Device, Method, and User Interface for Processing Intensity of Touch Contact

• US 20180321753A1
• Filed: 07/10/2018
• Published: 11/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ledet, Raleigh J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,558,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device receives an indication of an input detected by a respective input device of the plurality of input devices; and, in response, provides information describing the input to an application running on the device that enables the application to react to the input. The device receives a reaction to the input from the application that indicates that a tactile output is to be generated in response to the input; and, in response, causes the generation of a respective tactile output. In accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the first input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the first input device based on the reaction from the application. In accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the second input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the second input device based on the reaction from the application.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device having a display, and a plurality of input devices including a first input device that is configured to generate tactile outputs in response to inputs and a second input device that is configured to generate tactile outputs, cause the electronic device to:

receive an indication of an input detected by a respective input device of the plurality of input devices;

in response to receiving the indication of the input, provide information describing the input to an application running on the device that enables the application to react to the input;

receive a reaction to the input from the application that indicates that a tactile output is to be generated in response to the input; and

in response to receiving the reaction to the input from the application, cause the generation of a respective tactile output, wherein;

in accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the first input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the first input device based on the reaction to the input from the application; and

in accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the second input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the second input device based on the reaction to the input from the application.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions which when executed by the electronic device cause the electronic device to, in response to receiving the reaction to the input from the application, determine which input device of the plurality of input devices triggered the reaction from the application.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein

when the reaction was triggered by the first input device, the tactile output at the first input device is generated without causing generation of any tactile output at the second input device;

and

when the reaction was triggered by the second input device, the tactile output at the second input device is generated without causing generation of any tactile output at the first input device.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the information describing the input includes a respective identifier for the respective device;

the reaction to the input includes the respective identifier for the respective device;

determining that the reaction was triggered by the first input device includes determining that the respective identifier is an identifier for the first input device; and

determining that the reaction was triggered by the second input device includes determining that the respective identifier is an identifier for the second input device.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the respective identifier is part of an input event that describes the input.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the input includes lateral movement, and the reaction of the application includes moving a graphical user interface object across a display.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the device is configured to cause the generation of tactile outputs at the plurality of input devices in response to changes in intensity of contacts on the input devices in accordance with one or more intensity models; and

the respective tactile output is generated without reference to the one or more intensity models.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the first input device is a touch-sensitive surface that is physically integrated into a housing of the device; and

the second input device is a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the housing of the device.

9. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device in communication with a plurality of input devices including a first input device that is configured to generate tactile outputs in response to inputs and a second input device that is configured to generate tactile outputs;

receiving an indication of an input detected by a respective input device of the plurality of input devices;

in response to receiving the indication of the input, providing information describing the input to an application running on the device that enables the application to react to the input;

receiving a reaction to the input from the application that indicates that a tactile output is to be generated in response to the input; and

in response to receiving the reaction to the input from the application, causing the generation of a respective tactile output, wherein;

in accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the first input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the first input device based on the reaction to the input from the application; and

in accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the second input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the second input device based on the reaction to the input from the application.

10. The method of claim 9, including, in response to receiving the reaction to the input from the application, determining which input device of the plurality of input devices triggered the reaction from the application.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

when the reaction was triggered by the first input device, the tactile output at the first input device is generated without causing generation of any tactile output at the second input device; and

when the reaction was triggered by the second input device, the tactile output at the second input device is generated without causing generation of any tactile output at the first input device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the information describing the input includes a respective identifier for the respective device;

the reaction to the input includes the respective identifier for the respective device;

determining that the reaction was triggered by the first input device includes determining that the respective identifier is an identifier for the first input device; and

determining that the reaction was triggered by the second input device includes determining that the respective identifier is an identifier for the second input device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the respective identifier is part of an input event that describes the input.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the input includes lateral movement, and the reaction of the application includes moving a graphical user interface object across a display.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the device is configured to cause the generation of tactile outputs at the plurality of input devices in response to changes in intensity of contacts on the input devices in accordance with one or more intensity models; and

the respective tactile output is generated without reference to the one or more intensity models.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first input device is a touch-sensitive surface that is physically integrated into a housing of the device; and

the second input device is a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the housing of the device.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a first input device that is configured to generate tactile outputs in response to inputs;

a second input device that is configured to generate tactile outputs;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving an indication of an input detected by a respective input device of the plurality of input devices;

in response to receiving the indication of the input, providing information describing the input to an application running on the device that enables the application to react to the input;

receiving a reaction to the input from the application that indicates that a tactile output is to be generated in response to the input; and

in response to receiving the reaction to the input from the application, causing the generation of a respective tactile output, wherein;

in accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the first input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the first input device based on the reaction to the input from the application; and

in accordance with a determination that the reaction was triggered by the second input device, the respective tactile output is generated at the second input device based on the reaction to the input from the application.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, in response to receiving the reaction to the input from the application, determining which input device of the plurality of input devices triggered the reaction from the application.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

when the reaction was triggered by the first input device, the tactile output at the first input device is generated without causing generation of any tactile output at the second input device; and

when the reaction was triggered by the second input device, the tactile output at the second input device is generated without causing generation of any tactile output at the first input device.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the information describing the input includes a respective identifier for the respective device;

the reaction to the input includes the respective identifier for the respective device;

determining that the reaction was triggered by the first input device includes determining that the respective identifier is an identifier for the first input device; and

determining that the reaction was triggered by the second input device includes determining that the respective identifier is an identifier for the second input device.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the respective identifier is part of an input event that describes the input.

22. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the input includes lateral movement, and the reaction of the application includes moving a graphical user interface object across a display.

23. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the device is configured to cause the generation of tactile outputs at the plurality of input devices in response to changes in intensity of contacts on the input devices in accordance with one or more intensity models; and

the respective tactile output is generated without reference to the one or more intensity models.

24. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the first input device is a touch-sensitive surface that is physically integrated into a housing of the device; and

the second input device is a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the housing of the device.