Situationally-aware alerts

• US 10,039,080 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Thayne M., Pham, Hung A., Morrell, John B., Gleeson, Brian T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US15/251,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20170257844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071, 3404072, 34053911, 3403847, 345173, 4554501, 455570
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel

Abstract

An electronic device that provides situationally-aware alerts determines to provide an alert output (such as haptic, audio, visual, and so on) via an output device, determines a movement pattern based on one or more signals from one or more sensors indicating information relating at least to movement of the electronic device, and adjusts the alert output to account for the movement pattern. In some implementations, the electronic device may adjust the alert output by delaying the alert output. In other implementations, the electronic device may adjust the alert output by altering the alert output to be discernible despite the movement pattern based on a cadence of the movement pattern. In still other implementations, the electronic device may determine to provide the alert output in response to receiving an incoming communication and may adjust the alert output differently based on a priority associated with the incoming communication.

Claims

1. An electronic device that provides situationally-aware alerts, comprising:

a haptic output device;

a sensor operable to produce a signal indicating information relating to movement of the electronic device; and

a processing unit connected to the sensor and the haptic output device that is configured to;

determine to provide a haptic output via the haptic output device;

determine a movement pattern using the signal;

adjust the haptic output to account for the movement pattern by altering the haptic output to be discernible despite the movement pattern based on a cadence of the movement pattern;

determine to provide the haptic output in response to receiving an incoming communication;

adjust the haptic output in a first manner when the incoming communication is associated with a first priority; and

adjust the haptic output in a second manner when the incoming communication is associated with a second priority.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to adjust a pattern of the haptic output to be mismatched with the cadence.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to alter the haptic output by time shifting the haptic output to a pause in the cadence.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to escalate the adjusted haptic output if a response from a user to the adjusted haptic output is not received.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to alter the haptic output:

in a first manner when the movement pattern indicates a first type of movement; and

in a second manner when the movement pattern indicates a second type of movement.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to:

prompt for an acknowledgement of the adjusted haptic output;

determine the acknowledgement has not been received; and

provide additional haptic output until the acknowledgement is received.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the adjusted haptic output was not salient; and

escalating the adjusted haptic output.

8. An electronic device that provides situationally-aware alerts, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions;

a haptic output device;

a sensor operable to produce a signal indicating information about a situation of a user of the electronic device;

a communication component operable to receive an incoming communication associated with a priority; and

a processing unit connected to the sensor, the communication component, the haptic output device, and the non-transitory storage medium that is configured to execute the instructions to;

determine to provide a haptic output via the haptic output device in response to receiving the incoming communication;

determine a movement pattern using the signal; and

adjust the haptic output to account for the movement pattern;

by delaying the haptic output when the incoming communication is associated with a first priority; and

by altering the haptic output to be discernible despite the movement pattern based on a cadence of the movement pattern when the incoming communication is associated with a second priority.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, further including an output device other than the haptic output device wherein the processing unit is configured to provide an output via the output device in addition to the haptic output.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the output is at least one of visual output or audio output.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to communicate with an additional electronic device and the processing unit signals the additional electronic device to produce output in addition to the haptic output.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to communicate with an additional electronic device and the processing unit evaluates the situation of the user by receiving data indicating a status of the additional electronic device that affects the situation of the user.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first and second priorities are based on at least one of:

a source of the incoming communication;

a priority indicator included in the incoming communication;

or

a type of the incoming communication.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first and second priorities are user assigned.

15. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising:

providing the adjusted haptic output;

determining a user did not respond to the adjusted haptic output; and

providing an additional haptic output that is stronger than the adjusted haptic output.

16. An electronic device that provides situationally-aware alerts, comprising:

a haptic output device;

a sensor operable to produce a signal indicating information relating to movement of the electronic device; and

a processing unit connected to the sensor and the haptic output device that is configured to;

determine to provide a haptic output via the haptic output device;

determine a movement pattern using the signal;

adjust the haptic output to account for the movement pattern by altering the haptic output to be discernible despite the movement pattern at least based on a cadence of the movement pattern;

determine that a user'"'"'s attention is focused away from the electronic device when the adjusted haptic output is provided; and

escalate the adjusted haptic output in response to the determination that the user'"'"'s attention is focused away from the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the movement pattern indicates changes in elevation; and

the processing unit adjusts the haptic output by delaying the haptic output until the changes in elevation cease.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to:

determine that the user'"'"'s attention is focused away from the electronic device when the adjusted haptic output is provided by determining the user is operating an additional electronic device; and

escalate the adjusted haptic output in response to determining that the user is operating the additional electronic device.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the signal includes information indicating a heart rate of a user is elevated; and

the processing unit adjust the haptic output by delaying the haptic output until the heart rate of the user reduces.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to:

determine that the user'"'"'s attention is focused away from the electronic device when the adjusted haptic output is provided by; and

escalate the adjusted haptic output in response to determining that the response from the user is not received.