Controls and indicators with on-screen cognitive aids

• US 20080092043A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Trethewey, Jim R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,739,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/705
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention relates to an applet for a mobile computing device, comprising an element to detect user input and perform appropriate associated actions, and to provide a cognitive aid for users of the mobile computing device. The invention also relates to a method for controlling operation of a mobile computing device, comprising detecting user input and performing appropriate associated actions and providing a cognitive aid for users of the mobile computing device. The invention further relates to a cognitive aid for a mobile computing device having a display screen, the cognitive aid being displayed on the display screen and including an on-screen and/or an audio tip, and being associated with an input vehicle of the mobile computing device. The cognitive aid provides relevant information to the user regarding the input vehicle. The invention still further relates to a method for assisting users of a mobile computing device having a display screen. The method comprises providing a vehicle for user input to the mobile computing device and providing a cognitive aid on the display screen, the cognitive aid being associated with the user input vehicle. The cognitive aid provides relevant information to the user regarding the user input vehicle.

Claims

1. An applet for a mobile computing device, comprising an element to detect user input and perform appropriate associated actions, and to provide a cognitive aid for users of the mobile computing device.

2. The applet of claim 1, wherein the element utilizes a single device driver to detect the user input and perform appropriate actions associated with the user input.

3. The applet of claim 2, wherein the device driver is an ACPI-to-HID mapper driver.

4. The applet of claim 1, wherein the cognitive aid comprises an on-screen tip.

5. The applet of claim 1, wherein an on-screen tip is provided for each of a type of user input.

6. The applet of claim 5, wherein the type of user input comprises button presses.

7. The applet of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises button presses.

8. The applet of claim 1, wherein a configuration file defines details of user input implementation, and the details are read by the applet.

40. The applet of claim 1, wherein the element comprises software code or hardware.

41. The applet of claim 1, wherein the element is a single element.

9. A method for controlling operation of a mobile computing device, comprising:

detecting user input and performing appropriate associated actions; and

providing a cognitive aid for users of the mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a single device driver detects user input and performs the appropriate actions associated with the user input.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the device driver is an ACPI-to-HID mapper driver.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the cognitive aid comprises an on-screen tip.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein an on-screen tip is provided for each of a type of user input.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the type of user input comprises button presses.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the user input comprises button presses.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an applet for detecting the user input and providing the cognitive aid.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a configuration file defining details of user input implementation, wherein the details are read by the applet.

18. A cognitive aid for a mobile computing device having a display screen and an embedded controller, the cognitive aid being displayed on the display screen and being associated with an input vehicle of the mobile computing device that is connected to the embedded controller, wherein the cognitive aid provides relevant information to the user regarding the input vehicle.

19. The cognitive aid of claim 18, wherein the input vehicle comprises one of a button, a switch, a transducer, a dial, a knob, and a slider.

20. The cognitive aid of claim 18, wherein the cognitive aid comprises one of on-screen tip and an audio tip.

21. The cognitive aid of claim 20, wherein the input vehicle comprises a button and the on-screen tip or audio tip is associated with the button.

22. The cognitive aid of claim 20, wherein the input vehicle comprises two or more buttons and an on-screen tip or audio tip is associated with each of the buttons.

23. The cognitive aid of claim 20, wherein the on-screen tip can be displayed or hidden by the user.

24. The cognitive aid of claim 23, wherein the on-screen tip can be displayed in a full mode or an expanded mode.

25. A method for assisting users of a mobile computing device having a display screen and an embedded controller, the method comprising:

providing a vehicle for user input to the mobile computing device, the vehicle being connected to the embedded controller; and

providing a cognitive aid on the display screen, the cognitive aid being associated with the user input vehicle,

wherein the cognitive aid provides relevant information to the user regarding the user input vehicle.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the user input vehicle comprises one of a button, a switch, a transducer, a dial, a knob, and a slider.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the cognitive aid comprises one of an on-screen tip and an audio tip.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the user input vehicle comprises a button and the on-screen tip or audio tip is associated with the button.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the user input vehicle comprises two or more buttons and an on-screen tip or audio tip is associated with each of the buttons.

30. The cognitive aid of claim 27, wherein the on-screen tip can be displayed or hidden by the user.

31. The cognitive aid of claim 30, wherein the on-screen tip can be displayed in a full mode or an expanded mode.

32. A mobile computing device having an embedded controller and an element with standardized nomenclature for controlling HID-class buttons, the standardized nomenclature being adapted to allow a single device driver to control all types of HID-class buttons connected to the embedded controller, and to be re-usable for a variety of mobile computing device implementations.

33. The standardized nomenclature of claim 32, wherein the device driver is an ACPI-to-HID mapper driver, and a configuration file defines details of HID-class button implementation, and the details are used to control the ACPI-to-HID mapper driver without changing source code for the ACPI-to-HID mapper driver.

34. An applet for a mobile computing device having a user input vehicle, comprising an element adapted to provide an end-user management graphical user interface and to gain knowledge about the user input vehicle by reading a configuration file and communicating via a device driver without changing source code for the device driver or the applet.

35. The applet of claim 34, wherein the mobile computing device can be configured for a variety of sites having different application requirements, and wherein the user input vehicle is configurable for a site-specific application.

36. The applet of claim 35, wherein the site is a medical clinic or hospital, and the site-specific application includes one of in-patient electronic medical records, out-patient electronic medical records, and physician medical information reference.

37. The applet of claim 34, wherein the device driver automatically configures itself from the configuration file.

38. The applet of claim 37, wherein the configuration file resides in the system registry.

39. The applet of claim 38, wherein appearance characteristics of the graphical user interface are configured from the system registry.

42. The applet of claim 34, wherein the element comprises software code or hardware.

43. The applet of claim 34, wherein the element is a single element.