Technical Field
Embodiments disclosed herein are related to systems and methods for enhancing user interaction with online content. In particular, embodiments disclosed herein are related to displaying an enhanced cursor-like content selection area, or “Smart Spot”, that allows users to automatically execute predefined actions on the selected content.
Related Art
Electronic devices, particularly computers, have become part of the daily lives of many people such that interfacing with content on a computer has become as familiar to people as turning the pages of a book. People understand the basic mechanics of selecting items displayed on a screen by moving a cursor to an item to be selected. People also understand that there are certain predefined actions can occur by pressing certain buttons or keys on the selected item. For example, a single mouse click, such as a left button click, will often select the item on which the cursor is positioned. A double left click may execute a program associated with the item on which the cursor is positioned. A right mouse button click (or command+click for Macintosh™ users) will open a menu of possible actions to perform on the item on which the cursor is positioned. These actions have become very familiar to users when interacting with desktop and laptop computers, and other devices that use human interface devices (HID) such as mice and trackballs.
As electronic devices become smaller and mobile, one of the difficulties has been trying to replicate the interaction users have become used to on desktop and laptop computers with HIDs such as mice and trackballs. Mobile devices that use a touch screen interface have been able to mimic the familiar point and click interface from desktop and laptop computers with a stylus or user finger acting as the “point” and the tapping of the screen at a certain location acting as the “click”. However, this method of interfacing with content displayed on a screen of a mobile device is limited in the actions that can be performed by the act of tapping on the screen. The act of tapping the screen typically selects the tapped object, which may then follow a hyperlink or execute an application represented by the object. Certain mobile devices include framework which may bring up a menu of options when the tap is held on the screen for a predetermined amount of time. However, this is often unintuitive to a user and may result in the selection or execution of the object being tapped because the user did not hold the tap for the predetermined amount of time. In addition, navigating the displayed menus for the desired action takes additional actions and time which can be burdensome to the user.
Moreover, when viewing content, such as web pages and other content displaying text to the user on a mobile device, it can be difficult to select or highlight portions of the web page or text. For example, users are accustomed to be able to easily select portions of text displayed by a desktop or laptop computer by highlighting the text using the HID. Users are used to being able to perform actions on the selected text, such as cut and paste. On a mobile device having a touch screen, the functionality for selecting text or other portions of the displayed web page are not intuitive and can be difficult, particularly on mobile devices having a very small display area, such as a mobile phone. Moreover, once the text or other portions of the displayed web page are selected, the actions that can be performed on the selection are limited to copy and paste functionality.
Similarly, when browsing the internet using a mobile device, users may have difficulty in selecting a hyperlink or anchor on a displayed web page. This is particularly true if the mobile device has a small display area, such as on a mobile phone. When numerous anchors or hyperlinks are displayed by the mobile device, a user often accidentally selects the unintended anchor or hyperlink, which causes the user to have to go back to the previous page and try to select the correct anchor or hyperlink again. Or, the user will have to zoom into the displayed webpage to select the correct anchor or hyperlink and then zoom back out again once the desired content is displayed. Despite the many capabilities that many modern mobile devices have, users are unable or reluctant to take full advantage of these capabilities due to issues interacting with the displayed information, such as have been described here.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that provides an enhanced user interaction with displayed content, particularly content displayed on mobile devices and touchscreen devices.
Consistent with some embodiments, there is provided a computer-readable medium having instructions for execution by a processor that, when executed, cause the processor to perform a method for enhancing user interaction with displayed content, the method including detecting a subject matter of content being displayed on a display of a device coupled to the processor. The method also includes displaying at least one enhanced cursor within a viewable area of a display, assigning predefined actions to the at least one enhanced cursor based on the detected subject matter, and executing the predefined actions when the enhanced cursor is moved onto the content.
Consistent with some embodiments, there is also provided a method of enhancing user interaction with content displayed on a display of a touch screen device. The method includes displaying, on the display of the touch screen device, at least one enhanced cursor within a viewable area of the display, the at least one enhanced cursor having a predefined action associated therewith, receiving, at a touch screen of the touch screen device, a selection of the at least one enhanced cursor. The method also includes detecting, by the touch screen, movement of the selected at least one enhanced cursor onto displayed content, and executing, using a processor of the touch screen device, the predefined action on the content.
These and other embodiments will be described in further detail below with respect to the following figures.
