Expectation assisted text messaging

• US 8,775,975 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buckyball Mobile, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Buckyball Mobile, Inc.
• Inventors: Karmarkar, Amit V., Peters, Richard R., Karmarkar, Sharada
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/208,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20120094700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 455/466, 345/473
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

In one exemplary embodiment, a text message may be sent in which eye-tracking data is used to associate information with a portion of the text message. A text message input by a user may be displayed, with eye-tracking data from the user indicating an expectation associated with a portion of the text message. The expectation may cause information related to the portion of the text message to be associated with the portion of the message.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of sending a text message from a user of a user device to a second user, the method comprising:

displaying text message input from the user of the user device;

determining eye-tracking data from the user, wherein the eye-tracking data is associated-with a portion of the text message;

determining an information related to the portion of the text message, wherein the information is determined based on at least one of a meaning or a context of the portion of the text message, and wherein the information comprises a context-data type relevant to the meaning of the portion;

automatically and dynamically creating a linkage between the information related to the portion of the text message and the portion of the text message when the eye-tracking data exceeds a specified threshold, wherein the portion of the text message is modified to indicate the linkage; and

sending, the text message to the second user, wherein the text message comprises the information related to the portion of the text message and the portion of the text message.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the specified threshold is indicated if the eye-tracking data from the user exceeds a threshold number of regressions for the portion of the text message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the specified threshold is indicated if the eye-tracking data from the user indicates a fixation on the portion of the text message, wherein the fixation exceeds a predetermined period of time.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined period of time is 1500 milliseconds.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the specified threshold is indicated if the eye-tracking data exceeds a threshold based on a saccadic pattern associated with the portion of the text message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information is based on a sensor associated with the user device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the sensor provides data based on at least one of global position, temperature, pressure, or time.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for sending a text message from a user of a user device to a second user, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

displaying a text message input from the user of the user device;

determining eye-tracking data from the user, wherein the eye-tracking data is associated with a portion of the text message;

determining an information related to the portion of the text message, wherein the information is determined based on at least one of a meaning or a context of the portion of the text message, and wherein the information comprises a context-data type relevant to the meaning of the portion;

automatically and dynamically creating a linkage between the information related to the portion of the text message and the portion of the text message when the eye-tracking data exceeds a specified threshold, wherein the portion of the text message is modified to indicate the linkage; and

sending the text message to the second user, wherein the text message comprises the information related to the portion of the text message and the portion of the text message.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the specified threshold is indicated if the eye-tracking data from the user exceeds a threshold number of regressions for the portion of the text message.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the specified threshold is indicated if the eye-tracking data from the user indicates a fixation on the portion of the text message, wherein the fixation exceeds a predetermined period of time.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the information is based on a sensor associated with the user device.

12. A computer system for sending a text message from a user of a user device to a second user, the system comprising:

memory configured to store the text message; and

one or more processors configured to;

display a text message input from the user of the user device;

determine eye-tracking data from the user, wherein the eye-tracking data is associated-with a portion of the text message;

determine an information related to the portion of the text message, wherein the information is determined based on at least one of a meaning or a context of the portion of the text message, and wherein the information comprises a context-data type relevant to the meaning of the portion;

automatically and dynamically create a linkage between the information related to the portion of the text message and the portion of the text message when the eye-tracking data exceeds a specified threshold, wherein the portion of the text message is modified to indicate the linkage; and

send the text message to the second user, wherein the text message comprises the information related to the portion of the text message and the portion of the text message.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the specified threshold is indicated if the eye-tracking data exceeds a threshold based on a saccadic pattern associated with the portion of the text message.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the information is based on a sensor associated with the user device.

15. The computer system of claim 12, wherein creating a linkage between the information with the portion of the text message further comprises changing the color of the portion of the text message.