ANAGING AUDIO AT THE TAB LEVEL FOR USER NOTIFICATION AND CONTROL

• US 20140281983A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, Hin-Chung, Xian, Shijing, Lachapelle, Serge, Wiitala, Yuri James, Lin, Jiao Yang
• Granted Patent: US 9,886,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• 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 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

According to one general aspect, a method may include executing, by a processor of a computing device, at least a portion of an application that includes a plurality of tabs, each tab associated with a respective document that is configured to be rendered for display by the application. The method may also include determining a particular tab of the plurality of tabs that is recording an audio and/or visual signal derived from an environment of the computing device. The method may further include providing a graphical indication, associated with the particular tab, that indicates to a user of the computing device that the particular tab is recording the audio and/or visual signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

executing, by a processor of a computing device, at least a portion of an application that includes a plurality of tabs, each tab associated with a respective document that is configured to be rendered for display by the application;

determining a particular tab of the plurality of tabs that is recording an audio and/or visual signal derived from an environment of the computing device; and

providing a graphical indication, associated with the particular tab, that indicates to a user of the computing device that the particular tab is recording the audio and/or visual signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the indication includes providing a graphical user interface on a label handle of the particular tab.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the indication includes providing the indication on a thumbnail handle of the particular tab.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the tab includes:

determining that a plug-in is included with the application; and

determining which tab of the application is included with the plug-in.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plug-in is included with a plurality of tabs, and

wherein determining the particular tab includes receiving an indication from the plug-in as to which tab is included with the audio signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a graphical indication associated with the particular tab includes displaying the graphical indication on an icon associated with the application, if the application is not displayed but is still executed by the processor of the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a graphical indication associated with the particular tab includes displaying the graphical indication within a notification center associated with an operating system executed by the processor of the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, further including manipulating the audio and/or visual signal, based upon a command generated by the graphical indication in response to a user interaction.

9. An computing device comprising:

a processor configured to execute an application that includes a plurality of tabs, each tab associated with a respective document that is configured to be rendered for display by the application;

an audio/visual controller configured to determine a particular tab of the plurality of tabs that is recording an audio and/or visual signal derived from an environment of the computing device; and

an audio/visual user interface (UI) generator configured to provide a graphical indication, associated with the particular tab, that indicates to a user of the computing device that the particular tab is recording the audio and/or visual signal.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the audio/visual user interface (UI) generator is configured to provide the indication on a thumbnail handle of the particular tab.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the audio/visual user interface (UI) generator is configured to provide a graphical user interface on a label handle of the particular tab.

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the audio/visual controller is configured to:

determine that a plug-in is included with the application; and

determine which tab of the application is included with the plug-in.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the plug-in is included with a plurality of tabs, and

wherein the audio/visual controller is configured to determine the particular by, at least in part, receiving an indication from the plug-in as to which tab is included with the audio signal.

14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the audio/visual user interface (UI) generator is configured to display the graphical indication on an icon associated with the application, if the application is not displayed but is still executed by the processor of the computing device.

15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the audio/visual controller is configured to manipulate the audio and/or visual signal, based upon a command generated by the graphical indication in response to a user interaction.

16. A tangibly embodied computer-readable medium including executable code of a machine-executable program which, when executed, is configured to cause an apparatus to:

execute, by a processor of the apparatus, an application that includes a plurality of tabs, each tab associated with a respective document that is configured to be rendered for display by the application;

determine a particular tab of the plurality of tabs that is recording an audio and/or visual signal derived from an environment of the apparatus; and

provide a graphical indication, associated with the particular tab, that indicates to a user of the apparatus that the particular tab is recording the audio and/or visual signal.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-executable program which, when executed, is configured to cause the apparatus to:

provide a graphical user interface on a label handle of the particular tab.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-executable program which, when executed, is configured to cause the apparatus to:

provide the indication on a thumbnail handle of the particular tab.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-executable program which, when executed, is configured to cause the apparatus to:

determine that a plug-in is included with the application; and

determine which tab of the application is included with the plug-in.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-executable program which, when executed, is configured to cause the apparatus to:

display the graphical indication within a notification center associated with an operating system executed by the processor of the apparatus.