MULTI-SWITCH OPTION SCANNING

• US 20160342294A1
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Philip Austin, Burkhardt, Casey John
• Granted Patent: US 10,067,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing scanning options in user interfaces to facilitate the selection of input options in the provided user interface. In some implementations, a method may include displaying a first user interface including a first set of at least three scanning options. Also, the method may include receiving a selection of a first scanning option of the first set, and displaying a second user interface including a second set of scanning options based on the selection of the first scanning option. Further, the method may include receiving a selection of a first scanning option of the second set, and determining that the first scanning option of the second set defines a single input option that does not result in additional input options, and in response performing a command associated with the single input option.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying, by a user device, a first user interface including a first set of at least three scanning options, wherein each of the scanning options in the first set defines a set of input options that is different from each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the first set;

receiving, at the user device, a selection of a first scanning option of the scanning options of the first set;

displaying, by the user device, a second user interface including a second set of at least two scanning options based on the selection of the first scanning option from the first set of scanning options, wherein each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is different from each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the second set;

receiving, at the user device, a selection of a first scanning option of the second set; and

determining that the first scanning option of the second set defines a single input option that does not result in additional input options, and in response performing, at the user device, a command associated with the single input option.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying a first user interface including a first set of at least three scanning options further comprises:

determining selectable input options of the user interface at the user device;

grouping the input options into sets, wherein each set of input options is associated with a different scanning option;

providing the first user interface including scanning option indicators uniquely identifying the input options associated with each of the scanning options.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein mapping each of the input options in each set of input options with the associated scanning option, further comprises:

determining, for each of the input options, a subsequent set of input options that are provided upon selection of each of the input options of each set of input options;

mapping each subsequent set of input options to the input option that causes the subsequent set of input options to be provided upon selection of that input option; and

storing the mapping of each subsequent set of input options to the input option that causes the subsequent set of input options to be provided upon selection of that input option.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a selection rate of each input option; and

mapping each of the input options with one of the scanning options based on the selection rate.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection of each scanning option is performed at a switch component that includes a different selecting mechanism for each of the scanning options provided in each set.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the scanning options in the first set defines a set of input options that is mutually exclusive of each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the first set; and

each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is mutually exclusive of each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the second set.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is a proper subset of the set of input options defined by the first scanning option of the first set.

8. A system, comprising:

a data processing apparatus; and

software stored in non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the data processing apparatus and that upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising;

displaying a first user interface including a first set of at least three scanning options, wherein each of the scanning options in the first set defines a set of input options that is different from each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the first set;

receiving a selection of a first scanning option of the scanning options of the first set;

displaying a second user interface including a second set of at least two scanning options based on the selection of the first scanning option from the first set of scanning options, wherein each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is different from each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the second set;

receiving a selection of a first scanning option of the second set; and

determining that the first scanning option of the second set defines a single input option that does not result in additional input options, and in response performing, at the user device, a command associated with the single input option.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein displaying a first user interface including a first set of at least three scanning options further comprises:

determining selectable input options of the user interface at the user device;

grouping the input options into sets, wherein each set of input options is associated with a different scanning option;

providing the first user interface including scanning option indicators uniquely identifying the input options associated with each of the scanning options.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein mapping each of the input options in each set of input options with the associated scanning option, further comprises:

determining, for each of the input options, a subsequent set of input options that are provided upon selection of each of the input options of each set of input options;

mapping each subsequent set of input options to the input option that causes the subsequent set of input options to be provided upon selection of that input option; and

storing the mapping of each subsequent set of input options to the input option that causes the subsequent set of input options to be provided upon selection of that input option.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a selection rate of each input option; and

mapping each of the input options with one of the scanning options based on the selection rate.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the selection of each scanning option is performed at a switch component that includes a different selecting mechanism for each of the scanning options provided in each set.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein:

each of the scanning options in the first set defines a set of input options that is mutually exclusive of each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the first set; and

each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is mutually exclusive of each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the second set.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is a proper subset of the set of input options defined by the first scanning option of the first set.

15. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

displaying a first user interface including a first set of at least three scanning options, wherein each of the scanning options in the first set defines a set of input options that is different from each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the first set;

receiving a selection of a first scanning option of the scanning options of the first set;

displaying a second user interface including a second set of at least two scanning options based on the selection of the first scanning option from the first set of scanning options, wherein each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is different from each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the second set;

receiving a selection of a first scanning option of the second set; and

determining that the first scanning option of the second set defines a single input option that does not result in additional input options, and in response performing, at the user device, a command associated with the single input option.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein displaying a first user interface including a first set of at least three scanning options further comprises:

determining selectable input options of the user interface at the user device;

grouping the input options into sets, wherein each set of input options is associated with a different scanning option;

providing the first user interface including scanning option indicators uniquely identifying the input options associated with each of the scanning options.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein mapping each of the input options in each set of input options with the associated scanning option, further comprises:

determining, for each of the input options, a subsequent set of input options that are provided upon selection of each of the input options of each set of input options;

mapping each subsequent set of input options to the input option that causes the subsequent set of input options to be provided upon selection of that input option; and

storing the mapping of each subsequent set of input options to the input option that causes the subsequent set of input options to be provided upon selection of that input option.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a selection rate of each input option; and

mapping each of the input options with one of the scanning options based on the selection rate.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the selection of each scanning option is performed at a switch component that includes a different selecting mechanism for each of the scanning options provided in each set.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

each of the scanning options in the first set defines a set of input options that is mutually exclusive of each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the first set; and

each of the scanning options in the second set defines a set of input options that is mutually exclusive of each other set of input options defined by the other scanning options in the second set.