Patents Assigned to Apple Computers Inc.
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Patent number: 5486929Abstract: A system and method for recording video signals onto analog magnetic tape, and for the playback of those recorded signals. Such a system includes a digital luminance signal generator, a first digital chrominance signal, and a second digital chrominance signal compatible with a predetermined composite television signal standard. The chrominance signals are sample rate reduced by a sample rate reduction circuit, and then all three signals are multiplexed to generate a digital time division multiplexed video signal. This signal is frequency modulated, and then converted to an analog signal for recording onto an analog magnetic tape. This process is reversed for the playback of prerecorded signals. The signals recorded by and recovered by the present invention should be free of most artifacts related to composite television signal recording, have increased dynamic range, and have noise immunity comparable to other FM recording methods. Performance should also be independent of the type of magnetic tape used.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1993Date of Patent: January 23, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: Lawrence F. Heyl
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Patent number: 5487054Abstract: A method for resetting a real-time clock of a pen-based computer system characterized by the steps of: displaying an image of an analog clock face with an hour hand and a minute hand on the screen of a pen-based computer system; determining whether a clock-setting stroke has been made with a stylus upon the image of the analog clock face; resetting the real-time clock to correspond to the clock-setting stroke; and moving at least one of the hour hand and the minute hand in response to the clock-setting stroke.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 1993Date of Patent: January 23, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Stephen P. Capps, Martin R. Gannholm
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Patent number: 5485458Abstract: A bus interconnect device including port control logic for a communication network having a plurality of multi-port nodes that are connected with point-to-point links. Each node includes a transceiver, turn around logic that controls the transceiver, and a dominant logic physical bus that is coupled to all ports in a node. A bus interconnect device includes a first port, a second port, and a point-to-point link between the first and second ports. During arbitration, from the viewpoint of each node, the bus interconnect devices cause the plurality of physical buses to appear to be a single logical bus having a dominant logic. During data transfer following arbitration, the bus interconnect devices are configured to transmit data from the winning node to all other nodes.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1993Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Florin Oprescu, Roger W. Van Brunt
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Patent number: 5485488Abstract: A mechanism and method for efficiently communicating information regarding particular communication rate ("speed signal") between two or more communication stations (of a communication network). The transmitter operates on the IEEE P1394 High Performance Serial Bus to supply both differential and common mode signaling required by the IEEE standard for exemplary data transfer rates of 100 and 200 Mbit transmission. The present invention includes a transmission circuit that may operate in a differential signal mode and simultaneously in a common mode signal mode both utilizing a twisted pair cable. Data may be transmitted on the twisted pair at small differential signals. Information regarding the signal speed between two coupled units may be simultaneously transmitted using variations in the common mode voltage over the twisted pair. Communication may be initiated at a slower communication rate and then upgraded as appropriate for the two units.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1994Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Roger W. Van Brunt, Florin A. Oprescu
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Patent number: 5485550Abstract: A fuzzy logic system for processing a vector of signals includes a rule partition table stored in an electronic memory, a rule identifier, and a rule processor. The rule partition table is organized to include identifiers, each corresponding to a unique combination of partitions of signal values of the vector of signals, and each identifying fuzzy rules which are preselected to be applied to a corresponding vector of signals having signal values within respective ranges of the partitions corresponding to the identifier. Preselection may include only fuzzy rules which produce non-zero outputs when applied to a vector of signals having signal values within respective ranges of the partitions corresponding to the identifier. The rule identifier accesses a location in the rule partition table corresponding to the vector of signals, and retrieves therefrom a corresponding identifier. The rule processor applies each identified fuzzy rule to the vector of signals to produce a processed vector of signals.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 1995Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: John C. Dalton
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Patent number: 5485578Abstract: The present invention is a system for discovering the topology of a network. A source node may issue ping symbols that are addressed to specific, potentially existing, target nodes. An echo symbol is always returned. The type of ping symbol determines over how many bridges the ping symbol may propagate. The type of echo symbol identifies if the addressed node is a leaf node, a non-existing node, an operating bridge node, or a non-operating bridge node. The responsibility for transforming pings into echoes belongs only to the bridge nodes. A sequence of issued ping symbols and returned echo symbols allows a source node to discover the topology of the entire network.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 1993Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: Paul Sweazey
