GESTURE ACTIVATE HELP PROCESS AND SYSTEM

• US 20120329529A1
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GreatCall Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GreatCall Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: van der Raadt, Krijn
• Application Number:
  US13/530,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20120329529A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• 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 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

A cellular phone with gesture detection is used to more effectively activate a multi-tier help system. Initially, a shake gesture is used to activate a context-sensitive help screen. Help can progress to a tier that includes interaction with a human customer service representative called from the cellular phone.

Claims

1. A handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions, the handheld computing device comprising:

a movement sensor for signaling a gesture of a user of the handheld computing device;

a memory for storing software;

a screen for displaying information;

a communications channel to another device; and

a processor for executing the software, wherein the software is programmed to;

detect a predetermined gesture of the user,

present context-sensitive help information when the predetermined gesture is detected, and

activate the communication channel to the other device.

2. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the context-sensitive help is presented on the screen of the handheld computing device.

3. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the context-sensitive help is presented in the form of audio instructions that are played by the handheld computing device.

4. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the software is programmed to detect another gesture that deactivates the context-sensitive help.

5. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, further comprising a haptic feedback element that creates movement in the handheld computing device to acknowledge that the predetermined gesture was recognized.

6. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined gesture is a shaking movement of the handheld computing device.

7. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the handheld computing device is a cellular telephone.

8. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined gesture both triggers the context-sensitive help information and cancels the context-sensitive help.

9. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the context-sensitive help is presented in an overlay window on the screen.

10. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the context-sensitive help is canceled by touching the screen in a predetermined area.

11. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the communications channel to the other device is a telephone network.

12. The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1, wherein the communications channel to the other device is a data network.

13. A method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device, the method comprising:

recognizing, by the handheld computing device, that the handheld computing device is the subject of a particular movement;

presenting help information to a user of the handheld computing device; and

connecting to another device through a communications channel.

14. The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13, wherein the help information is context-sensitive.

15. The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

determining the location of the handheld computing device;

transmitting the location to the other device; and

receiving the help information for presentation to the user, wherein the help information is selected based at least in part on the location of the handheld computing device.

16. The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13, further comprising filtering normal movement of the handheld computing device.

17. The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13, further comprising communicating to the other device a status of the user'"'"'s interaction with the handheld computing device.

18. The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 17, further comprising logging all user interaction with the handheld computing device for a preselected interval before recognizing that the handheld computing device is the subject of the particular movement.

19. The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13, further comprising providing haptic feedback to the user to indicate that the particular movement has been recognized.

20. A method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device, the method comprising:

recognizing, by the handheld computing device, that the handheld computing device is the subject of a particular movement;

determining the location of the handheld computing device; and

presenting help information to a user of the handheld computing device, wherein the help information is selected based at least in part on the location of the handheld computing device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

connecting to another device through a communications channel;

transmitting the location to the other device; and

receiving at least some of the help information from the other device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein presenting the help information to the user of the handheld computing device comprises playing audio information.