Portable Electronic Device with Alert Silencing
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsScott Herz, Dan Keen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In some embodiments, audible alerts issued by a portable electronic device can be silenced in response to user smacks on the body of the device. These audible alerts are initiated by applications running on the device, such as email, phone, alarm, and/or timer applications. In some embodiments, the device includes one or more accelerometers that detect and signal the user smacks. In some embodiments, the alert response mode of the device (such as whether it rings or vibrates to signal an alert) can be changed in response to predefined patterns of user smacks.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- at a portable electronic device,
- detecting with an accelerometer associated with the device a movement of the portable device;
- determining whether the movement is due to a predetermined type of user gesture exerted on the portable electronic device;
- and
- if the movement is due to the predetermined type of user gesture and the portable electronic device is emitting an audible alert signal, silencing the audible alert signal.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- at a portable electronic device,
- detecting with a sensor a user gesture exerted on the portable electronic device;
- determining whether the user gesture is of a predetermined type;
- and
- if the gesture is of the predetermined type and the portable electronic device is emitting an audible alert signal, silencing the audible alert signal.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- memory;
- an alert annunciator;
- an accelerometer that is responsive to movement of the device;
- and
- one or more programs, stored in the memory, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, respond to signals from the accelerometer, and control and respond to alert status data for the annunciator;
- wherein the one or more programs are configured to determine whether the signals from the accelerometer are due to a predetermined type of user gesture exerted on the portable electronic device and, if the movement is due to the predetermined type of user gesture and the alert status data show the alert annunciator is emitting an audible alert signal, to silence the audible alert signal.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- memory;
- an alert annunciator;
- an accelerometer that is responsive to movement of the device;
- and
- one or more programs, stored in the memory, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, respond to signals from the accelerometer, and control alert status data for the annunciator;
- wherein the one or more programs are configured to determine whether the signals from the accelerometer are due to a predetermined type of user gesture exerted on the portable electronic device and, if the movement is due to the predetermined type of user gesture, to set the alert status data so as to suppress an audible alert signal.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- memory;
- an audible alert emitter;
- a sensor configured to detect movement of the portable device and output at least one sensor signal characteristic of such movement;
- and
- one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programs including:
- instructions for detecting occurrence of a predetermined gesture exerted on the portable device, the detecting being based on characteristics of the at least one sensor signal;
- and
- instructions for modifying operation of the audible alert emitter based on occurrence of the predetermined gesture.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- means for detecting a movement of the portable device;
- means for determining whether the movement is due to a predetermined type of user gesture exerted on the portable electronic device;
- and
- if the movement is due to the predetermined type of user gesture and the portable electronic device is emitting an audible alert signal, means for silencing the audible alert signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.