Pressure-Based Input Method for User Devices

• US 20150301671A1
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fan, James W., Shaw, Venson, Aaron, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to a pressure-based input method for user devices. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a user device can receive an output from a pressure sensor. The output can include parameters associated with a pressure applied to the pressure sensor by a user. The user device can analyze the output to determine a command to be executed by the user device. The user device can execute the command.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a user device comprising a processor, an output from a pressure sensor, the output comprising parameters associated with a pressure applied to the pressure sensor by a user;

analyzing, by the user device, the output to determine a command to be executed by the user device; and

executing, by the user device, the command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing, by the user device, the output to determine the command to be executed by the user device comprises analyzing, by a pressure analysis module executed by the processor of the user device, the output to determine the command to be executed by the user device to determine whether the parameters associated with the pressure applied to the pressure sensor by the user matches a pressure profile associated with the command, and if so, instructing, by the pressure analysis module, the user device to execute the command, and if not, instructing the user device to take no action.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pressure profile comprises a default pressure profile, the default pressure profile provided by an operating system of the user device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the pressure profile comprises a custom pressure profile;

and further comprising;

launching, by the user device, a custom pressure profile creation application;

prompting, by the custom pressure profile creation application, the user to select a first option to create a new custom pressure profile or a second option to modify an existing custom pressure profile;

receiving, by the custom pressure profile creation application, a selection of the first option or the second option;

if the selection is for the first option,

presenting, by the custom pressure profile creation application, a pressure sensor selection interface through which the user can select at least one sensor from a plurality of available sensors from which to utilize pressure output,

receiving, by the custom pressure profile creation application, a selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors,

presenting, by the custom pressure profile creation application, a pressure sensor definition interface through which the user can provide a pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors,

receiving, by the custom pressure profile creation application, the pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors, and

creating, by the customer pressure profile creation application, the custom pressure profile comprising the pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors; and

if the selection is for the second option,

loading, by the custom pressure profile creation application, the existing custom pressure profile, and

receiving, by the custom pressure profile creation application, a modification to the existing custom pressure profile.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, by the user device, a command settings interface;

receiving, via the command settings interface, an input to assign a pressure profile to the command; and

assigning, by the user device, the pressure profile to the command.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the command settings interface is part of an operating system executing on the user device, and wherein the command is associated with an operation of the operating system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the command settings interface is part of an application executing on the user device, and wherein the command is associated with an operation of the application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the user device a further output from a further pressure sensor, the further output comprising further parameters associated with a further pressure applied by the further pressure sensor by the user;

and analyzing, by the user device, the further output to determine the command to be executed by the user device;

wherein analyzing, by the user device, the output and the further output to determine the command to be executed by the user device comprises analyzing, by a pressure analysis module executed by the processor of the user device, the output and the further output to determine the command to be executed by the user device to determine whether the parameters and the further parameters associated with the pressure and the further pressure, respectively, applied to the pressure sensor by the user matches a pressure profile associated with the command, and if so, instructing, by the pressure analysis module, the user device to execute the command, and if not, instructing the user device to take no action.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the parameters and the further parameters represent, at least in part, a sequence of application of the pressure and the further pressure.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the parameters and the further parameters represent, at least in part, a pattern of application of the pressure and the further pressure.

11. A user device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving an output from a pressure sensor, the output comprising parameters associated with a pressure applied to the pressure sensor by a user,

analyzing the output to determine a command to be executed by the user device, and

executing the command.

12. The user device of claim 11, wherein analyzing the output to determine the command to be executed by the user device comprises analyzing the output to determine the command to be executed by the user device to determine whether the parameters associated with the pressure applied to the pressure sensor by the user matches a pressure profile associated with the command, and if so, instructing the user device to execute the command, and if not, instructing the user device to take no action.

13. The user device of claim 12, wherein the pressure profile comprises a custom pressure profile;

and wherein the operations further comprise;

launching a custom pressure profile creation application;

prompting the user to select a first option to create a new custom pressure profile or a second option to modify an existing custom pressure profile;

receiving a selection of the first option or the second option;

if the selection is for the first option,

presenting a pressure sensor selection interface through which the user can select at least one sensor from a plurality of available sensors from which to utilize pressure output,

receiving a selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors,

presenting a pressure sensor definition interface through which the user can provide a pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors,

receiving the pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors, and

creating the custom pressure profile comprising the pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors; and

if the selection is for the second option,

loading the existing custom pressure profile, and

receiving a modification to the existing custom pressure profile.

14. The user device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting a command settings interface;

receiving an input to assign a pressure profile to the command; and

assigning the pressure profile to the command.

15. The user device of claim 14, wherein the command settings interface is part of an operating system executing on the user device, and wherein the command is associated with an operation of the operating system.

16. The user device of claim 14, wherein the command settings interface is part of an application executing on the user device, and wherein the command is associated with an operation of the application.

17. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a user device, cause the user device to perform operations comprising:

receiving an output from a pressure sensor, the output comprising parameters associated with a pressure applied to the pressure sensor by a user; and

analyzing the output to determine whether the parameters associated with the pressure applied to the pressure sensor by the user matches a pressure profile associated with a command, and if so, executing the command, and if not, taking no action.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein the pressure profile comprises a custom pressure profile;

and wherein the operations further comprise;

launching a custom pressure profile creation application;

prompting the user to select a first option to create a new custom pressure profile or a second option to modify an existing custom pressure profile;

receiving a selection of the first option or the second option;

if the selection is for the first option,

presenting a pressure sensor selection interface through which the user can select at least one sensor from a plurality of available sensors from which to utilize pressure output,

receiving a selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors,

presenting a pressure sensor definition interface through which the user can provide a pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors,

receiving the pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors, and

creating the custom pressure profile comprising the pressure definition for each sensor in the selection of the at least one sensor from the plurality of available sensors; and

if the selection is for the second option,

loading the existing custom pressure profile, and

receiving a modification to the existing custom pressure profile.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting a command settings interface;

receiving an input to assign the pressure profile to the command; and

assigning the pressure profile to the command.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 19, wherein the command settings interface is part of an operating system, and the command is associated with an operation of the operating system;

or wherein the command settings interface is part of an application, and the command is associated with an operation of the application.