Patents by Inventor Ronald K. Huang

Ronald K. Huang 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: 10791419
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and program products for providing services to a user by a mobile device based on the user's daily routine of movement. The mobile device determines whether a location cluster indicates a significant location for the user based on one or more hints that indicate an interest of the user in locations in the cluster. The mobile device can perform adaptive clustering to determine a size of area of the significant location based on how multiple locations converge in the location cluster. The mobile device can provide location-based services for calendar items, including predicting a time of arrival at an estimated location of a calendar item. The mobile device can provide various services related to a location of the mobile device or a significant location of the user through an application programming interface (API).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Dal Santo, Lukas M. Marti, Ronald K. Huang, Lili Cao
  • Patent number: 10791511
    Abstract: Some embodiments enable low power mode for wireless local area network (WLAN) subsystem of an electronic device to improve power usage at the electronic device and increase response time of the WLAN subsystem to prioritized application(s). For example, a method includes enabling a sleep mode of the WLAN subsystem of the electronic device. The electronic device maintains a connection with an access point of a wireless network during the sleep mode. The method further includes receiving a request from an application to communicate with the wireless network. The application is included in a list of prioritized applications. In response to determining that a metric associated with the sleep mode does not exceed a power budget, the sleep mode of the WLAN subsystem is suspended and the communication between the application and the access point of the wireless network is enabled (after the suspension of the sleep mode).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Veerendra Boodannavar, Ronald K. Huang, Rajneesh Kumar, Kapil Chhabra, Faraz Faheem
  • Patent number: 10739159
    Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, computer-readable storage media storing instructions and computer systems for labeling significant locations based on contextual data can be implemented to perform operations that include determining a location of a computing device, and determining a label for the determined location based on contextual data associated with the significant location. The location can be a significant location that has meaning to a user of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Dal Santo, Hyo Jeong Shin, Krishna M. Behara, Marcos R. Vescovi, Patrick Thomas Dillon, Richard B. Warren, Ronald K. Huang, Xufeng Han
  • Patent number: 10743178
    Abstract: Reduced resolution location determination for improved anonymity of a user location is disclosed. In some implementations, a first location of a computing device operating in a geographic area is determined. A population density of the geographic area is estimated. A grid overlay is generated, including a number of cells based on the estimated population density. Using the grid overlay, a second location is generated for the computing device that is less precise than the first location. The less precise second location can be used in a local search or other application to improve the anonymity of the user location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Lukas M. Marti, Stephen J. Rhee, Robert Mayor, Tadaaki Shimada
  • Patent number: 10698073
    Abstract: Collocated access point (AP) harvest data is combined with accurate location-tagged harvest data to improve access point location estimates and to estimate the location of access points that could not be previously estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Stephen Smith, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Lukas M. Marti
  • Patent number: 10687707
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method of detecting activity by a wheelchair user. In one aspect, a method comprises collecting motion data of a user device located on an appendage of the user; detecting, by a processor circuit, that one or more activities by the wheelchair user occurred based on the motion data; calculating, by a processor circuit, an energy expenditure by the user based the one or more activities by the wheelchair user occurred; and outputting, by a processor circuit, the energy expenditure estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Xing Tan, Karthik Jayaraman Raghuram, Adeeti Ullal, Umamahesh Srinivas, Mrinal Agarwal, Daniel Trietsch, Alexander Singh Alvarado, Hung A. Pham, Ronald K. Huang, Adam Howell
  • Patent number: 10667078
    Abstract: An application can specify a location service authorization type to be enforced by a mobile device. After the user authorizes the location service through an authorization dialog, the application can receive location service according to the authorization type. A first authorization type allows the application to receive continuous location updates and location events from a location service on the mobile device only when the application is in use. A second authorization type allows the application to always receive continuous location updates and location events when the application is running in a foreground or background. The text of the authorization dialog can be customized by the application to provide more detail on how the location data will be used by the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Rhee, Adam M. Driscoll, Jeffrey Michael Bartunek, Ronald K. Huang, Erik Neuenschwander, Patrick Coffman, Guy L. Tribble
  • Patent number: 10646117
