USER INTERFACE CONTROLS INCLUDING CAPTURING USER MOOD IN RESPONSE TO A USER CUE

• US 20110087974A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles J. Kulas
• Original Assignee: Charles J. Kulas
• Inventors: Kulas, Charles J.
• Application Number:
  US12/972,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087974A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Embodiments provide a method for operating a control in a graphical user interface (GUI) concurrently or in association with receiving a user indication of the user'"'"'s state of mind. For example, a GUI control may include navigation controls in a web browser (page forward, page back, open or close a window or tab, etc.); video transport control (play, pause, stop, rewind, fast forward, scrub, etc.); hyperlink on a web page; a control in a software application, computer operating system or other function provided in a processing system interface. In a particular embodiment, when the user operates the control, such as a window close button, then depending on a concurrent or closely associated user “cue” such as a touch or swipe on the display screen, gesture, sound or utterance, button click, etc., an indication of the user'"'"'s state of mind can be, conveyed to appropriate system or application hardware or software.

Claims

1. A method for operating a control in a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:

displaying a control in the GUI, wherein the control has a primary function;

accepting a signal from the user input device to operate the control;

detecting a user cue in close time proximity with the operation of the control; and

in response to the detection, outputting an indication of the user'"'"'s state of mind.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user cue includes a touch-screen operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user cue includes a gesture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user cue includes a movement a device that is executing the GUI.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the control includes a navigation control.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control includes a video transport control.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control includes a web browser control.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the control includes a hyperlink.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the control includes a window close button.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the control is included in a computer operating system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user cue includes a touch-screen operation, the method further comprising:

accepting a signal from the touch screen to indicate that the user has touched a button on the screen;

detecting a movement downward after the button touch; and

using the movement downward as the user cue.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the movement downward indicates user disapproval.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein time proximity includes the cue occurring within one half-second of operation of the control.

14. An apparatus for operating a control in a graphical user interface (GUI), the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a processor-readable storage device including one or more instructions for;

displaying a control in the GUI, wherein the control has a primary function;

accepting a signal from the user input device to operate the control;

detecting a user cue in close time proximity with the operation of the control; and

in response to the detection, outputting an indication of the user'"'"'s state of mind.

15. A processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by a processor for operating a control in a graphical user interface (GUI), the processor-readable storage device comprising one or more instructions for:

displaying a control in the GUI, wherein the control has a primary function;

accepting a signal from the user input device to operate the control;

detecting a user cue in close time proximity with the operation of the control; and

in response to the detection, outputting an indication of the user'"'"'s state of mind.