Patents Assigned to Apple Computer, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7174290
    Abstract: A multi-lingual indexing and search system performs tokenization and stemming in a manner which is independent of whether index entries and search terms appear as words in a dictionary. During the tokenization phase of the process, a string of text is separated into individual word tokens, and predetermined types of tokens are eliminated from further processing. The stemming phase of the process reduces words to grammatical stems by removing known word-endings associated with the various languages to be supported. Known word endings are removed from the word tokens without any effort to guarantee that the remaining stem is contained in a dictionary. In a preferred implementation, the stemming process is only applied to nouns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Loofbourrow, David Cásseres
  • Publication number: 20070028006
    Abstract: A method, system and connector interface for transferring stored data between a media player and an accessory is disclosed. The method and system comprises obtaining by one of the media player and the accessory a unique identifier for a particular file stored in the other of the media player and the accessory; and returning the unique identifier with the stored file data to the one of the media player and the accessory. The system and method includes utilizing the stored file by the one of the media player or the accessory. In the method, system and connector interface in accordance with the present invention, accessories and media players are able to retrieve and store data utilizing an arbitrary format. This data is opaque to any protocol used by the media player and requires no parsing or interpretation. To provide this facility, a plurality of commands allows both media players and accessories to present a simple file system. The plurality of commands could be utilized in a variety of environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Applicant: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Laefer, Scott Krueger, Gregory Lydon
  • Patent number: 7171570
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates selectively increasing the operating frequency of an electronic circuit, such as a computer system. The system begins by operating in a low-power state with the frequency and voltage of the electronic circuit set to low levels. Upon recognizing the need for performance beyond the low power level, the electronic circuit enters the first-intermediate power state. In this first-intermediate power state, the frequency and voltage are set to first-intermediate levels. Upon recognizing the need for performance beyond the first-intermediate power state, the electronic circuit enters the maximum-sustainable power state. In this power state, the frequency and voltage are set to maximum sustainable levels. Upon recognizing the need for performance beyond the maximum-sustainable power state, the electronic circuit temporarily enters a boosted power state beyond the maximum-sustainable power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Cox, William C. Athas
  • Patent number: 7171674
    Abstract: A method and system for providing “just-in-time” dynamic loading and unloading of libraries. Library code is loaded into memory just prior to the actual execution of a routine in that library and is unloaded from memory after the execution of the library routine is completed. According to the present invention, a library structure having a library loader and a library implementation module. The library loader provides the same entry points as the library itself and contains code to drive the loading and unloading of the library implementation module which actually contains the code to implement the library call. At the beginning of the execution of an application or other software module, the library loaders for libraries needed by that application or other software module, are loaded into memory and unloaded upon completion of that application or other software module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan J. Arrouye, Sean J. Findley, Keith L. Mortensen
  • Publication number: 20070019374
    Abstract: A disk drive media access system opens a media access door to the interior of a disk drive sufficiently for ejection of disk media from the disk drive but insufficiently for manually engaging and removing disk media that is operationally positioned within the disk drive. The disk media is kept substantially laterally stationary during the opening of the media access door. The disk media is moved sufficiently for manually engaging the disk media for removing the disk media from the disk drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Applicant: APPLE COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Springer, Chris Ligtenberg, Bartley Andre, Brett Degner
  • Publication number: 20070019375
    Abstract: An access system for a portable device provides a portable computer having a bottom surface. The portable computer is accessed through an active user interface on the bottom surface of the portable computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Applicant: APPLE COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Chris Ligtenberg, Gregory Springer, Bartley Andre, Brett Degner, Jonathan Ive
  • Patent number: 7165362
    Abstract: A monolithic glass member for supporting loads is disclosed. The glass member includes a plurality of glass sheets that are laminated together with one or more bonding layers. One of the glass sheets has a cut out at an edge thereof to receive a connector. The connector provides a means for connecting and supporting the glass member relative to other structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Jobs, Karl Backus, Rosa Sheng, Ben McDonald, Michael Waltner, Colleen Caulliez, James O'Callaghan, Graham Coult, Damian Rogan, Scott Nelson
  • Patent number: 7168047
    Abstract: A mouse for controlling movements on a display screen is disclosed. The mouse includes a housing that is gripped by a user during manipulation of the mouse and a sensor configured to detect the presence of a user's hand or portions thereof located outside of and in close proximity to a predetermined portion of the housing. The signals produced by the sensor are used to control functionalities of the mouse, as for example, switching between a cursor control mode and a scroll/pan control mode of the mouse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Q. Huppi
  • Patent number: 7167966
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a calibrated variable phase offset timing between synchronous clock subdomains is described. In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus. The apparatus includes a first subsystem and a second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem. The apparatus also includes a clock signal generator coupled to the first subsystem and coupled to the second subsystem. The clock signal generator is to supply a first clock to the first subsystem and to supply a second clock to the first subsystem and to supply a third clock to the second subsystem. Each of the first clock, the second clock and the third clock are derived from a common clock, the first clock having a first predetermined phase offset relative to the third clock, and the second clock having a second predetermined phase offset relative to the third clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: William Cornelius, Minoru Taoyama, Paul Thompson
  • Patent number: 7166795
