Method and apparatus for interface control with prompt and feedback
To prompt input and provide feedback on input to a user with an interface, inputs and graphical cursors associated with those inputs are defined. Each input may have several forms such as base, hover, engaged, completed, and error. User input is anticipated. The base form of the anticipated input cursor is displayed to prompt the user for the anticipated input. If user hover is detected that matches anticipated input, the hover form is displayed to confirm the match to the user. If user input is detected that matches anticipated input, the engaged form is displayed as confirmation. If user input is completed that matches anticipated input, the completed form is displayed as confirmation. If user hover or input does not match anticipated input, the error form is displayed to indicate mismatch. Not all cursors must have all forms, and some cursors may have multiples of some forms.
1. A method, comprising:
establishing, by a processor, user inputs that include a one-finger input, a two-finger input, a pinch-in input, and a pinch-out input, said user inputs comprising free space hand gesture inputs;
establishing, by the processor, a base form, a hover form, an engaged press form, and an engaged press-and-hold form for said one-finger input;
establishing, by the processor, a base form, an engaged press form, and an engaged swipe form for said two-finger input;
establishing, by the processor, a base form and an engaged form for said pinch-out input;
establishing, by the processor, a base form and an engaged form for said pinch-in input;
establishing, by the processor, a plurality of graphical cursors and associating each of said plurality of graphical cursors with at least one of said user inputs, comprising:
a base form one-finger input graphical cursor comprising a hollow circle with dashed crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said base form of said one-finger input;
a hover form one-finger input graphical cursor comprising a hollow circle with contracted dashed crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said hover form of said one-finger input;
an engaged form one-finger press input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle, associated with said engaged press form of said one-finger input;
an engaged form one-finger press-and-hold input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle with at least one concentric circle thereabout, associated with said engaged press-and-hold form of said one-finger input;
a base form two-finger input graphical cursor comprising a hollow circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said base form of said two-finger input;
an engaged form two-finger press input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said engaged press form of said two-finger input;
an engaged form two-finger swipe input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof with at least one of said arrow marks comprising at least two arrows, associated with said engaged press-and-hold form of said two-finger input;
a base form pinch-out input graphical cursor comprising a hollow dashed circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof and pointing outward therefrom, associated with said base of said pinch-out input;
an engaged form pinch-out input graphical cursor comprising a filled dashed circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof and pointing outward therefrom with each of said arrow marks comprising at least two arrows, associated with said engaged form of said pinch-out input;
a base form pinch-in input graphical cursor comprising a hollow dashed circle with arrow marks disposed within a periphery thereof and pointing inward therefrom, associated with said base of said pinch-in input;
a base form pinch-in input graphical cursor comprising a filled dashed circle with arrow marks disposed within a periphery thereof and pointing inward therefrom with each of said arrow marks comprising at least two arrows, associated with said engaged form of said pinch-in input; and
wherein each of said plurality of graphical cursors is graphically distinctive from other cursors and is graphically indicative of said user inputs associated therewith, so as to identify to a viewer of a display;
in said processor, anticipating a user input;
outputting to said display said base form of said cursor associated with said anticipated user input;
detecting, by a sensor, a user hover;
if said detected user hover corresponds with said anticipated user input associated with an outputted cursor and said outputted cursor comprises said hover form, outputting to said display said hover form of said cursor associated with said anticipated user input, so as to confirm to said viewer a match between said anticipated user input and said detected user hover;
detecting, by the sensor, the user input; and
if said detected user input corresponds with said anticipated user input associated with said outputted cursor and said outputted cursor comprises said engaged form, outputting to said display said engaged form of said cursor associated with said anticipated user input, so as to confirm to said viewer a match between said anticipated user input and said detected user input.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the user inputs comprise a first type of hands-free user input and a second type of hands-free user input; and
the plurality of graphical cursors comprises a first cursor and a second cursor.
3. The method of claim 2 , comprising:
receiving, from an input device, the second type of hands-free user input for the user interface being associated with the first type of hands-free user input; and
in response to the second type of hands-free user input not corresponding with the first type of hands-free user input for the user interface, outputting to the display a graphical emphasis of the base form of the first cursor associated with the first type of hands-free user input so as to indicate to the viewer a non-correspondence between the second type of hands-free user input and the first type of hands-free user input for the user interface.
4. The method of claim 2 , comprising:
receiving, from an input device, the second type of hands-free user input for the user interface being associated with the first type of hands-free user input; and
in response to the second type of user input not corresponding with the first type of hands-free user input for the user interface, outputting to the display an error indication so as to indicate to the viewer a non-correspondence between the second type of hands-free user input and the first type of hands-free user input for the user interface.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
detecting a second user hover that does not correspond with the first cursor; and
displaying, by the display, a graphical emphasis of the base form of the first cursor to indicate to the viewer a non-correspondence between the first cursor and the detected second user hover.
6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
detecting a second user hover that does not correspond with the first cursor; and
displaying, by the display, an error indication to indicate to the viewer a non-correspondence between the first cursor and the detected second user hover.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises hand gesture inputs.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises free space hand gesture inputs.
9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first cursor comprises a graphically hollow cursor and the second cursor comprises a graphically filled cursor.
