Methods and systems of interfaces for initiating communications using terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12425511-B2
Application number	US-202217898342-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2022
Priority date	Aug 31, 2021
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and user interfaces for establishing communications. In response to detecting user input corresponding to a request to initiate a communication via a computer system, the computer system displays a first user interface. When a terrestrial wireless communication network is not reachable by the computer system, the first user interface includes a respective selectable communication option that, when selected via one or more input devices, initiates a process for communicating via a non-terrestrial communication network. When a respective terrestrial communication network is reachable by the computer system, the computer system initiates a process for communication via the respective terrestrial communication network without displaying the respective selectable communication option on the first user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system configured to communicate with a display generation component and one or more input devices, comprising:
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, a user input corresponding to a request to initiate a communication via the computer system; and
in response to detecting the user input, displaying, via the display generation component, a first user interface, including:
displaying, in the first user interface, a cancel communication option that, when selected via the one or more input devices, initiates a process to stop attempting to initiate the communication;
in accordance with a determination that a terrestrial wireless communication network is not reachable by the computer system, displaying a respective selectable communication option that, when selected via the one or more input devices, initiates a process for communicating via a non-terrestrial wireless communication network; and
in accordance with a determination that a respective terrestrial wireless communication network is reachable by the computer system, initiating a process for communicating, via the respective terrestrial wireless communication network, without displaying the respective selectable communication option.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
while displaying the respective selectable communication option:
attempting to initiate a process for communicating via a respective terrestrial wireless communication network; and
detecting, via the one or more input devices, a selection of the respective selectable communication option; and

in response to detecting the selection of the respective selectable communication option, ceasing to attempt to initiate the process for communicating via the terrestrial wireless communication network.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
while displaying the respective selectable communication option, attempting to initiate a process for communicating via a respective terrestrial wireless communication network.

4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein displaying the respective selectable communication option occurs in accordance with a determination that a terrestrial wireless communication network is not reachable and that the communication is an emergency communication.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the determination that a terrestrial wireless communication network is not reachable by the computer system includes a determination that a first terrestrial wireless communication network not associated with the computer system is not reachable by the computer system.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface includes a plurality of selectable phone call options.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein:
the user input corresponding to the request to initiate the communication includes one or more inputs directed to a second user interface; and
the request to initiate the communication is a request to initiate a communication with an emergency service.

8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting, via the one or more input devices, an input corresponding to selection of the respective selectable communication option; and
in response to detecting the input corresponding to selection of the respective selectable communication option, initiating the process for communicating via the non-terrestrial wireless communication network.

9. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
in accordance with a determination that the terrestrial wireless communication network is not reachable and that a predetermined period of time has passed since detecting the input corresponding to the request to initiate a communication, initiating the process for communicating via the non-terrestrial wireless communication network.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
displaying a visual indication of a countdown of a remaining time until the predetermined period of time expires.

11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the process for communicating via the non-terrestrial wireless communication network includes displaying a second user interface that is different from the first user interface.

12. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein communicating via the non-terrestrial wireless communication network includes communication via a text message or an audio call.

13. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein communicating via the non-terrestrial wireless communication network includes initiating a communication session via the non-terrestrial wireless communication network, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
after initiating the communication session via the non-terrestrial wireless communication network is active:
detecting a user input corresponding to a request to end the communication session; and
in response to detecting the user input corresponding to a request to end the communication session, providing a prompt to confirm the request to end the communication session.

14. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
in accordance with a determination that a first respective terrestrial wireless communication network is not reachable by the computer system, displaying, via the display generation component, an indication of a communication capability of the computer system; and
in accordance with a determination that the first respective terrestrial wireless communication network is reachable by the computer system, forgoing display of the indication of the communication capability status of the computer system.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein displaying the indication of the communication capability of the computer system includes displaying a first communication status indicator that indicates the capability of the computer system to communicate via a terrestrial wireless communication network other than the first respective terrestrial wireless communication network.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein displaying the first communication status indicator includes:
in accordance with a determination that a second respective terrestrial wireless communication network that is different from the first respective terrestrial wireless communication network is reachable by the computer system, displaying the first communication status indicator having a first appearance.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein displaying the first communication status indicator includes:
in accordance with a determination that no terrestrial wireless communication network is reachable by the computer system, displaying the first communication status indicator having a second appearance that is different from the first appearance of the first communication status indicator.

18. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein displaying the indication of the communication capability of the computer system includes:
in accordance with a determination that a non-terrestrial wireless communication network is reachable by the computer system, displaying a second communicati

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Caro Pablo F
• Coon Kaely
• Easley Iii William B
• Federighi Craig M
• Jones Travis
• Kramar Vitalii

Classifications

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W84/06

  Airborne or Satellite Networks (space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185) · CPC title

• H04W52/0267

  by controlling user interface components · CPC title

• H04M1/72418

  for supporting emergency services · CPC title

• H04W4/90

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title