IP Library Granted Patent US 11,893,227
Granted Patent B2
US 11,893,227 · App. 17/655,703 · Granted Feb 6, 2024

Automated pacing of vehicle operator content interaction

Inventors: Gregory Mason Neiswander (Sunnyvale, CA); Sabrina Silk Billinghurst (Mountain View, CA); Yuan Hang Li (Milpitas, CA); Daniel Holle (San Francisco, CA); Yan Yan (Cupertino, CA); Jorge Taketoshi Furuya Mariche (Cupertino, CA); Jia Wei Tam (Seattle, WA); Stefan Day Dierauf (Kirkland, WA); Rasekh Rifaat (Kirkland, WA); Ian Douglas Barlow (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Google LLC
G06F3/0488B60K37/06B60Q9/008B60W40/09B60K2370/11B60K2370/1438B60K2370/193B60K2370/195B60K2370/197G06F3/0481G06F3/04883G06F3/167
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,893,227
App. No.
17/655,703
Granted
Feb 6, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one example, a computing device includes one or more user input detection components, and one or more processors configured to receive an indication of a first user input detected by the one or more user input detection components, responsive to receiving the indication of the first user input, adjust a level of an attention buffer at a defined rate; responsive to determining that the level of the attention buffer satisfies a first threshold, prevent further interaction with a user interface of the computing device, responsive to determining that an indication of a second user input has not been received within a time period, adjust a level of the attention buffer, and responsive to determining that the level of the attention buffer satisfies a second threshold, allow further interaction with the user interface.

Claims (58)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of a computing system, an indication of a user input;

assigning, by the one or more processors, an attentional value to the user input;

adjusting, by the one or more processors and based on the attentional value, a level of an attention buffer; and

responsive to determining that the level of the attention buffer satisfies a first threshold, outputting, by the one or more processors, one or more notifications to discourage interaction with a user interface of the computing system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the attentional value to the user input comprises assigning the attentional value based on a characteristic of user interaction with information output for display to a vehicle operator.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of user interaction comprises one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

an indication of a pace at which a user is scrolling through displayed content,

an indication of a direction of scrolling,

an indication of a type of user interface element selected,

an indication of a relative content menu level of a user interface element selected,

an indication of whether access is being requested to view new content,

an indication of whether access is being requested to view content that was previously viewed, and

an indication of whether information output for display is ordered or unordered.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the attentional value to the user input comprises assigning the attentional value based on a characteristic of information output for display to a vehicle operator.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the characteristic of information output for display to the vehicle operator comprises one or more characteristics selected from a group consisting of: an amount of information output for display, a rate of information output for display, a type of information output for display, a number of information items output for display, a quantity of information output for display, a quality of information output for display, and a format of information output for display.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the characteristic of information output for display to the vehicle operator comprises one or more of:

a complexity of content output for display,

based on one or more of a type of content and an amount of content, wherein the type of content comprises one or more of icon-based content and text-based content.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the complexity is based on a ratio of two or more different types of content.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the attentional value to the user input comprises one or more of:

assigning a higher attentional value when more content or more complex content is being displayed to a user relative to when less content or simpler content is being displayed to a user,

assigning a higher attentional value for inputs to scroll more slowly through displayed content relative to input to scroll more quickly through displayed content,

assigning a higher attentional value for inputs to scroll down relative to inputs to scroll up,

assigning a higher attentional value for tapping a play button relative to tapping a home button,

assigning a higher attentional value for a tap that accesses a sub-menu level relative to a tap for accessing a main menu level,

assigning a higher attentional value for a tap that requests to view new content relative to a tap that requests to view content that was previously viewed, and

assigning a higher attentional value when displayed information is unordered relative to when displayed information is ordered.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input comprises a first user input, the method further comprising:

responsive to determining that an indication of a second user input has not been received within a time period, adjusting, by the one or more processors, the level of the attention buffer; and

responsive to determining, by the one or more processors, that the level of the attention buffer satisfies a second threshold, allowing further interaction with the user interface.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to determining, by the one or more processors, that the level of the attention buffer satisfies a second threshold, preventing, by the one or more processors, further interaction with the user interface of the computing system.

11. A computing system comprising:

an output device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising instructions that when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

receive an indication of a user input;

assign an attentional value to the user input;

adjust, based on the attentional value, a level of an attention buffer; and

responsive to a determination that the level of the attention buffer satisfies a first threshold, output one or more notifications to discourage interaction with a user interface of the computing system.

12. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein assigning the attentional value to the user input comprises assigning the attentional value based on a characteristic of user interaction with information output for display to a vehicle operator.

13. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein assigning the attentional value to the user input comprises assigning the attentional value based on a characteristic of information output for display to a vehicle operator.

14. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein the characteristic of information output for display to the vehicle operator comprises one or more characteristics selected from a group consisting of: an amount of information output for display, a rate of information output for display, a type of information output for display, a number of information items output for display, a quantity of information output for display, a quality of information output for display, and a format of information output for display.

15. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein the characteristic of information output for display to the vehicle operator comprises one or more of:

a complexity of content output for display, and

based on one or more of a type of content and an amount of content, wherein the type of content comprises one or more of icon-based content and text-based content.

16. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that, when executed cause processing circuitry of a computing system to:

receive an indication of a user input;

assign an attentional value to the user input;

adjust, based on the attentional value, a level of an attention buffer; and

responsive to a determination that the level of the attention buffer satisfies a first threshold, output one or more notifications to discourage interaction with a user interface of the computing system.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 16 , wherein assigning the attentional value to the user input comprises assigning the attentional value based on a characteristic of user interaction with information output for display to a vehicle operator.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 16 , wherein assigning the attentional value to the user input comprises assigning the attentional value based on a characteristic of information output for display to a vehicle operator.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18 , the characteristic of information output for display to the vehicle operator comprises one or more characteristics selected from a group consisting of: an amount of information output for display, a rate of information output for display, a type of information output for display, a number of information items output for display, a quantity of information output for display, a quality of information output for display, and a format of information output for display.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 16 , wherein the characteristic of information output for display to the vehicle operator comprises one or more of:

a complexity of content output for display, and

based on one or more of a type of content and an amount of content, wherein the type of content comprises one or more of icon-based content and text-based content.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 21, 2022
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 060210/0022 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2022
From: NEISWANDER, GREGORY MASON; BILLINGHURST, SABRINA SILK; LI, YUAN HANG; HOLLE, DANIEL; YAN, YAN; MARICHE, JORGE TAKETOSHI FURUYA; TAM, JIA WEI; DIERAUF, STEFAN DAY; RIFAAT, RASEKH; BARLOW, IAN DOUGLAS
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 059328/0247 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17093398 · Nov 9, 2020
Continuation 16680167 · Nov 11, 2019
Continuation 15693560 · Sep 1, 2017
Provisional Application 62410713 · Oct 20, 2016
Related Publication 20220206650A1 · Jun 30, 2022