U.S. patent application number 14/989371 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-08 for multiple device configuration template.
The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Kevin C. Milden, Christopher G. Skogen.
Application Number | 20160357422 14/989371 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57452764 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160357422 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Milden; Kevin C. ; et
al. |
December 8, 2016 |
Multiple Device Configuration Template
Abstract
A user interface (UI) of a device configuration application
includes a collection view window of device representations with
each representation including a screen image that is representative
of the configuration state of the corresponding device. The device
configuration application UI allows for searching the devices based
on their configuration states, and for configuring the devices
based on a set of configuration templates displayed in a collection
view window. The UI allows for customizing the configuration
templates in a device-independent manner, while allowing the user
to add a set of configuration rules to each template. The device
configuration application provides a method for updating the actual
lock screen image of devices by displaying a device identifier on
the lock screen. The format of such device identifier includes a
device-identifying text string and/or machine-readable code.
Displaying a device identifier allows for a more efficient way of
cataloging, tracking, and/or configuring devices.
Inventors: |
Milden; Kevin C.; (San Jose,
CA) ; Skogen; Christopher G.; (San Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57452764 |
Appl. No.: |
14/989371 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62172219 |
Jun 7, 2015 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0488 20130101;
G06F 3/04817 20130101; G06F 3/04847 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/0484 20060101
G06F003/0484; G06F 3/0488 20060101 G06F003/0488; G06F 3/14 20060101
G06F003/14 |
Claims
1. A method, comprising: at an electronic device with a display:
displaying a collection view window in a user interface of a device
configuration application, the collection view comprising a
plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices includes a
first device and a second device, the first device is associated
with a first device type and the second device is associated with a
second device type; displaying a plurality of device configuration
templates in the collection view window, wherein the plurality of
device configuration templates comprises a first device
configuration template associated with the first device type and a
second device configuration template associated with the second
device type; receiving a selection of a first subset of devices
from the plurality of devices, wherein the first subset includes
devices associated with the first device type; receiving a
selection of the first device configuration template; and in
response to receiving a change request associated with the first
subset of devices, changing the configuration state of each device
included in the first subset of devices based on the first device
configuration template.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the change
request comprises a single-action by a user to apply one of the
plurality of configuration templates to the selected one or more
devices.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the single-action by a user
comprises a gesture by the user on the display of the electronic
device with a displayed device configuration template.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein each device configuration
template comprises one or more configuration states for
applications, profiles, documents, data or any combinations
thereof, and the device configuration template is independent from
target types of the plurality of devices.
5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including
instructions to cause an electronic device with a display to
perform steps of: displaying a collection view window in a user
interface of a device configuration application, the collection
view comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of
devices includes a first device and a second device, the first
device is associated with a first device type and the second device
is associated with a second device type; displaying a plurality of
device configuration templates in the collection view window,
wherein the plurality of device configuration templates comprises a
first device configuration template associated with the first
device type and a second device configuration template associated
with the second device type; receiving a selection of a first
subset of devices from the plurality of devices, wherein the first
subset includes devices associated with the first device type;
receiving a selection of the first device configuration template;
and in response to receiving a change request associated with the
first subset of devices, changing the configuration state of each
device included in the first subset of devices based on the first
device configuration template.
6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5,
wherein the receiving of the change request comprises a
single-action by a user to apply one of the plurality of
configuration templates to the selected one or more devices.
7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5,
wherein the single-action by a user comprises a gesture by the user
on the display of the electronic device with a displayed device
configuration template.
8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5,
wherein each device configuration template comprises one or more
configuration states for applications, profiles, documents, data or
any combinations thereof, and the device configuration template is
independent from target types of the plurality of devices.
9. An electronic device with a display including instructions for
performing steps of: displaying a collection view window in a user
interface of a device configuration application, the collection
view comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of
devices includes a first device and a second device, the first
device is associated with a first device type and the second device
is associated with a second device type; displaying a plurality of
device configuration templates in the collection view window,
wherein the plurality of device configuration templates comprises a
first device configuration template associated with the first
device type and a second device configuration template associated
with the second device type; receiving a selection of a first
subset of devices from the plurality of devices, wherein the first
subset includes devices associated with the first device type;
receiving a selection of the first device configuration template;
and in response to receiving a change request associated with the
first subset of devices, changing the configuration state of each
device included in the first subset of devices based on the first
device configuration template.
10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the receiving of the
change request comprises a single-action by a user to apply one of
the plurality of configuration templates to the selected one or
more devices.
11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the single-action by
a user comprises a gesture by the user on the display of the
electronic device with a displayed device configuration
template.
12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein each device
configuration template comprises one or more configuration states
for applications, profiles, documents, data or any combinations
thereof, and the device configuration template is independent from
target types of the plurality of devices.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/172,219, filed Jun. 7, 2015, which is
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of Technology
[0003] The embodiments herein generally relate to user interfaces
for the configuration of multiple electronic devices.
[0004] 2. Background
[0005] Electronic devices may permit users to update software,
download or remove applications, synchronize application data, or
otherwise configure a device using a series of user interfaces
(UIs) and option icons on the device or from an application on a
computer to which the device is connected.
SUMMARY
[0006] Unfortunately, when configuring multiple devices the same
steps may need to be completed on each device to configure a number
of devices with the same software, applications, data, etc., which
can become a repetitive process. Even when software exists to
update multiple devices at once, existing solutions typically do
not allow determining the status of each device at a glance and
therefore quickly identify the devices in need of an update or
configuration.
[0007] An electronic device displays a user interface (UI) of a
device configuration application. The device configuration
application UI displays representations of multiple connected
devices concurrently. Each representation displayed in the device
configuration application additionally represents the configuration
state of the connected device it represents. For example, if two
connected devices of the same type but having different
configuration states are represented, the representations of the
two devices differs from each other according to the configuration
states of the devices. Upon detecting a change in the configuration
state of a represented device, the electronic device updates the
representation of the device to include a screen image representing
the new configuration state. In some embodiments, the
representations of the devices include screen images that represent
screenshots from the device and reflect the actual state of the
device (e.g. the wallpaper and arrangement of icons on the Home
screen) that, optionally, change as the state of the device changes
(e.g., as icons on the home screen are rearranged, or as the device
transitions from a restore state to an unlocked state). In some
embodiments, the representations of the device include generic
screenshots that are representative of the state of the device
(e.g., a generic home screen from a newly restored device).
[0008] In some embodiments, the electronic device displays a user
interface of a device configuration application and receives a
search request for information about one or more configuration
states of the one or more devices connected to the electronic
device. Upon detecting the search request for information about the
one or more configuration states of the connected electronic
devices, the electronic device searches the configuration states of
the plurality of connected devices based on the search request. In
response to obtaining a match between the search request and one or
more of the connected devices, the electronic device displays a
representation for each device having the one or more configuration
states for which the match was obtained. In some embodiments, the
search is based on tags that are optionally stored on the connected
devices.
[0009] In some embodiments, the electronic device displays a
collection view window in a user interface of a device
configuration application. The collection view window includes a
plurality of devices, which include a first device and a second
device, each device associated with a first device type and a
second device type, respectively. The electronic device also
displays a plurality of device configuration templates in the
collection view window. The device configuration templates include
a first device configuration template associated with the first
device type and a second device configuration template associated
with the second device type. The electronic device receives a
selection of a first subset of connected devices that are
associated with the first device type. The electronic device also
receives a selection of the device configuration template. Upon
receiving a change request, the electronic device changes the
configuration state of each device included in the first subset of
connected devices to the configuration state of the first device
configuration template.
[0010] In some embodiments, the electronic device is connected to
multiple devices and displays a user interface of a device
configuration application. The electronic device receives a request
to change the appearance of the lock screens of the connected
devices that includes a first device and a second device. The
request to change the appearance of the lock screen specifies a
format for displaying information on the lock screens of the
connected devices. Upon receiving the request to change the lock
screens of the connected devices, the electronic device updates the
lock screen of the first device to contain a lock screen image that
includes first information in the format specified in the request.
Upon receiving the request, the electronic device also updates the
lock screen of the second device to contain a lock screen image
that includes second information in the format specified in the
request, while the second information is different from the first
information. Thus, the information applied to the lock screen of
each device is different according to each of the devices to which
it is applied. For example, the information includes the serial
number of each device and so the updated lock screens display
different serial numbers for each device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] For a better understanding of the various described
embodiments, reference should be made to the Description of
Embodiments below, in conjunction with the following drawings in
which like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts
throughout the figures.
[0012] FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a portable
multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display in accordance
with some embodiments.
[0013] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components
for event handling in accordance with some embodiments.
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device having a
touch screen in accordance with some embodiments.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction
device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance
with some embodiments.
[0016] FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu
of applications on a portable multifunction device in accordance
with some embodiments.
[0017] FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary user interface for a
multifunction device with a touch-sensitive surface that is
separate from the display in accordance with some embodiments.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method 500 using a
collection view window on a user interface of an electronic device
to facilitate configuring a plurality of devices, according to some
embodiments.
[0019] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate an exemplary collection view
window of the user interface of a device configuration application
that includes multiple device representations displaying different
screen images that correspond to different configuration states of
the devices, according to some embodiments.
[0020] FIG. 7 illustrates displaying an action bar menu of actions
for configuring devices with representations in the collection
window of the user interface of a device configuration application,
according to some embodiments.
[0021] FIG. 8 illustrates displaying information about a selected
representation of a device in the collection window of the user
interface of a device configuration application, according to some
embodiments.
[0022] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method 900 for
searching devices based on the configuration states of the devices
through the user interface of a device configuration application,
according to some embodiments.
[0023] FIG. 10 illustrates displaying a result window for searching
devices in the collection window of the user interface of a device
configuration application, according to some embodiments.
[0024] FIG. 11 illustrate displaying a plurality of devices and a
list of tags available for the devices in a user interface of a
device configuration application for tagging the devices, according
to some embodiments.
[0025] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method 1200 using
configuration templates on a user interface of an electronic device
to facilitate configuring a plurality of devices, according to some
embodiments.
[0026] FIG. 13 illustrates displaying multiple configuration
templates in the user interface of a device configuration
application for configuring devices based on selecting one of the
configuration templates, according to some embodiments.
[0027] FIG. 14 illustrates displaying an information window in a
user interface of a device configuration application, according to
some embodiments.
[0028] FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method 1500 for
changing the appearance of the user interface of a plurality of
device that facilitates future configuration of the devices,
according to some embodiments.
[0029] FIG. 16 illustrates an identification window in a user
interface of a device configuration application for personalizing a
lock screen of a device with a device identifier, according to some
embodiments.
[0030] FIG. 17 illustrates personalizing a lock screen of a device
that includes a device identifier in the format of a text string
and Quick Response (QR) code, according to some embodiments.
[0031] The figures depict, and the detail description describes,
various non-limiting embodiments for purposes of illustration only.
One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following
discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and
methods illustrated herein optionally are employed without
departing from the principles described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Exemplary Devices
[0032] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments,
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In
the following detailed description, numerous specific details are
set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
various described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one
of ordinary skill in the art that the various described embodiments
optionally are practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits,
and networks have not been described in detail so as not to
unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.
[0033] It will also be understood that, although the terms first,
second, etc. are, in some instances, used herein to describe
various elements, these elements should not be limited by these
terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from
another. For example, a first contact could be termed a second
contact, and, similarly, a second contact could be termed a first
contact, without departing from the scope of the various described
embodiments. The first contact and the second contact are both
contacts, but they are not the same contact.
[0034] The terminology used in the description of the various
described embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As
used in the description of the various described embodiments and
the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are
intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the
term "and/or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all
possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed
items. It will be further understood that the terms "includes,"
"including," "comprises," and/or "comprising," when used in this
specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude
the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
[0035] As used herein, the term "if" is, optionally, construed to
mean "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" or "in
response to detecting," depending on the context. Similarly, the
phrase "if it is determined" or "if [a stated condition or event]
is detected" is, optionally, construed to mean "upon determining"
or "in response to determining" or "upon detecting [the stated
condition or event]" or "in response to detecting [the stated
condition or event]," depending on the context.
[0036] Embodiments of electronic devices, user interfaces for such
devices, and associated processes for using such devices are
described. In some embodiments, the device is a portable
communications device, such as a mobile telephone, that also
contains other functions, such as PDA and/or music player
functions. Exemplary embodiments of portable multifunction devices
include, without limitation, the iPhone.RTM., iPod Touch.RTM., and
iPad.RTM. devices from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Other
portable electronic devices, such as laptops or tablet computers
with touch-sensitive surfaces (e.g., touch screen displays and/or
touch pads), are, optionally, used. It should also be understood
that, in some embodiments, the device is not a portable
communications device, but is a desktop computer with a
touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touch screen display and/or a
touch pad).
