Device manipulation using hover

• US 10,416,777 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhu, Robert, Zhang, Dejun, Zhao, Pengxiang, Wang, Bin, Bahadur, Satyendra, Chin, Ying N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Hien L
• Application Number:
  US15/238,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20180052518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

An apparatus may be manipulated using non-touch or hover techniques. Hover techniques may be associated with zooming, virtual feedback, authentication, and other operations. For example, a mobile device may receive data indicative of a hover gesture. The hover gesture may be sensed proximate to a rear of the mobile device. The level of zoom of a rendered image may be altered based on the hover gesture.

Claims

1. An apparatus for interface control comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving, from a sensor communicatively coupled with the apparatus, data indicative of a first hover gesture, wherein the first hover gesture is sensed proximate to the apparatus;

detecting that the first hover gesture is a combination of two or more of a speed of the first hover gesture, a height of the first hover gesture, a direction of the first hover gesture, a shape of the first hover gesture, an alignment of the first hover gesture over a displayed image, and a position of the first hover gesture;

based on the detection;

linking the first hover gesture as one of a mouse-over or a mouse pointer event; and

when the first hover gesture is a mouse pointer event, determining a timing that a touchpoint is down, and based on the timing, determining whether the mouse pointer event is a double-tap or a new tap; and

inputting the mouse-over or a mouse pointer event to an application running on the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inputting is based further on the first hover gesture and a second hover gesture, wherein the first hover gesture and the second hover gesture are sensed proximate to a front of the apparatus and a rear of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inputting is based further on the first hover gesture and a second hover gesture, wherein the first hover gesture and the second hover gesture are sensed proximate to a side of the apparatus and a rear or front of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inputting is based further on:

receiving an indication of a point on an image, the indication of the point on the image based on hover input.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inputting is based further on:

receiving an indication of a point on the image, the indication of the point on the image based on hover input, wherein the point on the image is an approximate center point of the image.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a handheld device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising providing stimuli based on the first hover gesture.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising providing a stimulus based on the first hover gesture, wherein the stimulus comprises vibrating of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising providing stimulus based on the first hover gesture, wherein the stimulus comprises a sound from the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hover gesture is responsive to a stimulus, the stimulus comprising vibrating of the apparatus.

11. A method for interface control comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device from a sensor, data indicative of a first hover gesture, wherein the first hover gesture is sensed proximate to the mobile device;

detecting that the first hover gesture is a combination of two or more of a speed of the first hover gesture, a height of the first hover gesture, a direction of the first hover gesture, a shape of the first hover gesture, an alignment of the first hover gesture over a displayed image, and a position of the first hover gesture;

based on the detection;

linking the first hover gesture as one of a mouse-over or a mouse pointer event; and

when the first hover gesture is a mouse pointer event, determining a timing that a touchpoint is down, and based on the timing, determining whether the mouse pointer event is a double-tap or a new tap; and

inputting the mouse-over or a mouse pointer event to an application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputting is based further on the first hover gesture and a second hover gesture, wherein the first hover gesture and the second hover gesture are sensed proximate to a front of the mobile device and a rear of the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputting is based further on the first hover gesture and a second hover gesture, wherein the first hover gesture and the second hover gesture are sensed proximate to a side of the mobile device and a rear or front of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputting is based further on:

receiving an indication of a point on the image to base a zoom, the indication of the point on the image based on hover input.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputting is based further on:

receiving an indication of a point on the image to base a zoom, the indication of the point on the image based on hover input, wherein the point on the image is an approximate center point of the image.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing stimuli based on the first hover gesture.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a stimulus based on the first hover gesture, wherein the stimulus comprises vibrating of the mobile device.

19. A system for interface control comprising:

a display device;

a processor communicatively coupled with the display device; and

a memory communicatively coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving, from a sensor communicatively coupled to the system, data indicative of a first hover gesture, wherein the first hover gesture is sensed proximate to the display device;

detecting that the first hover gesture is a combination of two or more of a speed of the first hover gesture, a height of the first hover gesture, a direction of the first hover gesture, a shape of the first hover gesture, an alignment of the first hover gesture over a displayed image, and a position of the first hover gesture;

based on the detection;

linking the first hover gesture as one of a mouse-over or a mouse pointer event; and

when the first hover gesture is a mouse pointer event, determining a timing that a touchpoint is down, and based on the timing, determining whether the mouse pointer event is a double-tap or a new tap; and

inputting the mouse-over or a mouse pointer event to an application running on the system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the inputting is based further on:

receiving an indication of a point on the image to base a zoom, the indication of the point on the image based on hover input, wherein the point on the image is an approximate center point of the image.