Gesture-based searching

• US 10,191,940 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hinckley, Kenneth P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Xavier, Antonio
• Application Number:
  US14/572,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1456 based on user interactions

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates in situ searching of data. An interface can receive a flick gesture from an input device. An in situ search component can employ an in situ search triggered by the flick gesture, wherein the in situ search is executed on at least one of a portion of data selected on the input device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via an input device, a flick gesture, the flick gesture comprising a continuous non-marking substantially linear gesture;

in response to the received flick gesture, determining if one or more search terms displayed in an interface is selected;

when one or more search terms is selected, performing a search using the selected one or more search terms; and

when one or more search terms is not selected,

causing a search query box to be displayed in the interface;

receiving one or more search terms through the search query box; and

performing a search using the one or more search terms received through the search query box.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the flick gesture, receiving, via the input device, a highlighting instruction to highlight content displayed in the interface, the highlighting comprising selecting the one or more search terms; and

causing the highlighted content to be displayed in the interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the flick gesture, receiving, via the input device, an underlining instruction to underline content displayed in the interface, the underlining comprising selecting the one or more search terms; and

causing the underlined content to be displayed in the interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the flick gesture, receiving, via the input device, a circling instruction to circle content displayed in the interface, the circling comprising selecting the one or more search terms; and

causing a circle to be displayed around the content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises at least one of a touch screen or a touch pad.

6. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory for storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to;

detect a flick gesture and at least one of a direction of the flick gesture or a speed of the flick gesture, the flick gesture comprising a continuous non-marking substantially linear gesture;

receive a user input;

determine if the user input comprises a selection of one or more search terms;

when one or more search terms is selected and based on the detected flick gesture and the at least one of the direction, the speed, or the location of the flick gesture, perform a particular type of search using the user input and in response to the performed search, provide one or more search results to an output device; and

when one or more search terms is not selected,

cause a search query box to be displayed in the interface;

receive one or more search terms through the search query box; and

perform a search using the one or more search terms received through the search query box.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the one or more search terms comprises at least one of one or more textual terms or one or more images.

8. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

process a highlighting instruction, received via an input device, to highlight content displayed in an interface, the highlighting instruction comprising the user input and the highlighted content comprising a selection of the one or more search terms; and

display, in the interface, the highlighted content.

9. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

process an underlining instruction, received via an input device, to underline content displayed in an interface, the underling instruction comprising the user input and the underlined content comprising a selection of the one or more search terms; and

display, in the interface, the underlined content.

10. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

process a circling instruction, received via an input device, to circle content displayed in an interface, the circling instruction comprising the user input and the circled content comprising a selection of the one or more search terms; and

display, in the interface, a circle around the content.

11. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the input device comprises at least one of a touch screen or a touch pad and the output device comprises at least one of a display, a printer, or a speaker.

12. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the user input is received from a search query box.

13. The computing device of claim 6, wherein:

detecting the flick gesture and the at least one of the direction of the flick gesture or the speed of the flick gesture comprises detecting the flick gesture and at least one of the direction of the flick gesture, the speed of the flick gesture, or a location of the flick gesture; and

the search comprises a particular type of search that is determined by the at least one of the direction, the speed, or the location of the flick gesture, the particular type of search included in a plurality of different types of searches.

14. A system comprising:

an input device;

one or more processors; and

memory for storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform a method, comprising;

receiving, via the input device, a flick gesture, the flick gesture comprising a continuous substantially linear gesture;

in response to the flick gesture,

based on a selection of one or more search terms displayed in an interface, performing a search using the one or more search terms; and

based on a non-selection of one or more search terms, causing a search query box to be displayed in the interface;

receiving one or more search terms

through the search query box; and

performing a search using the one or more search terms received through the search query box; and

in response to the performed search, providing one or more search results to an output device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

processing a highlighting instruction, received via the input device, to highlight content displayed in the interface, the highlighting comprising selecting the one or more search terms; and

displaying, in the interface, the highlighted content.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

processing an underlining instruction, received via the input device, to underline content displayed in the interface, the underlining comprising selecting the one or more search terms; and

displaying, in the interface, the underlined content.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

processing a circling instruction, received via the input device, to circle content displayed in the interface, wherein the circling comprises selecting the one or more search terms; and

displaying, in the interface, the circled content.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the input device comprises at least one of a touch screen or a touch pad and the output device comprises at least one of a display, a printer, or a speaker.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises prior to performing the search, receiving the selection of the one or more search terms.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more search terms displayed in the interface are selected prior to receiving the flick gesture.