Color control
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorCatherine N. Boulanger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The description relates to color information. One example can include a computing device having a display and a digital stylus configured to capture colors from an operating environment. The digital stylus can be configured to wirelessly communicate data relating to an individual color from the operating environment to the computing device. The computing device can be configured to identify a context of the communicated individual color and to control the computing device based upon the individual color and the context.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a computing device having a display;
- and,
- a digital stylus configured to capture colors from an operating environment;
- the digital stylus configured to wirelessly communicate data relating to an individual color from the operating environment to the computing device,
- the computing device configured to:
- identify a context in which the individual color is input to the computing device by the digital stylus;
- select a particular function to perform on the computing device based at least upon the context in which the individual color is input to the computing device by the digital stylus;
- and
- perform the particular function on the computing device, wherein:
- in a first instance, the particular function is a drawing function performed on the computing device using the individual color, and
- in a second instance, the particular function is another function performed on the computing device using the individual color.
A computing device, comprising:
- a display;
- a processor;
- and
- a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- generate a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display that allows a user to map colors to functions to be performed by the computing device;
- determine whether an individual color received from the user is mapped to an individual function;
- and
- when the individual color is mapped to the individual function, implement the individual function on the computing device,
- wherein, in at least one instance, the individual function involves controlling a specific application that has previously been designated as being associated with the individual color.
At least one computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform acts, comprising:
- detecting proximity of a digital stylus to a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on the computing device;
- receiving data relating to a color from the digital stylus;
- determining whether the digital stylus is engaging a drawing application on the GUI;
- in an instance where the digital stylus is engaging the drawing application, illuminating portions of the drawing application with the color;
- and,
- in an alternative instance where the digital stylus is not engaging the drawing application, identifying whether the color is mapped to a control function relating to the computing device and implementing the control function on the computing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.