Method and apparatus for user interaction data storage

• US 9,158,372 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US13/964,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345204-215
• 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 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 2320/062 Adjustment of illumination source parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

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. Actively controlling the touch screen display in the higher-power mode is discontinued to enter a lower-power mode of operation. In the lower-power mode: at least one first control signal is provided to the touch screen display; in response to the at least one first control signal, a first portion of the touch screen display is activated and a first portion of a graphic is displayed on a first area of the touch screen display within the first portion; occurrence of a first user interaction that corresponds to the first portion of the graphic during the display of the first portion of the graphic is determined; and user interaction data is stored for the first portion of the graphic based on the first user interaction determination.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive wireless communication signals;

at least one memory device;

a touch screen display;

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

at least one processing device configured to control the touch screen display in a lower-power mode of operation;

wherein the at least one application processor is configured to receive and store a graphic in the at least one memory device in the higher-power mode of operation;

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 at least one processing device 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;

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

wherein the at least one processing device 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 portion of the graphic;

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;

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

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to;

store, in the lower-power mode of operation, user interaction data for the graphic, wherein the user interaction data comprises at least one of a duration of the first touch input, a duration of the display of the second portion of the graphic, or an action indication that corresponds to the first touch input.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

select, in the lower-power mode of operation, a first action indication upon determination that the touch input has been modified from occurrence within the first area to occurrence within the second area;

select, in the lower-power mode of operation, a second action indication upon determination that the touch input has been modified from occurrence within the first area to occurrence within a third area of the touch screen display that is within the second partial region and distinct from the second area; and

store, in the lower-power mode of operation, the selected action indication.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein the at least one application processor is configured to receive and store a plurality of graphics in the at least one memory device in the higher-power mode of operation;

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to;

select, in the lower-power mode of operation, the graphic from the plurality of graphics based on graphic selection criteria associated with the electronic device; and

store, in the lower-power mode of operation, the graphic selection criteria with the user interaction data for the graphic.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 wherein upon a trigger action during the lower-power mode of operation, the at least one processing device is configured to:

select, in the lower-power mode of operation, the graphic from the plurality of graphics;

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

wherein the graphic selection criteria comprises at least one of a trigger action type that indicates the trigger action, a time of the trigger action, or a date of the trigger action.

5. 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 portion of an graphic 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 user interaction that corresponds to the first portion of the graphic has occurred during the display of the first portion of the graphic;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to store, in the lower-power mode of operation, user interaction data for the first portion of the graphic based on the first user interaction determination.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein the sensor hub is configured to determine that a first touch input has occurred that corresponds to the first area;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to determine a duration of the first touch input;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to store the duration of the first touch input with the user interaction data;

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 second portion of the graphic on a second area of the touch screen display that is 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 the second area or a third area of the touch screen display that is distinct from the second area;

wherein the sensor hub is configured to store, in the lower-power mode of operation, the user interaction data with an action indication that indicates whether the second touch input has occurred and in which area it occurred.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein the application processor is configured to send the user interaction data to a remote network entity.

8. 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;

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 portion of a graphic 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 user interaction that corresponds to the first portion of the graphic has occurred during the display of the first portion of the graphic;

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

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 second portion of the graphic on a second area of the touch screen display that is 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 either the second area or a third area of the touch screen display that is distinct from the second area; and

storing, in the lower-power mode of operation, user interaction data for the first portion of the graphic based on the first user interaction determination by at least storing an action indication that indicates whether the second touch input has occurred.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining whether the first user interaction has occurred comprises determining that the first touch input occurring at the first area;

the method further comprising determining, in the lower-power mode of operation, a duration of the first touch input;

wherein storing the user interaction data comprises storing the duration of the first touch input for the first portion of the graphic.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein storing the user interaction data comprises storing an indication that the first portion of the graphic was not viewed if the duration of the first touch input is below a first touch threshold.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying the second portion of the graphic comprises displaying the second portion of the graphic while the first touch input is substantially maintained based on the at least one first control signal;

the method further comprising determining, in the lower-power mode of operation, a duration of the display of the second portion of the graphic;

wherein storing the user interaction data further comprises storing the duration of the display of the second portion of the graphic.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein storing the user interaction data comprises storing an indication that the second portion of the graphic was not viewed if the duration of the display of the second portion of the graphic is below a display threshold.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein storing the action indication comprises storing a first action indication if the second touch input corresponds to the second area and storing a second action indication if the second touch input corresponds to the third area.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein storing the second action indication comprises storing a dismiss action indication.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the second portion of the touch screen display comprises first and second partial regions, and wherein the second area includes a first hit area in the first partial region and a second hit area in the second partial region;

wherein storing the action indication comprises storing a first action indication if the second touch input corresponds to the first hit area and storing a second action indication if the second touch input corresponds to the second hit area.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the first portion of the graphic is a primary portion of the graphic and the second portion of the graphic is a secondary portion of the graphic.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein providing the at least one first control signal comprises providing the at least one first control signal upon an indication that the electronic device has been moved after a period of being stationary or upon an indication that the touch screen display of the electronic device has changed to an uncovered state after a period of being in a covered state.

18. The method of claim 8 further comprising sending the user interaction data to a remote network entity.

19. The method of claim 8 wherein determining whether the first user interaction has occurred comprises:

activating, in the lower-power mode of operation, an imager of the electronic device; and

determining, with the imager and in the lower-power mode of operation, whether a face of a user is detected;

wherein storing the user interaction data comprises storing a view indication that indicates whether the face was detected.