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Patent number: 5485076Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing an auxiliary voltage in a switching power supply. One or more auxiliary windings are coupled to the main inductor of the switching power supply. A synchronous switch is used in conjunction with the auxiliary winding to provide rectification and additionally provides waveform averaging which improves efficiency and voltage regulation over varying load conditions.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 1994Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: David S. Schoenwald, Charles O. Forge
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Patent number: 5483655Abstract: A method of extended file access that allows a program running on a computer to access file types, beyond the "standard" file types whose formats have been pre-defined to the operating system, by placing the extended file data in a range of addresses outside the range of addresses of the recorded file data. The extended file data is accessed by positioning a file pointer to a location in the extended range of addresses, and accessing the extended file data at the location of the file pointer. A further embodiment includes preventing further access until the file pointer is repositioned. In this way, extended file data, such as additional characteristics of the file, can be accessed, though these characteristics are not specifically known to the operating system.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1994Date of Patent: January 9, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Richard R. Auricchio, Bryan J. Stearns
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Patent number: 5483656Abstract: The power management system tracks the total amount of power drawn from a bus by devices connected to the bus and to the bus itself, based on the individual operational status of each device. The power manager system also tracks the total amount of power supplied to the bus. From this information the power manager system determines whether a power surplus exists sufficient to allow an additional device to operate or to allow a currently operating device to draw more power. Power usage requests received from devices connected to the bus are granted or denied by the power management system based on the determination of available power. The power management system additionally is capable of sequencing the use of several devices to allow the devices to each operate while maintaining the total power draw within an acceptable range. The system provides for efficient use of a limited amount of power to allow operation of more devices than conventionally allowed with a bus.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 1993Date of Patent: January 9, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Florin Oprescu, Michael D. Teener
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Patent number: 5481739Abstract: Methods and apparatus for vector quantization. A threshold generator generates an i threshold (Threshold.sub.i) to be associated with each i quantized vector of n quantized vectors in a vector quantization codebook. The vector quantization codebook and the thresholds are used by a vector quantizer to encode a set of input vectors (V.sub.1 -V.sub.TOT). The determination that a distance between a vector to be encoded and a quantized vector in a codebook is less than the associated threshold causes a search for the closest vector to terminate for a nearest neighbor vector quantizer. In some embodiments, the vectors comprise samples of continuous signals for sound containing speech, or display signals. In other embodiments, codebook vectors are arranged from most frequently encoded vectors to least frequently encoded vectors.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1993Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: Erik Staats
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Patent number: 5481743Abstract: A minimal instruction set computer architecture (hyperscalar computer architecture) comprises a central memory, an instruction buffer, a control unit, an I/O control unit, a plurality of functional units, a plurality of register files, and a data router. In the hyperscalar computer architecture, the central memory transfers a plurality of instructions to the instruction buffer. The control unit receives multiple instructions from the instruction buffer, and automatically determines and issues the largest subset of instructions from those received that can be simultaneously issued to the plurality of functional units. Each functional unit receives data from and returns computational results to a corresponding register file. The data router serves to transfer data between each register file and any other register file, the central memory, the control unit, or the I/O control unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1993Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: Michael A. Baxter
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Patent number: 5481713Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating patching resources in an information processing system having operating instructions on a Read Only Memory Device. The present invention simplifies the patch generation and installation processes. A patch resource is generated and used by a patch installation process. Patch resources are generated for each ROM version by comparing previous ROM versions to the new ROM version. A patch resource is comprised of a plurality of entries, each of which defines a vector table address, an offset into the vector table and the routine to be inserted. By comparing routines between the ROM versions, routines which are different or new are identified. These routines will become patch resource entries. For patch installation, the ROM version number for the installed ROM is determined; the proper patching resource is retrieved, and the patch resource entries cause the patches to be installed.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1993Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Russ Wetmore, Philip Nguyen, Ricardo Batista