    Abstract: An electronic keyboard simulates the keyboard action of one or more acoustic pianos and/or organs. Sensors associated with each key capture the force exerted on the key, the speed of the key and the position of the key to compute an amount of force to apply in feedback to the depressed key. An actuator associated with each key provides the computed feedback value as a counter-force to the player's finger pressure. Feedback may be computed in one or more processors by applying the sensor readings to a system model of the desired instruments mechanical key action. Also, feedback may be determined through a lookup table containing feedback values defining a particular instrument's action. The player can switch between different instrument action definitions as desired, and may tune certain parameters to achieve a customized action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerhard Lengeling
  • Patent number: 7167930
    Abstract: A centralized queue for a network printing system allows clients to make job requests and be placed in a job queue without transmitting the actual print job data to the network. An imaging device protocol (IDP) operates independently of the network layers below and only requires that a transport protocol/port be bidirectional. A variety of heterogenous network protocols may be supported by IDP for placing all of the incoming print job information in a print queue regardless of the protocol. Print job information from both IDP and non-IDP protocol/ports may be placed in the print queue by emulating IDP on the non-IDP protocol/ports. As a result, job information for all of the print jobs attempting to access a busy printer may be stored in the print queue so that the print jobs can be printed by the printer with a fair arbitration once the network printer becomes available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul E. Reilly
  • Patent number: 7167897
    Abstract: A system and method providing capability expansion in a teleconferencing environment. One or more accessories are invoked and arranged in an accessory stack associated with an application. The accessory stack is positioned logically between a teleconferencing application and a conference component in both a local and a remote end point. Each accessory provides at least one additional capability to the system independent of the application and the conference component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Guy Riddle
  • Patent number: 7166791
    Abstract: In a portable multimedia device, a method, apparatus, and system for providing user supplied configuration data are described. In one embodiment, a hierarchically ordered graphical user interface are provided. A first order, or home, interface provides a highest order of user selectable items each of which, when selected, results in an automatic transition to a lower order user interface associated with the selected item. In one of the described embodiments, the lower order interface includes other user selectable items associated with the previously selected item from the higher order user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Robbin, Steve Jobs, Timothy Wasko, Greg Christie, Imran Chaudhri
  • Patent number: 7167181
    Abstract: A deferred shading graphics pipeline processor and method are provided encompassing numerous substructures. Embodiments of the processor and method may include one or more of deferred shading, a tiled frame buffer, and multiple?stage hidden surface removal processing. In the deferred shading graphics pipeline, hidden surface removal is completed before pixel coloring is done. The pipeline processor comprises a command fetch and decode unit, a geometry unit, a mode extraction unit, a sort unit, a setup unit, a cull unit, a mode injection unit, a fragment unit, a texture unit, a Phong lighting unit, a pixel unit, and a backend unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome F. Duluk, Jr., Richard E. Hessel, Vaughn T. Arnold, Jack Benkual, Joseph P. Bratt, George Cuan, Stephen L. Dodgen, Emerson S. Fang, Zhaoyu Gong, Thomas Y. Ho, Hengwei Hsu, Sidong Li, Sam Ng, Matthew N. Papakipos, Jason R. Redgrave, Sushma S. Trivedi, Nathan D. Tuck, Shun Wai Go, Lindy Fung, Tuan D. Nguyen, Joseph P. Grass, Bo Hong, Abraham Mammen, Abbas Rashid, Albert Suan-Wei Tsay
  • Patent number: 7165227
    Abstract: A method for accessing a data field having fine resolution is disclosed. The method includes providing a scalable scroll controller with a scale controller to modify a scale for controlling a magnification for accessing data within the data field. The method also includes receiving a first user event to select the scale controller and receiving a second user event to modify a position of the scale controller. The scale is adjusted based on the position of the scale controller. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Randall Hayes Ubillos
  • Patent number: 7165032
    Abstract: Pronunciation for an input word is modeled by generating a set of candidate phoneme strings having pronunciations close to the input word in an orthographic space. Phoneme sub-strings in the set are selected as the pronunciation. In one aspect, a first closeness measure between phoneme strings for words chosen from a dictionary and contexts within the input word is used to determine the candidate phoneme strings. The words are chosen from the dictionary based on a second closeness measure between a representation of the input word in the orthographic space and orthographic anchors corresponding to the words in the dictionary. In another aspect, the phoneme sub-strings are selected by aligning the candidate phoneme strings on common phoneme sub-strings to produce an occurrence count, which is used to choose the phoneme sub-strings for the pronunciation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerome R. Bellegarda
  • Patent number: 7164423
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for controlling a graphical user interface to display a plurality of data items in a first orientation. In the event that the GUI is subsequently requested to display the data items in a second orientation, the GUI, operating under software control, animates the required movement of the individual data items such that the individual data items are shown moving from their positions in the first orientation to their positions in the second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter T. Westen
  • Patent number: D535308
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Bartley K. Andre, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Richard P. Howarth, Steve Jobs, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Douglas B. Satzger, Calvin Q. Seid, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer
  • Patent number: D535657
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Bas Ording
  • Patent number: RE39486
    Abstract: An extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system provides a platform for developing networking navigation components that operate on a variety of hardware and software computer systems. These navigation components include key integrating components along with components configured to deliver conventional services directed to computer networks, such as Gopher-specific and Web-specific components. Communication among these components is achieved through novel application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a high-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows any existing component to be replaced, and allows new components to be added, without affecting operation of the network component system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Cleron, Stephen Fisher, Timo Bruck