Aberdeen refused to concede possession from a stoppage-time throw-in after Jambos goalkeeper Neil Alexander kicked the ball out with home skipper Alim Ozturk indicating he had cramp.
McInnes was unhappy with the circumstances leading up to his side refusing to give the ball back to Hearts and defended the decision to instead launch an attack, which soon led to goalscorer Paterson being booked for a foul on Jonny Hayes.
"It was my instruction for Jonny Hayes to keep possession of the ball," said McInnes.
"There's nothing wrong with Ozturk when the cross comes in. All of a sudden he went from the front post to the edge of the box and then goes down.
"It's something consistent with what Hearts do at times when they are trying to see a game out, and something we made the players aware of. Alexander couldn't wait to get the ball out the park.
"If their player chooses to go down with cramp or whatever and doesn't require a physio, we have every right to keep possession of the ball.
"Juanma of all people giving me the moral high ground about how we shouldn't keep the ball... All I said to him was we had every right to keep the ball. We were guilty of nothing in that instance."
Source: Sky Sports