Dynamic icons for gesture discoverability

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing gesture discoverability with a mobile computing device. In one aspect, a method include actions of obtaining gesture definition data for a particular gesture. The gesture definition data specifies a predefined onset position associated with commencement of the particular gesture, a predefined motion associated with completion of the particular gesture, a particular action that is triggered upon the completion of the particular gesture, and a visual indicator for visually indicating a progress toward the completion of the particular gesture as the predefined motion is performed. Additional actions include determining that an orientation of a mobile computing device matches the onset position of the particular gesture, providing the visual indicator, determining a motion, determining whether the motion matches the predefined motion, and determining whether to update the visual indicator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 before an orientation of a mobile computing device matches an onset position of a particular gesture, providing, on a graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, a visual indicator in an inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture;   after providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture and in response to a change in the orientation of the mobile computing device to match the onset position of the particular gesture, providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in an active state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device matches the onset position of the particular gesture; and   updating the visual indicator to indicate progress toward completion of the particular gesture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein updating the visual indicator to indicate progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining a motion of the mobile computing device;   determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches a predefined motion; and   in response to determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion, determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches a predefined motion comprises:
 determining that the motion of the mobile computing device completes the particular gesture; and   in response to determining that the motion of the mobile computing device completes the particular gesture, triggering the particular action.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining to update the visual indicator to indicate an increase in the progress toward completion of the particular gesture based on a determination that the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining to update the visual indicator to indicate the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not match the particular gesture based on a determination that the motion of the mobile computing device does not match the predefined motion.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particular gesture comprises holding the
 mobile computing device upright and turning the mobile computing device counterclockwise   until the mobile computing device is upside down, and the visual indicator comprises a representation of a bottle being poured.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 before providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture, obtaining gesture definition data for a particular gesture, wherein the gesture definition data specifies the onset position associated with commencement of the particular gesture, a motion associated with completion of the particular gesture, a particular action that is triggered upon the completion of the particular gesture, and a visual indicator for visually indicating a progress toward the completion of the particular gesture as the motion is performed, wherein the visual indicator includes a representation of one or more physical objects whose motion, in free space, is associated with the motion.   
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 one or more computers; and   one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:   obtaining gesture definition data for a particular gesture, wherein the gesture definition data specifies a predefined onset position associated with commencement of the particular gesture, a predefined motion associated with completion of the particular gesture, a particular action that is triggered upon the completion of the particular gesture, and a visual indicator for visually indicating a progress toward the completion of the particular gesture as the predefined motion is performed, wherein the visual indicator includes a representation of one or more physical objects whose motion, in free space, is associated with the same predefined motion;   before an orientation of a mobile computing device is determined to match the onset position of the particular gesture, providing, on a graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in an inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture;   after providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture, determining that the orientation of a mobile computing device matches the onset position of the particular gesture;   in response to determining that the orientation of the mobile computing device matches the predefined onset position of the gesture, providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in the active state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device matches the onset position of the particular gesture;   determining a motion of the mobile computing device;   determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion; and   in response to determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion, determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein updating the visual indicator to indicate progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining a motion of the mobile computing device;   determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches a predefined motion; and   in response to determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion, determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches a predefined motion comprises:
 determining that the motion of the mobile computing device completes the particular gesture; and   in response to determining that the motion of the mobile computing device completes the particular gesture, triggering the particular action.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining to update the visual indicator to indicate an increase in the progress toward completion of the particular gesture based on a determination that the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining to update the visual indicator to indicate the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not match the particular gesture based on a determination that the motion of the mobile computing device does not match the predefined motion.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the particular gesture comprises holding the
 mobile computing device upright and turning the mobile computing device counterclockwise   until the mobile computing device is upside down, and the visual indicator comprises a representation of a bottle being poured.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , the operations comprising:
 before providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture, obtaining gesture definition data for a particular gesture, wherein the gesture definition data specifies the onset position associated with commencement of the particular gesture, a motion associated with completion of the particular gesture, a particular action that is triggered upon the completion of the particular gesture, and a visual indicator for visually indicating a progress toward the completion of the particular gesture as the motion is performed, wherein the visual indicator includes a representation of one or more physical objects whose motion, in free space, is associated with the motion.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining gesture definition data for a particular gesture, wherein the gesture definition data specifies a predefined onset position associated with commencement of the particular gesture, a predefined motion associated with completion of the particular gesture, a particular action that is triggered upon the completion of the particular gesture, and a visual indicator for visually indicating a progress toward the completion of the particular gesture as the predefined motion is performed, wherein the visual indicator includes a representation of one or more physical objects whose motion, in free space, is associated with the same predefined motion;   before an orientation of a mobile computing device is determined to match the onset position of the particular gesture, providing, on a graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in an inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture;   after providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not yet match the onset position of the particular gesture, determining that the orientation of a mobile computing device matches the onset position of the particular gesture;   in response to determining that the orientation of the mobile computing device matches the predefined onset position of the gesture, providing, on the graphical user interface of the mobile computing device, the visual indicator in the active state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device matches the onset position of the particular gesture;   determining a motion of the mobile computing device;   determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion; and   in response to determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion, determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture.   
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein updating the visual indicator to indicate progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining a motion of the mobile computing device;   determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches a predefined motion; and   in response to determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion, determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture.   
     
     
         17 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein determining whether the motion of the mobile computing device matches a predefined motion comprises:
 determining that the motion of the mobile computing device completes the particular gesture; and   in response to determining that the motion of the mobile computing device completes the particular gesture, triggering the particular action.   
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining to update the visual indicator to indicate an increase in the progress toward completion of the particular gesture based on a determination that the motion of the mobile computing device matches the predefined motion.   
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein determining whether to update the visual indicator to indicate the progress toward completion of the particular gesture comprises:
 determining to update the visual indicator to indicate the inactive state that indicates that the orientation of the mobile computing device does not match the particular gesture based on a determination that the motion of the mobile computing device does not match the predefined motion.   
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the particular gesture comprises holding the
 mobile computing device upright and turning the mobile computing device counterclockwise   until the mobile computing device is upside down, and the visual indicator comprises a representation of a bottle being poured.