User interface controlled by environmental cues

Abstract

A method comprises receiving a signal containing an environmental cue; correlating the environmental cue to a user interface control element; and generating a user interface control command based on the environmental cue. A device may be controlled by receiving a visual image, processing the image to identify a visual cue, correlating the visual cue with a user interface control, and controlling the device using the user interface control. The visual image may be received from a camera that is part of an automobile, and the user interface control may include a control for a radio to tune to a radio station; a speed control for controlling a speed of the automobile corresponding to a speed sign visual cue; or a navigation system control for controlling a navigation system based on traffic signs. Other variations include an apparatus and computer-readable media including instructions for performing the methods.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a signal including an environmental cue;   correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element for operating a device; and   generating an interface control command based on the environmental cue,   wherein when the environmental cue comprises a traffic alert, generating an interface control command comprises generating a detour command for a navigation device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a signal including an environmental cue comprises receiving a visual image from a camera. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises correlating a traffic sign within the visual image to a vehicle speed control. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises correlating a traffic sign within the visual image to a navigation system control. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises receiving user input regarding a user-selected portion of the visual image corresponding to the received signal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements further comprises identifying information in the user-selected portion of the visual image indicative of a speed limit, and wherein generating the interface control command comprises generating a speed control command for a vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises matching a visual cue within a received image to one of a plurality of potentially matching visual cues stored in a database. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a display configured to display a user interface; and   a processor configured to:
 process a signal including an environmental cue, 
 correlate the environmental cue to an interface control element for operating a device, and 
 generate an interface control command based on the environmental cue, wherein when the environmental cue comprises a traffic alert, generating an interface control command comprises generating a detour command for a navigation device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a camera configured to capture an image and provide the signal including the environmental cue, the signal comprising a visual image. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises correlating a traffic sign within the visual image to a vehicle speed control. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a user input device configured to receive user input regarding a user-selected portion of the visual image corresponding to the received signal, wherein the environmental cue within the user-selected portion is correlated to an interface control element. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a radio receiver configured to receive the signal including the environmental cue, and provide the signal to the processor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a database configured to store visual cue patterns, wherein the processor is further configured to match a visual cue within a received image to one of a plurality of potentially matching visual cues stored in the database. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the visual cues are organized by geographic region. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions configured to, when executed, cause a processor to:
 receive a signal including an environmental cue;   correlate the environmental cue to an interface control element for operating a device; and   generate an interface control command based on the environmental cue,   wherein when the environmental cue comprises a traffic alert, generating an interface control command comprises generating a detour command for the navigation device.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein receiving a signal including an environmental cue comprises receiving a visual image from a camera. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises correlating a traffic sign within the visual image to a vehicle speed control. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises correlating a traffic sign within the visual image to a navigation system control. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements further comprises identifying information in a user-selected portion of the visual image indicative of a speed limit, and wherein generating the interface control command comprises generating a speed control command for a vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein correlating the environmental cue to an interface control element from a plurality of possible interface control elements comprises matching a visual cue within a received image to one of a plurality of potentially matching visual cues stored in a database.