IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,114,142

Granted Patent B2

US 12,114,142 · App. 18/235,291 · Granted Oct 8, 2024

User interfaces for managing controllable external devices

Inventors: Taylor G. Carrigan (San Francisco, CA); Patrick L Coffman (San Francisco, CA); Christopher Patrick Foss (San Francisco, CA); Tiffany S. Jon (Cupertino, CA); Andrew S. Kim (Walnut Creek, CA); Lauren K. Trottier (San Jose, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

H04R5/04 G06F3/04812 G06F3/0482 G06F3/0486 G06F3/0488 G06F3/165 H04L12/2809 H04L12/2812 H04L12/2814 H04L12/282

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12,114,142
App. No.: 18/235,291
Granted: Oct 8, 2024
Kind: B2

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a process for configuring an electronic device to control a first controllable external device. The process includes receiving information corresponding to the first controllable external device, and determining, based on the received information, whether the first controllable external device is associated with a plurality of controllable functions associated with a plurality of subcomponents of the first controllable external device.

Claims (57)

1. An electronic device, comprising: a display device; 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 electronic device is not configured to control a first controllable external device, detecting a first set of one or more inputs corresponding to a request to configure the electronic device to control the first controllable external device; in response to detecting the first set of one or more inputs, initiating a process to configure the electronic device to control the first controllable external device, wherein the process includes: receiving information corresponding to the first controllable external device; in accordance with a determination, based on the received information, that the first controllable external device is associated with a plurality of controllable functions associated with a plurality of subcomponents of the first controllable external device, displaying, on the display device, a first accessory affordance corresponding to a group including the first controllable external device and the plurality of subcomponents; and in accordance with a determination, based on the received information, that the first controllable external device is not associated with the plurality of subcomponents, displaying, on the display device, a second accessory affordance corresponding to the first controllable external device; while displaying, on the display device, the first accessory affordance or the second accessory affordance, detecting a second input; and in response to detecting the second input: in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to a selection of the first accessory affordance, displaying, on the display device, a first accessory interface including a plurality of control affordances corresponding to the first controllable external device and the plurality of subcomponents and a control reconfiguration affordance that, when selected, initiates a process to remove at least a first control affordance of the plurality of control affordances from the first accessory interface; and in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to a selection of the second accessory affordance, displaying, on the display device, a second accessory interface including controls for the first controllable external device without displaying the control reconfiguration affordance.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first accessory interface includes a group control affordance that, when selected, transmits a command to the first controllable external device that affects a corresponding state of each subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a third input corresponding to a selection of the first control affordance; and

in response to detecting the third input, transmitting a command to the first controllable external device that affects a corresponding state of each subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control affordances of the first accessory interface includes the first control affordance and a second control affordance, wherein the first control affordance is associated with a first subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents and the second control affordance is associated with a second subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying the first accessory interface, detecting a fourth input corresponding to the first control affordance; and

in response to detecting the fourth input, transmitting a command to the first controllable external device that affects a state of the first subcomponent without transmitting a command to the first controllable external device that affects a state of the second subcomponent.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first accessory interface includes a remove accessory affordance, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a fifth input corresponding to the remove accessory affordance;

in response to detecting the fifth input corresponding to the remove accessory affordance, initiating a process to configure the electronic device to no longer control the first controllable external device, including:

in accordance with a determination that a set of alert criteria are met, the alert criteria including a criterion that is met when the first controllable external device is a subcomponent device of a composite external device that includes at least one other subcomponent device that the electronic device is currently configured to control, displaying an indication that completing the process to configure the electronic device to no longer control the first controllable external device will also configure the electronic device to no longer control the at least one other subcomponent device; and

in accordance with a determination that the set of alert criteria are not met, forgoing displaying the indication that completing the process to configure the electronic device to no longer control the first controllable external device will also configure the electronic device to no longer control the at least one other subcomponent device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control affordances include one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a first type and one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a second type, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: while displaying the first accessory interface, detecting a second set of one or more inputs including an input correspond to the control reconfiguration affordance; and in response to detecting the second set of one or more inputs: ceasing to display the first accessory interface and ceasing to display the first accessory affordance; displaying a third accessory affordance that, when selected, displays a third accessory interface including the one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of first type; and displaying a fourth accessory affordance that, when selected, displays a fourth accessory interface including the one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a second type.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the third accessory interface includes a regroup affordance, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying the third accessory interface, detecting a third set of one or more inputs including an input corresponding to the regroup affordance; and

in response to detecting the third set of one or more inputs:

ceasing to display the third accessory affordance and the fourth accessory affordance; and

re-displaying the first accessory affordance that, when selected, displays the first accessory interface that includes the plurality of control affordances.

