Granted Patent B2

US 12,578,757 · App. 18/535,820 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: Lawrence Y. Yang (Bellevue, WA); Patrick L. Coffman (San Francisco, CA); Craig M. Federighi (Los Altos Hills, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06F1/163G06F3/041G06F3/0414G06F3/04817G06F3/0482G06F3/0484G06F3/04842G06F3/0488G06F3/04883G06F3/04892G06F3/1423G06F3/167G06F9/4856G06F21/31H04L67/025G06F2203/04108

Abstract

Claims (144)

1 . An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

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

while the electronic device is in a user-interface locked state:

detecting a first point-of-interest;

determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range;

in accordance with the determination that a proximity of the first point-of-interest is within the threshold range, displaying a first affordance on a screen of the electronic device based on detecting the first point-of-interest;

detecting user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the first point-of-interest;

in response to detecting the user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the first point-of-interest, unlocking the electronic device and launching a first application on the electronic device associated with the first point-of-interest;

detecting a second point-of-interest, wherein the second point-of-interest is different than the first point-of-interest;

determining whether the second point-of-interest is within the threshold range;

in accordance with the determination that a proximity of the second point-of-interest is within the threshold range, displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device based on detecting the second point-of-interest;

detecting user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the second point-of-interest; and

in response to detecting the user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the second point-of-interest, unlocking the electronic device and launching a second application on the electronic device associated with the second point-of-interest, wherein the second application is different than the first application.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises displaying information identifying the landmark on a display screen of the electronic device.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises:

displaying an installation affordance for installing an application associated with the landmark; and

in response to a user selection of the installation affordance:

downloading the application associated with the landmark;

installing the application associated with the landmark; and

launching the application associated with the landmark.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises launching a web browser and displaying a web-page for accessing an application associated with the landmark.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within the threshold range comprises:

communicating, via the electronic device with an external device representing the first point-of-interest, over a peer-to-peer wireless communication protocol.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range comprises:

communicating, via the electronic device with an external device representing the first point-of-interest, over a WiFi wireless communication protocol.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range comprises:

detecting, using a location sensor, that the electronic device is within a designated range of the first point-of-interest.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying a target application that is frequently launched on the electronic device while the electronic device is within the threshold range of the first point-of-interest; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

determining a current time; and

identifying a target application that is frequently used on the electronic device while the electronic device is within the threshold range of the first point-of-interest at the current time; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting contextual information regarding the electronic device, wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying a target application based on the contextual information; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein:

detecting the contextual information comprises detecting a speed of movement of the electronic device; and

displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying the target application based on the detected speed.

12 . 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, the one or more programs including instructions for:

while the electronic device is in a user-interface locked state:

detecting a first point-of-interest;

determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range;

in accordance with the determination that a proximity of the first point-of-interest is within the threshold range, displaying a first affordance on a screen of the electronic device based on detecting the first point-of-interest;

detecting user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the first point-of-interest;

in response to detecting the user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the first point-of-interest, unlocking the electronic device and launching a first application on the electronic device associated with the first point-of-interest;

detecting a second point-of-interest, wherein the second point-of-interest is different than the first point-of-interest;

determining whether the second point-of-interest is within the threshold range;

in accordance with the determination that a proximity of the second point-of-interest is within the threshold range, displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device based on detecting the second point-of-interest;

detecting user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the second point-of-interest; and

in response to detecting the user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the second point-of-interest, unlocking the electronic device and launching a second application on the electronic device associated with the second point-of-interest, wherein the second application is different than the first application.

13 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises displaying information identifying the landmark on a display screen of the electronic device.

14 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises:

displaying an installation affordance for installing an application associated with the landmark; and

in response to a user selection of the installation affordance:

downloading the application associated with the landmark;

installing the application associated with the landmark; and

launching the application associated with the landmark.

15 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises launching a web browser and displaying a web-page for accessing an application associated with the landmark.

16 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within the threshold range comprises:

communicating, via the electronic device with an external device representing the first point-of-interest, over a peer-to-peer wireless communication protocol.

17 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range comprises:

communicating, via the electronic device with an external device representing the first point-of-interest, over a WiFi wireless communication protocol.

18 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range comprises:

detecting, using a location sensor, that the electronic device is within a designated range of the first point-of-interest.

19 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying a target application that is frequently launched on the electronic device while the electronic device is within the threshold range of the first point-of-interest; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

20 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

determining a current time; and

identifying a target application that is frequently used on the electronic device while the electronic device is within the threshold range of the first point-of-interest at the current time; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

21 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting contextual information regarding the electronic device, wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying a target application based on the contextual information; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

22 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein:

detecting the contextual information comprises detecting a speed of movement of the electronic device; and

displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying the target application based on the detected speed.

23 . A method, comprising:

at an electronic device that is in a user-interface locked state:

detecting a first point-of-interest;

determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range;

in accordance with the determination that a proximity of the first point-of-interest is within the threshold range, displaying a first affordance on a screen of the electronic device based on detecting the first point-of-interest;

detecting user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the first point-of-interest;

in response to detecting the user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the first point-of-interest, unlocking the electronic device and launching a first application on the electronic device associated with the first point-of-interest;

detecting a second point-of-interest, wherein the second point-of-interest is different than the first point-of-interest;

determining whether the second point-of-interest is within the threshold range;

in accordance with the determination that a proximity of the second point-of-interest is within the threshold range, displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device based on detecting the second point-of-interest;

detecting user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the second point-of-interest; and

in response to detecting the user selection of the first affordance that is displayed based on detecting the second point-of-interest, unlocking the electronic device and launching a second application on the electronic device associated with the second point-of-interest, wherein the second application is different than the first application.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises displaying information identifying the landmark on a display screen of the electronic device.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises:

displaying an installation affordance for installing an application associated with the landmark; and

in response to a user selection of the installation affordance:

downloading the application associated with the landmark;

installing the application associated with the landmark; and

launching the application associated with the landmark.

26 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:

the first point-of-interest is a landmark; and

launching the first application comprises launching a web browser and displaying a web-page for accessing an application associated with the landmark.

27 . The method of claim 23 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within the threshold range comprises:

communicating, via the electronic device with an external device representing the first point-of-interest, over a peer-to-peer wireless communication protocol.

28 . The method of claim 23 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range comprises:

communicating, via the electronic device with an external device representing the first point-of-interest, over a WiFi wireless communication protocol.

29 . The method of claim 23 , wherein determining whether the first point-of-interest is within a threshold range comprises:

detecting, using a location sensor, that the electronic device is within a designated range of the first point-of-interest.

30 . The method of claim 23 , wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying a target application that is frequently launched on the electronic device while the electronic device is within the threshold range of the first point-of-interest; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

31 . The method of claim 23 , wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

determining a current time; and

identifying a target application that is frequently used on the electronic device while the electronic device is within the threshold range of the first point-of-interest at the current time; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

32 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting contextual information regarding the electronic device, wherein displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying a target application based on the contextual information; and

displaying an affordance for launching the target application.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein:

detecting the contextual information comprises detecting a speed of movement of the electronic device; and

displaying the first affordance on the screen of the electronic device comprises:

identifying the target application based on the detected speed.

Continuity (5)

References Cited (400)