Coordinating complementary notifications across related computing devices connected to a wireless charging apparatus

• US 10,270,270 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Garbus, Brandon R., Jensen, Christopher C., Kosut, Alexei E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US15/721,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20180351379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

The embodiments set forth a technique for coordinating notifications across computing devices placed onto a wireless charging apparatus. According to some embodiments, the technique can involve the wireless charging apparatus (1) receiving, from a first computing device, first information that includes (i) a first unique identifier (ID) associated with the first computing device, and (ii) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary computing device known to the first computing device. Subsequently, the wireless charging apparatus can receive, from a second computing device, second information that at least includes a second unique ID associated with the second computing device. Finally, the wireless charging apparatus can, in response to determining that the second unique ID is included in the one or more unique IDs, and cause both the first and second computing devices to display respective notifications in a coordinated manner.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating notifications displayed across computing devices placed onto a wireless charging apparatus, the method comprising, at the wireless charging apparatus:

receiving, in response to a first computing device being placed onto the wireless charging apparatus, first information that includes (1) a first unique identifier (ID) associated with the first computing device, and (2) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary computing device known to the first computing device;

receiving, in response to a second computing device being placed onto the wireless charging apparatus, second information that at least includes a second unique ID associated with the second computing device; and

in response to determining, based on the second unique ID being included in the one or more unique IDs, that the second computing device is known to the first computing device;

causing both the first and second computing devices to display respective notifications in a coordinated manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first information further includes (3) a first device type of the first computing device, and (4) a first battery status of the first computing device; and

the second information further includes (3) a second device type of the second computing device, (4) a second battery status of the second computing device, and (5) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary device known to the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first device type indicates that the first computing device is a smartphone device or a tablet device, and the second device type indicates that the second computing device is a wearable device or a headphone device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein causing both the first and second computing devices to display the respective notifications in the coordinated manner comprises:

causing the first computing device to display at least a first indication of the second battery status of the second computing device in accordance with a time delay provided by the first computing device; and

causing the second computing device to produce at least an audible notification in accordance with the time delay.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first computing device suppresses the first indication of the second battery status of the second computing device when the first computing device is being utilized by a user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second computing device displays a second indication of the second battery status when the first computing device suppresses the first indication of the second battery status.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the second information:

causing the first computing device to at least display an indication of a battery status of the first computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second computing devices are paired computing devices.

9. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor included in a first computing device, cause the first computing device to participate in a coordinated notification, by carrying out steps that include:

providing, in response to establishing a communication channel with a wireless charging apparatus in conjunction with being placed on the wireless charging apparatus, (1) a first unique identifier (ID) associated with the first computing device, and (2) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary computing device known to the first computing device;

receiving, from the wireless charging apparatus, a notification that a second computing device among the respective auxiliary computing devices is placed onto the wireless charging apparatus and is communicatively coupled to the wireless charging apparatus, wherein the second computing device is associated with a second unique ID included in the one or more unique IDs known to the first computing device, and the notification includes a second battery status associated with the second computing device;

indicating, to the wireless charging apparatus, a time delay by which a second indication of the second battery status is to be displayed by the second computing device; and

displaying the second indication of the second battery status in accordance with the time delay.

10. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the steps further include, prior to receiving the notification that the second computing device is communicatively coupled to the wireless charging apparatus:

displaying, at the first computing device, a first indication of a first battery status of the first computing device.

11. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the second computing device produces at least an audible notification in accordance with the time delay.

12. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the second indication of the second battery status comprises an animation.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary computing devices represent computing devices that are listed as actively paired or previously paired devices to the first computing device.

14. A wireless charging apparatus configured to coordinate notifications displayed across computing devices placed onto the wireless charging apparatus, the wireless charging apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the wireless charging apparatus to;

receive, in response to a first computing device being placed onto the wireless charging apparatus, first information that includes (1) a first unique identifier (ID) associated with the first computing device, and (2) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary computing device known to the first computing device;

receive, in response to a second computing device being placed onto the wireless charging apparatus, second information that includes at least (1) a second unique ID associated with the second computing device, and (2) a second battery status associated with the second computing device; and

in response to determining, based on the second unique ID being included in the one or more unique IDs, that the second computing device is known to the first computing device;

cause both the first and second computing devices to display respective notifications associated with the second battery status in a coordinated manner.

15. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the first information further includes (3) a first device type of the first computing device, and (4) a first battery status of the first computing device; and

the second information further includes (3) a second device type of the second computing device, and (4) one or more unique IDs that are each associated with a respective auxiliary device known to the second computing device.

16. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first device type indicates that the first computing device is a smartphone device or a tablet device, and the second device type indicates that the second computing device is a wearable device or a headphone device.

17. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 15, wherein causing both the first and second computing devices to display respective notifications in the coordinated manner comprises:

causing the first computing device to display at least a first indication of the second battery status of the second computing device in accordance with a time delay provided by the first computing device; and

causing the second computing device to produce at least an audible notification in accordance with the time delay.

18. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first computing device suppresses the first indication of the second battery status of the second computing device when the first computing device is being utilized by a user.

19. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second computing device displays a second indication of the second battery status when the first computing device suppresses the first indication of the second battery status.

20. The wireless charging apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor further causes the wireless charging apparatus to:

cause the first computing device to at least display an indication of a first battery status of the first computing device in response to receiving the first information.