Patents by Inventor Christopher Blumenberg

Christopher Blumenberg 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: 9706518
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide location-based, application-feature notifications for a multi-feature application that executes on a device. For instance, when a feature (e.g., a functionality, or service) of an application becomes available in a particular region, some embodiments provide a notification of the availability of the new feature in the particular region. In some embodiments, the notification is a location-based notification that is provided to only devices that execute in or near the particular region in which the location-based feature has recently become available. In other embodiments, the notification is also provided to devices that are not near the particular region (e.g., are provided to all devices in the United States, when the feature becomes available in California).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Matthew B. Ball, Christopher Blumenberg, Seejo K. Pylappan, Nils Stefan Daniel Bengtsson, Per Fahlberg, Megan M. Frost, Marcel van Os
  • Patent number: 9702721
    Abstract: On a mobile device a “live” network-based query for search is performed (e.g., performed automatically) in response to a map display update or other trigger event. In some implementations, when the map display is updated (or other trigger event occurs) a network-based map service is queried to obtain information related to the current location of the mobile device. The information can be presented on the map display. In some implementations, when multiple search results matching the query are provided by the map service, a confirmation request is presented on the mobile device to allow the user to select a search result. The selected search result (e.g., a destination) can be presented on the map display. A route from the current location of the mobile device to a destination can be drawn on the map display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Blumenberg, Seejo Pylappan, Michael Matas, Richard Williamson
  • Patent number: 9671234
    Abstract: Embodiments may include determining a navigation route between an origination and a destination; the route may span multiple portions of a map. Embodiments may also include receiving an order of priority in which to receive the multiple portions of the map; the order may be generated based on distinct levels of expected signal strength for each of the multiple portions. For instance, within the order of priority, map portions associated with areas of low signal strength may be ranked higher than areas of higher signal strength. Embodiments may also include acquiring at least some of the portions of the map according to the order of priority, and generating a map display comprising the multiple portions of the map. For instance, map portions associated with areas of poor reception may be downloaded first whereas map portions associated with strong signal strength may be downloaded on-the-fly during route navigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Blumenberg, Seejo K. Pylappan
  • Patent number: 9665265
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application to provide gesture operations for a display of a device. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring a scaling transform call. The gesture operations include performing a scaling transform such as a zoom in or zoom out in response to a user input having two or more input points. The gesture operations also include performing a rotation transform to rotate an image or view in response to a user input having two or more input points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9639260
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application to provide gesture operations for a display of a device. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring a scaling transform call. The gesture operations include performing a scaling transform such as a zoom in or zoom out in response to a user input having two or more input points. The gesture operations also include performing a rotation transform to rotate an image or view in response to a user input having two or more input points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9631930
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a novel prediction engine that (1) can formulate predictions about current or future destinations and/or routes to such destinations for a user, and (2) can relay information to the user about these predictions. In some embodiments, this engine includes a machine-learning engine that facilitates the formulation of predicted future destinations and/or future routes to destinations based on stored, user-specific data. The user-specific data is different in different embodiments. In some embodiments, the stored, user-specific data includes data about any combination of the following: (1) previous destinations traveled to by the user, (2) previous routes taken by the user, (3) locations of calendared events in the user's calendar, (4) locations of events for which the user has electronic tickets, and (5) addresses parsed from recent e-mails and/or messages sent to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christine B. McGavran, Bradford A. Moore, Gregory D. Bolsinga, Christopher Blumenberg, Seejo K. Pylappan, Marcel van Os
  • Patent number: 9599485
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a navigation application that allows a user to peek ahead or behind during a turn-by-turn navigation presentation that the application provides while tracking a device (e.g., a mobile device, a vehicle, etc.) traversal of a physical route. As the device traverses along the physical route, the navigation application generates a navigation presentation that shows a representation of the device on a map traversing along a virtual route that represents the physical route on the map. While providing the navigation presentation, the navigation application can receive user input to look ahead or behind along the virtual route. Based on the user input, the navigation application moves the navigation presentation to show locations on the virtual route that are ahead or behind the displayed current location of the device on the virtual route. This movement can cause the device representation to no longer be visible in the navigation presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Moore, Christopher Blumenberg, Marcel van Os, Billy P. Chen
  • Publication number: 20170061655
    Abstract: Embodiments may include receiving signal strength information reported by multiple client communication devices. The signal strength information reported by a given client device may indicate one or more locations detected by the given client device. The signal strength information may also indicate, for each location, a respective measure of signal strength for a communication signal detected at that location by the client device. Embodiments may also include generating a signal strength map for a region based on the client-reported signal strength information. Generating the signal strength map may include, for each location of multiple locations within the region, generating an expected signal strength value for that location based on an evaluation of the signal strength information received for that location. The generation of the signal strength map for the region may also be based on the expected signal strength values for the locations within the region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Seejo K. Pylappan, Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9582061
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein pertain to power conservation for electronic devices. According to one embodiment, power conservation can be achieved through adaptive frame rate control for a display associated with an electronic device. The frame rate is able to be controlled so as to adapt to a frame rate that is adequate for the display task. Since the display often times displays content that is not very dynamic, the frame rate in such situations can be controlled to use a reduced frame rate, which thereby reduces power consumption. However, when the display displays content that is substantially dynamic, the frame rate in such situations can be controlled to use an enhanced (or not reduced) frame rate, which ensures reasonable display quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Seejo K. Pylappan, Aroon Pahwa, Christopher Blumenberg, Gregory Bolsinga
  • Publication number: 20170052672
    Abstract: A device that includes at least one processing unit and stores a multi-mode mapping program for execution by the at least one processing unit is described. The program includes a user interface (UI). The UI includes a display area for displaying a two-dimensional (2D) presentation of a map or a three-dimensional (3D) presentation of the map. The UI includes a selectable 3D control for directing the program to transition between the 2D and 3D presentations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Bradford A. Moore, Marcel van Os, Christopher Blumenberg, Emanuele Vulcano, Brady A. Law, Patrick S. Piemonte, Matthew B. Ball
