USER INTERFACES FOR NON-VISUAL OUTPUT OF TIME

• US 20200379565A1
• Filed: 03/10/2020
• Published: 12/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: FLEIZACH, Christopher B., AGNOLI, Giovanni M., CHEN, Kevin Will, HENNING, Shawn, LEMAY, Stephen O., MORRISON, Catherine, MOUSSETTE, Camille, NGUYEN, Tu, SUNDSTROM, Matthew J., WIEBE, Molly Pray, WILSON, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 10,996,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/026 acting at a number of different times
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/06 using voice
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 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 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to providing time feedback on an electronic device, and in particular to providing non-visual time feedback on the electronic device. Techniques for providing non-visual time feedback include detecting an input and, in response to detecting the input, initiating output of a first type of non-visual indication of a current time or a second type of non-visual indication of the current time based on the set of non-visual time output criteria met by the input. Techniques for providing non-visual time feedback also include, in response to detecting that a current time has reached a first predetermined time of a set of one or more predetermined times, outputting a first non-visual alert or a second non-visual alert based on a type of watch face that the electronic device is configured to display.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more input devices;

a first non-visual output device;

a second non-visual output device;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

detecting, via the one or more input devices, an input; and

in response to detecting the input;

in accordance with a determination that the input meets a set of non-visual time output criteria, initiating output of a non-visual indication of a current time, wherein initiating output of the non-visual indication of the current time includes;

in accordance with a determination that a first set of output type criteria are met, initiating output, via the first non-visual output device, of a first type of non-visual indication of the current time; and

in accordance with a determination that a second set of output type criteria are met, initiating output, via the second non-visual output device, of a second type of non-visual indication of the current time, different from the first type of non-visual indication of the current time.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in response to detecting the input;

in accordance with a determination that the input does not meet the set of non-visual time output criteria, forgoing initiating output of the non-visual indication of the current time.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein initiating output of the non-visual indication of the current time includes completing the non-visual indication of the current time.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions:

after initiating output of the non-visual indication of the current time and prior to completing output of the non-visual indication of the current time, detecting a second input, the second input corresponding to a request to interrupt outputting of the non-visual indication of the current time; and

in response to detecting the second input, ceasing to output the non-visual indication of the current time before completing output of the non-visual indication of the current time.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the electronic device includes a display device, and

the set of non-visual time output criteria includes a criterion that is met when the input is received while the electronic device is displaying, via the display device, a predetermined user interface.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the electronic device includes a touch-sensitive surface, and

the set of non-visual time output criteria includes a criterion that is met when the input is a touch gesture including a predetermined number of contacts that is detected on the touch-sensitive surface.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first non-visual output device is a tactile output device,

the first type of non-visual indication of the current time is a tactile output that indicates the current time, and

the first set of output type criteria includes a criterion that is met when the electronic device is currently configured to suppress audio outputs.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first non-visual output device is an audio output device, and

the first type of non-visual indication of the current time is an audio representation of one or more words indicating the current time,

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the electronic device includes a display device, and

initiating output of the audio representation of one or more words indicating the current time includes;

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device is currently configured to display, via the display device, a first watch face, initiating output of the audio representation of one or more words using a first voice; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device is currently configured to display, via the display device, a second watch face that is different from the first watch face, initiating output of the audio representation of one or more words using a second voice that is different from the first voice.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

initiating output of the audio representation of one or more words indicating the current time includes;

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has a first hardware configuration, initiating output of the audio representation of one or more words using a third voice; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device has a second hardware configuration that is different from the first hardware configuration, initiating output of the audio representation of one or more words using a fourth voice that is different from the third voice.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the second non-visual output device is a tactile output device, and

the second type of non-visual indication of the current time is a tactile output indicating the current time,

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein initiating output of the second type of non-visual indication of the current time includes initiating the tactile output of the current time at a first speed, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

after initiating the tactile output of the current time at the first speed, detecting a set of one or more inputs corresponding to a request to adjust the speed of tactile outputs indicating the current time;

in response to receiving the set of one or more inputs, adjusting a speed of tactile outputs indicating the current time from being configured to output at the first speed to being configured to output at a second speed that is different from the first speed;

after receiving the set of one or more inputs, detecting a third input corresponding to request to output a tactile output indicating the current time; and

in response to detecting the third input, initiating a second instance of a tactile output of the current time at the second speed.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a touch-sensitive surface, the input including one or more contacts detected on the touch-sensitive surface, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

after initiating output of the non-visual indication of the current time and prior to completing output of the non-visual indication of the current time, detecting that the one or more contacts are no longer detected on the touch-sensitive surface; and

after detecting that the one or more contacts are no longer detected on the touch-sensitive surface, completing output of the non-visual indication of the current time.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with one or more input devices, a first non-visual output device, and a second non-visual output device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

detecting, via the one or more input devices, an input; and

in response to detecting the input;

in accordance with a determination that the input meets a set of non-visual time output criteria, initiating output of a non-visual indication of a current time, wherein initiating output of the non-visual indication of the current time includes;

in accordance with a determination that a first set of output type criteria are met, initiating output, via the first non-visual output device, of a first type of non-visual indication of the current time; and

in accordance with a determination that a second set of output type criteria are met, initiating output, via the second non-visual output device, of a second type of non-visual indication of the current time, different from the first type of non-visual indication of the current time.

15. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with one or more input devices, a first non-visual output device, and a second non-visual output device;

detecting, via the one or more input devices, an input; and

in response to detecting the input;

in accordance with a determination that the input meets a set of non-visual time output criteria, initiating output of a non-visual indication of a current time, wherein initiating output of the non-visual indication of the current time includes;

in accordance with a determination that a first set of output type criteria are met, initiating output, via the first non-visual output device, of a first type of non-visual indication of the current time; and

in accordance with a determination that a second set of output type criteria are met, initiating output, via the second non-visual output device, of a second type of non-visual indication of the current time, different from the first type of non-visual indication of the current time.