IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,099,772
Granted Patent B2
US 12,099,772 · App. 17/821,457 · Granted Sep 24, 2024

Cross device interactions

Inventors: Tianjia Sun (Santa Clara, CA); Chang Zhang (San Jose, CA); Paul X. Wang (Cupertino, CA); Aaron Wang (Cupertino, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/1423G06F3/013G06F3/0238G06F3/04812G06F3/04845G06F3/0485G06F3/04883G06F3/167G06F2203/0381
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,099,772
App. No.
17/821,457
Granted
Sep 24, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to engaging in cross device interactions. The method includes at a first device with a first display, while a second device having a second display is placed over a first region of the first display, detecting, via input devices of the first device, a first input. In response to detecting the first input and in accordance with a determination that the first input occurred while focus was directed to the second device, the method includes causing a response to the first input to be displayed on the second display. In response to detecting the first input and in accordance with a determination that the first input occurred while focus was directed to the first device, the method includes displaying, on the first display, a response to the first input without causing a response to the first input to be displayed on the second display.

Claims (89)

1. A method, comprising:

at a first electronic device in communication with a first display and one or more input devices, including a touch-sensitive surface, and while a second electronic device having a second display is at a relative location relative to the first display:

displaying, via the first display, a first user interface element at a first location in a user interface, wherein the first user interface element includes a first visual portion and a second visual portion, different from the first visual portion;

while displaying the first user interface element at the first location in the user interface and while focus is directed to the first electronic device, detecting, via the touch-sensitive surface, a first user input corresponding to a drag gesture for dragging the first user interface element away from the first location;

while detecting the first user input:

moving the first user interface element in the user interface in accordance with the first user input; and

in accordance with a determination that a location of the first user interface element corresponds to both the first display of the first electronic device and the second display of the second electronic device:

displaying, via the first display of the first electronic device, the first visual portion of the first user interface element; and

initiating a process to display, via the second display of the second electronic device, the second visual portion of the first user interface element; and

in response to detecting an end of the first user input while the location of the first user interface element corresponds to the second display, initiating a process to perform one or more operations associated with the first user interface element at the second electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface element is a cursor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface element is different from a cursor.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

displaying, via the first display, a cursor, different from the first user interface element, the cursor including a third visual portion and a fourth visual portion different from the third visual portion; and

while detecting the first user input:

moving the cursor in the user interface in accordance with the first user input; and

in accordance with a determination that a cursor location corresponds to both the first display of the first electronic device and the second display of the second electronic device:

displaying, via the first display of the first electronic device, the third visual portion of the cursor; and

initiating a process to display, via the second display of the second electronic device, the fourth visual portion of the cursor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first display has a first size and the second display has a second size different from the first size.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the end of the first user input is release of a contact from the touch-sensitive surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface element is an image affordance.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more operations include an operation to view a preview of an image associated with the image affordance.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface element is a user interface of an application.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operations include an operation to view content associated with the first user interface element.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface element is a content affordance.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface element is an application affordance.

13. A first electronic device, comprising:

a first display;

one or more input devices, including a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

while a second electronic device having a second display is at a relative location relative to the first display:

displaying, via the first display, a first user interface element at a first location in a user interface, wherein the first user interface element includes a first visual portion and a second visual portion, different from the first visual portion;

while displaying the first user interface element at the first location in the user interface and while focus is directed to the first electronic device, detecting, via the touch-sensitive surface, a first user input corresponding to a drag gesture for dragging the first user interface element away from the first location;

while detecting the first user input:

moving the first user interface element in the user interface in accordance with the first user input; and

in accordance with a determination that a location of the first user interface element corresponds to both the first display of the first electronic device and the second display of the second electronic device:

displaying, via the first display of the first electronic device, the first visual portion of the first user interface element; and

initiating a process to display, via the second display of the second electronic device, the second visual portion of the first user interface element; and

in response to detecting an end of the first user input while the location of the first user interface element corresponds to the second display, initiating a process to perform one or more operations associated with the first user interface element at the second electronic device.

14. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first user interface element is a cursor.

15. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first user interface element is different from a cursor.

16. The first electronic device of claim 13 , the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:

displaying, via the first display, a cursor, different from the first user interface element, the cursor including a third visual portion and a fourth visual portion different from the third visual portion; and

while detecting the first user input:

moving the cursor in the user interface in accordance with the first user input; and

in accordance with a determination that a cursor location corresponds to both the first display of the first electronic device and the second display of the second electronic device:

displaying, via the first display of the first electronic device, the third visual portion of the cursor; and

initiating a process to display, via the second display of the second electronic device, the fourth visual portion of the cursor.

17. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein:

the first display has a first size and the second display has a second size different from the first size.

18. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the end of the first user input is release of a contact from the touch-sensitive surface.

19. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first user interface element is an image affordance.

20. The first electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the one or more operations include an operation to view a preview of an image associated with the image affordance.

21. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first user interface element is a user interface of an application.

22. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more operations include an operation to view content associated with the first user interface element.

23. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first user interface element is a content affordance.

24. The first electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first user interface element is an application affordance.

25. 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 a first electronic device with a first display and one or more input devices, including a touch-sensitive surface, cause the first electronic device to perform a method including:

while a second electronic device having a second display is at a relative location relative to the first display:

displaying, via the first display, a first user interface element at a first location in a user interface, wherein the first user interface element includes a first visual portion and a second visual portion, different from the first visual portion;

while displaying the first user interface element at the first location in the user interface and while focus is directed to the first electronic device, detecting, via the touch-sensitive surface, a first user input corresponding to a drag gesture for dragging the first user interface element away from the first location;

while detecting the first user input:

moving the first user interface element in the user interface in accordance with the first user input; and

in accordance with a determination that a location of the first user interface element corresponds to both the first display of the first electronic device and the second display of the second electronic device:

displaying, via the first display of the first electronic device, the first visual portion of the first user interface element; and

initiating a process to display, via the second display of the second electronic device, the second visual portion of the first user interface element; and

in response to detecting an end of the first user input while the location of the first user interface element corresponds to the second display, initiating a process to perform one or more operations associated with the first user interface element at the second electronic device.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the first user interface element is a cursor.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the first user interface element is different from a cursor.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , the method further comprising:

displaying, via the first display, a cursor, different from the first user interface element, the cursor including a third visual portion and a fourth visual portion different from the third visual portion; and

while detecting the first user input:

moving the cursor in the user interface in accordance with the first user input; and

in accordance with a determination that a cursor location corresponds to both the first display of the first electronic device and the second display of the second electronic device:

displaying, via the first display of the first electronic device, the third visual portion of the cursor; and

initiating a process to display, via the second display of the second electronic device, the fourth visual portion of the cursor.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein:

the first display has a first size and the second display has a second size different from the first size.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the end of the first user input is release of a contact from the touch-sensitive surface.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the first user interface element is an image affordance.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein the one or more operations include an operation to view a preview of an image associated with the image affordance.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the first user interface element is a user interface of an application.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the one or more operations include an operation to view content associated with the first user interface element.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the first user interface element is a content affordance.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the first user interface element is an application affordance.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 16506697 · Jul 9, 2019
Provisional Application 62696024 · Jul 10, 2018
Related Publication 20230078889A1 · Mar 16, 2023
Cited By (1)
US 12,743,244