IP Library Granted Patent US 11,698,677
Granted Patent B1
US 11,698,677 · App. 17/323,577 · Granted Jul 11, 2023

Presenting a notification based on an engagement score and an interruption priority value

Inventors: Shih Sang Chiu (San Francisco, CA); David H. Y. Huang (San Mateo, CA); Benjamin Hunter Boesel (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
G06F3/013G06F3/017G06F3/14G06F3/167G06V20/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,698,677
App. No.
17/323,577
Granted
Jul 11, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

In accordance with various implementations, a method is performed at an electronic device with one or more processors, a non-transitory memory, and a display. The method includes determining an engagement score that characterizes a level of engagement between a user and a first object. The first object is located at a first location on the display. The method includes determining an interruption priority value that characterizes a relative importance of signaling a presence of a second object to the user. The second object is detectable by the electronic device. In some implementations, the method includes presenting the second object according to one or more output modalities of the electronic device. The method includes, in response to determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value collectively together satisfy an interruption condition, presenting a notification.

Claims (54)

1. A method comprising:

at an electronic device with one or more processors, a non-transitory memory, and a display:

determining an engagement score that characterizes a level of engagement between a user and a first object, wherein the first object is located at a first location on the display;

detecting a second object, different from the first object, within a physical environment, wherein the second object corresponds to a physical object within the physical environment;

in response to detecting the second object, determining an interruption priority value associated with the second object that characterizes a relative importance of signaling presence of the second object within the physical environment; and

in response to determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy an interruption condition, presenting, via the display, a notification.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting the second object according to one or more output modalities of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more output modalities include a display modality.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the display modality corresponds to displaying the second object at a second location that is different from the first location.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first location exceeds a distance threshold with respect to the second location.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the interruption priority value is a function of movement of the second object from the second location to a third location.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition in accordance with a determination that the third location is less than a threshold distance from the first location.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more output modalities include a sound modality.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition in accordance with a determination that a sound, that is associated with the sound modality, exceeds a threshold volume level.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first object corresponds to a physical object.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first object corresponds to a computer-generated object.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first object corresponds to text content.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the interruption priority value includes semantically identifying the physical object.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether or not the engagement score exceeds an engagement threshold;

determining whether or not the interruption priority value exceeds an interruption priority threshold; and

determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition based on the engagement score not exceeding the engagement threshold and the interruption priority value exceeding the interruption priority threshold.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes an extremity tracker that outputs extremity tracking data associated with the user, and wherein determining the engagement score is based on a function of the extremity tracking data.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes an eye tracker that outputs eye tracking data associated with the user, and wherein determining the engagement score is based on a function of the eye tracking data.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a speaker, and further comprising playing audio content via the speaker in association with the notification.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition in accordance with a determination that the interruption priority value exceeds the engagement score.

19. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory memory;

a display; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the non-transitory memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

determining an engagement score that characterizes a level of engagement between a user and a first object, wherein the first object is located at a first location on the display;

detecting a second object, different from the first object, within a physical environment, wherein the second object corresponds to a physical object within the physical environment;

in response to detecting the second object, determining an interruption priority value associated with the second object that characterizes a relative importance of signaling presence of the second object within the physical environment; and

in response to determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy an interruption condition, presenting, via the display, a notification.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

presenting the second object according to one or more output modalities of the electronic device, wherein the one or more output modalities includes at least one of a display modality and a sound modality, wherein the display modality corresponds to displaying the second object at a second location that is different from the first location that exceeds a distance threshold with respect to the second location.

21. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

determining whether or not the engagement score exceeds an engagement threshold;

determining whether or not the interruption priority value exceeds an interruption priority threshold; and

determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition based on the engagement score not exceeding the engagement threshold and the interruption priority value exceeding the interruption priority threshold.

22. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition in accordance with a determination that the interruption priority value exceeds the engagement score.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with one or more processors and a display, cause the electronic device to:

determine an engagement score that characterizes a level of engagement between a user and a first object, wherein the first object is located at a first location on the display;

detect a second object, different from the first object, within a physical environment, wherein the second object corresponds to a physical object within the physical environment;

in response to detecting the second object, determine an interruption priority value associated with the second object that characterizes a relative importance of signaling presence of the second object within the physical environment; and

in response to determining that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy an interruption condition, present, via the display, a notification.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which cause the electronic device to:

present the second object according to one or more output modalities of the electronic device, wherein the one or more output modalities includes at least one of a display modality and a sound modality, wherein the display modality corresponds to displaying the second object at a second location that is different from the first location that exceeds a distance threshold with respect to the second location.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which cause the electronic device to:

determine whether or not the engagement score exceeds an engagement threshold;

determine whether or not the interruption priority value exceeds an interruption priority threshold; and

determine that the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition based on the engagement score not exceeding the engagement threshold and the interruption priority value exceeding the interruption priority threshold.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the engagement score and the interruption priority value together satisfy the interruption condition in accordance with a determination that the interruption priority value exceeds the engagement score.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2021
From: CHIU, SHIH SANG; HUANG, DAVID H. Y.; BOESEL, BENJAMIN HUNTER
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 056329/0773 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63045246 · Jun 29, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,198,277 US 12,416,971