Google patents continuous gesture tech for touchscreens
updated 03:05 pm EST, Fri February 24, 2012
Google patent details gesture-based web searches
Google has filed a new patent with the USPTO that relates to touchscreen-based web searches on mobile devices. Rather than copying and pasting some text into a search engine, the tech will initiate Google web searches when users draw a lower-case 'g' on the screen and then continue on to circle the text or image they want to learn more about. The patent also makes mention of searching other sources such as Yahoo or Wikipedia by tracing the shape of the letter 's' on the screen.
This action would pop up a menu that gives users options for the search engine or site from which to perform the search. In either case, once the finger is lifted from the screen, the web search is initiated. The patent goes on to say users can pre-program the sites to be searched and create gesture links. One example is a lawyer circling the search term and pairing it with an 'L' shape that would then go on to search in LexisNexis. Similarly, a 'w' could be tied to Wikipedia.
The patent also outlines ways of searching for multiple words from the same text, words, and images.
When the technology will launch in a Google-powered device remains to be seen. [via PatentlyApple]
