System having user interface using object selection and gestures

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/981,464, filed Oct. 19, 2007, which is incorporated by reference.

[0002] 1. Technical Field.

[0003] The present invention relates to a user interface and, more particularly, to a system having a user interface using objects selection and gestures to interface with a user.

[0004] 2. Related Art.

[0005] Processor-based devices are used in a wide range of applications. MP3 players play audio from stored media content. Video players may display streaming video from a memory storage device, a private network, and/or the Internet. Cellular phones may display streaming video from a memory storage device, a private network, the Internet, and/or another cellular phone subscriber.

[0006] Such devices may have an interface to facilitate interaction with the various functions that it offers. The interface may include a hardwired interface and/or a virtual interface. Hardwired interfaces may include pushbutton switches, rotary switches/potentiometers, sliders, and other mechanical elements. Virtual interfaces may include virtual buttons, virtual sliders, virtual rotator controls, function identifiers, and other visual elements. In a combined interface, function identifiers may be positioned on a display adjacent corresponding mechanical based items, such as switches.

[0007] The development of a virtual interface may become complicated when the interface displays controls and/or images associated with many functions. The number of controls and/or images generated may result in a crowded display. Display crowding may make it difficult for the user to select displayed objects associated with these functions due to their close proximity with one another.

[0008] A system includes a touchscreen display and an interface application. The interface application may control the touchscreen display to provide a container and a user interface control that is selectable by a user. The user interface control may be selected through manipulation of the touchscreen display in an area of the container proximate the user interface control. The user interface application may identify a gesture function in response to manipulation of the touchscreen display in an area of the container when the manipulation has a motion magnitude in a plane of the touchscreen display exceeding a threshold value.

[0009] Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a system 100 that includes a user interface that may use object selection and user gestures on a touchscreen display to execute functions. System 100 includes a processor 105 that may interface or access a local or remote memory storage 110. Memory storage may retain an interface application 113, one or more user applications 115, and an operating system 120. Interface application 113 may be executable by the processor 105. It may determine how a user interacts with system 100 through user interface 125. User interface 125 may include a display 130, such as a touchscreen display, and/or mechanical controls 135.

[0018] Processor 105 may interact with other components through various input/output interfaces 140. Input/output interface 140 may include an Internet gateway, WiFi transceiver, imaging device, USB interface, FireWire interface, an MP3 decoder, DVD decoder or player, receiver, and/or other input and/or output device.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows how the components of FIG. 1 may interact with and control the display 130 of user interface 125. In FIG. 2, the interface application 113 may interact with display 130 through a display driver 205. Interface application 113 may be a vector and/or movie clip based application, such as a FLASH® player that may be adapted to play a compressed vector format object such as a .swf file 210. The .swf file 210 may include movie clip based controls employed by the user interface 125.

[0020] The user interface application 113 may provide controls, such as movie clip based controls, to the display driver 205 for output on display 130 to implement a virtual interface. These controls may be arranged on the display 130 according to user interface application 113. In FIG. 2, the movie based clips include controls 215, 220, 225, 230, and 235, that may be selectable objects. A text area 240 may display input and/or output text. Additionally, or in the alternative, text area 240 may be replaced by or supplemented with an image display area that may display images, such as still images, animations, and/or video. Controls 215 through 235 and text area 240 may be arranged within a container 245, such as a movie clip container in a FLASH® player environment.

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a multilayer arrangement of the various objects of the user interface with respect to container 245. In FIG. 3, container 245 may be disposed on a first display layer 305. Text area 235 may be disposed in the area of container 245 on a second display layer 310. Selectable controls 215, 225, and 230, may be disposed in the area of container 245 on a third display layer 310. Selectable controls 230 and 235 may be disposed in the area of container 245 on a fourth layer 310. One or more of the selectable controls 215 through 235 may overlap one another on different layers of the multilayer arrangement. Alternatively, or in addition, the selectable controls 215 through 235 may be disposed on the same layer of the arrangement in a non-overlapping configuration. Layers may be visible or translucent (e.g., invisible).

[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates manipulation of the touchscreen display 130 to select an object/control. In FIG. 4, selection of control 210 is shown. To select control 210, the user may touch the touchscreen display 130 in an area proximate control 210 and within the boundaries formed by arrows 405 and 410. The interface application 113 may identify the manipulation as selection of object 210 when the magnitude of any motion of the manipulation is below a threshold value. The magnitude of the motion may be determined by the difference between the coordinates on the touchscreen display at which the manipulation begins and the coordinates at which the manipulation ends. These coordinates may be obtained by measuring the motion using the container 245. In a FLASH® environment, the magnitude of the motion may be determined using an ActionScript® routine associated with the container 245.

