Systems and methods for proactively identifying and surfacing relevant content on a touch-sensitive device

• US 10,200,824 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gross, Daniel C., Coffman, Patrick L., Dellinger, Richard R., Foss, Christopher P., Gauci, Jason J., Haghighi, Aria D., Irani, Cyrus D., Jones, Bronwyn A., Kapoor, Gaurav, Lemay, Stephen O., Morris, Colin C., Siracusa, Michael R., Yang, Lawrence Y., Ramerth, Brent D., Bellegarda, Jerome R., Dolfing, Jannes G.A., Pagallo, Giulia P., Wang, Xin, Hatori, Jun, Moha, Alexandre R., Clark, Kevin D., Kohlschuetter, Karl Christian, Andersen, Jesper S., Arras, Hafid, Carlhian, Alexandre, Deniau, Thomas, Martel, Mathieu J., Toudji, Sofiane
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Chuck
• Application Number:
  US15/166,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20160360382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 4554563, 4554142, 4554561, 455457
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Systems and methods for proactively assisting users with accurately locating a parked vehicle are disclosed herein. An example method includes: automatically, and without instructions from a user: determining that a user of the electronic device is in a vehicle that has come to rest at a geographic location. Upon determining that the user has left the vehicle at the geographic location, the method includes automatically, and without instructions from a user: determining whether positioning information, retrieved from the location sensor to identify the geographic location, satisfies accuracy criteria. Upon determining that the positioning information does not satisfy the accuracy criteria, the method includes: providing a prompt to the user to input information about the geographic location. In response to providing the prompt, the method includes receiving information from the user about the geographic location and storing the information as vehicle location information.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and a location sensor, cause the electronic device to:

automatically, and without instructions from a user;

determine that a user of the electronic device is in a vehicle that has come to rest at a geographic location;

upon determining that the user has left the vehicle at the geographic location, determine whether positioning information, retrieved from the location sensor to identify the geographic location, satisfies accuracy criteria;

upon determining that the positioning information does not satisfy the accuracy criteria, provide a prompt to the user to input information about the geographic location;

in response to providing the prompt, receive information from the user about the geographic location and store the information as vehicle location information; and

in accordance with a determination that the user is heading towards the geographic location, display a user interface object that includes the vehicle location information, wherein the user interface object is displayed on a lock screen of the electronic device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

upon determining that the positioning information satisfies the accuracy criteria, automatically, and without instructions from a user, store the positioning information as the vehicle location information.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface object is a maps object that includes an identifier for the user'"'"'s current location and a separate identifier for the geographic location.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein, after a user unlocks the electronic device, the user interface object is displayed in response to a swipe gesture that causes the electronic device to enter a search mode.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the electronic device determines whether the user is heading towards the geographic location in response to receiving the swipe gesture.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the prompt is an audio prompt provided by a virtual assistant that is available via the electronic device,

receiving the information from the user includes receiving a verbal description from the user that identifies the geographic location, and

displaying the user interface object includes displaying a selectable affordance that, when selected, causes the device to playback the verbal description.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the prompt is displayed on the display of the electronic device,

receiving the information from the user includes receiving a textual description from the user that identifies the geographic location, and

displaying the user interface object includes displaying the textual description from the user.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

determining whether the user is heading towards the geographic location includes using new positioning information received from the location sensor to determine that the electronic device is moving towards the geographic location.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

determining whether the user is heading towards the geographic location includes

(i) determining that the electronic device remained at a different geographic location for more than a threshold period of time and

(ii) determining that the new positioning information indicates that the electronic device is moving away from the different geographic location and towards the geographic location.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein determining that the user is in the vehicle that has come to rest at the geographic location includes (i) determining that the user is in the vehicle by determining that the electronic device is travelling above a threshold speed (ii) determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location by one or more of:

(a) determining that the electronic device has remained at the geographic location for more than a threshold period of time, (b) determining that a communications link between the electronic device and the vehicle has been disconnected, and (c) determining that the geographic location corresponds to a location within a parking lot.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that the electronic device has remained at the geographic location for more than a threshold period of time.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that a communications link between the electronic device and the vehicle has been disconnected.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that the geographic location corresponds to a location within a parking lot.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the accuracy criteria includes a criterion that is satisfied when accuracy of a GPS reading associated with the positioning information is above a threshold level of accuracy.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions that cause the electronic device to determine whether positioning information, retrieved from the location sensor to identify the geographic location, satisfies accuracy criteria include executable instructions that cause the electronic device to:

determine whether positioning information, retrieved from the location sensor to identify the geographic location, satisfies accuracy criteria at the time it is determined that the user has left the vehicle at the geographic location.

16. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device including one or more processors, memory, a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and a location sensor;

automatically, and without instructions from a user;

determining that a user of the electronic device is in a vehicle that has come to rest at a geographic location;

upon determining that the user has left the vehicle at the geographic location, determining whether positioning information, retrieved from the location sensor to identifying the geographic location, satisfies accuracy criteria;

upon determining that the positioning information does not satisfy the accuracy criteria, providing a prompt to the user to input information about the geographic location;

in response to providing the prompt, receiving information from the user about the geographic location and storing the information as vehicle location information; and

in accordance with a determination that the user is heading towards the geographic location, display a user interface object that includes the vehicle location information, wherein the user interface object is displayed on a lock screen of the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

upon determining that the positioning information satisfies the accuracy criteria, automatically, and without instructions from a user, storing the positioning information as the vehicle location information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the user interface object is a maps object that includes an identifier for the user'"'"'s current location and a separate identifier for the geographic location.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, after a user unlocks the electronic device, the user interface object is displayed in response to a swipe gesture that causes the electronic device to enter a search mode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the electronic device determines whether the user is heading towards the geographic location in response to receiving the swipe gesture.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the prompt is an audio prompt provided by a virtual assistant that is available via the electronic device,

receiving the information from the user includes receiving a verbal description from the user that identifies the geographic location, and

displaying the user interface object includes displaying a selectable affordance that, when selected, causes the device to playback the verbal description.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the prompt is displayed on the display of the electronic device,

receiving the information from the user includes receiving a textual description from the user that identifies the geographic location, and

displaying the user interface object includes displaying the textual description from the user.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein:

determining whether the user is heading towards the geographic location includes using new positioning information received from the location sensor to determine that the electronic device is moving towards the geographic location.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein:

determining whether the user is heading towards the geographic location includes

(i) determining that the electronic device remained at a different geographic location for more than a threshold period of time and

(ii) determining that the new positioning information indicates that the electronic device is moving away from the different geographic location and towards the geographic location.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the user is in the vehicle that has come to rest at the geographic location includes (i) determining that the user is in the vehicle by determining that the electronic device is travelling above a threshold speed (ii) determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location by one or more of:

(a) determining that the electronic device has remained at the geographic location for more than a threshold period of time, (b) determining that a communications link between the electronic device and the vehicle has been disconnected, and (c) determining that the geographic location corresponds to a location within a parking lot.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that the electronic device has remained at the geographic location for more than a threshold period of time.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that a communications link between the electronic device and the vehicle has been disconnected.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that the geographic location corresponds to a location within a parking lot.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the accuracy criteria includes a criterion that is satisfied when accuracy of a GPS reading associated with the positioning information is above a threshold level of accuracy.

30. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive surface;

a display;

a location sensor;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

automatically, and without instructions from a user;

determining that a user of the electronic device is in a vehicle that has come to rest at a geographic location;

upon determining that the user has left the vehicle at the geographic location, determining whether positioning information, retrieved from the location sensor to identifying the geographic location, satisfies accuracy criteria;

upon determining that the positioning information does not satisfy the accuracy criteria, providing a prompt to the user to input information about the geographic location;

in response to providing the prompt, receiving information from the user about the geographic location and storing the information as vehicle location information; and

in accordance with a determination that the user is heading towards the geographic location, display a user interface object that includes the vehicle location information, wherein the user interface object is displayed on a lock screen of the electronic device.

31. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

upon determining that the positioning information satisfies the accuracy criteria, automatically, and without instructions from a user, store the positioning information as the vehicle location information.

32. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the user interface object is a maps object that includes an identifier for the user'"'"'s current location and a separate identifier for the geographic location.

33. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein, after a user unlocks the electronic device, the user interface object is displayed in response to a swipe gesture that causes the electronic device to enter a search mode.

34. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the electronic device determines whether the user is heading towards the geographic location in response to receiving the swipe gesture.

35. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein:

the prompt is an audio prompt provided by a virtual assistant that is available via the electronic device,

receiving the information from the user includes receiving a verbal description from the user that identifies the geographic location, and

displaying the user interface object includes displaying a selectable affordance that, when selected, causes the device to playback the verbal description.

36. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein:

the prompt is displayed on the display of the electronic device,

receiving the information from the user includes receiving a textual description from the user that identifies the geographic location, and

displaying the user interface object includes displaying the textual description from the user.

37. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein:

determining whether the user is heading towards the geographic location includes using new positioning information received from the location sensor to determine that the electronic device is moving towards the geographic location.

38. The electronic device of claim 37, wherein:

determining whether the user is heading towards the geographic location includes

(i) determining that the electronic device remained at a different geographic location for more than a threshold period of time and

(ii) determining that the new positioning information indicates that the electronic device is moving away from the different geographic location and towards the geographic location.

39. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein determining that the user is in the vehicle that has come to rest at the geographic location includes (i) determining that the user is in the vehicle by determining that the electronic device is travelling above a threshold speed (ii) determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location by one or more of:

(a) determining that the electronic device has remained at the geographic location for more than a threshold period of time, (b) determining that a communications link between the electronic device and the vehicle has been disconnected, and (c) determining that the geographic location corresponds to a location within a parking lot.

40. The electronic device of claim 39, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that the electronic device has remained at the geographic location for more than a threshold period of time.

41. The electronic device of claim 39, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that a communications link between the electronic device and the vehicle has been disconnected.

42. The electronic device of claim 39, wherein determining that the vehicle has come to rest at the geographic location includes determining that the geographic location corresponds to a location within a parking lot.

43. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the accuracy criteria includes a criterion that is satisfied when accuracy of a GPS reading associated with the positioning information is above a threshold level of accuracy.