Managing audio at the tab level for user notification and control

• US 9,886,160 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Xian, Shijing, Lachapelle, Serge, Wiitala, Yuri James, Lin, Jiao Yang, Lam, Hin-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Chuang, Jung-Mu
• Application Number:
  US13/843,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20140281983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• 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 a first application that includes a first tab and a second tab from a plurality of tabs, each of the plurality of tabs being associated with a respective document that is configured to be rendered for display by the first application;

accessing a permission setting for the first tab, the permission setting being a permission to record an audio and/or visual signal;

determining the permission to record the audio and/or visual signal for the first tab of the plurality of tabs based on the permission setting;

in response to determining the first tab of the plurality of tabs has the permission to and a second application is recording the audio and/or visual signal, providing a graphical indication, associated with the first tab and visible when a label handle for the first tab is visible, visible when the second tab is in focus and visible when the first tab is not in focus, the graphical indication indicates to a user of the computing device that the first tab is recording the audio and/or visual signal; and

triggering a display of the graphical indication within a notification center associated with an operating system executed by the processor of the computing device when the label handle for the first tab is hidden.

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

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

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second application is a plug-in included with the first application; and

the method further includes determining that the first tab of the first application is associated with the plug-in.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plug-in is included with the plurality of tabs, and wherein determining the first 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 of the graphical indication associated with the first tab includes displaying the graphical indication on an icon associated with the second application, if the second application is not displayed but is still executed by the processor of the computing device.

7. 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.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio and/or visual signal is derived from an environment of the computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the permission setting for the first tab is stored as a list of permissions including a permission for each of the plurality of tabs,

the list of permissions is associated with an audio controller of the first application, and

the list of permissions is stored on the computing device.

10. A method, comprising:

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

receiving a message including,

a tab identifier indicating which of the plurality of tabs is associated with an audio and/or visual signal, and

an audio signal identifier indicating which of a plurality of audio and/or visual signals is the audio and/or visual signal associated with the message;

in response to receiving the message, accessing a permission setting for the first tab based on the tab identifier, the permission setting being a permission to record the audio and/or visual signal;

determining, via the permission setting for the first tab, that the first tab has the permission to record audio via a microphone;

providing a graphical indication, associated with the first tab and visible when the second tab is in focus, visible when a label handle for the first tab is visible and visible when the first tab is not in focus, the graphical indication indicates to a user of the computing device that the first tab is recording the audio and/or visual signal corresponding to the audio signal identifier; and

triggering a display of the graphical indication within a common area of the first application when the label handle for the first tab is hidden.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing the indication on a thumbnail handle of the first tab.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a graphical user interface on the label handle of the first tab.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the message is received from a plug-in included with the first application; and

determining which of the plurality of tabs of the first application is associated with the plug-in based on the tab identifier.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying the graphical indication on an icon associated with a second application, if the second application is not displayed but is still executed by the computing device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising manipulating the audio signal, based upon a command generated by the graphical indication in response to a user interaction.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining, via the permission setting for the first tab, the permission to record video from the environment.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an indicator that the first tab has been closed;

receiving an indicator that a third tab including a web page associated with the first tab has been opened; and

setting a permission setting for the third tab based on the permission setting for the first tab.

18. A non-transitory 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, a first application that includes a first tab and a second tab from a plurality of tabs, each of the plurality of tabs being associated with a respective document that is configured to be rendered for display by the first application;

accessing a permission setting for the first tab, the permission setting being a permission to record an audio and/or visual signal, the permission setting not being for the second tab;

determine the permission to record the audio and/or visual signal for the first tab of the plurality of tabs based on the permission setting;

provide a graphical indication, associated with the first tab and visible when the second tab is in focus visible when a label handle for the first tab is visible, and visible when the first tab is not in focus, the graphical indication indicates to a user of the apparatus that the first tab is recording the audio and/or visual signal; and

trigger a display of the graphical indication within a notification center associated with an operating system executed by the processor of the apparatus when the label handle for the first tab is hidden.

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

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