8. 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 device, the one or more programs including instructions for: while the electronic device is not configured to control a first controllable external device, detecting a first set of one or more inputs corresponding to a request to configure the electronic device to control the first controllable external device; in response to detecting the first set of one or more inputs, initiating a process to configure the electronic device to control the first controllable external device, wherein the process includes: receiving information corresponding to the first controllable external device; in accordance with a determination, based on the received information, that the first controllable external device is associated with a plurality of controllable functions associated with a plurality of subcomponents of the first controllable external device, displaying, on the display device, a first accessory affordance corresponding to a group including the first controllable external device and the plurality of subcomponents; and in accordance with a determination, based on the received information, that the first controllable external device is not associated with the plurality of subcomponents, displaying, on the display device, a second accessory affordance corresponding to the first controllable external device; while displaying, on the display device, the first accessory affordance or the second accessory affordance, detecting a second input; and in response to detecting the second input: in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to a selection of the first accessory affordance, displaying, on the display device, a first accessory interface including a plurality of control affordances corresponding to the first controllable external device and the plurality of subcomponents and a control reconfiguration affordance that, when selected, initiates a process to remove at least a first control affordance of the plurality of control affordances from the first accessory interface; and in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to a selection of the second accessory affordance, displaying, on the display device, a second accessory interface including controls for the first controllable external device without displaying the control reconfiguration affordance.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first accessory interface includes a group control affordance that, when selected, transmits a command to the first controllable external device that affects a corresponding state of each subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a third input corresponding to a selection of the first control affordance; and

in response to detecting the third input, transmitting a command to the first controllable external device that affects a corresponding state of each subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of control affordances of the first accessory interface includes the first control affordance and a second control affordance, wherein the first control affordance is associated with a first subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents and the second control affordance is associated with a second subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying the first accessory interface, detecting a fourth input corresponding to the first control affordance; and

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first accessory interface includes a remove accessory affordance, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a fifth input corresponding to the remove accessory affordance;

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of control affordances include one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a first type and one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a second type, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: while displaying the first accessory interface, detecting a second set of one or more inputs including an input correspond to the control reconfiguration affordance; and in response to detecting the second set of one or more inputs: ceasing to display the first accessory interface and ceasing to display the first accessory affordance; displaying a third accessory affordance that, when selected, displays a third accessory interface including the one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of first type; and displaying a fourth accessory affordance that, when selected, displays a fourth accessory interface including the one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a second type.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the third accessory interface includes a regroup affordance, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying the third accessory interface, detecting a third set of one or more inputs including an input corresponding to the regroup affordance; and

in response to detecting the third set of one or more inputs:

ceasing to display the third accessory affordance and the fourth accessory affordance; and

re-displaying the first accessory affordance that, when selected, displays the first accessory interface that includes the plurality of control affordances.

15. A method, comprising: at an electronic device with a display device: while the electronic device is not configured to control a first controllable external device, detecting a first set of one or more inputs corresponding to a request to configure the electronic device to control the first controllable external device; in response to detecting the first set of one or more inputs, initiating a process to configure the electronic device to control the first controllable external device, wherein the process includes: receiving information corresponding to the first controllable external device; in accordance with a determination, based on the received information, that the first controllable external device is associated with a plurality of controllable functions associated with a plurality of subcomponents of the first controllable external device, displaying, on the display device, a first accessory affordance corresponding to a group including the first controllable external device and the plurality of subcomponents; and in accordance with a determination, based on the received information, that the first controllable external device is not associated with the plurality of subcomponents, displaying, on the display device, a second accessory affordance corresponding to the first controllable external device; while displaying, on the display device, the first accessory affordance or the second accessory affordance, detecting a second input; and in response to detecting the second input: in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to a selection of the first accessory affordance, displaying, on the display device, a first accessory interface including a plurality of control affordances corresponding to the first controllable external device and the plurality of subcomponents and a control reconfiguration affordance that, when selected, initiates a process to remove at least a first control affordance of the plurality of control affordances from the first accessory interface; and in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to a selection of the second accessory affordance, displaying, on the display device, a second accessory interface including controls for the first controllable external device without displaying the control reconfiguration affordance.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first accessory interface includes a group control affordance that, when selected, transmits a command to the first controllable external device that affects a corresponding state of each subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

detecting a third input corresponding to a selection of the first control affordance; and

in response to detecting the third input, transmitting a command to the first controllable external device that affects a corresponding state of each subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of control affordances of the first accessory interface includes the first control affordance and a second control affordance, wherein the first control affordance is associated with a first subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents and the second control affordance is associated with a second subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents, and wherein the method further comprises:

while displaying the first accessory interface, detecting a fourth input corresponding to the first control affordance; and

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first accessory interface includes a remove accessory affordance, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a fifth input corresponding to the remove accessory affordance;

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of control affordances include one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a first type and one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a second type, and wherein the method further comprises: while displaying the first accessory interface, detecting a second set of one or more inputs including an input correspond to the control reconfiguration affordance; and in response to detecting the second set of one or more inputs: ceasing to display the first accessory interface and ceasing to display the first accessory affordance; displaying a third accessory affordance that, when selected, displays a third accessory interface including the one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of first type; and displaying a fourth accessory affordance that, when selected, displays a fourth accessory interface including the one or more control affordances that correspond to subcomponents of a second type.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the third accessory interface includes a regroup affordance, and wherein the method further comprises:

while displaying the third accessory interface, detecting a third set of one or more inputs including an input corresponding to the regroup affordance; and

in response to detecting the third set of one or more inputs:

ceasing to display the third accessory affordance and the fourth accessory affordance; and

re-displaying the first accessory affordance that, when selected, displays the first accessory interface that includes the plurality of control affordances.

Continuity (4)

Continuation 17019845 · Sep 14, 2020

Continuation 16586002 · Sep 27, 2019

Provisional Application 62855895 · May 31, 2019

Related Publication 20230403509A1 · Dec 14, 2023