User interface for liquid container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017192664-A1
Application number	US-201414779524-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 24, 2014
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A container, such as a beverage container or a mug, may include electronics to run applications. In some examples, the container may include a display for visually displaying icons, menus, data, and other elements. In some examples, the container may include one or more sensors, such as touch sensitivity built into the display or a separate touch-sensitive panel, and/or a motion sensor. In some examples, the container may use the one or more sensors to receive input from a user to run interactive applications on the display. In some examples, the container may recognize particular forms of input, such as user swipes in specified directions and/or for specified durations on the touch-sensitive display, and/or motion of the container in specified directions to execute specified commands for the applications. The recognized input may form a user interface for the user.

First claim

1 .- 31 . (canceled)

32 . A system, comprising:
a container shaped to contain liquid; a touch-sensitive display disposed on an outer surface of the container to sense swipe patterns; and a user interface module to translate a sensed swipe pattern on the touch-sensitive display into a corresponding interface command.

33 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the container includes a handle coupled to the outer surface of the container.

34 . The system of claim 33 ,
wherein when the container is powered up, the touch-sensitive display displays a root menu; and wherein from the root menu, the user interface module translates a swipe toward or away from the handle into a selection to advance through root icons on the touch-sensitive display, the root icons including an application menu icon and a tool menu icon.

35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the user interface module translates a touch on the application menu icon into a selection of an application menu on the touch-sensitive display.

36 . The system of claim 35 , wherein from the application menu, the user interface module translates a swipe toward or away from the handle into a selection to advance through application icons on the touch-sensitive display.

37 . The system of claim 35 , wherein from the application menu, the user interface module translates a touch on an application icon into a selection to run a corresponding application on the touch-sensitive display.

38 . The system of claim 37 , wherein from a running application, the user interface module translates a prolonged touch on the touch-sensitive display into a selection to exit the running application and return to the application menu on the touch-sensitive display.

39 . The system of claim 35 , wherein from the application menu, the user interface module translates a prolonged touch on the touch-sensitive display into a selection to exit the application menu and return to the root menu on the touch-sensitive display.

40 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the user interface module translates a touch on the tool menu icon into a selection of a tool menu on the touch-sensitive display.

41 . The system of claim 40 ,
wherein from the tool menu, the user interface module translates a swipe toward or away from the handle into a selection to advance through tool icons on the touch-sensitive display; wherein from the tool menu, the user interface module translates a touch on a tool icon into a selection to run a corresponding tool on the touch-sensitive display; and wherein from the tool menu, the user interface module translates a prolonged touch on the touch-sensitive display into a selection to exit the tool menu and return to the root menu on the touch-sensitive display.

42 . The system of claim 41 , wherein from a running tool, the user interface module translates a prolonged touch on the touch-sensitive display into a selection to exit the running tool and return to the tool menu on the touch-sensitive display.

43 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the user interface module comprises:
a touch panel driver to process a signal from the touch-sensitive display; a normal gesture recognition module to extract a swipe from the processed signal from the touch panel driver; and a container gesture translator to translate the extracted swipe into the corresponding interface command.

44 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the container is a porcelain mug.

45 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the touch-sensitive display comprises:
a touch-sensitive element accessible from the outer surface of the container.

46 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the touch-sensitive element is disposed on the outer surface of the container.

47 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the touch-sensitive element is disposed below the outer surface of the container and included in a wall of the container.

48 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the touch-sensitive display further comprises:
an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed below the touch sensitive element and included in a wall of the container, the touch-sensitive element and the outer surface of the container being sufficiently thin to transmit light from the LEDs therethrough when the array is operational, the touch-sensitive element and the outer surface of the container being sufficiently thick to mask the array of LEDs when the array is non-operational.

49 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the touch-sensitive display further comprises:
an LED holder disposed below the array of LEDs and included in a wall of the container.

50 . The system of claim 45 , further comprising:
electronics disposed on or in the container; wherein the electronics, when operational: receive input and output from the touch-sensitive display; drive the LEDs in the array; and rechargeably store energy to power the touch-sensitive display and the LED array.

51 . A method for receiving an interface command from a container shaped to contain liquid, the method comprising:
sensing a swipe pattern with a touch-sensitive display disposed on an outer surface of the container; and translating the sensed swipe pattern into a corresponding interface command with a user interface module.

52 . The method of claim 51 , wherein the container includes a handle coupled to the outer surface of the container.

53 . The method of claim 52 ,
wherein when the container is powered up, displaying a root menu on the touch-sensitive display; and further comprising: from the root menu, translating a swipe toward or away from the handle into a selection to advance through root icons on the touch-sensitive display, the root icons including an application menu icon and a tool menu icon.

54 . The method of claim 53 , further comprising:
translating a touch on the application menu icon into a selection of an application menu on the touch-sensitive display.

55 . The method of claim 54 , further comprising:
from the application menu, translating a swipe toward or away from the handle into a selection to advance through application icons on the touch-sensitive display.

56 . The method of claim 54 , further comprising:
from the application menu, translating a touch on an application icon into a selection to run a corresponding application on the touch-sensitive display.

57 . The method of claim 54 , further comprising:
from the application menu, translating a prolonged touch on the touch-sensitive display into a selection to exit the application menu and return to the root menu on the touch-sensitive display.

58 . The method of claim 54 , further comprising:
translating a prolonged touch on the touch-sensitive display into a selection to exit a running application; and displaying the application menu on the touch-sensitive display.

59 . The method of claim 51 , wherein translating the sensed swipe pattern into a corresponding interface command with a user interface module comprises:
processing a signal from the touch-sensitive display; extracting a swipe from the processed signal; and
translating the swipe into the corresponding interface command.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Liu Zhanglin
• Song Jiqiang
• Zhang Chao
• Gao Ying
• Luan Dennis
• Xie Haibing
• Liu Dongping
• Wang Randolph
• Luo Bin
• Wang Ho

Classifications

• G06F3/04883 Primary

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• A47G19/14

  Coffee or tea pots (filters, strainers A47J31/06) · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title