Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080198130 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACQUIRING A TARGET WITH INTELLIGENT POINTER MOVEMENT - The present invention is generally directed to assisting users to position a pointer on a target. Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and computer-readable medium that guide a pointer toward a target. After the pointer is located on a target, pointer movement continues to be adjusted so that the user may easily keep the pointer located on the target. | 08-21-2008 |
20080198160 | APPROPRIATELY SIZED TARGET EXPANSION - The present starburst target expansion technique connects targets to peripheral screen space to produce reasonably sized tiles for all targets including those that are located inside of a cluster. The resulting layout is characterized by lines escaping from the cluster center. By providing targets located inside a cluster with access to empty screen space, the present starburst target expansion technique is able to assign screen space to targets that remain small if expanded using the traditional Voronoi approach. If used on a device with limited input accuracy, such as a pen-based tablet or a touch screen-based kiosk system, target expansion via the starburst target expansion technique can lead to substantial performance improvements. | 08-21-2008 |
20080250012 | IN SITU SEARCH FOR ACTIVE NOTE TAKING - A system and method that facilitates and effectuates in situ search for active note taking. The system and method includes receiving gestures from a stylus and a tablet associated with the system. Upon recognizing the gesture as belonging to a set of known and recognized gestures, the system creates an embeddable object, initiates a search with terms indicated by the gesture, associates the search results with the created object and inserts the object in close proximity with the terms that instigated the search. | 10-09-2008 |
20090094283 | ACTIVE USE LOOKUP VIA MOBILE DEVICE - A system and methodology that enables a mobile device user to privately retrieve information while engaged in an active communication session is provided. The innovation enables a user to prompt lookup and retrieval of information (e.g., calendar appointments, contact information, task information) without interruption of the active communication session. The content of the information can be configured and conveyed by way of private audible feedback only detectible by the requesting party. | 04-09-2009 |
20090094560 | HANDLE FLAGS - The claimed subject matter provides techniques to effectuate and facilitate efficient and flexible selection of display objects. The system can include devices and components that acquire gestures from pointing instrumentalities and thereafter ascertains velocities and proximities in relation to the displayed objects. Based at least upon these ascertained velocities and proximities falling below or within threshold levels, the system displays flags associated with the display object. | 04-09-2009 |
20090143125 | POPULATION OF LANDMARKS FOR USE WITH A MAP APPLICATION - An interactive map-based game is provided for populating a landmark database with commonly known landmarks. A game session can provide a user with a number of maps that can be presented in succession. Each map presented can be a map segment that is a function of a latitude/longitude pair and a zoom level. A user can enter the names of landmarks believed to be contained in the map segment. If the name entered matches a name within a landmark database, points can be awarded. Once a threshold level of positive confirmations of a landmark name are received, the landmark can be marked as taboo and further entries of that landmark name can be disregarded or minimal points can be awarded for the entry. | 06-04-2009 |
20090143984 | LOCATION-TO-LANDMARK - A mapping application that returns results for a target location as a function of at least one nearby landmark. The one or more nearby landmarks can be selected based on an expected user familiarity with the landmark, a precision of the landmark and/or a spatial relationship of the landmark with respect to the target location. Although landmarks are an integral aspect of navigation, they have rarely been used within electronic navigation devices. Electronic navigation means for a mobile device or other devices can guide the user along a route using photographs of landmarks together with audio and text instructions that reference these landmarks. This can assist older users who often find their mobility hampered by declines in sensory, cognitive and motor abilities. | 06-04-2009 |
20090187824 | SELF-REVELATION AIDS FOR INTERFACES - Systems and/or methods are provided that facilitates revealing assistance information associated with a user interface. An interface can obtain input information related to interactions between the interface and a user. In addition, the interface can output assistance information in situ with the user interface. Further, a decision component that determines the in situ assistance information output by the interface based at least in part on the obtained input information. | 07-23-2009 |
