U.S. patent application number 16/259771 was filed with the patent office on 2019-05-23 for avatar creation and editing.
The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Guillaume BARLIER, Sebastian BAUER, Aurelio GUZMAN, Behkish J. MANZARI, Nicole R. RYAN, Nicolas SCAPEL, Marco TRIVERIO, Christopher WILSON, Giancarlo YERKES.
Application Number | 20190158735 16/259771 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61685897 |
Filed Date | 2019-05-23 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190158735 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WILSON; Christopher ; et
al. |
May 23, 2019 |
AVATAR CREATION AND EDITING
Abstract
The present disclosure generally relates to creating and editing
user avatars. In some examples, guidance is provided to a user
while capturing image data for use in generating a user-specific
avatar. In some examples, a user interface allows a user to
intuitively customize a user avatar. In some examples, avatars are
generated for a messaging session based on an avatar model for a
user of the messaging application. In some examples, an avatar
editing interface updates a user avatar in response to gestures and
based on the type of gesture and the avatar feature that is
selected for editing.
Inventors: |
WILSON; Christopher; (San
Francisco, CA) ; BARLIER; Guillaume; (San Mateo,
CA) ; BAUER; Sebastian; (San Francisco, CA) ;
GUZMAN; Aurelio; (San Jose, CA) ; MANZARI; Behkish
J.; (San Francisco, CA) ; RYAN; Nicole R.;
(San Francisco, CA) ; SCAPEL; Nicolas; (Sunnyvale,
CA) ; TRIVERIO; Marco; (San Francisco, CA) ;
YERKES; Giancarlo; (Menlo Park, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
61685897 |
Appl. No.: |
16/259771 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15713490 |
Sep 22, 2017 |
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16259771 |
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62399294 |
Sep 23, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/04845 20130101;
H04N 5/23219 20130101; G06T 7/20 20130101; G06T 7/70 20170101; G06T
13/40 20130101; G06K 9/00268 20130101; G06T 19/20 20130101; G06F
3/0488 20130101; H04N 5/232933 20180801; G06T 2207/30196 20130101;
G06T 2207/30244 20130101; H04N 5/23293 20130101; H04N 5/23216
20130101; G06F 3/048 20130101; H04N 5/23222 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/232 20060101
H04N005/232; G06F 3/0488 20060101 G06F003/0488; G06T 7/20 20060101
G06T007/20; G06F 3/048 20060101 G06F003/048; G06T 7/70 20060101
G06T007/70; G06F 3/0484 20060101 G06F003/0484 |
Claims
1. An electronic device, comprising: one or more cameras; a
display; one or more processors; and memory storing one or more
programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors,
the one or more programs including instructions for: displaying a
first user interface that includes instructions for capturing image
data of a face of a user of the electronic device, wherein the
first user interface includes a representation of a face in a
respective region of the display; while displaying the first user
interface, detecting the occurrence of a condition that corresponds
to initiation of capturing image data of a user of the electronic
device; in response to detecting the occurrence of the condition
that corresponds to initiation of capturing image data of a user of
the electronic device, displaying on the display a second user
interface that includes: a representation of a face of the user
that is based on image data of the face of the user captured by the
one or more cameras of the electronic device, wherein the
representation of the face of the user is displayed within the
respective region of the display; and a progress indicator
surrounding the representation of the face of the user; and while
displaying the representation of the face of the user and the
progress indicator, detecting movement of the face of the user and
updating the representation of the face of the user based on the
image data of the face of the user captured by the one or more
cameras of the electronic device and indicating the amount of image
data capture with the progress indicator.
2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein detecting the
occurrence of the condition that corresponds to initiation of
capturing image data of the user occurs during a setup process for
the electronic device.
3. The electronic device of claim 1, the one or more programs
further including instructions for: prior to detecting the
occurrence of the condition that corresponds to initiation of
capturing image data of the face of the user, detecting successful
authentication of the user, wherein the successful authentication
of the user enables the electronic device to detect the occurrence
of the condition that corresponds to initiation of capturing image
data of the face of the user.
4. The electronic device of claim 1, the one or more programs
further including instructions for: after detecting the occurrence
of the condition that corresponds to initiating the capturing of
the image data of the user, updating the second user interface to
display a user interface for aligning the face of the user.
5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the user interface for
aligning the face of the user includes instructions for centering
the face of the user within the respective region of the
display.
6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the user interface for
aligning the face of the user includes instructions for adjusting a
distance of the face of the user with respect to the one or more
cameras of the electronic device.
7. The electronic device of claim 1, the one or more programs
further including instructions for: capturing image data of the
face of the user; and in accordance with a determination that the
image data of the face of the user fails to meet a lighting
criteria, displaying instructions for the user to change lighting
for the field of view of the one or more cameras.
8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the condition that
corresponds to initiation of capturing image data of the user of
the electronic device includes a tap input on the display of the
electronic device.
9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein capturing image data
of the user includes capturing depth data.
10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein capturing image data
of the user includes capturing visual data.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one
or more programs configured to be executed by one or more
processors of an electronic device with a display and one or more
cameras, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying a first user interface that includes instructions for
capturing image data of a face of a user of the electronic device,
wherein the first user interface includes a representation of a
face in a respective region of the display; while displaying the
first user interface, detecting the occurrence of a condition that
corresponds to initiation of capturing image data of a user of the
electronic device; in response to detecting the occurrence of the
condition that corresponds to initiation of capturing image data of
a user of the electronic device, displaying on the display a second
user interface that includes: a representation of a face of the
user that is based on image data of the face of the user captured
by the one or more cameras of the electronic device, wherein the
representation of the face of the user is displayed within the
respective region of the display; and a progress indicator
surrounding the representation of the face of the user; and while
displaying the representation of the face of the user and the
progress indicator, detecting movement of the face of the user and
updating the representation of the face of the user based on the
image data of the face of the user captured by the one or more
cameras of the electronic device and indicating the amount of image
data capture with the progress indicator.
12. A method, comprising: at an electronic device with one or more
cameras and a display: displaying a first user interface that
includes instructions for capturing image data of a face of a user
of the electronic device, wherein the first user interface includes
a representation of a face in a respective region of the display;
while displaying the first user interface, detecting the occurrence
of a condition that corresponds to initiation of capturing image
data of a user of the electronic device; in response to detecting
the occurrence of the condition that corresponds to initiation of
capturing image data of a user of the electronic device, displaying
on the display a second user interface that includes: a
representation of a face of the user that is based on image data of
the face of the user captured by the one or more cameras of the
electronic device, wherein the representation of the face of the
user is displayed within the respective region of the display; and
a progress indicator surrounding the representation of the face of
the user; and while displaying the representation of the face of
the user and the progress indicator, detecting movement of the face
of the user and updating the representation of the face of the user
based on the image data of the face of the user captured by the one
or more cameras of the electronic device and indicating the amount
of image data capture with the progress indicator.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/713,490, entitled "AVATAR CREATION AND
EDITING", filed Sep. 22, 2017, which claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application 62/399,294, entitled "AVATAR
CREATION AND EDITING", filed Sep. 23, 2016, the content of which
are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to computer user
interfaces, and more specifically to techniques for avatar creation
and editing.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Avatars are used to represent the users of electronic
devices. The avatars can represent the appearance of a user or can
represent an idealized or completely fictional representation of
the user. Avatars can then be associated with a user so that the
appearance of the avatar to others indicates triggers an
association or link with the user.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0004] Some techniques for avatar creation and editing using
electronic devices, however, are generally cumbersome and
inefficient. For example, some existing techniques use a complex
and time-consuming user interface, which may include multiple key
presses or keystrokes. Existing techniques require more time than
necessary, wasting user time and device energy. This latter
consideration is particularly important in battery-operated
devices.
[0005] Accordingly, the present technique provides electronic
devices with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for
avatar creation and editing. Such methods and interfaces optionally
complement or replace other methods for avatar creation and
editing. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitive burden on
a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface. For
battery-operated computing devices, such methods and interfaces
conserve power and increase the time between battery charges.
[0006] In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device with
a display and one or more cameras displays displaying a placeholder
avatar on the display, wherein the display of the placeholder
avatar is based on a first position of a user with respect to a
field of view of the one or more cameras of the electronic device.
While displaying the placeholder avatar, the electronic device
detects movement of the user to a second position with respect to
the field of view of the one or more cameras. In response to
detecting the movement of the user to the second position with
respect to the field of view of the one or more cameras, the
electronic device, in accordance with a determination that the
second position of the user with respect to the field of view of
the one or more cameras meets the first set of image criteria,
captures first image data of the user with the one or more cameras;
and in accordance with a determination that the second position of
the user with respect to the field of view of the one or more
cameras does not meet the first set of image criteria and while
continuing to display the placeholder avatar, provides first
guidance to the user to change position with respect to the
electronic device to a first target position.
[0007] An embodiment of a transitory computer readable storage
medium stores one or more programs, the one or more programs
comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more
processors of an electronic device with a display and one or more
cameras, cause the device to display a placeholder avatar on the
display, wherein the display of the placeholder avatar is based on
a first position of a user with respect to a field of view of the
one or more cameras of the electronic device; while displaying the
placeholder avatar, detect movement of the user to a second
position with respect to the field of view of the one or more
cameras; in response to detecting the movement of the user to the
second position with respect to the field of view of the one or
more cameras: in accordance with a determination that the second
position of the user with respect to the field of view of the one
or more cameras meets the first set of image criteria, capture
first image data of the user with the one or more cameras; and in
accordance with a determination that the second position of the
user with respect to the field of view of the one or more cameras
does not meet the first set of image criteria and while continuing
to display the placeholder avatar, provide first guidance to the
user to change position with respect to the electronic device to a
first target position.
[0008] In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device with
a display and one or more input devices displays an avatar editing
user interface that includes concurrently display, on the display,
of an avatar having a plurality of editable features; a
feature-selection control region that includes representations of a
plurality of avatar features, including a first avatar feature that
is currently selected for modification and a second avatar feature
that is not currently selected for modification; and a
feature-option control region that includes representations of a
plurality of options for the first avatar feature for selection
including a first option for the first avatar feature that is
currently selected and a second option for the first avatar feature
that is not currently selected; while displaying the avatar editing
user interface, detecting an input in the avatar editing user
interface; and in response to detecting the input: in accordance
with a determination that the input corresponds to selection of the
second avatar feature in the feature-selection control region:
updating the feature-selection control region to indicate that the
second avatar feature is currently selected; and updating the
feature-option control region to include representations of a
plurality of options for the second avatar feature for selection
including a first option for the second avatar feature that is
currently selected and a second option for the second avatar
feature that is not currently selected; in accordance with a
determination that the input corresponds to selection of the second
option for the first avatar feature in the feature-option control
region: updating the feature-option control region to indicate that
the second option for the first avatar feature is currently
selected; and updating the avatar to change the appearance of the
first avatar feature in accordance with the second option for the
first avatar feature.
[0009] An embodiment of a transitory computer readable storage
medium stores one or more programs, the one or more programs
comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more
processors of an electronic device with a display and one or more
input devices, cause the device to display an avatar editing user
interface that includes concurrently displaying, on the display: an
avatar having a plurality of editable features; a feature-selection
control region that includes representations of a plurality of
avatar features, including a first avatar feature that is currently
selected for modification and a second avatar feature that is not
currently selected for modification; a feature-option control
region that includes representations of a plurality of options for
the first avatar feature for selection including a first option for
the first avatar feature that is currently selected and a second
option for the first avatar feature that is not currently selected;
while displaying the avatar editing user interface, detect an input
in the avatar editing user interface; and in response to detecting
the input: in accordance with a determination that the input
corresponds to selection of the second avatar feature in the
feature-selection control region: update the feature-selection
control region to indicate that the second avatar feature is
currently selected; and update the feature-option control region to
include representations of a plurality of options for the second
avatar feature for selection including a first option for the
second avatar feature that is currently selected and a second
option for the second avatar feature that is not currently
selected; in accordance with a determination that the input
corresponds to selection of the second option for the first avatar
feature in the feature-option control region: update the
feature-option control region to indicate that the second option
for the first avatar feature is currently selected; and update the
avatar to change the appearance of the first avatar feature in
accordance with the second option for the first avatar feature.
[0010] In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device with
a display and one or more input devices displays a messaging
interface for a messaging application for transmitting messages
between a first user of the device and other users, wherein the
first user is represented in the messaging application by an avatar
of the user that distinguishes the first user of the device from
other users; while displaying the messaging user interface,
receives a first request to display a sticker user interface for
selecting stickers to send to a second user; in response to the
first request to display the sticker user interface, displays a
sticker user interface that includes a first plurality of avatar
stickers generated based on the avatar of the user, including
concurrently displaying, on the display: a first avatar sticker
generated based on a modification of the avatar that represents the
user, and a second avatar sticker generated based on a modification
of the avatar that represents the user and is different from the
first avatar sticker; while displaying the plurality affordance for
the avatar selection interface on the display, detects, via the one
or more input devices, a sequence of one or more inputs that
corresponds to a request to send a respective avatar sticker from
the first user to the second user via the messaging application;
and in response to detecting the sequence of one or more inputs: in
accordance with a determination that the sequence of one or more
inputs corresponds to selection of the first avatar sticker, sends
the first avatar sticker to the second user from the first user to
the second user via the messaging application; and in accordance
with a determination that the sequence of one or more inputs
corresponds to selection of the second avatar sticker, sends the
second avatar sticker from the first user to the second user via
the messaging application.
[0011] An embodiment of a transitory computer readable storage
medium stores one or more programs, the one or more programs
comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more
processors of an electronic device with a display and one or more
input devices, cause the device to display a messaging interface
for a messaging application for transmitting messages between a
first user of the device and other users, wherein the first user is
represented in the messaging application by an avatar of the user
that distinguishes the first user of the device from other users;
while displaying the messaging user interface, receive a first
request to display a sticker user interface for selecting stickers
to send to a second user; in response to the first request to
display the sticker user interface, display a sticker user
interface that includes a first plurality of avatar stickers
generated based on the avatar of the user, including concurrently
displaying, on the display: a first avatar sticker generated based
on a modification of the avatar that represents the user, and a
second avatar sticker generated based on a modification of the
avatar that represents the user and is different from the first
avatar sticker; while displaying the plurality affordance for the
avatar selection interface on the display, detect, via the one or
more input devices, a sequence of one or more inputs that
corresponds to a request to send a respective avatar sticker from
the first user to the second user via the messaging application;
and in response to detecting the sequence of one or more inputs: in
accordance with a determination that the sequence of one or more
inputs corresponds to selection of the first avatar sticker, send
the first avatar sticker to the second user from the first user to
the second user via the messaging application; and in accordance
with a determination that the sequence of one or more inputs
corresponds to selection of the second avatar sticker, send the
second avatar sticker from the first user to the second user via
the messaging application.
[0012] In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device with
a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays, on the display,
an avatar editing interface including an avatar having a plurality
of editable features; while a respective feature of the plurality
of editable features is a currently selected feature, detects, on
the touch-sensitive surface a first gesture that includes movement
of one or more contacts on the touch-sensitive surface; in response
to detecting the first gesture: in accordance with a determination
that the first gesture is a first type of gesture and that the
respective feature is a first feature, updates the display of the
avatar by modifying a first characteristic of the first feature,
wherein the first characteristic of the first feature is associated
with the first gesture type; and in accordance with a determination
that the first gesture is a second type of gesture that is
different from the first type of gesture and that the respective
feature is the first feature, updates the display of the avatar by
modifying a second characteristic of the first feature that is
different from the first characteristic of the first feature,
wherein the second characteristic of the first feature is
associated with the second gesture type.
[0013] A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing
one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising
instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an
electronic device with a display and one or more input devices,
cause the device to: display, on the display, an avatar editing
interface including an avatar having a plurality of editable
features, while a respective feature of the plurality of editable
features is a currently selected feature, detect, on the
touch-sensitive surface a first gesture that includes movement of
one or more contacts on the touch-sensitive surface; in response to
detecting the first gesture: in accordance with a determination
that the first gesture is a first type of gesture and that the
respective feature is a first feature, update the display of the
avatar by modifying a first characteristic of the first feature,
wherein the first characteristic of the first feature is associated
with the first gesture type; and in accordance with a determination
that the first gesture is a second type of gesture that is
different from the first type of gesture and that the respective
feature is the first feature, update the display of the avatar by
modifying a second characteristic of the first feature that is
different from the first characteristic of the first feature,
wherein the second characteristic of the first feature is
associated with the second gesture type.
[0014] Executable instructions for performing these functions are,
optionally, included in a non-transitory computer-readable storage
medium or other computer program product configured for execution
by one or more processors. Executable instructions for performing
these functions are, optionally, included in a transitory
computer-readable storage medium or other computer program product
configured for execution by one or more processors.
[0015] Thus, devices are provided with faster, more efficient
methods and interfaces for avatar creation and editing, thereby
increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction
with such devices. Such methods and interfaces may complement or
replace other methods for avatar creation and editing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0016] 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.
[0017] FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a portable
multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display in accordance
with some embodiments.
[0018] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components
for event handling in accordance with some embodiments.
