IP Library Granted Patent US 11,500,514
Granted Patent B2
US 11,500,514 · App. 16/711,241 · Granted Nov 15, 2022

Item selection using enhanced control

Inventor: Evan Hildreth (Dundas, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
G06F3/0482G06F3/011G06F3/017G06F3/03G06F3/0304G06F3/04842
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,500,514
App. No.
16/711,241
Granted
Nov 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An enhanced control, in which a guide line is defined relative to an object in a user interface, items aligned with the guide line are displayed without obscuring the object. A selected item is output based on receiving a selection of one of the displayed items.

Claims (61)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining, from a camera, an image of a person;

detecting a gesture of the person, wherein the gesture of the person is detected based on distance data determined based on the image, the distance data representative of a distance between the camera and at least a portion of the person;

in response to detecting the gesture, positioning an object in a user interface of a device, wherein the object is separate from the person and comprises a first control portion; and

based on a touch user input:

animating the first control portion of the object,

switching the first control portion to a second control portion of the object that is different than the first control portion, and

invoking a function in an application executed by the device based on the second control portion.

2. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , further comprising displaying a set of selectable items aligned along a guide line, wherein the second control portion is disposed relative to the guide line, and wherein invoking the function in the application comprises highlighting a subset of one or more items of the set of selectable items, based on the touch user input.

3. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 2 , wherein the guide line is defined based at least in part on an anatomical model of the object.

4. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 2 , wherein highlighting the subset comprises increasing a size of each item of the subset.

5. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 4 , further comprising repositioning one or more items of the set of selectable items to accommodate the increase in size of each item of the subset.

6. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 2 , further comprising animating the set of selectable items based on the touch user input.

7. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 2 , wherein displaying the set of selectable items aligned along the guide line comprises determining a position, orientation, alignment, or configuration of the guide line based on a determined range of motion of the second control portion.

8. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 2 , wherein displaying the set of selectable items aligned along the guide line comprises determining a position of the guide line relative to a position of a component displayed in the user interface.

9. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , wherein the object comprises an avatar, a cursor, a switch, or an arrow.

10. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , wherein the user interface is shown on a display of a mobile device.

11. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , further comprising displaying a knob in response to detecting the gesture.

12. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 11 , further comprising displaying a guide line associated with the knob.

13. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 12 , wherein a starting point of the guide line and an ending point of the guide line are coincident.

14. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 11 , wherein the function comprises a volume adjustment.

15. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , wherein the function comprises an image viewer function.

16. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , wherein the camera comprises a stereo camera.

17. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , wherein the camera is configured to image infrared light.

18. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 17 , wherein the camera comprises a time-of-flight camera.

19. The computer-implemented method recited in claim 1 , wherein the first control portion of the object is animated in a direction of the touch user input.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein switching the first control portion to the second control portion of the object includes removing the first control portion and displaying the second control portion.

21. A device comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to:

obtain, from a camera, an image of a person;

detect a gesture of the person, wherein the gesture of the person is detected based on distance data determined based on the image, the distance data representative of a distance between the camera and at least a portion of the person;

in response to detecting the gesture, cause an object to be positioned in a user interface shown on a display, wherein the object is separate from the person and comprises a first control portion; and

based on a touch user input:

cause the first control portion of the object to be animated in the user interface,

switch the first control portion to a second control portion of the object that is different than the first control portion, and

invoke a function in an application executed by the one or more processors based on the second control portion.

22. The device recited in claim 21 , further comprising a mobile device into which the display, the camera, or both are integrated.

23. The device recited in claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause a set of selectable items to be displayed in the user interface, wherein the set of selectable items is aligned along a guide line, wherein the second control portion is disposed relative to the guide line, and wherein, to invoke the function in the application, the one or more processors are configured to highlight a subset of one or more items of the set of selectable items to be highlighted, based on the touch user input.

24. The device recited in claim 23 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to define the guide line based at least in part on an anatomical model of the object.

25. The device recited in claim 23 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to define the guide line as having a starting point coincident with an ending point.

26. The device recited in claim 23 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the set of selectable items to be animated based on the touch user input.

27. The device recited in claim 23 , wherein, to cause the set of selectable items to be displayed aligned along the guide line, the one or more processors are configured to determine a position, orientation, alignment, or configuration of the guide line based on a determined range of motion of the second control portion.

28. The device recited in claim 23 , wherein, to display the set of selectable items aligned along the guide line, the one or more processors are configured to determine a position of the guide line relative to a position of a component displayed in the user interface.

29. The device recited in claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause a knob to be displayed in response to detecting the gesture.

30. The device recited in claim 29 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause a guide line associated with the knob to be displayed.

31. The device recited in claim 29 , wherein the function comprises a volume adjustment.

32. The device recited in claim 21 , wherein the function comprises an image viewer function.

33. The device recited in claim 21 , wherein the camera comprises a stereo camera.

34. The device recited in claim 21 , wherein the camera is configured to image infrared light.

35. The device recited in claim 34 , wherein the camera comprises a time-of-flight camera.

36. The device recited in claim 21 , wherein the first control portion of the object is animated in a direction of the touch user input.

37. The device of claim 21 , wherein, to switch the first control portion to the second control portion of the object, the one or more processors are configured to remove the first control portion and cause the second control portion to be displayed.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain, from a camera, an image of a person;

detect a gesture of the person, wherein the gesture of the person is detected based on distance data determined based on the image, the distance data representative of a distance between the camera and at least a portion of the person;

in response to detecting the gesture, position an object in a user interface, wherein the object is separate from the person and comprises a first control portion; and

based on a touch user input:

animate the first control portion of the object,

switch the first control portion to a second control portion of the object that is different than the first control portion, and

invoke a function in an application executed by the one or more processors based on the second control portion.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2019
From: HILDRETH, EVAN
To: GESTURETEK, INC.
Reel/Frame 051253/0416 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2019
From: GESTURETEK, INC.
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 051253/0429 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 14216645 · Mar 17, 2014
Continuation 12102587 · Apr 14, 2008
Provisional Application 60952448 · Jul 27, 2007
Related Publication 20200117322A1 · Apr 16, 2020
Cited By (3)
US 12,327,302 US 12,360,663 US 12,373,096