Gesture Input Notification for a Multi-Input Mode

Abstract

This document describes techniques and systems that enable an input-mode notification for a multi-input mode. A radar field enables an electronic device to accurately determine the presence or absence of a user near the electronic device. Further, the electronic device can determine whether an application that can receive input through radar-based gestures is operating on the electronic device. Using these techniques, the electronic device can present an input-mode notification on a display of the electronic device when the user is near to alert the user that radar gesture input is available for interacting with the electronic device. This allows the device to provide the user with feedback that can educate the user about what the electronic device is capable of, and allows the user to take advantage of the additional functionality and features provided by the availability of the radar gestures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display;   a radar system, implemented at least partially in hardware, configured to:
 provide a radar field; 
 sense reflections from a user in the radar field; 
 analyze the reflections from the user in the radar field; 
 provide, based on the analysis of the reflections, radar data; and 
 determine, irrespective of receiving radar-gesture input and based on the radar data, whether the user is within a threshold distance of the electronic device; 
   one or more computer processors; and   one or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more computer processors, implement a radar-based gesture-feedback manager configured to:
 determine whether an application that has a capability to receive the radar-gesture input is operating on the electronic device; 
 irrespective of receiving radar-gesture input and responsive to a determination that the application that has the capability to receive radar-gesture input is operating on the electronic device and a determination that the user is within the threshold distance of the electronic device, cause the display to present an input-mode notification, the input-mode notification associated with the capability to receive the radar-gesture input; 
 receive other radar data from the radar system, the other radar data determined based on reflections from a motion by a portion of the user within a gesture zone of the electronic device; 
 determine that the motion by the portion of the user within the gesture zone does not comprise radar-gesture input; and 
 provide, in response to the determination that the motion by the portion of the user within the gesture zone does not comprise radar-gesture input, a failed-gesture feedback element on the display of the electronic device, the failed-gesture feedback element indicating that the motion was detected and that the motion does not comprise the radar gesture. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the radar-based gesture-feedback manager is further configured to:
 receive additional radar data from the radar system, the additional radar data determined based on reflections from another motion by the portion of the user within the gesture zone;   determine that the other motion by the portion of the user within the gesture zone comprises another radar-gesture input, the other radar-gesture input corresponding to a control input of the application that has the capability to receive radar-gesture input;   provide a gesture-success element on the display of the electronic device, the gesture-success element indicating that the other motion by the portion of the user within the gesture zone comprises the other radar-gesture input and that the other radar-gesture input corresponds to the control input of the application; and   cause the application to respond to the control input.   
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the radar-based gesture-feedback manager is further configured to:
 determine, prior to provision of the failed-gesture feedback element, that the application that has the capability to receive radar-gesture input on the electronic device is executing, and wherein the provision of the failed-gesture feedback element on the display is also responsive to the determination that the application on the electronic device is executing.   
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the radar-based gesture-feedback manager is further configured to:
 determine, prior to provision of the failed-gesture feedback element, that the application that has the capability to receive radar-gesture input on the electronic device is not executing, and wherein the provision of the failed-gesture feedback element on the display is also responsive to the determination that the application on the electronic device is not executing.   
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the gesture zone of the electronic device has a smaller volume than a volume of the radar field. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the failed-gesture feedback element comprises the input-mode notification. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the failed-gesture feedback element comprises a visual element that appears on an active area of the display of the electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the visual element moves on the active area of the display, the movement of the visual element corresponding to the motion by the portion of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the motion by the portion of the user comprises a first motion that includes a component in a left-to-right direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the first motion comprises:
 moving from a first position on the active area of the display to a second position on the active area of the display, the second position to a right side of the first position; and 
 moving from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or 
   the motion by the portion of the user comprises a second motion that includes a component in a right-to-left direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the second motion comprises:
 moving from a third position on the active area of the display to a fourth position on the active area of the display, the fourth position to a left side of the third position; and 
 moving from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display. 
   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the movement of the visual element further comprises:
 a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the first position on the active area of the display to the second position on the active area of the display; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or   a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the third position on the active area of the display to the fourth position on the active area of the display; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display.   
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the motion by the portion of the user comprises a first motion that includes a component in a top-to-bottom direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the first motion comprises:
 moving from a first position on the active area of the display to a second position on the active area of the display, the second position to a lower side of the first position; and 
 moving from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or 
   the motion by the portion of the user comprises a second motion that includes a component in a bottom-to-top direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the second motion comprises:
 moving from a third position on the active area of the display to a fourth position on the active area of the display, the fourth position to an upper side of the third position; and 
 moving from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display. 
   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the movement of the visual element further comprises:
 a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the first position on the active area of the display to the second position on the active area of the display; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or   a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the third position on the active area of the display to the fourth position on the active area of the display; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display.   
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the movement of the visual element corresponding to the motion by the portion of the user comprises:
 a decrease from a first luminosity of at least part of the visual element to a second luminosity of the at least part of the visual element;   a decrease from a first size of the visual element to a second size of the visual element;   a return to the first size of the visual element; and   a return to the first luminosity of the visual element.   
     
