Gesture entry techniques

• US 9,147,058 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Casey, Brandon J., Logan, Jake M., Cressall, Erik M., Cotterill, Stephen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): IPAKCHI, MARYAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/651,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20140109018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

Techniques are provided for entering, verifying, and saving a gesture on a touch-sensitive display device. In one embodiment, the device displays a gesture entry screen where a user enters a gesture. The device estimates the entered gesture and displays the estimated gesture on a gesture replay screen. The estimated gesture may be replayed repeatedly until stopped, and the device may display a gesture verification screen where the user may reenter the gesture. The device verifies if the re-entered gesture is substantially the same as the original estimated gesture. Some embodiments include a visible trace following a user'"'"'s touch on the touch-sensitive display, where the trace may change in color and/or length depending on the speed, duration, and/or complexity of an entered gesture. Some embodiments include display indicator(s) (e.g., a strength bar, color change, timer, etc.) to indicate the strength and/or elapsed time during an entry or replay of a gesture.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch sensitive display; and

data processing circuitry configured to;

cause the touch sensitive display to display a gesture entry screen;

receive an entered gesture performed on the gesture entry screen, wherein the entered gesture comprises a selection of a set of selectable graphical elements of a plurality of selectable graphical elements displayed on the touch sensitive display and selected along a path in a first order;

determine a representation of the entered gesture based on the entered gesture;

cause the touch sensitive display to display a gesture replay screen following the determination of the representation of the entered gesture;

cause the touch sensitive display to display a replay of the representation of the entered gesture on the gesture replay screen, wherein the replay comprises a sequential illumination of each of the selected set of selectable graphical elements along the path commencing from a first selected selectable graphical element to a last selected selectable graphical element in the representation of the entered gesture such that the complete representation of the entered gesture is replayed, and wherein the sequential illumination illustrates the path of the selected set of selectable graphical elements in the first order;

cause the touch sensitive display to display a gesture verification screen following one or more replays of the representation of the entered gesture on the gesture replay screen;

receive a reentered gesture performed on the gesture verification screen;

indicate a verified gesture if the reentered gesture matches the representation of the entered gesture; and

save the verified gesture.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the gesture entry screen comprises a plurality of selectable graphical elements displayed on the touch sensitive display and a plurality of selectable touch-sensing areas not displayed on the touch sensitive display.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the entered gesture comprises a selection of a combination of selectable graphical elements and selectable touch-sensing areas.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to:

cause the touch sensitive display to display the replay of the representation of the entered gesture repeatedly;

receive an input to stop replaying the representation of the entered gesture; and

end the display of the replay of the representation of the entered gesture once the input to stop replay is received.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to cause the touch sensitive display to display a strength indicator while receiving the entered gesture on the gesture entry screen, wherein the strength indicator indicates an estimated strength of the entered gesture.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the strength indicator comprises a bar that transitions from empty to full proportional to the estimated strength of the entered gesture.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the strength indicator comprises a color transition from a first color to a second color, wherein the color transition corresponds to the estimated strength of the entered gesture.

8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to assign different strength values to different gesture combinations, and wherein the strength indicator indicates the estimated strength based on the different strength values of the entered gesture.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to cause the touch sensitive display to display a timer suitable to indicate a time elapsed while the data processing circuitry is receiving the entered gesture.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to cause the touch sensitive display to display a timer suitable to indicate an elapsed time while the touch sensitive display is displaying a replay of the representation of the entered gesture.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to cause the touch sensitive display to display a timer suitable to indicate an elapsed time while the data processing circuitry is receiving the reentered gesture performed on the gesture screen.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to cause the touch sensitive display to display the sequential illumination of the selected set of selectable graphical elements as fading along the path and corresponding to an estimated position of a user input while the entered gesture is performed on the gesture entry screen.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to cause the touch sensitive display to display an illuminated fading trail originating from a center of the estimated position of the user input, and wherein the illuminated fading trail fades in a manner such that a portion of the illuminated fading trail that is nearest to the estimated position of the user input comprises a greater intensity than a portion of the illuminated trail that is farthest from the estimated position of the user input.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the illuminated fading trail comprises a variable color that is variable based on an estimated strength of the entered gesture.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the illuminated fading trail varies in length substantially proportional to a speed of the entered gesture being performed on the gesture entry screen.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the illuminated fading trail varies in color based on an elapsed time while the data processing circuitry is receiving the entered gesture.

