Abstract:
Described is changing the perceived appearance of a switch by writing content (e.g., an icon) to a switch assembly to change the context of the switch based upon a hardware device&#39;s current operating context and/or by changing the perceived color of the switch based upon the hardware device&#39;s current operating context. The switch may be layered, for example, with a transparent cover associated with a light guide that can change color via a controlled LED, a writeable surface and an underlying switch (e.g., physical or capacitive sensed) mechanism. Upon detecting interaction with a user interface, the appearance of a switch is based on a current context of the user interface. The system includes means for writing to the writeable surface so that it corresponds to the current context of the program.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Hardware buttons are useful for quickly navigating to important or common user interface features of a hardware device. The hardware devices may be fixed, such as an automated teller machine (ATM) or an interactive screen at a grocery store. Other devices are hand-held and mobile, such as mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDA) and the like. Some hardware devices are designed for one-handed interaction with the buttons, so that, for example, a user can interact with the device while driving.  
         [0002]     A difficulty in designing hardware buttons for easy and intuitive user interaction is that that the button needs to mapped to a location (and context) that are ever changing. By way of example, some hardware buttons (on phones or ATMs for instance) change their meaning based on the current context of the user interface. These types of hardware buttons are often aligned next to the display so that they can be labeled by the display when their context changes. While such buttons are useful, they still have mapping issues and at times alignment issues (especially in the case of ATMs). It is not unusual for a user to have to hunt for a button for quite some time, and even to select the wrong one.  
         [0003]     A related issue is that in an attempt to accommodate all of the functionality that hardware devices can offer, mobile devices end up implementing too many hardware buttons. This results in clutter that detracts from the aesthetics of a device and cheapens the overall look and feel of the device.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of representative 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 in any way that would limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.  
         [0005]     Briefly, various aspects of the subject matter described herein are directed towards writing content (e.g., an icon) to a switch to change the context of the switch based upon a hardware device&#39;s current operating context. Upon detecting interaction with a user interface, the appearance of a switch is based on a current context of the user interface. For example, the perceived color of the switch also may be changed based upon the hardware device&#39;s current operating context; the color change may be in conjunction with the writing of the content.  
         [0006]     In one implementation, system comprising an assembly includes a writeable region that is associated with a sensor that controls operation of a program running on the computer device. The system includes means for writing to the writeable region in conjunction with the current context of the program.  
         [0007]     Other advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows an illustrative example of a general-purpose computing environment into which various aspects of the present invention may be incorporated.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a layered representation of a hardware switch including components stacked layered to provide improved user interaction.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 3 and 4  comprise representations of simplified example application programs being controlled by a switch that changes visible icons to match the current program context.  
         [0012]      FIGS. 5-10  comprise example representations of programs being controlled by a switch that changes visible icons and color to match each current program&#39;s current context. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0000]     Exemplary Operating Environment  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment  100  on which the invention may be implemented. The computing system environment  100  is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Neither should the computing environment  100  be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment  100 .  
         [0014]     The invention is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to: personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, tablet devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.  
         [0015]     The invention may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and so forth, which perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in local and/or remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.  
         [0016]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary system for implementing the invention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer  110 . Components of the computer  110  may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit  120 , a system memory  130 , and a system bus  121  that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit  120 . The system bus  121  may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus also known as Mezzanine bus.  
         [0017]     The computer  110  typically includes a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the computer  110  and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by the computer  110 . Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.  
         [0018]     The system memory  130  includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM)  131  and random access memory (RAM)  132 . A basic input/output system  133  (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer  110 , such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM  131 . RAM  132  typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit  120 . By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 1  illustrates operating system  134 , application programs  135 , other program modules  136  and program data  137 .  
         [0019]     The computer  110  may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,  FIG. 1  illustrates a hard disk drive  141  that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive  151  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk  152 , and an optical disk drive  155  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk  156  such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive  141  is typically connected to the system bus  121  through a non-removable memory interface such as interface  140 , and magnetic disk drive  151  and optical disk drive  155  are typically connected to the system bus  121  by a removable memory interface, such as interface  150 .  