     
         14 . A method implemented in an electronic device that includes a display and a radar system, the method comprising:
 determining whether an application that has a capability to receive radar-gesture input is operating on the electronic device, the radar-gesture input defined by radar data that is generated by the radar system;   determining, by the radar system, based on one or more subsets of the radar data and irrespective of receiving radar-gesture input, whether a user is within a threshold distance of the electronic device; and   irrespective of receiving radar-gesture input and responsive to determining that the application that has the capability to receive radar-gesture input is operating on the electronic device and that the user is within the threshold distance of the electronic device, providing an input-mode notification on the display of the electronic device, the input-mode notification associated with the capability to receive the radar-gesture input;   receiving other radar data from the radar system, the other radar data generated based on reflections from a motion by a portion of the user within a gesture zone of the electronic device;   determining, based on the other radar data, that the motion of the portion of the user within the gesture zone of the electronic device does not comprise the radar-gesture input; and   providing a failed-gesture feedback element on the display of the electronic device, the failed-gesture feedback element indicating that the motion of the portion of the user within the gesture zone of the electronic device is determined not to comprise the radar-gesture input.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining, based on additional radar data, that another motion of the portion of the user within the gesture zone of the electronic device comprises another radar-gesture input, the other radar-gesture input corresponding to a control input of an application that has the capability to receive radar-gesture input on the electronic device;   providing a gesture-success element on the display of the electronic device, the gesture-success element indicating that the other motion by the portion of the user within the gesture zone comprises the other radar-gesture input and that the other radar-gesture input corresponds to the control input of the application; and   causing the application to respond to the control input.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising determining, prior to providing the failed-gesture feedback element, that the application that has the capability to receive radar-gesture input on the electronic device is currently executing, and wherein the provision of the failed-gesture feedback element on the display is also responsive to the determination that the application on the electronic device is executing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the failed-gesture feedback element comprises the input-mode notification. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the failed-gesture feedback element comprises a visual element that appears on an active area of the display. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the visual element moves on the active area of the display, the movement of the visual element corresponding to the motion of the portion of the user. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the motion of the portion of the user comprises a first motion that includes a component in a left-to-right direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the first motion comprises:
 moving from a first position on the active area of the display to a second position on the active area of the display, the second position to a right side of the first position; and 
 moving from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or 
   the motion of the portion of the user comprises a second motion that includes a component in a right-to-left direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the second motion comprises:
 moving from a third position on the active area of the display to a fourth position on the active area of the display, the fourth position to a left side of the third position; and 
 moving from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the movement of the visual element further comprises:
 a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the first position on the active area of the display to the second position on the active area of the display; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or   a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the third position on the active area of the display to the fourth position on the active area of the display, includes a decrease in size; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the motion of the portion of the user comprises a first motion that includes a component in a top-to-bottom direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the first motion comprises:
 moving from a first position on the active area of the display to a second position on the active area of the display, the second position to a lower side of the first position; and 
 moving from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or 
   the motion of the portion of the user comprises a second motion that includes a component in a bottom-to-top direction and the movement of the visual element corresponding to the second motion comprises:
 moving from a third position on the active area of the display to a fourth position on the active area of the display, the fourth position to an upper side of the third position; and 
 moving from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the movement of the visual element further comprises:
 a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the first position on the active area of the display to the second position on the active area of the display; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the second position on the active area of the display back to the first position on the active area of the display; or   a decrease in a size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the third position on the active area of the display to the fourth position on the active area of the display; and   an increase in the size of the visual element as the visual element moves from the fourth position on the active area of the display back to the third position on the active area of the display.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the movement of the visual element corresponding to the motion of the portion of the user comprises:
 a decrease from a first luminosity of at least part of the visual element to a second luminosity of the at least part of the visual element;   a decrease from a first size of the visual element to a second size of the visual element;   a return to the first size of the visual element; and   a return to the first luminosity of the visual element.