  • Patent number: 9575648
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application to provide gesture operations for a display of a device. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring a scaling transform call. The gesture operations include performing a scaling transform such as a zoom in or zoom out in response to a user input having two or more input points. The gesture operations also include performing a rotation transform to rotate an image or view in response to a user input having two or more input points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Blumenberg
  • Publication number: 20170039757
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a map tool displaying a three-dimensional view of a map based on a three-dimensional model of the surrounding environment. The three-dimensional map view of a map may be based on a model constructed from multiple data sets, where the multiple data sets include mapping information for an overlapping area of the map displayed in the map view. For example, one data set may include two-dimensional data including object footprints, where the object footprints may be extruded into a three-dimensional object based on data from a data set composed of three-dimensional data. In this example, the three-dimensional data may include height information that corresponds to the two-dimensional object, where the height may be obtained by correlating the location of the two-dimensional object within the three-dimensional data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Howard, Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9529519
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application to provide gesture operations for a display of a device. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring a scaling transform call. The gesture operations include performing a scaling transform such as a zoom in or zoom out in response to a user input having two or more input points. The gesture operations also include performing a rotation transform to rotate an image or view in response to a user input having two or more input points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Blumenberg
  • Publication number: 20160365072
    Abstract: An improve navigation application can generate and display a composite representation of multiple POIs when POI icons representing the POIs appear to be overlapping. Some embodiments display the composite representation when a certain zoom level is reached for a map including the multiple POI icons. In some embodiments, the navigation application can determine POIs that may be of interest to the user based on the user's attributes and activity history and generate the composite representation based on those attributes. The composite representation can include multiple POI icons that are displayed adjacent to each other such that a user of the navigation application can readily identify POIs that are likely to be of interest to the user within a region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Blumenberg, Marcel Van Os, Mikio Inose
  • Publication number: 20160342325
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application to provide gesture operations for a display of a device. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring a scaling transform call. The gesture operations include performing a scaling transform such as a zoom in or zoom out in response to a user input having two or more input points. The gesture operations also include performing a rotation transform to rotate an image or view in response to a user input having two or more input points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventor: Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9453734
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for displaying a portion of a map on a mobile device of a user while the user is traveling along a route. The mobile device can use a selected route and a current location of the device to load map tiles for parts of the map that are upcoming along the route. In this manner, the user can have quick access to the portions of the map that the user likely will want to view. For example, the map tiles can be loaded for the next 50 Km, and then when the stored tiles reaches only 25 Km ahead, another 25 Km of tiles can be retrieved. The amount of tiles loaded (e.g., minimum and maximum amounts) can vary based on a variety of factors, such as network state, distance traveled along the route, and whether the mobile device is charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Seejo K. Pylappan, James A. Howard, Bradford A. Moore, Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9451035
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for a location information server to gather location updates by sending location-update-requests through a push notification service to a mobile device are disclosed. The mobile device provides location updates in response to the push-based location-update-requests received through the push notification service. The mobile device can switch from a self-initiated location update mode to a push-based location update mode depending on the current state of the mobile device. The mobile device can also choose an appropriate positioning system for self-locating based on the information embedded in the location-update-request received through the push notification service. The information embedded in the pushed location-update-request can be a precision requirement or context information that can be used to determine a precision requirement for the location update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Williamson, Christopher Blumenberg, Seejo Pylappan, James Howard
  • Publication number: 20160266746
    Abstract: A portable multifunction device includes a touch screen display, and one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors. The one or more programs including instructions for displaying an application, wherein the application includes a plurality of input elements that include a respective user input element. Detecting a first input that corresponds to selection of the respective user input element. In response to detecting the first input, enlarging the respective input element, and displaying an input interface for selecting input for the respective user input element, wherein the input interface includes a plurality of text input choices. While displaying the input interface, detecting a second input that corresponds to selection of a respective text input choice of the plurality of text input choices. After detecting the second input, using text that corresponds to the respective text input choice as input for the respective user input element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Francisco Ryan TOLMASKY, Richard WILLIAMSON, Patricia J. COLEMAN, Christopher BLUMENBERG, Corbin Robert DUNN, Stephen O. LEMAY, Marcel VAN OS
  • Publication number: 20160265932
    Abstract: On a mobile device a “live” network-based query for search is performed (e.g., performed automatically) in response to a map display update or other trigger event. In some implementations, when the map display is updated (or other trigger event occurs) a network-based map service is queried to obtain information related to the current location of the mobile device. The information can be presented on the map display. In some implementations, when multiple search results matching the query are provided by the map service, a confirmation request is presented on the mobile device to allow the user to select a search result. The selected search result (e.g., a destination) can be presented on the map display. A route from the current location of the mobile device to a destination can be drawn on the map display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher Blumenberg, Seejo Pylappan, Michael Matas, Richard Williamson
  • Patent number: 9441975
    Abstract: Embodiments may include receiving signal strength information reported by multiple client communication devices. The signal strength information reported by a given client device may indicate one or more locations detected by the given client device. The signal strength information may also indicate, for each location, a respective measure of signal strength for a communication signal detected at that location by the client device. Embodiments may also include generating a signal strength map for a region based on the client-reported signal strength information. Generating the signal strength map may include, for each location of multiple locations within the region, generating an expected signal strength value for that location based on an evaluation of the signal strength information received for that location. The generation of the signal strength map for the region may also be based on the expected signal strength values for the locations within the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Seejo K. Pylappan, Christopher Blumenberg