Single user input mechanism for controlling electronic device operations

• US 8,265,709 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/115,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/575.2, 455/41.2, 455/66.1, 455/569.1
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head

Abstract

A unique input mechanism for controlling several operations of an electronic device is provided. Using the unique input mechanism, which may be the single input mechanism for providing user inputs to the electronic device, a user may provide different inputs or combinations of inputs to control different operations based on the current mode or capacity of the electronic device. For example, a single, short click of a button may control a media operation (e.g., play/pause) in a media mode, and the same input may control a telephony operation (e.g., initiate/terminate call) in a telephony mode. In some embodiments, different inputs may be associated with different types of operations. The unique input mechanism may include, for example, a button, a switch, a key, or an actuator.

Claims

1. A method for using a unique user input mechanism to control a plurality of electronic device operations of an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input with the unique user input mechanism;

in response to the receiving the user input, determining a type of the received user input; and

in response to the determining the type of the received user input;

when the determined type of the received user input is a first input type, determining whether the electronic device is currently performing a first operation of a first mode of the electronic device; and

when the determined type of the received user input is a second input type, determining whether the electronic device is currently performing a second operation of a second mode of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique user input mechanism is wirelessly coupled to the electronic device using a wireless communications protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique user input mechanism is coupled to the electronic device using a cable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique user input mechanism is one of a button, a switch, a key and an actuator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode comprises a media mode, and wherein the first operation comprises a play operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mode comprises a communications mode, and wherein the second operation comprises at least one of an in-call operation and receiving an incoming call.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique user input mechanism is a part of a headset that is coupled to the electronic device, and wherein the only user input mechanisms of the headset are the unique user input mechanism and a microphone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input type and the second input type differ from one another only in one of a duration of a single contact of the unique user input mechanism by a user and a quantity of consecutive contacts of the unique user input mechanism by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the unique user input mechanism comprises a single button;

the first input type comprises a single short press of the single button; and

the second input type comprises a single long press of the single button.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the electronic device is currently performing the first operation occurs only when the determined type of the received user input is the first input type.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the electronic device is currently performing the second operation occurs only when the determined type of the received user input is the second input type.

12. A system for controlling operations, the system comprising:

control circuitry;

an electronic device; and

a single input mechanism for providing user inputs to the electronic device, wherein the control circuitry is operative to;

receive a user input from the single input mechanism;

determine a type of the received user input;

when the determined type of the received user input is a first input type, determine whether the electronic device is currently performing a first operation of a first mode of the electronic device; and

when the determined type of the received user input is a second input type, determine whether the electronic device is currently performing a second operation of a second mode of the electronic device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first mode comprises a media mode, and wherein the first operation comprises a one of a play, pause, stop, back, and next operation.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second mode comprises a communications mode, and wherein the second operation comprises at least one of an in-call operation and receiving an incoming call.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first input type comprises a single, short actuation of the single input mechanism.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the second input type comprises a single, long actuation of the single input mechanism.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the single input mechanism is the only input mechanism that is remotely coupled to the electronic device and operative to control operations of the electronic device.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the first input type and the second input type differ from one another only in one of a duration of a single contact of the single input mechanism by a user and a quantity of consecutive contacts of the single input mechanism by the user.

19. A method for controlling media operations and communications operations of an electronic device using a unique user input mechanism for providing user inputs to the electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input with the unique user input mechanism;

in response to the receiving, determining a type of the received user input;

in response to a determination that the type of the received user input comprises a first type of a plurality of types, determining whether the electronic device is performing a first communications operation during the receiving;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is performing the first communications operation during the receiving, terminating the first communications operation of the electronic device;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is not performing the first communications operation during the receiving, determining whether the electronic device is performing a first media operation during the receiving;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is performing the first media operation during the receiving, manipulating the first media operation; and

in response to a determination that the electronic device is not performing the first media operation during the receiving, initiating a second communications operation of the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

in response a determination that the type of the received user input comprises a second type of the plurality of types, determining whether media is currently being played back by the electronic device; and

in response to a determination that media is currently being played back, pausing the currently played back media.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

in response to a determination that the type of the received user input comprises a second type of the plurality of types, determining whether media is currently being played back by the electronic device; and

in response to a determination that media is not currently being played back, playing back media.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the initiating the second communications operation comprises initiating an outgoing telephone call using the electronic device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the initiating the outgoing telephone call comprises redialing the last telephone number that was at least one of previously dialed and previously received by the electronic device.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the initiating the second communications operation comprises entering an address to access a webpage over the Internet using the electronic device.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the electronic device is coupled to a headset that comprises a microphone, and wherein the initiating the second communications operation comprises monitoring the microphone for user audio input to initiate a voice-controlled communications operation.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the only user input mechanisms of the headset are the unique user input mechanism and the microphone.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the unique user input mechanism is a part of a headset that is coupled to the electronic device.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the first media operation comprises playing back a media item, and wherein the manipulating the first media operation comprises fast forwarding the playback of the media item.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

