Apple Inc.

William E Bull

Eric James Hope

Policarpo Bonilla Wood

Kourtny Minh Hicks

Ben A Rottler

Alan Cannistraro

Benjamin A Rottler

Anthony Michael Fadell

Jesse Lee Dorogusker

Thomas M Alsina

Emily Clark Schubert

Shyam S Toprani

Szu Wen Huang

Aram M Lindahl

Jeffrey Ma

Stephen Peart

Gokhan Avkarogullari

Szu-Wen Huang

Steven M Adams

Frederick R Holt

Robert Taggart

Robert L Ciardella

Richard Jordan

Jonathan A Schiller

A device with one or more input devices receives a user input for navigating through a representation of a set of assets, determines that an attribute associated with the received input is above threshold value, and in response, sets a scrolling mode to be an accelerated navigation mode. While the scrolling mode is in the accelerated navigation mode and while scrolling through the representation of assets in accordance with the input, the device provides one or more asset subset identifiers that identify a respective subset of the assets through which the device is currently scrolling in accordance with the input.

Scrolling techniques for user interfaces

A device with one or more input devices receives a user input for scrolling through a representation of a set of assets, determines that an attribute associated with the received input is above a threshold value, and in response, sets a scrolling mode to be an accelerated navigation mode. While the scrolling mode is in the accelerated navigation mode and while scrolling through the representation of assets in accordance with the input, the device provides one or more asset subset identifiers that identify a respective subset of the assets through which the device is currently scrolling in accordance with the input.

Handheld electronic devices are provided that have remote control functionality and gesture recognition features. The handheld electronic device may have remote control functionality in addition to cellular telephone, music player, or handheld computer functionality. The handheld electronic devices may have a touch sensitive display screen. The handheld electronic devices may recognize gestures performed by a user on the touch sensitive display screen. The handheld electronic devices may generate remote control signals from gestures that the handheld electronic device may recognize. A media system may receive the remote control signals and may take appropriate action. The touch sensitive display screen may be used to present the user with information about the media system such as the current volume.

Handheld electronic devices with remote control functionality and gesture recognition

A portable media player may provide multi-modes for a user. Each mode may define different features and content that are customized for a particular mode. Based a selected mode, the media player may provide access to only content, features, hardware, user interface elements, and the like that the user wishes to have access to when the mode is enabled. The media player may provide the user different experiences, looks, and feels for each mode.

Multi-model modes of one device

Media players and associated methods are described that may allow a user to navigate content or other media assets. A media player or portable media device, can include features for generating and utilizing navigation information for navigating content, such as audio books. An audio book may be analyzed to determine one or more locations within the audio book that represent chapters, paragraphs, sentences, or the like. Navigation information may be generated indicative of the one or more locations that may be used by a media player or portable media device to play content in the audio book. The navigation information may include audio clips extracted from the audio book to represent the chapters and the like. In addition, a user may navigate content in response to predetermined user motions. A media player may scroll through content based on the predetermined user motions.

Navigation systems and methods

A graphical user interface ('GUI') can be presented on a remote control accessory device that has user input and display devices. The GUI can be defined and managed by a portable media device that is controlled using the GUI. The portable media device can provide the accessory with a GUI image to be displayed. The accessory can send information to the portable media device indicative of a user operation of an input device in response to the displayed image. The portable media device can process this input to identify the action requested by the user and take the appropriate action, which can include updating the GUI image provided to the accessory.

Pushing a graphical user interface to a remote device with display rules provided by the remote device

Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface

Media players and associated methods are described that may allow a user to initiate playback of content or other media assets based on information associated with content. A media player may receive information associated with content from a user selection of a song, movie, photo, or the like. Based on the information, the media player may procure other additional content to be added to a playlist. The media player may automatically add to a playlist or modify a playlist with content that matches a user's preferences for artists, albums, genres, or the like. The user may interact with the media player to determine what content is added and how a playlist should be mixed. The user may specify how much of any content procured by the media player should be present in the playlist without the need to specify each individual item that constitutes a playlist.

Advanced playlist creation

Systems, methods and apparatus for distribution of digital products to portable electronic devices are disclosed. Digital products, such as digital assets or digital gifts, can be a purchased from a centralized location and associated with particular ones of the portable electronic devices. In one embodiment, the digital product is a digital asset (e.g., digital media asset) that is pre-stored to a portable electronic device, and after the digital asset is purchased, the digital asset can be activated on the portable electronic device. In another embodiment, the digital product is a digital gift that can be associated with a portable electronic device or a user account for a user of the portable electronic device. Optionally, a personalized message can be provided and associated with a portable electronic device.

Activation of digital products on mobile electronic devices

Improved approaches to display information on a portable computing device having a display with limited display area are disclosed. The information displayed can, for example, assist a user in navigating a hierarchical menu system operable on the portable computing device to browse, search or play media items. In one embodiment, the information displayed can be presented in a multi-pane display screen (or graphical user interface). One pane can present a list of selectable items, such as a list of selectable media items. The list can represent one menu in the hierarchical menu system. Another pane can present other information that can be related to the list being displayed. For example, the other information can be data contextually related to the list. In one embodiment, the size of the panes of a multi-pane display screen can adapt dependent on user interaction and/or characteristics of the data being display.

Multi-pane graphical user interface for mobile electronic device

A system and method for providing photographic slideshows with theme elements is provided. Each photograph and each theme element may be associated with different contextual information. The contextual information may include, for example, locations, time and date, calendar events, user preference or history information, or any other suitable information. In response to receiving a selection of contextual information, the electronic device may identify photographs and theme elements associated with contextual information to generate a photographic slideshow. Alternatively, in response to receiving a selection of at least one photograph or theme element, the electronic device may identify contextual information associated with the selected photograph or theme element to identify other photographs and theme elements associated with the identified contextual information for generating a photographic slideshow.

Theme-based slideshows

An audio user interface that provides audio prompts that help a user interact with a user interface of an electronic device is disclosed. The audio prompts can provide audio indicators that allow a user to focus his or her visual attention upon other tasks such as driving an automobile, exercising, or crossing a street, yet still enable the user to interact with the user interface. An intelligent path can provide access to different types of audio prompts from a variety of different sources. The different types of audio prompts may be presented based on availability of a particular type of audio prompt. As examples, the audio prompts may include pre-recorded voice audio, such as celebrity voices or cartoon characters, obtained from a dedicate voice server. Absent availability of pre-recorded or synthesized audio data, non-voice audio prompts may be provided.

Growing community of inventors

Campbell, CA, United States of America

William E Bull