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device having a
touch screen in accordance with some embodiments.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction
device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance
with some embodiments.
[0021] FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu
of applications on a portable multifunction device in accordance
with some embodiments.
[0022] 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.
[0023] FIG. 5A illustrates a personal electronic device in
accordance with some embodiments.
[0024] FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating a personal
electronic device in accordance with some embodiments.
[0025] FIGS. 6A-6M illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
creating user avatars.
[0026] FIGS. 7A-7B is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
creating user avatars.
[0027] FIG. 8 shows an exemplary functional block diagram of an
electronic device.
[0028] FIGS. 9A-9H illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
customizing a user avatar.
[0029] FIGS. 10A-10B is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
customizing a user avatar.
[0030] FIG. 11 shows an exemplary functional block diagram of an
electronic device.
[0031] FIGS. 12A-12J illustrate exemplary user interfaces for using
avatar stickers in messages.
[0032] FIGS. 13A-13B is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
using avatar stickers in messages.
[0033] FIG. 14 shows an exemplary functional block diagram of an
electronic device.
[0034] FIGS. 15A-15F illustrate exemplary user interfaces for using
gestures to edit an avatar.
[0035] FIGS. 16A-16B is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
using gestures to edit an avatar.
[0036] FIG. 17 shows an exemplary functional block diagram of an
electronic device.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0037] The following description sets forth exemplary methods,
parameters, and the like. It should be recognized, however, that
such description is not intended as a limitation on the scope of
the present disclosure but is instead provided as a description of
exemplary embodiments.
[0038] There is a need for electronic devices that provide
efficient methods and interfaces for avatar creation and editing.
For example, while programs already exist for creating and editing
avatars, these programs are inefficient and difficult to use
compared to the techniques below, which allow a user to create and
edit avatars to be as realistic or unrealistic as necessary. Such
techniques can reduce the cognitive burden on a user who creates
and edits an avatar, thereby enhancing productivity. Further, such
techniques can reduce processor and battery power otherwise wasted
on redundant user inputs.
[0039] Below, FIGS. 1A-1B, 2, 3, 4A-4B, and 5A-5H provide a
description of exemplary devices for performing the techniques for
creating and editing avatars.
[0040] FIGS. 6A-6M illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
creating a user avatar. FIGS. 7A-7B is a flow diagram illustrating
methods of creating a user avatar in accordance with some
embodiments. The user interfaces in FIGS. 6A-6M are used to
illustrate the processes described below, including the processes
in FIGS. 7A-7B.
[0041] FIGS. 9A-9H illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
customizing a user avatar. FIGS. 10A-10B is a flow diagram
illustrating methods of accessing for customizing a user avatar in
accordance with some embodiments. The user interfaces in FIGS.
8A-8D are used to illustrate the processes described below,
including the processes in FIGS. 10A-10B.
[0042] FIGS. 12A-12J illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
creating and using avatar stickers with messages. FIGS. 13A-13B is
a flow diagram illustrating methods of accessing for creating and
using avatar stickers with messages in accordance with some
embodiments. The user interfaces in FIGS. 12A-12J are used to
illustrate the processes described below, including the processes
in FIGS. 13A-13B.
[0043] FIGS. 15A-15F illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
editing an avatar using gestures. FIGS. 16A-16B is a flow diagram
illustrating methods of accessing for editing an avatar using
gestures in accordance with some embodiments. The user interfaces
in FIGS. 15A-15F are used to illustrate the processes described
below, including the processes in FIGS. 16A-16B.
[0044] Although the following description uses terms "first,"
"second," etc. to describe various elements, these elements should
not be limited by the terms. These terms are only used to
distinguish one element from another. For example, a first touch
could be termed a second touch, and, similarly, a second touch
could be termed a first touch, without departing from the scope of
the various described embodiments. The first touch and the second
touch are both touches, but they are not the same touch.
[0045] 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.
[0046] 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.
[0047] 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
touchpads), 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
touchpad).
[0048] 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.
[0049] 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.
[0050] 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.
[0051] 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
display system 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
(CPUs) 120, peripherals interface 118, RF circuitry 108, audio
circuitry 110, speaker 111, microphone 113, input/output (I/O)
subsystem 106, other input control devices 116, and external port
124. Device 100 optionally includes one or more optical sensors
164. Device 100 optionally includes one or more contact 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.
[0052] 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).
Using the intensity of a contact as an attribute of a user input
allows for user access to additional device functionality that may
otherwise not be accessible by the user on a reduced-size device
with limited real estate for displaying affordances (e.g., on a
touch-sensitive display) and/or receiving user input (e.g., via a
touch-sensitive display, a touch-sensitive surface, or a
physical/mechanical control such as a knob or a button).
[0053] 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.
[0054] 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.
[0055] 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. Memory controller
122 optionally controls access to memory 102 by other components of
device 100.
[0056] 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
other embodiments, they are, optionally, implemented on separate
chips.
[0057] 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 RF
circuitry 108 optionally includes well-known circuitry for
detecting near field communication (NFC) fields, such as by a
short-range communication radio. 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, Bluetooth
Low Energy (BTLE), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a,
IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, and/or IEEE 802.11ac),
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.
[0058] 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).
[0059] 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 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 alternate embodiments, input
controller(s) 160 are, optionally, coupled to any (or none) of the
following: a keyboard, an infrared port, a 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).
[0060] A quick press of the push button optionally disengages a
lock of touch screen 112 or optionally begins a process that uses
gestures on the touch screen to unlock the device, as described in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/322,549, "Unlocking a Device by
Performing Gestures on an Unlock Image," filed Dec. 23, 2005, U.S.
Pat. No. 7,657,849, which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety. A longer press of the push button (e.g., 206)
optionally turns power to device 100 on or off. The functionality
of one or more of the buttons are, optionally, user-customizable.
Touch screen 112 is used to implement virtual or soft buttons and
one or more soft keyboards.
[0061] 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
optionally corresponds to user-interface objects.
[0062] 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 convert 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 an exemplary embodiment, a point of contact between
touch screen 112 and the user corresponds to a finger of the
user.
[0063] 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 other 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 an exemplary embodiment,
projected mutual capacitance sensing technology is used, such as
that found in the iPhone.RTM. and iPod Touch.RTM. from Apple Inc.
of Cupertino, Calif.
[0064] A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch
screen 112 is, optionally, analogous to the multi-touch sensitive
touchpads described in the following U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,846
(Westerman et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,557 (Westerman et al.),
and/or U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,932 (Westerman), and/or U.S. Patent
Publication 2002/0015024A1, each of which is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety. However, touch screen 112 displays
visual output from device 100, whereas touch-sensitive touchpads do
not provide visual output.
[0065] A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch
screen 112 is described in the following applications: (1) U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/381,313, "Multipoint Touch Surface
Controller," filed May 2, 2006; (2) U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 10/840,862, "Multipoint Touchscreen," filed May 6, 2004; (3)
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/903,964, "Gestures For Touch
Sensitive Input Devices," filed Jul. 30, 2004; (4) U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/048,264, "Gestures For Touch Sensitive
Input Devices," filed Jan. 31, 2005; (5) U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 11/038,590, "Mode-Based Graphical User Interfaces For
Touch Sensitive Input Devices," filed Jan. 18, 2005; (6) U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/228,758, "Virtual Input Device
Placement On A Touch Screen User Interface," filed Sep. 16, 2005;
(7) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,700, "Operation Of A
Computer With A Touch Screen Interface," filed Sep. 16, 2005; (8)
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,737, "Activating Virtual
Keys Of A Touch-Screen Virtual Keyboard," filed Sep. 16, 2005; and
(9) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,749, "Multi-Functional
Hand-Held Device," filed Mar. 3, 2006. All of these applications
are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
[0066] 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 than
stylus-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.
[0067] In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, device
100 optionally includes a touchpad (not shown) 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.
[0068] 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.
[0069] 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 lenses, 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, an optical sensor is located on the front of the
device so that the user's image is, optionally, obtained for video
conferencing while the user views the other video conference
participants on the touch screen display. In some embodiments, the
position of optical sensor 164 can be changed by the user (e.g., by
rotating the lens and the sensor in the device housing) so that a
single optical sensor 164 is used along with the touch screen
display for both video conferencing and still and/or video image
acquisition.
[0070] 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 100,
opposite touch screen display 112, which is located on the front of
device 100.
[0071] 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,
optionally, coupled to input controller 160 in I/O subsystem 106.
Proximity sensor 166 optionally performs as described in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/241,839, "Proximity Detector In
Handheld Device"; Ser. No. 11/240,788, "Proximity Detector In
Handheld Device"; Ser. No. 11/620,702, "Using Ambient Light Sensor
To Augment Proximity Sensor Output"; Ser. No. 11/586,862,
"Automated Response To And Sensing Of User Activity In Portable
Devices"; and Ser. No. 11/638,251, "Methods And Systems For
Automatic Configuration Of Peripherals," which are hereby
incorporated by reference in their entirety. 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).
[0072] 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.
[0073] 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. Accelerometer 168 optionally performs as described in U.S.
Patent Publication No. 20050190059, "Acceleration-based Theft
Detection System for Portable Electronic Devices," and U.S. Patent
Publication No. 20060017692, "Methods And Apparatuses For Operating
A Portable Device Based On An Accelerometer," both of which are
incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 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 (not
shown) and a GPS (or GLONASS or other global navigation system)
receiver (not shown) for obtaining information concerning the
location and orientation (e.g., portrait or landscape) of device
100.
[0074] 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 (FIG. 1A) or 370 (FIG. 3) 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.
[0075] Operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X,
iOS, 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.
[0076] 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.RTM. (trademark of Apple Inc.) devices.
[0077] 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.
[0078] 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
threshold 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).
[0079] 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 finger tap gesture includes detecting a
finger-down event followed by detecting a finger-up (liftoff) 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 (liftoff) event.
[0080] 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.
[0081] 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.
[0082] 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.
[0083] 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).
[0084] 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).
[0085] Applications 136 optionally include the following modules
(or sets of instructions), or a subset or superset thereof: [0086]
Contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or contact
list); [0087] Telephone module 138; [0088] Video conference module
139; [0089] E-mail client module 140; [0090] Instant messaging (IM)
module 141; [0091] Workout support module 142; [0092] Camera module
143 for still and/or video images; [0093] Image management module
144; [0094] Video player module; [0095] Music player module; [0096]
Browser module 147; [0097] Calendar module 148; [0098] 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; [0099]
Widget creator module 150 for making user-created widgets 149-6;
[0100] Search module 151; [0101] Video and music player module 152,
which merges video player module and music player module; [0102]
Notes module 153; [0103] Map module 154; and/or [0104] Online video
module 155.
[0105] 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.
[0106] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact/motion 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), e-mail
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 module
139, e-mail 140, or IM 141; and so forth.
[0107] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110,
speaker 111, microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact/motion 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 contacts module 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.
[0108] 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/motion module 130, graphics module 132, text input module
134, contacts module 137, and telephone module 138, video
conference 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.
[0109] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion 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.
[0110] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion 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 an 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).
[0111] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module
132, text input module 134, GPS module 135, map module 154, and
music player module, 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.
[0112] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, optical sensor(s) 164, optical sensor controller 158,
contact/motion 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.
[0113] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact/motion 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.
[0114] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion 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.
[0115] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion 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.
[0116] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion 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).
[0117] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion 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).
[0118] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact/motion 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.
[0119] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact/motion 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.).
[0120] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact/motion 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.
[0121] In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112,
display controller 156, contact/motion 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.
[0122] In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller
156, contact/motion 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. Additional description of the
online video application can be found in U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/936,562, "Portable Multifunction Device, Method,
and Graphical User Interface for Playing Online Videos," filed Jun.
20, 2007, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/968,067,
"Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User
Interface for Playing Online Videos," filed Dec. 31, 2007, the
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
[0123] Each of the above-identified modules and applications
corresponds 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
(e.g., 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 rearranged
in various embodiments. For example, video player module is,
optionally, combined with music player module into a single module
(e.g., video and music player module 152, FIG. 1A). 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.
[0124] 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.
[0125] 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 such embodiments, a "menu button" is implemented
using a touchpad. In some other embodiments, the menu button is a
physical push button or other physical input control device instead
of a touchpad.
[0126] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components
for event handling in accordance with some embodiments. In some
embodiments, memory 102 (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
137-151, 155, 380-390).
[0127] 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.
[0128] 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.
[0129] 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.
[0130] 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 other
embodiments, peripherals 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).
[0131] In some embodiments, event sorter 170 also includes a hit
view determination module 172 and/or an active event recognizer
determination module 173.
[0132] 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.
[0133] 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.
[0134] 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 (e.g., 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 172, 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.
[0135] 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
other 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 other 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.
[0136] Event dispatcher module 174 dispatches the event information
to an event recognizer (e.g., event recognizer 180). In 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 182.
[0137] In some embodiments, operating system 126 includes event
sorter 170. Alternatively, application 136-1 includes event sorter
170. In yet other 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.
[0138] 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 other
embodiments, one or more of event recognizers 180 are part of a
separate module, such as a user interface kit (not shown) 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 include 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.
[0139] 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).
[0140] 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.
[0141] 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
liftoff (touch end) for a predetermined phase, a second touch
(touch begin) on the displayed object for a predetermined phase,
and a second liftoff (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
liftoff of the touch (touch end). In some embodiments, the event
also includes information for one or more associated event handlers
190.
[0142] 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.
[0143] 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.
[0144] 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.
[0145] 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.
[0146] 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.
[0147] 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.
[0148] 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. In some embodiments,
object updater 177 creates and updates objects used in application
136-1. For example, object updater 177 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.
[0149] 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 other embodiments,
they are included in two or more software modules.
[0150] 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 touchpads; 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.
[0151] 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 this embodiment, 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.
[0152] Device 100 optionally also include 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. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the
menu button is implemented as a soft key in a GUI displayed on
touch screen 112.
[0153] 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, headset 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 an alternative 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.
[0154] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction
device with a display and 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 (CPUs) 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 typically 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, website
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.
[0155] Each of the above-identified elements in FIG. 3 is,
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 (e.g., 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 rearranged in
various 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.
[0156] Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user
interfaces that are, optionally, implemented on, for example,
portable multifunction device 100.
[0157] 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:
[0158] Signal strength indicator(s) 402 for wireless
communication(s), such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals; [0159] Time
404; [0160] Bluetooth indicator 405; [0161] Battery status
indicator 406; [0162] Tray 408 with icons for frequently used
applications, such as: [0163] Icon 416 for telephone module 138,
labeled "Phone," which optionally includes an indicator 414 of the
number of missed calls or voicemail messages; [0164] Icon 418 for
e-mail client module 140, labeled "Mail," which optionally includes
an indicator 410 of the number of unread e-mails; [0165] Icon 420
for browser module 147, labeled "Browser;" and [0166] Icon 422 for
video and music player module 152, also referred to as iPod
(trademark of Apple Inc.) module 152, labeled "iPod;" and [0167]
Icons for other applications, such as: [0168] Icon 424 for IM
module 141, labeled "Messages;" [0169] Icon 426 for calendar module
148, labeled "Calendar;" [0170] Icon 428 for image management
module 144, labeled "Photos;" [0171] Icon 430 for camera module
143, labeled "Camera;" [0172] Icon 432 for online video module 155,
labeled "Online Video;" [0173] Icon 434 for stocks widget 149-2,
labeled "Stocks;" [0174] Icon 436 for map module 154, labeled
"Maps;" [0175] Icon 438 for weather widget 149-1, labeled
"Weather;" [0176] Icon 440 for alarm clock widget 149-4, labeled
"Clock;" [0177] Icon 442 for workout support module 142, labeled
"Workout Support;" [0178] Icon 444 for notes module 153, labeled
"Notes;" and [0179] Icon 446 for a settings application or module,
labeled "Settings," which provides access to settings for device
100 and its various applications 136.
[0180] 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 is 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.
[0181] 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 359) for detecting intensity of contacts on
touch-sensitive surface 451 and/or one or more tactile output
generators 357 for generating tactile outputs for a user of device
300.
[0182] Although some of the examples that 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 these 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.
[0183] Additionally, while the following examples are given
primarily with reference to finger inputs (e.g., finger contacts,
finger 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.
[0184] FIG. 5A illustrates exemplary personal electronic device
500. Device 500 includes body 502. In some embodiments, device 500
can include some or all of the features described with respect to
devices 100 and 300 (e.g., FIGS. 1A-4B). In some embodiments,
device 500 has touch-sensitive display screen 504, hereafter touch
screen 504. Alternatively, or in addition to touch screen 504,
device 500 has a display and a touch-sensitive surface. As with
devices 100 and 300, in some embodiments, touch screen 504 (or the
touch-sensitive surface) optionally includes one or more intensity
sensors for detecting intensity of contacts (e.g., touches) being
applied. The one or more intensity sensors of touch screen 504 (or
the touch-sensitive surface) can provide output data that
represents the intensity of touches. The user interface of device
500 can respond to touches based on their intensity, meaning that
touches of different intensities can invoke different user
interface operations on device 500.
