Patents by Inventor Scott Forstall

Scott Forstall has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11956609
    Abstract: A context-aware voice guidance method is provided that interacts with other voice services of a user device. The voice guidance does not provide audible guidance while the user is making a verbal request to any of the voice-activated services. Instead, the voice guidance transcribes its output on the screen while the verbal requests from the user are received. In some embodiments, the voice guidance only provides a short warning sound to get the user's attention while the user is speaking on a phone call or another voice-activated service is providing audible response to the user's inquires. The voice guidance in some embodiments distinguishes between music that can be ducked and spoken words, for example from an audiobook, that the user wants to pause instead of being skipped. The voice guidance ducks music but pauses spoken words of an audio book in order to provide voice guidance to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan A. Bennett, Stephen O. Lemay, Marcel Van Os, Scott Forstall, Bradford A. Moore, Emanuele Vulcano, Seejo K. Pylappan
  • Publication number: 20240094899
    Abstract: A portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display is disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which the portable electronic device: displays an application on the touch-sensitive display; and when the application is in a predefined mode, performs a predefined operation in response to each gesture of a set of multiple distinct gestures on the touch-sensitive display. Another aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which the portable electronic device: displays a first application; when the first application is in a first mode, performs a first operation upon detecting a first gesture on the touch-sensitive display; and performs the first operation upon detecting a second gesture on the touch-sensitive display, wherein the second gesture is different from the first gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Bas ORDING, Scott M. HERZ, Wayne C. WESTERMAN, Scott FORSTALL, Gregory N. CHRISTIE
  • Publication number: 20240078006
    Abstract: A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Imran CHAUDHRI, Bas ORDING, Freddy Allen ANZURES, Marcel VAN OS, Scott FORSTALL, Greg CHRISTIE
  • Patent number: 11921969
    Abstract: At an electronic device with a touch screen display, display a user interface, where the user interface includes at least two windows of an application, a first icon displayed in association with a first window of the at least two windows, and a second icon at a location different from the at least two windows. While displaying the at least two windows, detect a gesture on the touch screen display. In response to detecting the gesture: in accordance with detecting the gesture on the first icon associated with the first window on the touch screen display, remove from the display the first window of the at least two displayed windows corresponding to the gesture; and in accordance with detecting the gesture on the second icon at the location different from the at least two windows of the application, display a new window of the application on the touch screen display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Chris Blumenberg, Andre M. J. Boule, Imran Chaudhri, Gregory N. Christie, Stephen O. Lemay, Marcel Van Os, Richard J. Williamson
  • Patent number: 11914782
    Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can be configured to automatically turn off notifications when generating a notification would cause a disturbance or be unwanted by a user. The device can be configured with quiet hours during which notifications that would otherwise be generated by the computing device can be suppressed. In some implementations, quiet hours can be configured as a time period with a start time and an end time. In some implementations, quiet hours can be derived from application data. For example, calendar data, alarm clock data, map data, etc. can be used to determine when quiet hours should be enforced. In some implementations, the device can be configured with exceptions to quiet hour notification suppression. In some implementations, the user can identify contacts to which the quiet hours notification suppression should not be applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran A. Chaudhri, Gregory Novick, Scott Forstall, Morgan Grainger, George R. Dicker, Tyler Hawkins
  • Patent number: 11900011
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable medium for providing an audio file interface. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes, while playing an audio file on a mobile device and displaying a current view in a user interface of the mobile device, receiving first user input requesting that an audio interface be displayed, and displaying the audio interface as an overlay in the user interface, where the audio interface includes information associated with the audio file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Chaudhri, Scott M. Herz, Sean Boland Kelly, Scott Forstall, Gregory N. Christie, Kevin Tiene, Steven P. Jobs
  • Publication number: 20230421699
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls. In some embodiments, when the electronic device receives a request to initiate another phone call, the electronic device displays a contacts user interface including a plurality of contact user interface objects associated with respective contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Scott FORSTALL, Imran CHAUDHRI, Michael MATAS, Marcel VAN OS, Stephen O. LEMAY, Patrick Lee COFFMAN, Elizabeth Caroline Furches CRANFILL, Greg CHRISTIE
  • Publication number: 20230421698
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls. In some embodiments, when the electronic device is executing multiple phone calls and receives user input corresponding to an informational item, the electronic device suspends a first phone call and activates a second phone call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Scott FORSTALL, Imran Chaudhri, Michael Matas, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Greg Christie
  • Publication number: 20230412908
    Abstract: A portable electronic device with a touch screen display for photo management is disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which the portable electronic device displays an array of thumbnail images corresponding to a set of photographic images. The device replaces the displayed array of thumbnail images with a user-selected photographic image upon detecting a user contact with a corresponding thumbnail image in the array. The user-selected photographic image is displayed at a larger scale than the corresponding thumbnail image. The portable device displays a different photographic image in replacement of the user-selected photographic image in accordance with a scrolling gesture. The scrolling gesture comprises a substantially horizontal movement of user contact with the touch screen display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Michael J. MATAS, Greg N. CHRISTIE, Paul D. MARCOS, Scott FORSTALL, Marcel VAN OS, Bas ORDING, Imran CHAUDHRI
  • Publication number: 20230362601
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an electronic device is described. A user interface is displayed while detecting an incoming call from a first phone number. In response to detecting the incoming call and in accordance with a determination that the first phone number for the incoming call does not correspond to an entry in a contact list, the first phone number corresponding to the incoming call is displayed. In response to detecting the incoming call and in accordance with a determination that the first number for the incoming call corresponds to a first entry in the contact list, a name associated with the first entry and/or a graphic associated with the first entry is displayed, without displaying the first phone number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Scott FORSTALL, Imran CHAUDHRI, Greg CHRISTIE, Patrick L. COFFMAN, Steven P. JOBS, Stephen O. LEMAY, Gregory NOVICK, Marcel VAN OS
