INTERFACING WITH A COMPUTING APPLICATION USING A MULTI-DIGIT SENSOR

• US 20110260962A1
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Benko, Hrvoje, Wigdor, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A technology is described for interfacing with a computing application using a multi-digit sensor. A method may include obtaining an initial stroke using a single digit of a user on the multi-digit sensor. A direction change point for the initial stroke can be identified. At the direction change point for the initial stroke, a number of additional digits can be presented by the user to the multi-digit sensor. Then a completion stroke can be identified as being made with the number of additional digits. A user interface signal to can be sent to the computing application based on the number of additional digits used in the completion touch stroke. In another configuration of the technology, the touch stroke or gesture may include a single stroke where user interface items can be selected when additional digits are presented at the end of a gesture.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing with a computing application using a multi-digit sensor, comprising:

obtaining an initial stroke using a single digit of a user using the multi-digit sensor;

identifying a direction change point for the initial stroke;

determining a number of additional digits presented by the user to the multi-digit sensor at the direction change point for the initial stroke;

identifying a completion stroke with the number of additional digits; and

sending a user interface signal to the computing application based on the number of additional digits and a direction used in the completion stroke.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising performing the initial stroke by moving the single digit away from an initial point by the user.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising performing the completion stroke by moving perpendicular to the initial stroke.

4. The method as in claim 2, further comprising performing the completion stroke by moving away at an angle to the initial stroke.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising forming an L shape from the initial stroke and the completion stroke.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the initial stroke is performed by a stroke in an East or West direction with respect to the multi-digit sensor by the user.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the completion stroke is performed by moving in a North or South direction with respect to the multi-digit sensor.

8. The method as in claim 1, further comprising applying an initial stroke that is a distinctive shape differentiated from other user interface input strokes.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising reducing a number of additional menu-sub options displayed at the end of the completion stroke based on the number of additional digits used by the user and a direction of the completion stroke.

10. A system for interfacing with a computing application, comprising:

a multi-digit sensor device configured to detect a plurality of digits of a user;

a computing application configured to communicate with the user through a user interface;

a multi-digit recognition module in communication with the user interface and configured to obtain from the multi-digit sensor device a gesture and a number of additional digits presented by the user to the multi-digit sensor device; and

a user interface item in the user interface, the user interface item being configured to activate a selected user interface function based on the gesture and the number of additional digits communicated to the user interface by the multi-digit recognition module.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein the gesture selects a user interface function and presentation of the number of additional digits enables selection of sub-options for the user interface function.

12. The system as in claim 10, wherein up to nine user digits sensed by the multi-digit recognition module can be used to determine which of up to nine user interface items is selected after the gesture.

13. The system as in claim 10, wherein a direction the gesture is made away from an initial point determines which set of user interface items will be used to make a further selection based on the number of additional digits sensed by the multi-digit recognition module.

14. The system as in claim 10, wherein the gesture forms a backwards L shape from an initial point from the user.

15. A method for interfacing with a computing application using a multi-digit sensor, comprising:

obtaining a gesture stroke based on a single digit placed on the multi-digit sensor by a user;

identifying a stopping point on the multi-digit sensor for the gesture stroke;

determining a number of additional digits presented by the user to the multi-digit sensor; and

sending a user interface signal to the computing application based on the number of additional digits presented by the user at the stopping point.

16. The system as in claim 15, further comprising identifying a completion stroke with the number of additional digits to select a user interface item.

17. The system as in claim 15, wherein the gesture selects a defined user interface function and presentation of the additional digits enables selection of items for the user interface function.

18. The system as in claim 17, wherein up to five user digits sensed by the multi-digit recognition module can be used to determine which of five user interface sub-items is selected for the gesture.

19. The system as in claim 15, wherein the direction the gesture is made away from an initial point determines which set of multiple user interface sub-items will be supplied to make a further selection based on the number of digits sensed by the multi-digit sensor.