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Patent number: 5481735Abstract: A method and apparatus in a computer system coupled to a network for altering information in said network by the computer system. A process is inserted between two lower layers of the ISO/OSI model. The process then receives a packet from a first layer of the ISO/OSI model, and determines whether a criteria comprising a set of conditions has been determined in the packet. If any of the set of criteria is present in the packet then the packet is transformed into a modified packet according to a predefined action. Then, the modified packet is transmitted to a second layer of the ISO/OSI model. In different embodiments the layers may be either higher or lower relative to one another in order that incoming or outgoing packets be modified. The method may also be performed under control of a user-generated script, or by remote control from another node. The method may also employ user-generated processes for condition (criteria) checking and/or modifications.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1992Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Craig Mortensen, Logan Roots, Klaus Strelau
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Patent number: 5479602Abstract: A means and method for generating and displaying a contentbased depiction of a standard icon on the display of a computer is described. The depiction is generated upon the occurrence of predetermined events, such as the closure of the document or file associated with the icon, and is displayed in either a static or animated form in place of the standard icon in response to selection signals from a selection device. A single content-based depiction of an icon is generated by creating a representation of the object (file or document) to be depicted, and translating this representation into a scaled-down replica of the representation. This representation may be in the form of a bit-map, a full-scale image, etc.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 1993Date of Patent: December 26, 1995Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Ronald M. Baecker, Ian S. Small
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Patent number: 5479596Abstract: A method for formatting paragraphs on a screen of a computer system including the steps of: a) entering a word on a screen of a computer system using a pointing mechanism; b) finding an associated paragraph, if any, that the word is to be associated with; c) adding the word to the associated paragraph, if one exists; and d) starting a new paragraph with the word if there is not a closely related exiting paragraph. A newly-entered word can be added to an associated paragraph in basically four ways. The word can be added in a new line at the top of the paragraph, in a new line at the bottom of the paragraph, at the end of an existing line, or between words of an existing line. After a word has been entered, the text within the paragraph is repositioned as desired by the user, either implicitly or through an explicit command. For example, the words within a paragraph can be caused to "reflow" so that they are aligned between the left and right margins of the paragraph.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1993Date of Patent: December 26, 1995Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Stephen P. Capps, Ernest H. Beernink
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Patent number: 5473762Abstract: A system for pipelining bus requests includes a bus, at least one node coupled to the bus, and a bus coordinator coupled to the node. The node uses a single bus request signal to both request control of the bus from the bus coordinator, and to retain control of the bus. In response to an asserted bus request signal from the node, the coordinator sends an asserted bus grant signal to the node to grant the node control of the bus. This bus grant signal tracks the bus request signal so that as long as the bus request signal remains asserted, the bus grant signal also is asserted. To allow for pipelining, the bus coordinator maintains the bus grant signal in an asserted state for at least one clock cycle after the bus request is deasserted. By holding the bus grant signal in the asserted state for one extra cycle, the coordinator gives the node time to deassert and then to reassert the bus request signal before the bus grant signal changes state.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 1994Date of Patent: December 5, 1995Assignee: Apple Computer Inc.Inventors: William T. Krein, Charles M. Flaig, James D. Kelly
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Patent number: 5473759Abstract: A system for reconstructing a signal waveform from a correlogram is based upon the recognition that the information in each channel of the correlogram is equivalent to the magnitude of the Fourier transform of a signal. By estimating a signal on the basis of its Short-Time Fourier Transform Magnitude, each channel of information from a cochlear model can be reconstructed. Once this information is retrieved, a signal waveform can be resynthesized through inversion of the cochlear model. The process for reconstructing the cochlear model data can be optimized with the use of techniques for improving the initial estimate of the signal from the magnitude of its Fourier Transform, and by employing information that is known apriori about the signal during the estimation process, such as the characteristics of sound signals.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 1993Date of Patent: December 5, 1995Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Malcolm Slaney, Richard F. Lyon, Daniel Naar
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Patent number: D365088Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1992Date of Patent: December 12, 1995Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Robert D. Brunner, Gavin R. Ivester, Lawrence Lam
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Patent number: D366042Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1993Date of Patent: January 9, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: David W. Laituri
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Patent number: D366463Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 1994Date of Patent: January 23, 1996Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan P. Ive, Ronald J. Moller