Providing navigation instructions while device is in locked mode

• US 9,903,732 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: van Os, Marcel, Vulcano, Emanuele, Moore, Bradford A., Cato, Andrew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US15/003,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20160216127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 709206, 715753, 715863, 707769, 701 1, 701 36, 701400, 701437, 34099519, 713 1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• 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 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• 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: G09G 2320/0626 : for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 : in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 : Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 : the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 : Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 : Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 : Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 : by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 : for supporting games or graphical animations
• 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 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 : by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 : by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of providing navigation instructions in a locked mode of a device is disclosed. The method, while the display screen of the device is turned off, determines that the device is near a navigation point. The method turns on the display screen and provides navigation instructions. In some embodiments, the method identifies the ambient light level around the device and turns on the display at brightness level determined by the identified ambient light level. The method turns off the display after the navigation point is passed.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a set of processing units; and

a non-transitory machine readable medium storing a navigation application executable by at least one of the processing units of the electronic device, the application comprising sets of instructions for;

providing navigation instructions on a display screen of the electronic device;

executing the navigation application in a background of the electronic device;

turning the display screen of the electronic device off after a lapse of a preset period of time during which the electronic device does not receive any input;

identifying an ambient light level around the electronic device when the electronic device approaches a navigation point;

turning the display screen on at a brightness level that is determined by the identified ambient light level, and

automatically executing the navigation application in a foreground of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory machine readable medium further stores a set of instructions for:

while the navigation application is executing on the electronic device, turning the display screen of the electronic device off after receiving an input to turn the display screen off.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the set of instructions for turning the display screen off comprises a set of instructions for turning the display screen off after receiving the input, regardless of the navigation application executing in a background or foreground of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device approaches the navigation point when the electronic device is within a threshold distance of a point along a navigation route that requires a new navigation instruction.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for identifying the ambient light level around the electronic device comprises a set of instructions for using an ambient light sensor to detect the amount of light that is present in an environment in which the electronic device operates.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the ambient light sensor is part of a camera of the electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the set of instructions for turning the display screen on comprises a set of instructions for turning the display screen on at a high level of brightness when the ambient light sensor determines that the amount of light is more than a threshold.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the navigation point is a first navigation point, wherein the application further comprises sets of instructions for:

displaying a next navigation instruction for a second navigation point that follows the first navigation point when the electronic device passes the first navigation point; and

turning the display screen off after displaying the next navigation instruction.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions for turning the display screen off after displaying the next navigation instruction comprises a set of instructions for turning the display screen off (i) after passing the first navigation point by a threshold distance, or (ii) after a threshold period of time after passing the first navigation point.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the application further comprises sets of instructions for:

identifying the ambient light level around the electronic device when the electronic device deviates from a predetermined navigation route to a destination;

identifying a new route to the destination based on a current position of the electronic device;

turning the display screen on at the brightness level that is determined by the identified ambient light level;

displaying a next navigation instruction based on the identified new route; and

turning the display screen off after displaying the next navigation instruction.

11. An non-transitory machine readable medium storing a navigation application executable by at least one processing unit of an electronic device, the application comprising sets of instructions for:

providing navigation instructions on a display screen of the electronic device;

executing the navigation application in a background of the electronic device;

turning the display screen of the electronic device off after a lapse of a preset period of time during which the electronic device does not receive any input;

identifying an ambient light level around the electronic device when the electronic device approaches a navigation point;

turning the display screen on at a brightness level that is determined by the identified ambient light level, and

automatically executing the navigation application in a foreground of the electronic device.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the application further comprises a set of instructions for:

while the navigation application is executing on the electronic device, turning the display screen of the electronic device off after receiving an input to turn the display screen off.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set of instructions for turning the display screen off comprises a set of instructions for turning the display screen off after receiving the input, regardless of the navigation application executing in a background or foreground of the electronic device.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the electronic device approaches the navigation point when the electronic device is within a threshold distance of a point along a navigation route that requires a new navigation instruction.

15. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the navigation point is a first navigation point, wherein the application further comprises sets of instructions for:

displaying a next navigation instruction for a second navigation point that follows the first navigation point when the electronic device passes the first navigation point; and

turning the display screen off after displaying the next navigation instruction.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the application further comprises sets of instructions for:

identifying the ambient light level around the electronic device when the electronic device deviates from a predetermined navigation route to a destination;

identifying a new route to the destination based on a current position of the electronic device;

turning the display screen on at the brightness level that is determined by the identified ambient light level;

displaying a next navigation instruction based on the identified new route; and

turning the display screen off after displaying the next navigation instruction.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions for turning the display screen off after displaying the next navigation instruction comprises a set of instructions for turning the display screen off (i) after passing the first navigation point by a threshold distance, or (ii) after a threshold period of time after passing the first navigation point.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of instructions for identifying the ambient light level around the electronic device comprises a set of instructions for using an ambient light sensor to detect the amount of light that is present in an environment in which the electronic device operates.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein the ambient light sensor is part of a camera of the electronic device.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein the set of instructions for turning the display screen on comprises a set of instructions for turning the display screen on at a high level of brightness when the ambient light sensor determines that the amount of light is more than a threshold.