Methods and devices for interactions using combination gaze and touch inputs
Methods and devices are described that enable user interactions using a combination of gaze input and touch input. During display of interactive elements on a display of an electronic device, an estimated gaze location of a gaze input is determined. A target interactive element is identified based on the estimated gaze location. Touch input is detected that traverses a first distance in a first direction. A preview of information related to the target interactive element is displayed, where an amount of the information displayed in the preview is based on the first distance traversed by the touch input.
1. A method at an electronic device, the method comprising:
during display of one or more interactive elements on a display of the electronic device, determining an estimated gaze location of a gaze input on the display;
identifying a target interactive element of the one or more interactive elements, based on the estimated gaze location;
detecting touch input that traverses a first distance in a first direction; and
displaying a preview of information related to the target interactive element, a quantity of the information displayed in the preview being changed based on the first distance traversed by the touch input, wherein the preview increases in size based on increasing a distance traversed by the touch input in the first direction and the quantity of the information displayed in the preview is also increased, and wherein the preview decreases in size based on the touch input continuing to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and the quantity of the information displayed in the preview is also decreased.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting that the touch input further continues to traverse a farther distance, greater than the first distance, in the first direction; and
increasing the quantity of information displayed in the preview based on the farther distance.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first quantity of information is displayed in the preview based on the first distance traversed by the touch input exceeding a first distance threshold.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting that the touch input further continues to traverse a second distance, which exceeds a second distance threshold, in the first direction; and
causing an application or page related to the target interactive element to be opened.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a notification indicator of the target interactive element is identified based on the estimated gaze location, and wherein the information displayed in the preview is further related to the notification indicator.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target interactive element is a selectable icon related to an application, and the information displayed in the preview is a preview of information from the application.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target interactive element is a selectable link related to a page, and the information displayed in the preview is a preview of information from the page.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to detecting the touch input, enabling the target interactive element based on the estimated gaze location;
wherein enabling the target interactive element enables the preview to be displayed based on the touch input.
9. An electronic device comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the electronic device to:
during display of one or more interactive elements on a display of the electronic device, determine an estimated gaze location of a gaze input on the display;
identify a target interactive element of the one or more interactive elements, based on the estimated gaze location;
detect touch input that traverses a first distance in a first direction; and
display a preview of information related to the target interactive element, a quantity of the information displayed in the preview being changed based on the first distance traversed by the touch input, wherein the preview increases in size based on increasing a distance traversed by the touch input in the first direction and the quantity of the information displayed in the preview is also increased, and wherein the preview decreases in size based on the touch input continuing to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and the quantity of the information displayed in the preview is also decreased.
10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:
detect that the touch input further continues to traverse a farther distance, greater than the first distance, in the first direction; and
increase the quantity of information displayed in the preview based on the farther distance.
11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein a first quantity of information is displayed in the preview based on the first distance traversed by the touch input exceeding a first distance threshold.
12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:
detect that the touch input further continues to traverse a second distance, which exceeds a second distance threshold, in the first direction; and
cause an application or page related to the target interactive element to be opened.
13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:
prior to detecting the touch input, enable the target interactive element based on the estimated gaze location;
wherein enabling the target interactive element enables the preview to be displayed based on the touch input.
14. A method at an electronic device, the method comprising:
during display of one or more interactive elements on a display of the electronic device, determining an estimated gaze location of a gaze input on the display;
identifying a target interactive element of the one or more interactive elements, based on the estimated gaze location, wherein the target interactive element is disabled and unselectable prior to determining the estimated gaze location, wherein the target interactive element is enabled, based on the estimated gaze location, to be selectable by touch input;
detecting touch input at or near the target interactive element; and
selecting the target interactive element based on the detected touch input.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the target interactive element is enabled based on biometric data derived from the gaze input.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the touch input is also detected at or near another different interactive element, and wherein the target interactive element is selected based on the gaze input and touch input.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the touch input is detected at or near an edge portion of the display, and wherein the touch input traverses the first distance in the first direction that is along the edge portion of the display.
18. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein a notification indicator of the target interactive element is identified based on the estimated gaze location, and wherein the information displayed in the preview is further related to the notification indicator.
19. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the touch input is detected at or near an edge portion of the display, and wherein the touch input traverses the first distance in the first direction that is along the edge portion of the display.
20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause an electronic device to:
during display of one or more interactive elements on a display of the electronic device, determine an estimated gaze location of a gaze input on the display;
identify a target interactive element of the one or more interactive elements, based on the estimated gaze location;
in response to identifying the target interactive element, enable a preview of information related to the target interactive element to be displayed based on a touch input;
detect the touch input, the touch input traversing a first distance in a first direction; and
in response to detecting the touch input, display the preview of information, the preview increasing in size based on increasing a distance traversed by the touch input in the first direction and a quantity of the information displayed in the preview is also increased, and the preview decreasing in size based on the touch input continuing to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and the quantity of the information displayed in the preview is also decreased.
21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the target interactive element is a selectable icon related to an email application, and the information displayed in the preview includes information related to an email.