[0037] In the discussion that follows, an electronic device that
includes a display and a touch-sensitive surface is described. It
should be understood, however, that the electronic device
optionally includes one or more other physical user-interface
devices, such as a physical keyboard, a mouse and/or a
joystick.
[0038] The device typically supports a variety of applications,
such as one or more of the following: a drawing application, a
presentation application, a word processing application, a website
creation application, a disk authoring application, a spreadsheet
application, a gaming application, a telephone application, a video
conferencing application, an e-mail application, an instant
messaging application, a workout support application, a photo
management application, a digital camera application, a digital
video camera application, a web browsing application, a digital
music player application, and/or a digital video player
application.
[0039] The various applications that are executed on the device
optionally use at least one common physical user-interface device,
such as the touch-sensitive surface. One or more functions of the
touch-sensitive surface as well as corresponding information
displayed on the device are, optionally, adjusted and/or varied
from one application to the next and/or within a respective
application. In this way, a common physical architecture (such as
the touch-sensitive surface) of the device optionally supports the
variety of applications with user interfaces that are intuitive and
transparent to the user.
[0040] Attention is now directed toward embodiments of portable
devices with touch-sensitive displays. FIG. 1A is a block diagram
illustrating portable multifunction device 100 with touch-sensitive
displays 112 in accordance with some embodiments. Touch-sensitive
display 112 is sometimes called a "touch screen" for convenience,
and is sometimes known as or called a touch-sensitive display
system. Device 100 includes memory 102 (which optionally includes
one or more computer readable storage mediums), memory controller
122, one or more processing units (CPU's) 120, peripherals
interface 118, RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,
microphone 113, input/output (I/O) subsystem 106, other input or
control devices 116, and external port 124. Device 100 optionally
includes one or more optical sensors 164. Device 100 optionally
includes one or more intensity sensors 165 for detecting intensity
of contacts on device 100 (e.g., a touch-sensitive surface such as
touch-sensitive display system 112 of device 100). Device 100
optionally includes one or more tactile output generators 167 for
generating tactile outputs on device 100 (e.g., generating tactile
outputs on a touch-sensitive surface such as touch-sensitive
display system 112 of device 100 or touchpad 355 of device 300).
These components optionally communicate over one or more
communication buses or signal lines 103.
[0041] As used in the specification and claims, the term
"intensity" of a contact on a touch-sensitive surface refers to the
force or pressure (force per unit area) of a contact (e.g., a
finger contact) on the touch sensitive surface, or to a substitute
(proxy) for the force or pressure of a contact on the touch
sensitive surface. The intensity of a contact has a range of values
that includes at least four distinct values and more typically
includes hundreds of distinct values (e.g., at least 256).
Intensity of a contact is, optionally, determined (or measured)
using various approaches and various sensors or combinations of
sensors. For example, one or more force sensors underneath or
adjacent to the touch-sensitive surface are, optionally, used to
measure force at various points on the touch-sensitive surface. In
some implementations, force measurements from multiple force
sensors are combined (e.g., a weighted average) to determine an
estimated force of a contact. Similarly, a pressure-sensitive tip
of a stylus is, optionally, used to determine a pressure of the
stylus on the touch-sensitive surface. Alternatively, the size of
the contact area detected on the touch-sensitive surface and/or
changes thereto, the capacitance of the touch-sensitive surface
proximate to the contact and/or changes thereto, and/or the
resistance of the touch-sensitive surface proximate to the contact
and/or changes thereto are, optionally, used as a substitute for
the force or pressure of the contact on the touch-sensitive
surface. In some implementations, the substitute measurements for
contact force or pressure are used directly to determine whether an
intensity threshold has been exceeded (e.g., the intensity
threshold is described in units corresponding to the substitute
measurements). In some implementations, the substitute measurements
for contact force or pressure are converted to an estimated force
or pressure and the estimated force or pressure is used to
determine whether an intensity threshold has been exceeded (e.g.,
the intensity threshold is a pressure threshold measured in units
of pressure).
[0042] As used in the specification and claims, the term "tactile
output" refers to physical displacement of a device relative to a
previous position of the device, physical displacement of a
component (e.g., a touch-sensitive surface) of a device relative to
another component (e.g., housing) of the device, or displacement of
the component relative to a center of mass of the device that will
be detected by a user with the user's sense of touch. For example,
in situations where the device or the component of the device is in
contact with a surface of a user that is sensitive to touch (e.g.,
a finger, palm, or other part of a user's hand), the tactile output
generated by the physical displacement will be interpreted by the
user as a tactile sensation corresponding to a perceived change in
physical characteristics of the device or the component of the
device. For example, movement of a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a
touch-sensitive display or trackpad) is, optionally, interpreted by
the user as a "down click" or "up click" of a physical actuator
button. In some cases, a user will feel a tactile sensation such as
an "down click" or "up click" even when there is no movement of a
physical actuator button associated with the touch-sensitive
surface that is physically pressed (e.g., displaced) by the user's
movements. As another example, movement of the touch-sensitive
surface is, optionally, interpreted or sensed by the user as
"roughness" of the touch-sensitive surface, even when there is no
change in smoothness of the touch-sensitive surface. While such
interpretations of touch by a user will be subject to the
individualized sensory perceptions of the user, there are many
sensory perceptions of touch that are common to a large majority of
users. Thus, when a tactile output is described as corresponding to
a particular sensory perception of a user (e.g., an "up click," a
"down click," "roughness"), unless otherwise stated, the generated
tactile output corresponds to physical displacement of the device
or a component thereof that will generate the described sensory
perception for a typical (or average) user.
[0043] It should be appreciated that device 100 is only one example
of a portable multifunction device, and that device 100 optionally
has more or fewer components than shown, optionally combines two or
more components, or optionally has a different configuration or
arrangement of the components. The various components shown in FIG.
1A are implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both
hardware and software, including one or more signal processing
and/or application specific integrated circuits.
[0044] Memory 102 optionally includes high-speed random access
memory and optionally also includes non-volatile memory, such as
one or more magnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or
other non-volatile solid-state memory devices. Access to memory 102
by other components of device 100, such as CPU 120 and the
peripherals interface 118, is, optionally, controlled by memory
controller 122.
[0045] Peripherals interface 118 can be used to couple input and
output peripherals of the device to CPU 120 and memory 102. The one
or more processors 120 run or execute various software programs
and/or sets of instructions stored in memory 102 to perform various
functions for device 100 and to process data. In some embodiments,
peripherals interface 118, CPU 120, and memory controller 122 are,
optionally, implemented on a single chip, such as chip 104. In some
embodiments, they are, optionally, implemented on separate
chips.
[0046] RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 receives and sends RF
signals, also called electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108
converts electrical signals to/from electromagnetic signals and
communicates with communications networks and other communications
devices via the electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108
optionally includes well-known circuitry for performing these
functions, including but not limited to an antenna system, an RF
transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more
oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, a
subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. RF
circuitry 108 optionally communicates with networks, such as the
Internet, also referred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet
and/or a wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network, a
wireless local area network (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area
network (MAN), and other devices by wireless communication. The
wireless communication optionally uses any of a plurality of
communications standards, protocols and technologies, including but
not limited to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),
Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), high-speed downlink packet
access (HSDPA), high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), Evolution,
Data-Only (EV-DO), HSPA, HSPA+, Dual-Cell HSPA (DC-HSPDA), long
term evolution (LTE), near field communication (NFC), wideband code
division multiple access (W-CDMA), code division multiple access
(CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless
Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.1 la, IEEE 802.1 lb, IEEE 802.1 lg
and/or IEEE 802.1 ln), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX,
a protocol for e-mail (e.g., Internet message access protocol
(IMAP) and/or post office protocol (POP)), instant messaging (e.g.,
extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Session
Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging
Extensions (SIMPLE), Instant Messaging and Presence Service
(IMPS)), and/or Short Message Service (SMS), or any other suitable
communication protocol, including communication protocols not yet
developed as of the filing date of this document.
[0047] Audio circuitry 110, speaker 111, and microphone 113 provide
an audio interface between a user and device 100. Audio circuitry
110 receives audio data from peripherals interface 118, converts
the audio data to an electrical signal, and transmits the
electrical signal to speaker 111. Speaker 111 converts the
electrical signal to human-audible sound waves. Audio circuitry 110
also receives electrical signals converted by microphone 113 from
sound waves. Audio circuitry 110 converts the electrical signal to
audio data and transmits the audio data to peripherals interface
118 for processing. Audio data is, optionally, retrieved from
and/or transmitted to memory 102 and/or RF circuitry 108 by
peripherals interface 118. In some embodiments, audio circuitry 110
also includes a headset jack (e.g., 212, FIG. 2). The headset jack
provides an interface between audio circuitry 110 and removable
audio input/output peripherals, such as output-only headphones or a
headset with both output (e.g., a headphone for one or both ears)
and input (e.g., a microphone).
[0048] I/O subsystem 106 couples input/output peripherals on device
100, such as touch screen 112 and other input control devices 116,
to peripherals interface 118. I/O subsystem 106 optionally includes
display controller 156, optical sensor controller 158, intensity
sensor controller 159, haptic feedback controller 161 and one or
more input controllers 160 for other input or control devices. The
one or more input controllers 160 receive/send electrical signals
from/to other input or control devices 116. The other input control
devices 116 optionally include physical buttons (e.g., push
buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dials, slider switches, joysticks,
click wheels, and so forth. In some embodiments, input
controller(s) 160 are, optionally, coupled to any (or none) of the
following: a keyboard, infrared port, USB port, and a pointer
device such as a mouse. The one or more buttons (e.g., 208, FIG. 2)
optionally include an up/down button for volume control of speaker
111 and/or microphone 113. The one or more buttons optionally
include a push button (e.g., 206, FIG. 2).
[0049] Touch-sensitive display 112 provides an input interface and
an output interface between the device and a user. Display
controller 156 receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to
touch screen 112. Touch screen 112 displays visual output to the
user. The visual output optionally includes graphics, text, icons,
video, and any combination thereof (collectively termed
"graphics"). In some embodiments, some or all of the visual output
corresponds to user-interface objects.
[0050] Touch screen 112 has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor or
set of sensors that accepts input from the user based on haptic
and/or tactile contact. Touch screen 112 and display controller 156
(along with any associated modules and/or sets of instructions in
memory 102) detect contact (and any movement or breaking of the
contact) on touch screen 112 and converts the detected contact into
interaction with user-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft
keys, icons, web pages or images) that are displayed on touch
screen 112. In some embodiments, a point of contact between touch
screen 112 and the user corresponds to a finger of the user.
[0051] Touch screen 112 optionally uses LCD (liquid crystal
display) technology, LPD (light emitting polymer display)
technology, or LED (light emitting diode) technology, although
other display technologies are used in some embodiments. Touch
screen 112 and display controller 156 optionally detect contact and
any movement or breaking thereof using any of a plurality of touch
sensing technologies now known or later developed, including but
not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, and surface
acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensor
arrays or other elements for determining one or more points of
contact with touch screen 112. In some embodiments, projected
mutual capacitance sensing technology is used, such as that found
in the iPhone.RTM., iPod Touch.RTM., and iPad.RTM. from Apple Inc.
of Cupertino, Calif.
[0052] Touch screen 112 optionally has a video resolution in excess
of 100 dpi. In some embodiments, the touch screen has a video
resolution of approximately 160 dpi. The user optionally makes
contact with touch screen 112 using any suitable object or
appendage, such as a stylus, a finger, and so forth. In some
embodiments, the user interface is designed to work primarily with
finger-based contacts and gestures, which can be less precise
thanstylus-based input due to the larger area of contact of a
finger on the touch screen. In some embodiments, the device
translates the rough finger-based input into a precise
pointer/cursor position or command for performing the actions
desired by the user.
[0053] In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, device
100 optionally includes a touchpad for activating or deactivating
particular functions. In some embodiments, the touchpad is a
touch-sensitive area of the device that, unlike the touch screen,
does not display visual output. The touchpad is, optionally, a
touch-sensitive surface that is separate from touch screen 112 or
an extension of the touch-sensitive surface formed by the touch
screen.
[0054] Device 100 also includes power system 162 for powering the
various components. Power system 162 optionally includes a power
management system, one or more power sources (e.g., battery,
alternating current (AC)), a recharging system, a power failure
detection circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status
indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)) and any other
components associated with the generation, management and
distribution of power in portable devices.
