Electronic touch communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9489081-B2
Application number	US-201514839921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2015
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

Touch inputs such as single-finger contacts and multiple-finger contacts are detected at an electronic device and translated into electronic touch communications for playback at an external electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, the electronic device configured to communicate with an external device associated with a contact:
receiving user selection of a displayed affordance representing the contact;
after receiving the selection, detecting user input on the touch-sensitive display;
determining whether the touch input is a single-finger touch input or a multiple-finger touch input;
in accordance with a determination that the touch is a single-finger touch input, sending data to the external device, the data representing the single-finger touch input; and
in accordance with a determination that the detected user input represents a multiple-finger touch input, sending data to the external device, wherein sending the data triggers the external device to display a visual indicator corresponding to the multiple-finger touch input, further wherein:
sending the data representing the single-finger touch input triggers the external device to display a visual representation that is different than the visual indicator, without displaying the visual indicator, and
sending the data representing the multiple-finger touch input triggers the external device to display the visual indicator, without displaying the visual representation.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending the data triggers the external device to provide an output corresponding to the single-finger touch input.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending the data triggers the external device to display:
a notification of receiving the data, and
an affordance which, when selected, causes the external device to display the visual representation of the single-finger touch input.

4. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein detecting user input on the touch-sensitive display of the electronic device comprises detecting the single-finger touch input at a position on the touch-sensitive display, and
wherein the visual representation of the single-finger touch input, when displayed, is displayed on a screen of the external device at a location corresponding to the position where the single-finger touch input was detected.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the visual representation comprises one or more circles, ellipses, and/or ovals.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the visual representation comprises two or more concentric circles, ellipses, and/or ovals.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the visual representation on the external device fades out after being displayed for a predetermined amount of time.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the single-finger touch input is a single-finger tap.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in accordance with a determination that the detected user input represents a multiple-finger touch input, sending data to the external device, wherein sending the data triggers the external device to display the visual indicator for a duration of the multiple-finger touch input.

10. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the output comprises:
a notification of the receiving of the data, and
an affordance which, when selected, causes the external device to display the visual representation for a duration of the single-finger touch input.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is an image.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is an animated image.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is an animated image of a pulsing heart.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a biometric sensor configured to detect a rate of a heartbeat, wherein a rate of pulsing of the pulsing heart is based on the detected rate of heartbeat.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a biometric sensor configured to detect a rate of a heartbeat, wherein sending the data triggers the external device to provide a haptic output corresponding to the detected rate of heartbeat.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending the data triggers the external device to provide a haptic output.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a rotatable input mechanism, wherein receiving user selection of the contact comprises:
at the electronic device:
displaying a plurality of affordances representing contacts;
detecting user input representing movement of the rotatable input mechanism; and
in response to detecting the user input representing movement of the rotatable input mechanism: zooming the display of the plurality of user-designated contacts, wherein zooming the display comprises changing a size of contacts being displayed.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein zooming the display comprises changing a number of contacts being displayed.

19. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
while displaying the plurality of affordances representing contacts, detecting a touch input on a displayed affordance; and
in response to detecting the touch input, sending data to the external device associated with the contact, wherein sending the data triggers the external device to provide haptic output.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein detecting the touch input on the displayed affordance comprises detecting a first touch and release on the displayed affordance followed by a second touch and release on the displayed affordance within a predetermined duration of time.

21. An electronic device configured to communicate with an external device associated with a contact, comprising:
a display;
means for receiving user selection of a displayed affordance representing the contact;
means for, after receiving the selection, detecting user input on a touch-sensitive display of the electronic device;
means for determining whether the touch input is a single-finger touch input or a multiple-finger touch input;
means for in accordance with a determination that the touch is a single-finger touch input, sending data to the external device, the data representing the single-finger touch input; and
means for in accordance with a determination that the detected user input represents a multiple-finger touch input, sending data to the external device, wherein sending the data triggers the external device to display a visual indicator corresponding to the multiple-finger touch input, further wherein:
sending the data representing the single-finger touch input triggers the external device to display a visual representation that is different than the visual indicator, without displaying the visual indicator, and
sending the data representing the multiple-finger touch input triggers the external device to display the visual indicator, without displaying the visual representation.

22. An electronic device configured to communicate with an external device associated with a contact, comprising:
a touch-sensitive display:
one or more processors;
a memory; and
one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
receiving user selection of a displayed affordance representing the contact;
after receiving the selection, detecting user input on the touch-sensitive display;
determining whether the

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Anzures Freddy Allen
• Chaudhri Imran
• Dye Alan C
• Ive Jonathan P
• Kerr Duncan Robert
• King Nicholas V
• Lynch Kevin
• Novick Gregory
• Preston Daniel Trent
• Jenkins Monica
• Yang Lawrence Y

Classifications

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• H04L51/066

  Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression · CPC title

• G06F3/016

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