Providing priming cues to a user of an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10984649-B2
Application number	US-201816210562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2018
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

An electronic device can output a priming cue prior to outputting an alert on the electronic device. A priming cue can be a haptic priming cue, a visual priming cue, an audio priming cue, or various combinations of these priming cues. The priming cue can be perceived by a user either consciously or subconsciously and can increase a user's perceptual state for the alert.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a haptic output device; and
a processing device operably connected to the haptic output device and adapted to:
detect a first alert condition indicating that a first haptic alert is to be output by the haptic output device;
in response to detecting the first alert condition:
in accordance with a determination that a haptic priming cue is to be output for the first alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that one or more first factors that are separate from the first alert condition meet one or more first criteria for outputting the haptic priming cue, cause the haptic output device to output the haptic priming cue followed by outputting the first haptic alert; and
in accordance with a determination that the haptic priming cue is not to be output for the first alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that the one or more first factors do not meet the one or more first criteria, cause the haptic output device to output the first haptic alert without outputting the haptic priming cue;

detect a second alert condition indicating that a second haptic alert is to be output by the haptic output device; and
in response to detecting the second alert condition:
in accordance with a determination that a haptic priming cue is to be output for the second alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that one or more second factors that are separate from the second alert condition meet one or more second criteria for outputting the haptic priming cue, cause the haptic output device to output the haptic priming cue followed by outputting the second haptic alert; and
in accordance with a determination that the haptic priming cue is not to be output for the second alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that the one or more second factors do not meet the one or more second criteria, cause the haptic output device to output the second haptic alert without outputting the haptic priming cue, wherein:

the first haptic alert has a first respective sequence of haptic components;
the second haptic alert has a second respective sequence of haptic components different from the first respective sequence of haptic components; and
the haptic priming cue has at least one of a distinct intensity or waveform from both the first haptic alert and the second haptic alert.

2. The electronic device as in claim 1 , wherein the one or more factors that are separate from the first alert condition include one or more of:
an elapsed time from a user interaction with the electronic device;
a detected user activity;
a motion of the electronic device; or
an operational state of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device as in claim 1 , further comprising a sensor operably connected to the processing device and configured to sense at least one of light, motion, touch, heat, position, pressure, sound, or images.

4. The electronic device as in claim 3 , wherein the processing device is adapted to determine at least one of an intensity or a duration of the haptic priming cue based on input from the sensor.

5. The electronic device as in claim 3 , wherein the processing device is adapted to determine at least one of an intensity or a duration of the first haptic alert prior to outputting the first haptic alert.

6. The electronic device as in claim 5 , wherein the processing device is adapted to determine at least one of an intensity or a duration of the first haptic alert based on at least one of:
an output from the sensor; and
a default haptic priming cue.

7. The electronic device as in claim 1 , wherein the processing device is adapted to cause the haptic output device to provide the first haptic alert after the haptic priming cue is provided.

8. A method for priming a haptic alert of an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting a first alert condition that indicates that a first haptic alert is to be output by the electronic device;
in response to detecting the first alert condition:
in accordance with a determination to output a haptic priming cue for the first alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that one or more first factors that are separate from the first alert condition meet one or more first criteria for outputting the haptic priming cue, outputting the haptic priming cue followed by outputting the first haptic alert on the electronic device; and
in accordance with a determination not to output the haptic priming cue for the first alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that the one or more first factors that are separate from the first alert condition do not meet the one or more first criteria, outputting the first haptic alert on the electronic device without outputting the haptic priming cue;

detecting a second alert condition that indicates that a second haptic alert is to be output by the electronic device; and
in response to detecting the second alert condition:
in accordance with a determination to output a haptic priming cue for the second alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that one or more second factors that are separate from the second alert condition meet one or more second criteria for outputting the haptic priming cue, outputting the haptic priming cue followed by outputting the second haptic alert on the electronic device; and
in accordance with a determination not to output the haptic priming cue for the second alert condition based on a determination by the electronic device that the one or more second factors do not meet the one or more second criteria, outputting the second haptic alert on the electronic device without outputting the haptic priming cue, wherein:

the first haptic alert has a first respective sequence of haptic components;
the second haptic alert has a second respective sequence of haptic components different from the first respective sequence of haptic components; and
the haptic priming cue has at least one of a distinct intensity or waveform from both the first haptic alert and the second haptic alert.

9. The method as in claim 8 , further comprising, prior to outputting the haptic priming cue, determining at least one of an intensity or a duration of the haptic priming cue.

10. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the intensity or the duration of the haptic priming cue is based on at least one of:
a motion of the electronic device;
an environmental condition; or
an operational state of the electronic device.

11. The method as in claim 8 , further comprising:
determining whether there is a response to the haptic priming cue; and
modifying the haptic priming cue if there is no response to the haptic priming cue.

12. The method as in claim 8 , further comprising:
determining if there is a response to the first haptic alert; and
modifying the first haptic alert if there is no response to the first haptic alert.

13. The method as in claim 8 , further comprising ending the first haptic alert if a time period for outputting the first haptic alert ends and a user has not responded to the first haptic alert.

14. The method as in claim 13 , wherein the time period for outputting the first haptic alert is based on at least one of a duration of the first haptic alert or an intensity of the first haptic alert.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by an electronic device cause the electronic device to:
detect a first alert condition indicating that a first haptic alert is to be produced by the

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Moussette Camille
• Verweij Hugo D

Classifications

• G06F1/163 Primary

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04M19/044

  according to the level of ambient noise · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G08B21/24 Primary

  Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms · CPC title