Providing user input to a computing device with an eye closure

• US 9,035,874 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fowers, Timothy Lee, Dugan, William Allan, Hardie, Ion, Shepard, Isaac Jeremy, Fisher, Brian David, Schiewe, Robert Gustave
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sternbane, Larry
• Application Number:
  US13/791,265
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L

Abstract

Various embodiments enable additional content or features to be displayed to a user in response to detecting one eye of the user being closed either as a wink or for a duration of time. In one example, the additional content is graphical overlay, such as a menu containing selectable graphical elements to perform functions related to an application, game, or content, of global navigational features of the computing device in general, or to alternate views, features, or supplemental content for an application or game currently being displayed on a computing device. In one example, the overlay may be displayed only as long as the user keeps one eye closed or, alternatively, the user could wink to display the overlay and provide some other input to remove the overlay.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

displaying first content on a touch display element of a computing device;

capturing, using a camera of the computing device, a first series of images of a user;

analyzing the first series of images to determine a state of each eye of the user;

in response to determining that a first eye of the user is in a closed state for at least a threshold amount of time while a second eye of the user is in an open state, displaying a graphical overlay over the first content on the touch display element, the graphical overlay providing additional information relating to the first content and including a navigational element;

detecting a touch input provided to an area of the touch display element associated with the navigational element on the graphical overlay; and

in response to detecting the touch input, displaying second content on the touch display element of the computing device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the state of each eye of the user includes attempting to detect infrared (IR) radiation reflected by each eye of the user using at least one IR sensor, wherein detecting the first eye being in the closed state includes detecting IR radiation from only the second eye for at least the threshold amount of time.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical overlay is a navigational menu enabling the user to at least one of navigate to a home screen, access recent files, applications, or pages, or search content within the computing device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical overlay is only displayed in response to detecting the first eye being in the closed state for at least the threshold amount of time while the second eye is in the open state.

5. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

displaying, on a display element of a computing device, a first content;

detecting, using a sensor of the computing device, an eye of a user being closed;

in response to detecting the eye being closed, displaying a graphical overlay including a navigational element over at least a portion of the first content on the display element;

receiving a touch input to the navigational element on the graphical overlay; and

in response to receiving the touch input, displaying second content on the display element.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the graphical overlay includes a navigational menu displayed over a portion of the first content, the navigational menu enabling navigation to at least one of a home screen, recent files, applications, or pages via the navigational element.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the sensor is an infrared (IR) sensor and detecting the eye of a user being closed includes detecting IR radiation reflected by only one eye of the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the second content is at least one of a home screen, a specific application, or a lock screen of the computing device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the graphical overlay is only displayed while the eye is closed.

10. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

an imaging element;

a display screen; and

memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

display, on a display element of a computing device, a home screen or an application when each of two eyes of a user is open;

detect, using a sensor of the computing device, a first of the two eyes of the user being closed while a second of the two eyes is open;

in response to detecting the first of the two eyes being closed, display a favorites application menu over the home screen or the application on the display element;

detect, using the sensor of the computing device, the second of the two eyes of the user being closed while the first of the two eyes is open; and

in response to detecting the second of the two eyes being closed, display an application history menu over the home screen or the application on the display element.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the favorites application menu over the home screen or the application is displayed for a duration of time the first of the two eyes of the user is closed.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further enable the computing device to:

display the home screen or the application on the display element in response to detecting each of the two eyes of the user being open.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the favorites application menu and the application history menu are displayed as a graphical overlay.

14. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the sensor is an infrared (IR) sensor and detecting the eye of a user being closed includes detecting IR radiation reflected by only one eye of the user.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:

display, on a display element of a computing device, a first view of content;

detect, using a sensor of the computing device, an eye of a user being closed;

in response to detecting the eye being closed, display a graphical overlay including a navigational element over at least a portion of the first content on the display element;

receive a touch input to the navigational element on the graphical overlay; and

in response to receiving the touch input, display second content on the display element.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the sensor is an infrared (IR) and detecting the eye of the user being closed includes detecting IR radiation reflected by only one eye of the user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the graphical overlay includes a navigational menu displayed over a portion of the first content, the navigational menu enabling navigation to at least one of a home screen, recent files, applications, or pages via the navigational element.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the graphical overlay is only displayed while the eye is closed.