Using the Z-axis in user interfaces for head mountable displays

• US 9,507,426 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Raffle, Hayes Solos
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shiberou, Mahelet
• Application Number:
  US13/851,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are described herein related to a user interface (UI) for a computing device, such as a head-mountable device (HMD). The computing device can detect a communication event. In response to the communication event, the computing device can display a first item having a current size on a display associated with a display plane. A hand-movement input device associated with the computing device can receive a first input indicative of a gesture toward the display plane. In response to receiving the first input, the computing device can display a first change to the current size of the first item. The hand-movement input device can receive a second input indicative of a gesture away from the display plane. In response to the second input, the computing device can display a second change to the current size of the first item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting by a head-mountable device (HMD) a communication event, wherein the communication event comprises an incoming call; and

in response to detecting the communication event, the HMD;

displaying a first item on a front-mounted display associated with the HMD, wherein the first item has a current size, wherein the first item comprises contact information indicative of a calling party of the incoming call, wherein the incoming call is associated with a messaging value, and wherein the display is aligned with a display plane;

determining an acceptance threshold and a rejection threshold for the messaging value;

receiving a first input at a side-mounted touchpad associated with the HMD, wherein the first input is indicative of a swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad;

determining whether the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane;

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane;

displaying a first change to the current size of the first item, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size;

increasing the messaging value;

determining that the increased message value is greater that the acceptance threshold; and

after determining that the increased message value is greater that the acceptance threshold, accepting the incoming call;

otherwise, if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane;

displaying a second change to the current size of the first item; and

declining the communication event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size, and wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size, and wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprising increasing the current size.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane, making a first adjustment to a value for a setting of the HMD; and

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane, making a second adjustment to the value for the setting of the HMD.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the display is configured to display at least a variably-sized aspect and a constant-sized aspect, and wherein the constant-sized aspect comprises the value for the setting of the HMD.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size, and wherein the method further comprises:

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane;

decreasing the messaging value;

determining whether the decreased message value is less than the rejection threshold; and

after determining that the decreased message value is less than the rejection threshold, rejecting the incoming call.

7. A head-mountable device (HMD) comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the HMD to perform functions comprising;

detecting a communication event, wherein the communication event comprises an incoming call; and

in response to detecting the communication event;

displaying a first item on a front-mounted display associated with the HMD, wherein the first item has a current size, wherein the first item comprises contact information indicative of a calling party of the incoming call, wherein the incoming call is associated with a messaging value, and wherein the display is aligned with a display plane;

determining an acceptance threshold and a rejection threshold for the messaging value;

receiving a first input at a side-mounted touchpad associated with the HMD, wherein the first input is indicative of a swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad;

determining whether the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane;

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane;

displaying a first change to the current size of the first item, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size;

increasing the messaging value;

determining whether the increased message value is greater that the acceptance threshold; and

after determining that the increased message value is greater that the acceptance threshold, accepting the incoming call;

otherwise, if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane;

displaying a second change to the current size of the first item; and

declining the communication event.

8. The HMD of claim 7, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size, and wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size.

9. The HMD of claim 7, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size, and wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size.

10. The HMD of claim 7, wherein the side-mounted touchpad is configured to detect swipe gestures in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the display plane.

11. The HMD of claim 7, wherein the functions further include:

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane, making a first adjustment to a value for a setting of the HMD; and

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane, making a second adjustment to the value for the setting of the HMD.

12. The HMD of claim 11, wherein the display is configured to display at least a variably-sized aspect and a constant-sized aspect, and wherein the constant-sized aspect comprises the value for the setting of the computing device HMD.

13. The HMD of claim 7, wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size, and wherein the functions further comprise:

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane;

decreasing the messaging value,

determining whether the decreased message value is less than the rejection threshold, and

after determining that the decreased message value is less than the rejection threshold, rejecting the incoming call.

14. An apparatus, including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a head-mountable device (HMD), cause the apparatus to perform functions comprising:

detecting a communication event, wherein the communication event comprises an incoming call; and

in response to detecting the communication event;

displaying a first item on a front-mounted display associated with the apparatus, wherein the first item has a current size, wherein the first item comprises contact information indicative of a calling party of the incoming call, wherein the incoming call is associated with a messaging value, and wherein the display is aligned with a display plane;

determining an acceptance threshold and a rejection threshold for the messaging value;

receiving a first input at a side-mounted touchpad associated with the HMD, wherein the first input is indicative of a swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad;

determining whether the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane;

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is toward the display plane;

displaying a first change to the current size of the first item, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size;

increasing the messaging value;

determining whether the increased message value is greater that the acceptance threshold; and

after determining that the increased message value is greater that the acceptance threshold, accepting the incoming call;

otherwise, if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane;

displaying a second change to the current size of the first item; and

declining the communication event.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size, and wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein displaying the first change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size, and wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises increasing the current size.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein displaying the second change to the current size of the first item comprises decreasing the current size, and wherein the functions further comprise:

if the swipe gesture on the side-mounted touchpad is away from the display plane;

decreasing the messaging value,

determining that the decreased message value is less than the rejection threshold, and

after determining that the decreased message value is less than the rejection threshold, rejecting the incoming call.