10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the hover form of the first cursor is graphically compacted compared to the base form of the first cursor.
11. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a single touch input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a single touch cursor associated with the single touch input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the single touch cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input is graphically indicative of a one-point touch to a designated position in space.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the single touch cursor of the first hands-free user input or the second hands-free user input comprises a circle with crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the circle is graphically indicative of the designated position and the one-point touch thereto.
13. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a double touch input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a double touch cursor associated with the double touch input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the double touch cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input is graphically indicative of a two-point touch to a designated position in space.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a single touch input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a single touch cursor associated with the single touch input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively;
the single touch cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a circle with crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof, and the double touch cursor comprises a circle larger than a circle of the single touch cursor with crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the circle of the double touch cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input is graphically indicative of the designated position and the circle of the double touch cursor being larger is graphically indicative of the two-point touch thereto.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the double touch cursor comprises two at least partial circles mutually connected with crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the at least partial circles are graphically indicative of the designated position, and the two at least partial circles are graphically indicative of the two-point touch thereto.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the double touch cursor comprises two circles mutually proximate with crosshair marks disposed around a perimeter thereof; and
the circles are graphically indicative of the designated position, and the two circles are graphically indicative of the two-point touch thereto.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the double touch cursor comprises a circle with paired crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the circle is graphically indicative of the designated position, and the paired crosshair marks are graphically indicative of the two-point touch thereto.
18. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a single point directional swipe input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a single point directional swipe cursor associated with the single point directional swipe input; and
the single point directional swipe cursor is graphically indicative of a one-point swipe in a designated direction.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:
the single point directional swipe cursor comprises a circle with at least one arrow disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the at least one arrow is graphically indicative of the designated direction and the circle is graphically indicative of the one-point swipe in the designated direction.
20. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a double point directional swipe input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a double point directional swipe cursor associated with the double point directional swipe input; and
the double point directional swipe cursor is graphically indicative of a two-point swipe in a designated direction.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a single point directional swipe input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a single point directional swipe cursor associated with the single point directional swipe input;
the single point directional swipe cursor comprises a circle with at least one arrow disposed around a periphery thereof, the double point directional swipe cursor comprises a circle larger than the circle of the single point directional swipe cursor with at least one arrow disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the at least one arrow disposed around the periphery of a double point circle is graphically indicative of the designated direction and the double point circle being larger is graphically indicative of the two-point swipe in the designated direction.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein:
the double point directional swipe cursor comprises two at least partial circles mutually connected with at least one arrow disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the arrow is graphically indicative of the designated direction and the two at least partial circles are graphically indicative of the two-point swipe in the designated direction.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein:
the double point directional swipe cursor comprises two circles mutually proximate with at least one arrow disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the arrow is graphically indicative of the designated direction and the two circles are graphically indicative of the two-point swipe in the designated direction.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein:
the double point directional swipe cursor comprises a circle with at least one pair of arrows disposed around a periphery thereof; and
the pair of arrows is graphically indicative of the designated direction and the two-point swipe in the designated direction.
25. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a single point press input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprises a single point press cursor associated with the single point press input; and
the single point press cursor is graphically indicative of a one-point press at a designated position.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein:
the single point press cursor comprises a circle; and
the circle is graphically indicative of the designated position and the one-point press thereto.
27. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a double point press input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a double point press cursor associated with the double point press input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the double point press cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input is graphically indicative of a two-point press at a designated position.
28. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a double point press input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a double point press cursor associated with the double point press input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the double point press cursor comprises a circle larger than a double point directional swipe cursor circle.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein:
the double point press cursor comprises two at least partial circles mutually connected; and
the at least partial circles are graphically indicative of a designated position and the two at least partial circles are graphically indicative of a double point touch thereto.
30. The method of claim 28 , wherein:
the double point press cursor comprises two circles mutually proximate; and
the circles are graphically indicative of a designated position and the two circles are graphically indicative of the two-point touch thereto.
31. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a single point press and hold input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a single point press and hold cursor associated with the single point press and hold input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the single point press and hold input cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input is graphically indicative of a one-point press and hold at a designated position.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein:
the single point press and hold cursor comprises a circle with at least one concentric ring disposed thereabout; and
the circle is graphically indicative of the designated position and the one-point press thereto, and a concentric ring is graphically indicative of a press and hold.
33. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a double point press and hold input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise the double point press and hold cursor associated with the double point press and hold input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the double point press and hold input cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input is graphically indicative of a two-point press at a designated position.
34. The method of claim 33 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a single point press and hold input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise single point press and hold cursor associated with the single point press and hold input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the single point press and hold cursor comprises a circle with at least one concentric ring disposed thereabout, the double point press and hold cursor comprises a circle larger than a circle of the single point press and hold cursor with at least one concentric ring disposed thereabout.
35. The method of claim 33 , wherein:
the double point press and hold cursor comprises two at least partial circles mutually connected with two corresponding at least partial concentric rings disposed thereabout; and
the at least partial circles are graphically indicative of the designated position, the two at least partial circles are graphically indicative of a double point touch thereto, and the two at least partial concentric rings are graphically indicative of a press and hold.
