Providing Priming Cues to a User of an Electronic Device

• US 20160063848A1
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moussette, Camille, Verweij, Hugo D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,186,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/044 according to the level of ambient noise

Abstract

An electronic device can output a priming cue prior to outputting an alert on the electronic device. A priming cue can be a haptic priming cue, a visual priming cue, an audio priming cue, or various combinations of these priming cues. The priming cue can be perceived by a user either consciously or subconsciously and can increase a user'"'"'s perceptual state for the alert.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a priming and alert system that includes at least one of a haptic module, an audio module, and a visual module;

an input/output device operably connected to the priming and alert system; and

a processing device operably connected to the priming and alert system and adapted to cause the priming and alert system to output a priming cue before producing an alert.

2. The electronic device as in claim 1, further comprising a sensor operably connected to the processing device.

3. The electronic device as in claim 2, wherein the sensor is configured to sense one of light, motion, touch, heat, position, pressure, sound, and images.

4. The electronic device as in claim 3, wherein the processing device is adapted to identify a priming cue based on one or more factors prior to outputting the priming cue.

5. The electronic device as in claim 4, wherein the one or more factors comprise at least one of:

a type of alert to be produced; and

an output from the sensor.

6. The electronic device as in claim 3, wherein the processing device is adapted to identify the alert based on one or more factors prior to outputting the alert.

7. The electronic device as in claim 6, wherein the one or more factors comprise at least one of:

a type of priming cue produced prior to the alert;

an output from the sensor; and

a default priming cue.

8. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the processing device is adapted to cause the priming and alert system to provide an alert to the user after the priming cue is provided to the user.

9. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the priming cue comprises a haptic priming cue and the input/output device comprises an actuator.

10. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the priming cue comprises a visual priming cue and the input/output device comprises a display.

11. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the priming cue comprises a visual priming cue and the input/output device comprises a light source.

12. The electronic device as in claim 3, wherein the priming cue comprises an audio priming cue and the input/output device comprises a speaker.

13. A method for priming an alert of an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting an action that is associated with the alert;

determining whether a priming cue is to be produced for the alert based on one or more first factors;

if a priming cue is to be produced, outputting the priming cue for the alert on the electronic device; and

outputting the alert on the electronic device, wherein the alert is offset in time from the priming cue by a period of time.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein the one or more first factors comprising at least one of:

a type of alert to be produced;

a motion of the electronic device; and

an environmental condition.

15. The method as in claim 13, further comprising identifying a type of priming cue based on one or more second factors prior to outputting the priming cue for the alert.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein the one or more second factors comprise at least one of:

a type of alert to be produced;

a motion of the electronic device; and

an environmental condition.

17. The method as in claim 13, further comprising identifying a type of alert based on one or more third factors prior to outputting the alert.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein the one or more third factors comprise at least one of:

a type of priming cue output before the alert;

a motion of the electronic device; and

an environmental condition.

19. The method as in claim 13, further comprising determining whether there is a response to the priming cue.

20. The method as in claim 19, further comprising modifying the priming cue if there is not a response to the priming cue.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising ending the alert if a time period for outputting the alert ends and the user has not responded to the priming cue.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining if there is a response to the alert; and

modifying the alert if there is no response to the alert.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising ending the alert if a time period for outputting the alert ends and the user has not responded to the alert.

24. The method as in claim 13, wherein the priming cue comprises at least one of a haptic priming cue, an audio priming cue, and a visual priming cue.

25. The method as in claim 24, wherein the period of time is based on one or more characteristics of the of the priming cue.

26. The method as in claim 25, wherein the one or more characteristics comprises at least one of a type of priming cue, a duration of the priming cue, and an intensity of the priming cue.

27. The method as in claim 13, wherein the alert comprises at least one of a haptic alert, an audio alert, and a visual alert.

28. The method as in claim 27, wherein the period of time is based on one or more characteristics of the of the alert.

29. The method as in claim 28, wherein the one or more characteristics comprises at least one of a type of alert, a duration of the alert, and an intensity of the alert.

30. The method as in claim 13, wherein one or more characteristics of the alert is based on one or more characteristics of the priming cue.

31. The method as in claim 13, wherein the priming cue is output on the electronic device based on a signal received from an external processing device.