Systems and methods for enabling transitions between items of content

Abstract

Example implementation are directed to systems and methods for enabling transitions between items of content with a companion device to remotely control a main display. In an example implementation, a system includes a touch screen comprising a top surface, a display viewable through the top surface, and one or more interactive element on a portion of the top surface of the touch screen; and a processor coupled to the memory configured to execute one or more methods. In an example implementation, a method receives user input associated with the one or more interactive elements of the touch screen; determines event data based on the user input; provide feedback via the companion device based on the event data; and transmits the event data to control the main display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device to remotely control a main display comprising:
 a memory;   a touch screen comprising a top surface, a display viewable through the top surface, and one or more interactive elements on a portion of the top surface of the touch screen, the one or more interactive elements defining an area of the touch screen; and   a processor coupled to the memory, the processor comprising instructions that when executed configure the processor to:
 receive user input to perform an operation, the operation being one of a first control function or a second control function for controlling the main display, the first control function being different from the second control function; 
 determine whether a starting point of the user input is inside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements or outside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements; 
 determine at least one of distance of the user input and a direction of the user input; 
 determine first event data when the starting point of the user input is inside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements and based on at least one of the distance and the direction of the user input, the first event data being associated with the first control function; 
 determine second event data when the starting point of the user input is outside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements and based on at least one of the distance and the direction of the user input, the second event data being associated with the second control function; and 
 provide the first event data to perform the first control function or the second event data to perform the second control function. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the user input is a gesture using the one or more interactive elements. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises instructions that when executed configure the processor to:
 filter user input to calculate average coordinate values of multiple sample touches; and   determine at least one of the first event data and the second event data based on the average coordinate values, wherein at least one of the first event data and the second event data comprises a reduced set of touch coordinate values to be processed by a computing device associated with the main display.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the display of the touch screen provides at least one of dynamic text and images associated with a context of the main display. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more interactive elements comprise one or more protrusions extending from the top surface. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more protrusions are pressure sensitive, and wherein at least one of the first event data and the second event data is determined based on an amount of pressure applied to the one or more interactive elements. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more interactive elements comprise one or more indentations in the top surface. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the display of the touch screen is a flexible display device. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the display of the touch screen does not present video content. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface is coupled to an assembly, and wherein depressing the top surface into the assembly activates at least one switch. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the user input comprises selecting at least one of the one or more interactive elements and activating the at least one switch, wherein activating the at least one switch changes at least one of the first event data and the second event data. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises instructions that when executed configure the processor to provide feedback via the device based on at least one of the first event data or the second event data, wherein the feedback is at least one of visual, audio, and haptic output by the device. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises instructions that when executed configure the processor to, in response to providing the first event data or the second event data, receive a confirmation message confirming whether the first event data or the second event data is accepted to control the main display. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first event data or the second event data indicates a selection event. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a speed of movement of content presented on the main display is based on a speed of movement of the user input. 
     
     
         16 . A method of facilitating control of a main display comprising:
 receiving user input to perform an operation associated with a touch screen comprising a top surface, a display viewable through the top surface, and one or more interactive elements on a portion of the top surface of the touch screen, the one or more interactive elements defining an area of the touch screen, the operation being one of a first control function or a second control function for controlling the main display, the first control function being different from the second control function;   determining whether a starting point of the user input is inside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements or outside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements;   determining at least one of distance of the user input and a direction of the user input;   determining first event data when the starting point of the user input is inside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements and based on at least one of the distance and the direction of the user input, the first event data being associated with the first control function;   determining second event data when the starting point of the user input is outside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements and based on at least one of the distance and the direction of the user input, the second event data being associated with the second control function; and   providing the first event data to perform the first control function or the second event data to perform the second control function.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more interactive elements comprise one or more protrusions extending from the top surface or one or more indentations in the top surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a speed of movement of content presented on the main display is based on a speed of movement of the user input. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:
 receive user input to perform an operation associated with a touch screen comprising a top surface, a display viewable through the top surface, and one or more interactive elements on a portion of the top surface of the touch screen, the one or more interactive elements defining an area of the touch screen, the operation being one of a first control function or a second control function for controlling a main display, the first control function being different from the second control function;   determine whether a starting point of the user input is inside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements or outside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements;   determine at least one of distance of the user input and a direction of the user input;   determine first event data when the starting point of the user input is inside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements and based on at least one of the distance and the direction of the user input, the first event data being associated with the first control function;   determine second event data when the starting point of the user input is outside of the area of the touch screen defined by the one or more interactive elements and based on at least one of the distance and the direction of the user input, the second event data being associated with the second control function; and   provide the first event data to perform the first control function or the second event data to perform the second control function.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more interactive elements comprise one or more protrusions extending from the top surface or one or more indentations in the top surface.