Functionality of a multi-state button of a computing device

• US 8,854,452 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Raffle, Hayes Solos
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, QUAN L
• Application Number:
  US13/472,658
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.11, 348/115, 348/158, 348/E13.036, 348/14.03, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 345 7- 9, 351/41, 351/53
• US Class Current: 348/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/64 wherein the switch has more than two electrically distinguishable positions, e.g. multi-position push-button switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/054 Application timeslot: duration of actuation or delay between or combination of subsequent actuations determines selected function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Methods and systems for using a multi-state button are described. A computing device may be configured to receive an input associated with a press state of a button. The computing device may be configured to cause an image-capture device to capture an image from a point-of-view (POV) of the computing device based on the input corresponding to a first press state on the button and cause the image-capture device to capture a video from the POV of the computing device based on the input corresponding to a second press state on the button. The computing device may be configured, based on the input corresponding to a partial press state of the button, to cause the image-capture device to capture the image and/or the video; and provide a search query based on the image and/or the video.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a wearable computing device, a first input associated with a first press state of a button coupled to the wearable computing device, wherein the button comprises a two-stage button comprising a partial-press state and a full-press state, wherein the partial-press state comprises a given press of the button between an un-pressed state and the full-press state of the button, and wherein the first press state comprises the full-press state;

in response to receiving the first input, causing an image-capture device coupled to the wearable computing device to capture (i) an image from a point-of-view (POV) of the wearable computing device, or (ii) a video from the POV of the wearable computing device;

receiving a second input indicating that the button is in a second press state, for at least a predetermined amount of time, wherein the second press state comprises the partial-press state; and

in response to receiving the second input, providing a search query based on the image or the video.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the search query to a search server;

receiving, from the search server, search results relating to the search query; and

generating a display of the search results on a head-mounted display (HMD) coupled to the wearable computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating a display, on the HMD, of the image or the video annotated with the search results.

4. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a wearable computing device to cause the wearable computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving press state information associated with a press state of a button coupled to the wearable computing device, wherein the button includes a two-stage button comprising a partial press state and a full-press state of the button, wherein the partial press state comprises a given press of the button between an un-pressed state and the full-press state of the button, wherein the press state comprises a first press state, a second press state, and a third press state, wherein the first press state and the second press state comprise the full-press state of the button and are distinguishable based on periods of time, and wherein the third press state comprises the partial press state of the button; and

generating a display of a menu, wherein the menu comprises one or more menu items, and wherein the one or more menu items are based on the press state information such that;

the one or more menu items are related to capture of an image based on the press state information indicating that the button is in the first press state,

the one or more menu items are related to capture of a video based on the press state information indicating that the button is in the second press state, and

the one or more menu items are related to providing a search query related to the image or the video to a search engine based on the press state information indicating that the button is in the third press state.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the first press state comprises a first pressed period of time less than a threshold amount of time, and the second press state comprises a second pressed period greater than the threshold amount of time.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the instructions are further executable by the wearable computing device to cause the wearable computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving transition information associated with a transition from one press state to another; and

changing the one or more menu items based on the transition information.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more menu items is expandable into a sub-menu, and wherein given sub-menu items of the sub-menu are based on the press state information.

8. A system, comprising:

an image-capture device;

a button configured to provide information associated with a press state of the button, wherein the button includes a two-stage button comprising a partial press state and a full-press state of the button, wherein the partial press state comprises a given press of the button between an un-pressed state and the full-press state of the button, wherein the press state comprises a first press state, a second press state, and a third press state, wherein the first press state and the second press state comprise the full-press state of the button and are distinguishable based on periods of time, and wherein the third press state comprises the partial press state of the button;

a wearable computing device in communication with the image-capture device and the button, wherein the wearable computing device is configured to;

receive an input associated with the press state of the button;

cause the image-capture device to capture an image from a point-of-view (POV) of the wearable computing device, based on the input corresponding to the first press state;

cause the image-capture device to capture a video from the POV of the wearable computing device, based on the input corresponding to the second press state; and

based on the input corresponding to the third press state;

provide a search query based on the image or the video.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to:

provide the search query to a search server;

receive search results relating to the search query from the search server; and

generate a display of the search results on a head-mounted display (HMD) coupled to the wearable computing device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to:

annotate the image or the video with the search results; and

generate a display of the annotated image or video on the HMD.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a head-mounted display (HMD) coupled to the wearable computing device, wherein the wearable computing device is configured to generate a display, on the HMD, of an indication of a current press state.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a head-mounted display (HMD) coupled to the wearable computing device, wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to generate a display of a menu on the HMD, wherein the menu comprises one or more menu items, and wherein the one or more menu items are based on the press state.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the menu comprises one or more menu items expandable into sub-menu items, and wherein content of the one or more menu items and the sub-menu items is based on the press state.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more menu items are associated with image capturing options associated with capturing the image.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the first press state comprises a first pressed period of time less than a threshold amount of time, and the second press state comprises a second pressed period of time greater than the threshold amount of time.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to determine that the information associated with the press state indicates that the button is in the first press state,

generate a display of a menu, wherein menu items of the menu include image capturing options associated with capturing the image,

detect a transition from the first press state to the second press state or the third press state, and

change at least a subset of the menu items to include video capturing options associated with capturing the video.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to determine, from the image or the video, context information relating to a context of the wearable computing device, wherein the context information describes at least one of an ambient environment and a circumstance of use of the wearable computing device,

provide the context information to a search server, and

receive search results relating to the search query and the context information from the search server.

18. The system of claim 8, further comprising an eye-sensing system coupled to the wearable computing device, wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to:

receive, from the eye-sensing system, gaze information relating to a wearer-view associated with the wearable computing device, and

determine the wearer-view based on the gaze information, wherein capturing the image or the video is based on the determined wearer-view.