USER INTERFACE WITH PHYSICS ENGINE FOR NATURAL GESTURAL CONTROL

• US 20090125824A1
• 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: Andrews, Anton O., Abanami, Thamer A., Fong, Jeffrey C., Venable, Morgan
• Application Number:
  US12/163,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• 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. The UI makes use of the GPad'"'"'s gesture detection capabilities, in addition to its ability to sense standard button presses, and allows end users to use either or both navigation mechanisms, depending on their preference and comfort level. End users can navigate the entire UI by using button presses only (as with conventional UIs) or they can use button presses in combination with gestures for a more fluid and enhanced browsing experience.

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 event that conforms to 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 1 in which the behavior is manifested by the UI using sound.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the event is reflected by a change in a highlighted image on a display.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the user input is a gesture that causes movement of the highlighted image in accordance with the modified UI behavior.

6. The method of claim 4 in which the gesture includes a scrub that incrementally moves the highlighted image at a velocity proportional to a speed of the scrub.

7. The method of claim 4 in which the gesture includes a fling that scrolls the through highlighted image at a velocity proportional to a velocity of the fling.

8. The method of claim 4 in which the gesture is a momentary digital input which slows the movement of the highlighted image.

9. 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.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the attributes include inertia and friction.

11. The method of claim 9 in which the feature is a highlighted image on a display.

12. The method of claim 11 in which the feature is a list of items on the display and further comprising responding to the gesture by scrolling through the list.

13. The method of claim 11 in which the gesture includes a scrub that incrementally moves the highlighted image at a velocity proportional to a speed of the scrub.

14. The method of claim 11 in which the gesture includes a fling that scrolls through the highlighted image at a velocity proportional to a velocity of the fling.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising scrolling through the highlighted image at a velocity that decreases in accordance with inertial and frictional attributes of the physically embodied object after the fling is terminated.

16. 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; and

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.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising activating a single mechanical, momentary contact switch in response to the gesture.

18. The method of claim 16 in which the gesture includes a plurality of gestures that include analog and momentary digital inputs.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the analog and momentary digital inputs include a scrub, fling, reverse fling, and brake.

20. The method of claim 16 in which the behavior of the physically embodied object includes movement of the physically embodied object.