Record button on a computer system

• US 20040225502A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ledbetter, Carl, Adams, Aditha May, Kaneko, Steve, Magendanz, Chad, Bear, Eric Gould
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A record button that facilitates audiovisual input into a computer system without requiring manual interaction (direct manipulation interaction) with software. The record button may be grouped with transport controls, a standalone button, or grouped with other controls. The record button may be actuated with different types of actuation techniques, each of which may correspond to a different audio and/or video operating mode, which may be user configurable. A record light may be provided to notify the user of the current recording mode via variable colors and/or flash patterns. The record button can work in conjunction with a camera button and with manual software switching of recording modes.

Claims

1. In a computer system having an operating system, a subsystem comprising:

an audiovisual information input mechanism;

a record button, the record button operably coupled to provide user-controlled recording state data to the operating system; and

a component that receives the user-controlled recording state data from the record button and determines how to process audiovisual information received from the input mechanism based on the user-controlled recording state data and a current recording context.

2. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the operating system component determines that the audiovisual information received from the input mechanism is to be provided to an application program.

3. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the operating system component determines that the audiovisual information received from the input mechanism is to be provided to a speech recognition engine.

4. The subsystem of claim 3 wherein the operating system component receives text from the speech recognition engine.

5. The subsystem of claim 4 wherein the operating system component provides the text to an application program.

6. The subsystem of claim 4 wherein the text is interpreted by the operating system as a command.

7. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the audiovisual information comprises audio data but not video data.

8. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the audiovisual information input mechanism comprises a microphone.

9. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the audiovisual information input mechanism comprises a camera.

10. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the record button is located on a computer keyboard.

11. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the record button is located on the audiovisual information input mechanism.

12. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the record button is located on a control panel.

13. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the record button is grouped with transport control buttons.

14. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the record button corresponds to a button on a computer mouse.

15. The subsystem of claim 1 further comprising a record indicator that outputs information corresponding to a state of recording.

16. The subsystem of claim 15 wherein the record indicator comprises an LED.

17. The subsystem of claim 15 wherein the record indicator is incorporated into the record button.

18. The subsystem of claim 15 wherein the record indicator is located proximate the record button.

19. The subsystem of claim 1 wherein the operating system component comprises a record mode selection mechanism that selects an operating mode based on a type of actuation of the record button.

20. The subsystem of claim 19 further comprising a record indicator that outputs information corresponding to the operating mode.

21. In a computer system having an application program, a method comprising:

detecting actuation of a record button;

receiving recordable data; and

providing the recordable data to the application program based on the actuation and a current recording context.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein detecting actuation of a record button comprises determining a type of actuation relative to at least one other type of actuation.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein determining a type of actuation comprises detecting a single press and release of the record button.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein determining a type of actuation comprises detecting a double press-and-release action with respect to the record button.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein determining a type of actuation comprises detecting a hold beyond a threshold time and release action with respect to the record button.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein determining a type of actuation comprises detecting a press and hold action with respect to the record button.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein receiving recordable data comprises receiving audiovisual data.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein receiving the audiovisual data comprises receiving audio data but not video data.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising controlling a record indicator.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein controlling the record indicator comprises lighting the indicator a certain color to indicate that the recordable data is being provided to the application program.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein controlling the record indicator comprises driving the indicator with a repetitive pattern.

32. The method of claim 21 further comprising detecting a camera state, and determining whether to provide a video component of the recordable data to the application program based on the camera state.

33. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 21.

34. In a computer system, a method comprising:

detecting a type of actuation of a record button relative to at least one other type of actuation;

receiving recordable data; and

determining how to process the recordable data based on the type of actuation detected.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein detecting a type of actuation comprises detecting a single press and release of the record button.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein detecting a type of actuation comprises detecting a double press-and-release action with respect to the record button.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein detecting a type of actuation comprises detecting a hold beyond a threshold time and release action with respect to the record button.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein detecting a type of actuation comprises detecting a press and hold action with respect to the record button.

39. The method of claim 34 wherein determining how to process the recordable data based on the type of actuation detected comprises mapping the type of actuation to an operating mode.

40. The method of claim 34 wherein receiving recordable data comprises receiving audio data but not video data.

41. The method of claim 34 further comprising controlling a record indicator.

42. The method of claim 34 wherein controlling the record indicator comprises lighting the indicator a certain color to indicate that the recordable data is being processed.

43. The method of claim 34 wherein controlling the record indicator comprises driving the indicator with a repetitive pattern.

44. The method of claim 34 wherein determining how to process the recordable data comprises determining that the recordable data is to be provided to an application program.

45. The method of claim 34 wherein determining how to process the recordable data comprises determining that the recordable data is to be provided to a speech recognition engine.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising receiving text from the speech recognition engine.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising providing the text to an application program for recording as text.

48. The method of claim 46 further comprising interpreting the text as a command.

49. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 34.

50. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

means for detecting actuation of a record button; and

means for providing recordable data to an application program based on the detected actuation and a current recording context.

51. In a computer system, a method comprising:

means for detecting a type of actuation of a record button relative to at least one other type of actuation; and

means for processing recordable data based on the type of actuation detected.

52. In a computing device, a hardware control device, comprising:

a record button;

an interface that couples the record button to software such that the software has state information of the record button; and

a software component that determines how to process recordable data based on the state information of the record button data and a current recording context of a plurality of possible recording contexts.