Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for generating tactile outputs

• US 9,678,571 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2016
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robert, Julien Y., Moussette, Camille, Fox, Tyler M., Mouilleseaux, Jean-Pierre M., Miladinov, Viktor, Cordier, Madeleine S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Application Number:
  US15/271,708
• Time in Patent Office: 265 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines

Abstract

An electronic device receives, at an application-independent module, from an application-specific module that is associated with a first application, information about an input directed to the user interface of the first application. An operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input is associated with a tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module. The information about the input includes information indicating a magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface in response to detecting the input. The device generates a tactile output that corresponds to the operation performed in the user interface of the first application. The tactile output has the tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module. The tactile output has an amplitude determined in accordance with the magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and one or more tactile output generators;

receiving, at an application-independent module, from an application-specific module that is associated with a first application, information about an input directed to a user interface of the first application, wherein;

an operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input is associated with a tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module; and

the information about the input includes information indicating a magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface in response to detecting the input; and

in response to receiving the information about the input directed to the user interface of the first application, generating, via the one or more tactile output generators, a tactile output that corresponds to the operation performed in the user interface of the first application, wherein;

the tactile output has the tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module; and

the tactile output has an amplitude determined by the application-independent module in accordance with the magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tactile output is further characterized by a vibration frequency, wherein the vibration frequency is selected based on the tactile output pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the vibration frequency is less than 100 hertz.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the amplitude of the tactile output is further determined in accordance with at least one of a velocity or mass of an object in a simulated collision or impact.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the amplitude of the tactile output is further determined by applying a predefined physics model to one or more parameters of one or more displayed user interface elements or one or more parameters of a touch input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnitude is provided by the first application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnitude is provided by an operating system of the electronic device.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more tactile output generators;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving, at an application-independent module, from an application-specific module that is associated with a first application, information about an input directed to the user interface of the first application, wherein;

an operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input is associated with a tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module; and

the information about the input includes information indicating a magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface in response to detecting the input; and

in response to receiving the information about the input directed to the user interface of the first application, generating, via the one or more tactile output generators, a tactile output that corresponds to the operation performed in the user interface of the first application, wherein;

the tactile output has the tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module; and

the tactile output has an amplitude determined by the application-independent module in accordance with the magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the tactile output is further characterized by a vibration frequency, wherein the vibration frequency is selected based on the tactile output pattern.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the vibration frequency is less than 100 hertz.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the amplitude of the tactile output is further determined in accordance with at least one of a velocity or mass of an object in a simulated collision or impact.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the amplitude of the tactile output is further determined by applying a predefined physics model to one or more parameters of one or more displayed user interface elements or one or more parameters of a touch input.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the magnitude is provided by the first application.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the magnitude is provided by an operating system of the electronic device.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and one or more tactile output generators, cause the device to:

receive, at an application-independent module, from an application-specific module that is associated with a first application, information about an input directed to the user interface of the first application, wherein;

an operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input is associated with a tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module; and

the information about the input includes information indicating a magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface in response to detecting the input; and

in response to receiving the information about the input directed to the user interface of the first application, generate, via the one or more tactile output generators, a tactile output that corresponds to the operation performed in the user interface of the first application, wherein;

the tactile output has the tactile output pattern specified by the application-specific module; and

the tactile output has an amplitude determined by the application-independent module in accordance with the magnitude of the operation performed in the user interface of the first application in response to detecting the input.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the tactile output is further characterized by a vibration frequency, wherein the vibration frequency is selected based on the tactile output pattern.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the vibration frequency is less than 100 hertz.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the amplitude of the tactile output is further determined in accordance with at least one of a velocity or mass of an object in a simulated collision or impact.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the amplitude of the tactile output is further determined by applying a predefined physics model to one or more parameters of one or more displayed user interface elements or one or more parameters of a touch input.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the magnitude is provided by the first application.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the magnitude is provided by an operating system of the electronic device.