Power-Off Methods for Portable Electronic Devices

• US 20080168290A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Christie, Greg, Lemay, Stephen O., Van Os, Marcel, Forstall, Scott, Anzures, Freddy Allen, Jobs, Steven P., Coffman, Patrick Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/324
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/949 Animation processing method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/96 Iterative display of preconfigured images

Abstract

In some embodiments of the invention, a graphical user interface in an electronic device with a touch screen display and power switch includes one or more user-interface objects to assist a user in powering-off the device while avoiding unintended power-off events due to inadvertent contact with the power switch or the touch screen display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a display and a power switch,

while the device is powered-up, detecting activation of the power switch;

upon activation of the power switch, initiating a power-off action and displaying a power-off visual sequence;

as long as the power switch is activated, displaying elements of the power-off visual sequence;

if the activation of the power switch ceases before the power-off visual sequence is displayed to completion, terminating the power-off action; and

if the power-off visual sequence is displayed to completion while the power switch is activated, completing the power-off action by powering-off the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the power-off visual sequence from initiation to completion is performed over a predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined time period is substantially equal to 2 seconds.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power-off visual sequence comprises a series of symbols.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the symbols are substantially similar.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the symbols are geometrical shapes selected from the group consisting of:

quadrilateral shapes;

circles;

ovals;

star-like shapes; and

geometrical shapes with more than four sides.

7. The method of claim 5, where the symbols are alphanumeric characters.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the symbols are sequential views of an animation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual sequence comprises a message to the user advising how long to maintain activation of the power switch.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display and a power switch,

while the device is powered-up, detecting activation of the power switch;

upon activation of the power switch, displaying a power-off user cue that corresponds to a predefined user gesture with the touch screen display;

detecting user interaction with the touch screen display; and

within a predetermined time period of the activation of the power switch, if the user completes the predefined user gesture, completing the power-off action by powering-off the device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying the power-off user cue comprises displaying at least one of:

an animation of the predefined user gesture;

a text description of the predefined user gesture; and

an illustration of the predefined user gesture.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

enabling user interaction with the power-off user cue as displayed on the touch screen display;

wherein completion by the user of the predefined user gesture comprises the user interacting with the power-off user cue as displayed on the touch screen display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predefined user gesture includes movement substantially from a first displayed location on the touch screen display to a second location on the touch screen display.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the predefined user gesture includes touching a plurality of locations displayed on the touch screen display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein completion by the user of the predefined gesture includes user contact with each of the plurality of locations at separate times.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein completion by the user of the predefined gesture requires the user to touch each of the plurality of locations substantially simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the predefined user gesture requires continuous user contact with the touch screen display as the user makes the predefined user gesture between the first and second locations.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the continuous user contact with the touch screen display is substantially along the path of the user cue as displayed on the touch screen display.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the power-off gesture is made with any one of:

the user'"'"'s finger in contact with the touch screen;

or

an object in contact with the touch screen.

20. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a display and a power switch,

while the device is powered-off, detecting activation of the power switch;

upon activation of the power switch, initiating a power-on action and initiating display of a power-on visual sequence;

as long as the power switch is activated, displaying successive elements of the power-on visual sequence;

if the activation of the power switch ceases before the elements of the power-on visual sequence is displayed to completion, terminating the power-on action; and

if the elements of the power-on visual sequence are displayed to completion while the power switch is activated, completing the power-on action by powering-on the device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying the power-on visual sequence from initiation to completion requires a predetermined time period.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the predetermined time period is substantially equal to 2 seconds.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the power-on visual sequence comprises a series of symbols.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the symbols are selected from at least one of:

geometrical shapes;

alphanumeric characters; and

sequential views of an animation.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the visual sequence comprises a message to the user advising how long to maintain activation of the power switch.

26. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, a power switch and user interface lock mode, comprising;

when the device is powered-on and in the lock mode;

detecting activation of the power switch;

upon activation of the power switch, displaying a power-off user cue that corresponds to a predefined user gesture with the touch screen display;

detecting user interaction with the touch screen display; and

within a predetermined time period of the activation of the power switch, if the user completes the predefined user gesture, completing a power-off action by powering-off the device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

during user interaction with the touch screen display during completion of the predefined user gesture, preventing a range of predefined user interactions with the touch screen display.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the predefined user interactions comprise navigating to applications loaded on the device.