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

• US 9,690,383 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moussette, Camille, Robert, Julien Y., Fox, Tyler M., Mouilleseaux, Jean-Pierre M., Cordier, Madeleine S., Miladinov, Viktor
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Application Number:
  US15/271,653
• Time in Patent Office: 279 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, while tactile output generators are in a low-power state, receives an indication that a user interaction has started. The device, if the indication meets tactile output generator preparation criteria, sets the tactile output generators to a low-latency state at a first time. Thereafter, the device, if the user interaction has reached a respective portion of the user interaction that is associated with a tactile output before a predefined amount of time since the first time has elapsed and the tactile output generators are still in the low-latency state, generates the tactile output using the tactile output generators with a reduced latency. If a tactile output has not been generated for at least the predefined amount of time since the first time, the device transitions the tactile output generators from the low-latency state to the low-power state.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

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

while the one or more tactile output generators are in a low-power state, receiving an indication that a user interaction has started, wherein;

a respective portion of the user interaction is associated with a tactile output; and

the low-power state is a state in which tactile outputs are generated with a first amount of latency;

in response to receiving the indication that the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output has started, in accordance with a determination that the indication meets tactile output generator preparation criteria, setting the one or more tactile output generators to a low-latency state at a first time, wherein the low-latency state is a state in which the tactile outputs are generated with a second amount of latency that is lower than the first amount of latency; and

after setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state;

in accordance with a determination that the user interaction has reached the respective portion of the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output before a predefined amount of time since the first time has elapsed and that the one or more tactile output generators are still in the low-latency state, generating the tactile output using the one or more tactile output generators with the second amount of latency; and

in accordance with a determination that a tactile output has not been generated for at least the predefined amount of time since the first time, transitioning the one or more tactile output generators from the low-latency state to the low-power state.

2. The method of claim 1, including:

after setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state;

in accordance with a determination that the user interaction has reached the respective portion of the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output after the predefined amount of time since the first time has elapsed and that the one or more tactile output generators have returned to the low-power state, generating the tactile output using the one or more tactile output generators with the first amount of latency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the low-power state of the one or more tactile output generators has a lower power consumption than the low-latency state; and

the low-latency state has a lower latency for generating tactile outputs than the low-power state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-power state is a predefined inactive state of the one or more tactile output generators.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-latency state is selected from:

a first low-latency state and a second low-latency state, wherein;

the first low-latency state consumes less power than the second low-latency state and has a higher latency than the second low-latency state.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the low-latency state is selected from the first low-latency state and the second low-latency state by an operating system of the device based on energy conservation protocols used by the device.

7. The method of claim 1, including, in response to receiving the indication that the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output has started, in accordance with a determination that the indication does not meet the tactile output generator preparation criteria, maintaining the one or more tactile output generators in the low-power state and forgoing setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output includes location information corresponding to a touch input having a location on the touch-sensitive surface or a user interface object having a location on the touch-sensitive surface.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a location of the tactile output in accordance with the location information for the user interaction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more tactile output generators include two or more tactile output generators, each having a corresponding location, or location and size, and determining the location of the tactile output includes determining the location of the tactile output in accordance with the location information for the user interaction and the locations, or locations and sizes, of the two or more tactile output generators.

11. The method of claim 1, including issuing from a first software application a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, wherein setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state is performed in response to the command issued by the first software application to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

12. The method of claim 1, including issuing from a first software application a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, and at an operating system of the electronic device, receiving the issued command and making a determination of whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

13. The method of claim 1, including determining, using an operating system of the electronic device, when to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating system of the electronic device determines whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state in accordance with a state of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating system of the electronic device determines, in response to a first software application issuing a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state in accordance with historical information concerning prior commands by the first software application to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

16. 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;

while the one or more tactile output generators are in a low-power state, receiving an indication that a user interaction has started, wherein;

a respective portion of the user interaction is associated with a tactile output; and

the low-power state is a state in which tactile outputs are generated with a first amount of latency;

in response to receiving the indication that the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output has started, in accordance with a determination that the indication meets tactile output generator preparation criteria, setting one or more tactile output generators to a low-latency state at a first time, wherein the low-latency state is a state in which the tactile outputs are generated with a second amount of latency that is lower than the first amount of latency; and

after setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state;

in accordance with a determination that the user interaction has reached the respective portion of the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output before a predefined amount of time since the first time has elapsed and that one or more tactile output generators are still in the low-latency state, generating the tactile output using the one or more tactile output generators with the second amount of latency; and

in accordance with a determination that a tactile output has not been generated for at least the predefined amount of time since the first time, transitioning the one or more tactile output generators from the low-latency state to the low-power state.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

after setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state;

in accordance with a determination that the user interaction has reached the respective portion of the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output after the predefined amount of time since the first time has elapsed and that the one or more tactile output generators have returned to the low-power state, generating the tactile output using the one or more tactile output generators with the first amount of latency.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the low-power state of the one or more tactile output generators has a lower power consumption than the low-latency state; and

the low-latency state has a lower latency for generating tactile outputs than the low-power state.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the low-power state is a predefined inactive state of the one or more tactile output generators.

21. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the low-latency state is selected from:

a first low-latency state and a second low-latency state, wherein;

the first low-latency state consumes less power than the second low-latency state and has a higher latency than the second low-latency state.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the low-latency state is selected from the first low-latency state and the second low-latency state by an operating system of the device based on energy conservation protocols used by the device.

23. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for, in response to receiving the indication that the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output has started, in accordance with a determination that the indication does not meet the tactile output generator preparation criteria, maintaining the one or more tactile output generators in the low-power state and forgoing setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

24. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output includes location information corresponding to a touch input having a location on the touch-sensitive surface or a user interface object having a location on the touch-sensitive surface.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for determining a location of the tactile output in accordance with the location information for the user interaction.

26. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the one or more tactile output generators include two or more tactile output generators, each having a corresponding location, or location and size, and determining the location of the tactile output includes determining the location of the tactile output in accordance with the location information for the user interaction and the locations, or locations and sizes, of the two or more tactile output generators.

27. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for issuing from a first software application a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, wherein setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state is performed in response to the command issued by the first software application to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

28. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for issuing from a first software application a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, and at an operating system of the electronic device, receiving the issued command and making a determination of whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

29. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for determining, using an operating system of the electronic device, when to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

30. The electronic device of claim 29, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for the operating system of the electronic device to determine whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state in accordance with a state of the electronic device.

31. The electronic device of claim 29, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for the operating system of the electronic device to determine, in response to a first software application issuing a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state in accordance with historical information concerning prior commands by the first software application to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

17. 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:

while the one or more tactile output generators are in a low-power state, receive an indication that a user interaction has started, wherein;

a respective portion of the user interaction is associated with a tactile output; and

the low-power state is a state in which tactile outputs are generated with a first amount of latency;

in response to receiving the indication that the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output has started, in accordance with a determination that the indication meets tactile output generator preparation criteria, set one or more tactile output generators to a low-latency state at a first time, wherein the low-latency state is a state in which the tactile outputs are generated with a second amount of latency that is lower than the first amount of latency; and

after setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state;

in accordance with a determination that the user interaction has reached the respective portion of the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output before a predefined amount of time since the first time has elapsed and that one or more tactile output generators are still in the low-latency state, generate the tactile output using the one or more tactile output generators with the second amount of latency; and

in accordance with a determination that a tactile output has not been generated for at least the predefined amount of time since the first time, transition the one or more tactile output generators from the low-latency state to the low-power state.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the device to:

after setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state;

in accordance with a determination that the user interaction has reached the respective portion of the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output after the predefined amount of time since the first time has elapsed and that the one or more tactile output generators have returned to the low-power state, generate the tactile output using the one or more tactile output generators with the first amount of latency.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

the low-power state of the one or more tactile output generators has a lower power consumption than the low-latency state; and

the low-latency state has a lower latency for generating tactile outputs than the low-power state.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the low-power state is a predefined inactive state of the one or more tactile output generators.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the low-latency state is selected from:

a first low-latency state and a second low-latency state, wherein;

the first low-latency state consumes less power than the second low-latency state and has a higher latency than the second low-latency state.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the low-latency state is selected from the first low-latency state and the second low-latency state by an operating system of the device based on energy conservation protocols used by the device.

37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the device to, in response to receiving the indication that the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output has started, in accordance with a determination that the indication does not meet the tactile output generator preparation criteria, maintain the one or more tactile output generators in the low-power state and forgo setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the user interaction that is associated with the tactile output includes location information corresponding to a touch input having a location on the touch-sensitive surface or a user interface object having a location on the touch-sensitive surface.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the device to determine a location of the tactile output in accordance with the location information for the user interaction.

40. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 39, wherein the one or more tactile output generators include two or more tactile output generators, each having a corresponding location, or location and size, and determining the location of the tactile output includes determining the location of the tactile output in accordance with the location information for the user interaction and the locations, or locations and sizes, of the two or more tactile output generators.

41. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the device to issue from a first software application a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, wherein setting the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state is performed in response to the command issued by the first software application to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

42. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the device to issue from a first software application a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, and at an operating system of the electronic device, receive the issued command and make a determination of whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

43. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the device to determine, using an operating system of the electronic device, when to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.

44. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for the operating system of the electronic device to determine whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state in accordance with a state of the electronic device.

45. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for the operating system of the electronic device to determine, in response to a first software application issuing a command to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state, whether to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state in accordance with historical information concerning prior commands by the first software application to set the one or more tactile output generators to the low-latency state.