CUSTOMIZABLE GESTURES FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20130227418A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Churchill, Elizabeth F., Shamma, David Ayman, SA, MARCO DE, McAfee, R. Preston
• Granted Patent: US 9,600,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/728
• 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 3/0488 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: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Users are enabled to define and modify mappings between (1) gestures and (2) actions performed by one or more computing devices in response to a device detecting performance of a gesture. A generalized gesture-to-action mapping framework allows users to intuitively define and modify such mappings. In response to a device detecting the performance of a particular gesture, one or more devices may cause the execution of one or more device actions based on a set of user-defined gesture-to-action mappings.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting a user interface that includes one or more interface components associated with defining a mapping between a gesture and an action;

storing, in a non-transitory storage medium, one or more user-defined mappings between gestures and actions, wherein each particular mapped action within the mappings is associated with one or more devices;

receiving an indication that a first device detected a particular gesture; and

determining, based on the one or more user-defined mappings, one or more actions that are mapped to the particular gesture detected by the first device;

wherein the method is performed by one or more special-purpose computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more actions mapped to the particular gesture to perform the one or more actions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture is a defined input event and includes one or more of:

a motion detected by a touch-enabled interface associated with the first device, a detected motion of the first device, a motion detected by a camera associated with the first device, a particular pattern of speech, or a particular sound.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the action includes one or more programmed steps to be performed by the one or more devices associated with the action.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one or more of the user-defined mappings are associated with one or more device contexts;

receiving an indication that a first device detected a particular gesture further comprises determining a particular device context associated with the first device; and

determining one or more actions that are mapped to the particular gesture is further based on the particular device context.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the device context is based on one or more of:

a geographical location, one or more second devices detectable by the first device, one or more applications on the first device, or one or more user accounts.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

the first device detecting the performance of a gesturing event;

the first device determining, based on (1) the one or more user defined mappings between gestures and actions and (2) the one or more device contexts, a particular gesture associated with the gesturing event.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a hierarchy of one or more devices, wherein the hierarchy of devices establishes a precedence between the one or more devices;

determining, based on the stored hierarchy of devices, whether to cause the one or more devices that are associated with the one or more actions to perform the actions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more of the gestures are associated with a gesture package that includes two or more mappings between gestures and actions stored in a portable format.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

storing, in a non-transitory storage medium, one or more user-defined mappings between gestures and actions, wherein each particular mapped action within the mappings is associated with one or more devices;

receiving an indication that a first device detected a particular gesture; and

determining, based on the one or more user-defined mappings, one or more actions that are mapped to the particular gesture detected by the first device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, said steps further comprising:

causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more actions mapped to the particular gesture to perform the one or more actions.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the gesture is a defined input event and includes one or more of:

a motion detected by a touch-enabled interface associated with the first device, a detected motion of the first device, a motion detected by a camera associated with the first device, or particular pattern of speech, and a particular sound.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the action includes one or more programmed steps to be performed by the one or more devices associated with the action.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein:

one or more of the user-defined mappings are associated with one or more device contexts;

receiving an indication that a first device detected a particular gesture further comprises determining a particular device context associated with the first device; and

determining one or more actions that are mapped to the particular gesture is further based on the particular device context.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the device context is based on one or more of:

a geographical location, one or more second devices detectable by the first device, one or more applications on the first device, or one or more user accounts.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, said steps further comprising:

the first device detecting the performance of a gesturing event;

the first device determining, based on (1) the one or more user defined mappings between gestures and actions and (2) the one or more device contexts, a particular gesture associated with the gesturing event.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, said steps further comprising:

storing a hierarchy of one or more devices, wherein the hierarchy of devices establishes a precedence between the one or more devices;

determining, based on the stored hierarchy of devices, whether to cause the one or more devices that are associated with the one or more actions to perform the actions.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein two or more of the gestures are associated with a gesture package that includes two or more mappings between gestures and actions stored in a portable format.