Self-Revelation Aids for Interfaces

• US 20120240043A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hinckley, Kenneth P., Zhao, Shengdong, Cutrell, Edward B., Sarin, Raman K., Baudisch, Patrick M., Yust, Darryl
• Granted Patent: US 10,162,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Systems and/or methods are provided that facilitates revealing assistance information associated with a user interface. An interface can obtain input information related to interactions between the interface and a user. In addition, the interface can output assistance information in situ with the user interface. Further, a decision component that determines the in situ assistance information output by the interface based at least in part on the obtained input information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing gesture-based input to an application user interface, comprising:

associating a floating tool palette with the application user interface;

capturing at least one gesture input via the floating tool palette; and

based at least in part on the captured at least one gesture input, forwarding event data to an application associated with the application user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the event data based at least in part on the captured at least one gesture input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the floating tool palette is a translucent overlay placed in a conspicuous location on the application user interface.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying the floating tool palette as opaque when a user input hovers over the floating tool palette.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the floating tool palette based at least partly on an inference of an unfamiliarity of a user with at least one element of the application user interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inference is based at least partly on historical information that indicates the unfamiliarity of the user with the at least one element of the application user interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the inference is based at least partly on at least one detected non-gesture input to the floating tool palette by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the floating tool palette based at least partly on a determination that a user has not interacted with at least one element of the application user interface for a period of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one gesture includes a scrolling gesture, and wherein the event data includes scrolling event data.

10. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, instruct the at least one processor to perform actions comprising:

providing a tool palette for a user interface of an application, the tool palette provided based at least partly on historical information that indicates an unfamiliarity of a user with at least one element of the user interface;

capturing at least one gesture that is input at least partly to the tool palette; and

forwarding event data to the application, the event data generated based at least partly on the captured at least one gesture.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the tool palette is a translucent overlay to the user interface.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the actions further comprise solidifying the tool palette when an input hovers over the tool palette.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the tool palette provides support for one or more gesture-based commands in the user interface of the application that was not originally implemented to support the one or more gesture-based commands.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the at least one gesture is initiated within the tool palette and is terminated outside the tool palette.

15. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

an intelligence component executed by the at least one processor to infer an unfamiliarity of a user with at least one element of a user interface for an application, the inferring based at least partly on historical information that indicates a period of time without a user interaction with the at least one element;

a decision component executed by the at least one processor to provide a tool palette for the user interface, based at least partly on the inferring; and

an interface component executed by the at least one processor to;

capture at least one gesture that is input by the user at least partly to the tool palette;

generate event data based at least partly on the captured at least one gesture; and

forward the generated event data to the application.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the tool palette is provided as a translucent overlay to the user interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interface component further operates to solidify the tool palette as a user input hovers over the tool palette.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the tool palette provides support for one or more gesture-based commands in the user interface of the application that was not originally implemented to support the one or more gesture-based commands.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one gesture is initiated within the tool palette and is terminated outside the tool palette.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one gesture includes a scrolling gesture, and wherein the event data includes scrolling event data.