[0055] Device 100 optionally also includes one or more optical
sensors 164. FIG. 1A shows an optical sensor coupled to optical
sensor controller 158 in I/O subsystem 106. Optical sensor 164
optionally includes charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary
metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) phototransistors. Optical sensor
164 receives light from the environment, projected through one or
more lens, and converts the light to data representing an image. In
conjunction with imaging module 143 (also called a camera module),
optical sensor 164 optionally captures still images or video. In
some embodiments, an optical sensor is located on the back of
device 100, opposite touch screen display 112 on the front of the
device, so that the touch screen display is enabled for use as a
viewfinder for still and/or video image acquisition. In some
embodiments, another optical sensor is located on the front of the
device so that the user's image is, optionally, obtained for
videoconferencing while the user views the other video conference
participants on the touch screen display.
[0056] Device 100 optionally also includes one or more contact
intensity sensors 165. FIG. 1A shows a contact intensity sensor
coupled to intensity sensor controller 159 in I/O subsystem 106.
Contact intensity sensor 165 optionally includes one or more
piezoresistive strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, electric
force sensors, piezoelectric force sensors, optical force sensors,
capacitive touch-sensitive surfaces, or other intensity sensors
(e.g., sensors used to measure the force (or pressure) of a contact
on a touch-sensitive surface). Contact intensity sensor 165
receives contact intensity information (e.g., pressure information
or a proxy for pressure information) from the environment. In some
embodiments, at least one contact intensity sensor is collocated
with, or proximate to, a touch-sensitive surface (e.g.,
touch-sensitive display system 112). In some embodiments, at least
one contact intensity sensor is located on the back of device I 00,
opposite touch screen display 112 which is located on the front of
device 100.
[0057] Device 100 optionally also includes one or more proximity
sensors 166. FIG. 1A shows proximity sensor 166 coupled to
peripherals interface 118. Alternately, proximity sensor 166 is
coupled to input controller 160 in I/O subsystem 106. In some
embodiments, the proximity sensor turns off and disables touch
screen 112 when the multifunction device is placed near the user's
ear (e.g., when the user is making a phone call).
[0058] Device 100 optionally also includes one or more tactile
output generators 167. FIG. 1A shows a tactile output generator
coupled to haptic feedback controller 161 in I/O subsystem 106.
Tactile output generator 167 optionally includes one or more
electroacoustic devices such as speakers or other audio components
and/or electromechanical devices that convert energy into linear
motion such as a motor, solenoid, electroactive polymer,
piezoelectric actuator, electrostatic actuator, or other tactile
output generating component (e.g., a component that converts
electrical signals into tactile outputs on the device). Contact
intensity sensor 165 receives tactile feedback generation
instructions from haptic feedback module 133 and generates tactile
outputs on device 100 that are capable of being sensed by a user of
device 100. In some embodiments, at least one tactile output
generator is collocated with, or proximate to, a touch-sensitive
surface (e.g., touch-sensitive display system 112) and, optionally,
generates a tactile output by moving the touch-sensitive surface
vertically (e.g., in/out of a surface of device 100) or laterally
(e.g., back and forth in the same plane as a surface of device
100). In some embodiments, at least one tactile output generator
sensor is located on the back of device 100, opposite touch screen
display 112 which is located on the front of device 100.
[0059] Device 100 optionally also includes one or more
accelerometers 168. FIG. 1A shows accelerometer 168 coupled to
peripherals interface 118. Alternately, accelerometer 168 is,
optionally, coupled to an input controller 160 in I/O subsystem
106. In some embodiments, information is displayed on the touch
screen display in a portrait view or a landscape view based on an
analysis of data received from the one or more accelerometers.
Device 100 optionally includes, in addition to accelerometer(s)
168, a magnetometer and a GPS (or GLONASS or other global
navigation system) receiver for obtaining information concerning
the location and orientation (e.g., portrait or landscape) of
device 100.
[0060] In some embodiments, the software components stored in
memory 102 include operating system 126, communication module (or
set of instructions) 128, contact/motion module (or set of
instructions) 130, graphics module (or set of instructions) 132,
text input module (or set of instructions) 134, Global Positioning
System (GPS) module (or set of instructions) 135, and applications
(or sets of instructions) 136. Furthermore, in some embodiments,
memory 102 stores device/global internal state 157, as shown in
FIGS. 1A and 3. Device/global internal state 157 includes one or
more of: active application state, indicating which applications,
if any, are currently active; display state, indicating what
applications, views or other information occupy various regions of
touch screen display 112; sensor state, including information
obtained from the device's various sensors and input control
devices 116; and location information concerning the device's
location and/or attitude.
[0061] Operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X,
WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includes
various software components and/or drivers for controlling and
managing general system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage
device control, power management, etc.) and facilitates
communication between various hardware and software components.
[0062] Communication module 128 facilitates communication with
other devices over one or more external ports 124 and also includes
various software components for handling data received by RF
circuitry 108 and/or external port 124. External port 124 (e.g.,
Universal Serial Bus (USB), FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling
directly to other devices or indirectly over a network (e.g., the
Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). In some embodiments, the external
port is a multi-pin (e.g., 30-pin) connector that is the same as,
or similar to and/or compatible with the 30-pin connector used on
iPod (trademark of Apple Inc.) devices.
[0063] Contact/motion module 130 optionally detects contact with
touch screen 112 (in conjunction with display controller 156) and
other touch sensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click
wheel). Contact/motion module 130 includes various software
components for performing various operations related to detection
of contact, such as determining if contact has occurred (e.g.,
detecting a finger-down event), determining an intensity of the
contact (e.g., the force or pressure of the contact or a substitute
for the force or pressure of the contact), determining if there is
movement of the contact and tracking the movement across the
touch-sensitive surface (e.g., detecting one or more
finger-dragging events), and determining if the contact has ceased
(e.g., detecting a finger-up event or a break in contact).
Contact/motion module 130 receives contact data from the
touch-sensitive surface. Determining movement of the point of
contact, which is represented by a series of contact data,
optionally includes determining speed (magnitude), velocity
(magnitude and direction), and/or an acceleration (a change in
magnitude and/or direction) of the point of contact. These
operations are, optionally, applied to single contacts (e.g., one
finger contacts) or to multiple simultaneous contacts (e.g.,
"multitouch"/multiple finger contacts). In some embodiments,
contact/motion module 130 and display controller 156 detect contact
on a touchpad.
[0064] In some embodiments, contact/motion module 130 uses a set of
one or more intensity thresholds to determine whether an operation
has been performed by a user (e.g., to determine whether a user has
"clicked" on an icon). In some embodiments at least a subset of the
intensity thresholds are determined in accordance with software
parameters (e.g., the intensity thresholds are not determined by
the activation thresholds of particular physical actuators and can
be adjusted without changing the physical hardware of device 100).
For example, a mouse "click" threshold of a trackpad or touch
screen display can be set to any of a large range of predefined
thresholds values without changing the trackpad or touch screen
display hardware. Additionally, in some implementations a user of
the device is provided with software settings for adjusting one or
more of the set of intensity thresholds (e.g., by adjusting
individual intensity thresholds and/or by adjusting a plurality of
intensity thresholds at once with a system-level click "intensity"
parameter).
[0065] Contact/motion module 130 optionally detects a gesture input
by a user. Different gestures on the touch-sensitive surface have
different contact patterns (e.g., different motions, timings,
and/or intensities of detected contacts). Thus, a gesture is,
optionally, detected by detecting a particular contact pattern. For
example, detecting a tap gesture includes detecting a finger-down
event followed by detecting a finger-up (lift off) event at the
same position (or substantially the same position) as the
finger-down event (e.g., at the position of an icon). As another
example, detecting a finger swipe gesture on the touch-sensitive
surface includes detecting a finger-down event followed by
detecting one or more finger-dragging events, and subsequently
followed by detecting a finger-up (lift off) event.
[0066] Graphics module 132 includes various known software
components for rendering and displaying graphics on touch screen
112 or other display, including components for changing the visual
impact (e.g., brightness, transparency, saturation, contrast or
other visual property) of graphics that are displayed. As used
herein, the term "graphics" includes any object that can be
displayed to a user, including without limitation text, web pages,
icons (such as user-interface objects including soft keys), digital
images, videos, animations and the like.
[0067] In some embodiments, graphics module 132 stores data
representing graphics to be used. Each graphic is, optionally,
assigned a corresponding code. Graphics module 132 receives, from
applications etc., one or more codes specifying graphics to be
displayed along with, if necessary, coordinate data and other
graphic property data, and then generates screen image data to
output to display controller 156.
[0068] Haptic feedback module 133 includes various software
components for generating instructions used by tactile output
generator(s) 167 to produce tactile outputs at one or more
locations on device 100 in response to user interactions with
device 100.
[0069] Text input module 134, which is, optionally, a component of
graphics module 132, provides soft keyboards for entering text in
various applications (e.g., contacts 137, e-mail 140, IM 141,
browser 147, and any other application that needs text input).
[0070] GPS module 135 determines the location of the device and
provides this information for use in various applications (e.g., to
telephone 138 for use in location-based dialing, to camera 143 as
picture/video metadata, and to applications that provide
location-based services such as weather widgets, local yellow page
widgets, and map/navigation widgets).
[0071] Applications 136 optionally include the following modules
(or sets of instructions), or a subset or superset thereof: [0072]
contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or contact
list); [0073] telephone module 138; [0074] video conferencing
module 139; [0075] e-mail or email client module 140; [0076]
instant messaging (IM) module 141; [0077] workout support module
142; [0078] camera module 143 for still and/or video images; [0079]
image management module 144; [0080] browser module 147; [0081]
calendar module 148; [0082] widget modules 149, which optionally
include one or more of: weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2,
calculator widget 149-3, alarm clock widget 149-4, dictionary
widget 149-5, and other widgets obtained by the user, as well as
user-created widgets 149-6; [0083] widget creator module 150 for
making user-created widgets 149-6; [0084] search module 151; [0085]
video and music player module 152, which is, optionally, made up of
a video player module and a music player module; [0086] notes
module 153; [0087] map module 154; and/or [0088] online video
module 155.
[0089] Examples of other applications 136 that are, optionally,
stored in memory 102 include other word processing applications,
other image editing applications, drawing applications,
presentation applications, JAVA-enabled applications, encryption,
digital rights management, voice recognition, and voice
replication.
[0090] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module
134, contacts module 137 are, optionally, used to manage an address
book or contact list (e.g., stored in application internal state
192 of contacts module 137 in memory 102 or memory 370), including:
adding name(s) to the address book; deleting name(s) from the
address book; associating telephone number(s), email address(es),
physical address(es) or other information with a name; associating
an image with a name; categorizing and sorting names; providing
telephone numbers or e-mail addresses to initiate and/or facilitate
communications by telephone 138, video conference 139, e-mail 140,
or IM 141; and so forth.
[0091] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110,
speaker 111, microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module
134, telephone module 138 are, optionally, used to enter a sequence
of characters corresponding to a telephone number, access one or
more telephone numbers in address book 137, modify a telephone
number that has been entered dial a respective telephone number,
conduct a conversation and disconnect or hang up when the
conversation is completed. As noted above, the wireless
communication optionally uses any of a plurality of communications
standards, protocols and technologies.
[0092] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110,
speaker 111, microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller
156, optical sensor 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact
module 130, graphics module 132, text input module 134, contact
list 137, and telephone module 138, videoconferencing module 139
includes executable instructions to initiate, conduct, and
terminate a video conference between a user and one or more other
participants in accordance with user instructions.
[0093] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132,
and text input module 134, e-mail client module 140 includes
executable instructions to create, send, receive, and manage e-mail
in response to user instructions. In conjunction with image
management module 144, e-mail client module 140 makes it very easy
to create and send e-mails with still or video images taken with
camera module 143.
[0094] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132,
and text input module 134, the instant messaging module 141
includes executable instructions to enter a sequence of characters
corresponding to an instant message, to modify previously entered
characters, to transmit a respective instant message (for example,
using a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Message Service
(MMS) protocol for telephony-based instant messages or using XMPP,
SIMPLE, or IMPS for Internet-based instant messages), to receive
instant messages and to view received instant messages. In some
embodiments, transmitted and/or received instant messages
optionally include graphics, photos, audio files, video files
and/or other attachments as are supported in a MMS and/or an
Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS). As used herein, "instant
messaging" refers to both telephony-based messages (e.g., messages
sent using SMS or MMS) and Internet-based messages (e.g., messages
sent using XMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS).
[0095] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132,
text input module 134, GPS module 135, map module 154, and music
player module 146, workout support module 142 includes executable
instructions to create workouts (e.g., with time, distance, and/or
calorie burning goals); communicate with workout sensors (sports
devices); receive workout sensor data; calibrate sensors used to
monitor a workout; select and play music for a workout; and
display, store and transmit workout data.
[0096] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, optical sensor(s) 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact
module 130, graphics module 132, and image management module 144,
camera module 143 includes executable instructions to capture still
images or video (including a video stream) and store them into
memory 102, modify characteristics of a still image or video, or
delete a still image or video from memory 102.
