Patents by Inventor Michael R. Sweet
Michael R. Sweet 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).
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Patent number: 10129417Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that performs document scanning. The system includes a scanner and a computing device. To enable detection of the computing device in proximity to the scanner, the computing device may be configured to advertise a scan-receiving capability using a discovery protocol. Next, the scanner may use the discovery protocol to identify a set of computing devices in proximity to the scanner, including the computing device. The scanner may then provide the set of computing devices to a user of the scanner and obtain, from the user of the scanner, a selection of the computing device as a recipient of the scanned document. Finally, the scanner may send the scanned document to the computing device over a network connection with the computing device.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2012Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Ryan W. Palumbo, Steve Swen, Richard Blanchard, Jr., Baskaran Subramaniam, Howard A. Miller
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Patent number: 10105905Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to improve the operation of three dimensional (3D) printer systems are described. In general, techniques are disclosed for providing improved (smaller) print times and reduced consumption of material for a given end assembly. More particularly, a print-head motion exhibiting a triangular support pattern (aka triangular tessellation) is shown to be more efficient than circular print head motions used in current 3D printers in terms of speed and/or material usage.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2014Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Michael R. Sweet
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Patent number: 9727301Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that drives a remote display from an electronic device. The electronic may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or a portable media player. During operation, the system uses the electronic device to obtain user input associated with a transition in graphical output on the electronic device and the remote display. Next, the system identifies a region of interest in the remote display based on the user input and a usage context associated with the graphical output. Finally, the system facilitates viewing of the transition on the remote display by prioritizing transmission of the graphical output from the electronic device to the remote display based on the region of interest.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2011Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventor: Michael R. Sweet
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Patent number: 9524128Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for managing use of a printing system. During operation, the system obtains a request for print job information associated with the printing system and/or subscription information associated with subscriptions to events in the printing system. Next, the system obtains an access control policy associated with the request. The system then filters the print job and/or subscription information based on the access control policy and responds to the request with the filtered print job and/or subscription information. As a result, the system may facilitate information security in the printing system.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2011Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Michael R. Sweet
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Patent number: 9298401Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system obtains print data and a set of job options for the print job, wherein the print data is associated with a document format that is not supported by a printing protocol used to perform the print job. Next, the system obtains a set of document-processing capabilities associated with the document format from a printer associated with the print job. Finally, the system configures the print job based on the job options and the document-processing capabilities without converting the print data into a different document format that is supported by the printing protocol.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2012Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Richard Blanchard, Jr., David Gelphman, Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet
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Patent number: 9007642Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system receives, at a printer, a signal from a portable electronic device indicating the printer has been selected for the print job. Next, in response to the selection, the system generates an output that facilitates identification of the printer by a user of the portable electronic device. The system also provides a mechanism for confirming physical access to the printer by the user. Upon confirming the physical access to the printer by the user, the system establishes a connection between the portable electronic device and the printer, wherein the connection is subsequently used by the portable electronic device and the printer to perform the print job.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2014Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet, Tito Thomas
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Patent number: 8891115Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system obtains a set of document-processing capabilities from a printer associated with the print job and obtains print data for the print job. Next, the system selects a set of document attributes for the print job based on the document-processing capabilities and the print data, wherein the set of document attributes comprises a document format and a document size. Finally, the system configures the print data to conform to the document attributes to enable processing of the print job by the printer.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2012Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Howard A. Miller, Richard Blanchard, Jr., David Gelphman
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Publication number: 20140153049Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system receives, at a printer, a signal from a portable electronic device indicating the printer has been selected for the print job. Next, in response to the selection, the system generates an output that facilitates identification of the printer by a user of the portable electronic device. The system also provides a mechanism for confirming physical access to the printer by the user. Upon confirming the physical access to the printer by the user, the system establishes a connection between the portable electronic device and the printer, wherein the connection is subsequently used by the portable electronic device and the printer to perform the print job.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2014Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet, Tito Thomas
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Patent number: 8681361Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system receives, at a printer, a signal from a portable electronic device indicating the printer has been selected for the print job. Next, in response to the selection, the system generates an output that facilitates identification of the printer by a user of the portable electronic device. The system also provides a mechanism for confirming physical access to the printer by the user. Upon confirming the physical access to the printer by the user, the system establishes a direct connection between the portable electronic device and the printer, wherein the direct connection is subsequently used by the portable electronic device and the printer to perform the print job.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2011Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet, Tito Thomas
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Patent number: 8675215Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that performs a print job. During operation, the system obtains one or more regions of interest associated with print data for the print job, wherein the print data is not formatted for a media size for the print job. Next, the system scales the print data based on a region of interest from the one or more regions of interest and the media size. Finally, the system sends the print job to a printer, wherein the print job is executed using the printer.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2012Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, David Gelphman, Richard Blanchard, Jr., Todd W. Ritland, Howard A. Miller
