Apple Patent Roundup – iWallet

iWallet

 

Apple has been granted over 50 patents today by the USPTO. In this article I’m going cover some of the key patents.

Motion based payment confirmation – 8,255,323

There have been lots of speculation that Apple is planning to launch a mobile paying system dubbed ‘iWallet’. This patent gives us more insight on how such a system might work. The patent was filed in January 2009 and granted to Casey; Brandon J, Wipfler; Gary and Cressall; Erik.

Patent Background

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Payment transactions increasingly occur without the use of physical payment objects such as credit cards or cash. For example, online purchases may be made using credit card information stored in an online account maintained by a merchant or by a payment service such as PayPal. Further, financial account information may be stored on electronic devices and transferred using contactless means, such as near field communication (NFC), radio-frequency identification (RFID), or networking, to complete payment transactions.

The increased use of electronic and/or contactless payments may allow payment transactions to occur at a fast pace without the need for payment objects. However, due to the speed and virtual nature of modern payment transactions, consumers may not fully appreciate the consequences of authorizing a payment transaction or may inadvertently authorize a payment transaction.

The  Invention

Certain aspects commensurate in scope with the originally claimed invention are set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of certain forms of the invention might take and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for confirming a payment transaction. In accordance with one disclosed embodiment, an electronic device may include a graphical user interface (GUI) with one or more graphical elements that may be moved by a user to confirm or decline a payment transaction. The graphical elements may be configured to virtually represent a swipe of a credit card. For example, in one embodiment, the GUI may display a two position slide bar that may be moved in one direction to confirm the payment transaction and in another direction to decline the payment transaction. In accordance with another embodiment, the GUI may display an image of a credit card that may be moved towards an image of a credit card terminal to confirm the payment transaction.

[pullquote]The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for confirming a payment transaction[/pullquote]

In certain embodiments, the graphical elements for confirming a payment transaction may be displayed in response to selection of a payment instrument through a touch screen of an electronic device. For example, credit cards may be digitally represented within an electronic wallet or an online payment system. After movement of the graphical elements, the electronic device may transmit a confirmation message to initiate payment with the selected payment instrument. The movable graphical elements may be used to confirm payment transactions in a wide variety of environments such as peer-to-peer transactions, online shopping transactions, and purchases made within brick and mortar stores.

Various refinements of the features noted above may exist in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects alone or in any combination. Again, the brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subject matter.

 

Methods and graphical user interfaces for editing on a multifunction device with a touch screen display – 8,255,830

Patent Background

As electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particular significant for handheld portable devices, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device’s features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user.

Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible. This is unfortunate because it may prevent a user interface from being configured and/or adapted by either an application running on the portable device or by users. When coupled with the time consuming requirement to memorize multiple key sequences and menu hierarchies, and the difficulty in activating a desired pushbutton, such inflexibility is frustrating to most users.

Conventional user interfaces on multifunction devices with touch screen displays do not provide a simple and intuitive way to edit text and graphics. Editing functions such as cut, copy, and paste (if they even exist) are often difficult to find and use, thereby creating a significant cognitive burden on a user. In addition, conventional editing methods take longer than necessary, thereby wasting energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery-operated devices.

Accordingly, there is a need for multifunction devices with touch screen displays with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for editing content. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitive burden on a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated multifunction devices, such methods and interfaces conserve power and increase the time between battery charges.

The Invention

In some embodiments, a device displays content on a touch screen display and detects input by finger gestures. In response to the finger gestures, the device selects content, visually distinguishes the selected content, and/or updates the selected content based on detected input. In some embodiments, the device displays a command display area that includes one or more command icons; detects activation of a command icon in the command display area; and, in response to detecting activation of the command icon in the command display area, performs a corresponding action with respect to the selected content. Exemplary actions include cutting, copying, and pasting content.

 

Portable touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for using emoji characters while in a locked mode – 8,255,810

Patent Background

As portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device’s features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user.

Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible. This may prevent a user interface from being configured and/or adapted by either an application running on the portable device or by users. When coupled with the time consuming requirement to memorize multiple key sequences and menu hierarchies, and the difficulty in activating a desired pushbutton, such inflexibility is frustrating to most users.

Recently, portable electronic devices have been developed that support the use of emoji characters. Emoji characters are often used in web forums, email messages, instant messages (e.g., SMS text messages), notes, and on-line games. A large and growing number of emoji characters exist. But it is quite cumbersome to display, organize, and use a large number of emoji characters in existing portable electronic devices with small display screens.

Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices. 

The Invention

In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes simultaneously displaying a character input area operable to display text character input and emoji character input selected by a user, a keyboard display area, and a plurality of emoji category icons. In response to detecting a gesture on a respective emoji category icon, the method also includes simultaneously displaying: a first subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and a plurality of subset-sequence-indicia icons for the respective emoji category. The method also includes detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area and, in response: replacing display of the first subset of emoji character keys with display of a second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category, and updating the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons.

 

Source: USPTO

Posted by | Posted at August 28, 2012 17:13 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Storm is a technology enthusiast, who resides in the UK. He enjoys reading and writing about technology.

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