Scrollable notifications

• US 9,298,358 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilden, Leif Hendrik, Tsoukalidis, Ioannis, Martini, Paul Anthony, Hwang, Dennis Moak
• Primary Examiner(s): Ell, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/969,139
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 715/784, 715/786
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method for displaying scrollable notifications for unlocking an electronic device. The method includes a step for receiving a notification from an application for display on a locked screen of an electronic device, wherein the notification includes content viewable by a user of the electronic device, wherein the content is scrollable. The method also includes a step for displaying the received notification. The method also includes a step for receiving, from the user, a scroll event associated with the displayed notification. The method also includes a step for scrolling, in response to the received scroll event, content in the notification, wherein the scrolling provides additional content viewable to the user. The method also includes a step for unlocking, in response to the scrolling, one or more capabilities of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying scrollable content, the method comprising:

receiving, by an electronic device, a notification for display on a locked screen of the electronic device, the notification associated with an application present on the electronic device, wherein the notification includes content viewable by a user of the electronic device, and wherein the content includes at least a first portion and a second portion;

displaying, by the electronic device, the received notification on a section of the locked screen of the electronic device, wherein displaying the received notification comprises displaying the first portion of the content within the notification but not displaying the second portion of the content within the notification, wherein the content is scrollable within the notification on the section of the locked screen of the electronic device;

receiving, by the electronic device from the user, a scroll event associated with the displayed notification;

scrolling, by the electronic device in response to the received scroll event, the content within the notification, wherein scrolling the content includes removing, by the electronic device, at least some of the first portion of the content from the notification on the section of the locked screen and introducing, by the electronic device, at least some of the second portion of the content into the notification on the section of the locked screen, and wherein the notification remains stationary relative to the locked screen while the content is scrolled within the notification;

determining, by the electronic device, an amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification on the section of the locked screen of the electronic device;

determining, by the electronic device, whether the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification on the section of the locked screen exceeds a first threshold amount;

determining, by the electronic device, whether the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification on the section of the locked screen exceeds a second threshold amount, the second threshold amount less than the first threshold amount;

when the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds the second threshold amount but does not exceed the first threshold amount, causing, by the electronic device, a menu bar to be partially displayed on the locked screen, wherein the menu bar provides user actionable items for only the application with which the notification is associated, and wherein the partially displayed menu bar is not user selectable; and

when the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds both the second threshold amount and the first threshold amount, causing, by the electronic device, the menu bar to be fully displayed on the locked screen, wherein the fully displayed menu bar is user selectable.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the scrollable content is scrollable in an upwards direction.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the scrollable content is scrollable in a direction to at least one of the left and the right.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the received notification includes displaying a visual indicator on the displayed notification, wherein the visual indicator provides an indication to the user of the electronic device that scrollable content is available.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the visual indicator displayed on the displayed notification is a flashing arrow, wherein the arrow points in the direction that content may be scrolled.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the content is scrollable within the section of the locked screen in at least a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; and

the method further comprises;

unlocking, by the electronic device, a first set of capabilities of the electronic device when the amount by which the content has been scrolled in the vertical direction exceeds a third threshold value; and

unlocking, by the electronic device, a second set of capabilities of the electronic device when the amount by which the content has been scrolled in the horizontal direction exceeds a fourth threshold value, wherein the second set of capabilities comprises different capabilities than the first set of capabilities.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the electronic device, a speed at which the content has been scrolled within the section of the locked screen of the electronic device;

determining, by the electronic device, whether the speed at which the content has been scrolled within the section of the locked screen exceeds a threshold speed; and

when the speed at which the content has been scrolled within the section of the locked screen exceeds the threshold speed, unlocking, by the electronic device, one or more capabilities of the electronic device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

dropping, by the electronic device, the partially displayed menu bar when the amount by which the content has been scrolled in the notification does not exceed the first threshold value within a period of time after it has exceeded the second threshold value.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed cause an electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a notification from an application for display on a locked screen of the electronic device, wherein the notification includes content viewable by a user of the electronic device, and wherein the content includes at least a first portion and a second portion;