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method of detecting activity by a wheelchair user. In one aspect, a method comprises collecting motion data of a user device located on an appendage of the user; detecting, by a processor circuit, that one or more activities by the wheelchair user occurred based on the motion data; calculating, by a processor circuit, an energy expenditure by the user based the one or more activities by the wheelchair user occurred; and outputting, by a processor circuit, the energy expenditure estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Xing Tan, Karthik Jayaraman Raghuram, Adeeti Ullal, Umamahesh Srinivas, Mrinal Agarwal, Daniel Trietsch, Alexander Singh Alvarado, Hung A. Pham, Ronald K. Huang, Adam Howell
  • Patent number: 10616928
    Abstract: Embodiments for performing, by a wireless device, a procedure for auto-joining a wireless network based on factors associated with the wireless networks are provided. The embodiments include determining a current location of the wireless device. The wireless device stores information regarding nearby known networks associated with the current location of the wireless device and may select a candidate network from the nearby known networks based on a network score associated with the candidate network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Vinesh Pallen, Ronald K. Huang, Chaitanya Mannemala, Christopher R. Purcell, Sriram Lakshmanan
  • Publication number: 20200107261
    Abstract: Some embodiments enable low power mode for wireless local area network (WLAN) subsystem of an electronic device to improve power usage at the electronic device and increase response time of the WLAN subsystem to prioritized application(s). For example, a method includes enabling a sleep mode of the WLAN subsystem of the electronic device. The electronic device maintains a connection with an access point of a wireless network during the sleep mode. The method further includes receiving a request from an application to communicate with the wireless network. The application is included in a list of prioritized applications. In response to determining that a metric associated with the sleep mode does not exceed a power budget, the sleep mode of the WLAN subsystem is suspended and the communication between the application and the access point of the wireless network is enabled (after the suspension of the sleep mode).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Veerendra Boodannavar, Ronald K. Huang, Rajneesh Kumar, Kapil Chhabra, Faraz Faheem
  • Patent number: 10609207
    Abstract: Measurements can be obtained from sensors to determine a state of a device. The state can be used to determine whether to provide an alert. For example, after a first alert is provided, it can be determined that the device is not accessible to the user based on the determined state, and a second alert can be suppressed at a specified time after providing the first alert. The sensor measurements can be monitored after suppressing the second alert, and a state engine can detect a change in a state based on subsequent sensor measurements. If the state change indicates that the device is accessible to the user the second alert can be provided to the user. Alerts can be dismissed based on a change in state. A first device can coordinate alerts sent to or to be provided by a second device by suppressing or dismissing such alerts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Jackson, Anil K. Kandangath, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20200076942
    Abstract: An application manager of a mobile device can provide a user with the ability to control whether an application can use location information provided by a location subsystem of the mobile device. The application can request to be notified by the location subsystem when the mobile device crosses a geofence. When the mobile device crosses the geofence, the location subsystem provides a notice to the application. The application manager can intercept the notice to the application, and present an alert on a user interface. The application manager can then provide the notice to the application only upon receiving an input through the user interface confirming that the application still has permission to use location information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew E. Shepherd, Ronald K. Huang, Stephen J. Rhee, Daniel T. Kurtz, Erik Neuenschwander
  • Publication number: 20200008006
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and program products for providing services to a user by a mobile device based on the user's daily routine of movement. The mobile device determines whether a location cluster indicates a significant location for the user based on one or more hints that indicate an interest of the user in locations in the cluster. The mobile device can perform adaptive clustering to determine a size of area of the significant location based on how multiple locations converge in the location cluster. The mobile device can provide location-based services for calendar items, including predicting a time of arrival at an estimated location of a calendar item. The mobile device can provide various services related to a location of the mobile device or a significant location of the user through an application programming interface (API).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Dal Santo, Lukas M. Marti, Ronald K. Huang, Lili Cao
  • Patent number: 10491741
