Device input modes with corresponding cover configurations

• US 9,645,721 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Horne, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US13/946,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 715863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method performed by a tablet device having a touch screen display and at least one sensor coupled to a processor includes using the at least one sensor to determine that a cover attached to the tablet device is in a partially open configuration, receiving a touch input gesture from an uncovered portion of the touch screen display when the cover is in the partially open configuration, identifying, based upon a type of the input gesture, an operating parameter of the device, determining, based upon the input gesture, a setting value for the operating parameter, and altering the operating parameter of the device based upon the setting value. For example, the gesture can be a swipe, the operating parameter can be a brightness of the display, and altering the operating parameter can include adjusting the brightness of the display based upon the value.

Claims

1. A method of using a computing device having a touch screen display for accepting input gestures, the touch screen display having portions capable of being rendered unviewable by an accessory device, the method comprising:

by a processor of the computing device;

wherein a first partially open cover configuration comprises the touch screen display having a first unviewable portion and a first viewable portion;

in the absence of presenting viewable content by the first viewable portion, accepting a first set of input gestures at the first viewable portion, wherein the first set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device;

wherein a second partially open cover configuration comprises the touch screen display having a second unviewable portion and a second viewable portion, the second viewable portion including the first viewable portion; and

in the absence of presenting viewable content by the second viewable portion, accepting a second set of input gestures at the second viewable portion, wherein the first set of input gestures is a proper subset of the second set of input gestures.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the accessory device is in the first partially open cover configuration when a first sensor does not detect a first magnet of the accessory device; and

determining that the accessory device is in the second partially open cover configuration when a second sensor does not detect a second magnet of the accessory device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each input gesture of the first set of input gestures and the second set of input gestures corresponds to a two-dimensional motion over an area of the touch screen display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of input gestures includes at least three input gestures and the second set of input gestures includes at least four input gestures.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device independent of whether an input gesture is received at the touch screen display.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a time period that has elapsed since a detection of the second partially open cover configuration of the accessory device, wherein the second set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device independent of whether an input gesture is received at the touch screen display; and

in response to the time period being greater than a threshold value, displaying a user interface having user interface components corresponding to the second set of gestures in the second viewable portion of the touch screen display, the user interface including at least one user interface component corresponding to a parameter adjustment control associated with at least one operating parameter.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that an input gesture of the first set of input gestures is received when the accessory device is in the first partially open cover configuration and the touch screen display is not presenting viewable content.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the input gesture when the accessory device is in the first partially open cover configuration, wherein the input gesture causes the computing device to display user interface components.

9. The method as in claim 7, further comprising:

using a camera to capture an image;

determining an overall luminance value of the captured image; and

determining that the accessory device is in the first partially open cover configuration when the overall luminance value is less than a threshold luminance value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second viewable portion of the touch screen display presents user interface components in response to receiving an input gesture.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of input gestures includes an input gesture for locking the computing device and the second set of input gestures includes an input gesture for changing a resolution of the touch screen display.

12. A computing device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

an accessory device;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising;

wherein a first partially open cover configuration comprises the touch screen display having a first unviewable portion and a first viewable portion;

in the absence of presenting viewable content by the first viewable portion, accepting a first set of input gestures at the first viewable portion, wherein the first set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device;

wherein a second partially open cover configuration comprises the touch screen display having a second unviewable portion and a second viewable portion, the second viewable portion including the first viewable portion; and

in the absence of presenting viewable content by the second viewable portion, accepting a second set of input gestures at the second viewable portion, wherein the first set of input gestures is a proper subset of the second set of input gestures.

13. The computing device of claim 12, further comprising:

a first magnet and a second magnet that are each disposed within different foldable flaps of the accessory device; and

a first sensor and a second sensor that are each configured to detect the first magnet and the second magnet, respectively.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the first set of input gestures includes at least three input gestures and the second set of input gestures includes at least four input gestures.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the second viewable portion presents user interface components in response to receiving an input gesture.

16. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the first set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device independent of whether an input gesture is received at the touch screen display.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed by a processor in a computing device having a touch screen display and an accessory device, cause the computing device to perform steps that include:

wherein a first partially open cover configuration comprises the touch screen display having a first unviewable portion and a first viewable portion;

in the absence of presenting viewable content by the first viewable portion, accepting a first set of input gestures at the first viewable portion, wherein the first set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device;

wherein a second partially open cover configuration comprises the touch screen display having a second unviewable portion and a second viewable portion, the second viewable portion including the first viewable portion; and

in the absence of presenting viewable content by the second viewable portion, accepting a second set of input gestures at the second viewable portion, wherein the first set of input gestures is a proper subset of the second set of input gestures.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further include:

determining that the accessory device is in the first partially open cover configuration when a first sensor does not detect a first magnet of the accessory device; and

determining that the accessory device is in the second partially open cover configuration when a second sensor does not detect a second magnet of the accessory device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein each input gesture of the first set of input gestures and the second set of input gestures corresponds to a two-dimensional motion over an area of the touch screen display.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device independent of whether an input gesture is received at a control element of the touch screen display.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the second viewable portion presents user interface components in response to receiving an input gesture.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further include:

determining a time period that has elapsed since a detection of the second partially open cover configuration of the accessory device, wherein the second set of input gestures control operating parameters of the computing device independent of whether an input gesture is received at an application interface of the touch screen display; and

in response to the time period being greater than a threshold value, displaying a user interface having user interface components corresponding to the second set of gestures in the second viewable portion of the touch screen display, the user interface including at least one parameter adjustment control associated with at least one operating parameter.