In the drawings, elements having the same designation have the same or similar functions.
In the following description specific details are set forth describing certain embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. The specific embodiments presented are meant to be illustrative, but not limiting. One skilled in the art may realize other material that, although not specifically described herein, is within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.
Embodiments as described herein are related to using a “Smart Spot” or enhanced cursor-like selection area (referred to herein as an enhanced cursor) that allows for one or more predefined actions or a series of predefined actions to be executed or performed on displayed content to enhance user interaction. The enhanced cursor may be displayed on a display screen also having content displayed thereon. A user can select the enhanced cursor, drag the cursor onto content or drag content onto the cursor, and then the predefined actions associated with the enhanced cursor will be executed on the content. The predefined actions may include an internet search, a text search, copy/paste functionality, buying or bidding on purchasable items, or paying for purchased items. The predefined actions may be facilitated by third-party application program interfaces (APIs) that perform actions defined by the third party and, in some cases, relate to the third party's business. The content may be a displayed web page, a text document, or a picture. The predefined actions may further override any previously defined actions on the content that instituted by the operating system or application displaying the content. The enhanced cursor may be fully configurable and customizable by a user to perform a specific action or multiple actions or to have a specific user-selected design and appearance. The enhanced cursor may be used on touch screen devices, such as smart phones and tablet computers such that a user can select the enhanced cursor with their finger, and slide the enhanced cursor onto displayed content to perform the defined actions on the displayed content. Alternatively, the enhanced cursor may be used with desktop and laptop computers, where a user can select the enhanced cursor with a mouse, trackball, or other human interface device (HID) and move the enhanced cursor onto content to perform the defined actions on the content. The enhanced cursor may be implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable medium that may be executed by a processor, and may be implemented as an add-on to existing web browser, document editor, or other application functionality, or as a widget running within the operating system framework. Consistent with the disclosed embodiments, the enhanced cursor enhances user interaction with displayed content by allowing the user to execute or perform predefined actions on content quickly and easily.
A user may have the ability to configure the enhanced cursor (106). A more in-depth configuration of the enhanced cursor will be described with respect to
The user may next select the enhanced cursor (108). The enhanced cursor may be selected using a finger or stylus if the display is a touch screen display, such as found on a smart phone or tablet computer, whereas if the display is coupled to or part of a desktop or laptop computer, the user may use a human interface device such as a mouse, trackball, or keyboard to select the enhanced cursor. The selected enhanced cursor may then be moved onto the displayed content of interest (110). Consistent with some embodiments, the enhanced cursor may require activation before being permitted to move. In such embodiments, a user may first press and hold the enhanced cursor to activate movement of the enhanced cursor. Once the enhanced cursor has been moved onto the displayed content of interest, the user can activate the enhanced cursor to perform the associated predefined action or actions. Activating the enhanced cursor may comprise tapping or clicking on the enhanced cursor, or, in some embodiments, double-tapping or double-clicking the enhanced cursor. Once the enhanced cursor has been activated, the predefined or assigned actions associated with the enhanced cursor are executed on the content (114). Consistent with some embodiments, after the predefined or assigned actions have been executed or performed by the enhanced cursor, the enhanced cursor may then return to an inactive state and/or may return to its original location within the displayed content or on a dock or toolbar.
Moreover, after the predefined or assigned actions have been executed or performed by the enhanced cursor, the enhanced cursor can provide additional functionality such as communicating the executed actions to a social networking site such as Facebook™, Twitter™, or Google+™. Such social networking communications may be configured in step 106 and may be personalized such that the communications only occur when certain actions are performed, such as bidding on, or purchasing items online using the enhanced cursor.
Consistent with some embodiments processing device 206 includes a machine-readable medium, such as a memory (not shown) that includes instructions for execution by a processor (not shown) for causing processing device 206 to perform specific tasks. For example, such instructions may include a displaying content 202, such as the shown web page, or other applications that display content 202 corresponding to a text document, a Microsoft® Word® document, or an Adobe® PDF® document. Further, content 202 may be content displayed by a particular application or “app” stored in a memory of processing device 206 and executed by a processor of processing device 206. For example, content 202 may be a news web page, such as shown in
Content 202 may also be a live or saved image captured by a camera coupled to processing device 206 or stored in memory of processing device 206 that has been processed using optical character recognition (OCR). Consequently, a user may view an image and perform actions on portions of the image that can be recognized using OCR. For example, processing device may be a smart phone or tablet computer having an integrated camera such that a user can use the camera to provide an augmented reality and view the surrounding area and perform actions on, for example, the names of stores and restaurants that are displayed such that the user can search for additional information or reviews about these stores and restaurants. In addition, enhanced cursor 208 may further have a translate function such that if a user is in a foreign country with signs in languages that the user cannot read, the user can view the surrounding area using the camera of the processing device, and use enhanced cursor 208 on selected signs to translate the signs into a language that the user can read.
