PICTORAL METHODS FOR APPLICATION SELECTION AND ACTIVATION

• US 20170018100A1
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: YEE, Mong Suan
• Granted Patent: US 9,679,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/36 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113

Abstract

Methods and devices provide a quick and intuitive method to launch a specific application, dial a number or send a message by drawing a pictorial key, symbol or shape on a computing device touchscreen, touchpad or other touchsurface. A shape drawn on a touchsurface is compared to one or more code shapes stored in memory to determine if there is a match or correlation. If the entered shape correlates to a stored code shape, an application, file, function or keystroke sequence linked to the correlated code shape is implemented. The methods also enable communication involving sending a shape or parameters defining a shape from one computing device to another where the shape is compared to code shapes in memory of the receiving computing device. If the received shape correlates to a stored code shape, an application, file, function or keystroke sequence linked to the correlated code shape is implemented.

Claims

1-47. -47. (canceled)

48. A method for initiating actions on a computing device, comprising:

receiving on a touchsurface a series of movements and touches as a received shape;

comparing the received shape to a code shape stored in memory,

wherein the stored code shape comprises one or more parameters defining a nominal shape representative of a plurality of received shapes, each of the plurality of received shapes comprising a series of one or more movements and touches defining the received shape, and a variability of the plurality of received shapes about the nominal shape, and

wherein comparing the received shape to the code shape stored in the memory comprises determining whether the received shape correlates to the nominal shape within the determined variability; and

implementing an action linked to the stored code shape when the received shape correlates to the code shape, wherein the code shape stored in the memory is linked to at least one action.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the touchsurface is one of a touchscreen and a touchpad.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising processing the received shape as a touchsurface user interface command when the received shape does not correlate to the code shape.

51. The method of claim 48, further comprising linking the action to the stored code shape.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a sequence of keystrokes; and

storing the received sequence of keystrokes in the memory correlated to the code shape.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving identification of an application; and

storing a link to the identified application in the memory correlated to the code shape.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is open; and

linking an address for the open file or application to the stored code shape.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is highlighted in a graphical user interface; and

linking an address for the highlighted file or application to the stored code shape.

56. A method for storing code shapes on a computing device, comprising:

receiving on a touchsurface a plurality of times a series of movements and touches defining a plurality of received shapes;

determining parameters defining a nominal shape representative of the plurality of received shapes;

determining a variability of the plurality of received shapes about the nominal shape;

storing the nominal shape defining parameters and the determined variability in memory as a code shape; and

linking an action to the stored code shape.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a sequence of keystrokes; and

storing the received sequence of keystrokes in the memory correlated to the code shape.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving identification of an application; and

storing a link to the identified application in the memory correlated to the code shape.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is open; and

linking an address for the open file or application to the stored code shape.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is highlighted in a graphical user interface; and

linking an address for the highlighted file or application to the stored code shape.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein the touchsurface is one of touchscreen and a touchpad.

62. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a touchsurface coupled to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving on the touchsurface a series of movements and touches as a received shape;

comparing the received shape to a code shape stored in the memory,

wherein the stored code shape comprises one or more parameters defining a nominal shape representative of a plurality of received shapes, each of the plurality of received shapes comprising a series of one or more movements and touches defining the received shape, and a variability of the plurality of received shapes about the nominal shape, and

wherein comparing the received shape to the code shape stored in the memory comprises determining whether the received shape correlates to the nominal shape within the determined variability; and

implementing an action linked to the stored code shape when the received shape correlates to the code shape, wherein the code shape stored in the memory is linked to at least one action.

63. The computing device of claim 62, wherein the touchsurface is one of touchscreen and a touchpad.

64. The computing device of claim 62, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations further comprising processing the received shape as a touchsurface user interface command when the received shape does not correlate to the code shape.

65. The computing device of claim 62, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations further comprising linking the action to the stored code shape.

66. The computing device of claim 65, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a sequence of keystrokes; and

storing the received sequence of keystrokes in the memory correlated to the code shape.

67. The computing device of claim 65, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving identification of an application; and

storing a link to the identified application in the memory correlated to the code shape.

68. The computing device of claim 65, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is open; and

linking an address for the open file or application to the stored code shape.

69. The computing device of claim 65, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is highlighted in a graphical user interface; and

linking an address for the highlighted file or application to the stored code shape.

70. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a touchsurface coupled to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving on the touchsurface a plurality of times a series of movements and touches defining a plurality of received shapes;

determining parameters defining a nominal shape representative of the plurality of received shapes;

determining a variability of the plurality of received shapes about the nominal shape;

storing the nominal shape defining parameters and the determined variability in the memory as a code shape; and

linking an action to the stored code shape.

71. The computing device of claim 70, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a sequence of keystrokes; and

storing the received sequence of keystrokes in the memory correlated to the code shape.

72. The computing device of claim 70, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving identification of an application; and

storing a link to the identified application in the memory correlated to the code shape.

73. The computing device of claim 70, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is open; and

linking an address for the open file or application to the stored code shape.

74. The computing device of claim 70, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations such that linking the action to the stored code shape comprises:

receiving a code shape training request command while a file or application is highlighted in a graphical user interface; and

linking an address for the highlighted file or application to the stored code shape.

75. The computing device of claim 70, wherein the touchsurface is one of touchscreen and a touchpad.