in response to a determination that the type of the received user input comprises a second type of the plurality of types, manipulating a particular media operation that the electronic device is performing.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the particular media operation comprises playing back a first media item of a plurality of media items, and wherein the manipulating the particular media operation comprises skipping to play back a second media item of the plurality of media items.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the first communications operation comprises an ongoing call.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the first type and a second type of the plurality of types differ from one another only in one of a duration of a single contact of the unique user input mechanism by a user and in a quantity of consecutive contacts of the unique user input mechanism by the user.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the unique user input mechanism comprises a single button;

the plurality of types further comprises a second type and a third type;

one of the first type, the second type, and the third type comprises a single short press of the single button;

another one of the first type, the second type, and the third type comprises a double short press of the single button; and

yet another one of the first type, the second type, and the third type comprises a single long press of the single button.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the unique user input mechanism comprises a single button;

the plurality of types further comprises a second type and a third type;

the first type comprises a single long press of the single button;

the second type comprises a single short press of the single button; and

the third type comprises a double short press of the single button.

35. A portable electronic device having telephone functionality and media playback functionality, and operative to receive signals from a headset having a single button, the electronic device comprising control circuitry that is operative to:

receive at least one signal from the headset, wherein the at least one signal corresponds to a user input to the single button;

process the received at least one signal to determine a type of the user input;

in response to a determination that the type of the user input corresponds to a first type of a plurality of types, determine whether the electronic device is performing a first communications operation when the at least one signal is received;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is performing the first communications operation when the at least one signal is received, terminate the first communications operation of the electronic device;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is not performing the first communications operation when the at least one signal is received, determine whether the electronic device is performing a first media operation when the at least one signal is received;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is performing the first media operation when the at least one signal is received, manipulate the first media operation; and

in response to a determination that the electronic device is not performing the first media operation when the at least one signal is received, initiate a second communications operation of the electronic device.

36. The portable electronic device of claim 35, wherein the second communications operation comprises an outgoing telephone call, and wherein the control circuitry is operative to initiate the second communications operation by dialing a telephone number using the telephone functionality of the electronic device.

37. The portable electronic device of claim 35, wherein the second communications operation comprises accessing a web page over the Internet, and wherein the control circuitry is operative to initiate the second communications operation by entering an address of the web page.

38. The portable electronic device of claim 35, wherein the headset comprises a microphone for capturing user audio input, wherein the electronic device receives the captured user audio input from the headset, and wherein the control circuitry is operative to initiate the second communications operation by dialing a number based on the received user audio input.

39. A method for using a unique user input mechanism of a headset to control an electronic device that is coupled to the headset, the method comprising:

receiving a user input with the unique user input mechanism;

in response to the receiving, determining a type of the received user input;

in response to a determination that the type of the received user input comprises a first type of a plurality of types, determining whether the electronic device is performing a first communications operation during the receiving;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is performing the first communications operation during the receiving, terminating the first communications operation of the electronic device;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is not performing the first communications operation during the receiving, initiating a second communications operation of the electronic device, wherein the initiating comprises activating a microphone of the headset.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the activating the microphone comprises monitoring for user voice control signals that are incoming to the microphone to identify a telephone number to dial.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising, in response to identifying the telephone number to dial, dialing the identified telephone number.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the microphone and the unique user input mechanism of the headset are the only user input mechanisms of the headset.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the first communications operation comprises one of an ongoing call and receiving an incoming call.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the first type and a second type of the plurality of types differ from one another only in one of a duration of a single contact of the unique user input mechanism by a user and a quantity of consecutive contacts of the unique user input mechanism by the user.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein:

the unique user input mechanism comprises a single button;

the plurality of types further comprises a second type and a third type;

one of the first type, the second type, and the third type comprises a single short press of the single button;

another one of the first type, the second type, and the third type comprises a double short press of the single button; and

yet another one of the first type, the second type, and the third type comprises a single long press of the single button.

46. The method of claim 39, wherein:

the unique user input mechanism comprises a single button;

the plurality of types further comprises a second type and a third type;

the first type comprises a single long press of the single button;

the second type comprises a single short press of the single button; and

the third type comprises a double short press of the single button.

47. A system comprising:

a headset comprising;

a microphone for receiving audio signals; and

a unique user input mechanism for detecting a user input; and

an electronic device that is coupled to the headset, the electronic device comprising control circuitry that is operative to;

receive the detected user input from the headset;

determine a type of the received user input;

in response to a determination that the type of the received user input comprises a first type of a plurality of types, determine whether the electronic device is performing a first communications operation when the detected user input is received;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is performing the first communications operation when the detected user input is received, terminate the first communications operation of the electronic device;

in response to a determination that the electronic device is not performing the first communications operation when the detected user input is received, initiate a second communications operation of the electronic device by instructing the headset to activate the microphone.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the control circuitry is operative to instruct the headset to activate the microphone by instructing the headset to monitor for user voice control signals that are incoming to the microphone to identify a telephone number to dial.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to dial the identified telephone number.