AUGMENTED I/O FOR LIMITED FORM FACTOR USER-INTERFACES

• US 20100090964A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soo, Armstrong, Ku, Bernard, Brandt, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,237,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can enhance and/or simplify tactile-based I/O transactions in connection with a user-interface (UI) of limited form factor. In particular, the architecture can monitor a position of a selector object such as an operator'"'"'s finger relative to a UI display as the selector object hovers or moves above the UI display. Based upon this position, an analogous coordinate in the UI display can be determined, and a portion of the UI display substantially centered at the coordinate can be modified. As one example, the UI display can be modified to increase the magnification scale (e.g., a virtual magnifying glass) of the portion of the display indicated by the selector object.

Claims

1. A system that enhances or simplifies tactile-related input/output (I/O) in connection with a user-interface (UI) of limited form factor, comprising:

a tracking component that monitors a position of a selector object relative to a UI display; and

an augmentation component that updates an output of the UI display based upon the position of the selector object.

2. The system of claim 1, the selector object is at least one of an operator'"'"'s finger or thumb, or a stylus.

3. The system of claim 1, the position includes x-y values for a coordinate plane that is substantially parallel to a surface of the UI display, and further includes a distance between the UI display and the position of the selector object.

4. The system of claim 1, the augmentation component provides a virtual magnifying glass that increases a magnification scale of a portion of the UI display such that the portion is displayed at a different scale within an area of effect of the virtual magnifying glass.

5. The system of claim 4, the portion of the UI display is further based upon or biased toward a central location of an element in the UI display.

6. The system of claim 4, the augmentation component updates a location of the virtual magnifying glass as the position of the selector object changes.

7. The system of claim 4, the magnification scale is a function of a distance between the selector object and the UI display.

8. The system of claim 4, the portion displayed at a different scale occludes neighboring elements in the UI display proximal to the portion and within the area of effect of the virtual magnifying glass.

9. The system of claim 8, the augmentation component decreases the magnification scale for occluded neighboring elements and displays within a secondary area of effect the neighboring elements in a crowded fashion beyond the area of effect of the virtual magnifying glass.

10. The system of claim 4, the elements in the UI display proximal to the portion and within the area of effect of the virtual magnifying glass are updated to become semi-transparent in order to prevent occlusion.

11. The system of claim 1, the augmentation component updates the output of the UI display by affecting a change in at least one of a color, contrast, brightness, or red-green-blue (RGB) attribute of a pixel included in the UI display.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising an activation component that initiates at least one of the monitoring associated with the tracking component or the updating associated with the augmentation component.

13. The system of claim 12, the activation component that initiates the monitoring or the updating based upon at least one of a state of a device associated with the UI display, an application instantiated by a device associated with the UI display, a number of graphical elements included in the UI display, a magnification scale of the graphical elements included in the UI display, a complexity of the graphical elements included in the UI display, a number of correction-based or undo-based inputs, preferences or settings associated with the UI display, or a predefined gesture associated with the selector object.

14. The system of claim 1, the UI display is a touch-sensitive display that accepts an input based upon contact between the UI display and the selector object.

15. The system of claim 1, the tracking component utilizes a distance parameter to effectuate a pseudo-surface at a distance from a surface of the UI display set by the distance parameter whereby contact with the surface of the UI display is simulated when the selector object breaks a plane associated with the pseudo-surface.

16. The system of claim 15, the tracking component facilitates feedback signaling when the selector object breaks the plane associated with the pseudo-surface.

17. A method for enhancing or simplifying tactile-related I/O for a UI with a limited form factor, comprising:

tracking a position of a selector object hovering over a UI display;

associating the position with a coordinate for the UI display that is substantially along a line adjoining a surface of the UI display to the selector object that is perpendicular to the surface; and

providing an augmented output for the UI display in an area of effect substantially centered at the coordinate.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

implementing a virtual magnifying glass for the augmented output whereby a magnified area around the coordinate is expanded to fit the area of effect;

adjusting a size of the area of effect based upon a hover distance representing a distance between the surface and the selector object;

occluding elements of the UI display that are included within the area of effect but not included within the magnified area;

utilizing a crowding effect for displaying elements of the UI display that are included within a larger area of effect but not included within the magnified area;

or

displaying elements of the UI display that are included within the area of effect but not included within the magnified area in a semi-transparent manner.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

affecting a change in at least one of a color, a contrast, a brightness or a RGB attribute of a pixel included in the area of effect;

employing an activation message for initiating or terminating activity associated with providing the augmented output;

generating the activation message based upon at least one of;

a state of, or application instantiated by, a device associated with the UI display;

a number of, a graphical complexity of, or a magnification scale for, graphical elements included in the UI display;

a number of correction-based or undo-based inputs;

preferences or settings associated with the UI display;

or a predefined gesture associated with the selector object;

creating a pseudo-surface at a specified distance from the surface for simulating a touch-sensitive UI display in a non-contact manner;

or

providing audio feedback for signaling a tactile input in connection with the pseudo-surface.

20. A system that magnifies portions of a UI to emulate a larger form factor UI, comprising:

a tracking component that monitors a position of a selector object relative to a touch-sensitive UI display, the position includes planar coordinates associated with the UI display and a distance between the UI display and the selector object; and

an augmentation component that provides a virtual magnifying glass substantially centered at the planar coordinates, the virtual magnifying glass increases a magnification scale of a portion of the UI display whereby the portion is displayed at a disparate magnification scale within an area of effect of the virtual magnifying glass.