[0185] Exemplary techniques for detecting and processing touch
intensity are found, for example, in related applications:
International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2013/040061,
titled "Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Displaying
User Interface Objects Corresponding to an Application," filed May
8, 2013, published as WIPO Publication No. WO/2013/169849, and
International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2013/069483,
titled "Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for
Transitioning Between Touch Input to Display Output Relationships,"
filed Nov. 11, 2013, published as WIPO Publication No.
WO/2014/105276, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference
in their entirety.
[0186] In some embodiments, device 500 has one or more input
mechanisms 506 and 508. Input mechanisms 506 and 508, if included,
can be physical. Examples of physical input mechanisms include push
buttons and rotatable mechanisms. In some embodiments, device 500
has one or more attachment mechanisms. Such attachment mechanisms,
if included, can permit attachment of device 500 with, for example,
hats, eyewear, earrings, necklaces, shirts, jackets, bracelets,
watch straps, chains, trousers, belts, shoes, purses, backpacks,
and so forth. These attachment mechanisms permit device 500 to be
worn by a user.
[0187] FIG. 5B depicts exemplary personal electronic device 500. In
some embodiments, device 500 can include some or all of the
components described with respect to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 3. Device
500 has bus 512 that operatively couples I/O section 514 with one
or more computer processors 516 and memory 518. I/O section 514 can
be connected to display 504, which can have touch-sensitive
component 522 and, optionally, intensity sensor 524 (e.g., contact
intensity sensor). In addition, I/O section 514 can be connected
with communication unit 530 for receiving application and operating
system data, using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication
(NFC), cellular, and/or other wireless communication techniques.
Device 500 can include input mechanisms 506 and/or 508. Input
mechanism 506 is, optionally, a rotatable input device or a
depressible and rotatable input device, for example. Input
mechanism 508 is, optionally, a button, in some examples.
[0188] Input mechanism 508 is, optionally, a microphone, in some
examples. Personal electronic device 500 optionally includes
various sensors, such as GPS sensor 532, accelerometer 534,
directional sensor 540 (e.g., compass), gyroscope 536, motion
sensor 538, and/or a combination thereof, all of which can be
operatively connected to I/O section 514.
[0189] Memory 518 of personal electronic device 500 can include one
or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums, for
storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by
one or more computer processors 516, for example, can cause the
computer processors to perform the techniques described below,
including processes 700 (FIGS. 7A-7B), 1000 (FIGS. 10A-10B), 1300
(FIGS. 13A-13B), and 1600 (FIGS. 16A-16B). Personal electronic
device 500 is not limited to the components and configuration of
FIG. 5B, but can include other or additional components in multiple
configurations.
[0190] As used here, the term "affordance" refers to a
user-interactive graphical user interface object that is,
optionally, displayed on the display screen of devices 100, 300,
and/or 500 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 5). For example, an image (e.g., icon),
a button, and text (e.g., hyperlink) each optionally constitute an
affordance.
[0191] 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).
[0192] As used in the specification and claims, the term
"characteristic intensity" of a contact refers to a characteristic
of the contact based on one or more intensities of the contact. In
some embodiments, the characteristic intensity is based on multiple
intensity samples. The characteristic intensity is, optionally,
based on a predefined number of intensity samples, or a set of
intensity samples collected during a predetermined time period
(e.g., 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 seconds) relative to a
predefined event (e.g., after detecting the contact, prior to
detecting liftoff of the contact, before or after detecting a start
of movement of the contact, prior to detecting an end of the
contact, before or after detecting an increase in intensity of the
contact, and/or before or after detecting a decrease in intensity
of the contact). A characteristic intensity of a contact is,
optionally, based on one or more of: a maximum value of the
intensities of the contact, a mean value of the intensities of the
contact, an average value of the intensities of the contact, a top
10 percentile value of the intensities of the contact, a value at
the half maximum of the intensities of the contact, a value at the
90 percent maximum of the intensities of the contact, or the like.
In some embodiments, the duration of the contact is used in
determining the characteristic intensity (e.g., when the
characteristic intensity is an average of the intensity of the
contact over time). In some embodiments, the characteristic
intensity is compared to a set of one or more intensity thresholds
to determine whether an operation has been performed by a user. For
example, the set of one or more intensity thresholds optionally
includes a first intensity threshold and a second intensity
threshold. In this example, a contact with a characteristic
intensity that does not exceed the first threshold results in a
first operation, a contact with a characteristic intensity that
exceeds the first intensity threshold and does not exceed the
second intensity threshold results in a second operation, and a
contact with a characteristic intensity that exceeds the second
threshold results in a third operation. In some embodiments, a
comparison between the characteristic intensity and one or more
thresholds is used to determine whether or not to perform one or
more operations (e.g., whether to perform a respective operation or
forgo performing the respective operation), rather than being used
to determine whether to perform a first operation or a second
operation.
[0193] In some embodiments, a portion of a gesture is identified
for purposes of determining a characteristic intensity. For
example, a touch-sensitive surface optionally receives a continuous
swipe contact transitioning from a start location and reaching an
end location, at which point the intensity of the contact
increases. In this example, the characteristic intensity of the
contact at the end location is, optionally, based on only a portion
of the continuous swipe contact, and not the entire swipe contact
(e.g., only the portion of the swipe contact at the end location).
In some embodiments, a smoothing algorithm is, optionally, applied
to the intensities of the swipe contact prior to determining the
characteristic intensity of the contact. For example, the smoothing
algorithm optionally includes one or more of: an unweighted
sliding-average smoothing algorithm, a triangular smoothing
algorithm, a median filter smoothing algorithm, and/or an
exponential smoothing algorithm. In some circumstances, these
smoothing algorithms eliminate narrow spikes or dips in the
intensities of the swipe contact for purposes of determining a
characteristic intensity.
[0194] The intensity of a contact on the touch-sensitive surface
is, optionally, characterized relative to one or more intensity
thresholds, such as a contact-detection intensity threshold, a
light press intensity threshold, a deep press intensity threshold,
and/or one or more other intensity thresholds. In some embodiments,
the light press intensity threshold corresponds to an intensity at
which the device will perform operations typically associated with
clicking a button of a physical mouse or a trackpad. In some
embodiments, the deep press intensity threshold corresponds to an
intensity at which the device will perform operations that are
different from operations typically associated with clicking a
button of a physical mouse or a trackpad. In some embodiments, when
a contact is detected with a characteristic intensity below the
light press intensity threshold (e.g., and above a nominal
contact-detection intensity threshold below which the contact is no
longer detected), the device will move a focus selector in
accordance with movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive
surface without performing an operation associated with the light
press intensity threshold or the deep press intensity threshold.
Generally, unless otherwise stated, these intensity thresholds are
consistent between different sets of user interface figures.
[0195] An increase of characteristic intensity of the contact from
an intensity below the light press intensity threshold to an
intensity between the light press intensity threshold and the deep
press intensity threshold is sometimes referred to as a "light
press" input. An increase of characteristic intensity of the
contact from an intensity below the deep press intensity threshold
to an intensity above the deep press intensity threshold is
sometimes referred to as a "deep press" input. An increase of
characteristic intensity of the contact from an intensity below the
contact-detection intensity threshold to an intensity between the
contact-detection intensity threshold and the light press intensity
threshold is sometimes referred to as detecting the contact on the
touch-surface. A decrease of characteristic intensity of the
contact from an intensity above the contact-detection intensity
threshold to an intensity below the contact-detection intensity
threshold is sometimes referred to as detecting liftoff of the
contact from the touch-surface. In some embodiments, the
contact-detection intensity threshold is zero. In some embodiments,
the contact-detection intensity threshold is greater than zero.
[0196] In some embodiments described herein, one or more operations
are performed in response to detecting a gesture that includes a
respective press input or in response to detecting the respective
press input performed with a respective contact (or a plurality of
contacts), where the respective press input is detected based at
least in part on detecting an increase in intensity of the contact
(or plurality of contacts) above a press-input intensity threshold.
In some embodiments, the respective operation is performed in
response to detecting the increase in intensity of the respective
contact above the press-input intensity threshold (e.g., a "down
stroke" of the respective press input). In some embodiments, the
press input includes an increase in intensity of the respective
contact above the press-input intensity threshold and a subsequent
decrease in intensity of the contact below the press-input
intensity threshold, and the respective operation is performed in
response to detecting the subsequent decrease in intensity of the
respective contact below the press-input threshold (e.g., an "up
stroke" of the respective press input).
[0197] In some embodiments, the device employs intensity hysteresis
to avoid accidental inputs sometimes termed "jitter," where the
device defines or selects a hysteresis intensity threshold with a
predefined relationship to the press-input intensity threshold
(e.g., the hysteresis intensity threshold is X intensity units
lower than the press-input intensity threshold or the hysteresis
intensity threshold is 75%, 90%, or some reasonable proportion of
the press-input intensity threshold). Thus, in some embodiments,
the press input includes an increase in intensity of the respective
contact above the press-input intensity threshold and a subsequent
decrease in intensity of the contact below the hysteresis intensity
threshold that corresponds to the press-input intensity threshold,
and the respective operation is performed in response to detecting
the subsequent decrease in intensity of the respective contact
below the hysteresis intensity threshold (e.g., an "up stroke" of
the respective press input). Similarly, in some embodiments, the
press input is detected only when the device detects an increase in
intensity of the contact from an intensity at or below the
hysteresis intensity threshold to an intensity at or above the
press-input intensity threshold and, optionally, a subsequent
decrease in intensity of the contact to an intensity at or below
the hysteresis intensity, and the respective operation is performed
in response to detecting the press input (e.g., the increase in
intensity of the contact or the decrease in intensity of the
contact, depending on the circumstances).
[0198] For ease of explanation, the descriptions of operations
performed in response to a press input associated with a
press-input intensity threshold or in response to a gesture
including the press input are, optionally, triggered in response to
detecting either: an increase in intensity of a contact above the
press-input intensity threshold, an increase in intensity of a
contact from an intensity below the hysteresis intensity threshold
to an intensity above the press-input intensity threshold, a
decrease in intensity of the contact below the press-input
intensity threshold, and/or a decrease in intensity of the contact
below the hysteresis intensity threshold corresponding to the
press-input intensity threshold. Additionally, in examples where an
operation is described as being performed in response to detecting
a decrease in intensity of a contact below the press-input
intensity threshold, the operation is, optionally, performed in
response to detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below
a hysteresis intensity threshold corresponding to, and lower than,
the press-input intensity threshold.
[0199] Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user
interfaces ("UI") and associated processes that are implemented on
an electronic device, such as portable multifunction device 100,
device 300, or device 500.
[0200] FIGS. 6A-6M illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
creating avatars (e.g., emoji or other graphical representation
such as a non-photorealistic graphical representation), in
accordance with some embodiments. The user interfaces in these
figures are used to illustrate the processes described below,
including the processes in FIGS. 7A-7B.
[0201] FIG. 6A depicts device 600, which in some examples is a
specific form factor for device 100, device 300, or device 500
described above. Device 600 includes display 601, which in some
embodiments is a touch-sensitive display, and camera 602.
Additionally, in some embodiments of device 600, additional sensors
(e.g., depth sensors, IR sensors, etc.) and/or other components
(e.g., flash or IR emitter) are present along with camera 602.
[0202] In FIG. 6A, display 601 is displaying login interface 603
that includes username text field 606, password text field 607, and
affordance 608 for entering an interface that allows for creating a
new account or recovering a username. Selection of one of the text
fields, for example, via touch 609, causes device 600 to display a
text entry interface, as shown in FIG. 6B.
[0203] In FIG. 6A, back button 604 returns the user to a previous
screen that, for example, allowed the user to choose a language or
specify other device settings. Next button 605 causes device 600 to
attempt to authenticate the username and password entered in
username text field 606 and password text field 607.
[0204] FIG. 6B depicts login interface 603 with keyboard 608
displayed. Keyboard 608 allows the user to enter text into text
fields 606 and 607. The user requests device 600 to authenticate
the enter username and password my selecting next button 605 using,
for example, a touch on display 601 where next button 605 is
displayed.
[0205] Subsequent to (or in response to), successfully
authenticating the entered username and password, device starts a
profile picture creation process, as depicted in FIG. 6C. The user
begins the process by selecting button 609, for example, via touch
610 on display 601.
[0206] FIG. 6D depicts device 600 displaying the next steps in the
profile picture creation process. In FIG. 6D, the user is given the
choice to create an avatar (via affordance 611), use a monogram
(via affordance 612), or use a photo (via affordance 613). In
response to the user selecting to create an avatar, for example,
via touch 614, device 600 enters the avatar creation interface that
is described with respect to FIGS. 6E-6M. Selection of affordance
612 enters a monogram creation interface that allows a user to
create a monogram by, for example, entering one, two, or three
characters for the monogram and selecting one or more colors (e.g.,
for the characters and/or for the background).
[0207] FIG. 6E depicts avatar creation interface 615, which
includes view finder 616, placeholder avatar 617, and affordance
618 for continuing with the avatar creation process. View finder
616 represents a field of view of a camera of device 600, such as
camera 602, and is not required to be present in all
embodiments.
[0208] Placeholder avatar 617 is a silhouette or mannequin that
does not represent specific characteristics of the user, except
for, in some examples, the gender of the user. For example,
placeholder avatar 617 optionally is an outline of a generic person
and does not depend on detected characteristics (e.g., skin tone,
face shape, or hair style) of the user (e.g., as detected by
captured image data). In response to the user selecting to continue
the avatar creation process, for example, via touch 619 on
affordance 618, device 600 determines the relative positioning of
the user with respect to the field of view of the camera. If the
user is properly aligned with the field of view, device 600
captures image data of the user using camera 602 and/or other
sensors. If, however, the user is not properly aligned, device 600
updates avatar creation interface 615, such as depicted in FIG.
6F.
[0209] In FIG. 6F, device 600 has determined that the image data
currently collected by camera 602 and/or other sensors of device
600 does not meet a set of image criteria (e.g., alignment
criteria, sizing criteria, lighting criteria, positioning
criteria). Specifically, in this case, the user is offset from the
center of the field of view. In response to this determination,
device 600 updates avatar creation interface 615 to provide
feedback in the form of instructions 620 for how the user should
adjust their relative position to device 600 (e.g., by moving their
head/body, device 600, or both). Avatar creation interface 615 also
provides feedback about the misalignment by showing that avatar
placeholder 617 is offset compared to view finder 616.
[0210] Device 600 continues to evaluate image data to determine
whether image criteria are met. If the criteria are not met, device
600 updates avatar creation interface 615 to provide additional
user feedback, such as seen in FIGS. 6G and 6H.
[0211] Specifically, in FIG. 6G device 600 has determined that the
user is too far from device 600 (e.g., too far from camera 602). In
response, device 600 updated avatar creation interface 615 to show
that placeholder avatar 617 is small compared to view finder 616.
Additionally, instructions 621 are provided to give the user
feedback on how to change the relative positioning.
[0212] Similarly, in FIG. 6H, device 600 has determined that the
user is too close to device 600 (e.g., too close to camera 602). In
response, device 600 updated avatar creation interface 615 to show
that placeholder avatar 617 is large compared to view finder 616.
Additionally, instructions 622 are provided to give the user
feedback on how to change the relative positioning.
[0213] In FIG. 6I, device 600 has determined that the image
criteria are met, as indicated by placeholder avatar 617 filling
view finder 616. In response, device 600 captures image data of the
user using camera 602. This image data, in some examples, is still
and/or video image data.
[0214] As depicted in FIG. 6J, after device 600 captures image data
in FIG. 6G, device 600 updates avatar creation interface 615 to
instruct the user to reposition to obtain further image data.
Specifically, avatar creation interface 615 provides feedback to
the user via instructions 623 and an update to placeholder avatar
617 to show a rotated head to provide guidance to the about how to
position their head. Optionally, after the user completes the
slight rotation of their head to the left, the placeholder avatar
617 updates to depict the head rotated in the other direction.
While the user completes the requested movements, device 600
captures image data (e.g., still and/or video image data)
continuously or based on predefined conditions (e.g., additional
image criteria being met, such as a certain level of rotation being
completed).
[0215] Once device 600 has captured sufficient image data to
generate an avatar for the user, avatar creation interface 615 is
updated as depicted in FIG. 6K. In some examples, avatar 624, which
is based on the previously captured image data, is shown in various
stages of generation. For example, as the avatar is generated,
additional features and details appear over time. In some
embodiments, while structural features of the avatar are displayed,
coloring, such as skin tone is not displayed until after the user
can confirmed that the generated skin tone is correct.
[0216] FIG. 6L depicts avatar creation interface 615 after avatar
625 has been generated based on the captured image data. While
avatar 625 is depicted to have a skin tone based on the captured
image data, in some embodiments, the displayed avatar will not have
a skin tone that is based on the captured image data (e.g., it uses
a pre-determined skin tone that is independent of the capture image
data) or a skin tone is not applied to the avatar at all.
[0217] In FIG. 6L, avatar creation interface 615 presents the user
with the option to confirm or adjust the generated skin tone.
