RotoView FAQ
The RotoView App Q: What should I expect from the RotoView app?
A: The RotoView app is a simple proof-of-concept demonstration of the RotoView
technology that was invented by INNOVENTIONS in the late 90s. We did our best
to enable the user to have a good glimpse of what RotoView has to offer.
Q: Who are the target audiences for this app?
Why does the More section of the app seem to be so complex (numerous
settings, the graph editor and the ballistics table)?
A: The RotoView app in its default mode is targeted to the general public,
enabling anyone who is curious to see the future of view navigation in action,
by using the photos stored on their iPhone or iPod Touch. To use RotoView, just
open a photo, shake the device and navigate. Advanced end-users, product
engineers and programmers can use the More section to review many
sophisticated features of the technology and experiment with numerous
navigation profiles.
Q: Does the RotoView app implement all
aspects of RotoView technology?
A: The app implements many important features of the RotoView technology, but
not all. Important features that will be implemented in future versions include
hand gesture exit, voice commands, smart coloring of the View Navigation
Progress Monitor, non-linear rotation response graphs and more.
Q: What is the best way to learn all the
features of the RotoView app?
A: We have prepared several tutorials that
cover many features in depth. Anyone who is carefully evaluating the technology
must review these tutorials. A summary of the main features appears in this
page. Limited 'How to' and
'RotoView Quick Start' sections appear in the app itself (tap More, About). You
can experiment freely with all settings, and if needed, reset to default
setting as described in tutorial 6.2.
Q: Why are my photos magnified when opened?
A: The app default setting automatically magnify small pictures when they are
opened. This is done to insure that you have "room" to navigate. You
can turn off the 'magnify a photo when it is opened' as described in
tutorial 6.1.
Q: Are you developing RotoView applications
for other platforms?
A: Yes, we plan similar RotoView applications for the Android and Windows
Mobile platforms. We are also developing a paid app for the iPhone/iPod Touch.
Please monitor our road map page for further
information.
Q: What is the best way to implement RotoView
in modern smartphones?
A: RotoView provides the very fundamental task of view navigation, which can be
used by every display application. Therefore, it should be best deployed within
the operating system of the device and provided to application developers via
the scroll view encapsulation. We are negotiating with many smartphone
manufacturers regarding the purchase or license of RotoView. However, if you
are a developer, you can license this technology now and add RotoView to your
own application right away.
Q: What keeps the display from unwanted
changes when I just move the device? How does the user switch between Fixed and
Navigation modes?
A: RotoView employs two main modes, Fixed mode and Navigation mode. Fixed mode
is the default, so you can freely move the device without fearing that you
inadvertently changes the display. RotoView switches from Fixed mode to
Navigation mode based on a touch (or switch), hand gesture, or voice command.
It returns to Fixed mode based on similar commands, and/or by combination of
inactivity detection and fixed exit timer.
Q: What happens if a user's hand bumps into
an obstacle while navigating the display?
A: RotoView employs a ballistic trail of
the navigation path during navigation mode. Any abrupt movement, like the one
registered when the user's hand bumps into an obstacle, can be detected. The
view is automatically returned to its trail's state just prior to the bump.
Q: Does a hand gesture to exit Navigation
mode inadvertently change the final view contents?
A: An exit command by hand gesture will initially affect the view, since it
comprises changes in orientation. However, using the RotoView
ballistic trail discussed above, the view
is returned to its trail's state just prior to the hand gesture once an exit
command is identified. This feature is not yet implemented in the RotoView app
although it is well described in our patents.
Q: Is the RotoView
PC-Based Evaluation and
Development System still available for purchase?
A: Yes, it is available for purchase. However, please note that this is an
older system still designed with external sensor board. We've sold these
systems since 2003, many years before the emergence of the smartphones. Most of
its functionality is duplicated in the new
smartphone applications.
The RotoView Patents Q: Are you planning to license or sell the RotoView
patent portfolio?
A: Although INNOVENTIONS is an R&D and manufacturing company, we are too
small to manufacture smart hand-held media devices in high volume. Therefore,
we are looking for strategic partners who may license or even purchase the
RotoView technology and IP. RotoView is clearly
an idea whose time has come and we are offering an affordable licensing
agreement to every small and large company that wishes to legally use our
invention in their products.
Q: I like your patents and would like to use
them in my own apps. However, I am a small developer, so how can I afford to
buy a RotoView license?
A: Small developers can obtain a very low cost license, and in many cases you
may even pay no royalties at all. Please contact us for more details.
Q: My company plans to use the smartphone's
built-in accelerometer to navigate the device's view. Do we need to acquire a
RotoView license?
A: INNOVENTIONS have patents in the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, France
and Italy covering the basic functionality of tilt-based view navigation. If
your products are sold or manufactured in these countries you must sign a
license. You can review the details of our patents here.
Q: My company plans to use the smartphone's
camera as a tilt sensor to navigate the device's view. Do we need to acquire a
RotoView license?
A: RotoView patents cover tilt-based view navigation regardless of the sensor
type. Therefore, if you implement the RotoView patents with camera-based tilt
sensor, or magnetic sensor, or gyroscope sensor, you still need a license in
the USA and the European countries mentioned above.
Q: Most smartphones already have
accelerometers built in. Why are your patents valuable?
A: It is very easy to lose perspective of the sequence of events when judging
an invention! INNOVENTIONS invented the RotoView technology during the late
90s, many years before the emergence of the accelerometers or gyroscopes in
smartphones. In fact, we have been contacting most of the major manufacturers
for many years in order to demonstrate the benefits of our technology and
convince them to incorporate a tilt sensor into their platform. It is no
surprise that the technology now seems to be materializing everywhere.
Currently, most devices use the accelerometers for auto detection of
"portrait" or "landscape" modes, which is not covered by
the RotoView patents. Use of the accelerometer to navigate the display in all
direction will typically be covered by the RotoView patents. It is interesting
to note that as of May 2010, our US6,466,198 and US6,933,923 patents have been
cited as prior art in 101
separate US patents.
Q: What is the special importance of your
European patents?
A: Obtaining a patent in Europe requires a complete examination and approval
process by the European Patent Office. This process is completely independent
of the US Patent Office examination process. Therefore, in addition to a
significant commercial protection in the UK, Germany, France and Italy, our
European patent provides additional independent approval for the RotoView
invention.
Q: Are you offering any design help for your
licensees?
A: It is quite possible to implement RotoView in your application based upon
the information contained in our patents and on
this web site. Therefore, licensees do not need to purchase our design services
in addition to the license fees. However, INNOVENTIONS has accumulated
considerable know-how regarding many real-world user interface issues related
to tilt-based view navigation. Therefore, we do offer fee-based design
assistance to any of our licensees who wish it. Please contact us for more
details.
FAQ