System and method for proactively identifying and surfacing relevant content on an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display

• US 10,757,552 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2018
• Issued: 08/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gross, Daniel C., Coffman, Patrick L., Dellinger, Richard R., Foss, Christopher P., Gauci, Jason J., Haghighi, Aria D., Irani, Cyrus D., Jones, Bronwyn A., Kapoor, Gaurav, Lemay, Stephen O., Morris, Colin C., Siracusa, Michael R., Yang, Lawrence Y., Ramerth, Brent D., Bellegarda, Jerome R., Dolfing, Jannes G. A., Pagallo, Giulia P., Wang, Xin, Hatori, Jun, Moha, Alexandre R., Clark, Kevin D., Kohlschuetter, Karl Christian, Andersen, Jesper S., Arras, Hafid, Carlhian, Alexandre, Deniau, Thomas, Martel, Mathieu J., Toudji, Sofiane
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Nam T
• Application Number:
  US16/147,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20190158994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Systems and methods for proactively identifying and surfacing relevant content are disclosed herein. An example method includes: detecting, via the touch-sensitive display, a search activation gesture from a user of the electronic device. The method also includes: in response to detecting only the search activation gesture, displaying a search interface on substantially all of the touch-sensitive display, the search interface including: (i) a search entry portion; and (ii) a predictions portion with one or more user interface objects each associated with a respective locally-installed application. Each respective locally-installed application is selected from among a plurality of locally-installed applications for inclusion in the predictions portion based on an application usage history associated with the user of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

detecting, via the touch-sensitive display, a search activation gesture from a user of the electronic device;

in response to detecting only the search activation gesture, displaying a search interface on substantially all of the touch-sensitive display, the search interface including;

(i) a search entry portion; and

(ii) a predictions portion that is displayed before receiving any user input at the search entry portion, the predictions portion displayed with one or more user interface objects each associated with a respective locally-installed application, wherein each respective locally-installed application is selected from among a plurality of locally-installed applications for inclusion in the predictions portion based on an application usage history associated with the user of the electronic device;

wherein the predictions portion includes a user interface object selected from a group consisting of;

a respective deep-link user interface object associated with a predicted action within a respective application of the plurality of locally-installed application, and the respective deep-link user interface object, when selected by a user, causes the electronic device to display a respective application of the plurality of locally-installed applications and initiate a predicted action within the respective application, and the predicted action is selected based on one or more of a current time and the application usage history; and

one or more other user interface objects each associated with a respective contact, wherein each respective contact is selected from among a plurality of previously-contacted people for inclusion in the predictions portion based at least in part on a current time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application usage history is a data structure, stored in a memory of the electronic device, that includes information identifying at least times and days on which the respective locally-installed applications were accessed by the user of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each respective locally-installed application is also selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on a current location of the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each respective locally-installed application is also selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on a current time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the search activation gesture is received at the current time, and analysis of the application usage history indicates that each respective locally-installed application is of interest to the user as of the current time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, via the touch-sensitive display and within the predictions portion, a selection of a respective user interface object associated with a respective locally-installed application; and

in response to detecting the selection, displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface associated with the respective locally-installed application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more user interface objects include a plurality of user interface objects, each associated with a respective locally-installed application that is selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on the application usage history.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the search activation gesture includes:

detecting, over a first home screen page in a sequence of respective home screen pages, a contact on the touch-sensitive display followed by movement of the contact in a substantially left-to-right direction across the touch-sensitive display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the search activation gesture includes:

detecting, over any of a sequence of respective home screen pages, a contact on the touch-sensitive display followed by movement of the contact in a substantially downward direction across the touch-sensitive display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the predictions portion is also populated in response to detecting the search activation gesture with one or more additional user interface objects, distinct from the one or more user interface objects, and

each of the one or more additional user interface objects is associated with content that is selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on one or more of;

a current location of the electronic device and a current time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein an ordering within the predictions portion for (i) the one or more user interface objects associated with each respective locally-installed application and (ii) the one or more additional user interface objects is configured by the user of the electronic device.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the electronic device to:

detect, via the touch-sensitive display, a search activation gesture from a user of the electronic device;

in response to detecting only the search activation gesture, display a search interface on substantially all of the touch-sensitive display, the search interface including;