Specifically, each of affordances 626-630 shows a particular skin
tone. Additionally, an indicator (e.g., the bolding on affordance
627) shows the currently selected skin tone. Additional skin tone
options are optionally accessed via a swipe gesture on the area
where affordances 626-630 are located. Once the user has decided on
the correct skin tone, the next button is selected to view final
avatar 633 before customization, as depicted in FIG. 6M. The user
can optionally access the customization interface, for example, as
described with respect to FIGS. 9A-9H below, by selecting next
button 634.
[0218] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for creating
a user avatar using an electronic device in accordance with some
embodiments. Method 700 is performed at a device (e.g., 100, 300,
500) with a display. Some operations in method 700 are, optionally,
combined, the order of some operations are, optionally, changed,
and some operations are, optionally, omitted.
[0219] As described below, method 700 provides an intuitive way for
creating a user avatar. The method reduces the cognitive burden on
a user for creating a user avatar, thereby creating a more
efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing
devices, enabling a user to create avatars faster and more
efficiently conserves power and increases the time between battery
charges.
[0220] An electronic device (e.g., device 600 of FIGS. 6A-6M) with
a display (e.g., display 601) and one or more cameras (e.g., camera
602) displays (702) a placeholder avatar (e.g, 617) (e.g., a
generic outline such as a silhouette or a mannequin (with or
without a background) that represents the user, which is 2-D or 3-D
and/or is not based on user's physical appearance) on the display,
wherein the display of the placeholder avatar is based on a first
position of a user with respect to a field of view of the one or
more cameras (e.g., camera 602) of the electronic device (e.g., as
depicted in FIGS. 6F-6H) (e.g., the relative position, the relative
size, or the orientation of the place holder avatar represents the
user within image data from the one or more cameras). In some
examples, the size of the placeholder avatar relative to a view
finder is changed based on how far away the user is from the one or
more cameras (e.g., FIGS. 6F and 6G). In some examples, the
position of the placeholder avatar relative to the view finder is
changed based on the position of the user within the field of view
of the one or more cameras (e.g., FIG. 6E). In some examples, the
orientation of the placeholder avatar is changed based on the
orientation of the user with respect to the one or more cameras. In
some examples, the placeholder avatar includes a background that
fits within the view finder when the user is positioned correctly
with respect to the electronic device (FIG. 6I). In some
embodiments, the placeholder avatar is a predetermined silhouette
of a person independent of the image data of the user.
[0221] While displaying the placeholder avatar, the electronic
device detects (704) movement of the user to a second position with
respect to the field of view of the one or more cameras. For
example, optionally, the electronic device uses image data from a
camera (e.g., 602) to determine when the user is in a different
relative position with the electronic device. In some embodiments,
the first image data includes both still data (e.g., a single
image) and video data (e.g., a series of sequential images). In
some embodiments, instead of the electronic device detecting
movement of the user, the electronic device is continuously
evaluating captured image data to determine if the image criteria
(described below) are met.
[0222] In response to detecting the movement of the user (706) to
the second position with respect to the field of view of the one or
more cameras the electronic device: in accordance with a
determination that the second position of the user with respect to
the field of view of the one or more cameras (e.g., 602) meets the
first set of image criteria (e.g., as shown in FIG. 6I), captures
(708) (e.g., automatically capture without user input and/or in
response to the first set of image criteria being met) first image
data (e.g., still and/or video image data that includes visual,
infrared, and/or depth data) of the user with the one or more
cameras (e.g., 602); and in accordance with a determination that
the second position of the user with respect to the field of view
of the one or more cameras does not meet the first set of image
criteria and while continuing to display the placeholder avatar
(e.g., 617), provides (710) first guidance (e.g., 616 and 617 in
FIGS. 6G-6I, 620-621) to the user to change position with respect
to the electronic device to a first target position (e.g.,
positioning the placeholder avatar to show that the electronic
device needs to be moved or reoriented to center the user in the
image data, resizing the placeholder avatar to show that the
electronic device needs to be moved closer or further away from the
user, displaying text instructions, or other visual indicators
about how to move the user or the electronic device). By providing
user feedback concerning the correct positioning of the user's head
relative to the electronic device, the electronic device provides a
simpler process for creating a user avatar and the usability of the
electronic device is enhanced. The simpler process allows the user
to complete the avatar creation quickly, which makes the electronic
device more efficient, reduces power usage, and improves battery
life of the device.
[0223] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device,
after capturing the first image data, generates (714) a
user-specific avatar (e.g., 624, 625) (e.g., a 2D or 3D model with
features that reflect the user's features) that contains features
selected based on an appearance of the user determined based on the
first image data (e.g., generating a 3D avatar representing the
user based on at least the first image data and the second image
data). In some examples, the avatar reflects characteristics of the
user such as skin tone, eye color, hair color, hair style, and
facial hair. In some examples, generating the user-specific avatar
occurs after capturing additional image data (e.g., from one or
more additional positions of the user) and the generation of the
user-specific avatar is further based on the additional image data.
In some examples, the user-specific avatar includes only a head. In
some examples, the user-specific avatar includes a head, neck,
shoulders, and part of a torso. In some examples, the user-specific
avatar is a full-body avatar.
[0224] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device
displays the generated user-specific avatar (e.g., 624, 625) on the
display (e.g., FIGS. 6K-6M) (e.g., replacing display of the
placeholder avatar with the user-specific avatar or changing an
appearance of the placeholder avatar by morphing the placeholder
avatar into the user-specific avatar).
[0225] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device
displays (716) a view finder graphical element (e.g., 616) (e.g., a
circle representing the middle of the field of view of the one or
more cameras) concurrently with the display of the placeholder
avatar (e.g., 617), wherein the display of the view finder
graphical element, relative to the display of the placeholder
avatar, is based on first or second position of the user with
respect to the field of view of the one or more cameras (e.g.,
FIGS. 6F-6H). In some examples, if the placeholder avatar and view
finder graphical element coincide, the one or more cameras and user
are properly positioned (e.g., FIG. 6I). Alternatively and
optionally, if the user is too far from the one or more cameras,
the placeholder avatar appears smaller compared to the view finder
graphical element (e.g., FIG. 6G). As another option, if the user
is offset from the one or more cameras, the placeholder avatar is
similarly offset from the view finder graphical element so that the
placeholder avatar does not coincide with the view finder graphical
element (e.g., FIG. 6F). By displaying a graphical view finder and
displaying a placeholder avatar relative to the graphical view
finder, a user can more easily align themselves with the camera of
the electronic device, which enhances the efficiency and accuracy
of using the electronic device to create a user-specific avatar.
Thus, the electronic device uses less power and prolongs the
battery life of the device.
[0226] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device
determines whether the second position (e.g., orientation, user
proximity, user position within the one or more cameras' field of
view, and/or lighting of the user) of the user with respect to the
field of view of the one or more cameras (e.g., 602) meets the
first set of image criteria (e.g., criteria about proximity to the
one or more cameras, orientation of the user, lighting, or relative
position of the user to the one or more cameras). By determining
whether second image data meets image criteria, the electronic
device provides an enhanced avatar creation process that avoids
using low quality or incorrect image data. Additionally, by
providing feedback to the user regarding the image data, the
electronic device is more likely to capture the image data needed
to efficiently generate an accurate avatar of the user. Eliminating
the use of incorrect or low quality image data makes the electronic
device more efficient, reduces power usage, and improves battery
life of the device.
[0227] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device,
after capturing the first image data, provides second guidance
(e.g., 623) to the user to change position with respect to the
electronic device to a second target position (e.g., displaying the
user outline with a rotation to indicate that the user should
rotate their head or displaying textual or other visual
instructions to rotate the user's head); updates the display of the
placeholder avatar (e.g., FIG. 6J) (e.g., showing the user outline
rotating or positioned differently with respect to the view finder)
based on image data captured after the first image data; after
providing the second guidance, determines whether a third position
of the user with respect to the electronic device meets a second
set of image criteria (e.g., requirements about the orientation of
the user's head with respect to the one or more cameras; proximity
of the user to the one or more cameras; position of the user with
respect to the one or more cameras); in accordance with a
determination that the second detected position meets the second
set of image criteria (e.g., similar criteria as the first set of
image criteria with the additional criteria of a rotation of the
user with respect to the electronic device), captures second image
data (e.g., similar to the first image data) of the user with the
one or more cameras; and in accordance with a determination that
the second detected position does not meet the second set of image
criteria, continues to provide the second guidance (e.g., guidance
that take the same or different form as the guidance provided
previously) to the user to change position with respect to the
electronic device to the second target position. By providing
additional guidance to the user, the electronic device is able to
efficiently obtain additional image data at a variety of positions
necessary to generate a user-specific avatar. Thus, the user can
more quickly and efficiently interact with the electronic device,
which makes the electronic device more efficient, reduces power
usage, and improves battery life of the device.
[0228] In accordance with some embodiments, the first guidance
(e.g., 620-622) is provided to the user (712) without changing an
appearance of the placeholder avatar (e.g., 617 in FIGS. 6F-6H)
based on the first image data (e.g., while in some embodiments the
position and size of the placeholder avatar is based on image data,
the features, shape, shading, and other aspects of the visual
appearance of the placeholder avatar are not based on the first
image data). In some embodiments, they are not based on any image
data. In some examples, the placeholder avatar is moved within the
view finder without changing the appearance (e.g., physical
characteristics or features) of the avatar itself (e.g., FIGS.
6F-6I). By not updating the characteristics of the placeholder
avatar based on captured image data, the likelihood that the user
will continue with the avatar creation process is increased by
avoiding intermediate results that may not be accurate, thereby
enhancing the ability of the electronic device to create a
user-specific avatar. Thus, the man-machine interface is enhanced
and the likelihood of the user aborting the avatar creation process
is reduced.
[0229] In accordance with some embodiments, providing the first
guidance (e.g., 620-622) includes providing user feedback (e.g.,
haptic feedback, visual feedback, or audible feedback) when the
second position of the user with respect to the field of view of
the one or more cameras meets the first set of image criteria or
providing instructions (e.g., textual instructions, animated
instructions, or audio instructions) based on how the user should
be positioned relative to the field of view of the one or more
cameras (e.g., instruction the user to either move the electronic
device or reposition themselves) to be in the first target position
with respect to the device. By providing user feedback when the
first set of image criteria are met, the usability of the
electronic device is enhanced by keeping the user informed of the
creation process.
[0230] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device,
after capturing (718) the first image data (e.g., displaying a
calculated skin tone based on the first image data or displaying a
range of skin tones based on the first image data) displays (720)
information (e.g., FIG. 6L) indicating one or more suggested skin
tone colors (e.g., 626-630) selected based on the first image data;
receives (724) user input confirming a respective suggested skin
tone color of the one or more skin tone colors selected base on the
first image data (e.g., selecting a confirmation affordance or
selecting a particular skin tone); and the electronic device
generation of the user-specific avatar is further based on the
suggested skin tone color. In some examples, generating the
user-specific avatar occurs after capturing additional image data
(e.g., from one or more additional positions of the user) and the
generation of the user-specific avatar is further based on the
additional image data. By allowing the user to confirm the skin
tone or select a new skin tone, the electronic device provides an
enhanced avatar creation process by accounting for variations in
lighting (which can affect skin tone determination) during the
image capture process. This reduces the likelihood that the user
will have to repeat the avatar creation process, which makes the
electronic device more efficient, reduces power usage, and improves
battery life of the device.
[0231] In accordance with some embodiments, displaying (722)
information indicating one or more suggested skin tone colors
selected based on the first image data is displayed without
applying any of the suggested skin tone colors to an avatar. In
some embodiments the electronic device generates the user-specific
placeholder avatar (e.g., 624) based the first image data and using
a predetermined skin tone color independent of the first image data
(e.g., generating a black and white avatar that has shapes and
features that resemble the user in the first image data without any
skin tone coloring); and displays the user-specific placeholder
avatar prior to receiving the user input confirming the respective
suggested skin tone color. In some examples, generating the
user-specific avatar occurs after capturing additional image data
(e.g., from one or more additional positions of the user) and the
generation of the user-specific avatar is further based on the
additional image data. By allowing a user to select a new skin tone
before painting the generated avatar, the electronic device
provides a more accessible avatar creation process that reduces the
risk of a user being disappointed with the skin tone that was
selected based on the captured image data. This reduces the
likelihood that the user will have to repeat the avatar creation
process, which makes the electronic device more efficient, reduces
power usage, and improves battery life of the device.
[0232] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device,
in response to capturing the first image data, updates a display of
a progress indicator (e.g., an indicator around the view finder
graphical element or a bar indicator), wherein the display of the
progress indicator is based on the amount of avatar image data
captured. In some examples, the progress indicator indicates
progress towards achieving a target amount of image data for
generating an avatar.
[0233] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device
captures image data of the user (e.g., the first image data or
other image data) and, in accordance with a determination that the
image data of the user fails to meet a lighting criteria (FIG. 6H),
displays instructions (e.g., 622) for the user to change the
lighting for the field of view of the one or more cameras. By
providing guidance regarding lighting, the electronic device
increases the accuracy of the skin tone determination by ensuring
that the captured image data has proper lighting (which, in some
circumstances), affects skin tone determinations based on image
data, thereby providing an enhanced avatar creation process. This
reduces the likelihood that the user will have to repeat the avatar
creation process, which makes the electronic device more efficient,
reduces power usage, and improves battery life of the device.
[0234] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device
determines a physical feature (e.g., a hair style, facial hair, or
eye color) or an accessory feature (e.g., eye glasses, piercings,
or tattoos) of the user based on the first image data, and
generates the user-specific avatar includes adding a representation
of the physical feature or the accessory feature to the
user-specific avatar (e.g., FIGS. 6K-6L). In some embodiments, the
user-specific avatar is expression independent (e.g., no smiling or
frowning) regardless of whether the user has an expression in the
first image data. In some examples, the first image data of the
user includes image data identified by the electronic device as
indicative of a facial expression and the user-specific avatar is
generated so as to be expression independent or expression neutral.
In other examples, the method does not involve identifying image
data indicative of a facial expression.
[0235] In accordance with some embodiments, generating the
user-specific avatar based on the first image data includes
generating a plurality of avatars and wherein the plurality of
avatars include a first avatar and a second avatar different than
the first avatar, and the electronic device displays the plurality
of avatars and receives user input selecting one of the plurality
of avatars. In some examples, each of the avatars in the plurality
of avatars is different. In some examples, the plurality of avatars
different based on variations to a predefined set of
characteristics for the avatar.
[0236] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device,
after generating the user-specific avatar, stores the avatar as a
recipe (e.g., a non-graphical representation of the avatar),
wherein the recipe defines the avatar structure (e.g., eyes, nose,
mouth, glasses) and avatar parameters (e.g., eye color, nose size,
mouth shape, glasses type). By storing the user-specific avatar as
a recipe, the electronic device is able to more efficiently store
and transmit the user-specific avatar by sending smaller amounts of
data, such as only have to send changes to the user-specific avatar
recipe instead of the entire user-specific avatar recipe. Thus, the
electronic device is more efficient, reduces power usage, and
improves battery life of the device.
[0237] Note that details of the processes described above with
respect to method 700 (e.g., FIG. 7) are also applicable in an
analogous manner to the methods described below/above. For example,
methods 1000 and 1600 optionally include one or more of the
characteristics of the various methods described above with
reference to method 700. For example, method 700 can include
certain steps of method 1000 or method 1600 (e.g., some or all of
methods 1000 and 1600 can be performed subsequent to method 700 as
part of the same interface). For brevity, these details are not
repeated below.
[0238] In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 8 shows an
exemplary functional block diagram of an electronic device 800
configured in accordance with the principles of the various
described embodiments. In accordance with some embodiments, the
functional blocks of electronic device 800 are configured to
perform the techniques described above. The functional blocks of
the device 800 are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software,
or a combination of hardware and software to carry out the
principles of the various described examples. It is understood by
persons of skill in the art that the functional blocks described in
FIG. 8 are, optionally, combined or separated into sub-blocks to
implement the principles of the various described examples.
Therefore, the description herein optionally supports any possible
combination or separation or further definition of the functional
blocks described herein.
[0239] As shown in FIG. 8, an electronic device 800 includes a
display unit 802 configured to display a graphic user interface, a
camera unit 804, and a processing unit 806 coupled to the display
unit 802 and the camera unit 804. In some embodiments, the
processing unit 806 includes a display enabling unit 810, a
detecting unit 812, an image capturing unit 814, and a providing
unit 816 and optionally a generating unit 818, a determining unit
820, an updating unit 822, a receiving unit 824, and a storing unit
826.
[0240] The processing unit 806 is configured to display (e.g.,
using display enabling unit 810) a placeholder avatar on the
display, wherein the display of the placeholder avatar is based on
a first position of a user with respect to a field of view of the
one or more cameras of the electronic device. The processing unit
806 is configured to, while displaying the placeholder avatar,
detect (e.g., using detecting unit 812) movement of the user to a
second position with respect to the field of view of the one or
more cameras. In response to detecting the movement of the user to
the second position with respect to the field of view of the one or
more cameras, the processing unit 806 is configured to: in
accordance with a determination that the second position of the
user with respect to the field of view of the one or more cameras
meets the first set of image criteria, capture (e.g., using image
capturing unit 814) first image data of the user with the one or
more cameras, and in accordance with a determination that the
second position of the user with respect to the field of view of
the one or more cameras does not meet the first set of image
criteria and while continuing to display the placeholder avatar,
provide (e.g., using providing unit 816) first guidance to the user
to change position with respect to the electronic device to a first
target position.