         [0020]     The drives and their associated computer storage media, described above and illustrated in  FIG. 1 , provide storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer  110 . In  FIG. 1 , for example, hard disk drive  141  is illustrated as storing operating system  144 , application programs  145 , other program modules  146  and program data  147 . Note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system  134 , application programs  135 , other program modules  136 , and program data  137 . Operating system  144 , application programs  145 , other program modules  146 , and program data  147  are given different numbers herein to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands and information into the computer  110  through input devices such as a tablet, or electronic digitizer,  164 , a microphone  163 , a keyboard  162  and pointing device  161 , commonly referred to as mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices not shown in  FIG. 1  may include a joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit  120  through a user input interface  160  that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor  191  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  121  via an interface, such as a video interface  190 . The monitor  191  may also be integrated with a touch-screen panel or the like. Note that the monitor and/or touch screen panel can be physically coupled to a housing in which the computing device  110  is incorporated, such as in a tablet-type personal computer. In addition, computers such as the computing device  110  may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers  195  and printer  196 , which may be connected through an output peripheral interface  194  or the like.  
         [0021]     The computer  110  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  180 . The remote computer  180  may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer  110 , although only a memory storage device  181  has been illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The logical connections depicted in  FIG. 1  include a local area network (LAN)  171  and a wide area network (WAN)  173 , but may also include other networks. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet.  
         [0022]     When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer  110  is connected to the LAN  171  through a network interface or adapter  170 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer  110  typically includes a modem  172  or other means for establishing communications over the WAN  173 , such as the Internet. The modem  172 , which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus  121  via the user input interface  160  or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer  110 , or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 1  illustrates remote application programs  185  as residing on memory device  181 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.  
         [0000]     Color And Context-Adaptable Hardware Button  
         [0023]     Various aspects of the technology described herein are directed towards controlling the appearance and/or context of a hardware button, for example to correspond to the current context of visible user interface output on a display screen. Although the technology described herein describes various ways to accomplish example implementations, the present invention is not limited to any particular examples. As but one example, a type of switch referred to as a D-Pad is described, for its qualities of having five switches, typically configured as four directional switches (for up, down, right and left) movement and one selection switch for entering. However, virtually any type of button/switch including pen or touch sensitive mechanisms, and/or configurations, such as four or so buttons to the right of an ATM screen, a single button used at different times for different results, a keyboard key, a button accompanying or incorporated into an auxiliary display device, and so forth, may benefit from the technology described herein. As such, any of the examples mentioned herein are non-limiting, and the present invention may be used various ways that provide benefits and advantages in computing and switching activities in general.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows one example implementation including a switch mechanism  210  dissembled for purpose of explanation into stacked layers. A clear (including reasonably transparent/translucent even if not completely clear) switch cover  212  serves as a protective covering, while allowing a user of the switch mechanism  210  to view the contents of an underlying electronic ink display  214 .  
         [0025]     In one desirable implementation, the switch cover  212  comprises a light guide, incorporates light guide, or is closely coupled to light guide. As is known, a light guide is typically plastic or other mostly transparent material, that contain etched lines or other internal flaws/facets so that light applied to the light guide (e.g., from a front, back and/or side direction) is diffused across the surface, giving the appearance of the switch cover  212  being lit up, rather than appearing as a piece of plastic or glass with having light simply shown through. In general, one or more appropriately-positioned RGB-based LEDs (two are shown labeled  214   a  and  214   b ) provide the coloring that illuminates the switch cover  212 , although any alterative coloring scheme is equivalent. The diffused light may reflect up or down.  
         [0026]     The next lower layer (from the perspective of  FIG. 2 ) comprises an electronic ink display  214 . In general, content such as icons, text, animations and essentially anything that can be displayed within the resolution limits may be written to the electronic ink display  214 . Various types of such devices are known including black and white matrix types, LCD-based screens and so forth. One such type is a bi-stable electronic ink display  214 , which has the benefit of not requiring ongoing power to persist content written to it. Virtually any other type of electronic ink display  214  is feasible. Because of the stacked configuration, images (e.g., crisp black and white or two-color) may appear closely underneath or aside the actual buttons. The images written to the buttons display can change as appropriate for a current context, while a top light LED set (e.g., RGB clusters) can change the color reflected off of other (e.g., white) pixels to match the UI&#39;s color and assist in tying the button functionality to certain elements of the user interface.  
         [0027]     The bottom layer of the stacked switch mechanism  210  comprises the individual switches, in this example the five-way (D-Pad) comprising individual buttons/switches  218  that convert pressure (typically originating from a human finger) to a signal that indicates which of the five switches is being actuated. Note that the transparent cover/light guide  212  and electronic ink display  214  need to be configured (e.g., to yield and/or rock as necessary) to allow surface pressure to be transferred to the individual buttons.  
         [0028]     As can be readily appreciated, a five-way switch is only one example of a mechanism which can facilitate user interaction with a device/program. Any other numbers of switches, combinations, styles, patterns and so forth may benefit from context. Even if a number of buttons are present, they need not all be active in a given context; e.g., left and right can be ignored if in a current user interface context only up, down and select have meaning.  