20100013777 | TRACKING INPUT IN A SCREEN-REFLECTIVE INTERFACE ENVIRONMENT - In an example embodiment, a method is adapted to tracking input with a device. The method includes an act of monitoring and acts of activating and displaying if a touch input is detected. The device has a first side and a second side, with the second side opposite the first side. The device has a display screen disposed on the first side, and a screen-reflective interface disposed on the second side. Respective positions on the screen-reflective interface correspond to respective locations of the display screen. The screen-reflective interface of the device is monitored. If a touch input is detected on the screen-reflective interface, the device performs acts of activating and displaying. Specifically, a tracking state is activated for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected touch input on the screen-reflective interface. The interface icon is displayed on the display screen to indicate that the tracking state has been activated. | 01-21-2010 |
20100020026 | Touch Interaction with a Curved Display - Touch interaction with a curved display (e.g., a sphere, a hemisphere, a cylinder, etc.) is enabled through various user interface (UI) features. In an example embodiment, a curved display is monitored to detect a touch input. If a touch input is detected based on the act of monitoring, then one or more locations of the touch input are determined. Responsive to the determined one or more locations of the touch input, at least one user UI feature is implemented. Example UI features include an orb-like invocation gesture feature, a rotation-based dragging feature, a send-to-dark-side interaction feature, and an object representation and manipulation by proxy representation feature. | 01-28-2010 |
20100023895 | Touch Interaction with a Curved Display - Touch interaction with a curved display (e.g., a sphere, a hemisphere, a cylinder, etc.) is facilitated by preserving a predetermined orientation for objects. In an example embodiment, a curved display is monitored to detect a touch input on an object. If a touch input on an object is detected based on the monitoring, then one or more locations of the touch input are determined. The object may be manipulated responsive to the determined one or more locations of the touch input. While manipulation of the object is permitted, a predetermined orientation is preserved. | 01-28-2010 |
20120056840 | Precise selection techniques for multi-touch screens - A unique system and method is provided that facilitates pixel-accurate targeting with respect to multi-touch sensitive displays when selecting or viewing content with a cursor. In particular, the system and method can track dual inputs from a primary finger and a secondary finger, for example. The primary finger can control movement of the cursor while the secondary finger can adjust a control-display ratio of the screen. As a result, cursor steering and selection of an assistance mode can be performed at about the same time or concurrently. In addition, the system and method can stabilize a cursor position at a top middle point of a user's finger in order to mitigate clicking errors when making a selection. | 03-08-2012 |
20120191336 | LOCATION-TO-LANDMARK - A mapping application that returns results for a target location as a function of at least one nearby landmark. The one or more nearby landmarks can be selected based on an expected user familiarity with the landmark, a precision of the landmark and/or a spatial relationship of the landmark with respect to the target location. Although landmarks are an integral aspect of navigation, they have rarely been used within electronic navigation devices. Electronic navigation means for a mobile device or other devices can guide the user along a route using photographs of landmarks together with audio and text instructions that reference these landmarks. This can assist older users who often find their mobility hampered by declines in sensory, cognitive and motor abilities. | 07-26-2012 |
20120240043 | Self-Revelation Aids for Interfaces - Systems and/or methods are provided that facilitates revealing assistance information associated with a user interface. An interface can obtain input information related to interactions between the interface and a user. In addition, the interface can output assistance information in situ with the user interface. Further, a decision component that determines the in situ assistance information output by the interface based at least in part on the obtained input information. | 09-20-2012 |
20140109017 | Precise Selection Techniques For Multi-Touch Screens - A unique system and method is provided that facilitates pixel-accurate targeting with respect to multi-touch sensitive displays when selecting or viewing content with a cursor. In particular, the system and method can track dual inputs from a primary finger and a secondary finger, for example. The primary finger can control movement of the cursor while the secondary finger can adjust a control-display ratio of the screen. As a result, cursor steering and selection of an assistance mode can be performed at about the same time or concurrently. In addition, the system and method can stabilize a cursor position at a top middle point of a user's finger in order to mitigate clicking errors when making a selection. | 04-17-2014 |