On-demand user control

• US 9,632,584 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: 2236008 Ontario Inc. (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Dodge, Danny Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US13/826,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 715107, 715715, 715817, 715815, 715788, 715812
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A system and method for on-demand user control may detect a user'"'"'s intend to interact with a currently undisplayed user control. The user'"'"'s intent may include, for example, a hand approaching a touch-sensitive screen device. In response to the detected intent, the currently undisplayed user control may be displayed. The choice and location of the displayed user control may be derived from a location associated with the detected intent. The user control may be displayed progressively giving the appearance of morphing, emerging or being extruded from the display screen. The user may interact with the displayed user control using, for example, gestures on the touch-sensitive screen device.

Claims

1. A method for on-demand user control on a system having a display device, the method comprising:

detecting a user'"'"'s intent to interact with a displayable control not yet shown on the display device by detecting the user'"'"'s hand in relation to a touch sensitive display;

selecting the type of displayable control to be rendered on the touch sensitive display device in response to the detection of the user'"'"'s hand in relation to the touch sensitive display;

displaying, on the touch sensitive display, the selected displayable control at a location on the touch sensitive display in response to detecting the user'"'"'s intent and the location associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent, displaying the selected displayable control

comprising progressively rendering different portions of the selected displayable control'"'"'s three dimensional depth in response to the detection of the presence of the user'"'"'s hand approaching the touch sensitive display of the selected displayable control, a final appearance of the selected displayable control being rendered when a portion of the user'"'"'s hand is positioned above a portion of the display and at least a portion of the selected displayable control; and

receiving an interaction with the selected displayable control from the user;

the appearance of the selected displayable control first rendered on the touch sensitive display is being based on the user'"'"'s detected intent; and

the progressively rendering different portions of the selected displayable control'"'"'s three dimensional depth corresponding to the changing distance between the user'"'"'s hand and the selected displayable control; and

displaying the selected displayable control further comprising animating the touch sensitive display to cause the selected displayable control to appear to be morphed from a background image.

2. The method for on-demand user control of claim 1, where displaying the selected displayable control further comprises rendering the selected displayable control proximate a predesignated location on the touch sensitive display associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent and where final appearance is rendered when the user'"'"'s hand comes in contact with the touch sensitive display.

3. The method for on-demand user control of claim 1, where displaying the selected displayable control further comprises choosing a type of displayable control to display in response to a location, relative to the touch sensitive display device, associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent.

4. The method for on-demand user control of claim 1, where displaying the selected displayable control further comprises animating the touch sensitive display to cause the selected displayable control to appear to elevate from a surface of the touch sensitive display as the user'"'"'s hand gets closer to the displayable control and appears tangible when the user'"'"'s hand comes in contact with the touch sensitive display.

5. The method for on-demand user control of claim 1, where the selected displayable control takes the place of or displaces an existing visual element.

6. The method for on-demand user control of claim 1, where the selected displayable control is a representation of a physical control.

7. The method for on-demand user control of claim 1, wherein

progressively rendering different portions of the displayable control comprises rendering the different portions of the displayable control as the user'"'"'s hand approaches the location of the displayable control such that a final appearance of the displayable control is rendered when the portion of user'"'"'s hand is in contact with the touch sensitive display.

12. The method for on-demand user control of claim 1, further comprising updating the selected displayable control to reflect a change in appearance of the displayable control responsive to the received interaction.