[0097] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text input module
134, and camera module 143, image management module 144 includes
executable instructions to arrange, modify (e.g., edit), or
otherwise manipulate, label, delete, present (e.g., in a digital
slide show or album), and store still and/or video images.
[0098] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display system controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module
132, and text input module 134, browser module 147 includes
executable instructions to browse the Internet in accordance with
user instructions, including searching, linking to, receiving, and
displaying web pages or portions thereof, as well as attachments
and other files linked to web pages.
[0099] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display system controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module
132, text input module 134, e-mail client module 140, and browser
module 147, calendar module 148 includes executable instructions to
create, display, modify, and store calendars and data associated
with calendars (e.g., calendar entries, to do lists, etc.) in
accordance with user instructions.
[0100] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display system controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module
132, text input module 134, and browser module 147, widget modules
149 are mini-applications that are, optionally, downloaded and used
by a user (e.g., weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2,
calculator widget 149-3, alarm clock widget 149-4, and dictionary
widget 149-5) or created by the user (e.g., user-created widget
149-6). In some embodiments, a widget includes an HTML (Hypertext
Markup Language) file, a CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) file, and a
JavaScript file. In some embodiments, a widget includes an XML
(Extensible Markup Language) file and a JavaScript file (e.g.,
Yahoo! Widgets).
[0101] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display system controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module
132, text input module 134, and browser module 147, the widget
creator module 150 are, optionally, used by a user to create
widgets (e.g., turning a user-specified portion of a web page into
a widget).
[0102] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system
controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text
input module 134, search module 151 includes executable
instructions to search for text, music, sound, image, video, and/or
other files in memory 102 that match one or more search criteria
(e.g., one or more user-specified search terms) in accordance with
user instructions.
[0103] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system
controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio
circuitry 110, speaker 111, RF circuitry 108, and browser module
147, video and music player module 152 includes executable
instructions that allow the user to download and play back recorded
music and other sound files stored in one or more file formats,
such as MP3 or AAC files, and executable instructions to display,
present or otherwise play back videos (e.g., on touch screen 112 or
on an external, connected display via external port 124). In some
embodiments, device 100 optionally includes the functionality of an
MP3 player, such as an iPod (trademark of Apple Inc.).
[0104] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module
134, notes module 153 includes executable instructions to create
and manage notes, to do lists, and the like in accordance with user
instructions.
[0105] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display system controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module
132, text input module 134, GPS module 135, and browser module 147,
map module 154 are, optionally, used to receive, display, modify,
and store maps and data associated with maps (e.g., driving
directions; data on stores and other points of interest at or near
a particular location; and other location based data) in accordance
with user instructions.
[0106] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system
controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio
circuitry 110, speaker 111, RF circuitry 108, text input module
134, e-mail client module 140, and browser module 147, online video
module 155 includes instructions that allow the user to access,
browse, receive (e.g., by streaming and/or download), play back
(e.g., on the touch screen or on an external, connected display via
external port 124), send an e-mail with a link to a particular
online video, and otherwise manage online videos in one or more
file formats, such as H.264. In some embodiments, instant messaging
module 141, rather than e-mail client module 140, is used to send a
link to a particular online video.
[0107] Each of the above identified modules and applications
correspond to a set of executable instructions for performing one
or more functions described above and the methods described in this
application (e.g., the computer-implemented methods and other
information processing methods described herein). These modules
(i.e., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separate
software programs, procedures or modules, and thus various subsets
of these modules are, optionally, combined or otherwise re-arranged
in some embodiments. In some embodiments, memory 102 optionally
stores a subset of the modules and data structures identified
above. Furthermore, memory 102 optionally stores additional modules
and data structures not described above.
[0108] In some embodiments, device 100 is a device where operation
of a predefined set of functions on the device is performed
exclusively through a touch screen and/or a touchpad. By using a
touch screen and/or a touchpad as the primary input control device
for operation of device 100, the number of physical input control
devices (such as push buttons, dials, and the like) on device 100
is, optionally, reduced.
[0109] The predefined set of functions that are performed
exclusively through a touch screen and/or a touchpad optionally
include navigation between user interfaces. In some embodiments,
the touchpad, when touched by the user, navigates device 100 to a
main, home, or root menu from any user interface that is displayed
on device 100. In some embodiments, a "menu button" is implemented
using a touchpad. In some embodiments, the menu button is a
physical push button or other physical input control device instead
of a touchpad.
[0110] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components
for event handling in accordance with some embodiments. In some
embodiments, memory 102 (in FIG. 1A) or 370 (FIG. 3) includes event
sorter 170 (e.g., in operating system 126) and a respective
application 136-1 (e.g., any of the aforementioned applications
137-13, 155, 380-390).
[0111] Event sorter 170 receives event information and determines
the application 136-1 and application view 191 of application 136-1
to which to deliver the event information. Event sorter 170
includes event monitor 171 and event dispatcher module 174. In some
embodiments, application 136-1 includes application internal state
192, which indicates the current application view(s) displayed on
touch sensitive display 112 when the application is active or
executing. In some embodiments, device/global internal state 157 is
used by event sorter 170 to determine which application(s) is (are)
currently active, and application internal state 192 is used by
event sorter 170 to determine application views 191 to which to
deliver event information.
[0112] In some embodiments, application internal state 192 includes
additional information, such as one or more of: resume information
to be used when application 136-1 resumes execution, user interface
state information that indicates information being displayed or
that is ready for display by application 136-1, a state queue for
enabling the user to go back to a prior state or view of
application 136-1, and a redo/undo queue of previous actions taken
by the user.
[0113] Event monitor 171 receives event information from
peripherals interface 118. Event information includes information
about a sub-event (e.g., a user touch on touch-sensitive display
112, as part of a multi-touch gesture). Peripherals interface 118
transmits information it receives from I/O subsystem 106 or a
sensor, such as proximity sensor 166, accelerometer(s) 168, and/or
microphone 113 (through audio circuitry 110). Information that
peripherals interface 118 receives from I/O subsystem 106 includes
information from touch-sensitive display 112 or a touch-sensitive
surface.
[0114] In some embodiments, event monitor 171 sends requests to the
peripherals interface 118 at predetermined intervals. In response,
peripherals interface 118 transmits event information. In some
embodiments, peripheral interface 118 transmits event information
only when there is a significant event (e.g., receiving an input
above a predetermined noise threshold and/or for more than a
predetermined duration).
[0115] In some embodiments, event sorter 170 also includes a hit
view determination module 172 and/or an active event recognizer
determination module 173.
[0116] Hit view determination module 172 provides software
procedures for determining where a sub-event has taken place within
one or more views, when touch sensitive display 112 displays more
than one view. Views are made up of controls and other elements
that a user can see on the display.
[0117] Another aspect of the user interface associated with an
application is a set of views, sometimes herein called application
views or user interface windows, in which information is displayed
and touch-based gestures occur. The application views (of a
respective application) in which a touch is detected optionally
correspond to programmatic levels within a programmatic or view
hierarchy of the application. For example, the lowest level view in
which a touch is detected is, optionally, called the hit view, and
the set of events that are recognized as proper inputs are,
optionally, determined based, at least in part, on the hit view of
the initial touch that begins a touch-based gesture.
[0118] Hit view determination module 172 receives information
related to sub-events of a touch-based gesture. When an application
has multiple views organized in a hierarchy, hit view determination
module 172 identifies a hit view as the lowest view in the
hierarchy which should handle the sub-event. In most circumstances,
the hit view is the lowest level view in which an initiating
sub-event occurs (i.e., the first sub-event in the sequence of
sub-events that form an event or potential event). Once the hit
view is identified by the hit view determination module, the hit
view typically receives all sub-events related to the same touch or
input source for which it was identified as the hit view.
[0119] Active event recognizer determination module 173 determines
which view or views within a view hierarchy should receive a
particular sequence of sub-events. In some embodiments, active
event recognizer determination module 173 determines that only the
hit view should receive a particular sequence of sub-events. In
some embodiments, active event recognizer determination module 173
determines that all views that include the physical location of a
sub-event are actively involved views, and therefore determines
that all actively involved views should receive a particular
sequence of sub-events. In some embodiments, even if touch
sub-events were entirely confined to the area associated with one
particular view, views higher in the hierarchy would still remain
as actively involved views.
[0120] Event dispatcher module 174 dispatches the event information
to an event recognizer (e.g., event recognizer 180). In some
embodiments including active event recognizer determination module
173, event dispatcher module 174 delivers the event information to
an event recognizer determined by active event recognizer
determination module 173. In some embodiments, event dispatcher
module 174 stores in an event queue the event information, which is
retrieved by a respective event receiver module 182.
[0121] In some embodiments, operating system 126 includes event
sorter 170. Alternatively, application 136-1 includes event sorter
170. In some embodiments, event sorter 170 is a stand-alone module,
or a part of another module stored in memory 102, such as
contact/motion module 130.
[0122] In some embodiments, application 136-1 includes a plurality
of event handlers 190 and one or more application views 191, each
of which includes instructions for handling touch events that occur
within a respective view of the application's user interface. Each
application view 191 of the application 136-1 includes one or more
event recognizers 180. Typically, a respective application view 191
includes a plurality of event recognizers 180. In some embodiments,
one or more of event recognizers 180 are part of a separate module,
such as a user interface kit or a higher level object from which
application 136-1 inherits methods and other properties. In some
embodiments, a respective event handler 190 includes one or more
of: data updater 176, object updater 177, GUI updater 178, and/or
event data 179 received from event sorter 170. Event handler 190
optionally utilizes or calls data updater 176, object updater 177
or GUI updater 178 to update the application internal state 192.
Alternatively, one or more of the application views 191 includes
one or more respective event handlers 190. Also, in some
embodiments, one or more of data updater 176, object updater 177,
and GUI updater 178 are included in a respective application view
191.
[0123] A respective event recognizer 180 receives event information
(e.g., event data 179) from event sorter 170, and identifies an
event from the event information. Event recognizer 180 includes
event receiver 182 and event comparator 184. In some embodiments,
event recognizer 180 also includes at least a subset of: metadata
183, and event delivery instructions 188 (which optionally include
sub-event delivery instructions).
[0124] Event receiver 182 receives event information from event
sorter 170. The event information includes information about a
sub-event, for example, a touch or a touch movement. Depending on
the sub-event, the event information also includes additional
information, such as location of the sub-event. When the sub-event
concerns motion of a touch, the event information optionally also
includes speed and direction of the sub-event. In some embodiments,
events include rotation of the device from one orientation to
another (e.g., from a portrait orientation to a landscape
orientation, or vice versa), and the event information includes
corresponding information about the current orientation (also
called device attitude) of the device.
[0125] Event comparator 184 compares the event information to
predefined event or sub-event definitions and, based on the
comparison, determines an event or sub-event, or determines or
updates the state of an event or sub-event. In some embodiments,
event comparator 184 includes event definitions 186. Event
definitions 186 contain definitions of events (e.g., predefined
sequences of sub-events), for example, event 1 (187-1), event 2
(187-2), and others. In some embodiments, sub-events in an event
187 include, for example, touch begin, touch end, touch movement,
touch cancellation, and multiple touching. In one example, the
definition for event 1 (187-1) is a double tap on a displayed
object. The double tap, for example, comprises a first touch (touch
begin) on the displayed object for a predetermined phase, a first
lift-off (touch end) for a predetermined phase, a second touch
(touch begin) on the displayed object for a predetermined phase,
and a second lift-off (touch end) for a predetermined phase. In
another example, the definition for event 2 (187-2) is a dragging
on a displayed object. The dragging, for example, comprises a touch
(or contact) on the displayed object for a predetermined phase, a
movement of the touch across touch-sensitive display 112, and
lift-off of the touch (touch end). In some embodiments, the event
also includes information for one or more associated event handlers
190.
[0126] In some embodiments, event definition 187 includes a
definition of an event for a respective user-interface object. In
some embodiments, event comparator 184 performs a hit test to
determine which user-interface object is associated with a
sub-event. For example, in an application view in which three
user-interface objects are displayed on touch-sensitive display
112, when a touch is detected on touch-sensitive display 112, event
comparator 184 performs a hit test to determine which of the three
user-interface objects is associated with the touch (sub-event). If
each displayed object is associated with a respective event handler
190, the event comparator uses the result of the hit test to
determine which event handler 190 should be activated. For example,
event comparator 184 selects an event handler associated with the
sub-event and the object triggering the hit test.
[0127] In some embodiments, the definition for a respective event
187 also includes delayed actions that delay delivery of the event
information until after it has been determined whether the sequence
of sub-events does or does not correspond to the event recognizer's
event type.
[0128] When a respective event recognizer 180 determines that the
series of sub-events do not match any of the events in event
definitions 186, the respective event recognizer 180 enters an
event impossible, event failed, or event ended state, after which
it disregards subsequent sub-events of the touch-based gesture. In
this situation, other event recognizers, if any, that remain active
for the hit view continue to track and process sub-events of an
ongoing touch-based gesture.
[0129] In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180
includes metadata 183 with configurable properties, flags, and/or
lists that indicate how the event delivery system should perform
sub-event delivery to actively involved event recognizers. In some
embodiments, metadata 183 includes configurable properties, flags,
and/or lists that indicate how event recognizers interact, or are
enabled to interact, with one another. In some embodiments,
metadata 183 includes configurable properties, flags, and/or lists
that indicate whether sub-events are delivered to varying levels in
the view or programmatic hierarchy.
[0130] In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180
activates event handler 190 associated with an event when one or
more particular sub-events of an event are recognized. In some
embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180 delivers event
information associated with the event to event handler 190.
Activating an event handler 190 is distinct from sending (and
deferred sending) sub-events to a respective hit view. In some
embodiments, event recognizer 180 throws a flag associated with the
recognized event, and event handler 190 associated with the flag
catches the flag and performs a predefined process.
[0131] In some embodiments, event delivery instructions 188 include
sub-event delivery instructions that deliver event information
about a sub-event without activating an event handler. Instead, the
sub-event delivery instructions deliver event information to event
handlers associated with the series of sub-events or to actively
involved views. Event handlers associated with the series of
sub-events or with actively involved views receive the event
information and perform a predetermined process.
[0132] In some embodiments, data updater 176 creates and updates
data used in application 136-1. For example, data updater 176
updates the telephone number used in contacts module 137, or stores
a video file used in video player module 145. In some embodiments,
object updater 177 creates and updates objects used in application
136-1. For example, object updater 176 creates a new user-interface
object or updates the position of a user-interface object. GUI
updater 178 updates the GUI. For example, GUI updater 178 prepares
display information and sends it to graphics module 132 for display
on a touch-sensitive display.
[0133] In some embodiments, event handler(s) 190 includes or has
access to data updater 176, object updater 177, and GUI updater
178. In some embodiments, data updater 176, object updater 177, and
GUI updater 178 are included in a single module of a respective
application 136-1 or application view 191. In some embodiments,
they are included in two or more software modules.
[0134] It shall be understood that the foregoing discussion
regarding event handling of user touches on touch-sensitive
displays also applies to other forms of user inputs to operate
multifunction devices 100 with input-devices, not all of which are
initiated on touch screens. For example, mouse movement and mouse
button presses, optionally coordinated with single or multiple
keyboard presses or holds; contact movements such as taps, drags,
scrolls, etc., on touch-pads; pen stylus inputs; movement of the
device; oral instructions; detected eye movements; biometric
inputs; and/or any combination thereof are optionally utilized as
inputs corresponding to sub-events which define an event to be
recognized.
[0135] FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device 100
having a touch screen 112 in accordance with some embodiments. The
touch screen optionally displays one or more graphics within user
interface (UI) 200. In some embodiments, as well as others
described below, a user is enabled to select one or more of the
graphics by making a gesture on the graphics, for example, with one
or more fingers 202 (not drawn to scale in the figure) or one or
more styluses 203 (not drawn to scale in the figure). In some
embodiments, selection of one or more graphics occurs when the user
breaks contact with the one or more graphics. In some embodiments,
the gesture optionally includes one or more taps, one or more
swipes (from left to right, right to left, upward and/or downward)
and/or a rolling of a finger (from right to left, left to right,
upward and/or downward) that has made contact with device 100. In
some implementations or circumstances, inadvertent contact with a
graphic does not select the graphic. For example, a swipe gesture
that sweeps over an application icon optionally does not select the
corresponding application when the gesture corresponding to
selection is a tap.
[0136] Device 100 optionally also includes one or more physical
buttons, such as "home" or menu button 204. As described
previously, menu button 204 is, optionally, used to navigate to any
application 136 in a set of applications that are, optionally
executed on device 100. In some embodiments, the menu button is
implemented as a soft key in a GUI displayed on touch screen
112.
[0137] In some embodiments, device 100 includes touch screen 112,
menu button 204, push button 206 for powering the device on/off and
locking the device, volume adjustment button(s) 208, Subscriber
Identity Module (SIM) card slot 210, head set jack 212, and
docking/charging external port 124. Push button 206 is, optionally,
used to turn the power on/off on the device by depressing the
button and holding the button in the depressed state for a
predefined time interval; to lock the device by depressing the
button and releasing the button before the predefined time interval
has elapsed; and/or to unlock the device or initiate an unlock
process. In some embodiment, device 100 also accepts verbal input
for activation or deactivation of some functions through microphone
113. Device 100 also, optionally, includes one or more contact
intensity sensors 165 for detecting intensity of contacts on touch
screen 112 and/or one or more tactile output generators 167 for
generating tactile outputs for a user of device 100.
[0138] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction
device with a display and, optionally, a touch-sensitive surface in
accordance with some embodiments. Device 300 need not be portable.
In some embodiments, device 300 is a laptop computer, a desktop
computer, a tablet computer, a multimedia player device, a
navigation device, an educational device (such as a child's
learning toy), a gaming system, or a control device (e.g., a home
or industrial controller). Device 300 typically includes one or
more processing units (CPU's) 310, one or more network or other
communications interfaces 360, memory 370, and one or more
communication buses 320 for interconnecting these components.
Communication buses 320 optionally include circuitry (sometimes
called a chipset) that interconnects and controls communications
between system components. Device 300 includes input/output (I/O)
interface 330 comprising display 340, which is optionally a touch
screen display. I/O interface 330 also optionally includes a
keyboard and/or mouse (or other pointing device) 350 and touchpad
355, tactile output generator 357 for generating tactile outputs on
device 300 (e.g., similar to tactile output generator(s) 167
described above with reference to FIG. 1A), sensors 359 (e.g.,
optical, acceleration, proximity, touch-sensitive, and/or contact
intensity sensors similar to contact intensity sensor(s) 165
described above with reference to FIG. 1A). Memory 370 includes
high-speed random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or
other random access solid state memory devices; and optionally
includes non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk
storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory
devices, or other non-volatile solid state storage devices. Memory
370 optionally includes one or more storage devices remotely
located from CPU(s) 310. In some embodiments, memory 370 stores
programs, modules, and data structures analogous to the programs,
modules, and data structures stored in memory 102 of portable
multifunction device 100 (FIG. 1A), or a subset thereof.
Furthermore, memory 370 optionally stores additional programs,
modules, and data structures not present in memory 102 of portable
multifunction device 100. For example, memory 370 of device 300
optionally stores drawing module 380, presentation module 382, word
processing module 384, web site creation module 386, disk authoring
module 388, and/or spreadsheet module 390, while memory 102 of
portable multifunction device 100 (FIG. 1A) optionally does not
store these modules.
[0139] Each of the above identified elements in FIG. 3 are,
optionally, stored in one or more of the previously mentioned
memory devices. Each of the above identified modules corresponds to
a set of instructions for performing a function described above.
The above identified modules or programs (i.e., sets of
instructions) need not be implemented as separate software
programs, procedures or modules, and thus various subsets of these
modules are, optionally, combined or otherwise re-arranged in some
embodiments. In some embodiments, memory 370 optionally stores a
subset of the modules and data structures identified above.
Furthermore, memory 370 optionally stores additional modules and
data structures not described above.
[0140] Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user
interfaces ("UI") that is, optionally, implemented on portable
multifunction device 100.
[0141] FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu
of applications on portable multifunction device 100 in accordance
with some embodiments. Similar user interfaces are, optionally,
implemented on device 300. In some embodiments, user interface 400
includes the following elements, or a subset or superset thereof:
[0142] Signal strength indicator(s) 402 for wireless
communication(s), such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals; [0143] Time
404; [0144] Bluetooth indicator 405; [0145] Battery status
indicator 406; [0146] Tray 408 with icons for frequently used
applications, such as: [0147] Icon 416 for telephone module 138,
labeled "Phone," which optionally includes an indicator 414 of the
number of missed calls or voicemail messages; [0148] Icon 418 for
email client module 140, labeled "Mail," which optionally includes
an indicator 410 of the number of unread e-mails; [0149] Icon 420
for browser module 147, labeled "Browser"; and [0150] Icon 422 for
video and music player module 152, also referred to as iPod
(trademark of Apple Inc.) module 152, labeled "iPod"; and [0151]
Icons for other applications, such as: [0152] Icon 424 for IM
module 141, labeled "Text"; [0153] Icon 426 for calendar module
148, labeled "Calendar"; [0154] Icon 428 for image management
module 144, labeled "Photos"; [0155] Icon 430 for camera module
143, labeled "Camera"; [0156] Icon 432 for online video module 155,
labeled "Online Video" [0157] Icon 434 for stocks widget 149-2,
labeled "Stocks"; [0158] Icon 436 for map module 154, labeled
"Map"; [0159] Icon 438 for weather widget 149-1, labeled "Weather";
[0160] Icon 440 for alarm clock widget 149-4, labeled "Clock";
[0161] Icon 442 for workout support module 142, labeled "Workout
Support"; [0162] Icon 444 for notes module 153, labeled "Notes";
and [0163] Icon 446 for a settings application or module, which
provides access to settings for device 100 and its various
applications 136.
[0164] It should be noted that the icon labels illustrated in FIG.
4A are merely exemplary. For example, icon 422 for video and music
player module 152 are labeled "Music" or "Music Player." Other
labels are, optionally, used for various application icons. In some
embodiments, a label for a respective application icon includes a
name of an application corresponding to the respective application
icon. In some embodiments, a label for a particular application
icon is distinct from a name of an application corresponding to the
particular application icon.
[0165] FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary user interface on a device
(e.g., device 300, FIG. 3) with a touch-sensitive surface 451
(e.g., a tablet or touchpad 355, FIG. 3) that is separate from the
display 450 (e.g., touch screen display 112). Device 300 also,
optionally, includes one or more contact intensity sensors (e.g.,
one or more of sensors 357 for detecting intensity of contacts on
touch-sensitive surface 451 and/or one or more tactile output
generators 359 for generating tactile outputs for a user of device
300.
[0166] Although some of the examples which follow will be given
with reference to inputs on touch screen display 112 (where the
touch sensitive surface and the display are combined), in some
embodiments, the device detects inputs on a touch-sensitive surface
that is separate from the display, as shown in FIG. 4B. In some
embodiments the touch sensitive surface (e.g., 451 in FIG. 4B) has
a primary axis (e.g., 452 in FIG. 4B) that corresponds to a primary
axis (e.g., 453 in FIG. 4B) on the display (e.g., 450). In
accordance with some embodiments, the device detects contacts
(e.g., 460 and 462 in FIG. 4B) with the touch-sensitive surface 451
at locations that correspond to respective locations on the display
(e.g., in FIG. 4B, 460 corresponds to 468 and 462 corresponds to
470). In this way, user inputs (e.g., contacts 460 and 462, and
movements thereof) detected by the device on the touch-sensitive
surface (e.g., 451 in FIG. 4B) are used by the device to manipulate
the user interface on the display (e.g., 450 in FIG. 4B) of the
multifunction device when the touch-sensitive surface is separate
from the display. It should be understood that similar methods are,
optionally, used for other user interfaces described herein.
[0167] Additionally, while the following examples are given
primarily with reference to finger inputs (e.g., finger contacts,
tap gestures, finger swipe gestures), it should be understood that,
in some embodiments, one or more of the finger inputs are replaced
with input from another input device (e.g., a mouse based input or
stylus input). For example, a swipe gesture is, optionally,
replaced with a mouse click (e.g., instead of a contact) followed
by movement of the cursor along the path of the swipe (e.g.,
instead of movement of the contact). As another example, a tap
gesture is, optionally, replaced with a mouse click while the
cursor is located over the location of the tap gesture (e.g.,
instead of detection of the contact followed by ceasing to detect
the contact). Similarly, when multiple user inputs are
simultaneously detected, it should be understood that multiple
computer mice are, optionally, used simultaneously, or a mouse and
finger contacts are, optionally, used simultaneously.
