Visual feedback for highlight-driven gesture user interfaces

An apparatus configured to control a user interface, the apparatus comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having one or more instructions stored thereon for execution by the one or more processors, and when executed being operable to perform:
• highlighting a first object on a display screen, wherein the first object is one of a plurality of objects displayed on the display screen;
• accepting, by a computing device, a signal deriving from a first gesture input of a user, wherein the first gesture input, provided by a body part of the user without making any direct contact with the display screen, indicates a neutral position of the body part relative to the highlighted first object on the display screen;
• providing on the display screen, in response to the first gesture input of the user, a graphical representation at a first position coupled to the highlighted first object;
• accepting, by the computing device, a signal deriving from a second gesture input of the user, wherein the second gesture input, caused by movement of the body part through a gesture distance from the neutral position along a gesture direction from the neutral position, indicates a directional position;
• moving the graphical representation, in response to the second gesture input, to a second position on the display screen indicative of the directional position;
• detecting whether the movement of the graphical representation to the second position crosses a circular ring threshold, centered at the neutral position corresponding to the screen position of the highlighted first object, and characterized by a predetermined radius, the circular ring threshold being independent of positioning of any of the plurality of objects other than the highlighted first object;
• and
• in response to detecting that the movement of the graphical representation to the second position does cross the circular ring threshold at a point on the display screen between the first object and a second object adjacent to the first object in the plurality of objects, highlighting the second object, wherein the directional position of the second gesture input correlates to a position on the display screen of the second object relative to the first object.

A system for controlling a user interface, the system comprising:

• means for indicating a highlight of a first object on a display screen, wherein the first object is one of a plurality of objects displayed on the display screen;
• means for accepting, by a computing device, a signal deriving from a first gesture input of a user, wherein the first gesture input, provided by a body part of the user without making any direct contact with the display screen, indicates a neutral position of the body part relative to the highlighted first object on the display screen;
• means for providing on the display screen, in response to the first gesture input of the user, a graphical representation at a first position coupled to the highlighted first object;
• means for accepting, by the computing device, a signal deriving from a second gesture input of the user, wherein the second gesture input, caused by movement of the body part through a gesture distance from the neutral position along a gesture direction from the neutral position, indicates a directional position;
• means for moving the graphical representation, in response to the second gesture input, to a second position on the display screen indicative of the directional;
• means for detecting whether the movement of the graphical representation to the second position crosses a circular ring threshold, centered at the neutral position corresponding to the screen position of the highlighted first object, and characterized by a predetermined radius, the circular ring threshold being independent of positioning of any of the plurality of objects other than the highlighted first object;
• and
• means for highlighting, in response to detecting that the movement of the graphical representation to the second position does cross the circular ring threshold at a point on the display screen between the first object and a second object adjacent to the first object in the plurality of objects, wherein the directional position of the second gesture input correlates to a position on the display screen of the second object relative to the first object.