[0241] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to, after capturing the first image data, generating
(e.g., using generating unit 818) a user-specific avatar that
contains features selected based on an appearance of the user
determined based on the first image data.
[0242] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to display (e.g., using display enabling unit 810) the
generated user-specific avatar on the display.
[0243] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to display (e.g., using display enabling unit 810) a
view finder graphical element concurrently with the display of the
placeholder avatar, wherein the display of the view finder
graphical element, relative to the display of the placeholder
avatar, is based on first or second position of the user with
respect to the field of view of the one or more cameras.
[0244] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to determine (e.g., using determining unit 820) whether
the second position of the user with respect to the field of view
of the one or more cameras meets the first set of image
criteria.
[0245] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to, after capturing the first image data, provide (e.g.,
using providing unit 816) second guidance to the user to change
position with respect to the electronic device to a second target
position; update (e.g., using updating unit 822) the display of the
placeholder avatar based on image data captured after the first
image data; after providing the second guidance, determine (e.g.,
using determining unit 820) whether a third position of the user
with respect to the electronic device meets a second set of image
criteria; in accordance with a determination that the second
detected position meets the second set of image criteria, capture
(e.g., using image capturing unit 814) second image data of the
user with the one or more cameras; and in accordance with a
determination that the second detected position does not meet the
second set of image criteria, continue to provide (e.g., using
providing unit 816) the second guidance to the user to change
position with respect to the electronic device to the second target
position.
[0246] In some embodiments the first guidance is provided to the
user without changing an appearance of the placeholder avatar based
on the first image data.
[0247] In some embodiments providing the first guidance includes
providing user feedback when the second position of the user with
respect to the field of view of the one or more cameras meets the
first set of image criteria or providing instructions based on how
the user should be positioned relative to the field of view of the
one or more cameras to be in the first target position with respect
to the device.
[0248] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to, after capturing the first image data: display (e.g.,
using display enabling unit 810) information indicating one or more
suggested skin tone colors selected based on the first image data;
receive (e.g., using receiving unit 824) user input confirming a
respective suggested skin tone color of the one or more skin tone
colors selected base on the first image data; and wherein
generating the user-specific avatar is further based on the
suggested skin tone color.
[0249] In some embodiments displaying information indicating one or
more suggested skin tone colors selected based on the first image
data is displayed without applying any of the suggested skin tone
colors to an avatar.
[0250] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to generate (e.g., using generating unit 818) the
user-specific placeholder avatar based the first image data and
using a predetermined skin tone color independent of the first
image data; and display (e.g., using display enabling unit 810) the
user-specific placeholder avatar prior to receiving the user input
confirming the respective suggested skin tone color.
[0251] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to, in response to capturing the first image data,
update (e.g., using updating unit 822) a display of a progress
indicator, wherein the display of the progress indicator is based
on the amount of avatar image data captured.
[0252] In some embodiments the first image data includes both still
data and video data.
[0253] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to capture (e.g., using image capturing unit 814) image
data of the user; and in accordance with a determination that the
image data of the user fails to meet a lighting criteria, display
(e.g., using display enabling unit 810) instructions for the user
to change the lighting for the field of view of the one or more
cameras.
[0254] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to determine (e.g., using determining unit 820) a
physical feature or an accessory feature of the user based on the
first image data, and generating the user-specific avatar includes
adding a representation of the physical feature or the accessory
feature to the user-specific avatar.
[0255] In some embodiments the user-specific avatar is expression
independent regardless of whether the user has an expression in the
first image data.
[0256] In some embodiments generating the user-specific avatar
based on the first image data includes generating a plurality of
avatars and wherein the plurality of avatars include a first avatar
and a second avatar different than the first avatar, the processing
unit further configured to: display (e.g., using display enabling
unit 810) the plurality of avatars; and receive (e.g., using
receiving unit 824) user input selecting one of the plurality of
avatars.
[0257] In some embodiments, the processing unit 806 is further
configured to, after generating the user-specific avatar, store
(e.g., using storing unit 826) the avatar as a recipe, wherein the
recipe defines the avatar structure and avatar parameters.
[0258] In some embodiments the placeholder avatar is a
predetermined silhouette of a person independent of the image data
of the user.
[0259] The operations described above with reference to FIGS. 7A
and 7B are, optionally, implemented by components depicted in FIGS.
1A-1B or FIG. 8. For example, capturing operation 708 is,
optionally, implemented by camera module 143, optical sensor
controller 158, and optical sensor 164. Similarly, it would be
clear to a person having ordinary skill in the art how other
processes can be implemented based on the components depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B.
[0260] FIGS. 9A-9H illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
customizing a user avatar, in accordance with some embodiments. The
user interfaces in these figures are used to illustrate the
processes described below, including the processes in FIG. 10.
[0261] FIG. 9A depicts device 600 (described above with respect to
FIG. 6A), which in some examples is a specific form factor for
device 100, device 300, or device 500 described above. Device 600
includes display 601, which in some embodiments is a
touch-sensitive display.
[0262] In FIG. 9A, device 600 is displaying avatar customization
interface 900 on display 601. Avatar customization interface 900,
in some examples, is accessed via the avatar creation interface
described above with respect to FIGS. 6A-6M, 7A-7B, and 8. In other
examples, avatar customization interface 900, or similar interface,
is accessed via other methods, such as an app installed on device
600. Avatar customization interface 900 includes avatar-display
region 900A, feature-selection control region 900B, and
feature-option control region 900C. Avatar-display region 900A
displays a currently selected avatar for editing. In the case of
FIG. 9A, the currently select avatar is avatar 901.
[0263] Feature-selection control region 900B includes a ribbon of
feature representations 907-911. Each representation corresponds to
a feature (e.g., eyes, ears, nose, face, eyeglasses, hair, chin,
eyebrows) for avatar 901. If additional feature representations are
available but cannot be display due to space constraints, device
600 displays the additional feature representations in response to
user input, such as a swipe on feature-selection control region
900B. Additionally, feature-control region 900B includes an
indicator showing the currently selected avatar feature. In the
case of FIG. 9A, the bolding on representation 909 indicates that
the feature associated with representation 909 is selected for
editing. In other examples, other indicators (e.g., arrows,
highlighting, or being positioned in the center) are used. In some
examples, one or more of the feature representations are in the
shape of the corresponding feature. For example, if feature
representation 908 corresponds to the avatar's eyes, then feature
representation 908 is in the shape of an eye or otherwise is
created to graphically show that it corresponds to eyes.
[0264] Feature-option control region 900C includes a ribbon of
option representations 902-906 that correspond to different
available options for the selected avatar feature. For example, in
FIG. 9A, if feature representation 909 corresponds to the ear
feature, option representations 902-906, in some examples,
represent different types (e.g., shapes, sizes, appearances) of
ears. Similar to the feature representations, one or more of the
option representations are in the shape of the corresponding
option. For example, if feature representation 909 corresponds to
the avatar's ear, then feature representation 909 is in the shape
of an ear or otherwise is created to graphically show that it
corresponds to an ear. Likewise, one or more option representations
902-906 are in a shape that reflects the type of ear that
corresponds to the representation. For example, a small, wide ear
option representation, in some examples, is a small and wide (as
compared to other representations) ear. Additionally,
option-control region 900C includes an indicator showing the
currently selected option. In the case of FIG. 9A, the bolding on
representation 906 indicates that the option associated with
representation 906 is selected for avatar 901. In other examples,
other indicators (e.g., arrows, highlighting, or being positioned
in the center) are used.
[0265] FIG. 9B depicts avatar customization interface 900 after a
new feature has been selected for editing, for example, via touch
input 912 (FIG. 9A) on feature representation 908, which
corresponds to the hair of the avatar. In FIG. 9B, device 900 has
updated avatar customization interface 900 to indicate that the
feature (e.g., hair in FIG. 9B) corresponding to representation 908
is selected for editing; to show option representations 913-917
that correspond to the feature selected for editing; to indicate
that option representation 915 (e.g., the hair style of avatar 901
depicted in FIG. 9B) is the currently selected feature option for
avatar 901; to show a color-selection control region 900D that
includes color representations 918-922 that correspond to available
colors for the selection feature option; and to indicate a
currently selected color (the color corresponding to representation
920) for the currently selected feature option.
[0266] FIG. 9C depicts avatar customization interface 900 after the
user selected a new hair style corresponding to representation 917,
for example via touch 923 in FIG. 9B. Avatar 901 is updated to
reflect the new hair style. Additionally, avatar customization
interface 900 is updated to indicate that representation 917 is the
currently selected feature option.
[0267] FIG. 9D depicts avatar customization interface 900 after the
user selected a new hair color corresponding to representation 922,
for example via touch 924 in FIG. 9C. Avatar 901 is updated to
reflect the new hair color. Additionally, avatar customization
interface 900 is updated to indicate that representation 922 is the
currently selected color option.
[0268] FIG. 9E depicts avatar customization interface 900 after
additional feature representations 926-930 are displayed in
feature-selection control region 900B. These additional feature
representations 926-930 are displayed in response to, for example,
a swipe gesture (e.g., swipe gesture 925 of FIG. 9D) received on
display 601 over feature-selection control region 900B. In some
embodiments, additional option and color representations are
displayed in feature-option control region 900C and color-selection
control region 900D, respectively, in response to receiving similar
input in those regions.
[0269] FIG. 9F depicts avatar customization interface 900 after the
feature (in this example, the feature is eyeglasses) corresponding
to representation 927 has been selected for editing, for example,
via touch 931 of FIG. 9E. Option representations 932-936 display
different style options for the avatar's eyeglasses. Option
representation 934 corresponds to a no-eyeglasses option, which is
reflected in avatar 901 in FIG. 9F. Additionally, although color
representations 937-941 are available for the eyeglass feature,
because the no-eyeglass option is currently selected, no color
representation is currently indicated as being selected.
[0270] FIG. 9G depicts avatar customization interface 900 after the
eyeglass style corresponding to representation 936 has been
selected, for example, via touch 937 of FIG. 9F. As reflected in
avatar 901, representation 936 corresponds to the eyeglasses that
avatar 901 is depicted as wearing. Additionally, the color
corresponding to representation 939 is selected for the eyeglasses,
either by default or by user selection.
[0271] FIG. 9H depicts the completion of the avatar customization
process in response to, for example, selection of next button 939
(FIG. 9G) via touch 940 of FIG. 9G. In response to selection of
back button 941, the avatar customization process can be reentered.
In response to selection of continue button 942, the user can
continue the process that called the avatar customization process,
or, in some embodiments, continue button 942 is instead an exit
button that exits the application.
[0272] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for
customizing a user avatar using an electronic device in accordance
with some embodiments. Method 1000 is performed at a device (e.g.,
100, 300, 500) with a display. Some operations in method 1000 are,
optionally, combined, the order of some operations are, optionally,
changed, and some operations are, optionally, omitted.
[0273] As described below, method 1000 provides an intuitive way
for customizing a user avatar. The method reduces the cognitive
burden on a user for customizing a user avatar, thereby creating a
more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated
computing devices, enabling a user to customizing a user avatar
faster and more efficiently conserves power and increases the time
between battery charges.
[0274] An electronic device (e.g., device 600 of FIG. 9A) with a
display (e.g., display 601) and one or more input devices (e.g.,
display 601 when it is a touch-sensitive display). The electronic
device displays (1002) an avatar editing user interface (e.g., 900)
that includes concurrent display, on the display, of: an avatar
(e.g., 901) (e.g., an avatar loaded from memory or an avatar that
was generated according to the previous claim) having a plurality
of editable features (e.g., 907-911) (e.g., hair styles, facial
features, clothing styles, accessories); a feature-selection
control region (e.g., 900B) that includes representations (e.g.,
907-911) (e.g., user-selectable user interface objects in a shape
that corresponds to the category, such that a hair feature category
will have an affordance that looks like a wig and a nose feature
category will have an affordance in the shape of a nose) of a
plurality of avatar features, including a first avatar feature that
is currently selected for modification (e.g., 909 in FIG. 9A)
(e.g., the hair style feature category corresponds to a plurality
of hair style types, such as no hair, curly hair, straight hair)
and a second avatar feature that is not currently selected for
modification (e.g., 907, 908, 910, or 911); and a feature-option
control region (e.g., 900C) that includes representations (e.g.,
902-906) of a plurality of options for the first avatar feature for
selection including a first option (e.g., 906) for the first avatar
feature that is currently selected and a second option (e.g.,
902-903) for the first avatar feature that is not currently
selected. In some embodiments the representations in the
feature-selection control region have a shape based on the shape of
their respective avatar features. In some embodiments the
representations in the feature-option control region have a shape
based on the shape of their respective avatar feature options. In
some embodiments the display of the avatar includes an indicator
for the first avatar feature when the first avatar feature is
currently selected. By displaying different control regions for
feature selection and feature options, the electronic device
provides an avatar customization process that is enhanced with an
intuitive interface that is quickly understood by users. Thus, the
user can customize the avatar with fewer interactions, which makes
the electronic device more efficient, reduces power usage, and
improves battery life of the device.
[0275] While displaying the avatar editing user interface, the
electronic device detects (1004) an input in the avatar editing
user interface (e.g., 912). In response to detecting the input
(1006) and in accordance with a determination that the input
corresponds to selection of the second avatar feature (e.g., 908 in
FIG. 9A) in the feature-selection control region (1008), the
electronic device updates (1010) the feature-selection control
region to indicate that the second avatar feature is currently
selected (e.g., FIG. 9B) (e.g., moving a feature indicator to
highlight the second avatar feature); and updates (1012) the
feature-option control region to include representations (e.g.,
913-917) (e.g., in some embodiments, the feature option
representations are in the same shape as the corresponding feature
option, such as the representation for curly hair will look curly)
of a plurality of options for the second avatar feature for
selection including a first option (e.g., 915) for the second
avatar feature that is currently selected and a second option
(e.g., 913, 914, 916, or 917) for the second avatar feature that is
not currently selected. In some examples, the display of feature
options for the first feature is replaced with feature options for
the second feature. For example, when the first feature is hair
style and the second feature is nose style, display of
representation for different hair style options are replaced with
display of affordances for different nose style options.
[0276] In accordance with a determination that the input (e.g.,
923) corresponds to selection of the second option (e.g., 917) for
the first avatar feature in the feature-option control region
(1014), the electronic device updates (1016) the feature-option
control region to indicate that the second option for the first
avatar feature is currently selected (FIG. 9C); and updates (1018)
the avatar to change the appearance of the first avatar feature in
accordance with the second option for the first avatar feature
(e.g., the hair of avatar 901 is updated from FIG. 9B to FIG. 9C)
(e.g., changing the avatar based on characteristics of the feature
option or if the feature selection is for nose styles, the shape of
a nose changes to correspond to the selected nose style). In some
embodiments, the electronic device updating the avatar to change
the appearance of the first avatar feature in accordance with the
second option for the first avatar feature includes the electronic
device transitioning the first avatar feature based on the first
option to the first avatar feature based on the second option via
an animation. In some embodiments, in response to detecting the
input and in accordance with a determination that the input
corresponds to selection of the second option for the first avatar
feature in the feature-option control region, the feature-option
control region is updated (1020) without updating the
feature-selection control region (e.g., the hair of avatar 901 is
updated from FIG. 9B to FIG. 9C but the feature-selection control
region remains the same). In some embodiments, in response to
detecting the input, in accordance with a determination that the
input corresponds to selection of the second avatar feature in the
feature-selection control region, the feature-selection control
region is updated (1020) without updating the avatar (e.g., the
transition from FIG. 9A to FIG. 9B updates the feature-selection
control region but does not change the avatar). In some examples,
the input includes a gesture input, such as a tap, a swipe, or
other type of gesture. By separating the updates of display of the
feature options and feature selections, the electronic device'
operability is enhanced by not updating the control regions or
avatar when the respective portions are not changed while
maintaining the user's ability to review what other feature and
options are available, which makes the electronic device more
efficient, reduces power usage, and improves battery life of the
device.
[0277] In accordance with some embodiments, displaying the avatar
editing user interface further includes the electronic device
concurrently displaying on the display a color-selection region
(e.g., 900D) that includes representations of a plurality of color
options (e.g., 918-922) for the first avatar feature, including a
first color that is currently selected (e.g., 920) and a second
color (e.g., 918, 919, 921, or 922) that is not currently selected,
wherein the color-selection region is displayed concurrently with
the avatar (e.g., 901), the feature-selection control region (e.g.,
900B), and the feature-option control region (e.g., 900C). In some
embodiments the electronic device, while displaying the
color-selection region, in response to detection of a user input
(e.g., 924) corresponding to selection of the second color (e.g.,
922), updating the display of the first avatar feature in the
avatar based on the second color (e.g., FIG. 9D).