(i) a search entry portion; and

(ii) a predictions portion that is displayed before receiving any user input at the search entry portion, the predictions portion displayed with one or more user interface objects each associated with a respective locally-installed application, wherein each respective locally-installed application is selected from among a plurality of locally-installed applications for inclusion in the predictions portion based on an application usage history associated with the user of the electronic device;

wherein the predictions portion includes a user interface object selected from a group consisting of;

a respective deep-link user interface object associated with a predicted action within a respective application of the plurality of locally-installed application, and the respective deep-link user interface object, when selected by a user, causes the electronic device to display a respective application of the plurality of locally-installed applications and initiate a predicted action within the respective application, and the predicted action is selected based on one or more of a current time and the application usage history; and

one or more other user interface objects each associated with a respective contact, wherein each respective contact is selected from among a plurality of previously-contacted people for inclusion in the predictions portion based at least in part on a current time.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the application usage history is a data structure, stored in a memory of the electronic device, that includes information identifying at least times and days on which the respective locally- installed applications were accessed by the user of the electronic device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein each respective locally-installed application is also selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on a current location of the electronic device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein each respective locally-installed application is also selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on a current time.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the search activation gesture is received at the current time, and analysis of the application usage history indicates that each respective locally-installed application is of interest to the user as of the current time.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the executable instructions that also cause the electronic device to:

detect, via the touch-sensitive display and within the predictions portion, a selection of a respective user interface object associated with a respective locally-installed application; and

in response to detecting the selection, display, on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface associated with the respective locally-installed application.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more user interface objects include a plurality of user interface objects, each associated with a respective locally-installed application that is selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on the application usage history.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein detecting the search activation gesture includes:

detecting, over a first home screen page in a sequence of respective home screen pages, a contact on the touch-sensitive display followed by movement of the contact in a substantially left-to-right direction across the touch-sensitive display.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein detecting the search activation gesture includes:

detecting, over any of a sequence of respective home screen pages, a contact on the touch-sensitive display followed by movement of the contact in a substantially downward direction across the touch-sensitive display.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the predictions portion is also populated in response to detecting the search activation gesture with one or more additional user interface objects, distinct from the one or more user interface objects, and

each of the one or more additional user interface objects is associated with content that is selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on one or more of;

a current location of the electronic device and a current time.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein an ordering within the predictions portion for (i) the one or more user interface objects associated with each respective locally-installed application and (ii) the one or more additional user interface objects is configured by the user of the electronic device.

23. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to;

detect, via the touch-sensitive display, a search activation gesture from a user of the electronic device;

in response to detecting only the search activation gesture, display a search interface on substantially all of the touch-sensitive display, the search interface including;

(i) a search entry portion; and

(ii) a predictions portion that is displayed before receiving any user input at the search entry portion, the predictions portion displayed with one or more user interface objects each associated with a respective locally-installed application, wherein each respective locally-installed application is selected from among a plurality of locally-installed applications for inclusion in the predictions portion based on an application usage history associated with the user of the electronic device;

wherein the predictions portion includes a user interface object selected from a group consisting of;

a respective deep-link user interface object associated with a predicted action within a respective application of the plurality of locally-installed application, and the respective deep-link user interface object, when selected by a user, causes the electronic device to display a respective application of the plurality of locally-installed applications and initiate a predicted action within the respective application, and the predicted action is selected based on one or more of a current time and the application usage history; and

one or more other user interface objects each associated with a respective contact, wherein each respective contact is selected from among a plurality of previously-contacted people for inclusion in the predictions portion based at least in part on a current time.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the application usage history is a data structure, stored in a memory of the electronic device, that includes information identifying at least times and days on which the respective locally-installed applications were accessed by the user of the electronic device.

25. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein each respective locally-installed application is also selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on a current location of the electronic device.

26. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein each respective locally-installed application is also selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on a current time.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the search activation gesture is received at the current time, and analysis of the application usage history indicates that each respective locally-installed application is of interest to the user as of the current time.

28. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the one or more programs also cause the electronic device to:

detect, via the touch-sensitive display and within the predictions portion, a selection of a respective user interface object associated with a respective locally-installed application; and

in response to detecting the selection, display, on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface associated with the respective locally-installed application.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the one or more user interface objects include a plurality of user interface objects, each associated with a respective locally- installed application that is selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on the application usage history.

30. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein detecting the search activation gesture includes:

detecting, over a first home screen page in a sequence of respective home screen pages, a contact on the touch-sensitive display followed by movement of the contact in a substantially left-to-right direction across the touch-sensitive display.

31. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein detecting the search activation gesture includes:

detecting, over any of a sequence of respective home screen pages, a contact on the touch-sensitive display followed by movement of the contact in a substantially downward direction across the touch-sensitive display.

32. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein:

the predictions portion is also populated in response to detecting the search activation gesture with one or more additional user interface objects, distinct from the one or more user interface objects, and

each of the one or more additional user interface objects is associated with content that is selected for inclusion in the predictions portion based on one or more of;

a current location of the electronic device and a current time.

33. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein an ordering within the predictions portion for (i) the one or more user interface objects associated with each respective locally- installed application and (ii) the one or more additional user interface objects is configured by the user of the electronic device.