Touch gestures for remote control operations

Abstract

In general, this disclosure describes techniques for providing a user of a first computing device (e.g., a mobile device) with the ability to utilize the first computing device to control a second computing device (e.g., a television). Specifically, the techniques of this disclosure may, in some examples, allow the user to use drawing gestures on a mobile computing device to remotely control and operate the second computing device. Using a presence-sensitive user interface device (e.g., a touch screen), the user may use drawing gestures to indicate characters associated with operations and commands to control the second computing device.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, via a presence-sensitive user interface device of a first device, a first user input comprising a first drawing gesture;   transmitting, by the first device, first data representing the first drawing gesture to a second device wirelessly coupled to the first device, wherein the second device includes a display displaying one or more selectable elements, and wherein at least one of the selectable elements is graphically-highlighted on the display based upon the first data;   receiving, via the presence-sensitive user interface device of the first device, a second user input comprising a selection gesture; and   transmitting, by the first device, second data representing the selection gesture, wherein the at least one graphically-highlighted element is selected in response to the second data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein more than one selectable element is associated with the first data, the method further comprising:
 receiving, via the presence-sensitive user interface device of the first device, a third user input comprising a second drawing gesture; and   transmitting, by the first device, further data representing the second drawing gesture to the second device, wherein the at least one of the selectable elements is graphically-highlighted on the display based on the first data and the further data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display of the second device displays a representation of the first drawing gesture based on the first data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the first device, a motion gesture that defines a direction of movement;   transmitting, by the first device, motion data representing the motion gesture to the second device, wherein the at least one graphically-highlighted element is updated by graphically highlighting one of the selectable elements based on the motion data, according to the defined direction relative to the graphically-highlighted target element.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display displays a new list of one or more selectable elements in response to the second data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an operation associated with the at least one graphically-highlighted element is executed by the second device responsive in response to the second data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more selectable elements comprises at least one of: one or more words, one or more graphical user interface elements, or one or more operations of the second device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first drawing gesture comprises a drawing corresponding to a first letter of the one or more words, a word associated with the one or more graphical user interface elements, or a word associated with the one or more operations of the second device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first data comprises data indicative of the first drawing gesture, and wherein the second device determines a character based on the first data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the first device, a character based on the first drawing gesture, wherein the first data comprises the character. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the second device, data representing the one or more selectable elements;   determining, by the first device, a character based on the first drawing gesture; and   selecting at least one of the selectable elements based on the first character, wherein the first data represents the selected at least one of the selectable elements and the selection gesture comprises a confirmation of the selected at least one of the selectable elements.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a first device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, via a presence-sensitive user interface device of the first device, a first user input comprising a first drawing gesture;   transmitting, by the first device, first data representing the first drawing gesture to a second device wirelessly coupled to the first device, wherein the second device includes a display displaying one or more selectable elements, and wherein at least one of the selectable elements is graphically-highlighted on the display based upon the first data;   receiving, via the presence-sensitive user interface device of the first device, a second user input comprising a selection gesture; and   transmitting, by the first device, data representing the selection gesture, wherein the at least one graphically-highlighted elements is selected in response to the second data.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein more than one selectable element is associated with the first data, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, via the presence-sensitive user interface device of the first device, a third user input comprising a second drawing gesture; and   transmitting, by the first device, further data representing the second drawing gesture to the second device, wherein the at least one of the selectable elements is graphically-highlighted on the display based on the first data and the further data.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the display of the second device displays a representation of the first drawing gesture based on the first data. 
     
     
         15 . A first device, comprising:
 one or more processors;   a presence-sensitive user interface device;   a gesture module operable by the one or more processors to receive, via the presence-sensitive user interface device, a first user input comprising a first drawing gesture;   means for transmitting first data representing the first drawing gesture to a second device wirelessly coupled to the first device, wherein the second device includes a display displaying one or more selectable elements, and wherein at least one of the selectable elements is graphically-highlighted on the display based upon the first data; and   a user interface controller operable by the one or more processors to receive, via the presence-sensitive user interface device, a second user input comprising a selection gesture, wherein the means for transmitting transmits data representing the selection gesture, and wherein the at least one graphically-highlighted elements is selected in response to the second data.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a first device comprising:
 a presence-sensitive user interface device that receives a first user input comprising a first drawing gesture; 
 means for transmitting data; and 
   a second device coupled to the first device, the second device comprising a display that displays one or more selectable elements,   wherein the means for transmitting data transmits first data representing the first drawing gesture to the second device,   wherein at least one of the selectable elements is graphically-highlighted on the display based upon the first data,   wherein the presence-sensitive user interface device receives a second user input comprising a selection gesture,   wherein the means for transmitting transmits data representing the selection gesture, and   wherein the at least one graphically-highlighted elements is selected in response to the second data.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein more than one selectable element is associated with the first data, wherein the presence-sensitive user interface device receives a third user input comprising a second drawing gesture, wherein the means for transmitting transmits to the second device further data representing the second drawing gesture, and wherein the at least one of the selectable elements is graphically-highlighted on the display based on the first data and the further data. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first data comprises data indicative of the first drawing gesture, and wherein the second device determines a character based on the first data. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first device determines a character based on the first drawing gesture, and wherein the first data comprises the character. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first device:
 receives, from the second device, data representing the one or more selectable elements;   determines a character based on the first drawing gesture; and   selects at least one of the selectable elements based on the first character, wherein the first data represents the selected at least one of the selectable elements and the selection gesture comprises a confirmation of the selected at least one of the selectable elements.