User focus controlled directional user input

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9710130-B2
Application number	US-201313916193-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2013
Priority date	Jun 12, 2013
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A user input for a near-eye, see-through display device is disclosed. Hands-free user input in an augmented reality environment is provided for. A user can provide input by moving the orientation of their head. For example, the user could rotate their head. In one aspect, a user can provide input by moving their eye gaze along a direction. In one aspect, when the user directs their attention at a user interface symbol, a handle extends away from the user interface symbol. The handle may serve as a type of selection device such that if the user directs their attention along the handle, away from the user interface symbol, a selection can be made. “As one example, the selection causes a spoke menu to appear which the user can select by rotating their head such that the system determines the user is looking along the spoke away from a central hub.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of providing a user interface, the method comprising:
tracking head orientation of a user wearing a see-through, near-eye display device;
determining a focus of the user based on the head orientation of the user;
determining a location that is based on the user's head orientation when the user's focus meets a first selection criterion;
spawning a spoke menu having a plurality of menu items in the see-through, near-eye display device in response to the user's focus meeting the first selection criterion, the plurality of menu items are displayed around the location that is based on the user's head orientation;
progressively filling a spoke from the location towards a first menu item of the plurality of menu items in response to the user progressively moving their head orientation to indicate a shift in focus from the location towards a first menu item of the plurality of menu items; and
activating the first menu item in response to determining that the user's focus has shifted from the location to along the spoke towards the first menu item to meet a second selection criterion.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying a handle in the see-through, near-eye display device that extends away from a user interface symbol in response to determining that the user's focus is at the user interface symbol, wherein spawning the spoke menu is in response to the user's head orientation indicating the user's focus moves along the handle to the location to meet the first selection criterion.

3. The method of claim 1 , each of the plurality of menu items has a spoke between the menu item and the location that is based on the user's head orientation when the user's focus meets the first selection criterion, further comprising:
highlighting the spoke that is between the location and the first menu item in response to the user's head orientation indicating the user's focus shifts from the location towards the first menu item.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second selection criterion is based on the head orientation indicating the user's focus has reached the first menu item.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein highlighting the spoke comprises:
continuing to progressively fill the spoke from the location towards the first menu item providing that the user's head orientation indicates the user's focus is outside of a safe zone near the location and generally along a region of the spoke.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second selection criterion is based on the spoke reaching the first menu item.

7. A display system comprising:
a see-through, near-eye display device;
logic in communication with the display device, wherein the logic is configured to:
track head orientation of a user wearing the see-through, near-eye display device;
determining a focus of the user based on the head orientation of the user;
determining a location that is based on the user's head orientation when the user's focus meets a first selection criterion;
spawn a spoke menu having a plurality of menu items in the see-through, near-eye display device in response to the user's focus meeting the first selection criterion, the plurality of menu items are displayed around the location that is based on the user's head orientation;
progressively fill a spoke from the location towards a first menu item of the plurality of menu items in response to the user progressively moving their head position indicating the user's focus moves from the location towards the first menu item; and
activate the first menu item in response to determining that the user's focus has shifted from the location to the spoke between the location and the first menu item to meet a second selection criterion.

8. The display system of claim 7 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
display a handle in the see-through, near-eye display device away from a user interface symbol in response to determining that the user's head orientations indicates the user's focus at the user interface symbol, the logic is configured to spawn the spoke menu in response to the user's head orientation indicating the user's focus moves along the handle to meet the first selection criterion.

9. The display system of claim 7 , wherein the location that is based on the user's focus when the user's head orientation meets a first selection criterion is a central hub of the spoke menu, wherein each of the plurality of menu items is associated with a spoke between the menu item and the central hub, wherein the spoke associated with the first menu item is a first spoke, wherein the logic is further configured to:
highlight the first spoke in response to the user's head orientation indicating the user's focus shifts from the central hub towards the first menu item.

10. The display system of claim 7 , wherein the second selection criterion is based on the user head orientation indicating the user's focus has reached the first menu item.

11. The display system of claim 9 , wherein logic is further configured to:
continue to progressively fill the first spoke from the central hub to the first menu item providing that the user's head orientation indicates the user's focus is outside of a safe zone near the central hub and generally along a region of the first spoke.

12. The display system of claim 11 , wherein the second selection criterion is based on the first spoke reaching the first menu item.

13. A method of providing a user interface in a see-through, near-eye display device, the method comprising:
tracking a head orientation of a user wearing the see-through, near-eye display device;
determining a location that is based on the user's head orientation when the user's head orientation meets a first selection criterion;
spawning a spoke menu in the see-through, near-eye display device in response to determining that the user's head orientation meets the first selection criterion, wherein the spoke menu includes a plurality of menu items around a central hub at the location that is based on the user's head orientation when the first selection criterion was met, wherein each of the menu items has a spoke between the menu item and the central hub;
progressively presenting more of a first spoke of the spokes from the central hub towards a first menu item of the menu items providing that the user's head orientation indicates the user's focus is outside of a safe zone near the central hub and progressively moves along the first spoke towards the first menu item; and
activating the first menu item in response to determining that the user's focus based on the head orientation has shifted from the central hub to along the first spoke to meet a second selection criterion.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first menu item is activated in response to the spoke reaching the first menu item with the user's head orientation outside of the safe zone but not moving all of the way from the central hub to the first menu item.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first menu item is activated in response to the user changing their head orientation progressively along the spoke from the central hub towards the first menu item until the second selection criterion is met.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
displaying a handle in the see-through, near-eye display device away from a user interface symbol in response to determining that the user's head is oriented at the user interface symbol, wherein spawning the spoke menu is in response to the user's head orientation moving along the handle to meet the first selection criterion.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Mulcahy Kathleen
• Burns Aaron
• Omotani Todd
• Williams Felicia
• Cole Jeff
• Psiaki Tim

Classifications

• G06F3/012 Primary

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title

• G06F3/04815 Primary

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · CPC title

• G06F3/0487

  using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

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