8. A method for on-demand user control on a system having a display device, the method comprising:

detecting a user'"'"'s intent to interact with a displayable control not yet shown on the display device by detecting the user'"'"'s hand in relation to a touch sensitive display;

selecting the type of displayable control to be rendered on the touch sensitive display device in response to the detection of the user'"'"'s hand in relation to the touch sensitive display;

displaying, on the touch sensitive display device, the selected displayable control at a location on the touch sensitive display in response to detecting the user'"'"'s intent and the location associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent, displaying the selected displayable control comprising progressively rendering different portions of the selected displayable control'"'"'s three dimensional depth in response to the detection of the presence of the user'"'"'s hand approaching the touch sensitive display of the selected displayable control, a final appearance of the selected displayable control being rendered when a portion of the user'"'"'s hand is positioned above a portion of the display and at least a portion of the selected displayable control; and

receiving an interaction with the selected displayable control from the user to operate the selected displayable control;

providing haptic feedback proximate to the selected displayable control through the touch sensitive display in response to the user'"'"'s operation of the selected displayable control;

the appearance of the selected displayable control first rendered on the touch sensitive display being based on the user'"'"'s detected intent; and

the progressively rendering different portions of the selected displayable control'"'"'s three dimensional depth corresponding to the changing distance between the user'"'"'s hand and the selected displayable control.

9. The method for on-demand user control of claim 8, where the haptic feedback is modified in response to the use of the selected displayable control and the method provides a transient feedback that simulates the audio detents, audio clicks, or sounds associated with a physical control that the displayable control represents as the user operates the displayable control.

10. The method for on-demand user control of claim 9, where the interaction is characterized responsive to a gesture made by the user and a type of control associated with the selected displayable control.

11. The method for on-demand user control of claim 10, further comprising sending the characterization of the interaction to one or more other processing elements.

13. A system for on-demand user control comprising:

a display device having a touch sensitive screen;

one or more processors; and

a memory containing instructions executable by the one or more processors to configure the system to;

detect a user'"'"'s intent to interact with a displayable control not shown on the display device by detecting the user'"'"'s hand in relation to a display the touch sensitive screen without physical contact with the touch sensitive screen;

select a type of displayable control to be rendered on the display device in response to the detection of the user'"'"'s hand in relation to the touch sensitive screen of the display device;

display the displayable control at a location on the touch sensitive screen of the display device in response to detecting the user'"'"'s intent and a location associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent, the display of the displayable control on the touch sensitive screen of the display device comprisg progressively rendering different portions of the displayable control'"'"'s three dimensional depth in response to the changing distance between the user'"'"'s hand and the displayable control as the user'"'"'s hand gets closer to the location of the displayabled control, a final appearance of the displayable control appears as a single tangible control and is rendered when a portion of the user'"'"'s hand is positioned directly above the touch sensitive screen that directly overlies at least a portion of the displayable control;

display the displayable control through an animation that causes the displayable control to appear to be morphed from a background image; and

receive an interaction with the displayable control from the user;

the appearance of the display control first rendered on the touch sensitive screen being based on the user'"'"'s detected intent.

14. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, where the

instructions executable by the one or more processors further configures the system to display the displayable control proximate a predesignated location on the touch sensitive screen display associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent.

15. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, where the

instructions executable by the one or more processors further configures the system to select a type of display control to display in response to a location associated with the detected intent.

16. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, where the

instructions executable by the one or more processors further configures the system to display the displayable control through the animation that further causes the displayable control to appear to be extruding from a surface of the touch sensitive screen as the user'"'"'s hand gets closer to the displayable control and reaches a full elevation when the user'"'"'s hand comes in contact with the device touch sensitive screen.

17. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, where the

displayable control takes the place of or displaces an existing visual element.

18. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, where the

displayable control is a representation of a physical control that simulates and renders the sounds that a physical control generates when operated by the user.

19. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, where the

instructions executable by the one or more processors further configures the system to provide haptic feedback proximate to the displayable control and through the touch sensitive screen causing the user to feel a presence of the displayable control.

20. The system for on-demand user control of claim 19, where the haptic feedback is modified in response to a received interaction with the displayable control.

21. The system for on-demand user control of claim 20, where the interaction occurs in response to a gesture made by the user and a type of control associated with the displayable control.

22. The system for on-demand user control of claim 21, where the

instructions executable by the one or more processors further configures the system to send the characterization of the interaction to one or more other processing elements.

23. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, where the

instructions executable by the one or more processors further configures the system to update the displayable control to reflect a change in appearance of the displayable control in response to the received interaction.

