Human-computer interface incorporating personal and application domains

• US 6,724,400 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novint Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US09/649,853
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 345/744, 345/762, 345/764, 345/854, 345/733, 345/765, 345/778, 345/766, 345/848, 345/790, 345/850, 345/802, 709/328
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

The present invention provides a human-computer interface. The interface includes provision of an application domain, for example corresponding to a three-dimensional application. The user is allowed to navigate and interact with the application domain. The interface also includes a personal domain, offering the user controls and interaction distinct from the application domain. The separation into two domains allows the most suitable interface methods in each: for example, three-dimensional navigation in the application domain, and two- or three-dimensional controls in the personal domain. Transitions between the application domain and the personal domain are under control of the user, and the transition method is substantially independent of the navigation in the application domain. For example, the user can fly through a three-dimensional application domain, and always move to the personal domain by moving a cursor near one extreme of the display.

Claims

1. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application, wherein the user interaction in the personal domain comprises control of the application domain and control of operations external to the application domain; and

f) wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundary between the domains, and wherein a boundary between the application domain and the personal domain is represented at one edge of the application domain and a corresponding edge of the personal domain, and wherein providing a display of a domain comprises, when said domain becomes the active domain, displacing the display of the previously active domain with the appearance to the user as though the user moved the view direction to said domain.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a second personal domain, and, when the second personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to a second personal interaction environment.

3. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input, wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundary between the domains;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a displav and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a displav and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application; and

f) further comprising applying a force to a user input device, directed substantially in opposition to motion of the cursor toward the boundary.

4. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input, wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundary between the domains;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application; and

f) wherein the boundary is represented in the lower portion of the display corresponding to the application domain, and is represented in the upper portion of the display corresponding to the personal domain.

5. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input, wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundary between the domains;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application; and

f) wherein the user controls a cursor in at least first and second dimensions corresponding to a display plane and a third dimension of depth substantially orthogonal to the first and second dimensions, and wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting a change in cursor depth.

6. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input, wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundarv between the domains;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a displav and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application; and

f) wherein the boundary corresponds to a portion of the application domain nearest the user when the application domain is the active domain, and corresponds to a portion of the personal domain farthest from the user when the personal domain is the active domain.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising applying a force to a user input device, directed substantially in opposition to motion of the cursor toward the boundary.

8. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional applications

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application; and

f) wherein user interaction in the personal domain comprises providing a second personal domain and selecting an active personal domain from personal domain control input from the user, and wherein the second personal domain is not directly accessible from the application domain.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the application domain comprises a space navigable in multiple dimensions.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting an active personal domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundary between the two personal domains, and further comprising applying a force to a user input device, directed substantially in opposition to motion of the cursor toward the boundary.

11. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application;

f) wherein the application domain comprises a navigable three-dimensional space, and wherein the user domain control input is substantially independent of navigation in the application domain; and

g) wherein the user domain control input comprises the user causing a cursor to traverse a boundary between the application and personal domains, and further comprising applying a force to a user input device, directed substantially in opposition to motion of the cursor toward the boundary.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user controls a cursor in at least first and second dimensions corresponding to a display plane and a third dimension of depth substantially orthogonal to the first and second dimensions, and wherein traversing the boundary comprises changing the depth of the cursor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the personal domain comprises a two-dimensional space, and wherein the application domain comprises a three-dimensional space.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the personal domain comprises a three-dimensional space, and wherein the application domain comprises a three-dimensional space.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the boundary corresponds to a portion of the application domain nearest the user when the application domain is the active domain, and corresponds to a portion of the personal domain farthest from the user when the personal domain is the active domain.

16. A method of providing an interface between a user and a computer comprising:

a) providing an application domain, corresponding to an application space navigable in three dimensions;

b) providing first and second personal domains, corresponding respectively to first and second personal interface environments;

c) designating one of the domains as the active domain and interacting with user according to;

i) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a display corresponding to the application space, providing interaction with the user corresponding to the application interface characteristics, and detecting a first indication from the user to designate the first personal domain as the active domain;

ii) when the first personal domain is the active domain, providing a display corresponding to the first interaction environment, providing interaction with the user according to the first interaction environment, detecting a second indication from the user to designate the application domain as the active domain, and detecting a third indication from the user designating the second personal domain as the active domain;

iii) when the second personal domain is the active domain, providing a display corresponding to the second interaction environment, providing interaction with the user according to the second interaction environment, and detecting a fourth indication from the user to designate the first personal domain as the active domain.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first indication comprises motion of a cursor across a boundary from the application domain to the first personal domain, and wherein the second indication comprises motion of a cursor across a boundary from the first personal domain to the application domain.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising applying a force to a user cursor control device directed substantially away from a boundary when the cursor approaches said boundary.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the third indication comprises motion of a cursor across a boundary from the first persona domain to the second personal domain, said boundary comprising a portion of the first personal domain near an edge thereof, and wherein the fourth indication comprises motion of a cursor across a boundary from the second personal domain to the first personal domain, said boundary comprising a portion of thne second personal domain near an edge thereof.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising applying a force to a user cursor control device directed substantially away from a boundary when the cursor approaches said boundary.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the third indication comprises motion of a cursor across a boundary from the first personal domain to the second personal domain, and wherein the fourth indication comprises motion of a cursor across a boundary from the second personal domain to the first personal domain.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the boundary from the application domain to the first personal domain comprises a portion of thxe application domain mapped near the user.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a second application domain corresponding to a second application space navigable in three dimensions, and when the second application domain is the active domain providing a display corresponding to the second application space, providing interaction with the user corresponding to the second application interface characteristics, and detecting a fifth indication from the user to designate the first personal domain as the active domain, and when the first personal domain is the active domain detecting a sixth indication from the user to designate the second application domain as the active domain.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing force feedback to the user communicating changes in the active domain.