[0278] In accordance with some embodiments, the first avatar
feature is avatar clothing (e.g., a shirt, hat, or tie) and
updating the display of the first avatar feature in the avatar
based on the second color includes updating the color of the avatar
clothing to the second color (e.g., changing the entire color of
the clothing or some portion of the clothing, such as a color of
part of a clothing pattern). In some embodiments, the first avatar
feature (e.g., 924) is an avatar accessory (e.g., glasses, a hat,
piercing, or jewelry).
[0279] In accordance with some embodiments, the display is a
touch-sensitive display and the electronic device, in response to
receiving a gesture (e.g., a touch-and-drag gesture or a pinch
gesture) on the touch-sensitive display, modifies a characteristic
of first avatar feature based on the gesture; and updates the
display of the avatar based on the modified parameter. In some
examples, the received gesture is a pinch gesture, a touch-and-drag
gesture, or other type of gesture. In some embodiments, the
modification occurs in accordance with the processes described with
respect to FIGS. 15A-15F and 16A-16B, below. By using gestures to
modify the features of the avatar, the avatar customization process
is made more efficient by avoiding the use of more complex controls
to adjust the settings of the various features. This allows more
information to be presented on the screen and the electronic device
to operate more efficiently, which improves overall performance
and/or prolongs battery life.
[0280] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device
displays an avatar management interface including a plurality of
previously saved avatars (e.g., a 3.times.3 listing of avatars);
receives user input selecting a previously saved avatar; and in
response to the user input selecting the previously save avatar,
displays the previously saved avatar in the avatar editing user
interface. By providing for different variations of a generated
avatar, the electronic device provides enhances the avatar editing
process by making it faster for a user to select an avatar that the
user is comfortable sharing as representative of the user, which
makes the electronic device more efficient, reduces power usage,
and improves battery life of the device.
[0281] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device,
after updating the avatar to change the appearance of the first
avatar feature in accordance with the second option for the first
avatar feature, stores the avatar as an avatar recipe (e.g., a
non-graphical representation of the avatar), wherein the avatar
recipe defines avatar structure, including the second option,
(e.g., eyes, nose, mouth, glasses) and avatar parameters (e.g., eye
color, nose size, mouth shape, glasses type).
[0282] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device
sends the avatar recipe to a contact. In some examples, the avatar
recipe is sent to another user in response to a user input
corresponding to a request to send the avatar recipe to the other
user. For example, the avatar recipe is sent to another user as
described below with respect to process 1300 of FIGS. 13A and
13B.
[0283] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device,
in accordance with not detecting, via the one or more input
devices, input associated with the avatar editing user interface
for a predetermined period of time (e.g., after a predetermined
period of time after lift-off, after the user breaks contact with
the touch screen), updates the display of the avatar with an avatar
animation.
[0284] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device
updates the avatar to change the appearance of the first avatar
feature in accordance with the second option for the first avatar
feature (e.g., in FIGS. 9F to 9G, the avatar is updated to include
glasses) includes the electronic device modifying an expression of
the avatar based on the second option. In some examples, if the
first avatar feature is for eyeglasses and the first option and the
second option are different styles of eyeglasses, the selection of
the second option randomly causes the avatar to be excited, smile,
give positive feedback, or otherwise provide feedback.
[0285] In some embodiments, the electronic device, while displaying
the avatar, in response to detecting input via one or more input
devices of the electronic device (e.g., a mouse cursor or touch),
updates the eyes of the avatar based on a position associated with
the input (e.g., the position of a cursor on the screen or the
position of a touch input). In some embodiments, the electronic
device updates the avatar based on an animation loop, wherein the
animation loop includes a series of expressions for the avatar. In
some embodiments, the animation loop has a time duration and the
electronic device determines a random time offset less than the
time duration, wherein updating the avatar based on the animation
loop includes updating the avatar starting at a position in the
animation loop based on the random time offset (e.g., to avoid
synchronization of the animation loop with other avatars that are
displaying the same animation loop). In some embodiments, the
electronic device ceases to update the avatar based on the
animation loop after a predetermined period of time. By animating
an avatar according to an animation loop with a random beginning
time, the electronic device is enhanced by ensuring that multiple
avatars (e.g., avatars for different users) displayed together are
not animated in unison. This increases the likelihood that the user
will sustain interaction with the avatar in the customization
process or in other situations.
[0286] In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 11 shows an
exemplary functional block diagram of an electronic device 1100
configured in accordance with the principles of the various
described embodiments. In accordance with some embodiments, the
functional blocks of electronic device 1100 are configured to
perform the techniques described above. The functional blocks of
the device 1100 are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software,
or a combination of hardware and software to carry out the
principles of the various described examples. It is understood by
persons of skill in the art that the functional blocks described in
FIG. 11 are, optionally, combined or separated into sub-blocks to
implement the principles of the various described examples.
Therefore, the description herein optionally supports any possible
combination or separation or further definition of the functional
blocks described herein.
[0287] As shown in FIG. 11, an electronic device 1100 includes a
display unit 1102 configured to display a graphic user interface,
an input unit 1104, and a processing unit 1106 coupled to the
display unit 1102 and input unit 1104. In some embodiments, the
processing unit 1106 includes a display enabling unit 1110, a
detecting unit 1112, and an updating unit 1114, and, optionally, a
modifying unit 1116, a receiving unit 1118, a storing unit 1120, a
sending unit 1122, and a determining unit 1124.
[0288] The processing unit 1106 is configured to display (e.g.,
using display enabling unit 1110) an avatar editing user interface
that includes concurrently displaying, the display includes: an
avatar having a plurality of editable features; a feature-selection
control region that includes representations of a plurality of
avatar features, including a first avatar feature that is currently
selected for modification and a second avatar feature that is not
currently selected for modification; a feature-option control
region that includes representations of a plurality of options for
the first avatar feature for selection including a first option for
the first avatar feature that is currently selected and a second
option for the first avatar feature that is not currently selected.
The processing unit 1106 is further configured to, while displaying
the avatar editing user interface, detect (e.g., using detecting
unit 1112) an input in the avatar editing user interface. In
response to detecting the input, the processing unit 1106 is
configured to, in accordance with a determination that the input
corresponds to selection of the second avatar feature in the
feature-selection control region, update (e.g., using updating unit
1114) the feature-selection control region to indicate that the
second avatar feature is currently selected; and update (e.g.,
using updating unit 1114) the feature-option control region to
include representations of a plurality of options for the second
avatar feature for selection including a first option for the
second avatar feature that is currently selected and a second
option for the second avatar feature that is not currently
selected. The processing unit 1106 is further configured to, in
accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to
selection of the second option for the first avatar feature in the
feature-option control region, update (e.g., using updating unit
1114) the feature-option control region to indicate that the second
option for the first avatar feature is currently selected; and
update (e.g., using updating unit 1114) the avatar to change the
appearance of the first avatar feature in accordance with the
second option for the first avatar feature.
[0289] In some embodiments, in response to detecting the input and
in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to
selection of the second option for the first avatar feature in the
feature-option control region, the feature-option control region is
updated without updating the avatar-feature control region.
[0290] In some embodiments, in response to detecting the input and
in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to
selection of the second avatar feature in the feature-selection
control region, the feature-selection control region is updated
without updating the avatar.
[0291] In some embodiments, the display of the avatar editing user
interface further includes concurrently display on the display of a
color-selection region that includes representations of a plurality
of color options for the first avatar feature, including a first
color that is currently selected and a second color that is not
currently selected, wherein the color-selection region is displayed
concurrently with the avatar, the feature-selection control region,
and the feature-option control region.
[0292] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to, while displaying the color-selection region, in
response to detection of a user input corresponding to selection of
the second color, update (e.g., using updating unit 1114) the
display of the first avatar feature in the avatar based on the
second color.
[0293] In some embodiments, the first avatar feature is avatar
clothing and updating the display of the first avatar feature in
the avatar based on the second color includes updating the color of
the avatar clothing to the second color.
[0294] In some embodiments, the first avatar feature is an avatar
accessory.
[0295] In some embodiments, the display unit is a touch-sensitive
display unit, the processing unit 1106 further configured to, in
response to receiving a gesture on the touch-sensitive display,
modify (e.g., using modifying unit 1116) a characteristic of first
avatar feature based on the gesture; and update (e.g., using
updating unit 1114) the display of the avatar based on the modified
parameter.
[0296] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to display (e.g., using display enabling unit 1110) an
avatar management interface including a plurality of previously
saved avatars; and receive (e.g., using receiving unit 1118) user
input selecting a previously saved avatar; and in response the user
input selecting the previously save avatar, display (e.g., using
display enabling unit 1110) the previously saved avatar in the
avatar editing user interface.
[0297] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to, after updating the avatar to change the appearance
of the first avatar feature in accordance with the second option
for the first avatar feature, store (e.g., using storing unit 1120)
the avatar as an avatar recipe, wherein the avatar recipe defines
avatar structure, including the second option, and avatar
parameters.
[0298] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to send (e.g., using sending unit 1122) the avatar
recipe to a contact.
[0299] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to receive (e.g., using receiving unit 1118) an avatar
recipe for a first contact; and display (e.g., using display
enabling unit 1110) a contact information for a plurality of
contacts, including the first contact, wherein the contact
information displayed for the first contact includes an avatar
based on the avatar recipe for the first contact.
[0300] In some embodiments, the display of the avatar includes an
indicator for the first avatar feature when the first avatar
feature is currently selected.
[0301] In some embodiments, the representations in the
feature-selection control region have a shape based on the shape of
their respective avatar features.
[0302] In some embodiments, the representations in the
feature-option control region have a shape based on the shape of
their respective avatar feature options.
[0303] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to, in accordance with not detecting, via the one or
more input devices, input associated with the avatar editing user
interface for a predetermined period of time, update (e.g., using
updating unit 1114) the display of the avatar with an avatar
animation.
[0304] In some embodiments, updating the avatar to change the
appearance of the first avatar feature in accordance with the
second option for the first avatar feature includes modifying an
expression of the avatar based on the second option.
[0305] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to, while displaying the avatar, in response to
detecting input via one or more input devices of the electronic
device, update (e.g., using updating unit 1114) the eyes of the
avatar based on a position associated with the input.
[0306] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to update (e.g., using updating unit 1114) the avatar
based on an animation loop, wherein the animation loop includes a
series of expressions for the avatar.
[0307] In some embodiments the animation loop has a time duration
and the processing unit 1106 is further configured to determine
(e.g., using determining unit 1124) a random time offset less than
the time duration, wherein updating the avatar based on the
animation loop includes updating the avatar starting at a position
in the animation loop based on the random time offset.
[0308] In some embodiments the processing unit 1106 is further
configured to cease to update the avatar based on the animation
loop after a predetermined period of time.
[0309] In some embodiments, updating the avatar to change the
appearance of the first avatar feature in accordance with the
second option for the first avatar feature includes transitioning
the first avatar feature based on the first option to the first
avatar feature based on the second option via an animation.
[0310] The operations described above with reference to FIGS. 10A
and 10B are, optionally, implemented by components depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B or FIG. 11. For example, detecting operation 1004 is,
optionally, implemented by event sorter 170, display controller
156, and touch-sensitive display system 112. Similarly, it would be
clear to a person having ordinary skill in the art how other
processes can be implemented based on the components depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B.
[0311] FIGS. 12A-12J illustrate exemplary user interfaces for using
avatar stickers in messages, in accordance with some embodiments.
The user interfaces in these figures are used to illustrate the
processes described below, including the processes in FIG. 13.
[0312] FIG. 12A depicts device 600 (described above with respect to
FIG. 6A), which in some examples is a specific form factor for
device 100, device 300, or device 500 described above. Device 600
includes display 601, which in some embodiments is a
touch-sensitive display.
[0313] In FIG. 12A, display 1201 is displaying messaging interface
1203 for another named "Joe." Messaging interface 1203 includes
back button 1204, username 1205, user picture 1206, and contact
information button 1207. In response to the user selecting back
button 1204, by, for example, touching back button 1204 on display
1201, messaging interface 1203 returns to a main messaging screen
where recent messages are displayed and/or other users are selected
for communicating with. Username 1205 and user picture 1206
indicate the current other user that messaging interface 1203 is
configured to communicate with. User picture 1206 is, for example,
an avatar (e.g., emoji or other graphical representation (e.g., a
non-photorealistic representation)) for the other user, a picture
of the other user, or some other image associated with the other
user. In response to the user selecting contact information button
1207, options, settings, and other actions associated with the
contact are accessible. In some examples, the contact information
button 1207 causes device 1200 to open a contact interface page
that allows the user to initiate communicate with the other user
using other channels of communication, allows the user to send
certain types of information (e.g., a current location) to the
other user, allows the user to change communications settings for
the other user, and/or allows the user to review information
related to previous communications with the user.
[0314] Messaging interface 1203 includes message area 1208, which
is empty in FIG. 12A, and message entry area 1209. Message entry
area includes photo button 1210, drawing button 1211, sticker
button 1212, text entry field 1213, and voice recognition button
1214. Photo button 1210 allows the user to either select an
existing picture/video or capture a new picture/video to include in
a message to the other user. Drawing button 1211 allows the user to
create a sketch to include in a message to the other user. Sticker
button 1212 allows a user to select stickers to include in a
message to the other user. Text entry field 1213 allows a user to
enter text that will be included in a message to the other user. In
FIG. 12A, text entry field 1213 includes the word "iMessage," which
indicates the type of textual message that will be sent to the
other user. Voice recognition button 1214 allows a user to enter
text for text entry field 1213 by speaking into device 1200 instead
of manually entering the text.
[0315] As depicted in FIG. 12B, in response to user input selecting
text entry field 1213, such as touch 1215 in FIG. 12A, keyboard
1216 is displayed on display 1201. Additionally, text entry field
1213 is moved up the display and expanded by hiding photo button
1210, drawing button 1211, and sticker button 1212 of FIG. 12A.
These buttons are redisplayed if the user selects expand button
1217. Additionally, in some examples, a cursor (not shown) is
displayed inside of text entry field 1213.
[0316] As depicted in FIG. 12C, in response to selection of letters
on keyboard 1216 (e.g., via touches on keyboard 1216, such as
touches 1218 and 1219 in FIG. 12B on the letters "H" and "I,"
respectively), text entry field 1213 is updated to include the
selected letters. Additionally, voice recognition button 1214 (FIG.
12B) is replaced with send button 1220, which sends the currently
entered message, including entered text and other data such as
image data, to the other user.
[0317] FIG. 12D depicts messaging interface 1203 after additional
text entry via additional touches on keyboard 1216. Text entry
field 1213 includes the additional entered text.
[0318] Once the user is done entering text in text entry field
1213, the user indicates that the message is ready to be sent by,
for example, selecting send button 1220 via touch 1221 on display
1201. In response, device 1200 prepares the message that includes,
in the example of FIG. 12D, the text in text entry field 1213. Once
the message is ready to send, device 1200 sends the message to the
other user (the other user named "Joe" in the case of the example
of FIGS. 12A-12J).
[0319] As depicted in FIG. 12E, after sending the message to the
other user, the message content, including the text of text entry
field 1213, is displayed in message area 1208 in displayed in text
box 1222. Text box 1222, optionally, also includes other,
non-textual content of the message (e.g., images, animations,
video, etc.). In addition to displaying text box 1222, avatar 1223
is also displayed adjacent to text box 1222 (e.g., the message is
coming from the avatar's mouth). In some embodiments, avatar 1223
is generated based on a previously defined (e.g., baseline) avatar
or avatar model (e.g., a wire, mesh, or structural model) that
represents the user of device 1200.
[0320] FIG. 12F depicts messaging interface 1203 after a message
was received from the other user named "Joe" (e.g., received from
an electronic device associated with the other user "Joe"). The
content of the message is displayed in text box 1224 in message
area 1208. Additionally, an associated avatar 1225 is displayed
adjacent text box 1224. Like avatar 1223, avatar 1225 is based on a
previously defined avatar or avatar model, except the predefined
(e.g., baseline) avatar or avatar model is for "Joe," instead of
the user of device 1200. The previously defined avatar or avatar
model is, optionally, set by the user of device 1200 or is provided
by the other user or by a remote server. Device 1200, optionally,
stores the previously defined avatar or avatar model locally or it
retrieves the previously defined avatar or avatar model as
needed.
[0321] FIG. 12G depicts messaging interface 1203 updated with
sticker interface 1227 that is displayed in response to, for
example, user selection of sticker button 1212 with touch 1226 in
FIG. 12F. Sticker interface 1227 displays three avatar stickers,
1228, 1229, and 1230 that are based on the previously defined
(e.g., baseline) avatar or avatar model (e.g., a wire, mesh, or
structural model) that represents the user of device 1200. For
example, if a recipe is used to define a baseline avatar, the
avatar stickers in sticker interface 1227 are generated based on
the recipe by, for example, add elements to or modifying existing
elements in the avatar recipe. In some embodiments, an avatar
recipe is a non-graphical representation of an avatar. For example,
in some cases, an avatar recipe is defined using a structured
document such as XML or using a data interchange format, such as
JSON. The recipe optionally defines an avatar in terms of
structural features (e.g., eyes, ears, mouth, hair) and/or various
settings (e.g., size, orientation, style, color) of features.
