular manner. 
     
     
         35 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, calibrates the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays image content via a display screen on the flexible electronic display having a fixed reference point determined based on the location of the determined point on the flexible band. 
     
     
         36 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, calibrates the flexible electronic display so that the display driver displays image content via a display screen centered at the determined point on the flexible band. 
     
     
         37 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine, when executed on the processor, calibrates the flexible electronic display so that the display driver sizes a display screen based on the distance from the determined point to a fixed position on the flexible band. 
     
     
         38 . The adjustable flexible electronic display device of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation detection and calibration routine executes on the processor to instruct a user, to determine a point on the band, and to calibrate the flexible electronic display only when the first and second ends of the flexible band are disposed in an overlapping manner.