Method and system for interfacing with an electronic device via respiratory and/or tactual input

• US 9,116,544 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pierre Bonnat
• Original Assignee: Pierre Bonnat
• Inventors: Bonnat, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles V
• Application Number:
  US12/056,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20090244003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,708 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 715/700, 715727-729, 715/831, 715/865
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for interfacing with an electronic device via respiratory and/or tactual input are provided. In this regard, respiratory and tactual input may be utilized to interact with an electronic device via a user interface. The user interface may comprise a control region that may enable navigating and selecting objects, a fixed region that may enable display of information that may be independent of a state of, or activity in, the control region, and a content region that may enable display of information that may depend on a state of, or activity in, the control region. Accordingly, objects and/or information displayed on the electronic device may be affected and/or manipulated via tactual and respiratory input. Additionally, each region of the user interface may comprise one or more zones and a size, shape, and/or location of each region may be customized by a user.

Claims

1. A method for system control, the method comprising:

in an electronic device comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed thereon, interfacing with said electronic device via said GUI utilizing at least a first mode of user input and a second mode of user input, the second mode of user input different from the first mode of user input, wherein said GUI of said electronic device comprises;

a control region that permits user selection of a graphical object in said control region, using said first mode of user input, said graphical object moved to within said control region from outside of said control region using said second mode of user input, the graphical object representative of associated digital content or an associated application, wherein selection by said user of said graphical object within said control region initiates access to said associated digital content or said associated application on said electronic device;

a fixed region that enables display of information that is independent of a state of, or activity in, said control region, wherein said fixed region is separate from said control region; and

a content region that permits navigation or movement of the graphical object from said content region into said control region, but not selection of said graphical object in said content region, using said second mode of user input; and

said user interface enables concurrently displaying said control region, said fixed region, and said content region.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said fixed region comprises one or more fixed zones, said control region comprises one or more control zones, and said content region comprises one or more content zones.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said applications on said electronic device are grouped into a plurality of categories.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein each category of said plurality of categories is associated with a corresponding background image of a plurality of background images, and wherein said corresponding background image of said plurality of background images for a category of a particular application is displayed in said content region when said particular application is navigated to but not selected in said control region.

5. The method according to claim 3, comprising navigating said applications on said electronic device by scrolling through said categories via said first mode of user input and scrolling through said applications grouped into a particular category via said second mode of user input.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said control region is configurable by a user.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said fixed region is configurable by a user.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said content region is configurable by a user.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising scrolling information displayed on said electronic device via said second mode of user input and scrolling information displayed on said electronic device via said first mode of user input.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising enlarging and/or shrinking information displayed on said electronic device via said first mode of user input and/or said second mode of said user input, wherein a reference point for said enlarging and/or shrinking is selected via said first mode of user input and an amount by which said information is enlarged and/or shrunk is controlled via said second mode of user input.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said fixed region, said control region, and/or said content region depends on an application and/or function being utilized on said electronic device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device may comprise one or more of a phone, a notebook computer, a personal media player, a personal digital assistant, and/or a multi-function mobile device.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein said content region is separate from said control region.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein said first mode of user input is tactual input and said second mode of user input is respiratory input.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for system control, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

in an electronic device comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed thereon, interfacing with said electronic device via said GUI utilizing at least a first mode of user input and a second mode of user input, wherein said GUI of said electronic device comprises;

a control region that permits user selection of a graphical object in said control region, using said first mode of user input, said graphical object moved to within said control region from outside of said control region using said second mode of user input, the graphical object representative of associated digital content or an associated application, wherein selection by said user of said graphical object within said control region initiates access to said associated digital content or said associated application on said electronic device;

a fixed region that enables display of information that is independent of a state of, or activity in, said control region, wherein said fixed region is separate from said control region; and

a content region that permits navigation or movement of the graphical object from said content region into said control region, but not selection of said graphical object in said content region, using said second mode of user input; and

