Dynamically optimizing user interfaces

• US 9,886,087 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2013
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allscripts Software LLC (Veradigm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allscripts Software LLC (Veradigm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wald, Eric Robert, Windell, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Anil N
• Application Number:
  US14/093,469
• Time in Patent Office: 1,529 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for optimizing a user interface (UI) for an active application over a computing device. The method includes receiving the gaze information, including gaze location, of a user'"'"'s gaze on the UI, determining a first section of a plurality of sections of the UI associated with the received gaze location, and muting other of the plurality of sections outside of the first section, such that the first section in the UI remains active.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing a user interface for a healthcare software application running on a computing device, the method comprising:

(a) displaying, via a display associated with the computing device, an interface of an electronic health records software application, the interface comprising a plurality of sections;

(b) continuously

(i) monitoring, utilizing one or more cameras associated with the computing device, a user'"'"'s eyes as the user interacts with the electronic health records software application, and

(ii) identifying, based on the continuous monitoring, a section of the interface that the user'"'"'s gaze is focused on,

(iii) wherein the continuously monitoring and identifying comprises continuously monitoring and identifying during a first period in which

(A) the user'"'"'s gaze is focused on a first section of the plurality of sections, then

(B) the user'"'"'s gaze moves rapidly from the first section of the plurality of sections to a second section of the plurality of sections, then

(C) the user'"'"'s gaze moves rapidly from the second section to the first section, and then

(D) the user'"'"'s gaze moves rapidly from the first section to the second section;

(d) determining, based on the continuous monitoring and identification during the first period, that the user'"'"'s gaze is rapidly moving between the first section of the plurality of sections and the second section of the plurality of sections; and

(e) modifying the interface, based on the determination that the user'"'"'s gaze is rapidly moving between the first and second sections, to emphasize the first and second sections by greying out other sections of the plurality of sections that are not the first section or the second section.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a smartphone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a laptop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a netbook.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a tablet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a personal computer.

7. A method for optimizing a user interface for a healthcare software application running on a computing device, the method comprising:

(a) displaying, via a display associated with the computing device, an interface of an electronic health records software application, the interface comprising a plurality of sections;

(b) continuously

(i) monitoring, utilizing one or more cameras associated with the computing device, a user'"'"'s eyes as the user interacts with the electronic health records software application, and

(ii) identifying, based on the continuous monitoring, a section of the interface that the user'"'"'s gaze is focused on,

(iii) wherein the continuously monitoring and identifying comprises continuously monitoring and identifying during a first period in which

(A) the user'"'"'s gaze is focused on a first section of the plurality of sections, then

(B) the user'"'"'s gaze moves rapidly from the first section of the plurality of sections to a second section of the plurality of sections, then

(C) the user'"'"'s gaze moves rapidly from the second section to the first section, and then

(D) the user'"'"'s gaze moves rapidly from the first section to the second section;

(d) determining, based on the continuous monitoring and identification during the first period, that the user'"'"'s gaze is rapidly moving between the first section of the plurality of sections and the second section of the plurality of sections; and

(e) modifying the interface, based on the determination that the user'"'"'s gaze is rapidly moving between the first and second sections, to emphasize the first and second sections by blurring out other sections of the plurality of sections that are not the first section or the second section.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the computing device comprises a smartphone.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the computing device comprises a laptop.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the computing device comprises a netbook.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the computing device comprises a tablet.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the computing device comprises a personal computer.