As shown in
Returning to
A user may then enter a configuration menu for configuring enhanced cursor 208 (406). Within configuration menu, a user may assign an action for enhanced cursor 208 (408). The assigned actions may include an internet search, a text search, copy/paste functionality, searching for, buying, or bidding on purchasable items, or paying for purchased items. The user may then assign additional parameters related to the assigned action (410). Such additional parameters may include a specific search engine, parameters related to displaying the results of the executed action (i.e., such as display in a separate tab, window, pop-up window, etc.). The additional parameters may also include a secondary action, or even a series of actions assigned to enhanced cursor 208. Assigning a secondary action or a series of actions to enhanced cursor allows a user to chain actions together to be performed together. For example, a user may configure enhanced cursor 208 to have a copy action and then assign a secondary paste action. Once the user activates enhanced cursor 208 to execute the copy action, enhanced cursor now switches to the secondary action so that the user can activate enhanced cursor 208 to execute a paste action. Another example would be an enhanced cursor having an eBay search function and a secondary action of a PayPal function. Once the user has executed the eBay search function using enhanced cursor 208, the user can then execute the PayPal action using enhanced cursor 208 to pay for and purchase goods returned by the executed eBay search function.
A user may then select the appearance of enhanced cursor 208 (412), allowing the user to personalize and further enhance their interaction with content 202. For example, a user may choose enhanced cursor 208 to be ball-shaped based on their favorite sport, and may further configure enhanced cursor 208 to display a user-defined news or scores from a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed associated with their favorite sport or favorite team. Moreover, enhanced cursor 208 may be further configured to perform actions on the screen when not in use. One example would be a ball-shaped enhanced cursor bouncing or rolling around on the screen. A user may also choose enhanced cursor 208 to appear as a clock that displays the current time. Further, a user may choose enhanced cursor 208 to take the appearance of the user's online avatar or any other image or picture of the user's choosing. The user may further customize enhanced cursor 208 to automatically communicate information related to the executed actions to social networking sites of the user's choosing, with language chosen by the user.
Once the appearance of enhanced cursor 208 has been selected, the user may exit the enhanced cursor configuration menu (414). Enhanced cursor 208 may then be moved onto the displayed content of interest (416) and the predefined or assigned actions associated with enhanced cursor 208 are executed on content 202 (418). Consistent with some embodiments, after the predefined or assigned actions have been executed or performed by enhanced cursor 208, enhanced cursor 208 may then return to an inactive state and/or may return to its original location within displayed content 202 or on a dock or toolbar.
A user may have the ability to configure the enhanced cursors displayed in the enhanced cursor palette consistent with the method described in
Consistent with some embodiments processing device 606 includes a machine-readable medium, such as a memory (not shown) that includes instructions for execution by a processor (not shown) for causing processing device 606 to perform specific tasks. For example, such instructions may include a displaying content 602, such as the shown web page, or other applications that display content 602 corresponding to a text document, a Microsoft® Word® document, or an Adobe® PDF® document. Further, content 602 may be content displayed by a particular application or “app” stored in a memory of processing device 606 and executed by a processor of processing device 606. For example, content 602 may be a news website, such as shown in
Content 602 may also be a live or saved image captured by a camera coupled to processing device 606 or stored in memory of processing device 606 that has been processed using optical character recognition (OCR). Consequently, a user may view an image and perform actions on portions of the image that can be recognized using OCR. For example, processing device may be a smart phone or tablet computer having an integrated camera such that a user can use the camera to provide an augmented reality and view the surrounding area and perform actions on, for example, the names of stores and restaurants that are displayed such that the user can search for additional information or reviews about these stores and restaurants. In addition, enhanced cursor palette 608 may further have a translation enhanced cursor such that if a user is in a foreign country with signs in languages that the user cannot read, the user can view the surrounding area using the camera of the processing device, and select the translate enhanced cursor from enhanced cursor palette 608 to use on selected signs to translate the signs into a language that the user can read.
