Patent Application
20110300901
With the advancement of technology, electronic devices have become increasingly smaller, resulting in more and more portable devices. In addition to becoming smaller, electronic devices have evolved to accept multiple forms of input from a user, such as via a touch screen, a keyboard input, keypad and the like. As devices become smaller and more portable, they can end up in locations or situations in which a user may inadvertently activate an input. For example, a user may place their cellular phone in a pant pocket and inadvertently call someone. The increase in device input mechanisms only amplifies this situation by exposing the user to multiple input triggers that might be inadvertently activated.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Various embodiments enable a device to utilize environmental information and/or application state information to determine an appropriate response to a received input. In at least some embodiments, a device receives input, obtains environmental information and/or application state information of the device, and evaluates input validity. Based upon the evaluated information and input, the device can behave in a manner that ignores the input, allows execution of associated operations, and/or modifies a resultant behavior.
The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features.
Various embodiments enable a device to utilize environmental and/or application state information to determine an appropriate response to received input. In at least some embodiments, a device receives input, obtains evaluation metrics, such as environmental state information and/or application state information of the device, and evaluates input validity. Based upon the evaluated information and input, the device can determine a resultant behavior. For example, a device can decide to allow an operation based upon a first evaluation result, further decide to modify an operation based upon state information, and/or decide to disallow an operation based upon a second evaluation result.
In at least some embodiments, various sensors can be used to ascertain properties or characteristics associated with a device and its surrounding environment. For example, locational, orientational, and/or relational properties associated with the device and its surrounding environment can be ascertained and then utilized to make a decision on whether an input received by the device should be processed as usual. Specifically, in some situations the location of a device within its environment may be one in which an input should be ignored. For example, if a personal digital assistant (PDA) is placed in a purse, then a received inadvertent input, such as a button press, can be ignored. In other situations, the location of a device may cause modification of an operation associated with the input, such as adjusting what is displayed based upon the device's environment.
In the discussion that follows, a section entitled “Example Environment” is provided and describes one environment in which one or more embodiments can be employed. Following this, a section entitled “Evaluation Layer” describes how an evaluation layer can be employed to accept or reject input information, and modify responsive behavior in accordance with one or more embodiments. Last, a section entitled “Example System” describes an example system that can be used to implement one or more embodiments.
Consider now an example environment in which one or more embodiments can be implemented.
The computer-readable storage media 106 can include, by way of example and not limitation, all forms of volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage media that are typically associated with a computing device. Such media can include ROM, RAM, flash memory, hard disk, removable media and the like. One specific example of a computing device is shown and described below in
In operation, evaluation module 108 determines the validity of a received input. The evaluation module can do this by determining a device's environmental state, as well as application state, to assess whether the input appears to be intentional or not, given a particular environmental and/or application state. The evaluation module can further influence the device's resultant behavior or response to the input given the particular input and environmental and/or application state. For example, the evaluation module can determine that the current device application state and current device environment state warrants a modification in the device's resultant behavior given a received input, as described below in more detail.
Having described an example environment, consider now a discussion of how an evaluation layer can be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments.
Evaluation Layer
Various embodiments provide an ability to evaluate the validity of a device input. In one or more embodiments, an evaluation layer is used to acquire an input message or event and assess whether the input appears to be intentional or not, given the device's environmental and/or application state. For example, if a device's input is unintentionally triggered, the evaluation layer can acquire information associated with the input, obtain device environment information, and then evaluate whether the input appears to be intentional or not given the device environment information. Based upon the state information and/or other rules, the evaluation layer can further ascertain whether the input should be processed to cause execution of an operation associated with the input, such as determining whether to allow further processing or to discard the input.
Device input allows a user to control a device and manage the functionality it executes. Multiple instrumentations exist which allow the user to interact with a device. For example, a power button can turn a device on and off, a soft key can navigate a menu system of a device, a touch screen can accept commands through physical contact, a keyboard can accept commands associated with alphanumeric characters, a sound sensor can accept commands through audible conveyances, and so forth. Thus, input, whether intentional or unintentional, can be triggered in multiple ways. In one or more embodiments, the device, through its input evaluation layer, can determine an associated response or reaction to the input.
As an example of an evaluation layer, consider
In one or more embodiments, driver layer 202 can route input communications through an input evaluation layer 204. In the present example, the input evaluation layer resides logically between the driver layer 202 and the application layer 206. It is to be appreciated and understood, however, that input evaluation layer 204 could be located at any suitable location in the device stack without departing from the spirit of the claimed subject matter. For example, input evaluation layer 204 could be implemented as a part of driver layer 202, as a part of application layer 206, or could reside logically above application layer 206.
In operation, input evaluation layer 204 receives information associated with a device input and determines the validity of the input. In at least some embodiments, a user does not need to specify when input is invalid. For example, the user does not need to select key-lock functionality in order to specify that subsequently-received input may be unintentional or invalid. Input evaluation layer 204 can contain one or more rules by which a device input is validated and/or evaluated. In another example, input evaluation layer 204 can, responsive to receiving information associated with a device input, query application layer 206 for application state information as well as query device hardware for device state information. Based upon this information, the input can be assessed to be intentional or unintentional. Based on this assessment, a decision with respect to an appropriate action to be taken can be made.
