Semantic framework for variable haptic output

• US 9,542,820 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2015
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moussette, Camille, Butcher, Gary I., Verweij, Hugo D., Ive, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US14/835,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20160063825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 345/156, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0745 in an input/output transactions management context input/output processing in general G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0763 by bit configuration check, e.g. of formats or tags
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

Methods and apparatus organize a plurality of haptic output variations into a cohesive semantic framework that uses various information about the alert condition and trigger, application context, and other conditions to provide a system of haptic outputs that share characteristics between related events. In some embodiments, an event class or application class provides the basis for a corresponding haptic output. In some embodiments, whether an alert-salience setting is on provides the basis for adding an increased salience haptic output to the standard haptic output for the alert. In some embodiments, consistent haptics provide for branding of the associated application class, application, and/or context.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a computing device with a tactile output generator;

detecting an occurrence of a first event, and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the first event;

in accordance with a determination that the first event is a first type of event of a plurality of types of events that are affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a first alert with the tactile output generator that includes a first haptic output selected based at least in part on an alert-salience setting of the device; and

in accordance with a determination that the first event is a second type of event of a plurality of types of events that are not affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a second alert with the tactile output generator that includes a second haptic output selected without regard to the alert-salience setting of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first alert is different from the second alert.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device includes:

determining a value of the alert-salience setting;

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has a first value, providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output comprising a first haptic component and a second haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has a second value different from the first value, providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output comprising the first haptic component but not including the second haptic component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second haptic component precedes the first haptic component.

5. The method of claim 4, including, in accordance with a determination that the first event is a third type of event of the plurality of types of events that are affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a third alert that includes a haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device, wherein providing the third alert that includes the haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device includes:

determining a value of the alert-salience setting;

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has the first value, the third alert includes a third haptic component and a fourth haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has the second value different from the first value, the third alert includes the third haptic component but does not include the fourth haptic component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fourth haptic component is the same as the second haptic component.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the occurrence of the first event is detected while the alert-salience setting of the device has the first value;

the first alert provided in response to the first event includes the first haptic component and the second haptic component; and

the second alert provided in response to the first event includes a second-alert haptic component; and

the method further comprises;

while the alert-salience setting of the device has the first value, receiving a request to change the alert-salience setting of the device to the second value; and

in response to receiving the request to change the alert-salience setting to the second value, changing the alert-salience setting to the second value;

while the alert-salience setting of the device has the second value;

detecting the occurrence of a second event; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the second event;

in accordance with a determination that the second event is the first type of event, providing a third alert that includes the first haptic component and does not include the second haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the second event is the second type of event, providing the second alert that includes the second-alert haptic component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first value of the alert-salience setting is on and the second value of the alert-salience setting is off.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in a first plurality of event classes when the alert-salience setting has a first value;

forgoing providing the additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in the first plurality of event classes when the alert-salience setting has the second value; and

forgoing providing the additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in a second plurality of event classes, distinct from the first plurality of event classes, without regard to whether the alert-salience setting has the first value or the second value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device has a touch-sensitive display; and

the haptic outputs are provided via the touch-sensitive display on the computing device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein when the alert-salience setting has a first value, a plurality of different events in the first type of events are augmented in the same respective manner and when the alert-salience setting has a second value that is different from the first value, a plurality of different events in the first type of events are not augmented in the respective manner.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

when the alert-salience setting has a first value, a plurality of different events in the plurality of event types that are affected by the alert-salience setting are augmented in the same respective manner; and

when the alert-salience setting has a second value that is different from the first value, a plurality of different events in the plurality of event types that are affected by the alert-salience setting are not augmented in the respective manner.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing executable code, the code when executed causes a processor at a computing device with a tactile output generator to perform the following steps:

detecting an occurrence of a first event; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the first event;

in accordance with a determination that the first event is a first type of event of a plurality of types of events that are affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a first alert with the tactile output generator that includes a first haptic output selected based at least in part on an alert-salience setting of the device; and

in accordance with a determination that the first event is a second type of event of a plurality of types of events that are not affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a second alert with the tactile output generator that includes a second haptic output selected without regard to the alert-salience setting of the device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first alert is different from the second alert.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device includes:

determining a value of the alert-salience setting;

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has a first value, providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output comprising a first haptic component and a second haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has a second value different from the first value, providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output comprising the first haptic component but not including the second haptic component.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the second haptic component precedes the first haptic component.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, including, in accordance with a determination that the first event is a third type of event of the plurality of types of events that are affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a third alert that includes a haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device, wherein providing the third alert that includes the haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device includes:

determining a value of the alert-salience setting;

