ZERO-CLICK ACTIVATION OF AN APPLICATION

• US 20080074391A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coe, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method is described for activating an application without specific positioning of a mouse or clicking a mouse button (“zero-click activation”). This is done by evaluating motion of an input device with regard to predetermined criteria; detecting a rapid, multi-directional motion (a shaking motion) of the input device, and initiating a preconfigured application in response thereto. In an embodiment, the input device is a mouse, and the method is performed without actuating a button on the mouse. The preconfigured application may be a search function, and in particular may be a Web search invoked when a shaking action is detected while the user is viewing a Web site.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

during interaction with a software application, evaluating motion of an input device with regard to predetermined criteria;

detecting a rapid, multi-directional motion of the input device based upon said predetermined criteria; and

initiating a preconfigured software operation in response to detection of said motion.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined criteria include at least one of distance, displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the input device is a mouse, and said method is performed without actuating a button on the mouse.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said preconfigured software operation is a search function.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said preconfigured software operation is a save function.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the save function is effective to save a document from a word-processing application into a preselected folder.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting the application in use concurrent with detecting the motion, and wherein the preconfigured software operation is initiated in accordance therewith.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said preconfigured software operation instantiates a search term entry box within which a search query may be entered by a user.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

communicating a search query to a site on a network for performing a search in accordance with the search query.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the method further includes prompting a user to enter the search query.

11. A method according to claim 4, wherein the preconfigured application is a Web search initiated in accordance with a Web browser being in use concurrent with detecting the motion.

12. A method according to claim 4, wherein the preconfigured application is a local file search initiated in accordance with an offline application being in use concurrent with detecting the motion.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the input device is connected to a computing device having a remote connection to a server, and said preconfigured application is initiated via said remote connection.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the input device is connected to a computing device having a remote connection to a server, and further comprising the step of:

displaying an option to download to the computing device executable instructions for performing the method.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein a Web browser detects the motion and opens a search window in response thereto.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said prompting includes displaying an advertisement via a Web browser.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said application is preconfigured by a user of the input device.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the input device is a mouse;

and

said evaluating step further comprises

detecting directional changes in the motion of the mouse,

detecting a displacement of the mouse in at least one direction since a previous directional change, and

detecting a time period to complete a motion between consecutive directional changes.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the following:

a number of directional changes, a minimum displacement between consecutive directional changes, a maximum displacement between consecutive directional changes, and a maximum time period to complete a motion between consecutive directional changes.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein in said detecting step, a rapid, multi-directional motion of the mouse, characterized as a “

jiggle,”

is detected in accordance with the motion meeting the predetermined criteria; and

the number of directional changes is 5, the minimum displacement is 10 pixels of a display screen, the maximum displacement is 200 pixels of the display screen, and the maximum time period is 500 msec.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the input device is a mouse;

and

said evaluating step further comprises

mapping a display screen onto a grid comprising cells, each cell being of a predetermined shape and including a predetermined number of pixels of the display screen,

detecting a sequence of motion of the mouse,

detecting a displacement of the mouse during the motion,

detecting a number of cells visited during the motion, and

detecting a time period to complete the sequence.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the following:

an order of motion directions, a minimum travel in a given direction between consecutive directional changes, a maximum travel in the given direction between consecutive directional changes, a number of cells visited, and a maximum time period to complete the sequence.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein in said detecting step, a rapid, multi-directional motion of the mouse, characterized as a “

jiggle,”

is detected in accordance with the motion meeting the predetermined criteria; and

said given direction is a sideways direction with respect to the mouse, travel of the mouse is not greater than 2 cells in a direction orthogonal to said sideways direction, and the maximum time period is 500 msec.

24. A computer program product comprising executable instructions for performing a method, the method including the steps of:

evaluating motion of an input device with regard to predetermined criteria;

detecting a rapid, multi-directional motion of the input device, characterized as a shaking motion; and

initiating a preconfigured application in response to detection of said shaking motion.

25. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein said predetermined criteria include at least one of distance, displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

26. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein the input device is a mouse, and said method is performed without input from actuation of a button on the mouse.

27. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein said preconfigured application is a search function.

28. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein said preconfigured application is a save function.

29. A computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the save function is effective to save a document from a word-processing application into a preselected folder.

30. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein the method further includes detecting an application in use concurrent with the shaking motion, and wherein the preconfigured application is initiated in accordance therewith.

31. A computer program product according to claim 27, wherein the method further includes the steps of:

communicating a search query to a site on a network for performing the search function in accordance with the search query.

32. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the method further includes the step of opening a window for entry of the search query.

33. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the method further includes prompting a user to enter the search query.

34. A computer program product according to claim 27, wherein the preconfigured application is a Web search initiated in accordance with a Web browser being in use concurrent with the shaking motion.

35. A computer program product according to claim 27, wherein the preconfigured application is a local file search initiated in accordance with an offline application being in use concurrent with the shaking motion.

36. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein said instructions are included in a browser extension or a browser script library.

37. A computer program product according to claim 36, wherein said instructions are executed only when a preselected Web site has been navigated to.

38. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein the input device is connected to a computing device characterized as a client having a remote connection to a server, and the method further includes the steps of:

prompting a user to execute a shaking motion of the input device; and

displaying an option to download to the client executable instructions for performing the method.

39. A computer program product according to claim 38, wherein a Web browser detects the shaking motion and opens a search window in response thereto.

40. A computer program product according to claim 38, wherein said prompting includes displaying an advertisement via a Web browser.

41. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein

the input device is a mouse;

and

said evaluating step further comprises

detecting directional changes in the motion of the mouse,

detecting a displacement of the mouse in at least one direction since a previous directional change, and

detecting a time period to complete a motion between consecutive directional changes.

42. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the following:

a number of directional changes, a minimum displacement between consecutive directional changes, a maximum displacement between consecutive directional changes, and a maximum time period to complete a motion between consecutive directional changes.

43. A computer program product according to claim 42, wherein in said detecting step, a shaking motion of the mouse is detected in accordance with the motion meeting the predetermined criteria;

and the number of directional changes is 5, the minimum displacement is 10 pixels of a display screen, the maximum displacement is 200 pixels of the display screen, and the maximum time period is 500 msec.

44. A computer program product according to claim 24, wherein

the input device is a mouse;

and

said evaluating step further comprises

mapping a display screen onto a grid comprising cells, each cell being of a predetermined shape and including a predetermined number of pixels of the display screen,

detecting a sequence of motion of the mouse,

detecting a displacement of the mouse during the motion,

detecting a number of cells visited during the motion, and

detecting a time period to complete the sequence.

45. A computer program product according to claim 44, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the following:

an order of motion directions, a minimum travel in a given direction between consecutive directional changes, a maximum travel in the given direction between consecutive directional changes, a number of cells visited, and a maximum time period to complete the sequence.

46. A computer program product according to claim 45, wherein in said detecting step, a shaking motion of the mouse is detected in accordance with the motion meeting the predetermined criteria;

and said given direction is a sideways direction with respect to the mouse, travel of the mouse is not greater than 2 cells in a direction orthogonal to said sideways direction, and the maximum time period is 500 msec.

47. A Web browser comprising executable instructions for performing a method, the method including the steps of:

evaluating motion of an input device with regard to predetermined criteria including at least one of distance, displacement, velocity, and acceleration;

detecting a shaking motion of the input device; and

initiating a preconfigured application in response to detection of said shaking motion.

48. A Web browser according to claim 47, wherein the input device is a mouse, and said method is performed without input from actuation of a button on the mouse.

49. A Web browser according to claim 47, wherein said preconfigured application is a search function.

50. A Web browser according to claim 47, wherein said preconfigured application is a save function.

51. A Web browser according to claim 47, wherein the method further includes detecting an application in use concurrent with the shaking motion, and wherein the preconfigured application is initiated in accordance therewith.

52. A Web browser according to claim 49, wherein the method further includes the steps of:

communicating a search query to a site on a network for performing the search function in accordance with the search query.

53. A Web browser according to claim 52, wherein the method further includes the step of opening a window for entry of the search query.

54. A Web browser according to claim 52, wherein the method further includes prompting a user to enter the search query.

55. A Web browser according to claim 49, wherein the preconfigured application is a Web search initiated in accordance with a Web page being displayed concurrent with the shaking motion.

56. A Web browser according to claim 49, wherein the preconfigured application is a local file search initiated in accordance with an offline application being in use concurrent with the shaking motion.

57. A Web browser according to claim 47, wherein said instructions are included in one of a browser extension and a browser script library.

58. A Web browser according to claim 57, wherein said instructions are executed only when a preselected Web site has been navigated to.

59. A Web browser according to claim 47, wherein

the input device is a mouse;

and

said evaluating step further comprises

detecting directional changes in the motion of the mouse,

detecting a displacement of the mouse in at least one direction since a previous directional change, and

detecting a time period to complete a motion between consecutive directional changes.

60. A Web browser according to claim 59, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the following:

a number of directional changes, a minimum displacement between consecutive directional changes, a maximum displacement between consecutive directional changes, and a maximum time period to complete a motion between consecutive directional changes.

61. A Web browser according to claim 47, wherein

the input device is a mouse;

and

said evaluating step further comprises

mapping a display screen onto a grid comprising cells, each cell being of a predetermined shape and including a predetermined number of pixels of the display screen,

detecting a sequence of motion of the mouse,

detecting a displacement of the mouse during the motion,

detecting a number of cells visited during the motion, and

detecting a time period to complete the sequence.

62. A Web browser according to claim 61, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the following:

an order of motion directions, a minimum travel in a given direction between consecutive directional changes, a maximum travel in the given direction between consecutive directional changes, a number of cells visited, and a maximum time period to complete the sequence.