# US 10,372,305 B2 · Free-form entries during payment processes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,305 B2 - Document ID: US10372305B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/267,203 - Filed: 2016-09-16 - Published: 2017-01-05 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-23 - Assignees: Paypal, Inc. - Applicants: Paypal, Inc. - Inventors: Amol B. Patel; Suraj S. Menon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372305B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range - G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors - G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G06Q 20/3221: {Access to banking information through M-devices} - G06Q 20/3223: {Realising banking transactions through M-devices} - G06Q 20/381: {Currency conversion} - G06Q 30/04: Billing or invoicing - G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions - G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping} - G06Q 20/326: {Payment applications installed on the mobile devices} - G10L 15/26: Speech to text systems (G10L15/08 takes precedence) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING ## Abstract Methods, systems, and computer program products for allowing a user to perform a free-form action to initiate an activity associated with a user interface element are provided. For example, a computer-implemented method may include providing a user interface comprising a user interface element for display, detecting a free-form action performed by a user, determining a free-form definition corresponding to the detected free-form action where the determined free-form definition is one of a plurality of stored definitions, and performing an activity associated with the user interface element where the activity corresponds to the determined free-form definition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a non-transitory memory; and one or more hardware processors coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to read instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the system to perform operations comprising: providing a user interface comprising a user interface element for display on a display, wherein the user interface element is associated with an activity that is performed when the user interface element is selected on the display; detecting a free-form action performed by a user on the display; determining a free-form definition corresponding to the detected free-form action, wherein the free-form action includes a variation from the free-form definition and wherein the free-form definition comprises one of a plurality of stored definitions specific to the user; and performing the activity associated with the user interface element without the user interface element being selected on the display, the activity corresponding to the determined free-form definition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the determined free-form definition is associated with the user interface element matched with the detected free-form action, and wherein a different free-form definition is associated with the detected free-form action matched with an element other than the user interface element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the determining, at least in part, is based on a type of the system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the free-form definition is associated with a profile of the user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein detecting the free-form action the user on the display includes detecting a movement performed by the user on an image displayed on the display. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein detecting the free-form action the user on the display includes detecting a user action on a touch screen included on the display. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: displaying a notification of the determined free-form definition. ### Claim 8 A computer-implemented method, comprising: providing, by one or more hardware processors, a user interface comprising a user interface element for display on a display, wherein the user interface element is associated with an activity that is performed when the user interface element is selected on the display; detecting, by one or more of the hardware processors, a free-form action performed by a user on the display; determining, by one or more of the hardware processors, a free-form definition corresponding to the detected free-form action, wherein the free-form action includes a variation from the free-form definition and wherein the free-form definition comprises one of a plurality of stored definitions specific to the user; and performing, by one or more of the hardware processors, the activity associated with the user interface element without the user interface element being selected on the display, the activity corresponding to the determined free-form definition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the determined free-form definition is associated with the user interface element matched with the detected free-form action, and wherein a different free-form definition is associated with the detected free-form action matched with an element other than the user interface element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the determining, at least in part, is based on a type of a system storing the stored definitions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the free-form definition is associated with a profile of the user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein detecting the free-form action by the user on the display includes detecting a movement performed by the user on an image displayed on the display. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein detecting the free-form action by the user on the display includes detecting a user action on a touch screen included on the display. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: displaying, by one or more of the hardware processors, a notification of the determined free-form definition. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a machine to perform operations, comprising: providing a user interface comprising a user interface element for display on a display, wherein the user interface element is associated with an activity that is performed when the user interface element is selected on the display; detecting a free-form action performed by a user on the display; determining a free-form definition corresponding to the detected free-form action, wherein the free-form action includes a variation from the free-form definition and wherein the free-form definition comprises one of a plurality of stored definitions specific to the user; and performing the activity associated with the user interface element without the user interface element being selected on the display, the activity corresponding to the determined free-form definition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the determined free-form definition is associated with the user interface element matched with the detected free-form action, and wherein a different free-form definition is associated with the detected free-form action matched with an element other than the user interface element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the determining, at least in part, is based on a type of a system storing the stored definitions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the free-form definition is associated with a profile of the user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein detecting the free-form action by the user on the display includes detecting a user action on a touch screen included on the display. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise: displaying a notification of the determined free-form definition.