Fluctuating Progress Indicator

• US 20170358240A1
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Blahnik, Jay C., Klaassen, Erno H., Arney, Julie A., Dye, Alan C., Butcher, Gary I., Lynch, Kevin M., Bagherzadeh, Nader E., Agrawal, Gracee, Waydo, Stephen J., Brouse, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 11,069,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

A breathing sequence may define a suggested breathing pattern. Input may be received at a user interface of a device to initiate the breathing sequence. The breathing sequence may include a configuration phase in which configuration information may be received. The configuration information may define a variable time period for the breathing sequence. The breathing sequence also may include a preliminary phase during which a first version of a fluctuating progress indicator may be presented on the user interface. The fluctuating progress indicator may include a plurality of variable visual characteristics and may fluctuate at a first cyclic rate. The breathing sequence may also include a breathing phase during which a second version of the fluctuating progress indicator may be presented. The second version of the fluctuating progress indicator may fluctuate at a second cyclic rate according to a breathing rate.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a first input at a user interface of a device to initiate a breathing sequence;

during a configuration phase of the breathing sequence, receiving a second input at the user interface including configuration information corresponding to the breathing sequence, at least a part of the configuration information defining a variable time period for the breathing sequence;

during a preliminary phase of the breathing sequence, presenting a first version of a fluctuating progress indicator on the user interface, the fluctuating progress indicator comprising a plurality of variable visual characteristics, the fluctuating progress indicator fluctuating at a first cyclic rate, the first cyclic rate being determined by an estimated breathing pattern; and

during a breathing phase of the breathing sequence occurring subsequent to the preliminary phase, presenting a second version of the fluctuating progress indicator on the user interface, the second version of the fluctuating progress indicator fluctuating at a second cyclic rate different than the first cyclic rate, the second cyclic rate being determined by the defined variable time period.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second version of the fluctuating progress indicator having a first variable visual characteristic of the plurality of variable visual characteristics that changes with respect to a duration of the defined variable time period and having a second variable visual characteristic of the plurality of variable visual characteristics that changes with respect to a breathing rate.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first variable visual characteristic comprises a complexity of the fluctuating progress indicator, and wherein the second variable visual characteristic comprises a visibility characteristic of the fluctuating progress indicator.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of variable visual characteristics comprises a third variable visual characteristic comprising an alignment characteristic of the fluctuating progress indicator that changes with respect to the breathing rate during the breathing phase of the breathing sequence.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second input is received by an electro-mechanical input component on the device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second input is received at a rotatable dial of the device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the presented fluctuating progress indicator comprises a plurality of presented overlapping graphical elements circularly disposed relative to a center of the fluctuating progress indicator.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the part of the configuration information that defines the variable time period also defines a number of presented overlapping elements included in the second version of the presented fluctuating progress indicator.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

during the preliminary phase of the breathing sequence, estimating, based at least in part on signal information obtained by the device, the estimated breathing pattern; and

initiating the breathing phase of the breathing sequence by at least presenting, based at least in part on a synchronization of the initial cyclic breathing pattern and the breathing sequence, the second version of the fluctuating progress indicator.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein obtaining the signal information by the device further comprises using sensors to obtain the signal information

11. A system for enabling a breathing exercise including a breathing sequence, comprising:

a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions;

an input component;

a processor in communication with the memory configured to execute the computer-executable instructions; and

a display for presenting;

a first graphical user interface during a configuration phase of the breathing sequence in response to an input received at the input component, the graphical user interface including configuration information corresponding to the breathing sequence, at least a part of the configuration information defining a variable time period for the breathing sequence;

a second graphical user interface during a preliminary phase of the breathing sequence, the second graphical user interface presenting a first version of a fluctuating progress indicator on the second graphical user interface, the fluctuating progress indicator comprising a plurality of variable visual characteristics, the fluctuating progress indicator fluctuating at a first cyclic rate, the first cyclic rate being determined by an estimated breathing pattern; and

a third graphical user interface during a breathing phase of the breathing sequence occurring subsequent to the preliminary phase, the third graphical user interface presenting a second version of the fluctuating progress indicator on the third graphical user interface, the second version of the fluctuating progress indicator fluctuating at a second cyclic rate different than the first cyclic rate, the second cyclic rate being determined by the defined variable time period.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an electro-mechanical input device configured to receive input corresponding to the breathing sequence.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory, the input component, the processor, the display, and the electro-mechanical input device are included in a wearable device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the electro-mechanical input device comprises a rotatable dial disposed at an exterior surface of the wearable device, and wherein the configuration information is received in response to rotating the rotatable dial.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the part of the configuration information is a first part of the configuration information, and wherein, during the configuration phase, the configuration information is received in response to a second input at the electro-mechanical input device, at least a second part of the configuration information defining a breathing pattern for the breathing sequence.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the input received at the input component comprises at least one of:

a first user input received at the input component in response to presentation of a miniaturized version of the fluctuating progress indicator on the display;

a second user input received at the input component in response to a first notification presented on the display;

a third user input received at the input component in response to a second notification presented on the display, the second notification based at least in part on first sensor information indicating completion of one or more breathing events corresponding to a predetermined breathing initiation sequence;

or

a fourth user input received at the input component in response to a third notification presented on the display, the third notification based at least in part on calendar information.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the second version of the fluctuating progress indicator having a first variable visual characteristic of the plurality of variable visual characteristics that changes with respect to a duration of the defined variable time period and having a second variable visual characteristic of the plurality of variable visual characteristics that changes with respect to a breathing rate.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to begin a breathing sequence, the breathing sequence configured to occur for a variable time period;

presenting, during a configuration phase of the breathing sequence, a fluctuating progress indicator that represents a suggested breathing pattern for a user for the breathing sequence, the fluctuating progress indicator comprising a set of variable visual elements and being configured to change from an initial version to a final version as time progresses during the variable time period;

presenting the initial version of the fluctuating progress indicator corresponding to an initial period of the variable time period of the breathing sequence, the initial version of the fluctuating progress indicator having an initial subset of variable visible elements of the set of variable visible elements;

presenting, in accordance with a suggested breathing rate, one or more additional versions of the fluctuating progress indicator corresponding to one or more additional periods of the variable time period, the one or more additional versions of the fluctuating progress indicator having progressively fewer variable visible elements than included in the initial subset of variable visible elements; and

presenting the final version of the fluctuating progress indicator corresponding to a final period of the breathing sequence, the final version of the fluctuating progress indicator having a final subset of variable visible elements of the set of variable visible elements.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processors, further configure the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving configuration information comprising a duration of the suggested breathing pattern;

determining, based at least in part on the duration, a cumulative number of suggested breaths to be performed during the breathing sequence; and

during the configuration phase, presenting, the duration and the cumulative number of suggested breaths.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein a number of variable visual elements included in the set of variable visual elements that are visible when the fluctuating progress indicator is presented during the configuration phase of the breathing sequence is based at least in part on the configuration information.