FLOATING NAVIGATIONAL CONTROLS IN A TABLET COMPUTER

• US 20130265235A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cai, Xinmei, Doronichev, Andrey, Jones, Timothy Charles
• Application Number:
  US13/443,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20130265235A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Aspects relate to placement of navigational controls on the left bottom position, the right bottom position, or both the left bottom and right bottom position on a tablet computer display. The placement selection of the navigational controls can be a function of orientation of a user'"'"'s thumb(s). A navigational area can be defined with respect to a range of movement of the user'"'"'s thumb(s) and/or size of the user'"'"'s thumb(s). Further, the navigational controls can be switched between left-hand control and right-hand control as a function of a user preference. When the display is switched between portrait and landscape mode, the navigational controls can be automatically adjusted as a function of the navigational area and the display mode.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores computer executable components; and

a processor that executes the following computer executable components stored in the memory;

a navigation component that renders control features on a display of a tablet computer;

an adjustment component that modifies placement of the control features as a function of a user'"'"'s thumb orientation; and

a retention component that maintains the control features at the modified placement.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment component places a first subset of the control features at a left bottom portion of the display and a second subset of the control features at a right bottom portion of the display.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a calibration component that identifies at least one of a range of movement or a size of a user'"'"'s thumb, wherein the adjustment component changes the placement of the control features in response to the range of movement or the size of the user'"'"'s thumb

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a modification component that receives a user modification to one or more of the control features, wherein the user modification relates to a size or a position of the one or more control features.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user identification component that detects a user of the tablet computer, wherein the adjustment component modifies the placement for the user based in part on information received from the retention component.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user identification component detects the user based on a biometric feature of the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment component modifies the placement of the control features within a navigational area of the display.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the navigational area comprises an area within a range of movement of a user'"'"'s thumb.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a toggle component that switches the placement of the control features between a left layout and a right layout based on whether a user is left handed or right handed.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mode component that adjusts the placement of the control features as the tablet computer is changed between a portrait orientation and a landscape orientation.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a floating control bar comprises the control features.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control features are transparently displayed to allow viewing of elements underneath the floating control bar.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the floating control bar is a floating menu or a re-positionable menu.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the floating control bar is accessible at a left bottom portion or a right bottom portion, or both the left bottom portion and the right bottom portion of the display.

15. A method, comprising:

using a processor to execute the following computer executable instructions stored in a memory;

rendering a plurality of control features on a display of a tablet computer;

modifying a placement of at least a subset of the plurality of control features within the display based in part on ergonomic considerations associated with a user; and

retaining information related to an association between the modified placement and the user, wherein the user is distinguished from at least one other user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the modifying comprises modifying the placement as a function of a range of motion or a size of a thumb of the user.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising relocating the subset of the plurality of control features within the display as a function of an orientation of a thumb on a left bottom portion, a right bottom portion, or both the left bottom portion and the right bottom portion of the display.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising modifying the placement of the subset of the plurality of control features within a navigational area of the display defined by a position of a thumb.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

outputting a set of instructions;

receiving a response to the set of instructions; and

resizing or repositioning a first control feature of the at least the subset of the plurality of control features based on the response.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving an adjustment to the first control feature after the reorienting or the repositioning; and

changing an orientation or the positioning of the first control feature based on the adjustment, wherein the change is retained as a portion of the information.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

recognizing the user of the tablet computer;

obtaining the retained information; and

outputting the at least the subset of the plurality of control features based on the retained information.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting an orientation of the tablet computer has changed; and

switching the placement of the at least the subset of the plurality of control features to accommodate a change between a portrait orientation and a landscape orientation.

23. A device, comprising:

a memory that stores computer executable components; and

a processor that executes the following computer executable components stored in the memory;

a navigation component that displays control features on a tablet computer display;

a calibration component that detects at least one of a thumb size or a range of movement;

an adjustment component that modifies placement of a first subset of the control features within a navigational area, wherein the navigational area comprises an area defined based on the thumb size or the range of movement;

a modification component that receives a change to one or more control features within the first subset, wherein the adjustment component applies the received change to the one or more control features; and

a retention component that associates the placement of the first subset of the control features with a user and stores information related to the association.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising a user identification component that identifies a current user of the device, wherein the retention component retrieves the information related to the placement of the first subset of the control features for the current user and the adjustment component causes the first subset of the control features to be displayed at the modified placement.