Systems and methods to enable and disable scrolling using camera input

• US 10,515,270 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mese, John Carl, VanBlon, Russell Speight, Peterson, Nathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulley, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US15/647,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20190019028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 using facial parts and geometric relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes at least one processor, a camera, at least one sensor, a display, and storage. The storage bears instructions executable by the at least one processor to receive input from the at least one sensor and determine, based on the input, whether a user is making physical contact with the device. Based on a determination that the user is not making physical contact with the device, the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to execute scrolling of content based on input from the camera, with the content presented on the display. Based on a determination that the user is making physical contact with the device, the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to decline to execute scrolling of content based on input from the camera.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

at least one processor;

a camera accessible to the at least one processor;

at least one sensor accessible to the at least one processor;

a display accessible to the at least one processor; and

storage accessible to the at least one processor and bearing instructions executable by the at least one processor to;

receive input from the at least one sensor, the input indicating physical contact by a user with the device;

determine, based on the input, whether the user is using more than one hand to touch the device;

based on a determination that the user is using plural hands to touch the device execute scrolling of content based on input from the camera according to a first sensitivity level; and

based on a determination that the user is using one hand to touch the device, execute scrolling of content based on input from the camera according to a second sensitivity level that is different from the first sensitivity level.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises the display, and wherein physical contact is sensed based on input from the display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

based on a determination that the user is not making physical contact with the device and based on a determination that the display is activated, execute scrolling of content based on input from the camera.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the last least one processor to:

identify at least one context;

determine that, while the context occurs and while the user is making physical contact with the device, the user enables scrolling of content based on input from the camera; and

responsive to a determination of the user enabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera a predetermined threshold number of times greater than one while the context occurs and while the user is making physical contact with the device, subsequently enabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera during the context without additional user input to enable scrolling of content based on input from the camera.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the context is one-handed operation of the device.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the context is a current location of the device.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the context is a current time of day.

8. The device of claim 4, herein the context is an application that is currently presenting data on the display.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the context is an activity currently engaged in by the user.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the last least one processor to:

identify at least one context;

determine that, while the context occurs, the user disables scrolling of content based on input from the camera; and

responsive to a determination of the user disabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera a predetermined threshold number of times greater than one while the context occurs, subsequently disabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera during the context without additional user input to disable scrolling of content based on input from the camera.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the second sensitivity level is less than the first sensitivity level.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving input from at least one sensor on a device, the input indicating physical contact by a user with the device;

determining, based on the input, whether the user is using more than one hand to touch the device;

based on determining that the user is using plural hands to touch the device, executing scrolling of content based on input from a camera according to a first sensitivity level; and

based on determining that the user is using one hand to touch the device, execrating scrolling of content based on input from the camera according to a second sensitivity level that is different from the first sensitivity level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second sensitivity level is less than the first sensitivity level.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising:

identifying that the user has provided first input enabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera;

identifying a context that exists while the user provides the first input enabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera, the context comprising one or more of;

a current location of a device, a current time of day, and/or an application that is currently presenting data on a display accessible to the device;

based on the first input, enabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera; and

during a future occurrence of the context, and based on identification of the user previously providing inputs enabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera a predetermined threshold number of times greater than one while the context occurs, automatically enabling scrolling of content based on input from the camera, without additional user input to do so.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the context comprises a current location of the device and/or a current time of day.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the context comprises an application that is currently presenting data on a display accessible to the device.

17. A computer readable storage medium (CRSM) that is not a transitory signal, the computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by at least one processor on a device to:

receive input from at least one sensor on the device;

determine, based on the input, whether a user is using one or two hands to touch the device;

based on a determination that the user is using two hands to touch the device, execute scrolling of content based on input from a camera according to a first sensitivity level; and

based on a determination that the user is using one hand to touch the device, execute scrolling of content based on input from the camera according to a second sensitivity level that is less than the first sensitivity level.

18. The CRSM of claim 17, wherein according to the second sensitivity level the device waits, prior to scrolling, a threshold non-zero amount of time while a user looks at a particular display location, the threshold non-zero amount of time being greater than the device would wait to scroll according to the first sensitivity level upon the user looking at the particular display location.

19. The CRSM of claim 17, wherein according to the second sensitivity level the device waits, prior to scrolling, until a user'"'"'s gaze reaches a lower point on a display of the device than for scrolling according to the first sensitivity level.

20. The CRSM of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

present a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display accessible to the at least one processor, the GUI comprising an option that is selectable to enable the at least one processor to use varying sensitivity levels for scrolling rather than one sensitivity level, the varying sensitivity levels comprising at least the first and second sensitivity levels.