User interfaces for tracking and generating alerts on electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025088584-A1
Application number	US-202418830509-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2024
Priority date	Sep 11, 2023
Publication date	Mar 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

In some embodiments, a first electronic device facilitates tracking of a second electronic device. In some embodiments, when the first electronic device and the second electronic device are within a specified distance from each other, the second electronic device automatically generates an alert to indicate its current location. In some embodiments, the alert includes audio and/or tactical feedback.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
at a first electronic device in communication with a second electronic device, and wireless communication circuitry:
while the first electronic device and the second electronic device are operating as part of a finding process:
detecting that a distance between a findable electronic device that is being located as part of the finding process and a finding electronic device that is being used to locate the findable electronic device as part of the finding process has changed; and
in response to detecting that the distance between the findable electronic device and the finding electronic device has changed:
in accordance with a determination that one or more first criteria are satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when the findable electronic device and the finding electronic device are within a threshold distance of each other in response to the change in distance, causing the findable electronic device that is being located as part of the finding process to generate an alert indicating that the finding electronic device is within the threshold distance of the findable electronic device; and
in accordance with a determination that the one or more first criteria are not satisfied, forgoing causing the findable electronic device that is being located as part of the finding process to generate the alert indicating that the finding electronic device is within the threshold distance of the findable electronic device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device is the findable electronic device, and the second electronic device is the finding electronic device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device is the finding electronic device, and the second electronic device is the findable electronic device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the findable electronic device is a companion device of the finding electronic device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the findable electronic device is a remote locator device associated with the finding electronic device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the finding process includes in accordance with a determination that one or more second criteria are satisfied, causing the finding electronic device to generate a second alert.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein generating the second alert includes generating tactile feedback at the finding electronic device.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the one or more second criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the finding electronic device changes finding states; and generating the second alert includes:
in accordance with a determination that the finding electronic device changes from a first finding state to a second finding state, generating first discrete tactile feedback; and
in accordance with a determination that the finding electronic device changes from the first finding state to a third finding state, different from the second finding state, generating second discrete tactile feedback, different from the first discrete tactile feedback.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the one or more second criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the finding electronic device is within the threshold distance of the findable electronic device; and generating the second alert includes generating a continuous tactile feedback.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the continuous tactile feedback is variable based on a distance from the finding electronic device to the findable electronic device.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein generating the second alert includes outputting audio feedback at the finding electronic device.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein generating the second alert includes displaying, via a display generation component of the finding electronic device, visual feedback.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein generating the second alert further includes:
displaying non-directional visual feedback while directional information associated with the findable electronic device that satisfies one or more respective criteria is not available to the finding electronic device; and in response to determining that one or more third criteria are satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when the finding electronic device obtains the directional information associated with the findable electronic device that satisfies the one or more respective criteria, transitioning to displaying directional visual feedback indicating a direction of the findable electronic device relative to the finding electronic device.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein generating the second alert further includes:
displaying directional visual feedback while the finding electronic device is outside of the threshold distance of the findable electronic device; and in response to determining that one or more second criteria are satisfied, including a criterion that is satisfied when the finding electronic device is within a second threshold distance of the findable electronic device, transitioning to displaying non-directional visual feedback indicating a distance of the findable electronic device relative to the finding electronic device.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
in response to determining that the one or more second criteria are satisfied, transitioning to displaying the non-directional visual feedback at the finding electronic device occurs concurrently with an outputting of the alert at the findable electronic device in accordance with the determination that the one or more first criteria are satisfied.

16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the finding process includes:
in accordance with a determination that one or more third criteria are satisfied indicating that the findable electronic device has been retrieved, causing the finding electronic device to cease generating the second alert.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more third criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the findable electronic device and the finding electronic device are within a second threshold distance, smaller than the threshold distance, of each other.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more third criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the finding electronic device detects an indication of motion of the findable electronic device.

19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after causing the findable electronic device to generate the alert when the findable electronic device and the finding electronic device are within the threshold distance of each other:
in accordance with a determination that one or more second criteria are satisfied, causing the finding electronic device to generate a second alert indicating that the findable electronic device is located above or below the finding electronic device;
and in accordance with a determination that the one or more second criteria are not satisfied, forgoing causing the finding electronic device to generate the second alert.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the one or more second criteria include a criterion that is satisfied based on a volume of the alert generated by the findable electronic device that is detected by the finding electronic device.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the criterion is satisfied when the volume of the alert generated by the findable electronic device, detected by the finding electronic device, is less

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• De Jong Frank
• Hawkins Tyler D
• Wilser David S
• Werner Benjamin A
• Ong Richard B
• Lifinskiy Andrey
• Aguayo Andrez E
• Christie Benjamin T
• Davydov Anton M
• Luppi Marcello
• Zhu Yibo
• Jones Travis
• Carrigan Taylor G
• Fennis Jules K
• Mari Pedro
• Hoyt Charles C
• Wiebe Molly P
• Butcher Gary I

Classifications

• G06F3/016

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

• H04M1/72409

  by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60) · CPC title

• G08B21/24

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

• H04M1/72457 Primary

  according to geographic location · CPC title

• H04W4/023 Primary

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title