[0322] The stickers in sticker interface 1227 are, optionally,
generated based on context obtained from, for example, device 600
(e.g., location, weather at the location, calendar appointments) or
the messaging interface (e.g., messages that have already been
received or sent, and/or message text that has been entered but not
sent, and/or the recipient of the sticker).
[0323] In FIG. 12G, as an example, sticker 1230 was generated based
on the predefined avatar model and information from messaging
interface 1203 that indicates the conversation was about making
food. Similarly, sticker 1229 was generated based on the predefined
avatar model and information form messaging interface 1203 that
indicates that the conversation was about the user of device 600
bringing something to Joe. Sticker 1228 was generated based on the
predefined avatar model but not based on context from the device
600 or messaging interface 1203. Instead, sticker 1228 is the most
commonly used sticker by the user of device 600. Sticker 1228 is
animated as indicated by the arrows. Although sticker interface
1227 depicts three stickers, additional stickers, if available, are
optionally accessed in the interface via, for example, a horizontal
swipe gesture on the interface.
[0324] In response to device 600 receiving drag and drop gesture
1231, which drags sticker 1230 from sticker interface 1227 to text
box 1224, a sticker is attached to text box 1223. Specifically,
sticker 1232, which is identical to sticker 1230 in FIG. 12G, is
placed on text box 1224 as depicted in FIG. 12H. Additionally,
sticker 1232 is sent to Joe with additional information (e.g.,
placement information) for similar placement on Joe's text box
displayed on Joe's device. In some embodiment, an avatar sticker
recipe is sent to Joe representing sticker 1232. In some
embodiments, only the additions or modifications to the user of
device 600's baseline avatar model are sent to Joe's electronic
device if Joe's electronic device already has or can obtain the
user of device 600's baseline avatar model.
[0325] FIG. 12I depicts messaging interface after the user has
entered text for a message in text entry field 1213 in a similar
manner as described with respect to FIGS. 12A-12D. Additionally,
the user has again entered sticker interface 1227. This time,
however, a different set of stickers was generated. Specifically,
sticker 1233 shows the user's avatar in response to, for example,
device 600 determining that it is raining at the user's current
location.
[0326] In response to a selection of sticker 1229 via, for example,
touch 1234, sticker 1229 and the already entered text portion of
the message are sent to Joe and displayed in messaging interface
1203 as text box 1235 and sticker 1236, as depicted in FIG.
12J.
[0327] FIGS. 13A and 13B are a flow diagram illustrating a method
for using avatar stickers in messages on an electronic device in
accordance with some embodiments. Method 1300 is performed at a
device (e.g., 100, 300, 500) with a display. Some operations in
method 1300 are, optionally, combined, the order of some operations
are, optionally, changed, and some operations are, optionally,
omitted.
[0328] As described below, method 1300 provides an intuitive way
for using avatar stickers in messages. The method reduces the
cognitive burden on a user for using avatar stickers in messages,
thereby creating a more efficient human-machine interface. For
battery-operated computing devices, enabling a user to use avatar
stickers in messages faster and more efficiently conserves power
and increases the time between battery charges.
[0329] An electronic device (e.g., device 600 of FIG. 12A) has a
display (e.g., display 601) and one or more input devices. The
electronic device displays (1302) a messaging interface (e.g.,
1203) (e.g., a message entry interface after a anther user has been
selected) for a messaging application (e.g., iMessages or other
messaging applications) for transmitting messages between a first
user of the device and other users, wherein the first user is
represented in the messaging application by an avatar (e.g., 1233)
of the user that distinguishes the first user of the device from
other users (e.g., user associated with 1206 and 1225). The
electronic device, while displaying the messaging user interface,
receives (1304) a first request (e.g., gesture 1226) to display a
sticker user interface (e.g., 1227) for selecting stickers (e.g.,
1228-1230) to send to a second user.
[0330] In response to the first request to display the sticker user
interface, the electronic device displays (1306) a sticker user
interface that includes a first plurality of avatar stickers (e.g.,
1228-1230) generated based on the avatar of the user, including
concurrently displaying, on the display: a first avatar sticker
(e.g., 1228) generated based on a modification (e.g., to generate
an avatar sticker avatar recipe parameters are added, changed,
and/or removed from the avatar recipe to generate avatar stickers)
of the avatar that represents the user (e.g., 1223) (e.g., modified
to be smiling, have an umbrella, or to be running), and a second
avatar sticker (e.g., 1229) generated based on a modification of
the avatar that represents the user and is different from the first
avatar sticker. By modifying an existing avatar to produce avatar
stickers for a user, the electronic device is able to operate more
efficiently and has more flexibility by being able to change what
stickers are generated and/or displayed without having to first
generate a baseline avatar, which makes the electronic device more
efficient, reduces power usage, and improves battery life of the
device.
[0331] The electronic device, while displaying the plurality
affordance for the avatar selection interface on the display,
detects (1308), via the one or more input devices (e.g., display
601), a sequence of one or more inputs (e.g., gesture 1231 or 1234)
that corresponds to a request to send a respective avatar sticker
(1230) from the first user to the second user via the messaging
application. In some examples, the sequence of one or more inputs
corresponds to a gesture that selects a sticker, drags the sticker
to a particular location in the messaging interface, and releases
the selected sticker. In some examples, the sequence of one or more
inputs is a tap gesture of a selected sticker for sending to
another user.
[0332] In response to detecting the sequence of one or more inputs
(1310): the electronic device, in accordance with a determination
that the sequence of one or more inputs corresponds to selection of
the first avatar sticker, sends (1312) the first avatar sticker to
the second user from the first user to the second user via the
messaging application (e.g., FIGS. 12-12H); and in accordance with
a determination that the sequence of one or more inputs corresponds
to selection of the second avatar sticker (e.g., 1229), sends
(1314) the second avatar sticker from the first user to the second
user via the messaging application (e.g., 12I-12J).
[0333] In accordance with some embodiments, the avatar of the user
is based on an avatar recipe (1316) (e.g., a non-graphical
representation of the avatar). In some examples, the avatar recipe
is a structured document, such as XML, that defines avatar features
and avatar parameters that are used to generate the avatar. In some
embodiments, the first avatar sticker was generated (1318) by
modifying a first parameter of the avatar recipe for the avatar of
the user. In some embodiments, the first avatar sticker (e.g.,
1228) is animated (e.g., in the first avatar sticker, the avatar is
waving, winking, or being rained on). In some embodiments, the
second avatar sticker (e.g., 1230) includes a prop (e.g., an
umbrella, a flag, or other object besides the avatar or objects
normally associated with the avatar, such as eyeglasses). In some
examples, the avatar recipe for the avatar of the user includes a
parameter representing an expression or emotion of the user.
Optionally, the addition of an expression or emotion parameter to
the avatar recipe will affect how multiple features in the first
avatar sticker are generated. In one example, a happy emotion
changes the appearance of the mouth, eyes, and contour of the face
in the corresponding first avatar sticker as compared to the
appearance of these features in an avatar sticker generated from an
unmodified sticker. In some embodiments, the second avatar sticker
was generated (1320) by adding a second parameter to the avatar
recipe for the avatar of the user. In some examples, a parameter is
added to the avatar recipe, such as a parameter representing an
accessory for the avatar. In one example, an umbrella parameter is
added so that the avatar sticker will include the avatar generated
from the avatar recipe under an umbrella. In some embodiments,
sending the first avatar sticker to the second user includes
sending a recipe representing the first avatar sticker to the user.
By using an avatar recipe to generate and/or transmit the avatar
stickers, smaller amounts of data can be transmitted faster and
processing requirements are lower, which improves the performance
(e.g., battery life and responsiveness) of the electronic devices
involved.
[0334] In accordance with some embodiments, as part of sending the
first avatar sticker to the second user from the first user to the
second user via the messaging application the electronic device, in
accordance with a determination that a device associated with the
second user supports avatar recipes (e.g., the device is using the
same messaging application as the first user or a different,
compatible messaging application), sends (1322) the first avatar
sticker to the second user includes sending a recipe representing
the first avatar sticker to the user and in accordance with a
determination that the device associated with the second user does
not support avatar recipes, sends (1324) a graphical representation
of the first avatar sticker to the user. By sending the first
avatar stick as a recipe, the electronic device is able to send
less data and send it more quickly as compared to sending a
graphical representation, which improves the efficient and
performance of the electronic device. Additionally, in some
embodiments, the data can be reduced even more by only sending the
additions or modification to a baseline avatar for the user of the
electronic device that the recipient's electronic device already
has access to.
[0335] In accordance with some embodiments, the sticker user
interface is displayed concurrently with at least a portion of the
messaging interface (e.g., FIGS. 12G and 12I). In some examples,
the sticker interface is displayed overlapping part of the
messaging interface. In some examples, the sticker interface is
displayed next (e.g., to the left or right or on top of over below)
the messaging interface. In some example, the messaging interface
is slides to one direction so the sticker interface and the
messaging interface are concurrently displayed without the
interfaces overlapping. By displaying the sticker user interface
with the messaging interface, the electronic device provides for a
better user experience that allows the user to review past messages
while selecting an avatar sticker to send as part of a message in
the messaging application. This improves the man-machine interface
by displaying more data on the screen and making sustained
interactions with the device easier.
[0336] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device,
prior to receiving the request to display the sticker user
interface, receives user input for a textual portion (e.g., 1213)
of a user message and sends the textual portion of the user message
to the second user via the messaging application after detecting
the sequence of one or more inputs (e.g., FIGS. 12I-12J). By
allowing for the entry of text before the selection of an avatar
sticker, the electronic device enables the user to send a message
that incorporates textual content as well as sticker content, which
makes the electronic device more efficient, reduces power usage,
and improves battery life of the device, by reducing the number of
user interactions necessary to send desire information (e.g., the
user only has to send one message instead of multiple
messages).
[0337] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device,
after sending the first avatar sticker or the second avatar
sticker, while displaying the plurality affordance for the avatar
selection interface on the display, detecting, via the one or more
input devices, a second sequence of one or more inputs that
corresponds to a request to send a respective avatar sticker from
the first user to the second user via the messaging application
(e.g., FIG. 12J). In response to detecting the second sequence of
one or more inputs, in accordance with a determination that the
sequence of one or more inputs corresponds to selection of the
second avatar sticker, the electronic device, sends the second
avatar sticker from the first user to the second user via the
messaging application.
[0338] In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 14 shows an
exemplary functional block diagram of an electronic device 1400
configured in accordance with the principles of the various
described embodiments. In accordance with some embodiments, the
functional blocks of electronic device 1400 are configured to
perform the techniques described above. The functional blocks of
the device 1400 are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software,
or a combination of hardware and software to carry out the
principles of the various described examples. It is understood by
persons of skill in the art that the functional blocks described in
FIG. 14 are, optionally, combined or separated into sub-blocks to
implement the principles of the various described examples.
Therefore, the description herein optionally supports any possible
combination or separation or further definition of the functional
blocks described herein.
[0339] As shown in FIG. 14, an electronic device 1400 includes a
display unit 1402 configured to display a graphic user interface,
an input unit 1104, and a processing unit 1406 coupled to the
display unit 1402 and the input unit 1104. In some embodiments, the
processing unit 1406 includes a display enabling unit 1410, a
receiving unit 1412, a detecting unit 1414, and a sending unit 1416
and, optionally, a receiving unit 1418.
[0340] The processing unit 1406 is configured to display (e.g.,
using display enabling unit 1410) a messaging interface for a
messaging application for transmitting messages between a first
user of the device and other users, wherein the first user is
represented in the messaging application by an avatar of the user
that distinguishes the first user of the device from other users.
The processing unit 1406 is further configured to, while displaying
the messaging user interface, receive (e.g., using receiving unit
1412) a first request to display a sticker user interface for
selecting stickers to send to a second user. In response to the
first request to display the sticker user interface, the processing
unit 1406 is configured to display (e.g., using display enabling
unit 1410) a sticker user interface that includes a first plurality
of avatar stickers generated based on the avatar of the user,
including concurrently displaying, on the display unit: a first
avatar sticker generated based on a modification of the avatar that
represents the user, and a second avatar sticker generated based on
a modification of the avatar that represents the user and is
different from the first avatar sticker. The processing unit 1406
is configured to while displaying the plurality affordance for the
avatar selection interface on the display, detect (e.g., using
detecting unit 1414), via the one or more input devices, a sequence
of one or more inputs that corresponds to a request to send a
respective avatar sticker from the first user to the second user
via the messaging application. In response to detecting the
sequence of one or more inputs: the processing unit 1406 is
configured to, in accordance with a determination that the sequence
of one or more inputs corresponds to selection of the first avatar
sticker, send (e.g., using sending unit 1416) the first avatar
sticker to the second user from the first user to the second user
via the messaging application; and in accordance with a
determination that the sequence of one or more inputs corresponds
to selection of the second avatar sticker, send (e.g., using
sending unit 1416) the second avatar sticker from the first user to
the second user via the messaging application.
[0341] In some embodiments, the avatar of the user is based on an
avatar recipe. In some embodiments, the first avatar sticker was
generated by modifying a first parameter of the avatar recipe for
the avatar of the user. In some embodiments, the second avatar
sticker was generated by adding a second parameter (e.g., a
parameter adding an accessory or specifying a facial expression) to
the avatar recipe for the avatar of the user. In some embodiments,
sending the first avatar sticker to the second user includes
sending a recipe representing the first avatar sticker to the
second user.
[0342] In some embodiments, the processing unit 1406 being
configured to send the first avatar sticker to the second user from
the first user to the second user via the messaging application
further comprises the processing unit 1406 being further configured
to, in accordance with a determination that a device associated
with the second user supports avatar recipes, send (e.g., using
sending unit 1416) the first avatar sticker to the second user
includes sending a recipe representing the first avatar sticker to
the user; and in accordance with a determination that the device
associated with the second user does not support avatar recipes,
send (e.g., using sending unit 1416) a graphical representation of
the first avatar sticker to the user.
[0343] In some embodiments, the sticker user interface is displayed
concurrently with at least a portion of the messaging interface. In
some embodiments, the first avatar sticker is animated. In some
embodiments, the second avatar sticker includes a prop.
[0344] In some embodiments the processing unit 1406 is further
configured to, prior to receiving the request to display the
sticker user interface, receive (e.g., using receiving unit 1418)
user input for a textual portion of a user message; and send (e.g.,
using sending unit 1416) the textual portion of the user message to
the second user via the messaging application after detecting the
sequence of one or more inputs.
[0345] In some embodiments the processing unit 1406 is further
configured to, after sending the first avatar sticker or the second
avatar sticker, while displaying the plurality affordance for the
avatar selection interface on the display, detect, via the one or
more input devices, a second sequence of one or more inputs that
corresponds to a request to send a respective avatar sticker from
the first user to the second user via the messaging application;
and in response to detecting the second sequence of one or more
inputs, in accordance with a determination that the sequence of one
or more inputs corresponds to selection of the second avatar
sticker, send the second avatar sticker from the first user to the
second user via the messaging application.
[0346] The operations described above with reference to FIGS. 13A
and 13B are, optionally, implemented by components depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B or FIG. 14. For example, detecting operation 1308 is,
optionally, implemented by event sorter 170, display controller
156, and touch-sensitive display system 112. Similarly, it would be
clear to a person having ordinary skill in the art how other
processes can be implemented based on the components depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B.
[0347] FIGS. 15A-15F illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
notifications, in accordance with some embodiments. The user
interfaces in these figures are used to illustrate the processes
described below, including the processes in FIG. 16.
[0348] FIG. 15A depicts device 600 (described above with respect to
FIG. 6A), which in some examples is a specific form factor for
device 100, device 300, or device 500 described above. Device 600
includes display 601, which in some embodiments is a
touch-sensitive display.
[0349] In FIG. 15A, device 600 is displaying avatar customization
interface 1500 on display 601. In some embodiments avatar
customization interface 1500 is the same as avatar customization
interface 900 described above with respect to FIGS. 9A-9H. Avatar
customization interface 1500 includes display of avatar 1501,
feature-selection control region containing feature representations
1507-1511, and feature-option control region containing option
representations 1502-1506. Feature representations 1507-1511
correspond to avatar features that can be edited in avatar
customization interface 1500 and includes an indicator (the bolding
around indicator 1508) that identifies a representation that
corresponds to a feature that is currently selected for editing.
Option representations 1502-1511 correspond to feature options that
each correspond to a different style (e.g., shape, size, type) of
the selected feature. In some embodiments the feature-selection
control region and the feature-option control region are
implemented the same as described above with respect to FIGS.
9A-9H.
[0350] Avatar customization interface 1500 also includes indicators
1512 that provide a visual indication of what avatar feature is
currently selected for editing in the feature-selection control
region. In some embodiments, other indicators are used, such as
highlighting, circles, movement of the feature, and/or other styles
of indicators.
[0351] Avatar customization interface 1500 enables editing of the
selected avatar feature in response to gestures received on display
601 when display 601 is a touch sensitive display. Device 600
determines the appropriate modification to avatar 1501 based on any
of several factors, including the type of gesture (e.g., tap,
pinch, drag, rotation), the direction (e.g., vertical, horizontal,
clockwise, counter clockwise, expanding, squeezing), the currently
selected avatar feature, and/or the location of the gesture.