  • Publication number: 20230280872
    Abstract: At an electronic device with a touch screen display, display a user interface, where the user interface includes at least two windows of an application, a first icon displayed in association with a first window of the at least two windows, and a second icon at a location different from the at least two windows. While displaying the at least two windows, detect a gesture on the touch screen display. In response to detecting the gesture: in accordance with detecting the gesture on the first icon associated with the first window on the touch screen display, remove from the display the first window of the at least two displayed windows corresponding to the gesture; and in accordance with detecting the gesture on the second icon at the location different from the at least two windows of the application, display a new window of the application on the touch screen display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Scott FORSTALL, Chris BLUMENBERG, Andre M.J. BOULE, Imran CHAUDHRI, Gregory N. CHRISTIE, Stephen O. LEMAY, Marcel VAN OS, Richard J. WILLIAMSON
  • Patent number: 11743390
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls, such as an add call affordance. In some embodiments, when the electronic device receives a request to initiate another phone and displays an additional user interface that includes a merge call affordance that replaces display of the add call affordance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Imran Chaudhri, Michael Matas, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Greg Christie
  • Publication number: 20230254812
    Abstract: One or more location-based clients can be activated on a mobile device for providing location-based services. The location-based clients can be provided with information (e.g., presets, defaults) related to the current location and/or mode of the mobile device. The information can be obtained from one or more network resources. In some implementations, a location-based client can concurrently display map and vehicle information related to a location of the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Gregory N. Christie, Robert E. Borchers, Imran A. Chaudhri, Peter Henry Mahowald
  • Publication number: 20230244355
    Abstract: A portable electronic device displays a plurality of icons (e.g., graphical objects) in a region in a touch-sensitive display; detects a predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for initiating a predefined user interface reconfiguration process; and varies positions of one or more icons in the plurality of icons in response to detecting the predefined user action. The varying includes varying the positions of the one or more icons about respective average positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Marcel VAN OS, Freddy Allen ANZURES, Scott FORSTALL, Greg CHRISTIE, Imran CHAUDHRI
  • Publication number: 20230221852
    Abstract: In a computer-implemented method, a portion of an electronic document is displayed on a touch screen display of a portable multifunction device. The displayed portion has a vertical position and a horizontal position in the electronic document. An object is detected on or near the displayed portion of the electronic document. In response to detecting the object, a vertical bar and a horizontal bar are displayed on top of the displayed portion. The vertical bar has a vertical position on top of the displayed portion that corresponds to the vertical position in the electronic document of the displayed portion. The horizontal bar has a horizontal position on top of the displayed portion that corresponds to the horizontal position in the electronic document of the displayed portion. After a predetermined condition is met, display of the vertical bar and of the horizontal bar is ceased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Scott FORSTALL, Henri C. LAMIRAUX, Andrew Emilio PLATZER, Michael MATAS, Imran CHAUDHRI
  • Publication number: 20230185380
    Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can be configured to automatically tum off notifications when generating a notification would cause a disturbance or be unwanted by a user. The device can be configured with quiet hours during which notifications that would otherwise be generated by the computing device can be suppressed. In some implementations, quiet hours can be configured as a time period with a start time and an end time. In some implementations, quiet hours can be derived from application data. For example, calendar data, alarm clock data, map data, etc. can be used to determine when quiet hours should be enforced. In some implementations, the device can be configured with exceptions to quiet hour notification suppression. In some implementations, the user can identify contacts to which the quiet hours notification suppression should not be applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Imran A. CHAUDHRI, Gregory NOVICK, Scott FORSTALL, Morgan GRAINGER, George R. DICKER, Tyler HAWKINS
  • Patent number: 11669238
    Abstract: A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Chaudhri, Bas Ording, Freddy Allen Anzures, Marcel Van Os, Scott Forstall, Greg Christie
  • Patent number: 11665665
    Abstract: One or more location-based clients can be activated on a mobile device for providing location-based services. The location-based clients can be provided with information (e.g., presets, defaults) related to the current location and/or mode of the mobile device. The information can be obtained from one or more network resources. In some implementations, a location-based client can concurrently display map and vehicle information related to a location of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Gregory N. Christie, Robert E. Borchers, Imran A. Chaudhri, Peter Henry Mahowald
  • Patent number: 11650713
    Abstract: A portable electronic device displays a plurality of icons (e.g., graphical objects) in a region in a touch-sensitive display; detects a predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for initiating a predefined user interface reconfiguration process; and varies positions of one or more icons in the plurality of icons in response to detecting the predefined user action. The varying includes varying the positions of the one or more icons about respective average positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marcel Van Os, Freddy Allen Anzures, Scott Forstall, Greg Christie, Imran Chaudhri
  • Patent number: 11601584
    Abstract: A portable electronic device with a touch screen display for photo management is disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which the portable electronic device displays an array of thumbnail images corresponding to a set of photographic images. The device replaces the displayed array of thumbnail images with a user-selected photographic image upon detecting a user contact with a corresponding thumbnail image in the array. The user-selected photographic image is displayed at a larger scale than the corresponding thumbnail image. The portable device displays a different photographic image in replacement of the user-selected photographic image in accordance with a scrolling gesture. The scrolling gesture comprises a substantially horizontal movement of user contact with the touch screen display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Matas, Greg Christie, Paul D. Marcos, Scott Forstall, Marcel Van Os, Bas Ording, Imran Chaudhri