Providing user input to a computing device with an eye closure

• US 9,483,113 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardie, Ion Mateo, Fowers, Timothy Lee, Dugan, William Allan, Shepard, Isaac Jeremy, Fisher, Brian David, Schiewe, Robert Gustave
• Primary Examiner(s): Sternbane, Larry
• Application Number:
  US14/715,242
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L

Abstract

Various embodiments enable additional content or features to be displayed to a user in response to detecting one eye of the user being closed either as a wink or for a duration of time. In one example, the additional content is graphical overlay, such as a menu containing selectable graphical elements to perform functions related to an application, game, or content, of global navigational features of the computing device in general, or to alternate views, features, or supplemental content for an application or game currently being displayed on a computing device. In one example, the overlay may be displayed only as long as the user keeps one eye closed or, alternatively, the user could wink to display the overlay and provide some other input to remove the overlay.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

displaying first content on a display element of a computing device;

receiving first eye closed data indicating a sensor detected a first eye of a user was at least substantially closed while a second eye of the user was at least substantially open;

displaying a navigational menu as second content on the display element based at least in part on the first eye closed data, the second content different from the first content;

receiving second eye closed data indicating the sensor detected the second eye of the user was at least substantially closed while the first eye of the user was at least substantially open; and

displaying third content on the display element based at least in part on the second eye closed data, the third content different from the second content.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the navigational menu enables at least one of:

navigating to a home screen;

accessing stored content;

or searching for stored content within the computing device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first content comprises displaying a map, and displaying the second content comprises displaying a zoomed-in view of the map.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the first content comprises displaying a map, and displaying the third content comprises displaying a zoomed-out view of the map.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying first content comprises displaying a map, and displaying the second content comprises displaying a traffic overlay on the map.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying first content comprises displaying a map, and displaying the second content comprises displaying a satellite image overlay on the map.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first content comprises displaying a map, and displaying the second content comprises displaying a street-view overlay on the map.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first content comprises displaying a game, and displaying the second content comprises displaying at least one of:

a tool inventory;

a list of tasks;

a list of lives;

or a list of health.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the second content further comprises soliciting a haptic response, the method further comprising receiving a haptic response.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

displaying first content on a display element of a computing device;

receiving first eye closed data indicating a sensor detected a first eye of a user was at least substantially closed while a second eye of the user was at least substantially open;

displaying second content on the display element based at least in part on the first eye closed data, the second content different from the first content;

receiving second eye closed data indicating the sensor detected the second eye of the user was at least substantially closed while the first eye of the user was at least substantially open; and

displaying at least one of;

a home screen;

a specific application;

or a lock screen of the computing device as third content on the display element based at least in part on the second eye closed data, the third content different from the second content.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

displaying first content on a display element of a computing device;

receiving first eye closed data indicating a sensor detected a first eye of a user was at least substantially closed while a second eye of the user was at least substantially open;

displaying, as second content on the display element, a solicitation for an audio response, the solicitation for the audio response based at least in part on the first eye closed data, the second content different from the first content;

receiving an audio response;

receiving second eye closed data indicating the sensor detected the second eye of the user was at least substantially closed while the first eye of the user was at least substantially open; and

displaying third content on the display element based at least in part on the second eye closed data, the third content different from the second content.

12. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

an imaging element;

a display screen; and

memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

display first content on the display screen of the computing device;

receive eye closed data indicating the imaging element detected a first eye of a user was at least substantially closed while a second eye of the user was at least substantially open;

display second content, different from the first content, on the display screen based at least in part on the eye closed data, wherein the second content solicits an audio response; and

receive an audio response.

13. The computing device of claim 12, further comprising an infrared (IR) sensor, the instructions further causing the computing device to detect IR radiation reflected by only one eye of the user.

14. The computing device of claim 12, further comprising an audio sensor, wherein instructions to receive the audio response comprise instructions to receive the audio response from the audio sensor.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:

display first content on a display screen of the computing device;

receive eye closed data indicating a sensor detected a first eye of a user was at least substantially closed while a second eye of the user was at least substantially open;

display second content, different from the first content, on the display screen based at least in part on the eye closed data, wherein the second content solicits an audio response; and

receive an audio response.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein instruction to display first content further comprise instructions to display a map.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein instructions to display first content further comprise instructions to display a game.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein instructions to display second content further comprise instructions to display a navigational menu that enables at least one of:

navigating to a home screen;

accessing stored content;

or searching for stored content within the computing device.