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has the first value, the third alert includes a third haptic component and a fourth haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has the second value different from the first value, the third alert includes the third haptic component but does not include the fourth haptic component.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the fourth haptic component is the same as the second haptic component.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the occurrence of the first event is detected while the alert-salience setting of the device has the first value;

the first alert provided in response to the first event includes the first haptic component and the second haptic component; and

the second alert provided in response to the first event includes a second-alert haptic component; and

the method further comprises;

while the alert-salience setting of the device has the first value, receiving a request to change the alert-salience setting of the device to the second value; and

in response to receiving the request to change the alert-salience setting to the second value, changing the alert-salience setting to the second value;

while the alert-salience setting of the device has the second value;

detecting the occurrence of a second event; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the second event;

in accordance with a determination that the second event is the first type of event, providing a third alert that includes the first haptic component and does not include the second haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the second event is the second type of event, providing the second alert that includes the second-alert haptic component.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the first value of the alert-salience setting is on and the second value of the alert-salience setting is off.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising code that when executed causes a processor to perform:

providing an additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in a first plurality of event classes when the alert-salience setting has a first value;

forgoing providing the additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in the first plurality of event classes when the alert-salience setting has the second value; and

forgoing providing the additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in a second plurality of event classes, distinct from the first plurality of event classes, without regard to whether the alert-salience setting has the first value or the second value.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein:

the device has a touch-sensitive display; and

the haptic outputs are provided via the touch-sensitive display on the computing device.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein when the alert-salience setting has a first value, a plurality of different events in the first type of events are augmented in the same respective manner and when the alert-salience setting has a second value that is different from the first value, a plurality of different events in the first type of events are not augmented in the respective manner.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of 13, wherein:

when the alert-salience setting has a first value, a plurality of different events in the plurality of event types that are affected by the alert-salience setting are augmented in the same respective manner, and

when the alert-salience setting has a second value that is different from the first value, a plurality of different events in the plurality of event types that are affected by the alert-salience setting are not augmented in the respective manner.

25. A device comprising:

a tactile output generator;

a touch-sensitive surface; and

memory storing one or more programs that include instructions for;

detecting an occurrence of a first event; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the first event;

in accordance with a determination that the first event is a first type of event of a plurality of types of events that are affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a first alert with the tactile output generator that includes a first haptic output selected based at least in part on an alert-salience setting of the device; and

in accordance with a determination that the first event is a second type of event of a plurality of types of events that are not affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a second alert with the tactile output generator that includes a second haptic output selected without regard to the alert-salience setting of the device.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the first alert is different from the second alert.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device further includes:

determining a value of the alert-salience setting;

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has a first value, providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output comprising a first haptic component and a second haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has a second value different from the first value, providing the first alert that includes the first haptic output comprising the first haptic component but not including the second haptic component.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the second haptic component precedes the first haptic component.

29. The device of claim 28, including, in accordance with a determination that the first event is a third type of event of the plurality of types of events that are affected by the alert-salience setting, providing a third alert that includes a haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device, wherein providing the third alert that includes the haptic output selected based at least in part on the alert-salience setting of the device includes instructions for:

determining a value of the alert-salience setting;

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has the first value, the third alert includes a third haptic component and a fourth haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the alert-salience setting has the second value different from the first value, the third alert includes the third haptic component but does not include the fourth haptic component.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the fourth haptic component is the same as the second haptic component.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein:

the occurrence of the first event is detected while the alert-salience setting of the device has the first value;

the first alert provided in response to the first event includes the first haptic component and the second haptic component; and

the second alert provided in response to the first event includes a second-alert haptic component; and

the method further comprises;

while the alert-salience setting of the device has the first value, receiving a request to change the alert-salience setting of the device to the second value; and

in response to receiving the request to change the alert-salience setting to the second value, changing the alert-salience setting to the second value;

while the alert-salience setting of the device has the second value;

detecting the occurrence of a second event; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the second event;

in accordance with a determination that the second event is the first type of event, providing a third alert that includes the first haptic component and does not include the second haptic component; and

in accordance with a determination that the second event is the second type of event, providing the second alert that includes the second-alert haptic component.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the first value of the alert-salience setting is on and the second value of the alert-salience setting is off.

33. The device of claim 25, wherein when the alert-salience setting has a first value, a plurality of different events in the first type of events are augmented in the same respective manner and when the alert-salience setting has a second value that is different from the first value, a plurality of different events in the first type of events are not augmented in the respective manner.

34. The device of claim 25, wherein:

when the alert-salience setting has a first value, a plurality of different events in the plurality of event types that are affected by the alert-salience setting are augmented in the same respective manner; and

when the alert-salience setting has a second value that is different from the first value, a plurality of different events in the plurality of event types that are affected by the alert-salience setting are not augmented in the respective manner.

35. The device of claim 25, further comprising instructions for:

providing an additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in a first plurality of event classes when the alert-salience setting has a first value,

forgoing providing the additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in the first plurality of event classes when the alert-salience setting has the second value, and

forgoing providing the additional haptic component for alerts triggered in response to events in a second plurality of event classes, distinct from the first plurality of event classes, without regard to whether the alert-salience setting has the first value or the second value.

36. The device ot claim 25, wherein the haptic components are provided via the touch-sensitive surface of the computing device.