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EP-4341798-B1 - METHODS AND USER INTERFACES FOR AUDITORY FEATURES

EP4341798B1EP 4341798 B1EP4341798 B1EP 4341798B1EP-4341798-B1

Inventors

  • LERNER, MITCHELL R.
  • ROMNEY, CHRISTOPHER J.
  • TANNER, Jeffrey D.
  • WU, YU
  • ZUG, Madeline T.
  • ESPI MARQUES, MIQUEL
  • KOWTHA, VASUDHA
  • Avendano, Carlos M
  • CRANFILL, ELIZABETH C.
  • FISCH, IAN M.
  • FLEIZACH, CHRISTOPHER B.
  • HOYT, Charles C.
  • LEA, COLIN S.
  • MAZUR, JAKUB
  • PANAGE, SOMMER E.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220519

Claims (14)

  1. A method, comprising: at a computer system that is in communication with one or more input devices and a display generation component: displaying, via the display generation component, a first user interface concurrently including: a background sounds user-interactive graphical user interface object that, when selected, enables a concurrent playback feature; a background sounds volume feature for adjusting a volume level of an audio media item of a first type; and a concurrent volume feature for adjusting a volume level of the audio media item of the first type when the audio media item of the first type is concurrently played with an audio media item of a second type; while playing the audio media item of the first type at a first volume level that is set via the background sounds volume feature, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a request to play the audio media item of the second type; in response to receiving the request to play the audio media item of the second type: in accordance with a determination that a set of concurrent audio criteria is satisfied, wherein the set of concurrent audio criteria includes a requirement that the concurrent playback feature is enabled on the computer system, via the background sounds user-interactive graphical user interface object, at the time the request to play the audio media item of the second type is received, concurrently playing: the audio media item of the first type at a second volume level that is different from the first volume level, wherein the second volume level is set via the concurrent volume feature; and the audio media item of the second type; and in accordance with a determination that the concurrent playback feature is disabled on the computer system at the time the request to play the audio media item of the second type is received: ceasing to play the audio media item of the first type; and playing the audio media item of the second type.
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio media item of the first type includes audio selected from the group consisting of environmental sounds, irregular noise, and a combination thereof.
  3. The method of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the audio media item of the first type includes audio selected from the group consisting of randomly selected segments of audio, randomly arranged segments of audio, and a combination thereof.
  4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the concurrent playback feature is manually configurable.
  5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein concurrently playing the audio media item of the first type and the audio media item of the second type comprises: adjusting a magnitude of a volume level of the audio media item of the first type from the first volume level to an adjusted volume based on a magnitude of the concurrent volume feature.
  6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the set of concurrent audio criteria includes a criterion that is satisfied when a determination is made that a magnitude of a second concurrent volume feature exceeds a threshold magnitude.
  7. The method of any one of claims 1-6, further comprising adjusting, based on contextual information, a magnitude of at least one of: the background sounds volume feature for adjusting a volume level of the audio media item of the first type; and a third concurrent volume feature for adjusting a volume level of the audio media item of the first type when the audio media item of the first type is concurrently played with the audio media item of the second type.
  8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein playing the audio media item of the first type includes: in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a first context state, playing the audio media item of the first type with first audio content; and in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second context state, different from the first context state, playing the audio media item of the first type with second audio content, different than the first audio content.
  9. The method of any one of claims 1-8, wherein displaying the first user interface includes concurrently displaying: the background sounds user-interactive graphical user interface object; and a first audio content user-interactive graphical user interface object that, when selected, causes display of a second user interface that includes: a second audio content user-interactive graphical user interface object that, when selected, causes third audio content to be included in the audio media item of the first type during playback; and a third audio content user-interactive graphical user interface object that, when selected, causes fourth audio content, different from the third audio content, to be included in the audio media item of the first type during playback.
  10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to the background sounds user-interactive graphical user interface object; in response to detecting the first input, enabling playback of the audio media item of the first type when a determination is made that the set of playback criteria are met; and while the computer system is enabled to playback the audio media item of the first type when a determination is made that the set of playback criteria are met: in accordance with a determination that the set of playback criteria are met, playing the audio media item of the first type.
