Selecting user interface elements via position signal

• US 10,025,378 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Venable, Morgan Kolya, Kerr, Bernard James, Thukral, Vaibhav, Nister, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nhat Huy T
• Application Number:
  US13/926,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20140380230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed herein that relate to selecting user interface elements via a periodically updated position signal. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method comprising displaying on a graphical user interface a representation of a user interface element and a representation of an interactive target. The method further comprises receiving an input of coordinates of the periodically updated position signal, and determining a selection of the user interface element if a motion interaction of the periodically updated position signal with the interactive target meets a predetermined motion condition.

Claims

1. On a computing device, a method of receiving a selection of a first selectable user interface element displayed on a graphical user interface via a user input mechanism providing a periodically updated position signal, the method comprising:

displaying at a first location on the graphical user interface the first selectable user interface element and also displaying at least partially outside of and adjacent to the first selectable user interface element a first moveable interactive target associated with the first selectable user interface element, wherein the first selectable user interface element is selectable via gaze interaction with the first moveable interactive target;

displaying at a second location on the graphical user interface a second selectable user interface element and also displaying at least partially outside of and adjacent to the second selectable user interface element a second moveable interactive target associated with the second selectable user interface element, wherein the second selectable user interface element is selectable via gaze interaction with the second moveable interactive target;

receiving an input of coordinates of the periodically updated position signal from an eye tracking system; and

determining a selection of the first selectable user interface element in response to a motion interaction of the periodically updated position signal first interacting with the first selectable user interface element and then interacting with the first moveable interactive target via a pursuit eye gaze gesture involving motion of the first moveable interactive target toward a displayed destination position to meet a predetermined motion condition for selecting the first selectable user interface element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pursuit eye gaze gesture includes an eye movement gesture moving the first moveable interactive target from an initial position to a destination position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined motion condition is one of two or more different motion conditions useable to select the first selectable user interface element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first moveable interactive target is displayed persistently on the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more moveable interactive targets is displayed in response to a user'"'"'s interaction with one or more selectable user interface elements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed destination location comprises:

a receptacle displayed at a destination position of the first moveable interactive target, and wherein the pursuit eye gaze gesture moves the first moveable interactive target into the receptacle.

7. On a computing device, a method of receiving a selection of a first selectable user interface element via eye gaze gestures of content displayed on a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying at a first location on the graphical user interface a representation of the first selectable user interface element and also displaying at least partially outside of and adjacent to the first selectable user interface element a first interactive target associated with the first selectable user interface element, wherein the first selectable user interface element is selectable via gaze interaction with the first interactive target;

displaying at a second location on the graphical user interface a representation of a second selectable user interface element and also displaying at least partially outside of and adjacent to the second selectable user interface element a second interactive target associated with the second selectable user interface element, wherein the second selectable user interface element is selectable via gaze interaction with the second interactive target;

displaying on the graphical user interface a representation of a different interactive target associated with the first selectable user interface element;

receiving from an eye tracking system an input of coordinates corresponding to an eye gaze gesture; and

determining a selection of the first selectable user interface element if the eye gaze gesture includes a motion interaction first with the first selectable user interface element, then moving from the first selectable user interface element to the first interactive target and then moving from the first interactive target to the different interactive target to confirm an intent to select the first selectable user interface element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining selection of the first selectable user interface element comprises determining that the motion interaction meets a predetermined motion condition, wherein the predetermined motion condition includes a sequential saccadic gesture.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sequential saccadic gesture includes a specific sequence of motion interactions including a motion interaction with the first selectable user interface element and then the first interactive target followed by a motion interaction with the different interactive target.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first interactive target is displayed persistently on the graphical user interface.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first interactive target is displayed in response to the interaction with the first selectable user interface element.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein selection of the first selectable user interface element is determined if the eye gaze gesture includes a motion interaction with the first selectable user interface element, then with the first interactive target, and then with the different interactive target.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the different interactive target is displayed responsive to the motion interaction with the first interactive target.

14. A head-mounted display system configured to receive a selection of displayed content via eye gaze gestures;

the head-mounted display system comprising;

a near-eye display device;

an eye tracking input system;

a logic subsystem; and

a storage subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to;

display at a first location via the near-eye display device a representation of a first selectable user interface element, the first selectable user interface element being selectable by interaction with a first interactive target;

display at a second location via the near-eye display device a representation of a second selectable user interface element, the second selectable user interface element being selectable by interaction with a second interactive target;

receive an input of coordinates from an eye gaze tracking system,

from the input of coordinates, detect an eye gaze gesture interaction with the first selectable user interface element,

in response to detecting the eye gaze gesture interaction with the first selectable user interface element, display via the near-eye display device a representation of the first interactive target at least partially outside of and adjacent to the first selectable user interface element, the first interactive target being associated with the first selectable user interface element,

detect from the input of coordinates from the eye gaze tracking system a motion of the eye gaze from the first selectable user interface element to the first interactive target,

in response to detecting the eye gaze gesture interaction with the first interactive target, display via the near-eye display device a representation of a different interactive target associated with the first selectable user interface element, and

when an interaction with the different interactive target is detected from the input of coordinates, confirm an intent to select the first selectable user interface element, and

when the interaction with the different interactive target is not detected from the input of coordinates, not select the first selectable user interface element.