Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090125934 | USER RATING MECHANISM FOR MEDIA CONTENT - An intuitive, user-friendly user ratings mechanism for using user ratings to affect operations of content management devices, such as PCs, and content playback devices, such as portable media players, is discussed. The user ratings mechanism can be employed on PC clients, consumer electronics, mobile devices, other entertainment appliances, or in a network environment. The user ratings associated with various digital content items generally reflect a user opinion in a binary emotional context that is virtually universally understood (for example, “I Like It” or “I Don't Like It”). In one scenario, a user can choose between two options to rate a content item, or can choose to leave the content item unrated. | 05-14-2009 |
20100064261 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH RELATIVE GESTURE RECOGNITION MODE - A computer program executable on a portable electronic device having a touch screen sensor is provided. The computer program may include an input mode switching module configured to receive a mode switch user input to switch between a direct input mode and a relative gesture recognition mode. The computer program may further include a gesture-based control module configured, in the relative gesture recognition mode, to recognize a contact point on the touch screen sensor between a digit of a user and a surface of the touch screen sensor in a defined region in which the graphical user interface elements are unselectable, and to identify a detected gesture based on user touch input originating from the contact point, and to send a message to an application program to adjust an operation of the portable electronic device based on the detected gesture. | 03-11-2010 |
20100070926 | MOTION ACTIVATED CONTENT CONTROL FOR MEDIA SYSTEM - A media system is described including a graphical display that presents an iconic menu and a textual menu. The iconic menu includes a plurality of icons arranged in a two-dimensional collection, where each icon provides access to media content. The textual menu includes a structured textual list that provides access to a media library including the media content. The iconic menu may be unlocked responsive to a first user input received at the user input device and may be locked responsive to a second user input received at the user input device. The plurality of icons of the iconic menu may be shuffled relative to each other without shuffling the structured textual list responsive to motion of the media system. The plurality of icons may be maintained in a fixed relative arrangement even if motion of the media system occurs if the iconic menu is locked. | 03-18-2010 |
20100131904 | TILTABLE USER INTERFACE - A programmable effects system for graphical user interfaces is disclosed. One embodiment comprises adjusting a graphical user interface in response to a tilt of a device. In this way, a graphical user interface may have viewable content not shown in a first view, where the viewable content may be displayed in a tilted view in response to the device tilt. | 05-27-2010 |
20140129993 | TILTABLE USER INTERFACE - A programmable effects system for graphical user interfaces is disclosed. One embodiment comprises adjusting a graphical user interface in response to a tilt of a device. In this way, a graphical user interface may display a parallax effect in response to the device tilt. | 05-08-2014 |
20140333591 | SALIENT CONTROL ELEMENT AND MOBILE DEVICE WITH SALIENT CONTROL ELEMENT - A salient control element for a mobile device comprises at least one button actuatable by a user to execute a mobile device function. The button has at least a first active state in which the button is extended or retracted relative to a surrounding surface and a second inactive state in which the button is substantially flush with the surrounding surface. The button is reconfigurable between the active state and the inactive state based upon a triggering event. The triggering event comprises at least one of receiving signals indicating a position, motion or orientation of the device, signals indicating a mode of operation or time, signals indicating that a predetermined application or service is active, signals indicating a current wireless communication, or signals indicating the mobile device is in a predetermined venue. | 11-13-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080284739 | Human Interface Device - An input device may detect an input on an input device. The input may be compared to stored inputs to determine if the input is related to one of the stored inputs where the stored inputs can be user defined. If the input is related to one of the stored inputs, an action may be executed related to the stored input. If the input is not related to one of the stored inputs or is not recognized, the steps of the method may be repeated. The actions associated with different gestures may be defined by the user. | 11-20-2008 |
20090004973 | Activity Illumination - A method to indicate that a first device is in communication with a second device is disclosed. The first device may receive an indication activity from the second device. The indication activity may change the display and the illumination object on the first device and the displays on the illumination object and the display are similar. | 01-01-2009 |
20090125824 | USER INTERFACE WITH PHYSICS ENGINE FOR NATURAL GESTURAL CONTROL - A UI (user interface) for natural gestural control uses inertial physics coupled to gestures made on a gesture-pad (“GPad”) by the user in order to provide an enhanced list and grid navigation experience which is both faster and more enjoyable to use than current list and grid navigation methods using a conventional 5-way D-pad (directional pad) controllers. The UI makes use of the GPad's gesture detection capabilities, in addition to its ability to sense standard button presses, and allows end users to use either or both navigation mechanisms, depending on their preference and comfort level. End users can navigate the entire UI by using button presses only (as with conventional UIs) or they can use button presses in combination with gestures for a more fluid and enhanced browsing experience. | 05-14-2009 |
20090327974 | USER INTERFACE FOR GESTURAL CONTROL - A UI (user interface) for gestural control enhances the navigation experience for the user by preventing multiple gestures from being inadvertently invoked at the same time. This problem is overcome by establishing two or more categories of gestures. For instance, the first category of gestures may include gestures that are likely to be invoked before gestures that are included in the second category of gestures. That is, gestures in the second category will typically be invoked after a gesture in the first category has already been invoked. One example of a gesture that falls into the first category may be a gesture that initiates operation of a device, whereas a gesture that falls into the second category may be change in volume. Gestures that fall into the second category require more criteria to be satisfied in order to be invoked than gestures that fall into the first category. | 12-31-2009 |
20100274854 | DIGITAL MEDIA TRANSFER BASED ON USER BEHAVIOR - A collection of digital media is stored at a source device and transferred to a target device. A subset of the collection may be transferred based on a priority related to points assigned by a user's rating of particular digital media and on rules based on particular user actions. | 10-28-2010 |
20110066633 | SHUFFLING PLAYBACK CONTENT BASED ON MULTIPLE CRITERIA - Each of one or more songs in a song list is analyzed to determine whether the song satisfies a set of criteria at its current location. For each of the one or more songs that satisfies the set of criteria, the song is kept at its current location in the song list. For each of the one or more songs that does not satisfy the set of criteria, an attempt is made to select (e.g., randomly) another song in an unprocessed portion of the song list that satisfies the set of criteria. If a selected song satisfies the set of criteria then the song and the selected song are swapped. However, if greater than a threshold number of attempts to select a song that satisfies the set of criteria are made, then the song is kept at its current location in the song list | 03-17-2011 |
20120215331 | SHUFFLING PLAYBACK CONTENT BASED ON MULTIPLE CRITERIA - Each of one or more songs in a song list is analyzed to determine whether the song satisfies a set of criteria at its current location. For each of the one or more songs that satisfies the set of criteria, the song is kept at its current location in the song list. For each of the one or more songs that does not satisfy the set of criteria, an attempt is made to select (e.g., randomly) another song in an unprocessed portion of the song list that satisfies the set of criteria. If a selected song satisfies the set of criteria then the song and the selected song are swapped. However, if greater than a threshold number of attempts to select a song that satisfies the set of criteria are made, then the song is kept at its current location in the song list. | 08-23-2012 |
20140040802 | ADAPTABLE TRANSPARENCY - By adjusting visual settings on a display behind a section of a background to emphasize menu options, a user can determine the status in the series of menus and sub-menus and can better read the menu options. | 02-06-2014 |
20140080604 | ACTIVITY ILLUMINATION - A method to indicate that a first device is in communication with a second device is disclosed. The first device may receive an indication activity from the second device. The indication activity may change the display and the illumination object on the first device and the displays on the illumination object and the display are similar. | 03-20-2014 |