Notifications with custom user interface

• US 9,420,087 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marcos, Paul D., Platzer, Andrew E., Hill, Forest A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ODOM, CURTIS B
• Application Number:
  US14/837,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20160065715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724094 Interfacing with a device worn on the user's body to provide access to telephonic functionalities, e.g. accepting a call, reading or composing a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel

Abstract

Notifications for an accessory device are received at a mobile companion device. The notifications are directed to a notification processing application of the companion device that processes notifications intended for accessory device applications. The notification processing application determines an identifier of the accessory application for which the notification is intended, and provides the identifier to a notification display application at the accessory device, which determines user interface and display properties for the notification. The accessory device requests external (dynamic) user interface and display properties from the companion device, as needed, and upon receipt generates a notification display at the accessory device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a companion device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the companion device, a notification intended for an accessory application at an accessory device, wherein the received notification includes a notification identifier and context data of the notification;

storing the context data in memory of the companion device;

directing the received notification to a notification processing application executing on the companion device;

determining, by the notification processing application, an accessory application identifier from the received notification, the accessory application identifier identifying the accessory application for which the received notification is intended; and

providing, by the notification processing application, the notification identifier of the received notification and the determined accessory application identifier to a forwarding application at the accessory device, wherein the forwarding application is configured to determine a notification display application executing on the accessory device in accordance with the determined accessory application identifier;

receiving, at a companion daemon executing on the companion device, a request from the accessory device for content, the request including the notification identifier of the received notification;

retrieving, from the companion device memory, the context data of the received notification using the notification identifier in the request;

obtaining the content based on the retrieved context data; and

sending the obtained content and context data from the companion device to the accessory device for display with the notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the context data includes the obtained content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a companion application of the companion device retrieves interface data in accordance with notification data and context data of the notification, wherein the retrieved interface data is retrieved from a source external to the accessory device, and such that the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to the accessory device for processing by the determined notification display application.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device;

wherein the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the retrieved interface data to the determined notification display application for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device;

wherein the received notification further includes at least one category that is received by the determined notification display application, such that the determined notification display application generates the display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the category and the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the category is provided by the companion application to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the category to the determined notification display application.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the notification data comprises data that uniquely identifies the received notification and is extracted from the received notification by the notification processing application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessory application identifier is extracted from the received notification by the notification processing application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessory device combines the obtained content from the companion device with display information from a template to produce a display of the notification at the accessory device.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein the forwarding application determines a notification display application executing on the accessory device in accordance with the determined accessory application identifier, such that the determined notification display application is configured to process notifications intended for any one of a plurality of accessory applications;

wherein the determined notification display application determines user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device, in accordance with a single indicated accessory application of the plurality of accessory applications.

11. A method of operating an accessory device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a forwarding application of the accessory device, a notification including a notification identifier and an accessory application identifier from a notification processing application of a companion device in communication with the accessory device, wherein the notification is received at the companion device, the notification intended for a first accessory application at the accessory device, the accessory application identifier identifying the accessory application for which the received notification is intended;

identifying a notification display application executing on the accessory device, wherein the notification display application is determined by the forwarding application in accordance with the determined accessory application identifier, wherein the notification display application is configured to process notifications intended for the first accessory application;

determining, by the notification display application, a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the first accessory application;

sending a request for external data from the accessory device to a companion daemon executing on the companion device, the request including the notification identifier of the received notification;

receiving the requested external data, comprising content obtained by the companion device as part of the notification;

using the external data for displaying the notification on the accessory device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a companion application of the companion device retrieves interface data in accordance with unique identification data and context data of the notification, wherein the retrieved interface data is external to the accessory device, and such that the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to the accessory device for processing by the determined notification display application.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the retrieved interface data to the determined notification display application for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the received notification further includes at least one category that is received by the determined notification display application, such that the determined notification display application generates the display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the category and the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the category is provided by the companion application to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the category to the determined notification display application.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the unique identification data comprises data that uniquely identifies the received notification and is extracted from the received notification by the notification processing application.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the accessory application identifier is extracted from the received notification by the notification processing application.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first accessory application is selected from a plurality of accessory applications that the notification display application is configured to process notifications.

19. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a forwarding application of an accessory device, a notification including a notification identifier and an accessory application identifier from a notification processing application of a companion device in communication with the accessory device, wherein the notification is received at the companion device, the notification intended for a first accessory application at the accessory device, the accessory application identifier identifying the accessory application for which the received notification is intended;

identifying a notification display application executing on the accessory device, wherein the notification display application is determined by the forwarding application in accordance with the determined accessory application identifier, wherein the notification display application is configured to process notifications intended for the first accessory application;

determining, by the notification display application, a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the first accessory application;

sending a request for external data from the accessory device to a companion daemon executing on the companion device, the request including the notification identifier of the received notification;

receiving the requested external data, comprising content obtained by the companion device as part of the notification; and

using the external data for displaying the notification on the accessory device.

