Audio feedback for continuous scrolled content

• US 10,423,385 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Molesky, Lory, Moroze, Benjamin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Level, Barbara M
• Application Number:
  US16/204,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20190095172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

An example system and method for providing audio feedback to a software user when scrolling, panning, or zooming a content area. An example method includes determining one or more dimensions of the content area, which includes one or more sections; detecting a scroll command; scrolling the content such that a user interface viewport moves across the content area in accordance with the scroll command; and playing plural sounds during the scrolling to indicate a scroll direction, a scroll velocity, and to indicate a start position and an end position of the viewport relative to the content area.

Claims

1. A method for providing playback of audio feedback in a system providing audio feedback when scrolling or panning an object in a content area simultaneously in two dimensions on a computing device display, the method comprising:

recording an audio history including first and second sounds being adjusted in accordance with scrolling in first and second dimensions, respectively; and

receiving a signal from an input device to cause a playback of the audio history.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying a user option to replay at least a portion of the audio history; and

accepting a signal to indicate selection of the user option to replay at least a portion of the audio history and, in response, playing back the at least a portion of the audio history.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

storing sound data of the audio history in a sound database.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

replaying a portion of the audio history that has occurred within a particular predetermined interval.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying playback settings in response to a user selection of a configuration option.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a playback setting determines a playback interval.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a first sound includes a musical note.

8. The method of claim 1, further including:

playing a first sound at one or more boundaries of one or more sections as the one or more sections are scrolled into or out of a viewport.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein plural sounds are played.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a first sound includes a continuous tone that continuously increases or decreases in frequency, and wherein a second sound includes a percussion played when one or more boundaries of one or more sections transition across a boundary or boundaries of a viewport used to view the content area.

11. The method of claim 9, further including continuously varying a frequency of a continuously increasing or decreasing tone when a boundary of a viewport is within one or more sections.

12. The method of claim 9, further including playing a first sound when scrolling in a first direction, and playing a second sound when scrolling in a second direction, wherein the second direction includes a horizontal direction, and wherein the first direction includes a vertical direction.

13. The method of claim 12, further including selectively playing a combination of the first sound and the second sound when scrolling diagonally across the content area, the content area characterized by multiple dimensions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the multiple dimensions include horizontal and vertical dimensions.

15. The method of claim 13, further including playing a third sound when scrolling in a third direction along an axis corresponding to a third dimension of scrollable content, thereby indicating a current zoom level as the content area is zoomed.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein a first sound is confined within a first audio frequency range, and wherein a second sound is confined to within a second audio frequency range.

17. The method of claim 9, further including:

varying a first property of a first sound to indicate a first scroll direction and scroll velocity; and

varying a second property of a second sound to indicate a second scroll direction and scroll velocity.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first sound includes a sound from a musical instrument, and wherein the first property includes a musical note of the musical instrument.

19. An apparatus for presenting data visualization graphics, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a tangible processor-readable storage device including instructions for providing playback of audio feedback in a system providing audio feedback when scrolling or panning an object in a content area simultaneously in two dimensions on a computing device display, the instructions causing acts comprising;

recording an audio history including first and second sounds being adjusted in accordance with scrolling in first and second dimensions, respectively; and

receiving a signal from an input device to cause a playback of the audio history.

20. A tangible processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by one or more processors for providing playback of audio feedback in a system providing audio feedback when scrolling or panning an object in a content area simultaneously in two dimensions on a computing device display, the instructions causing acts comprising:

recording an audio history including first and second sounds being adjusted in accordance with scrolling in first and second dimensions, respectively; and

receiving a signal from an input device to cause a playback of the audio history.