Voice and Touch User Interface

Abstract

Various examples are directed to an electronic device capable of touch input through a touch-sensitive surface and/or voice input through a microphone. In some examples, the electronic device may be used in an automobile. For example, some or all of the electronic device may be mounted in a dashboard for use while driving. The electronic device may provide informational content, entertainment content, navigation, and communication features in such a manner that user interaction may be minimized, thus providing a safe driving experience. This can be accomplished by performing tasks and presenting content automatically, without the need for user input, and by allowing user input through voice controls, touch screen controls, and/or physical controls mounted on the dashboard or steering wheel, among other possibilities.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 identifying that an electronic device is in a vehicle;   in response to the identification, causing the electronic device to operate in a limited input mode;   receiving input from a user at an application of the electronic device;   determining that the user input corresponds to a first input type;   determining that the first input type does not correspond to the limited input mode; and   prompting the user to provide input of a second input type that corresponds to the limited input mode.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a user instruction to activate the application of the electronic device;   identifying that the user is inside the vehicle; and   modifying a functionality of the application to correspond to the limited input mode.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying that at least one functionality of the application requires touch input to enter text; and   modifying the at least one functionality to cause the application to accept only verbal input and not touch input while in the limited input mode.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user input comprises interacting with a touch-based control to initiate a communication using the electronic device, further comprising disabling the touch-based control. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising replacing the touch-based control with a verbal prompt indicator, the verbal prompt indicator indicating to the user that the electronic device is actively receiving cognitive voice input. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input of the second input type from the user;   processing the user input;   presenting, on a display screen of the device, text that represents the user input.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input of the second input type from the user;   processing the user input; and   presenting a result of the processing on the display screen of the device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the input of the second type includes a verbal search request, and wherein the result of the processing includes one or more search results returned based on processing the verbal search request. 
     
     
         9 . An electronic device, comprising:
 one or more processors;   memory; and   one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:   in response to the identification, causing the electronic device to operate in a limited input mode;   receiving input from a user at an application of the electronic device;   determining that the user input corresponds to a first input type;   determining that the first input type does not correspond to the limited input mode; and   prompting the user to provide input of a second input type that corresponds to the limited input mode.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 receiving a user instruction to activate the application of the electronic device;   identifying that the user is inside the vehicle; and   modifying a functionality of the application to correspond to the limited input mode.   
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 identifying that at least one functionality of the application requires touch input to enter text; and   modifying the at least one functionality to cause the application to accept only verbal input and not touch input while in the limited input mode.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the user input comprises interacting with a touch-based control to initiate a communication using the electronic device, further comprising disabling the touch-based control. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for replacing the touch-based control with a verbal prompt indicator, the verbal prompt indicator indicating to the user that the electronic device is actively receiving cognitive voice input. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 receiving input of the second input type from the user;   processing the user input;   presenting, on a display screen of the device, text that represents the user input.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for execution by at least one processor of a mobile device, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
 identifying that an electronic device is in a vehicle;   in response to the identification, causing the electronic device to operate in a limited input mode;   receiving input from a user at an application of the electronic device;   determining that the user input corresponds to a first input type;   determining that the first input type does not correspond to the limited input mode; and   prompting the user to provide input of a second input type that corresponds to the limited input mode.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:
 receiving a user instruction to activate the application of the electronic device;   identifying that the user is inside the vehicle; and   modifying a functionality of the application to correspond to the limited input mode.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:
 identifying that at least one functionality of the application requires touch input to enter text; and   modifying the at least one functionality to cause the application to accept only verbal input and not touch input while in the limited input mode.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the user input comprises interacting with a touch-based control to initiate a communication using the electronic device, wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for replacing the touch-based control with a verbal prompt indicator, the verbal prompt indicator indicating to the user that the electronic device is actively receiving cognitive voice input. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:
 receiving input of the second input type from the user;   processing the user input; and   presenting a result of the processing on the display screen of the device.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the input of the second type includes a verbal search request, and wherein the result of the processing includes one or more search results returned based on processing the verbal search request.