said user interface enables concurrently displaying said control region, said fixed region, and said content region.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein said fixed region comprises one or more fixed zones, said control region comprises one or more control zones, and said content region comprises one or more content zones.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein said applications on said electronic device are grouped into a plurality of categories.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein each category of said plurality of categories is associated with a corresponding background image of a plurality of background images, and wherein said corresponding background image of said plurality of background images for a category of a particular application is displayed in said content region when said particular application is navigated to but not selected in said control region.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for navigating said applications on said electronic device by scrolling through said categories via said first mode of user input and scrolling through said applications grouped into a particular category via said second mode of user input.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said control region is configurable by a user.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said fixed region is configurable by a user.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said content region is configurable by a user.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for scrolling information displayed on said electronic device via said second mode of user input and scrolling information displayed on said electronic device via said first mode of user input.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for enlarging and/or shrinking information displayed on said electronic device via said first mode of user and/or said second mode of user input, wherein a reference point for said enlarging and/or shrinking is selected via said first mode of user input and an amount by which said information is enlarged and/or shrunk is controlled via said second mode of user input.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said fixed region, said control region, and/or said content region depends on an application and/or function being utilized on said electronic device.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein said electronic device may comprise one or more of a phone, a notebook computer, a personal media player, a personal digital assistant, and/or a multi-function mobile device.

25. A control system comprising:

in an electronic device comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed thereon, one or more processors that enable interfacing with said electronic device via said GUI utilizing at least a first mode of user input and a second mode of user input, wherein said GUI of said electronic device comprises;

a control region that permits user selection of a graphical object in said control region, using said first mode of user input, said graphical object moved to within said control region from outside of said control region using said second mode of user input, the graphical object representative of associated digital content or an associated application, wherein selection by said user of said graphical object within said control region initiates access to said associated digital content or said associated application on said electronic device;

a fixed region that enables display of information that is independent of a state of, or activity in, said control region, wherein said fixed region is separate from said control region; and

a content region that permits navigation or movement of the graphical object from said content region into said control region, but not selection of said graphical object in said content region, using said second mode of user input; and

said one or more processors enable displaying concurrently in said user interface, said control region, said fixed region, and said content region.

26. The control system according to claim 25, wherein said fixed region comprises one or more fixed zones, said control region comprises one or more control zones, and said content region comprises one or more content zones.

27. The control system according to claim 25, wherein said applications on said electronic device are grouped into a plurality of categories.

28. The control system according to claim 27, wherein each category of said plurality of categories is associated with a corresponding background image of a plurality of background images, and wherein said corresponding background image of said plurality of background images is displayed in said content region when a particular application is navigated to but not selected in said control region.

29. The control system according to claim 27, wherein said one or more processors enable navigating said applications on said electronic device by scrolling through said categories via said first mode of user input and scrolling through said applications grouped into a particular category via said second mode of said user input.

30. The control system according to claim 25, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said control region is configurable by a user.

31. The control system according to claim 25, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said fixed region is configurable by a user.

32. The control system according to claim 25, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said content region is configurable by a user.

33. The control system according to claim 25, wherein said one or more processors enable scrolling information displayed on said electronic device via said second mode of user input and scrolling information displayed on said electronic device via said first mode of user input.

34. The control system according to claim 25, said one or more processors enable enlarging and/or shrinking information displayed on said electronic device via said first mode of user input and/or said second mode of user input, wherein a reference point for said enlarging and/or shrinking is selected via said first mode of user input and an amount by which said information is enlarged and/or shrunk is controlled via said second mode of user input.

35. The control system according to claim 25, wherein one or more of a size, a shape, and a location of said fixed region, said control region, and/or said content region depends on an application and/or function being utilized on said electronic device.

36. The control system according to claim 25, wherein said electronic device may comprise one or more of a phone, a notebook computer, a personal media player, a personal digital assistant, and/or a multi-function mobile device.