Google Inc.

Novamont S.p.a.

Philip Quinn

Shumin Zhai

Kishore Sundara-Rajan

Debanjan Mukherjee

James Brooks Miller

Tyler Reed Kugler

Alexey Polyudov

Seungyon Lee

Kelvin Kwong

James Cooper

Isaac William Reynolds

Yun-Ling Lee

John Gough Errington

Anya Jane Hornsey

Timothy James Chapman

Stuart Murray Scott

Maria Louise Hastings

Maria Louise Wake

A method includes outputting, for display, a graphical user interface that includes a graphical slider, the graphical slider including a trackbar that defines an axis in a first direction and a position indicator located at a first position along the trackbar. The method also includes receiving data indicative of a user input including a first displacement in the first direction and a second displacement in a second direction, the first direction perpendicular to the second direction. The method also includes mapping, based on both the first displacement in the first direction and the second displacement in the second direction, the user input to a second position along the trackbar. The method further includes outputting, for display, an updated graphical user interface that includes the position indicator at the second position along the trackbar.

Mapping user inputs in two directions to a single direction for one-handed device interactions with graphical sliders

A method includes a processor of an electronic device receiving first input signals from a first sensor in response to user contact at a first edge of the device and second input signals from a second sensor in response to user contact at a second edge of the electronic device. The first and second sensors are covered by a housing of the device. The processor determines an external context of the device based on analysis of the first input signals and the second input signals. The determined external context indicates at least a position of the device relative to a user or an orientation of the device relative to a user. Responsive to determining the external context, the electronic device executes a particular user input action.

Electronic device response to force-sensitive interface

An apparatus for sensing user input to an electronic device is described. The apparatus utilizes multiple strain gauge ('SG') sensing units which are each disposed adjacent an inner surface of the device housing. The SGs are configured to detect a particular type of user input administered to the sides of the device housing based on at least one of: the magnitude of strain applied to the SGs, the relative location of the applied strain, and the duration of the applied strain. The SGs are further configured to detect a second type of user input administered to a display screen of the electronic device caused by bowing of the device housing caused by user contact with the display screen.

Apparatus for sensing user input

An apparatus utilizes multiple strain gauge ('SG') sensing units which are each disposed adjacent an inner surface of the device housing. Electrical voltage generated by the SGs is amplified by one or more amplifiers to maximize the resolution between a voltage output of an SG when in a non-pressed state and a voltage output of the SG when in a pressed state. Additionally, an electronic circuit is configured to identify a baseline voltage output for an SG over a period of time for comparing to a voltage output for the SG when the SG is in a pressed state such that the pressed state of the SG can be identified by the electronic circuit by comparing a current output voltage of the SG to the identified baseline voltage.

A method includes one or more processors of an electronic device receiving signals from multiple sensors located along an edge of the device. The signals are received in response to external contact being provided to the edge of the device. At least one processor determines a distribution of forces applied to the sensors based on the input signals. Based on the determined distribution of forces, the processor determines: i) a location of the external contact that is offset from a location of each of the multiple sensors, and ii) a magnitude of the force of the external contact. The processor detects whether sensing criteria has been satisfied based on an analysis of: i) the location of the external contact and ii) the magnitude of the force of the external contact. Responsive to detecting that sensing criteria has been satisfied, the processor executes a user input action.

Force-sensitive user input interface for an electronic device

Electronic circuit and method to account for strain gauge variation

A smartphone case can include one or more piezotransductive materials (e.g., piezoelectric, piezomagnetic, piezoluminescent, etc.) positioned at one or more contact locations of the smartphone case. For example, a piezoelectric material can be positioned at multiple different locations of the smartphone case at which users may physically contact the smartphone case when holding the case. The piezoelectric material can generate an electric charge when pressure is applied to the material, and the generated electric charge can pass through an electromagnetic coil as an electric current to produce a magnetic field which one or more sensors (e.g., one or more magnetometers) of a smartphone that is housed within the smartphone case may be able to detect.

Mobile device accessory equipped to communicate with mobile device

In one example, a device includes at least one processor and at least one module operable by the at least one processor to output, for display, a graphical user interface including a graphical keyboard and one or more text suggestion regions, and select, based at least in part on an indication of gesture input, at least one key of the graphical keyboard. The at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to determine a plurality of candidate character strings, determine past interaction data that comprises a representation of a past user input corresponding to at least one candidate character string while the at least one candidate character string was previously displayed in at least one of the one or more text suggestion regions, and output the at least one candidate character string for display in one of the one or more text suggestion regions.

Text suggestion output using past interaction data

In one example, a method includes outputting, by a computing device and for display, a graphical user interface including a plurality of text suggestion regions. The method further includes receiving, by the computing device, an indication of gesture input detected at a presence-sensitive input device, and selecting, based at least in part on the indication of the gesture input, a candidate character string from a plurality of candidate character strings. The method further includes determining that the candidate character string was previously selected while being displayed within a particular text suggestion region from the plurality of text suggestion regions, and outputting, for display and based at least in part on determining that the candidate character string was previously selected while being displayed within the particular text suggestion region, the candidate character string within the particular text suggestion region.

Consistent text suggestion output

A computing device receives an indication of user input that corresponds to a series of one or more characters. The computing device determines, based at least in part on the series of one or more characters, a plurality of character strings. The computing device determines a score for each respective character string based at least in part on a probability in a particular language of the respective character string occurring, an estimate of time to be saved by a user if the user were to select the respective character string, and an estimate of time to be expended by the user to analyze the respective character string. The computing device outputs at least a portion of the plurality of character strings. The portion of the plurality of character strings is determined based at least in part on the score for each respective character string from the plurality of character strings.

Text input suggestion ranking

A method for the production of a biodegradable foamed productfrom a base material and a blowing agent. The base materials are mixed with a blowing agent and any other required additives. The mixture, after extrusion, is placed in a microwave transparent moldand processed in a microwave via distinct steps. The first step preheats the extrudate to a temperature just below the flash point. The second steprapidly heats the extrudate beyond the flash point causing the extrudate to foam in the mold. By utilizing this method it is possible to produce shaped articles with uniform properties and with packaging properties such as compressibility, resilience and shock absorption.

Method for the production of biodegradable foamed products

The method provided produces a bio-degradable foamed material with qualities of uniformity of mechanical and physical properties throughout the product including a foam thickness of up to one meter and a finished foam surface suitable for packaging applications. The parameters for producing such a product are selected from a range of variables which includes wall thickness, mold material, use of a susceptor and the type and composition of a susceptor, the number and arrangement of magnetrons and mold shape. Complex shapes produced by the process are also disclosed.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Philip Quinn