25. A computer interface system, allowing a user to interface with an application domain and a personal domain, comprising:

a) an application domain function (ADF), displaying the application domain when the application domain is the active domain;

b) an personal domain function (PDF), displaving the personal domain when the personal domain is the active domain; and

c) an active domain controller (ADC), responsive to input from the user indicating control designating as the active domain either the application domain or the personal domain; and

d) wherein the ADC selects the active domain according to motion of a user input device moveable over a range of motion bounded by first and second extremes thereof, where;

i) when the application domain is the active domain, then movement of the input device to a region near the first extreme of its range of motion causes the personal domain to become the active domain;

ii) when the personal domain is the active domain, then movement of the input device near the second extreme of its range of motion causes the application domain to become the active domain.

26. A computer interface system, allowing a user to interface with an application domain and a personal domain, comprising:

a) an application domain function (ADF), displaying the application domain when the application domain is the active domain;

b) an personal domain function (PDF), displaving the personal domain when the personal domain is the active domain; and

c) an active domain controller (ADC), responsive to input from the user indicating control designating as the active domain either the apDlication domain or the personal domain; and

d) wherein the input from the user required to designate the active domain comprises moving a cursor across a boundary between domains, and wherein, upon designation of the personal domain as the active domain, the PDF moves the application domain substantially off the visible portion of the display and moves the personal domain in its place, providing the illusion that the user has turned the head from the application domain to the personal domain following substantially the direction of the input device across the boundary.

27. A computer interface system, allowing a user to interface with an application domain and a personal domain, comprising:

a) an application domain function (ADF), displaving the application domain when the application domain is the active domain;

b) an personal domain function (PDF), displaving the personal domain when the personal domain is the active domain; and

c) an active domain controller (ADC), responsive to input from the user indicating control designating as the active domain either the application domain or the personal domain; and

d) wherein the input from the user required to designate the active domain comprises moving a cursor across a boundary between domains, and wherein, upon designation of the personal domain as the active domain, the PDF moves the application domain substantially off the visible portion of the display and moves the personal domain in its place, providing the illusion that the user has turned the head from the application domain to the personal domain following substantially opposite the direction of the input device across the boundary.

28. A computer interface system, allowing a user to interface with an application domain and a personal domain, comprising:

a) an application domain function (ADF), displaving the application domain when the application domain is the active domain;

b) an personal domain function (PDF), displaying the personal domain when the personal domain is the active domain; and

c) an active domain controller (ADC), responsive to input from the user indicating control designating as the active domain either the application domain or the personal domain; and

d) wherein the PDF displays a representation of the application domain with the personal domain superimposed thereon, providing the impression that the application domain is behind the personal domain in the display.

29. A computer interface system, allowing a user to interface with an application domain and a personal domain, comprising:

a) an application domain function (ADF), displaying the application domain when the application domain is the active domain;

b) an personal domain function (PDF), displaying the personal domain when the personal domain is the active domain; and

c) an active domain controller (ADC), responsive to input from the user indicating control designating as the active domain either the application domain or the personal domain; and

d) wherein the personal domain comprises a first personal domain and a second personal domain, wherein the input from the user required to designate the active domain comprises moving a cursor across a boundary between domains, and wherein the ADF displays a boundary to the first personal domain near the bottom of the display of the application domain, and where the ADF displays a boundary to the second personal domain near a side of the display of the application domain.

30. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input, and communicating changes in the active domain by providing force feedback to the user;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a disDlay and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application;

f) wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundary between the domains; and

g) wherein providing force feedback comprises applying a force to a user input device, directed substantially in opposition to motion of the cursor toward the boundary.

31. A method of providing a human-computer interface, comprising:

a) providing an application domain corresponding to a multidimensional application;

b) providing a personal domain corresponding to a personal interaction environment;

c) selecting an active domain responsive to a user domain control input, and communicating changes in the active domain by providing force feedback to the user;

d) when the application domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the application;

e) when the personal domain is the active domain, providing a display and user interaction corresponding to the personal interaction environment distinct from those corresponding to the application;

f) wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting when the user causes a cursor to traverse a boundary between the domains; and

g) wherein the user controls a cursor in at least first and second dimensions corresponding to a display plane and a third dimension of depth substantially orthogonal to the first and second dimensions, and wherein selecting an active domain comprises detecting a change in cursor depth.