[0168] As used herein, the term "focus selector" refers to an input
element that indicates a current part of a user interface with
which a user is interacting. In some implementations that include a
cursor or other location marker, the cursor acts as a "focus
selector," so that when an input (e.g., a press input) is detected
on a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., touchpad 355 in FIG. 3 or
touch-sensitive surface 451 in FIG. 4B) while the cursor is over a
particular user interface element (e.g., a button, window, slider
or other user interface element), the particular user interface
element is adjusted in accordance with the detected input. In some
implementations that include a touch-screen display (e.g.,
touch-sensitive display system 112 in FIG. 1A or touch screen 112
in FIG. 4A) that enables direct interaction with user interface
elements on the touch-screen display, a detected contact on the
touch-screen acts as a "focus selector," so that when an input
(e.g., a press input by the contact) is detected on the
touch-screen display at a location of a particular user interface
element (e.g., a button, window, slider or other user interface
element), the particular user interface element is adjusted in
accordance with the detected input. In some implementations focus
is moved from one region of a user interface to another region of
the user interface without corresponding movement of a cursor or
movement of a contact on a touch-screen display (e.g., by using a
tab key or arrow keys to move focus from one button to another
button); in these implementations, the focus selector moves in
accordance with movement of focus between different regions of the
user interface. Without regard to the specific form taken by the
focus selector, the focus selector is generally the user interface
element (or contact on a touch-screen display) that is controlled
by the user so as to communicate the user's intended interaction
with the user interface (e.g., by indicating, to the device, the
element of the user interface with which the user is intending to
interact). For example, the location of a focus selector (e.g., a
cursor, a contact or a selection box) over a respective button
while a press input is detected on the touch-sensitive surface
(e.g., a touchpad or touch screen) will indicate that the user is
intending to activate the respective button (as opposed to other
user interface elements shown on a display of the device).
[0169] Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user
interfaces ("UI") and associated processes that optionally are
implemented on an electronic device with a display and a
touch-sensitive surface, such as device 300 or portable
multifunction device 100.
[0170] As mentioned previously, the device 100 includes multiple
applications 136 configured to execute on the device 100. One of
the multiple applications 136 is the email client module 140 and a
user can interact with the application on the computing device 100.
As will be further described below, the email client module 140 has
various user interfaces to enhance the user experience with the
computing device 100 when using the application.
Multiple Device Configuration Application
1. Collection View
[0171] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method 500 using a
collection view window on a user interface (UI) of a device
configuration application to facilitate configuring a plurality of
devices, according to some embodiments. The method allows the user
to view the current configuration state of each device and select
devices based on their configuration state.
[0172] A configuration state of a device includes, for example, the
type of the device and other physical properties of the device.
Other physical properties of the device include, but are not
limited to, its form factor, the device model, its color, its
remaining storage capacity, its overall storage size, its battery
status, and the like. In some embodiments, the configuration state
includes the software state of the device. Thus, unless otherwise
specified, a configuration state also refers to a software state
and vice versa. The software state of the device includes, but is
not limited to, the applications installed on the device, the
state, type, and version of the device's operating system, the
current state of the device display, the lock screen of the device,
and the home screen of the device. In some embodiments, the
software state, and thus the configuration state, of a device
includes the wallpaper of its lock screen or the wallpaper of the
lock screen and the arrangement of icons on the home screen.
[0173] In some embodiments, configuration states of devices and
information related to the configuration states are retrieved from
the devices by a management server that supervises the devices.
Examples of management servers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
9,027,112, issued May 5, 2015, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
[0174] In some embodiment, the configuration state includes the
activation mode of the device and the device serial number. The
activation mode indicates whether the device is in a locked, an
unlocked, a supervised, an unsupervised, a disabled, a restored, an
unrestored, a recovered, a backed-up, an uninitialized mode, or the
like. In some embodiments, the configuration state of a device is
shown in the collection view window. In some embodiments, the
displayed configuration state in the collection view window
indicates that the device is missing a configuration or that the
device belongs to an organization of devices.
[0175] An example organization of devices include, but is not
limited to, devices assigned to a class room at an educational
institution, to an education institution in general, to a project
group or department at a company, or all devices of a company. In
some embodiments, the organization of devices is based on geography
or use (e.g., all devices assigned to a company campus or city
locale). Another organization of devices includes all devices that
are used for particular tasks, e.g., word-processing, transacting
sales by using the device as a credit card reader and/or bar code
scanner, or displaying advertisements.
[0176] In the collection view window, a screen image represents
each device, which shows the configuration state of the device. For
example, if a device is in locked mode, the screen image
corresponding to this device shows a lock screen in the collection
view. Displaying representations of the configuration state of each
device allows the user of the device configuration application to
visibly identify and select a set of screen images and their
corresponding devices. Once selected, the device configuration
application optionally configures the selected devices. Configuring
a device includes, for example, uploading or updating applications,
profiles, the computing operating system, consoles, documents,
data, security settings, or other properties of the configuration
state. An advantage of the method includes collectively configuring
a set of devices based on their current configuration states.
[0177] The method 500 is performed at an electronic device with a
display and an input device, such as the portable multifunction
device 100 shown in FIG. 1A or device 300 shown in FIG. 3, as may
be controlled by specially programmed code (computer programming
instructions) contained in the graphics module 132, wherein such
specially programmed code is not natively present in the device
300. Other embodiments of the electronic device include
general-purpose computers, e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop
computer, computing servers, or any similar computing devices. Some
embodiments of the method 500 may include fewer, additional, or
different steps than those shown in FIG. 5, and the steps may be
performed in different orders. The steps of the method 500 are
described with respect to example user interfaces illustrated in
FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7, and 8.
[0178] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6A, the electronic device 100
displays 502 a collection view window 602 on a user interface 600
of a device configuration application for configuring a plurality
of devices that are connected (either wirelessly or via wired
connections) to the electronic device 100. As illustrated in FIG.
6A, in some embodiments, the collection view window 602 includes
options 604 for filtering the display of devices in the collection
view window 602. Filtering options include "All Devices" 604a,
"Supervised Devices" 604b, "Unsupervised Devices" 604c, "Recovered"
devices 604d, and "Missing Configuration" devices 604e. In some
embodiments, the filtering option 604 is displayed as a selectable
user interface element. In some embodiments, the device
configuration application UI 600 includes a UI title 642 based on
the specified filtering option 604. In some embodiment, the
selectable user interface element is selected by selection gesture,
which, for example, is a contact on a touch-sensitive surface at a
location on the display corresponding to the selectable user
interface element. In some embodiments, the selection gesture is
clicking on the selectable user interface element with a mouse or
cursor at the location on the display corresponding to the
selectable user interface element. In some embodiments, the
selected filtering option 604 is visibly distinguished from the
unselected options. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, the
selected filtering option "All Devices" 604a has a darker
background color than the unselected ones 604b-604e. In some
embodiments, filtering of devices that are displayed in the
collection view window 602 is achieved by searching the devices
through the search box 640 in the device configuration application
UI 600.
[0179] To facilitate device configuration, the method 500 further
includes that the electronic device 100 concurrently displays 504
representations 606 of a plurality of devices and their
configuration states within the collection view window 602. The
displayed representations 606 include a representation 606a of a
first device. The representation 606a of the first device includes
a screen image 608a that is selected 506 so as to represent a
configuration state of the first device (e.g., a screen image
selected to represent the appearance of the screen of the device
based on the activation state of the device). In addition, the
displayed representations 606 also include a representation 606c of
a second device, which is a screen image 608c that is selected 508
so as to represent a configuration state of the second device. In
some embodiments, as described in detail above, the representations
606a, 606b, including the screen images 608a, 608c, of the first or
second device are based on the physical properties of the first or
second device, respectively. In some embodiments, the
representations 606 include the names of the devices. In some
embodiments, a selected representation is visibly distinguished
from other representations, e.g., by highlighting the selected
representation, as illustrated by the dashed rectangle surrounding
representation 606a in FIG. 6A or representation 606d in FIG.
6B.
[0180] Examples of physical device properties that affect the
representation of a device include, but are not limited to, the
form factor, model, type, or color of the device. In some
embodiments, the first device is in a first configuration state,
e.g., a tablet device displaying a Home screen 610 and an
arrangement of icons 612, and the second device is in a second
configuration state that is different from the first configuration
state, e.g., a phone device displaying a notification 614 on a lock
screen 616. FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrates additional representations
606b, 606d-606g of configuration states, which includes a tablet
device displaying a lock screen 618 and wallpaper 620, and various
phone devices 606d-606g. In some embodiments, the screen image
608d-608g representing a configuration state of the device
comprises a pre-defined default image.
[0181] As illustrated in FIG. 6B, default images include, for
example, a Connect to iTunes screen 622 for a device in recovery
mode, a Hello screen 624 for a device in the initial setup mode, a
restore screen 626 for a device in restore mode, or a screen 628
with the device in locked mode. In some embodiments, the
representation of a locked device includes a lock indicator 630, as
shown in FIG. 6B. In some embodiments, the representations 606
include a tag indicator 642 displayed through a color circle for a
tag that is associated with certain devices. In some embodiments, a
representation 606 includes an update status indicator 644.
[0182] If a device is in locked mode, the device configuration
application is unable to configure the locked mode device. In some
embodiments, to change the device to an unlock mode, upon
connecting the locked mode device to the electronic device running
the device configuration application, the locked mode device
displays a popup window providing an option to select whether to
trust or not to trust the electronic device. Upon selecting to
trust the electronic device, the locked mode device changes to an
unlocked mode with respect to the device configuration application,
and the device representation is also changed, by the electronic
device 100 displaying the collection view 602, to an unlocked mode
in the collection view window, accordingly. In some embodiments,
when the device is trusted and supervised by the device
configuration application, the lock indicator 630 disappears from
the representation of the unlocked device.
[0183] The concurrent display 504 of representations 606 and
configuration states within the collection view window 602 further
includes that while the configuration states of the first and
second device are different, the screen image 608a in the first
representation 606a is also different 510 from the screen image
608c in the second representation 606c. For example, as illustrated
in FIG. 6A, the representation 606a of the tablet device with the
Home screen 610 is different from the representation 606b of the
tablet device with the lock screen 618.
[0184] Furthermore, method 500 includes that while displaying 504
the user interface 600 of the device configuration application, the
electronic device detects 512 a change in the configuration state
of the first device from the first configuration state to a
different configuration state. For example, the representation 606b
corresponding to configuration state of tablet device represented
by the lock screen 618 changes, when tablet device is unlocked. In
this case, the electronic device 100 running the device
configuration application detects the change from locked to
unlocked state of the tablet device through the connection of the
tablet device with the electronic device. In response to detecting
512 the change in the configuration state of the first device, the
electronic device updates 514 the representation of the first
device to include a screen image that represents the different
configuration state instead of the screen image that represents the
first configuration state. In the example of representation 606b
displaying a table device with a screen image of the lock screen
618, the representation changes from the lock screen 618 to a Home
screen of the tablet device.
[0185] In some embodiments, a number of available updates for one
or more of the devices is displayed for one or more devices in the
collection view window. In some embodiments, as illustrated FIG.
6A, a badge 632 is associated with the representation 606a of a
device to indicate that an update is available for the device. In
some embodiments, the badge displays a number 634 that equals the
number of available updates. Upon selecting a number of the
available updates for one or more devices, the device configuration
application updates the one or more devices with the selected
number of available updates. In some embodiments, an update
includes an update to applications configured on the one or more
devices, an update to the computer operating system on the one or
more devices, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments,
selecting a number of available updates includes the options of
selecting to update all applications installed on the device,
selecting to update only some applications, or selecting to update
the computer operating system of the device. In some embodiments,
these options are accessible as options of an "Update action" 704e
through the action menu window 702 of the menu bar 700 of the
device configuration application UI 600, as illustrated in FIG.
7.
[0186] In some embodiments, besides the "Update" action, the action
menu window also includes an "Add" action 704a, a "Remove" action
704b, a "Modify" action 704c, a "Restore" action 704d, a "Backup"
action 704f, and a "Prepare" action 704g. The "Add" action allows
adding applications, documents, profiles and other configuration
parameters to a configuration state of one or more selected
devices. The "Remove" action allows removing applications,
documents, profiles and other configuration parameters from a
configuration state of one or more selected devices. The "Modify"
action allows modifying a set of pre-defined configuration
parameters and their corresponding settings, e.g. the email server
address for an email application. The "Restore" action allows for
setting the configuration state of one or more selected device to
restore their computing operating system to the factory state of
the operating system. The "Prepare" action allows for first time
configuration of non-configured devices.
[0187] In some embodiments, while displaying device representations
in the collection view window, the electronic device 100 receives a
request to add one or more additional representations 606 of device
to the devices in the collection view window 602. A request is
received, for example, when additional devices are connected to the
electronic device 100. In some embodiments, the additional devices
are manually added to the collection view window 602. The user
interface 600 of the device configuration application, as
illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, includes an "Add Device" user
interface element 636 that upon selection allows adding
representations 606 of device to the collection view window 602.
Upon receiving the request to add more representation, the
electronic device 100 through the device configuration application
reduces the size of one or more representations 606 among the
representations in the collection view window to accommodate the
display of the additional representations 606. The electronic
device 100 displays the additional representations in addition to
the original representations 606 of the collection view window 602.
In some embodiments, the screen images 608 of the devices are
scaled in the collection view window 602 in such a manner as to
reduce the need for scrolling within the collection view window. In
some embodiments, upon connecting additional devices to the
electronic device executing the device configuration application,
the screen images of the original representations 606 in the
collection view window 602 are dynamically scaled and/or rearranged
to accommodate displaying the representation and its corresponding
screen image of the newly connected device.