[0352] For example, if pinch gesture 1513 in FIG. 15A is received
when ears are currently selected for editing (representation 1508
corresponds to ears), device 600 scales the ears in accordance with
the pinch gesture (e.g., an expanding pinch grows the ears while a
squeezing pinch shrinks the ears). The results of expanding pinch
1513 of FIG. 15A on avatar 1501 are depicted in FIG. 15B.
Specifically, in FIG. 15B, the ears on avatar 1501 have increased
in scale as compared to the ears of avatar 1501 in FIG. 15A.
[0353] As another example, if vertical drag gesture 1514 of FIG.
15B is received when ears are currently selected for editing
(representation 1508 corresponds to ears), device 600 moves the
vertical position of the ears in accordance with the drag gesture
(e.g., an upward drag moves the ears up while a downward drag moves
the ears down). The results of vertical drag 1514 of FIG. 15B on
avatar 1501 are depicted in FIG. 15C. Specifically, in FIG. 15C,
the ears on avatar 1501 have moved up as compared to the ears of
avatar 1501 in FIG. 15B.
[0354] FIG. 15D depicts avatar customization interface 1500 in
response to device 600 receiving the selection of a different
feature representation (e.g., representation 1509) via, for
example, touch 1515 of FIG. 15C. In FIG. 15D, indicator 1512 has
moved to show that the feature corresponding to representation 1509
that is selected for editing is the nose. Additionally,
feature-option control region now contains new feature option
representations 1516-1520. As described with respect to FIGS. 9A-9H
above, color-selection control region with color representation
1521-1525 is also displayed with an indication that the color
corresponding to representation 1525 is currently selected.
[0355] If pinch gesture 1526 in FIG. 15D is received when the nose
is currently selected for editing (representation 1509 corresponds
to the nose), device 600 changes the nose width in accordance with
the pinch gesture (e.g., an expanding pinch widens the nose while a
squeezing pinch narrows the nose). The results of expanding pinch
1526 of FIG. 15D on avatar 1501 are depicted in FIG. 15E.
Specifically, in FIG. 15E, the nose on avatar 1501 has widened as
compared to the nose of avatar 1501 in FIG. 15D. The effect
(changing width) of pinch gesture 1526 (FIG. 15D) is different than
the effect (changing scale) of pinch gesture 1513 (FIG. A) based on
different avatar features being selected for editing.
[0356] If vertical drag gesture 1527 of FIG. 15E is received when
the nose is currently selected for editing (representation 1509
corresponds to the nose), device 600 moves the vertical position of
the nose in accordance with the drag gesture (e.g., an upward drag
moves the nose up while a downward drag moves the nose down). The
results of vertical drag 1527 of FIG. 15E on avatar 1501 are
depicted in FIG. 15F. Specifically, in FIG. 15F, the nose on avatar
1501 has moved up as compared to the ears of avatar 1501 in FIG.
15E. In this case, the effect of vertical drag gesture 1514 (FIG.
15B) is the same as the effect of vertical drag gesture 1527 (FIG.
15D) (both gestures result in adjusting the position of the nose),
even though different avatar features are selected.
[0357] FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for using
gestures to edit an avatar on an electronic device in accordance
with some embodiments. Method 1600 is performed at a device (e.g.,
100, 300, 500) with a display. Some operations in method 1600 are,
optionally, combined, the order of some operations are, optionally,
changed, and some operations are, optionally, omitted.
[0358] As described below, method 1600 provides an intuitive way
for using gestures to edit an avatar. The method reduces the
cognitive burden on a user for using gestures to edit an avatar,
thereby creating a more efficient human-machine interface. For
battery-operated computing devices, enabling a user to use gestures
to edit an avatar faster and more efficiently conserves power and
increases the time between battery charges.
[0359] An electronic device has a display and a touch-sensitive
surface. The electronic device displays (1602), on the display, an
avatar editing interface (e.g., 1500) including an avatar (e.g.,
1501) having a plurality of editable features (e.g., an avatar
generated from the process described above or an avatar retrieved
from memory or a remote server). In some embodiments, the avatar
editing interface includes a first selection indicator with feature
affordances (e.g., 1512) (e.g., hair, nose, eye brows, eyes, ears,
glasses) of one or more of the plurality of editable features
selectable for editing.
[0360] While a respective feature of the plurality of editable
features is a currently selected feature (e.g., feature
corresponding to representation 1508), the electronic device
detects (1604), on the touch-sensitive surface, a first gesture
(e.g., gesture 1513 or gesture 1514) (e.g., a swipe, a pinch, a
drag, a rotation) that includes movement of one or more contacts on
the touch-sensitive surface.
[0361] In response to detecting the first gesture (1606) and in
accordance with a determination that the first gesture (e.g., 1513
or 1514) is a first type of gesture (e.g., a pinch) and that the
respective feature is a first feature (e.g., ears), the electronic
device updates (1608) the display of the avatar by modifying a
first characteristic (e.g., FIG. 15B) (e.g., scale of the ears) of
the first feature (e.g., increasing or decreasing the scale of the
ears), wherein the first characteristic of the first feature is
associated with the first gesture type (e.g., the ears scale is
associated with the pinch gesture); and in accordance with a
determination that the first gesture is a second type of gesture
(e.g., a vertical drag) that is different from the first type of
gesture and that the respective feature is the first feature (e.g.,
the ears), the electronic device updates (1610) the display of the
avatar by modifying a second characteristic (e.g., FIG. 15C) (e.g.,
the vertical position) of the first feature (e.g., in response to
the vertical drag, modify the position of the ears) that is
different from the first characteristic of the first feature,
wherein the second characteristic of the first feature is
associated with the second gesture type (e.g., the ears' vertical
position is associated with the vertical drag gesture). In some
examples, the mapping of gesture types to different characteristics
of avatar features follows one or more of the rows in Table 1. By
mapping different gestures to different characteristics of a single
feature, as described in Table 1, the electronic device enhances
the avatar editing interface by providing a lot of granularity in
modifying features of the avatar while providing a simple and
intuitive interface without extra user interface elements. This
enables a user to interact with the electronic device using fewer
interactions.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Gesture Avatar Feature Effect vertical drag
nose vertical position eyebrows vertical position ears vertical
position eyes vertical position mouth vertical position eyeglasses
vertical position top of head vertical size chin vertical size
horizontal drag eye spacing eyebrow spacing spacing pinch chin
scale ears scale eyeglasses scale nose width mouth width eyebrows
thickness 2-finger rotate mouth rotate z-axis eyebrows orientation
eyes orientation nose rotate z-axis ears rotate y-axis
[0362] In response to detecting the first gesture (e.g., 1526 or
1527) and in accordance with a determination that the gesture is a
first type of gesture (e.g., a pinch gesture) and that the
respective feature is a second feature (e.g., nose), the electronic
device updates (1612) the display of the avatar by modifying a
first characteristic (e.g., FIG. 15E) (e.g., nose width) of the
second feature (e.g., in response to the pinch gesture modifying
the nose width), wherein the first characteristic of the second
feature is associated with the first gesture type (e.g., nose width
is associated with pinch gestures). In some embodiments, the first
characteristic (e.g., nose width) of the second feature (e.g.,
nose) is different from the first characteristic (e.g., ears'
scale) of the first feature (e.g., ears). By mapping the same
gesture to different characteristics for different features, the
electronic device provides a simple interface that maintains a high
degree of freedom in customizing the avatar with a limited number
of simple gestures, which improves the overall man-machine
interface for the electronic device.
[0363] In accordance with some embodiments the electronic device,
in response to detecting the first gesture (e.g., 1526 or 1527) and
in accordance with a determination that the first gesture is a
second type of gesture (e.g., vertical drag) that is different from
the first type of gesture (e.g., a pinch) and that the respective
feature is the second feature (e.g., nose), updates (1614) the
display of the avatar by modifying a second characteristic (e.g.,
FIG. 15F) (e.g., vertical position of the nose) of the second
feature (e.g., in response to a vertical drag, the vertical
position of the nose is adjusted) that is different from the first
characteristic (e.g., nose width) of the second feature, wherein
the second characteristic of the second feature is associated with
the second gesture type (e.g., nose vertical position is associated
with vertical drag gestures). In some embodiments, the second
characteristic (e.g., width of nose) of the second feature is
different from the second characteristic (e.g., scale of ears) of
the first feature.
[0364] In accordance with some embodiments, the first type of
gesture is a pinch gesture, the first feature is a nose, and
wherein the first characteristic is the width of the nose. In some
embodiments, the second type of gesture is a vertical drag and the
second characteristic is the vertical position of the first
feature. Examples of other gestures are described above with
reference to Table 1.
[0365] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device,
in accordance with a determination that the first gesture modifies
the first characteristic beyond a first allowable range for the
first characteristic, ceases to modify the first characteristic of
the first feature. In some embodiments, the electronic device,
during the first gesture, detects an input that corresponds to a
modification of the first characteristic beyond an allowable range
for the first characteristic. After modifying the first
characteristic beyond the allowable range for the first
characteristic, the electronic device detects an end of the
gesture. In response to detecting the end of the first gesture, the
electronic device updates the display of the avatar by modifying
the first characteristic of the first feature to be within a second
allowable range for the second characteristic. In some examples,
user input is received that exceeds an allowable range for the
characteristic. In response to the user input, the characteristic
is modified beyond the allowable range for the characteristic. In
response to the termination of the user input, the display of the
characteristic reverts back to an edge or within the allowable
range for the characteristic. By putting limits on the amount that
certain features can be modified, the electronic device improves
avatar customization by ensure that the user does not create an
invalid avatar, which wastes resources (e.g., processing time or
battery power) of the electronic device.
[0366] In accordance with some embodiments, the first gesture is
detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that is
distinct from the location at which the first feature is displayed
(FIG. 15D). In some embodiments, how the first gesture affects a
characteristic of a feature of the avatar depends on the location
of the first gesture.
[0367] In accordance with some embodiments, the electronic device
receives (1616) user input selecting a preset characteristic set
(e.g., 1519) for the respective feature (e.g., 1509) (e.g., a
nose), wherein the preset characteristic set includes a value for
the first characteristic (e.g., a nose width) and a value for a
third characteristic (e.g., a nose length) without having any value
for the second characteristic; and in response to receiving the
user input, updates (1618) the display of the avatar based on the
first value and the second value. In some examples, the preset
characteristic set does not include any value for the second
characteristic or includes a value for the second characteristic
that is overridden by a previous user-set value for the second
characteristic. In some embodiments, the third characteristic is
not modifiable other than selection of one or more preset
characteristic sets. In some embodiments, the display of the avatar
based on the value for the first characteristic and the value for
the third characteristic is based on a previously user-set value
for the second characteristic. In some embodiments, the user input
selecting the preset characteristic set is a selection of an
affordance associated with the present characteristic, wherein the
affordance has a shape representative of one or more values in the
preset characteristic set. In some embodiments, in response to
receiving the user input, the electronic device requests the preset
characteristic set from a remote server. By using previously
user-set parameters for a characteristic of an avatar feature, the
electronic device enhances the avatar editing interface by
minimizing the reentry of parameters and required interactions
after a user selects a new preset for a given feature.
[0368] In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 17 shows an
exemplary functional block diagram of an electronic device 1700
configured in accordance with the principles of the various
described embodiments. In accordance with some embodiments, the
functional blocks of electronic device 1700 are configured to
perform the techniques described above. The functional blocks of
the device 1700 are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software,
or a combination of hardware and software to carry out the
principles of the various described examples. It is understood by
persons of skill in the art that the functional blocks described in
FIG. 17 are, optionally, combined or separated into sub-blocks to
implement the principles of the various described examples.
Therefore, the description herein optionally supports any possible
combination or separation or further definition of the functional
blocks described herein.
[0369] As shown in FIG. 17, an electronic device 1700 includes a
display unit 1702 configured to display a graphic user interface
and a processing unit 1706 coupled to the display unit 1402. In
some embodiments, the processing unit 1706 includes a display
enabling unit 1710, a detecting unit 1412, an image capturing unit
1414, and a providing unit 1416 and optionally a generating unit
1418, a determining unit 1420, an updating unit 1422, a receiving
unit 1424, and a storing unit 1426.
[0370] The processing unit 1706 is configured to display (e.g.,
using display enabling unit 1710), on the display, an avatar
editing interface including an avatar having a plurality of
editable features. While a respective feature of the plurality of
editable features is a currently selected feature, the processing
unit 1706 is further configured to detect (e.g., using detecting
unit 1712), on the touch-sensitive surface a first gesture that
includes movement of one or more contacts on the touch-sensitive
surface. In response to detecting the first gesture, the processing
unit 1706 is further configured to, in accordance with a
determination that the first gesture is a first type of gesture and
that the respective feature is a first feature, update (e.g., using
updating unit 1714) the display of the avatar by modifying a first
characteristic of the first feature, wherein the first
characteristic of the first feature is associated with the first
gesture type; and in accordance with a determination that the first
gesture is a second type of gesture that is different from the
first type of gesture and that the respective feature is the first
feature, update (e.g., using updating unit 1714) the display of the
avatar by modifying a second characteristic of the first feature
that is different from the first characteristic of the first
feature, wherein the second characteristic of the first feature is
associated with the second gesture type.
[0371] In some embodiments, the processing unit 1706 is further
configured to, in response to detecting the first gesture and in
accordance with a determination that the gesture is a first type of
gesture and that the respective feature is a second feature, update
(e.g., using updating unit 1714) the display of the avatar by
modifying a first characteristic of the second feature, wherein the
first characteristic of the second feature is associated with the
first gesture type. In some embodiments, the first characteristic
of the second feature is different from the first characteristic of
the first feature.
[0372] In some embodiments, the processing unit 1706 is further
configured to, in response to detecting the first gesture and in
accordance with a determination that the first gesture is a second
type of gesture that is different from the first type of gesture
and that the respective feature is the second feature, update
(e.g., using updating unit 1714) the display of the avatar by
modifying a second characteristic of the second feature that is
different from the first characteristic of the second feature,
wherein the second characteristic of the second feature is
associated with the second gesture type.
[0373] In some embodiments, the second characteristic of second
feature is different from the second characteristic of the first
feature. In some embodiments, the avatar editing interface includes
a first selection indicator with feature affordances of one or more
of the plurality of editable features selectable for editing. In
some embodiments, the first type of gesture is a pinch gesture, the
first feature is a nose, and wherein the first characteristic is
the width of the nose. In some embodiments, the second type of
gesture is a vertical drag and the second characteristic is the
vertical position of the first feature.
[0374] In some embodiments, the processing unit 1706 is further
configured to, in accordance with a determination that the first
gesture modifies the first characteristic beyond a first allowable
range for the first characteristic, cease to modify (e.g., using
updating unit 1714) the first characteristic of the first
feature.
[0375] In some embodiments, the processing unit 1706 is further
configured to, during the first gesture, detect (e.g., using
detecting unit 1712) an input that corresponds to a modification of
the first characteristic beyond an allowable range for the first
characteristic; after modifying the first characteristic beyond the
allowable range for the first characteristic, detect (e.g., using
detecting unit 1712) an end of the gesture; and in response to
detecting the end of the first gesture, update (e.g., using
updating unit 1714) the display of the avatar by modifying the
first characteristic of the first feature to be within a second
allowable range for the second characteristic.
[0376] In some embodiments, the first gesture is detected at a
location on the touch-sensitive surface that is distinct from the
location at which the first feature is displayed.
[0377] In some embodiments, the processing unit 1706 is further
configured to receive (e.g., using receiving unit 1716) user input
selecting a preset characteristic set for the respective feature,
wherein the preset characteristic set includes a value for the
first characteristic and a value for a third characteristic without
having any value for the second characteristic; and in response to
receiving the user input, update (e.g., using updating unit 1714)
the display of the avatar based on the first value and the second
value.
[0378] In some embodiments, the third characteristic is not
modifiable other than selection of one or more preset
characteristic sets. In some embodiments, the display of the avatar
based on the value for the first characteristic and the value for
the third characteristic is based on a previously user-set value
for the second characteristic.
[0379] In some embodiments, the user input selecting the preset
characteristic set is a selection of an affordance associated with
the present characteristic, wherein the affordance has a shape
representative of one or more values in the preset characteristic
set.
[0380] In some embodiments, the processing unit 1706 is further
configured to, in response to receiving the user input, request
(e.g., using requesting unit 1718) the preset characteristic set
from a remote server.
[0381] The operations described above with reference to FIGS. 16A
and 16B are, optionally, implemented by components depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B or FIG. 17. For example, detecting operation 1604 is,
optionally, implemented by event sorter 170, display controller
156, and touch-sensitive display system 112. Similarly, it would be
clear to a person having ordinary skill in the art how other
processes can be implemented based on the components depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B.
[0382] The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has
been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the
illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or
to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many
modifications and variations are possible in view of the above
teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to
best explain the principles of the techniques and their practical
applications. Others skilled in the art are thereby enabled to best
utilize the techniques and various embodiments with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
[0383] Although the disclosure and examples have been fully
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be
noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent
to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to
be understood as being included within the scope of the disclosure
and examples as defined by the claims.
* * * * *