As an example, consider
Logic block 304 contains logic and/or rules or decision points associated with evaluating the validity of input message 300 given a device's current environmental state and/or application state. While
Decision point 306 evaluates whether the device input, and the execution of associated operations, should be suppressed due to the device's environment state information. For example, in one or more embodiments, environmental state information associated with the device can be determined through use of a sensor, such as a proximity sensor. A proximity sensor can be used to detect the proximity of objects relative to the device. If one or more objects are found to be near the device, a determination can be made that the device is inactive and that the input was unintentional. If input is determined to be unintentional, the decision tree proceeds to block 310 and discards the input message. While the example above describes the use of a proximity sensor, it is to be appreciated and understood, however, that a device's environmental state can be determined in any suitable way, such as through a light sensor, an accelerometer, and the like.
If decision point 306 determines that input is intentional, the decision tree proceeds to decision block 308. Decision block 308 evaluates whether the device input should be suppressed due to information associated with one or more device application states. For example, in one or more embodiments, application layer 206 (
As described above, decision block 308 may determine an input message is intentional and proceed to block 312. While not shown in
Step 400 receives input notification. This step can comprise any suitable type of input notification and can be performed in any suitable way, examples of which are provided above. Step 402 evaluates input validity. In one or more embodiments, evaluating input validity can include using one or more rules and/or logic to evaluate the input and device state information. Rules and/or logic can be a set of fixed rules, a set of dynamically obtained rules, or any combination thereof. As described above, this can encompass using information associated with device state and/or application state to evaluate the input. Step 404 processes the input based upon the evaluation. For example, if input is evaluated to be invalid or unintentional, the input can be ignored as by discarding the input notification. If input is evaluated to valid or intentional, the input can be processed accordingly as by passing on the input notifications to the appropriate processing entities.
Having described various embodiments of an evaluation layer, consider now an operating environment that can be utilized to implement one or more of the above-described embodiments.
Device 500 also includes communication interfaces 508 that can be implemented as any one or more of a serial and/or parallel interface, a wireless interface, any type of network interface, a modem, and as any other type of communication interface. The communication interfaces 508 provide a connection and/or communication links between device 500 and a communication network by which other electronic, computing, and communication devices communicate data with device 500.
Device 500 includes one or more processors 510 (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like) which process various computer-executable or readable instructions to control the operation of device 500 and to implement the intelligent input handling described above. Alternatively or in addition, device 500 can be implemented with any one or combination of hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and control circuits which are generally identified at 512. Although not shown, device 500 can include a system bus or data transfer system that couples the various components within the device. A system bus can include any one or combination of different bus structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures.
Device 500 also includes computer-readable media 514, such as one or more memory components, examples of which include random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., any one or more of a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a disk storage device. A disk storage device may be implemented as any type of magnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk drive, a recordable and/or rewriteable compact disc (CD), any type of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like. Device 500 can also include a mass storage media device 516.
Computer-readable media 514 provides data storage mechanisms to store the device data 504, as well as various device applications 518 and any other types of information and/or data related to operational aspects of device 500. For example, an operating system 520 can be maintained as a computer application with the computer-readable media 514 and executed on processors 510. The device applications 518 can include a device manager (e.g., a control application, software application, signal processing and control module, code that is native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, etc.). The device applications 518 also include any system components or modules to implement embodiments of the intelligent input handling described herein. In this example, the device applications 518 include an interface application 522, an input evaluation module 524, and sensor module 526 that are shown as software modules and/or computer applications. The input evaluation module 524 is representative of software that is used to provide evaluation and validation of device input. Sensor module 526 is representative of software that controls and/or interprets data returned from sensors 528. Alternatively or in addition, the interface application 522, the input evaluation module 524 and the sensor module 526 can be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.
Device 500 includes sensor(s) 528 that receive and/or provide one or more metric of the environmental state of example device 500. For example, sensor module 528 can be a proximity sensor, light sensor, accelerometer, sound sensor, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, and the like.
Device 500 also includes an audio and/or video input-output system 530 that provides audio data to an audio system 534 and/or provides video data to a display system 532. The audio system 534 and/or the display system 532 can include any devices that process, display, and/or otherwise render audio, video, and image data. Video signals and audio signals can be communicated from device 500 to an audio device and/or to a display device via an RF (radio frequency) link, S-video link, composite video link, component video link, DVI (digital video interface), analog audio connection, or other similar communication link. In an embodiment, the audio system 534 and/or the display system 532 are implemented as external components to device 500. Alternatively, the audio system 534 and/or the display system 532 are implemented as integrated components of example device 500.
Various embodiments enable a device to utilize environmental state information and/or application state information to determine an appropriate response to received input. In at least some embodiments, a device can receive input, obtain environmental information and/or application state information, evaluate input validity based upon the information, and determine the device's behavior. Based upon the evaluated information and input, a device can ignore the input or modify the resultant behavior.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