24. The system for on-demand user control of claim 13, wherein

progressively rendering different portions of the displayable control comprises rendering the different portions of the displayable control as the user'"'"'s hand approaches the location of the displayable control such that a final appearance of the displayable control is rendered when the

portion of user'"'"'s hand is in contact with the touch sensitive screen.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program that provides on demand user control of a system through a display device comprising:

computer program code that detects a user'"'"'s intent to interact with a displayable control not yet shown on the display device by detecting a presence of a user'"'"'s hand in relation to a touch sensitive display;

computer program code that detects the selection of a type of displayable control to be rendered on the touch sensitive display in response to the detection of the presence of the user'"'"'s hand in relation to the touch sensitive display; and

computer program code that displays, on the touch sensitive display, the displayable control at a location on the touch sensitive display in response to detection of the user'"'"'s intent and the location associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent, the display of the displayable control rendering the displayable control in two dimensions and then render the displayable control in three dimensions in response to the detection of the presence of the user'"'"'s hand approaching the touch sensitive display of the displayable control, a final three dimensional appearance of the displayable control being rendered when a portion of the user'"'"'s hand is positioned above a portion of the touch sensitive display and at least a portion of the displayable control;

where the computer program code transforms the displayable control displayable in two dimensions to three dimensions in response to a corresponding distance between the user'"'"'s hand and the displayable control; and

where the computer program code animates the touch sensitive display to cause the displayable control to appear to be morphed from a background image.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program that provides on-demand user control of a system through a display device comprising:

computer program code that detects a user'"'"'s intent to interact with a displayable control not yet shown on the display device by detecting a presence of a user'"'"'s hand in relation to a touch sensitive display;

computer program code that detects the selection of a type of displayable control to be rendered on the touch sensitive display in response to the detection of the presence of the user'"'"'s hand in relation to the touch sensitive display; and

computer program code that displays, on the touch sensitive display, the displayable control at a location on the touch sensitive display in response to detection of the user'"'"'s intent and the location associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent, the display of the displayable control rendering the displayable control in two dimensions and then rendering the displayable control in three dimensions in response to the detection of the presence of the user'"'"'s hand approaching the touch sensitive display of the displayable control, a final three dimensional appearance of the displayable control being rendered when a portion of the user'"'"'s hand is positioned above a portion of the touch sensitive display and at least a portion of the displayable control;

where the computer program code transforms the displayable control displayable in two

dimensions to three dimensions in response to a corresponding distance between the user'"'"'s hand and the displayable control; and

where the computer program code provides haptic feedback proximate to the displayable control through the touch sensitive display in response to the user'"'"'s operation of the displayable control.

27. A system for on-demand user control comprising:

a display device having a touch sensitive screen;

one or more processors; and

a memory containing instructions executable by the one or more processors to configure the system to;

detect a user'"'"'s intent to interact with a displayable control not shown on the display device by detecting the user'"'"'s hand in relation to the touch sensitive screen without physical contact with the touch sensitive screen;

select a type of displayable control to be rendered on the display device in response to the detection of the user'"'"'s hand in relation to the touch sensitive screen of the display device;

display the displayable control at a location on the touch sensitive screen of the display device in response to detecting the user'"'"'s intent and a location associated with the detected user'"'"'s intent, the display of the displayable control on the touch sensitive screen of the display device comprising progressively rendering different portions of the displayable control'"'"'s three dimensional depth in response to the changing distance between the user'"'"'s hand and the displayable control as the user'"'"'s hand gets closer to the location of the displayabled control, a final appearance of the displayable control appears as a single tangible control and is rendered when a portion of the user'"'"'s hand is positioned directly above the touch sensitive screen that directly overlies at least a portion of the displayable control;

receive an interaction with the displayable control from the user;

the appearance of the display control first rendered on the touch sensitive screen being based on the user'"'"'s detected intent; and

provide haptic feedback proximate to the displayable control through the touch sensitive screen in response to the user'"'"'s interaction with the displayable control.