20. The computer product of claim 19, wherein a companion application of the companion device retrieves interface data in accordance with unique identification data and context data of the notification, wherein the retrieved interface data is external to the accessory device, and such that the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to the accessory device for processing by the determined notification display application.

21. The computer product of claim 20, wherein the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the retrieved interface data to the determined notification display application for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

22. The computer product of claim 20, wherein the received notification further includes at least one category that is received by the determined notification display application, such that the determined notification display application generates the display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the category and the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

23. A device comprising:

a memory;

at least one network interface; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and the at least one network interface,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform;

receiving, at a forwarding application of an accessory device, a notification including a notification identifier and an accessory application identifier from a notification processing application of a companion device in communication with the accessory device, wherein the notification is received at the companion device, the notification intended for a first accessory application at the accessory device, the accessory application identifier identifying the first accessory application for which the received notification is intended;

identifying a notification display application executing on the accessory device, wherein the notification display application is determined by the forwarding application in accordance with the determined accessory application identifier, wherein the notification display application is configured to process notifications intended for the first accessory application;

determining, by the notification display application, a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the first accessory application;

sending a request for external data from the accessory device to a companion daemon executing on the companion device, the request including the notification identifier of the received notification;

receiving the requested external data, comprising content obtained by the companion device as part of the notification; and

using the external data for displaying the notification on the accessory device.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein a companion application of the companion device retrieves interface data in accordance with unique identification data and context data of the notification, wherein the retrieved interface data is external to the accessory device, and such that the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to the accessory device for processing by the determined notification display application.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the retrieved interface data to the determined notification display application for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the received notification further includes at least one category that is received by the determined notification display application, such that the determined notification display application generates the display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the category and the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

27. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at the companion device, a notification intended for an accessory application at an accessory device, wherein the received notification includes a notification identifier and context data of the notification;

storing the context data in memory of the companion device;

directing the received notification to a notification processing application executing on the companion device;

determining, by the notification processing application, an accessory application identifier from the received notification, the accessory application identifier identifying the accessory application for which the received notification is intended; and

providing, by the notification processing application, the notification identifier of the received notification and the determined accessory application identifier to a forwarding application at the accessory device, wherein the forwarding application is configured to determine a notification display application executing on the accessory device in accordance with the determined accessory application identifier;

receiving, at a companion daemon executing on the companion device, a request from the accessory device for content, the request including the notification identifier of the received notification;

retrieving, from the companion device memory, the context data of the received notification using the notification identifier in the request;

obtaining the content based on the retrieved context data; and

sending the obtained content and context data from the companion device to the accessory device for display with the notification.

28. The computer product of claim 27, wherein a companion application of the companion device retrieves interface data in accordance with notification data and context data of the notification, wherein the retrieved interface data is retrieved from a source external to the accessory device, and such that the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to the accessory device for processing by the determined notification display application.

29. The computer product of claim 28, further comprising instructions for controlling a computer system to perform operations comprising:

determining a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device;

wherein the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the retrieved interface data to the determined notification display application for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

30. The computer product of claim 28, further comprising instructions for controlling a computer system to perform operations comprising:

determining a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device;

wherein the received notification further includes at least one category that is received by the determined notification display application, such that the determined notification display application generates the display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the category and the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

31. A device comprising:

a memory;

at least one network interface; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and the at least one network interface,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform;

receiving, at the companion device, a notification intended for an accessory application at an accessory device, wherein the received notification includes a notification identifier and context data of the notification;

storing the context data in memory of the companion device;

directing the received notification to a notification processing application executing on the companion device;

determining, by the notification processing application, an accessory application identifier from the received notification, the accessory application identifier identifying the accessory application for which the received notification is intended; and

providing, by the notification processing application, the notification identifier of the received notification and the determined accessory application identifier to a forwarding application at the accessory device, wherein the forwarding application is configured to determine a notification display application executing on the accessory device in accordance with the determined accessory application identifier;

receiving, at a companion daemon executing on the companion device, a request from the accessory device for content, the request including the notification identifier of the received notification;

retrieving, from the companion device memory, the context data of the received notification using the notification identifier in the request;

obtaining the content based on the retrieved context data; and

sending the obtained content and context data from the companion device to the accessory device for display with the notification.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein a companion application of the companion device retrieves interface data in accordance with notification data and context data of the notification, wherein the retrieved interface data is retrieved from a source external to the accessory device, and such that the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to the accessory device for processing by the determined notification display application.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform:

determining a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device;

wherein the companion application provides the retrieved interface data to an accessory device application daemon, which provides the retrieved interface data to the determined notification display application for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.

34. The device of claim 32, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform:

determining a user interface and display properties for generating a display of the received notification at the accessory device;

wherein the received notification further includes at least one category that is received by the determined notification display application, such that the determined notification display application generates the display of the received notification at the accessory device in accordance with the category and the retrieved interface data and the determined user interface and display properties.