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Patent number: 8610927Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that supports printing from a computing device. During operation, the system uses a discovery protocol to identify printers that can be accessed by the computing device. Next, the system receives a selection of a printer that can be accessed by the computing device. The system then generates printer data for the print job. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. The system can use a driverless printing technique, which involves obtaining printer capability information from the selected printer and generating printer data for the selected printer based on the printer capability information. Alternatively, the system can use a printer-specific driver for the selected printer to generate the printer data. The system can also send the print job to a cloud, which includes one or more servers that provide a printing service, so that the cloud can generate the printer data. Finally, the system sends the generated printer data to the printer.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2010Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Howard A. Miller
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Patent number: 8610928Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates driverless printing. This system includes a discovery component configured to identify accessible printers and to facilitate selection of an accessible printer, wherein the discovery component is also configured to obtain capability information from accessible printers. The system also includes a transport component configured to transport data to the selected printer, wherein the transport component is also configured to obtain capability information from the selected printer. Finally, the system includes a page-description-language component configured to generate printer data for the selected printer based on obtained capability information for the selected printer.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2010Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Howard A. Miller
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Publication number: 20130201519Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the use of a device connected to a non-network interface. During operation, the system provides a bridge between the non-network interface and a network interface. Next, the system uses the bridge to enable communication with the device over the network interface. For example, the system may enable communication with a printer that is not configured for network printing over a network interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Charles W. Duyk, Michael R. Sweet, James F. Lovell
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Publication number: 20130201503Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system identifies a set of printers providing a driverless-printing service in proximity to a portable electronic device associated with the print job. Next, for each printer from the set of printers, the system attempts to obtain a protocol key and a set of supported capabilities associated with the protocol key from the printer. If the protocol key and the set of supported capabilities exist for the printer, the system determines an eligibility of the printer for the print job based on the protocol key and the set of supported capabilities. If the printer is eligible for the print job, the system provides the printer to a user of the portable electronic device to enable subsequent selection of the printer for the print job.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2012Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet, Todd W. Ritland
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Publication number: 20130201517Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system obtains print data and a set of job options for the print job, wherein the print data is associated with a document format that is not supported by a printing protocol used to perform the print job. Next, the system obtains a set of document-processing capabilities associated with the document format from a printer associated with the print job. Finally, the system configures the print job based on the job options and the document-processing capabilities without converting the print data into a different document format that is supported by the printing protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2012Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Richard Blanchard, JR., David Gelphman, Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet
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Publication number: 20130201494Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system obtains a set of document-processing capabilities from a printer associated with the print job and obtains print data for the print job. Next, the system selects a set of document attributes for the print job based on the document-processing capabilities and the print data, wherein the set of document attributes comprises a document format and a document size. Finally, the system configures the print data to conform to the document attributes to enable processing of the print job by the printer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2012Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Howard A. Miller, Richard Blanchard, JR., David Gelphman
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Publication number: 20130194621Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that performs a print job. During operation, the system obtains one or more regions of interest associated with print data for the print job, wherein the print data is not formatted for a media size for the print job. Next, the system scales the print data based on a region of interest from the one or more regions of interest and the media size. Finally, the system sends the print job to a printer, wherein the print job is executed using the printer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2012Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, David Gelphman, Richard Blanchard, JR., Todd W. Ritland, Howard A. Miller
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Publication number: 20130194624Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that performs document scanning The system includes a scanner and a computing device. To enable detection of the computing device in proximity to the scanner, the computing device may be configured to advertise a scan-receiving capability using a discovery protocol. Next, the scanner may use the discovery protocol to identify a set of computing devices in proximity to the scanner, including the computing device. The scanner may then provide the set of computing devices to a user of the scanner and obtain, from the user of the scanner, a selection of the computing device as a recipient of the scanned document. Finally, the scanner may send the scanned document to the computing device over a network connection with the computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2012Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Ryan W. Palumbo, Steve Swen, Richard Blanchard, JR., Baskaran Subramaniam, Howard A. Miller
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Publication number: 20130141756Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system receives, at a printer, a signal from a portable electronic device indicating the printer has been selected for the print job. Next, in response to the selection, the system generates an output that facilitates identification of the printer by a user of the portable electronic device. The system also provides a mechanism for confirming physical access to the printer by the user. Upon confirming the physical access to the printer by the user, the system establishes a direct connection between the portable electronic device and the printer, wherein the direct connection is subsequently used by the portable electronic device and the printer to perform the print job.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2011Publication date: June 6, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet, Tito Thomas
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Publication number: 20130141746Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that performs a print job. During operation, the system detects a printer in proximity to a portable electronic device associated with the print job. Next, the system establishes a peer-to-peer connection between the portable electronic device and the printer and uses the peer-to-peer connection to obtain a set of printer attributes from the printer. If the printer attributes match the print job, the system establishes a direct connection between the printer and the portable electronic device and sends the print job to the printer over the direct connection, wherein the print job is executed using the printer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2011Publication date: June 6, 2013Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet