Automatically switching between input modes for a user interface

• US 9,026,939 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Smus, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Shih, Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US13/917,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/800, 345/156, 345/163, 345/173, 710/14
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

Abstract

A system and machine-implemented method for automatically switching between input modes for a user interface. A user interface is displayed in a first input mode for a first input type. A determination is made that a predetermined event has occurred, wherein the predetermined event is of a type other than the first input type or a second input type. In response to the determination, the user interface is switched from the first input mode for the first input type to a second input mode for the second input type.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically switching between input modes for a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying, on a screen, a user interface in a first input mode for a first input type;

detecting, using a sensor, a distance of a user from the screen;

determining, prior to receiving touch input on the screen, that the detected distance from the screen is within a threshold distance; and

switching, in response to the determination and prior to receiving the touch input on the screen, the user interface from the first input mode for the first input type to a second input mode for a second input type, wherein the second input mode corresponds to a touch mode for touch input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the user interface in the first input mode is in response to receipt of user input of the first input type.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

initiating a timer upon receipt of the user input of the first input type; and

determining, based on the initiated timer, that a preset period of time has passed since receipt of the user input of the first input type,

wherein the switching is further performed in response to the determination that the preset period of time has passed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is displayed on the screen of a device, the method further comprising:

determining that an external device has been connected to the device, wherein the switching is further performed in response to determining that the external device has been connected to the device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the external device is at least one of a keyboard or a mouse.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input type corresponds to mouse input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first input mode corresponds to a mouse mode for mouse input.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the user interface in the mouse mode provides for hover content in the user interface, and wherein displaying the user interface in the touch mode does not provide for hover content in the user interface.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the user interface in the mouse mode provides for smaller pointer targets in the user interface relative to the touch mode, and wherein displaying the user interface in the touch mode provides for larger pointer targets in the user interface relative to the mouse mode.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera.

10. A system for automatically changing between input modes for a user interface, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising;

displaying, on a screen, a user interface in a first input mode for a first input type;

detecting, using a sensor, a distance of a user from the screen;

determining, prior to receiving touch input on the screen, that the detected distance from the screen is within a threshold distance; and

switching, in response to the determination and prior to receiving the touch input on the screen, the user interface from the first input mode for the first input type to a second input mode for a second input type, wherein the second input mode corresponds to a touch mode for touch input.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the displaying the user interface in the first input mode is in response to receipt of user input of the first input type.

12. A computer-implemented method for automatically switching between input modes for a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying, on a screen, a user interface in a first input mode for a first input type;

detecting, using a sensor, a distance of a user from the screen;

determining, prior to receiving touch input on the screen, that the detected distance from the screen is within a threshold distance; and

switching, in response to the determination and prior to receiving the touch input on the screen, the user interface from the first input mode for the first input type to a second input mode for a second input type,

wherein the second input mode corresponds to a touch mode for touch input,

wherein each of the first input mode and the second input mode includes one or more graphical components, and

wherein the switching comprises resizing the one or more graphical components.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the resizing comprises resizing the display size of the one or more graphical components.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the resizing further comprises resizing the activation area for the one or more graphical components to correspond with the resized display size.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the resizing comprises resizing the activation area of the graphical components without resizing the display size.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first input type corresponds to mouse input.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first input mode corresponds to a mouse mode for mouse input.