As shown in
Consistent with other embodiments, a user may select displayed content 612 and either copy/paste content 612 or drag/drop content 612 into one of the enhanced cursors displayed in enhanced cursor palette 608. For example, a user wanting to know more about “Canada's left-leaning NDP” could select that text and drag/drop or copy/paste the text into the search enhanced cursor displayed in enhanced cursor palette 608. A new window, screen, or tab would then be displayed showing the search results for the selected text.
Moreover, after the predefined or assigned actions have been executed or performed by the enhanced cursor, the enhanced cursor can provide additional functionality such as communicating the executed actions to a social networking site such as Facebook™ Twitter™, or Google+™. Such social networking communications may be configured in step 106 and may be personalized such that the communications only occur when certain actions are performed, such as bidding on, or purchasing items online using the enhanced cursor. For example, after searching eBay for merchandise related to either the Manchester or Tottenham football clubs, the user may purchase a jersey using the PayPal enhanced cursor from enhanced cursor palette 608. After the purchase has been completed, the enhanced cursor could be configured to post a tweet or status update stating “USER just purchased a signed #10 jersey from eBay™ SELLER using PayPal™.” The language of the social networking message may be fully configurable by the user, and could be configured in accordance with
In addition to the embodiments described above, enhanced cursor 208 (or a palette 608 of enhanced cursors 610) may be integrated in additional platforms. For example, enhanced cursor 208 may be integrated into gaming consoles, such as the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft XBOX360, or the Sony Playstation 3. In such integrations, enhanced cursor 208 may be used to execute a predefined action on content displayed by the gaming console in the same way as on processing device 206 or 606, described above. Similarly, enhanced cursor 208 may utilized to execute a predefined action on content displayed by a digital set-top box (STB) such as provided by a cable or satellite television provider. Enhanced cursor 208 may also be used along with mapping websites, software programs, or applications, wherein the one or more predetermined actions of enhanced cursor 208 can correspond to obtaining a current location (if used in a Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled device), or obtaining driving directions to a highlighted displayed location.
Enhanced cursor 208 may also be configured to work with additional APIs provided by PayPal, Inc. and eBay Inc., of San Jose, Calif. Such additional APIs may include, but not be limited to the “Flick” API, which allows a user to perform a flicking or sliding motion on a touch screen device to perform an action. Using the “Flick” API, enhanced cursor 208 could be configured to perform a desired action on desired content in response to a flick, swipe, or slide of the enhanced cursor on or to desired content. Consistent with some embodiments, the flick, swipe, or slide of enhanced cursor 208 on or to desired content could cause an action on desired content wherein the result of the action is transmitted to another device. For example, enhanced cursor 208 may be configured to perform an eBay search and the “Flick” API may be configured to display content on a secondary device, such as an internet-enabled television. Thus, when enhanced cursor 208 is moved on to the desired content and enhanced cursor 208 is flicked, the results of the eBay search could be displayed on the internet-enabled television. Enhanced cursor 208 may also be configured to work with additional third-party APIs, such as APIs to perform predetermined actions corresponding to the third party or the third party's business. This may include third party APIs designed for integration with social media sites or for integrating one or more people such that selected people can be notified about a user's actions performed using enhanced cursor 208.
Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as program code and/or data, may be stored on one or more machine-readable mediums, including non-transitory machine-readable medium. It is also contemplated that software identified herein may be implemented using one or more general purpose or specific purpose computers and/or computer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Where applicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may be changed, combined into composite steps, and/or separated into sub-steps to provide features described herein.
Consequently, embodiments as described herein may provide an enhanced cursor-like content selection area, or Smart Spot, that enhances user interaction with displayed content by allowing a user to perform assigned or predefined actions on the displayed content simply by moving the enhanced cursor onto the displayed content and activating the enhanced cursor. The examples provided above are exemplary only and are not intended to be limiting. One skilled in the art may readily devise other systems consistent with the disclosed embodiments which are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. As such, the application is limited only by the following claims.
This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/249,949, filed Sep. 30, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13249949 | Sep 2011 | US |
Child | 14868330 | US |