36. The method of claim 33 , wherein:
the double point press and hold cursor comprises two circles mutually proximate with two corresponding concentric rings disposed thereabout; and
the circles are graphically indicative of the designated position, the two circles are graphically indicative of a double point touch thereto, and the concentric rings are graphically indicative of a press and hold.
37. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a pinch in input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a pinch in cursor associated with the pinch in input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the pinch in cursor of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input is graphically indicative of a two-point distance closing motion.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein:
the pinch in cursor comprises two arrows mutually proximate and oriented point to point; and
the arrows are graphically indicative of the two-point distance closing motion.
39. The method of claim 38 , wherein:
the pinch in cursor comprises a visible perimeter enclosing the arrows; and
the visible perimeter enclosing the arrows is graphically indicative of the two-point distance closing motion.
40. The method of claim 37 , wherein the pinch in cursor comprises two circles mutually proximate.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein:
the pinch in cursor comprises a visible perimeter enclosing the circles; and
the visible perimeter enclosing the circles is graphically indicative of the two-point distance closing motion.
42. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input comprises a pinch out input;
the first cursor or the second cursor comprise a pinch out cursor associated with the pinch out input of the first type of hands-free user input or the second type of hands-free user input, respectively; and
the pinch out cursor is graphically indicative of a two-point distance opening motion.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein:
the pinch out cursor comprises two arrows mutually proximate and oriented base to base; and
the arrows are graphically indicative of the two-point distance opening motion.
44. The method of claim 43 , wherein:
the pinch out cursor comprises a visible perimeter between the arrows; and
the visible perimeter between the arrows is indicative of the two-point distance opening motion.
45. The method of claim 44 , wherein:
the pinch out cursor comprises a visible perimeter between circles; and
the visible perimeter between the circles is indicative of the two-point distance opening motion.
46. The method of claim 42 , wherein the pinch out cursor comprises two circles mutually proximate.
47. A device, comprising:
a processing device configured to:
establish a one-finger input, a two-finger input, a pinch-in input, and a pinch-out input, user inputs comprising free space hand gesture inputs;
establish a base form, a hover form, an engaged press form, and an engaged press-and-hold form for said one-finger input;
establish a base form, an engaged press form, and an engaged swipe form for said two-finger input;
establish a base form and an engaged form for said pinch-out input;
establish a base form and an engaged form for said pinch-in input;
establish a plurality of graphical cursors and associating each of said plurality of graphical cursors with at least one of said user inputs, comprising:
a base form one-finger input graphical cursor comprising a hollow circle with dashed crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said base form of said one-finger input;
a hover form one-finger input graphical cursor comprising a hollow circle with contracted dashed crosshair marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said hover form of said one-finger input;
an engaged form one-finger press input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle, associated with said engaged press form of said one-finger input;
an engaged form one-finger press-and-hold input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle with at least one concentric circle thereabout, associated with said engaged press-and-hold form of said one-finger input;
a base form two-finger input graphical cursor comprising a hollow circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said base form of said two-finger input;
an engaged form two-finger press input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof, associated with said engaged press form of said two-finger input;
an engaged form two-finger swipe input graphical cursor comprising a filled circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof with at least one of said arrow marks comprising at least two arrows, associated with said engaged press-and-hold form of said two-finger input;
a base form pinch-out input graphical cursor comprising a hollow dashed circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof and pointing outward therefrom, associated with said base of said pinch-out input;
an engaged form pinch-out input graphical cursor comprising a filled dashed circle with arrow marks disposed around a periphery thereof and pointing outward therefrom with each of said arrow marks comprising at least two arrows, associated with said engaged form of said pinch-out input;
a base form pinch-in input graphical cursor comprising a hollow dashed circle with arrow marks disposed within a periphery thereof and pointing inward therefrom, associated with said base of said pinch-in input;
a base form pinch-in input graphical cursor comprising a filled dashed circle with arrow marks disposed within a periphery thereof and pointing inward therefrom with each of said arrow marks comprising at least two arrows, associated with said engaged form of said pinch-in input; and
wherein each of said plurality of graphical cursors is graphically distinctive from other cursors and is graphically indicative of said user inputs associated therewith, so as to identify to a viewer of a graphical display said anticipated user input;
anticipate an anticipated user input; and
output, to a graphical display, said base form of said cursor associated with said anticipated user input;
the graphical display coupled to the processing device, wherein the graphical display is configured to display the base form of said cursor associated with said anticipated user input; and
a sensor coupled to the processing device, the sensor being configured to:
detect a user hover, wherein if said detected user hover corresponds with said anticipated user input associated with an outputted cursor and said outputted cursor comprises said hover form, the processing device is configured to output to said graphical display said hover form of said cursor associated with said anticipated user input, so as to confirm to said viewer a match between said anticipated user input and said detected user hover; and
detect a user input, wherein if said detected user input corresponds with said anticipated user input associated with said outputted cursor and said outputted cursor comprises said engaged form, the processing device outputting to said graphical display said engaged form of said cursor associated with said anticipated user input, so as to confirm to said viewer a match between said anticipated user input and said detected user input.