[0188] In some embodiments, upon detecting 512 an update request,
only devices that are selected within the collection view window
602 are updated according to the update request without updating
any unselected devices. An update request includes, for example,
updating one or more applications, documents and/or profiles of the
selected devices. In some embodiments, the detection 512 of an
update request is based on the selection of an "Update" user
interface element 638b of the device configuration application UI
600, as illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In some embodiments, the
update request results from selecting an "Update" action 704e
through the action menu window 702 of the device configuration
application UI 600, as illustrated in FIG. 7.
[0189] In some embodiments, upon detecting a backup request, only
devices that are selected within the collection view window 602
have their configuration information backed up in accordance with
the backup request without backing up the unselected devices. The
backup of the configuration information allows for later retrieval
and restoring the device to the configuration state just prior to
the backup. In some embodiments, the configuration information is
backed to a pre-defined location, e.g., a database, which can be
accessed by the electronic device 100 running the device
configuration application. In some embodiments, the configuration
information includes information about applications, documents, or
profiles that are configured and/or installed on the backed up
devices. In some embodiments, the detection of a backup request is
based on the selection of a "Backup" user interface element 638c of
the device configuration application UI 600, as illustrated in
FIGS. 6A and 6B. In some embodiments, the backup request results
from selecting a "Backup" action 704f through the action menu
window 702 of the device configuration application UI 600, as
illustrated in FIG. 7. In some embodiments, the device
configuration application UI 600 includes a "Prepare" UI element
638a, an "Update" UI element 638b, a "Tag" UI element 638d, and a
"Blueprint" UI element 638d.
[0190] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 8, upon
detecting a configuration information request, the electronic
device displays configuration information of only the selected the
devices on the user interface 600 of the device configuration
application in accordance with the configuration information
request without displaying configuration information of unselected
devices. In some embodiments, the configuration information request
includes a selection gesture with one or more representations
displayed within the collection view window. In some embodiments, a
selection gesture includes a contact on a touch-sensitive surface
at a location on the display corresponding to the selectable
representation of a device. In some embodiments, the selection
gesture is clicking on the selectable representation with a mouse
or cursor at the location on the display corresponding to the
selectable representation. The configuration information 800
includes general information about the device, e.g., device name,
the model of the device, the device's remaining and used capacity,
device size, battery status, and technical information. The
technical information includes, for example, the version of
computer operating system and serial number of the device.
Additional configuration information includes the organization that
the device belongs to and usage information about the device. In
some embodiments, upon detecting a configuration information
request, the electronic device also displays an option to further
inquiry into the displayed configuration information. For example,
an option is includes displaying all applications that are
installed on the device instead of the general configuration
information. Other options include displaying all device profiles
or device consoles.
[0191] In some embodiments, the representations of the device
include screenshots that are retrieved from the device and reflect
the actual state of the device. For example, the screen image of
the representation of a device shows the wallpaper and arrangement
of icons on the device's Home screen. In some embodiments, the
representation of the device in the collection view window changes
as the configuration state of the device changes. For example, if
the icons on the Home Screen are rearranged, the icon arrangement
of the screen image included in the representation of the device
also changes. In some embodiments, the representations of the
devices include generic screenshots that are representative of the
state of the device, e.g., a screenshot of a generic Home screen
for a newly restored device. Examples of other generic screen
images included in device representation are shown in FIG. 6B.
2. Configuration Search
[0192] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method 900 for
searching devices based on the configuration states of the devices
through the user interface 600 of a device configuration
application, according to some embodiments. The method allows the
user to search devices that are connected to the electronic device
running the device configuration application. In some embodiments,
a searchable configuration state includes a recovery state, a
booted state, a locked state, an updates available state, an
initial configuration state, a backup state, a timed and untimed
lock-out state, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments,
searching based on a configuration state includes searching for a
device name, a device type, a profile installed on a device, an
application installed on a device, a name of a document stored on a
device, an identifier of data stored on the device, or any
combination thereof.
[0193] In some embodiments, the search is based on tags that are
associated with one or more devices of the devices that are
searched. In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, the
representation 606 of the device that is tagged includes a tag
indicator 640 in the collection view window 602 of the device
configuration application UI 600. In some embodiments, the tag
indicator 640 includes a colored circle displayed in front of the
device name 642 included in the device representation 606.
Different search tags are indicated by different colors, which can
be specified by the user.
[0194] The method 900 is performed at an electronic device with a
display and an input device, such as the portable multifunction
device 100 shown in FIG. 1A or device 300 shown in FIG. 3, as may
be controlled by specially programmed code (computer programming
instructions) contained in the graphics module 132, wherein such
specially programmed code is not natively present in the device
300. Other embodiments of the electronic device include
general-purpose computers, e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop
computer, computing servers, or any similar computing devices. Some
embodiments of the method 900 may include fewer, additional, or
different steps than those shown in FIG. 9, and the steps may be
performed in different orders. The steps of the method 900 are
described with respect to example user interfaces illustrated in
FIGS. 10, and 11.
[0195] Referring to FIG. 9, the electronic device 100 receives 902
a search request for information about one or more configuration
states of a plurality of devices connected to the electronic
device. In some embodiments, the search request results from a user
typing a search text string into the search box 642 of the device
configuration application UI 600. In some embodiments, while the
user types the search text string, the device configuration
application provides auto-completion options of the typed text
string based on the connected devices and their configuration
states. For example, if application "DesignTool" is installed on
the connected device "DesignDevice", upon typing "Des" the
auto-completion option of "DesignTool" in addition to
"DesignDevice" is presented in the search box 642.
[0196] Upon receiving 902 the search request for information about
the one or more configuration states of the connected devices, the
electronic device searches 904 the configuration states of the
devices based on the search request. If a match between the search
request and the one or more searched configuration states is
obtained, the electronic device 100 displays 906 a representation
606 of device. The representation 606 shows the device and the
device's configuration state for which the match was obtained. In
some embodiments, a search request includes a search for
applications, device profiles, organization information of devices,
device updates and the like. In some embodiment, a search request
is context sensitive. In some embodiments, the search request is
based on one or more of applications installed on the devices, one
or more profiles installed on the devices, one or more names of
documents stored on the devices, one or more identifiers of device
data stored on the devices, or any combination thereof.
[0197] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the results
of the search are displayed on the user interface 600 of the device
configuration application in form of a result window 1000. In some
embodiments, the result window 1000 lists matches according to
categories 1002. These categories include devices 1002a, states
1002b, applications 1002c, and profiles 1002d that are matches to
the search request. For example, a search request 1004 for
"Application 1" results in matches of "Device 1" through "Device 6"
with each device having "Application 1" installed. In addition,
"State 1" through "State 2" and "Profile 1" through "Profile 3" are
associated with "Application 1" and therefore represent a match.
The name of "Application A1" also matches the search string of
"Application A" and therefore is listed in addition to "Application
A" as a match in the result window 1000. In some embodiments, the
result window 1000 is continuously updated with matches at the time
when a new match is identified. Thus, the list of matches displayed
in the result window 1000 continues to grow over time as the number
of matches increases. In some embodiments, the result window
displays a "Save" option 1006 for saving the search results.
[0198] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the device
configuration application UI 600 allows searching devices based on
their tags. In some embodiments, the device configuration
application UI 600 allows adding tags to devices. By adding a tag
to a device, the device is associated with the tag. In some
embodiments, adding a tag to a device connected to the electronic
device 100 executing the device configuration application results
in the tag being stored with the connected device. For example, the
tag is stored with the connected device by storing metadata onto
the connected device. Tagging multiple connected devices helps in
later identifying a set of devices having similar characteristics
on which a user based the decision to tag these devices. In some
embodiments, a tag is persistent unless the configuration of a
device, including the tag, is erased.
[0199] Referring to FIG. 11, in some embodiments, the electronic
device 100 displays a plurality of device tags 1100 in a tag list
1102 in response to the selection of a "Tag" user interface element
638d of the device configuration application UI 600. In some
embodiments, upon selection the "Tag" UI element 638d is visibly
distinguished from the other UI elements 638a-638c, 638e. For
example, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the selected "Tag" UI element
638d has a darker background color than the UI elements 638a-638c,
638e.
[0200] To create tags for devices a user first selects devices 1104
from a device selection list 1106. In the example of FIG. 11, the
selected devices are "Device 1," "Device 4," "Device 7," "Device
10," "Device 11," and "Device 12," as highlighted by the dashed
rectangles. In some embodiments, devices are selected in the by
selecting the representations 606 of the devices in collection view
window 602. Upon selecting devices for tagging, the user can
specify the tags 1100 from a tag list 1102 that are to be applied
to the selected devices 1104. In the example, illustrated in FIG.
11, "Tag 4--Unsupervised Devices" 1100a is selected as highlighted
by the dashed rectangle. Other tags included in this example
include "Tag 1--Display Device," "Tag 2--Phone Device," "Tag
4--Business Devices," "Tag 5--New Devices," and "Tag 6--Home
Device." In some embodiments, each tag has a color associated and
displayed by the corresponding color indicator 1108. Upon selection
of the to be tagged devices and their corresponding tags, the user
applies the tags to the devices. In some embodiments, the device
configuration application UI 600 includes an "Apply" UI element
1110 for applying the tags to the selected devices.
[0201] In some embodiments, adding a tag to a device results in
additional information being stored on the device. For example, the
additional information includes information that the device has
authorized access by the electronic device executing the device
configuration application to the device. Thus, in some embodiments,
a tag is used to lock a device so that only the device
configuration application through which the tag was originally
added and the electronic device running this particular device
configuration application is allowed to configure the tag-locked
device. A procedure to unlock a tag-locked device is described
above with respect to FIG. 6B. In some embodiments, removing a tag
from a device through the device configuration application UI 600,
also removes the additional information from the device. Thus, in
some embodiments, when a tag is removed, the device is locked and
removed from access by the electronic device 100 executing the
device configuration application. In some embodiments, one of the
tags that is associated with a device represents the device being
in a do-not-modify configuration state. A do-not-modify
configuration state prevents the device configuration application
from accidently configuring the corresponding device, unless a user
expressly grants the permission on the device for the device to be
configured.
[0202] In some embodiments, prior to receiving the search request,
the electronic device 100 through the device configuration
application displays representations 606 of devices connected to
the electronic device, and in response to receiving the search
request, filters the representations of the devices based on the
search request. While displaying the filtered representations of
the devices, the device configuration application then receives a
request to update the configuration state of the devices
represented by the filtered representations of devices. Upon
receiving such update request, the device configuration application
updates the configurations of the devices represented by the
filtered representations without updating configurations of other
devices connected to the electronic device that are not represented
by the filtered representations.
[0203] In some embodiments, method 900 further includes displaying
a collection view window 602 on a user interface 600 of the device
configuration application for configuring a plurality of devices.
The device configuration application concurrently displays
representations 606 of a plurality of devices and configuration
states of the plurality of devices within the collection view
window 602. The representations include a representation of a first
device that includes a screen image that is selected so as to
represent a configuration state of the first device. The
representations also include a representation of a second device
that includes a screen image that is selected so as to represent a
configuration state of the second device. While the first device is
in a first configuration state and the second device is in a second
configuration state that is different from the first configuration
state, the screen image in the first representation is different
from the screen image in the second representation. While
displaying the user interface of the device configuration
application, the device configuration application then receives the
search request for information about one or more configuration
states of a plurality of devices connected to the electronic
device. Upon obtaining a match between the search request and the
configuration state of first device, the device configuration
application displays the representation of the first device, and
removes from being displayed the representation of the second
device and the displayed representations of the one or more
searched configuration states for which no match was obtained.
3. Configuration Templates
[0204] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method 1200 using
configuration templates on a user interface of an electronic device
to facilitate configuring a plurality of devices connected to the
electronic device 100, according to some embodiments. The method
allows the user to select multiple devices through the user
interface of the device configuration application, select an
indicator of a configuration template, and then apply the
configuration state or settings of the configuration template to
the selected devices. In addition, through its user interface the
device configuration application allows displaying information
about the configuration state or settings of a configuration
template. In some embodiments, the device configuration application
provides a method of creating a configuration template. For
example, a user can specify and/or edit a set of device-independent
configuration rules or parameters to be added to a configuration
template for configuring a set of devices. An exemplary
configuration rule includes a set of applications that are to be
installed and/or kept up-to-date on a device. Another exemplary
configuration rule includes the configuration of an email
application on a device, e.g., the email server, accounts, etc. In
some embodiments, applying the configuration template is
independent of the order that the user added the configuration
rules to the template. In some embodiment, a user can remove
configuration rules from a configuration template. In some
embodiments, the device configuration application UI includes an
editor for editing the configuration templates of the device
configuration application.
