# US 12,182,344 B2 · Gesture detection, list navigation, and item selection using a crown and sensors

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,182,344 B2
- Document ID: US12182344B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/232,710
- Filed: 2023-08-10
- Published: 2023-11-30
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-19
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Colin M. Ely
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182344B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/0362: with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
- G06F 1/163: {Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt}
- G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
- G06F 3/0485: Scrolling or panning
- G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
- G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path}
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- G06F 2200/1636: Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
- G06F 2203/0339: Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for detecting gestures on a reduced-size electronic device at locations off of the display, such as gestures on the housing of the device or on a rotatable input mechanism (e.g., a digital crown) of the device, and responding to the gestures by, for example, navigating lists of items and selecting items from the list; translating the display of an electronic document; or sending audio control data to an external audio device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device with a housing, comprising:
one or more sensors;
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:
while the device is in an audio control mode and while a display is displaying respective content, detecting, via the one or more sensors, a movement of contact along a housing of the device, wherein a user interface associated with the audio control mode does not require inputs on the display; and
in response to the movement of the contact along the housing of the device, performing an audio function associated with the device without displaying, on the display, content corresponding to the movement of the contact and without causing the display to display different content that is different from the respective content, wherein the audio function is based on a parameter of the movement of the contact along the housing of the device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the movement of the contact does not activate a mechanically-actuated input.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
prior to detecting the movement of the contact, detecting a user input; and
entering the audio control mode in response to the detection of the user input.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the audio function is associated with changing a volume at which audio content is played.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the audio function is associated with changing audio content being played.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
determining a direction of the movement of the contact, wherein the audio function is based on the determined direction of the movement along the housing of the device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a first direction, the audio function includes increasing a volume at which audio content is being played; and
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a second direction different from the first direction, the audio function includes decreasing a volume at which audio content is being played.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a third direction, the audio function includes switching audio content being played from a first track to a second track; and
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a fourth direction different from the third direction, the audio function includes switching the audio content being played from the first track to a third track.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the audio function is based on a determined magnitude of the movement along the housing of the device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
while the device is in the audio control mode and while the display is not activated, detecting a second movement of the contact along the housing of the device; and
in response to detecting the second movement of the contact, performing a second audio function associated with the device without causing the display to actively display content.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting, via the one or more sensors, a gesture on the housing of the device that is different from the movement of the contact along the housing of the device; and
in response to detecting the gesture on the housing of the device, displaying, via the display, at least a portion of a user interface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the user interface is for controlling one or more audio functions associated with the device.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a device with a housing and one or more sensors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
while the device is in an audio control mode and while a display is displaying respective content, detecting, via the one or more sensors, a movement of contact along a housing of the device, wherein a user interface associated with the audio control mode does not require inputs on the display; and
in response to the movement of the contact along the housing of the device without displaying, on the display, content corresponding to the movement of the contact and without causing the display to display different content that is different from the respective content, performing an audio function associated with the device, wherein the audio function is based on a parameter of the movement of the contact along the housing of the device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the movement of the contact does not activate a mechanically-actuated input.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
prior to detecting the movement of the contact, detecting a user input; and
entering the audio control mode in response to the detection of the user input.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the audio function is associated with changing a volume at which audio content is played.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the audio function is associated with changing audio content being played.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
determining a direction of the movement of the contact, wherein the audio function is based on the determined direction of the movement along the housing of the device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a first direction, the audio function includes increasing a volume at which audio content is being played; and
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a second direction different from the first direction, the audio function includes decreasing a volume at which audio content is being played.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a third direction, the audio function includes switching audio content being played from a first track to a second track; and
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a fourth direction different from the third direction, the audio function includes switching the audio content being played from the first track to a third track.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the audio function is based on a determined magnitude of the movement along the housing of the device.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
while the device is in the audio control mode and while the display is not activated, detecting a second movement of the contact along the housing of the device; and
in response to detecting the second movement of the contact, performing a second audio function associated with the device without causing the display to actively display content.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting, via the one or more sensors, a gesture on the housing of the device that is different from the movement of the contact along the housing of the device; and
in response to detecting the gesture on the housing of the device, displaying, via the display, at least a portion of a user interface.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the user interface is for controlling one or more audio functions associated with the device.

### Claim 25

A method, comprising:
at a device with a housing and one or more sensors:
while the device is in an audio control mode and while a display is displaying respective content, detecting, via the one or more sensors, a movement of contact along a housing of the device, wherein a user interface associated with the audio control mode does not require inputs on the display; and
in response to the movement of the contact along the housing of the device, performing an audio function associated with the device without displaying, on the display, content corresponding to the movement of the contact and without causing the display to display different content that is different from the respective content, wherein the audio function is based on a parameter of the movement of the contact along the housing of the device.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the movement of the contact does not activate a mechanically-actuated input.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further comprising:
prior to detecting the movement of the contact, detecting a user input; and
entering the audio control mode in response to the detection of the user input.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the audio function is associated with changing a volume at which audio content is played.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the audio function is associated with changing audio content being played.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further comprising:
determining a direction of the movement of the contact, wherein the audio function is based on the determined direction of the movement along the housing of the device.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a first direction, the audio function includes increasing a volume at which audio content is being played; and
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a second direction different from the first direction, the audio function includes decreasing a volume at which audio content is being played.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a third direction, the audio function includes switching audio content being played from a first track to a second track; and
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the contact is in a fourth direction different from the third direction, the audio function includes switching the audio content being played from the first track to a third track.

### Claim 33 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the audio function is based on a determined magnitude of the movement along the housing of the device.

### Claim 34 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further comprising:
while the device is in the audio control mode and while the display is not activated, detecting a second movement of the contact along the housing of the device; and
in response to detecting the second movement of the contact, performing a second audio function associated with the device without causing the display to actively display content.

### Claim 35 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further comprising:
detecting, via the one or more sensors, a gesture on the housing of the device that is different from the movement of the contact along the housing of the device; and
in response to detecting the gesture on the housing of the device, displaying, via the display, at least a portion of a user interface.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein the user interface is for controlling one or more audio functions associated with the device.