         [0029]     In operation, when coupled to a hardware device such as those described above, including a mobile device (e.g., phone, tablet computer, laptop computer) or fixed device (non-mobile computer, ATM, store checkout display and so forth) the clear switch cover/light guide  212 , in conjunction with the electronic ink display  214 , provides the ability to write context-based icons that appear below the switch cover. One or more RGB-based LEDs  216  are controllable color to give the entire switch mechanism the appearance of being illuminated, and, for example, may change colors at the same time the context-icons change. As a result, a user receives visible guidance in the form of color and displayed content (e.g., an icon) in conjunction with the user&#39;s device interaction. For example, a program context handling means  390  comprising program and/or intermediate (e.g., operating system) code and one or more interfaces control the output.  
         [0030]     By way of example, consider the switch  210  being illuminated and icons  330  and  332  being presented. The LED&#39;s illuminating color (not shown in this black-and-white example, but may be something such as light-blue which may be configured by the user) may be one that matches the program&#39;s state and context, which in this simplified example allows a user to use up and down buttons to navigate via a selection bar  340  that highlights a message header among email messages displayed on a user interface  342 . In  FIG. 3 , navigation is intentionally limited in the current context to up, down or select; e.g., actuating the right and left buttons (of a D-Pad) have no affect, nor is anything being shown to the user to suggest anything but up, down and select (always present in the center) are valid.  
         [0031]     To contrast the example of  FIG. 3 , using the same switch mechanism  210 , different options are available to a user, and thus different colors and icons may be presented. For example, in  FIG. 4 , the substantially same device that in  FIG. 3  was running a mail message-type program is now operating as a media player, as indicated in the program windows. At the same time, the icons have changed to let the user know that the switch is capable of facilitating media play, e.g., volume up and down icons are displayed as plus and minus symbols on the switch  210  (actually rendered on the electronic ink display layer  214 ), respectively. Also displayed are icons for common media operation, fast forward, rewind and pause. Note that when stopped or paused, the icons can change as appropriate, as even though the media program is the same, its operating context changes when the media is stopped, or paused.  
         [0032]     In addition to the above-described combination of a clear switch cover, an RGB color-morphing front light, an electronic ink display and a five-way dome switch, the stacking of technologies also allow the implementation of alternative switching mechanisms. For example a touch panel that acts via a capacitive touch field (with a single physical button) may be present instead of the five physical buttons of an actual switch. Thus, this alternative operates via a capacitive (touch sensitive field) to locate finger placement and a physical press to activate it. Among other possible benefits, in this alternative implementation a larger area of context buttons may appear and disappear, there is no limit to the switch number other than what is practical.  
         [0033]     Notwithstanding, in each of these alternatives tactile (often referred to as haptic) feedback is typically desirable to most users. Thus, capacitive sensing may be trigger something the user did not intend or does not even recognized as having occurred.  
         [0034]     To this end, the switch may have bumps, depressions, slopes and many other types of mechanical, audible, visible feedback that a user can sense. For example, on a small device, a user may hunt around for a DPAD-type switch without looking, such as when driving or typing.  
         [0035]     Further, as the button contains graphics output capabilities, the button is capable of acting as at an auxiliary display, including at times when the main host system is powered down, at least to an extent. For example, instead of having lights such as additional LEDs for notification, things such as the battery level, message received and so forth may be presented to the user via the switch mechanism  210 . Further, as described above, the switch mechanism  210  may be of a kind that persists rendered content without consuming power.  
         [0036]      FIGS. 5-6 , although in grayscale and not in color, provide additional examples and example scenarios that describe the structure, operation, functionality and the appearance of the context changeable switch. In  FIG. 5 , the user interface is operating in a program launcher mode where the user can navigate right/left or up/down. The switch mechanism  210  writes black pixels to the whole button, except for the white arrows. The function of the button  210  is thus configured for directional operation and the user given notice with the arrows. In general, the button is illuminated to match the displayed color.  
         [0037]     In  FIG. 6  there is a change in the device&#39;s operating context, namely an email notification has arrived and the UI introduces a notification that someone has sent an instant message. The switch  210  becomes front lighted with a light green color to match the display aesthetic. The icons are updated to reflect the information in context (to accept or ignore), and the top cover is illuminated to match the color of the actual notification to visually tie the two together. If the UI is switched to a different application such as generally represented in the examples of  FIGS. 7-10 , the context of the button changes (e.g., via preprogramming) to best suit that application.  
         [0038]     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.