displaying the received notification on a section of the locked screen of the electronic device, wherein displaying the received notification comprises displaying the first portion of the content but not the second portion of the content within the notification on a section of the locked screen of the electronic device, wherein the content is scrollable within the notification on the section of the locked screen of the electronic device;

receiving, from the user, a scroll event associated with the displayed notification;

scrolling, in response to the received scroll event, the content within the notification, wherein scrolling the content includes removing at least some of the first portion of the content from the notification and introducing at least some of the second portion of the content into the notification;

determining an amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification;

determining whether the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds a first threshold amount;

determining whether the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds a second threshold amount that is less than the first threshold amount;

when the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds the second threshold amount but does not exceed the first threshold amount, causing a menu bar to be partially displayed on the locked screen, wherein the menu bar provides user actionable items for only the application with which the notification is associated, and wherein the partially displayed menu bar is not user selectable; and

when the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the section of the locked screen exceeds both the second threshold amount and the first threshold amount, causing the menu bar to be fully displayed on the locked screen, wherein the fully displayed menu bar is user selectable.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein displaying the received notification includes displaying a visual indicator on the displayed notification, wherein the visual indicator provides an indication to the user of the electronic device that scrollable content is available.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator displayed on the displayed notification is a flashing arrow, wherein the arrow points in the direction that content may be scrolled.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the unlocking of one or more capabilities of the electronic device includes unlocking the electronic device in its entirety.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the scrollable content is scrollable in an upwards direction.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the scrollable content is scrollable in a direction to at least one of the left and the right.

15. A computer-implemented system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a notification from a geo-location based content (GLC) system for display on a locked screen of an electronic device, wherein the notification includes content viewable by a user of the electronic device, and wherein the content includes at least a first portion and a second portion;

display the received notification, wherein displaying the received notification comprises displaying the first portion of the content but not the second portion of the content on a section of the locked screen of the electronic device, wherein the content is scrollable within the section of the locked screen of the electronic device;

receive, from the user, a scroll event associated with the displayed notification;

scroll, in response to the received scroll event, the content within the notification, wherein scrolling the content within the notification includes removing, by the electronic device, at least some of the first portion of the content from the section of the locked screen and introducing, by the electronic device, at least some of the second portion of the content into the section of the locked screen, and wherein the notification remains stationary relative to the locked screen when the content is scrolled within the notification;

determine an amount by which the content has been scrolled within notification;

determine whether the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds a first threshold amount; and

determine whether the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds a second threshold amount that is less than the first threshold amount;

when the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds the second threshold amount but does not exceed the first threshold amount, causing a menu bar to be partially displayed on the locked screen, wherein the menu bar provides user actionable items for only the application with which the notification is associated, and wherein the partially displayed menu bar is not user selectable; and

when the amount by which the content has been scrolled within the section of the locked screen exceeds both the second threshold amount and the first threshold amount, causing the menu bar to be fully displayed on the locked screen, wherein the fully displayed menu bar is user selectable.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the unlocking of one or more capabilities of the electronic device includes display of one or more user actionable items for the GLC system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the displayed one or more user actionable items includes a user endorsement menu item, or a share content item menu item, or a publisher information menu item, or a select mode for the GLC system.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from the user, a second scroll event associated with the displayed notification; and

unlock the electronic device in its entirety based on the receiving of the second scroll event, wherein the unlocking of the electronic device in its entirety exposes full capabilities of the electronic device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the content is scrollable within the section of the locked screen in at least a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; and

execution of the instructions further causes the one or more processors to;

unlock a first set of capabilities of the electronic device when the amount by which the content has been scrolled in the vertical direction exceeds a third threshold value; and

unlock a second set of capabilities of the electronic device when the amount by which the content has been scrolled in the horizontal direction exceeds a fourth threshold value, wherein the second set of capabilities comprises different capabilities than the first set of capabilities.

20. The computer-implemented system of claim 15, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the one or more processors to:

determine a speed at which the content has been scrolled within the notification;

determine whether the speed at which the content has been scrolled within the notification exceeds a threshold speed; and

when the speed at which the content has been scrolled within the section of the locked screen exceeds the threshold speed, unlock one or more capabilities of the electronic device.