USER INTERFACE PROVIDING AUDITORY FEEDBACK

• US 20090125811A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bethurum, Benjamin N.
• Application Number:
  US12/163,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Abstract

A UI (user interface) for natural gestural control uses inertial physics coupled to gestures made on a gesture-pad (“GPad”) by the user in order to provide an enhanced list and grid navigation experience which is both faster and more enjoyable to use than current list and grid navigation methods using a conventional 5-way D-pad (directional pad) controllers. In addition to providing the user with tactile feedback, the UI provides auditory feedback that may be generated by operation of a switch that is activated by receipt of the user input or by playing of an appropriate sound sample (such as a pre-recorded or synthesized clicking sound) through an internal speaker. In some examples the auditory feedback includes changes in the volume and pitch of the sound based upon on the dynamics of the user interface.

Claims

1. A method of providing input to a device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a User Input (UI) with behavior that simulates attributes associated with a physically embodied object, the attributes including inertia and friction;

accepting user input to modify the UI behavior; and

in response to the user input, generating an auditory event that reflects the modified UI behavior.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the behavior is manifested by the UI using motion.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the auditory event exhibits a characteristic that increases with increasing velocity of the physically embodied object and decreases with decreasing velocity of the physically embodied object.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the characteristic of the auditory event includes volume.

5. The method of claim 3 in which the characteristic of the auditory event includes pitch.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the auditory event comprises a series of ticks.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the series of ticks has a fixed maximum tick rate with amplitude enveloping.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing tactile feedback coextensive with the auditory event.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising activating a single mechanical, momentary contact switch in response to the user input.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the auditory event is generated by operation of the switch.

11. The method of claim 1 in which the auditory event is generated by playing a sound sample.

12. A method of navigating through a UI, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a gesture input by a user; and

responding to the gesture by changing a feature being displayed on a display device in accordance with attributes associated with a physically embodied object; and

providing auditory feedback that reflects dynamics associated with the physically embodied object.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the auditory feedback reflects motion associated with the physically embodied object.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing tactile feedback coextensive with the auditory feedback.

15. The method of claim 13 in which the auditory feedback exhibits a characteristic that increases with increasing velocity of the physically embodied object and decreases with decreasing velocity of the physically embodied object.

16. The method of claim 15 in which the characteristic of the auditory feedback includes volume.

17. The method of claim 15 in which the characteristic of the auditory feedback includes pitch.

18. A method for causing an action in response to user input, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting a gesture from a user on a touch sensitive surface;

determining a type of gesture that has been accepted by the touch sensitive surface using a sensor array and a single mechanical, momentary contact switch activated by the sensor array;

performing an action in response to the type of gesture that has been accepted, the action at least in part simulating behavior of a physically embodied object; and

providing auditory feedback that reflects dynamics associated with the physically embodied object.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the auditory feedback is generated by activation of the switch.

20. The method of claim 18 in which the auditory feedback further comprises generating a series of ticks that vary in volume and/or pitch based on motion of the physically embodied object.