Providing complications on an electronic watch

• US 10,175,866 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Block, Eliza C., Schimon, David A., Wilson, Eric Lance, Shaffer, Joshua H., Salzman, Paul W., Jensen, Christopher C., Lee, Timothy C., Pollack, Daniel B., Ledwith, Alexander, Chen, Kevin Will, Yang, Lawrence Y., Dye, Alan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiberou, Mahelet
• Application Number:
  US14/872,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20160357413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/022 Centralised management of display operation, e.g. in a server instead of locally
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/005 Adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices can allow applications to provide complication data to be displayed in a complication of a watch face. A client application can create a complication data object according to a template to efficiently select how the complication data is to be displayed. For example, a complication controller on the watch can receive new data and determine which template to use. The complication data object can be sent to a display manager that can identify the selected template and display the data according to the template.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information on an electronic watch, the method comprising, at the electronic watch:

providing a user interface for a user to configure information to be displayed in one or more style windows in combination with a time on a watch face, wherein the one or more style windows correspond to a portion of the watch face designated to display a complication;

receiving a first window selection of a first style window of the watch face, the first style window associated with a first plurality of templates for displaying the information;

identifying a first list of applications designated as supporting the first style window, the first list of applications being determined from information provided by watch applications;

providing the first list of applications to the user;

receiving a selection of a first application from the first list of applications for display in the first style window;

informing, by a display manager of the electronic watch, a complication controller of the first application that the first application is assigned to the first style window;

receiving, from the complication controller of the first application, a first data object specifying a first template of the first plurality of templates including one or more first data items for displaying according to the first template;

retrieving the first template; and

displaying the one or more first data items in the first style window on the watch face according to the first template.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the electronic watch:

receiving, from the user, one or more removal commands for removing one or more applications from the first list of applications;

removing the one or more applications from the first list of applications to obtain a modified first list of applications; and

upon a subsequent selection of the first style window, providing the modified first list of applications to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the electronic watch:

generating the first data object by a complication controller in the first application, wherein the first application is executing on the electronic watch.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, at the electronic watch:

sending, to a companion device, refresh preferences for obtaining new data for the first style window;

receiving new data from the companion device; and

using the new data to generate the first data object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the electronic watch:

receiving, from a companion device, refresh preferences for the companion device to provide new data for the first style window, the new data to be used to generate the first data object;

monitoring a state of the electronic watch and a number of updates for the first application; and

determining when to request the new data from the companion device based on the state of the electronic watch and the number of updates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data object includes one or more pieces of data, wherein the one or more pieces of data include one or more types of data, the one or more types of data being selection from a group including text, image, and numbers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first template includes an image whose display is dependent on a number provided in the first data object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data object is received by a display manager, the method further comprising, at the electronic watch:

informing, by the display manager, a complication controller of the first application that the first application is assigned to the first style window.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the electronic watch:

receiving a second window selection of a second style window of the watch face, the second style window associated with a second plurality of templates;

identifying a second list of applications designated as supporting the second style window;

providing the second list of applications to the user;

receiving a second application selection of a second application from the second list of applications;

receiving, from the second application, a second data object specifying a second template of the second plurality of templates and including one or more data second items for displaying according to the second template;

retrieving the second template; and

displaying the one or more second data items in the second style window on the watch face according to the second template.

10. An electronic watch comprising one or more processors configured to:

provide a user interface for a user to configure information to be displayed in one or more style windows in combination with a time on a watch face, wherein the one or more style windows correspond to a portion of the watch face designated to display a complication;

receive a first window selection of a first style window of the watch face, the first style window associated with a first plurality of templates for displaying the information;

identify a first list of applications designated as supporting the first style window, the first list of applications being determined from information provided by watch applications;

provide the first list of applications to the user;

receive a selection of a first application from the first list of applications for display in the first style window;

informing, by a display manager of the electronic watch, a complication controller of the first application that the first application is assigned to the first style window;

receive, from the complication controller of the first application, a first data object specifying a first template of the first plurality of templates and including one or more first data items for displaying according to the first template;

retrieve the first template; and

display the one or more first data items in the first style window on the watch face according to the first template.

11. The electronic watch of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

generate the first data object using a complication controller in the first application.

12. The electronic watch of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, from a companion device, refresh preferences for the companion device to provide new data for the first style window, the new data to be used to generate the first data object;

monitor a state of the electronic watch and a number of updates for the first application;

determine when to request the new data from the companion device based on the state of the electronic watch and the number of updates.

13. The electronic watch of claim 10, wherein the first data object is received by a display manager, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

informing, by the display manager, a complication controller of the first application that the first application is assigned to the first style window.

14. The electronic watch of claim 10, wherein the first data object is received by a display manager, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a second window selection of a second style window of the watch face, the second style window associated with a second plurality of templates for displaying the information;

identify a second list of applications designated as supporting the second style window;

provide the second list of applications to the user;

receive a second application selection of a second application from the second list of applications;

receive, from the second application, a second data object specifying a second template of the second plurality of templates and including one or more second data items for displaying according to the second template;

retrieve the second template; and

display the one or more second data items in the second style window on the watch face according to the second template.