  11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: while displaying the second user interface: detecting, via the one or more input devices, a second input; and in response to detecting the second input: in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to the second audio content user-interactive graphical user interface object, configuring the computer system to include the third audio content in the audio media item of the first type during playback; and in accordance with a determination that the second input corresponds to the third audio content user-interactive graphical user interface object, configuring the computer system to include the fourth audio content in the audio media item of the first type during playback.
  12. The method of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the first user interface includes a background sounds status indicator and a background sounds enable user-interactive graphical user interface object, the method further comprising: detecting, via the one or more input devices, a third input; in accordance with a determination that the third input corresponds to a swipe gesture at a location corresponding to the background sounds volume feature, adjusting a volume level of the audio media item of the first type from a second initial volume to a second adjusted volume based on a direction and magnitude of the swipe gesture; and in accordance with a determination that the third input corresponds to a selection of the background sounds enable user-interactive graphical user interface object: selectively activating a background sounds feature; and modifying a visual characteristic of the background sounds status indicator.
  13. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computer system that is in communication with a one or more input devices, the one or more programs including instructions for performing the method of any of claims 1-12.
  14. A computer system configured to communicate with one or more input devices, comprising: 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 performing the method of any of claims 1-12.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to computer user interfaces, and more specifically to techniques for providing auditory features. BACKGROUND Personal electronic devices allow users to implement various functions of the electronic devices. In some instances, such functions provide an auditory feature to the user and/or allow a user to interact with electronic devices using auditory input. BRIEF SUMMARY Some techniques for providing auditory features using electronic devices, however, are generally cumbersome and inefficient. For example, some existing techniques use a complex and time-consuming user interface, which may include multiple key presses or keystrokes. As another example, some existing techniques may provide limited operability using auditory inputs. Accordingly, existing techniques require more time than necessary, wasting user time and device energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery-operated devices. Accordingly, the present technique provides electronic devices with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for providing auditory features. Such methods and interfaces optionally complement or replace other methods for providing auditory features. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitive burden on a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing devices, such methods and interfaces conserve power and increase the time between battery charges, for instance by reducing the number of inputs and/or time required to operate such devices. The invention is defined by the appended claims. Patent applications EP3255536A1, US2020/314496A1 and US2013/022218A1 teach adjusting volume levels of media items that are played back on a device. Executable instructions for performing functions are, optionally, included in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or other computer program product configured for execution by one or more processors. Executable instructions for performing functions are, optionally, included in a transitory computer-readable storage medium or other computer program product configured for execution by one or more processors. Thus, devices are provided with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for providing auditory features, thereby increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction with such devices. Such methods and interfaces may complement or replace other methods for providing auditory features. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES For a better understanding of the various described embodiments, reference should be made to the Description of Embodiments below, in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures. FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a portable multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components for event handling in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device having a touch screen in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu of applications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary user interface for a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the display in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 5A illustrates a personal electronic device in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating a personal electronic device in accordance with some embodiments.FIGS. 6A-6M illustrate exemplary user interfaces for providing background sounds in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a process for providing background sounds in accordance with some embodiments.FIGS. 8A-8V illustrate exemplary user interfaces for providing auditory controls in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a process for providing auditory controls in accordance with some embodiments.FIGS 10A-10V illustrate exemplary user interfaces for providing notifications in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a process for providing notifications in accordance with some embodiments. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The following description sets forth exemplary methods, parameters, and the like. It should be recognized, however, that such description is not intended as a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure but is instead provided as a description of exemplary embodiments. There is a need for electronic devices that provide efficient, systems, methods, and interfaces for auditory features. Such techniques can reduce the cognitive burden on a user who utilizes auditory features, thereby enhancing productivity. Fu