    Abstract: Measurements can be obtained from sensors to determine a state of a device. The state can be used to determine whether to provide an alert. For example, after a first alert is provided, it can be determined that the device is not accessible to the user based on the determined state, and a second alert can be suppressed at a specified time after providing the first alert. The sensor measurements can be monitored after suppressing the second alert, and a state engine can detect a change in a state based on subsequent sensor measurements. If the state change indicates that the device is accessible to the user the second alert can be provided to the user. Alerts can be dismissed based on a change in state. A first device can coordinate alerts sent to or to be provided by a second device by suppressing or dismissing such alerts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Jackson, Anil K. Kandangath, Ronald K. Huang
  • Patent number: 10474727
    Abstract: Applications may be tagged with location data when they are used. Mobile device may anonymously submit application usage data. Aggregated application usage data from many mobile devices may be analyzed to determine applications that are particularly relevant to a given location (i.e., exhibiting a high degree of localization). Analysis may include determining the application usage intensity, whether hotspots exist or not at a given location, the spatial entropy of a particular application, the device populations in a particular area, etc. Based on the localized application analysis, applications may be ranked according to local relevance, and, based on this ranking, application recommendations may be provided to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Leonardo A. Soto Matamala, Ronald K. Huang, Lukas Marti, Xiaoyuan Tu
  • Patent number: 10440174
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for managing or classifying movement states of an electronic device are provided that may utilize communications circuitry data from one or more communications circuitries when determining a current or future movement state of an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Andre M. Boule, Andrew M. Wadycki, Bor-rong Chen, Emily C. Schubert, Srinivasan Nimmala, Sunny K. Chow, Gunes Dervisoglu, Venkateswara Rao Manepalli, Vijay Kumar Ramamurthi, Anh N. Phan, Maulik V. Choksi, John D. Blackwell, Xiao Xiao, Xiaoyuan Tu, Hung A. Pham, Richard B. Warren, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20190306302
    Abstract: Measurements can be obtained from sensors to determine a state of a device. The state can be used to determine whether to provide an alert. For example, after a first alert is provided, it can be determined that the device is not accessible to the user based on the determined state, and a second alert can be suppressed at a specified time after providing the first alert. The sensor measurements can be monitored after suppressing the second alert, and a state engine can detect a change in a state based on subsequent sensor measurements. If the state change indicates that the device is accessible to the user the second alert can be provided to the user. Alerts can be dismissed based on a change in state. A first device can coordinate alerts sent to or to be provided by a second device by suppressing or dismissing such alerts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Jackson, Anil K. Kandangath, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20190289423
    Abstract: An application can specify a location service authorization type to be enforced by a mobile device. After the user authorizes the location service through an authorization dialog, the application can receive location service according to the authorization type. A first authorization type allows the application to receive continuous location updates and location events from a location service on the mobile device only when the application is in use. A second authorization type allows the application to always receive continuous location updates and location events when the application is running in a foreground or background. The text of the authorization dialog can be customized by the application to provide more detail on how the location data will be used by the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Stephen J. Rhee, Adam M. Driscoll, Jeffrey Michael Bartunek, Ronald K. Huang, Erik Neuenschwander, Patrick Coffman, Guy L. Tribble
  • Publication number: 20190274035
    Abstract: Reduced resolution location determination for improved anonymity of a user location is disclosed. In some implementations, a first location of a computing device operating in a geographic area is determined. A population density of the geographic area is estimated. A grid overlay is generated, including a number of cells based on the estimated population density. Using the grid overlay, a second location is generated for the computing device that is less precise than the first location. The less precise second location can be used in a local search or other application to improve the anonymity of the user location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Lukas M. Marti, Stephen J. Rhee, Robert Mayor, Tadaaki Shimada
  • Patent number: 10375515
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and program products for determining a location of a mobile device using a location application programming interface (API) are described. A mobile device can receive an input requesting the mobile device to monitor entry into and exit from a significant location. The mobile device can call a start-monitoring instance function of an object of a location manager class as declared in the API to start monitoring, and call a stop-monitoring instance function of the object as declared in the API to stop monitoring. The mobile device can store the entry and exit, or provide a record of the entry or exit to a function that is conformant to the API for performing various tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Joel Jensen, Ronald K. Huang, Stephen J. Rhee, Jay N. Bruins, Adam M. Driscoll, Lukas M. Marti, Michael P. Dal Santo, Patrick Thomas Dillon