[0205] The method 1200 is performed at an electronic device with a
display and an input device, such as the portable multifunction
device 100 shown in FIG. 1A or device 300 shown in FIG. 3, as may
be controlled by specially programmed code (computer programming
instructions) contained in the graphics module 132, wherein such
specially programmed code is not natively present in the device
300. Other embodiments of the electronic device include
general-purpose computers, e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop
computer, computing servers, or any similar computing devices. Some
embodiments of the method 1200 may include fewer, additional, or
different steps than those shown in FIG. 12, and the steps may be
performed in different orders. The steps of the method 1200 are
described with respect to example user interfaces illustrated in
FIGS. 6A, 6B, 13, and 14.
[0206] Referring to FIGS. 12, 6A and 6B, the electronic device 100
displays 1202 a collection view window 602 on a user interface 600
of a device configuration application. The collection view window
602 includes a plurality of devices that includes a first device
and a second device. The first device is associated with a first
device type, e.g., a tablet device, and the second device is
associated with a second device type, e.g., a phone device. In some
embodiments, a device type also includes a combination of types.
For example, a device type includes a phone device, a tablet
device, a watch, a TV box device, a TV, a home accessory electronic
device, and the like.
[0207] Referring to FIG. 13, the electronic device 100 displays
1204 a plurality of device configuration templates 1300 in the
collection view window 602. The plurality of device configuration
templates 1300 includes a first device configuration template 1300a
that is associated with the first device type and a second device
configuration template 1300b that is associated with the second
device type. In FIG. 13, for example, device configuration template
"Sample Blueprint 1" 1300a is associated with a tablet device and a
phone device, whereas template "Sample Blueprint 2" 1300b is only
associated with phone devices. In some embodiments, the electronic
device 100 displays 1204 the plurality of device configuration
templates 1300 in response to the selection of an "Blueprint" user
interface element 638e of the device configuration application UI
600. In some embodiments, upon selection the "Blueprint" UI element
638e is visibly distinguished from the other UI elements 638a-638d.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the selected "Blueprint" UI
element 638e has a darker background color than the UI elements
638a-638d.
[0208] The electronic device then receives 1206 a selection of a
first subset of devices from the plurality of devices. This first
subset includes devices associated with the first device type. The
electronic device further receives 1208 a selection of the first
device configuration template; and in response to receiving 1208 a
change request associated with the first subset of devices, the
electronic device changes 1210 the configuration state of each
device included in the first subset of devices based on the first
device configuration template. In some embodiments, the electronic
device receives no selection of a first subset of devices prior to
receiving a change request. In this case, the electronic device
changes the configuration state of either all devices connected to
the electronic device or a set of devices that the device
configuration application considers default devices based on
pre-defined device parameters. For example, applying a
configuration template to the device changes the applications
installed on the device, device settings, device profiles, and/or
other portions of a device's configuration state.
[0209] In some embodiments, the change request includes a selection
gesture with one or more configuration templates 1300 displayed
within the collection view window 602. In some embodiments, a
selection gesture includes a contact on a touch-sensitive surface
at a location on the display corresponding to the selectable
configuration template. In some embodiments, the selection gesture
is clicking on the selectable configuration template 1300 with a
mouse or cursor at the location on the display corresponding to the
selectable configuration template. Thus, in some embodiments, the
selection of the first device configuration template results in the
electronic device 100 receiving the change request, which
represents a one-click mechanism for selecting and configuring the
first subset of devices based on the first device configuration
template. In some embodiments, detecting of the change request
therefore includes a single-action by a user to apply one of the
plurality of configuration templates to the selected one or more
devices. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the single-action by a
user includes a gesture by the user on the display of the
electronic device 100 with a displayed device configuration
template.
[0210] In some embodiments, each device configuration template 1300
includes one or more configuration states for applications,
profiles, documents, data or any combinations thereof. The device
configuration templates are also independent from (target) types of
the devices that are to be configured. Example target types for
device configuration templates include, but are not limited to, a
TV box template, a tablet device template, a combination template
for tablet, phone and music player devices, a combination template
for tablet and phone devices, and a generic template for all
devices. In some embodiments, a configuration template includes a
set of user-specified rules that are independent from the type of
devices associated with the configuration template. The device
configuration application then translates these device-type
independent rules into the corresponding configuration state for
each device that is to be configured before changing the
configuration state of such device. Device-type independent rules
have the advantage that the user does not need to specify separate
set of configuration rules for each device for which the
configuration state is changed.
[0211] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the device
configuration application allows for displaying an information
window 1400 for each configuration template 1300. In some
embodiments, the information window 1400 includes an indicator icon
1402 of the target devices of the configuration template 1300. In
some embodiments, the information window 1400 includes a target
selection option 1404 for selecting particular target device. In
some embodiments, the target selection option 1404 includes a
pull-down menu. For example, target type options include, but are
not limited to, a TV box, a tablet device, a combination of tablet,
phone and music player devices, a combination of tablet and phone
devices, and all devices. In some embodiments, the information
window 1400 includes a name of the configuration template 1406, the
storage requirements 1408 for configuring devices, setup
information 1410, and device information 1412. In some embodiments,
the setup information 1410 includes "supervised by" information,
"pairing allowed" information, "setup assistant" information, and
the like. In some embodiments, the device information 1412 includes
the device names and a list of tags. The list of tags indicates
that only devices associated with the listed tags are configurable
by the configuration template.
4. Lock Screens and QR Codes
[0212] FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method 1500 for
changing the appearance of the user interface of a plurality of
device that facilitates future configuration of the devices,
according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the method
allows a user of the device configuration application to
personalize the lock screen and/or home screen of devices so that
the personalized devices can be identified in an efficient manner
for later configuration of the devices. Besides personalizing the
wallpapers of both screens, in some embodiments, the lock screen of
a personalized device displays a device-identifying text string or
device identifier. In some embodiments, the lock screen displays a
barcode or a Quick Response (QR) code, which encodes the
device-identifying text string. As illustrated in FIG. 16, a user
is able to create a device-identifying text string through an
identification window 1600 displayed as part of the user interface
600 of the device configuration application. The identification
window 1600 includes the name of the device 1602, for which the
device identifier is created. In some embodiments, the
identification window includes an option to generate a QR code 1604
of the device identifier. In some embodiments, the identification
window 1600 includes an "Add Identifier" option 1606. This "Add
Identifier" option 1606 allows appending different component
identifiers 1608 to the device identifier. Each component
identifier 1608 represents a different property of a device, which
includes, for example, device location, device type, device
capacity, device number, and the like. For each component
identifier 1608, the user is able to specify a text substring 1608
representative of the property of the device, for which the device
identifier is generated. Examples for component identifiers, as
illustrated in FIG. 16, include "Home" 1610a, "Tablet" 1610b, "16
GB" 1610c, and "3009" 1610d. In this example, the generated
device-identifying string or device identifier reads
"Home/Tablet/16 GB/3009" 1700, as illustrated in FIG. 17. In some
embodiments, the device configuration application provides options
for the text substrings for each component identifier based on the
configuration states of device that are known to the device
configuration application. A known device includes a device, from
which the device configuration application has received its
configuration state.
[0213] The method 1500 is performed at an electronic device with a
display and an input device, such as the portable multifunction
device 100 shown in FIG. 1A or device 300 shown in FIG. 3, as may
be controlled by specially programmed code (computer programming
instructions) contained in the graphics module 132, wherein such
specially programmed code is not natively present in the device
300. Other embodiments of the electronic device include
general-purpose computers, e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop
computer, computing servers, or any similar computing devices. Some
embodiments of the method 1500 may include fewer, additional, or
different steps than those shown in FIG. 9, and the steps may be
performed in different orders. The steps of the method 1500 are
described with respect to example user interfaces illustrated in
FIGS. 16, and 17.
[0214] Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the electronic device 100,
while the electronic device is connected to a plurality of other
devices that include a first device and a second device, receives
1502 a request to change an appearance of the lock screen of the
plurality of devices. The request specifies a format for displaying
information on the lock screens of the plurality of devices. In
some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 16, the displayed
information represents a device identifier, and the format of
device identifier is a text string. In some embodiments, the
request specifies the format to include a QR code of the text
string. In response to receiving 1502 the request, the electronic
device updates 1504 the lock screen of the first device to contain
a lock screen image that includes first information in the format
specified in the request.
[0215] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the updated
lock screen image displays a device-identifying text string 1700
and/or a QR code 1702 encoding the device-identifying text string.
Furthermore, in response to receiving 1502 the request, the
electronic device updates 1506 the lock screen of the second device
to contain a lock screen image that includes second information in
the format specified in the request, wherein the second information
is different from the first information. For example, the
device-identifying text string for the first device with a device
number of "3009" is "Home/Tablet/16 GB/3009," while it is
"Home/Tablet/16 GB/3010" for a second device with number "3010."
Thus, in some embodiment, the format for displaying information on
the lock screens of selected devices includes a fixed text string
for inclusion on the first and second device. Both device
identifiers are different, including their QR codes. The advantage
of using different device identifiers is to be able to distinguish
between individual devices. Having device identifiers that
partially match, as "Home/Tablet/16 GB" is common to both
identifiers of the previous example, allows for grouping devices
into various categories based on partially matching their device
identifiers. This allows for easy cataloging and tracking of
devices without requiring designated hardware to perform these
tasks.
[0216] In some embodiments, the format for displaying information
on the lock screens of the devices includes representations of
variable data that are specific to the device on which the
information is displayed. In the above example, the variable data
includes different device numbers. In some embodiments, the
variable data includes one or more of: a serial number of the
device, a storage capacity of the device, an index value that is
incremented from the value for the previously configured device, a
location of the device, and a name of the device. In some
embodiments, the first information is displayed as a
machine-readable code on the lock screen of the first device and
the second information is displayed as a machine-readable code on
the lock screen of the second device. In some embodiments,
machine-readable code includes a QR code, a barcode and the
like.
[0217] In some embodiments, as described above, the first
information is displayed as text on the lock screen of the first
device and the second information is displayed as text on the lock
screen of the second device. In some embodiments, the request to
change an appearance of the lock screen of selected devices
includes receiving selection of an image to include on the devices.
For example, the request includes changing the background wallpaper
of the lock screen and/or Home screen of the selected devices.
[0218] In some embodiments, the first device has a first form
factor (e.g., a smartphone) and the second device has a second form
factor (e.g., a tablet). For these embodiments, the request to
change an appearance of the lock screen of device includes
receiving instructions for positioning the image on the lock screen
on devices with the first form factor and different instructions
for positioning the image on the lock screen of devices with the
second form factor. In some embodiments, receiving the request to
change an appearance of the lock screen of the devices includes
receiving selection of an option to display the device information
as a machine-readable code.
[0219] The disclosure herein has been described in particular
detail with respect to some embodiments. Those of skill in the art
will appreciate that other embodiments optionally are practiced.
First, the particular naming of the components and variables,
capitalization of terms, the attributes, data structures, or any
other programming or structural aspect is not mandatory or
significant, and the mechanisms that implement the invention or its
features may have different names, formats, or protocols. Also, the
particular division of functionality between the various system
components described herein is merely exemplary, and not mandatory;
functions performed by a single system component optionally are
instead performed by multiple components, and functions performed
by multiple components optionally are instead performed by a single
component.
[0220] Some portions of above description present features in terms
of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on
information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are
the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most
effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in
the art. These operations, while described functionally or
logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs.
Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to
these arrangements of operations as modules or by functional names,
without loss of generality.
[0221] Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the
above discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the
description, discussions utilizing terms such as "determining" or
"displaying" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a
computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that
manipulates and transforms data represented as physical
(electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or
registers or other such information storage, transmission or
display devices.
[0222] Certain aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein include
process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an
algorithm. It should be noted that the process steps and
instructions could be embodied in software, firmware or hardware,
and when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and
be operated from different platforms used by real time network
operating systems.
[0223] The algorithms and operations presented herein are not
inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus.
Various general-purpose systems optionally are also used with
programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove
convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the
required method steps. The required structure for a variety of
these systems will be apparent to those of skill in the art, along
with equivalent variations. In addition, the present invention is
not described with reference to any particular programming
language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages
optionally are used to implement the teachings of the present
invention as described herein, and any references to specific
languages are provided for invention of enablement and best mode of
the present invention.
[0224] The embodiments disclosed herein are well suited to a wide
variety of computer network systems over numerous topologies.
Within this field, the configuration and management of large
networks includes storage devices and computers that are
communicatively coupled to dissimilar computers and storage devices
over a network, such as the Internet.
[0225] Finally, it should be noted that the language used in the
specification has been principally selected for readability and
instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate
or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Accordingly, the
disclosure herein is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting,
of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following
claims.
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