Magnification based on eye input

• US 9,778,829 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: VanBlon, Russell Speight, Caliendo, Jr., Neal Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): SUN, LI P
• Application Number:
  US14/546,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20150074602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 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: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes at least one processor, a display accessible to the at least one processor, and a memory accessible to the at least one processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to detect first eye input to a first location on a user interface (UI) presented on the display, identify at least two selector elements as at least being presented on the display proximate to the first location, and present a magnification interface on the UI. The magnification interface comprises a larger rendition of the at least two selector elements relative to presentation of the at least two selector elements on the UI prior to the detection of the first eye input.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

at least one processor;

a display accessible to the at least one processor; and

storage accessible to the at least one processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to;

detect first eye input to a first location on a user interface (UI) presented on the display;

in response to detecting the first eye input, identify at least two selector elements as at least being presented on the display proximate to the first location;

in response to identification of the at least two selector elements as at least being presented on the display proximate to the first location, execute respective functions associated with the at least two selector elements, and present a magnification interface on the UI, the magnification interface comprising a larger rendition of the at least two selector elements relative to presentation of the at least two selector elements on the UI prior to the detection of the first eye input;

in response to selection, from the magnification interface, of a first selector element of the at least two selector elements, cease execution of the respective function associated with a second selector element of the at least two selector elements, wherein the first selector element is different than the second selector element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

detect, for a threshold time, second eye input to the first selector element of the at least two selector elements presented on the magnification interface; and

in response to detection of the second eye input for the threshold time, undertake an action associated with selection of the first selector element.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

detect second eye input to a second location on the UI at which the magnification interface is not presented; and

in response to detection of the second eye input, remove the magnification interface from the UI.

4. The device of claim 3, where the instructions are executable to:

in response to detection of the second eye input for a threshold amount of time, remove the magnification interface from the UI.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

detect second eye input directed away from the display; and

in response to detection of the second eye input, remove the magnification interface from the UI.

6. The device of claim 1, where the instructions are executable to:

detect second eye input to the first selector element of the at least two selector elements presented on the magnification interface;

detect third input to a third selector element other than the first and second selector elements presented on the magnification interface; and

in response to detection of the third input, undertake an action associated with selection of the first selector element.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the third selector element is presented on the magnification interface, and wherein the third input is eye input.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

based on the first eye input and prior to presentation of the magnification interface on the UI, identify a user as looking at the first selector element of the at least two selector elements; and

present the magnification interface on the UI with the first selector element highlighted on the magnification UI relative to the second selector element, the second selector element not being highlighted.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable to:

in response to expiration of a threshold time in which no input has been received subsequent to presentation of the magnification interface, undertake an action associated with selection of the first selector element.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

detect second eye input of a user looking left relative to the user looking in the general direction of a camera which gathers the first eye input; and

in response to detection of the second eye input, remove the magnification interface from the UI.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the larger rendition is a first larger rendition, and wherein the instructions are executable to:

detect second eye input to a second location on the magnification interface;

identify the first and second selector elements as at least being presented on the magnification interface proximate to the second location; and

present a second larger rendition of the first and second selector elements that were identified as being presented on the magnification interface proximate to the second location, wherein the second larger rendition comprises the first and second selector elements being respectively presented larger in at least one dimension than respectively presented in the first larger rendition.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnification interface is presented with the larger rendition of the first and second selector elements being spaced apart proportionally more on the magnification interface relative to each other than the first and second selector elements were spaced apart prior to detection of the first eye input.

13. A method, comprising:

presenting a first selector element and a second selector element on a display, wherein the first selector element is different from the second selector element;

detecting first eye input to a first location on the display at least proximate to the first and second selector elements;

in response to the detecting of the first eye input, identifying at least one of the first and second selector elements as at least potentially being looked at;

in response to the identifying of the at least one of the first and second selector elements as at least potentially being looked at, presenting the first and second selector elements different than they were presented prior to receipt of the first eye input;

in response to the identifying of the at least one of the first and second selector elements as at least potentially being looked at, executing respective functions associated with the first and second selector elements; and

in response to selection, from the different presentation, of the first selector element, ceasing execution of the respective function associated with the second selector element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second selector elements are presented different in response to the identifying of the at least one of the first and second selector elements as at least potentially being looked at by presenting the first and second selector elements spaced farther apart than they were spaced prior to detecting the first eye input.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second selector elements are presented different in response to the identifying of the at least one of the first and second selector elements as at least potentially being looked at by presenting the first and second selector elements larger in at least one dimension.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second selector elements are presented different in response to the identifying of the at least one of the first and second selector elements as at least potentially being looked at by presenting the first and second selector elements spaced farther apart than they were spaced prior to detecting the first eye input and by presenting the first and second selector elements larger in at least one dimension.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second selector elements are presented different in response to the identifying of the at least one of the first and second selector elements as at least potentially being looked at by presenting the first and second selector elements on a user interface (UI) overlaid on an area on which at least a portion of at least one of the first and second selector elements were presented prior to detecting the first eye input.

18. The method of claim 13, comprising:

detecting second eye input directed away from the different presentation; and

in response to the detecting of the second eye input away from the different presentation, no longer presenting the first and second selector elements in the different presentation.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a first processor;

a network adapter;

storage bearing instructions executable by a second processor of a device for;

using data from at least one camera, detecting first eye input to a first location on a user interface (UI) presented on a display;

in response to detecting the first eye input, identifying first and second elements as at least being presented on the display proximate to the first location, wherein the first element is different from the second element;

without further user input, zooming in on the first and second elements;

in response to the identifying of the first and second elements as at least being presented on the display proximate to the first location, executing respective functions associated with the first and second elements; and

in response to selection of the first element as zoomed in on, ceasing execution of the respective function associated with the second element;

wherein the first processor transfers the instructions to the device over a network via the network adapter.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the UI is a first UL and wherein the zooming in on the first and second elements comprises one of the group consisting of:

enlarging presentation of the first and second elements on the first UI, and presenting the first and second elements on a second UI overlaid on the first UI with the first and second elements each presented bigger in at least one dimension on the second UI than the first and second elements were presented prior to presentation of the second UI.