Method and apparatus for action indication selection

• US 9,063,564 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lombardi, Michael J., Patel, Mitul R., Pierce, Amber M., Stevens, Natalie J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US13/964,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 345204-215, 178 1801- 1809, 178 2001- 2004
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A method on an electronic device is described. A touch screen display of the electronic device is actively controlled in a higher-power mode of operation. The higher-power mode is discontinued to enter a lower-power mode of operation. In the lower-power mode: a first control signal is provided to the touch screen display and a first image is displayed on a first area of the touch screen display; occurrence of a first touch input that corresponds to the first area is determined and in response thereto, a second control signal is provided to the touch screen display and each action icon of a set of action icon is displayed on the touch screen display; occurrence of a second touch input that corresponds to an action icon is determined and in response thereto, an action indication for the current display session is selected and a corresponding selected action is performed.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a touch screen display;

an application processor configured to control the touch screen display in a higher-power mode of operation;

a sensor hub configured to control the touch screen display in an lower-power mode of operation; and

a non-transitory memory;

wherein the electronic device is configured to actively control the touch screen display in the higher-power mode of operation with the application processor;

wherein the electronic device is configured to discontinue actively controlling the touch screen display in the higher-power mode of operation with the application processor to enter the lower-power mode of operation;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to provide, in the lower-power mode of operation, at least one first control signal to the touch screen display;

wherein the touch screen display is configured to activate, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one first control signal, a first portion of the touch screen display;

wherein the touch screen display is configured to display, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one first control signal, a first image on a first area of the touch screen display that is within the first portion of the touch screen display;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to determine, in the lower-power mode of operation, whether a first touch input that corresponds to the first area has occurred during the display of the first image;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to provide, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the first touch input, at least one second control signal to the touch screen display;

wherein the touch screen display is configured to activate, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one second control signal, a second portion of the touch screen display;

wherein the touch screen display is configured to display, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one second control signal, a set of action icons, each action icon of the set of action icons being displayed on a distinct area of the touch screen display within the second portion of the touch screen display;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to determine, in the lower-power mode of operation, whether a second touch input has occurred that corresponds to a distinct area for one action icon of the set of action icons;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to select, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the second touch input, an action indication for the current display session from a set of action indications that correspond to the set of action icons;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to perform, in the lower-power mode of operation, a selected action that corresponds to the selected action indication for the current display session.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the sensor hub is configured to:

select, in the lower-power mode of operation, at least one action indication for the set of action indications based on at least one of at least one of a user profile associated with the electronic device, a location associated with the current display session, proximity to a predetermined location, a time of day associated with the current display session, a selected action indication from a previous display session, or a user interaction for the current display session.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the current display session comprises a user survey;

wherein at least one of the first image or an action icon of the set of action icons comprises a survey prompt for the user survey;

wherein at least one action indication of the set of action indications corresponds to a survey response indicator for the user survey;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to store, in the lower-power mode of operation, the survey response indicator if the selected action indication corresponds to the survey response indicator;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to send, in the higher-power mode of operation, a survey response message based on the survey response indicator to a remote network entity.

4. A method of an electronic device, the method comprising:

actively controlling, in a higher-power mode of operation, a touch screen display of the electronic device;

discontinuing actively controlling the touch screen display in the higher-power mode of operation to enter a lower-power mode of operation;

providing, in the lower-power mode of operation, at least one first control signal to the touch screen display for a current display session;

activating, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one first control signal, a first portion of the touch screen display;

displaying, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one first control signal, a first image on a first area of the touch screen display that is within the first portion of the touch screen display;

determining, in the lower-power mode of operation, whether a first touch input that corresponds to the first area has occurred;

providing, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the first touch input, at least one second control signal to the touch screen display for the current display session;

activating, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one second control signal, a second portion of the touch screen display;

displaying, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one second control signal, a set of action icons, each action icon of the set of action icons being displayed on a distinct area of the touch screen display within the second portion of the touch screen display;

determining, in the lower-power mode of operation, whether a second touch input has occurred that corresponds to a distinct area for one action icon of the set of action icons;

selecting, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the second touch input, an action indication for the current display session from a set of action indications that corresponds to the set of action icons;

performing, in the lower-power mode of operation, a selected action that corresponds to the selected action indication for the current display session.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising selecting, in the lower-power mode of operation, at least one action indication for the set of action indications based on at least one of a user profile associated with the electronic device, a location associated with the current display session, a time of day associated with the current display session, or a selected action indication from a previous display session.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein performing the selected action comprises:

activating, in the lower-power mode of operation, a third display portion of the touch screen display;

displaying, in the lower-power mode of operation, a second image at a third area of the touch screen display that is within the third display portion.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second image comprises a bar code;

the method further comprising;

clearing, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to a third touch input or an audio input, the third area on the touch screen display.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the second image comprises an animated image or video.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the current display session comprises a user survey;

wherein at least one of the first image or an action icon of the set of action icons comprises a survey prompt for the user survey;

wherein at least one action indication of the set of action indications corresponds to a survey response indicator for the user survey;

wherein if the selected action indication corresponds to the survey response indicator, performing the selected action comprises;

storing, in the lower-power mode of operation, the survey response indicator;

the method further comprising;

sending, in the higher-power mode of operation, a survey response message based on the survey response indicator to a remote network entity.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the current display session comprises an event notification;

wherein at least one action indication of the set of action indications corresponds to a calendar entry indicator for the event notification;

wherein if the selected action indication corresponds to the calendar entry indicator, performing the selected action comprises;

storing, in the lower-power mode of operation, the calendar entry indicator;

the method further comprising;

sending, in the higher-power mode of operation, a calendar entry message based on the calendar entry indicator to a remote network entity for entry into a calendar associated with the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein the current display session comprises a subscription notification;

wherein at least one action indication of the set of action indications corresponds to a subscription request indicator;

wherein if the selected action indication corresponds to the subscription request indicator, performing the selected action comprises;

storing, in the lower-power mode of operation, the subscription request indicator;

the method further comprising;

sending, in the higher-power mode of operation, a subscription request message based on the subscription request indicator to an email distribution list associated with the subscription notification, wherein the subscription request message comprises a user email address associated with the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein the current display session comprises a social media survey;

wherein at least one action indication of the set of action indications corresponds to a social media response indicator for the social media survey;

wherein if the selected action indication corresponds to the social media response indicator, performing the selected action comprises;

storing, in the lower-power mode of operation, the social media response indicator;

the method further comprising;

sending, in the higher-power mode of operation, a social media response message based on the social media response indicator to a remote network entity.

13. A method of an electronic device, the method comprising:

actively controlling, in a higher-power mode of operation, a touch screen display of the electronic device;

discontinuing actively controlling the touch screen display in the higher-power mode of operation to enter a lower-power mode of operation;

providing, in the lower-power mode of operation, at least one first control signal to the touch screen display for a current display session;

activating, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one first control signal, a first portion of the touch screen display;

displaying, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one first control signal, a first image on a first area of the touch screen display that is within the first portion of the touch screen display;

determining, in the lower-power mode of operation, whether a first touch input has occurred that corresponds to the first area;

providing, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the first touch input, at least one second control signal to the touch screen display for the current display session;

activating, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one second control signal, a second portion of the touch screen display;

displaying, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the at least one second control signal, a set of action icons, each action icon of the set of action icons being displayed on a distinct area of the touch screen display within the second portion of the touch screen display;

determining, in the lower-power mode of operation, whether a second touch input has occurred that corresponds to a distinct area for one action icon of the set of action icons;

selecting, in the lower-power mode of operation and in response to the second touch input, an action indication for the current display session from a set of action indications that correspond to the set of action icons;

discontinuing the lower-power mode of operation to enter the higher-power mode of operation based on the selected action indication;

performing a selected action that corresponds to the selected action indication for the current display session in the higher-power mode of operation.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting at least one action indication for the set of action indications based on at least one of a user profile associated with the electronic device, a location associated with the current display session, a time of day associated with the current display session, or a selected action indication from a previous display session.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected action indication corresponds to a uniform resource locator;

wherein performing the selected action comprises connecting to the uniform resource locator.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected action indication corresponds to a navigation location;

wherein performing the selected action comprises performing a navigation lookup of the navigation location.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected action indication corresponds to a user application;

wherein performing the selected action comprises downloading or launching the user application.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected action indication corresponds to a telephone number;

wherein performing the selected action comprises placing a call to the telephone number.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected action indication corresponds to a sharing prompt;

wherein performing the selected action comprises;

determining a contact address for the sharing prompt;

sending a message based on the current display session to the contact address.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected action indication corresponds to a product purchase;

wherein performing the selected action comprises initiating the product purchase.