User Interface Elements Positioned for Display

• US 20130328775A1
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gear, Gavin M., Luengen, Ross N., Miller, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,941,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• 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 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

User interface elements positioned for display is described. In various embodiment(s), sensor input can be received from one or more sensors that are integrated with a portable device. A device hold position that corresponds to where the portable device is grasped by a user can be determined based at least in part on the sensor input. A display of user interface element(s) can then be initiated for display on an integrated display of the portable device based on the device hold position that corresponds to where the portable device is grasped.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first sensor input indicating a first hold position of a portable device;

responsive to receiving the first sensor input, moving one or more user interface elements of a user interface on an integrated display of the portable device to a location away from the first hold position;

receiving a second sensor input indicating a second hold position of the portable device;

responsive to receiving the second sensor input indicating the second hold position, determining if the second hold position is different from the first hold position; and

responsive to determining the second hold position is different from the first hold position, moving at least a portion of the one or more user interface elements of the user interface to a location that is proximate to the second hold position.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an orientation of the portable device is consistent for the first hold position and the second hold position.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user interface includes multiple display regions in which to display the one or more user interface elements.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising, subsequent to receiving the first sensor input indicating the first hold position and prior to receiving the second sensor input indicating the second hold position, initiating display of the one or more user interface elements in at least one of the multiple display regions that is not adjacent to the first hold position to enable a user to interact with the one or more user interface elements via a hand that is not grasping the portable device at the first hold position.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein moving the at least a portion of the one or more user interface elements of the user interface to a location proximate to the second hold position comprises moving the at least a portion of the one or more user interface elements to one of the multiple display regions that is adjacent to the second hold position to enable a user to interact with the one or more user interface elements via a hand that is grasping the portable device at the second hold position.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

clearing the one or more user interface elements from the user interface based on an indication that the portable device is not being grasped; and

maintaining one or more other user interface elements on the user interface.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the first sensor input or the second sensor input is received from one or more non-contact sensors that sense where the portable device is grasped.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the first sensor input or the second sensor input is received from one or more contact sensors that sense where the portable device is grasped.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the first sensor input or the second sensor input is received from one or more sensors that are integrated proximate to an edge of the portable device to sense where the portable device is grasped.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the first sensor input or the second sensor input is received from one or more sensors that are integrated proximate to a rear surface of the portable device to sense where the portable device is grasped.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining a portrait orientation or a landscape orientation for the user interface based on where the portable device is grasped.

12. A portable device, comprising:

an integrated display;

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media storing processor-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving a sensor input indicating a device hold position of the portable device;

initiating a display of one or more user interface elements on the integrated display based on the device hold position;

receiving an indication that the portable device is not being grasped; and

responsive to receiving the indication, removing the one or more user interface elements from the integrated display while maintaining one or more other user interface elements on the integrated display.

13. A portable device as recited in claim 12, wherein the user interface includes multiple display regions in which to display the one or more user interface elements.

14. A portable device as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more user interface elements are displayed proximate to the device hold position.

15. A portable device as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more user interface elements are displayed at a location that is not proximate to the device hold position.

16. A portable device as recited in claim 12, wherein the operations further include determining a portrait orientation or a landscape orientation for the user interface based on where the portable device is grasped in the device hold position.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first sensor input indicating a first hold position of a portable device;

responsive to the first sensor input being received, moving one or more user interface elements in a user interface on an integrated display of the portable device to avoid the one or more user interface elements being obscured based on where the portable device is grasped in the first hold position;

receiving a second sensor input indicating a second hold position of the portable device;

responsive to receiving the second sensor input, determining if the second hold position is different from the first hold position; and

responsive to determining the second hold position is different from the first hold position, moving at least a portion of the one or more user interface elements in the user interface to a position proximate to the second hold position.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise, subsequent to receiving the first sensor input indicating the first hold position and prior to receiving the second sensor input indicating the second hold position, initiating display of the one or more elements in one of multiple display regions of the user interface that is not adjacent to the first hold position to enable a user to interact with the one or more user interface elements via a hand that is not grasping the portable device at the first hold position.

19. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein moving the at least a portion of the one or more user interface elements in the user interface to a position proximate to the second hold position comprises moving the one or more elements to one of multiple display regions of the user interface that is adjacent to the second hold position to enable a user to interact with the one or more user interface elements via a hand that is grasping the portable device at the second hold position.

20. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise designating a portrait orientation or a landscape orientation for the user interface based on where the portable device is grasped.