17. A method comprising:

displaying a gesture entry screen on a touch sensitive display;

receiving an entered gesture performed on the gesture entry screen, wherein the entered gesture comprises a selection of a set of selectable graphical elements of a plurality of selectable graphical elements displayed on the touch sensitive display and selected along a path in a first order;

determining a representation of the entered gesture based on the entered gesture received on the gesture entry screen;

displaying a gesture replay screen on the touch sensitive display subsequent to a completion of the performed entered gesture on the gesture entry screen;

replaying the representation of the entered gesture on the gesture replay screen, wherein replaying the representation of the entered gesture comprises sequentially illuminating each of the selected set of selectable graphical elements along the path commencing from a first selected selectable graphical element to a last selected selectable graphical element in the representation of the entered gesture such that the complete representation of the entered gesture is replayed, and wherein sequentially illuminating comprises illustrating the path of the selected set of selectable graphical elements in the first order;

displaying a gesture verification screen on the touch sensitive display succeeding at least one replay of the representation of the entered gesture on the gesture replay screen;

receiving a reentered gesture performed on the gesture verification screen;

indicating a verified gesture if the reentered gesture matches the representation of the entered gesture; and

saving the verified gesture.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the gesture entry screen comprises displaying a timer indicating an elapsed time while receiving the entered gesture.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the entered gesture comprises receiving the entered gesture performed on the gesture entry screen during a user-selected time period.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein replaying the representation of the entered gesture on the gesture replay screen comprises displaying a timer indicating an elapsed time of the representation of the entered gesture.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the reentered gesture performed on the gesture verification screen comprises receiving the reentered gesture performed on the gesture verification screen during a user-selected time period.

22. The method of claim 17, comprising displaying an illuminated fading trail following a user input position while receiving the entered gesture.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein displaying the illuminated fading trail comprises displaying variable colors of the illuminated fading trail based on the entered gesture.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein displaying the variable colors of the illuminated fading trail is based on a estimated strength of the entered gesture, a speed of the entered gesture, an elapsed time while receiving the entered gesture, or combinations thereof.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein displaying the illuminated fading trail comprises varying the length of the illuminated fading trail based on an estimated strength of the entered gesture, a speed of the entered gesture, a time elapsed while receiving the entered gesture, or combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein indicating the verified gesture comprises displaying a gesture verification screen indicating that gestures entered in a gesture authentication screen will be compared with the representation of the entered gesture.

27. A touch sensitive electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to cause a touch sensitive display to present a gesture entry screen, present a gesture replay screen following the presentation of the gesture entry screen, and to present a gesture verification screen following the presentation of the gesture replay screen, and configured to;

receive an entered gesture performed via the gesture entry screen, wherein the entered gesture comprises a selection of a set of selectable graphical elements of a plurality of selectable graphical elements displayed on the touch sensitive display and selected along a path in a first order;

calculate a representation of the entered gesture during the performance of the entered gesture;

instruct the touch sensitive display to iteratively display a performance of the representation of the entered gesture over a period of time via the gesture replay screen and following the performance of the entered gesture, wherein the iteratively displayed performance comprises a sequential illumination of each of the selected set of selectable graphical elements along the path commencing from a first selected selectable graphical element to a last selected selectable graphical element in the representation of the entered gesture such that the complete representation of the entered gesture is replayed, and wherein the sequential illumination illustrates the path of the selected set of selectable graphical elements in the first order;

receive a reentered gesture performed via the gesture verification screen, and

indicate a verified gesture if the reentered gesture matches the representation of the entered gesture.

28. The touch sensitive electronic device of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are configured to indicate an incorrect reentered gesture if the reentered gesture does not match the representation of the entered gesture.

29. The touch sensitive electronic device of claim 28, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the touch sensitive display to change a background color on the gesture verification screen to indicate the incorrect reentered gesture.

30. The touch sensitive electronic device of claim 28, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the touch sensitive display to change a color of features on the gesture verification screen to indicate the incorrect reentered gesture.

31. The touch sensitive electronic device of claim 27, wherein the touch sensitive electronic display is configured to display multiple cycles of the representation of the entered gesture.

32. The touch sensitive electronic device of claim 27, wherein the touch sensitive electronic display is configured to display one complete cycle of the representation of the entered gesture.

33. The touch sensitive electronic device of claim 27, wherein one or more processors are configured to receive an input via a done replay button of the gesture replay screen once one complete cycle of the representation of the entered gesture is displayed.