Interacting With Physical and Digital Objects Via a Multi-Touch Device

Abstract

Existing tools for organizing family memories offer few possibilities for easily integrating both physical and digital materials in order to produce a single archive for a family (or other group of users). This also applies to archiving of physical objects and digital media in general (even for applications outside the field of family use). An archiving system is described which incorporates at least one image capture device, a display, a sensing apparatus arranged to detect user input associated with the display, a processor and memory, and a receptacle for holding digital media storage devices such as mobile telephones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants and the like. The image capture device is operable to capture digital images of physical objects for archiving. The receptacle comprises a data transmission apparatus for automatically transferring data with the digital media storage devices and optionally also a power charging apparatus.

1 . A method comprising:
 detecting a physical object in relation to a component of a multi-touch device;   receiving input through interaction of the physical object with the component of the multi-touch device; and   responsive to the interaction, downloading data by another component of the multi-touch device.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the physical object including one of a plurality of physical objects. 
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 2 , the plurality of physical objects comprising at least two diverse objects. 
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising synchronizing the data between the physical object and a memory component associated with the multi-touch device. 
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising creating an image to represent the physical object in a user interface. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions recorded thereon that, upon execution, configure a device to perform a method as recited in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 detecting a physical object in relation to a component of a multi-touch device;   receiving input through interaction of the physical object with the component of the multi-touch device;   uploading data associated with the physical object by the component of the multi-touch device; and   storing the data being uploaded.   
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , the data associated with the physical object comprising an audio file. 
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , the uploading data associated with the physical object comprising uploading data from the physical object. 
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising relating the data associated with the physical object with other digital content. 
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising, via a user interface, representing the data associated with the physical object as being stored in a virtual box. 
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , the user interface being associated with the multi-touch device. 
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising accepting input via the user interface, the input comprising at least one of:
 a pinch gesture to close the virtual box;   an action to label the virtual box;   an open the virtual box action;   a spill the virtual box action; and   a break the virtual box action.   
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising representing the data associated with the physical object on a timeline. 
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising creating a digital scrapbook of the data associated with the physical object. 
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising capturing an image of the physical object, the physical object being on or near the component of the multi-touch device. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions recorded thereon that, upon execution, configure a device to perform a method as recited in  claim 7 . 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising
 a computer-readable storage medium as recited in  claim 17 ; and   a processor configured to execute the computer executable instructions.   
     
     
         19 . A user interface comprising:
 a multi-touch surface;   a component to detect a physical object in proximity to the multi-touch surface; and   a representation of the physical object.   
     
     
         20 . A user interface as recited in  claim 19  configured to accept input comprising at least one of:
 a gesture to place the representation of the physical object in a virtual box; 
 a pinch gesture to close the virtual box; 
 an action to label the virtual box; 
 an open the virtual box action; or 
 a spill the virtual box action.