[0023] When the magnitude of the motion is below the threshold value on the display level 305 having the container 245, the interface application 113 may execute a hierarchical search of the levels within the container area to determine whether the user has attempted to select an object. The hierarchical search may involve looking through the layers in the area bounded by arrows 405 and 410. If the layers are arranged in a manner shown in FIG. 3, the search may end at layer 320, which includes the selectable control 220.

[0024] If a selectable control is found in the area bounded by arrows 405 and 410, the interface application 113 may communicate with another application to execute the function associated with the selectable control. In FIG. 2, the interface application 113 may communicate with the user application 115 and/or the operating system 120. Additionally, or in the alternative, the interface application 113 may execute the function associated with the selectable control automatically.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates manipulation of the touchscreen display 130 to generate a gesture that may be identified by the interface application 113 to execute a corresponding function. In FIG. 5, the user executes a gesture designated by arrow 505. The gesture 505 starts when the user presses the touchscreen display at 510 and discontinues pressing the touchscreen at 515. The interface application 113 determines the magnitude of this motion using the start location 510 and end location 515 of the gesture 505. If the magnitude of this motion/manipulation exceeds the threshold value, the interface application 113 may treat the manipulation as a gesture by the user. The magnitude and/or direction of the motion may be compared to representations of available gestures retained in memory. If a function corresponding to the gesture is found, the function may be executed by the user application 115 and/or operating system 120. Additionally, or in the alternative, the function associated with the gesture 505 may be executed by the interface application 113.

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates operations used to implement a user interface having selectable objects and gesture functionality. At 605, manipulation on the display in the area of a container having one or more selectable objects, such as one or more movie clips, is detected. The magnitude of the movement of the manipulation may be compared to a threshold value at 610. If the magnitude exceeds the threshold value, the function associated with the movement may be identified at 615 and executed at 620. If the magnitude of the motion does not extend beyond the threshold value, an operation may be executed at 625 to determine whether the manipulation was proximate an active area of a selectable object. If it was in such an active area, the function associated with the object selection may be identified at 630 and executed at 635.

[0027] The methods and descriptions described above may be encoded in a signal bearing medium, a computer readable medium such as a memory that may comprise unitary or separate logic, programmed within a device such as one or more integrated circuits, or processed by a controller or a computer. If the methods are performed by software, the software or logic may reside in a memory resident to or interfaced to one or more processors or controllers, a wireless communication interface, a wireless system, an entertainment and/or controller of a vehicle or types of non-volatile or volatile memory remote from or resident to a detector. The memory may retain an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. A logical function may be implemented through digital circuitry, through source code, through analog circuitry, or through an analog source such as through an analog electrical, or audio signals. The software may be embodied in any computer-readable medium or signal-bearing medium, for use by, or in connection with an instruction executable system, apparatus, device, resident to a vehicle or a hands-free system communication system or audio system. Alternatively, the software may be embodied in media players (including portable media players) and/or recorders, audio visual or public address systems, desktop computing systems, etc. Such a system may include a computer-based system, a processor-containing system that includes an input and output interface that may communicate with an automotive or wireless communication bus through any hardwired or wireless automotive communication protocol or other hardwired or wireless communication protocols to a local or remote destination or server.

[0028] A computer-readable medium, machine-readable medium, propagated-signal medium, and/or signal-bearing medium may comprise any medium that contains, stores, communicates, propagates, or transports software for use by or in connection with an instruction executable system, apparatus, or device. The machine-readable medium may selectively be, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. A non-exhaustive list of examples of a machine-readable medium may include: an electrical or tangible connection having one or more wires, a portable magnetic or optical disk, a volatile memory such as a Random Access Memory “RAM” (electronic), a Read-Only Memory “ROM,” an Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM or Flash memory), or an optical fiber. A machine-readable medium may also include a tangible medium upon which software is printed, as the software may be electronically stored as an image or in another format (e.g., through an optical scan), then compiled by a controller, and/or interpreted or otherwise processed. The processed medium may then be stored in a local or remote computer and/or machine memory.

[0029] While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.