Computer user interface system and methods

• US 8,527,908 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pance, Aleksandar, Falkenburg, David Robbins, Medeiros, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US12/238,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 340/686.6, 700/13
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods may provide user control of a computer system via one or more sensors. Also, systems and methods may provide automated response of a computer system to information acquired via one or more sensors. The sensor(s) may be configured to measure distance, depth proximity and/or presence. In particular, the sensor(s) may be configured to measure a relative location, distance, presence, movements and/or gestures of one or more users of the computer system. Thus, the systems and methods may provide a computer user interface based on measurements of distance, depth, proximity, presence and/or movements by one or more sensors. For example, various contexts and/or operations of the computer system, at the operating system level and/or the application level, may be controlled, automatically and/or at a user'"'"'s direction, based on information acquired by the sensor(s).

Claims

1. A computer user interface system, comprising:

a computer including a processor;

at least one sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a user parameter relative to the computer,

wherein the processor is configured to determine a user context based on the detected user parameter and a user presence context based on the detected user parameter;

wherein when the user presence context indicates absence of a user from a vicinity of the computer, the processor places the computer in a non-use mode, wherein the non-use mode comprises at least one of a sleep mode, a hibernate mode, or a user logged out mode;

wherein the processor is configured to determine a user proximity context based on the detected user parameter; and

wherein the processor is configured to alter an appearance of information displayed by the computer based on the determined user proximity context.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one of depth, distance, proximity and presence of a user relative to the computer as the user parameter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control an operating system of the computer based on the determined user context.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control an active application of the computer based on the determined user context.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein when the determined user presence context is presence of a user in a vicinity of the computer, the processor places the computer in a use mode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to alter a size of the information displayed by the computer based on the determined user proximity context.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to alter a relative size of the information displayed by the computer based on a relative value of the determined user proximity context.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a user gesture context based on the detected user parameter.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to perform at least one operation based on the determined user gesture context.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to perform scrolling based on the determined user gesture context.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to perform selecting based on the determined user gesture context.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to perform zooming based on the determined user gesture context.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to apply the at least one operation to an active application.

14. A computer system comprising:

a computer including a processor and configured to be in communication with a display screen;

at least one sensor in communication with the processor and configured to detect when a user is absent, when a single user is present, and when multiple users are present;

wherein the processor is configured to place the computer in a non-use mode when the user is absent, wherein the non-use mode comprises at least one of a sleep mode, a hibernate mode, or a user logged out mode;

wherein the processor is configured to place the computer in a public mode when the multiple users are present and wherein, when the computer is in the public mode, private content is not displayed on the display screen; and

wherein the processor is configured to place the computer in a private mode when the single user is present and wherein, when the computer is in the private mode, the private content is displayed on the display screen.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one of depth, distance, proximity and presence of a user relative to the computer.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to close one or more windows to place the computer in the public mode.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to disable an active application of the computer to place the computer in the public mode.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a user parameter relative to the computer and wherein the processor is configured to determine a user gesture context based on the detected user parameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to perform at least one operation based on the determined user gesture context.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to perform scrolling based on the determined user gesture context.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to perform selecting based on the determined user gesture context.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to perform zooming based on the determined user gesture context.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to apply the at least one operation to an active application.

24. A computer user interface system, comprising:

a computer including a processor;

at least one sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a user parameter relative to the computer,

wherein the processor is configured to determine a user context based on the detected user parameter and a user presence context based on the detected user parameter;

wherein when the user presence context indicates absence of a user from a vicinity of the computer, the processor places the computer in a non-use mode, wherein the non-use mode comprises at least one of a sleep mode, a hibernate mode, or a user logged out mode;

wherein the processor is configured to determine a user proximity context based on the detected user parameter; and

wherein the processor is configured to alter a content of information displayed by the computer based on the determined user proximity context.

25. A method for operating a computer system, wherein the computer system includes a computer having a processor and configured to be in communication with a display screen and at least one sensor configured to be in communication with the processor, the method comprising:

with the at least one sensor, detecting the absence of a user within a vicinity of the computer;

with the processor, placing the computer in a non-use mode when the absence of the user is detected, wherein the non-use mode comprises at least one of a sleep mode, a hibernate mode, or a user logged out mode;

with the at least one sensor, detecting a single user within a vicinity of the computer;

with the processor, displaying private content on the display screen when the single user is detected within the vicinity of the computer;

with the at least one sensor, detecting at least first and second users within the vicinity of the computer; and

with the processor, hiding the private content from view when the at least first and second users are detected within the vicinity of the computer.

26. The method defined in claim 25 further comprising:

with the at least one sensor, detecting the absence of a user from the vicinity of the computer; and

with the processor, placing the computer in a non-use mode in response to detecting the absence of the user from the vicinity of the computer, wherein the non-use mode comprises at least one of a sleep mode, a hibernate mode, or a user logged out mode.

27. The method defined in claim 25 wherein detecting the single user within the vicinity of the computer comprises detecting the single user within the vicinity of the computer using a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a visible light sensor, an ambient light sensor, and a vibration sensor.

28. The method defined in claim 25 wherein hiding the private content from view comprises:

with the processor, closing one or more windows on the display screen.

29. The method defined in claim 25 wherein hiding the private content from view comprises:

with the processor, disabling one or more active applications.