Programmable touch bar

Abstract

Various techniques described provide mechanisms for more intuitive user interaction with a device For example, a computer-implemented user interface method includes detecting an application executing on the computing device, the computing device including a display and a touch bar separate from the display, the touch bar being a touch sensitive device with a plurality of zones, wherein the application executing on the computing device is associated with a user interface presented on the display, and configuring a zone of the plurality of zones to implement an operation performed by the application. Configuring the zone can include changing an appearance of the zone to display a graphical element associated with the operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 identifying, by a processor of a computing device, a change of focus to an application executing on the computing device, the computing device including a display and a touch bar separate from the display, the touch bar being a touch sensitive device with a plurality of zones; and   configuring a zone of the plurality of zones to implement an operation performable by the application executing on the computing device, wherein configuring the zone includes changing an appearance of the zone to include a graphical element associated with the operation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a first application and the method further comprises:
 detecting, by the processor, a second change in focus, the second change in focus being from the first application to a second application; and   in response to detecting the change in focus, configuring the zone of the plurality of zones to implement a second operation performed by the second application executing on the computing device, including changing the appearance of the zone to include a second graphical element associated with the second operation.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touch bar has a lower resolution than the display. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical element is an icon associated with the operation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touch bar is in a bezel of the computing device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a touch event in the zone; and   initiating the operation in the application.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a web browsing application, and the operation is one of moving forward, moving backward, or going to a home page. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a media player, and the operation controls the media player. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zone functions as a quick-input mechanism for the application. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touch bar is distinct from keys on a keyboard. 
     
     
         11 . A computing device comprising:
 a processor;   a display;   a touch bar, the touch bar being a touch sensitive device separate from the display; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:
 identify a change of focus to an application executing on the computing device, and 
 configure a zone of a plurality of zones of the touch bar to implement a function performable by the application, wherein configuring the zone includes changing an appearance of the zone to include a graphical element associated with the function. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the application is a first application and the instructions further cause the computing device to:
 detect a second change in focus, the second change in focus being from the first application to a second application; and   in response to detecting the change in focus, configure the zone of the plurality of zones to implement a second function performed by the second application, including changing the appearance of the zone to include a second graphical element associated with the second function.   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the touch bar has a lower resolution than the display. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the graphical element is an icon associated with the function. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the zone of the plurality of zones is sized for a digit of a user. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the touch bar is in a bezel of the computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 11 , the instructions further causing the computing device to:
 detect a touch event in the zone; and   initiate the function in the application.   
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the function performed is programmable by applications running on the computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the zone operates as a quick-input mechanism for the application. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 identifying a change of focus to an application executing on the computing device, the computing device including a display and a touch bar separate from the display, the touch bar being a touch sensitive device with a plurality of zones; and   configuring a zone of the plurality of zones to implement a function performable by the application executing on the computing device, wherein configuring the zone includes changing an appearance of the zone to include a graphical element associated with the function.