Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Publication number: 20120081553
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for applying spatial filtering to raw image data. In one embodiment, a spatial filter may identify an n×n block of pixels from the current image frame, the n×n block including a plurality of neighboring pixels being centered about a current input pixel and being of the same color component as the current input pixel. The spatial filter may include a plurality of filter taps, with one filter tap corresponding to each of the pixels within the n×n block. A set of filtering coefficients for each filter tap, which may be based on a Gaussian function, may be determined. A pixel difference value between the current input pixel and each of the plurality of neighboring pixels in the n×n block are determined, and the pixel differences may be used to determine an attenuation factor for each filter tap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Côté, Vaughn Todd Arnold, Sumit Chawla
  • Publication number: 20120081392
    Abstract: An electronic device and methods of use thereof are described. The electronic device having at least a front facing image capture device and a front facing display device arranged to display visual content is described. In one embodiment, the front facing camera can capture an image that can include at least image content. The image content can process in such a way that an operational state of the electronic device is modified in accordance with processed image content. In a particular embodiment, the modification of the current operating state can include aligning an orientation of visual content presented by the front facing display with a current facial orientation of a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: John E. Arthur
  • Publication number: 20120080225
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide cables capable of high-speed transmission while remaining compatible with legacy signals. Other examples may have shielding that may be easily manipulated during manufacturing, they may have good tensile strength, and they may be less likely to be damaged by twisting and bending that may occur during use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Min Chul Kim, Vince Duperron
  • Publication number: 20120082236
    Abstract: An encoder executes an iterative search method for selecting deblocking parameters for coded video. According to the method, a decoded picture may be deblocked according to parameters associated with a multi-dimensional deblocking vector and an error, called the “deblocking error” may be estimated therefrom. If the estimated error exceeds a predetermined threshold, then alternate deblocking vectors may be created, each advanced from the current deblocking vector in a respective dimension. The method may deblock the decoded picture according to each advanced vector and may estimate errors from each of the deblocking of each advanced vector. Finally, the deblocking vector may be revised for a next iteration according to a gradient derived from the estimated deblocking errors of the vector dimensions. This gradient-based search method may converge on a final set of deblocking parameters in an efficient manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Barin Geoffry Haskell
  • Publication number: 20120081279
    Abstract: The techniques disclosed herein use a display device, in conjunction with various optical sensors, e.g., an ambient light sensor or image sensors, to collect information about the ambient conditions in the environment of a viewer of the display device. Use of these optical sensors, in conjunction with knowledge regarding characteristics of the display device, can provide more detailed information about the effects the ambient conditions in the viewer's environment may have on the viewing experience. A processor in communication with the display device may create an ambient model based at least in part on the predicted effects of the ambient environmental conditions on the viewing experience. The ambient model may be used to adjust the gamma, black point, white point, or a combination thereof, of the display device's tone response curve, such that the viewer's perception remains relatively independent of the ambient conditions in which the display is being viewed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Greenebaum, Brian Christopher Attwell
  • Publication number: 20120082217
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes use of dynamically assignable interpolation filters as part of motion compensated prediction. An encoder and a decoder each may store common codebooks that define a variety of interpolation filters that may be applied to predicted video data. During runtime coding, an encoder calculates characteristics of an ideal interpolation filter to be applied to a reference block that would minimize prediction error when the reference block would be used to predict an input block of video data. Once the characteristics of the ideal filter are identified, the encoder may search its local codebook to find a filter that best matches the ideal filter. The encoder may filter the reference block by the best matching filter stored in the codebook as it codes the input block. The encoder also may transmit an identifier of the best matching filter to a decoder, which will use the interpolation filter on predicted block as it decodes coded data for the block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Barin Geoffry Haskell
  • Publication number: 20120083157
    Abstract: Connectors to connect optional or daughter cards or boards to main or motherboards. One example provides a connector that is capable of supporting high-speed data rates by employing contacts that provide short signal paths and a ground plane to improve signal quality. The space consumed in electronic devices may be reduced by providing a connector having a low profile, while another example may provide a connector having mechanical stability. Another example provides a connector having an increased manufacturability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Euan Abraham
  • Publication number: 20120081567
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques for performing audio-video synchronization using an image signal processing system. In one embodiment, a time code register provides a current time stamp when sampled. The value of the time code register may be incremented at regular intervals based on a clock of the image signal processing system. At the start of a current frame acquired by an image sensor, the time code register is sampled, and a timestamp is stored into a timestamp register associated with the image sensor. The timestamp is then read from the time stamp register and written to a set of metadata associated with the current frame. The timestamp stored in the frame metadata may then be used to synchronize the current frame with a corresponding set of audio data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Côté, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen
  • Publication number: 20120083137
    Abstract: An electrical plug and receptacle relying on magnetic force from an electromagnet to maintain contact are disclosed. The plug and receptacle can be used as part of a power adapter for connecting an electronic device, such as a laptop computer, to a power supply. The plug includes electrical contacts, which are preferably biased toward corresponding contacts on the receptacle. The plug and receptacle each have a magnetic element. The magnetic element on one of the plug or receptacle can be a magnet or ferromagnetic material. The magnetic element on the other of the plug or receptacle is an electromagnet. When the plug and receptacle are brought into proximity, the magnetic attraction between the electromagnet magnet and its complement, whether another magnet or a ferromagnetic material, maintains the contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Mark Edward Doutt, Bartley K. Andre, Kanye Lim, John C. DiFonzo, Jean-Marc Gery
  • Publication number: 20120084478
    Abstract: Stacked die having vertically-aligned conductors and methods for making the same are disclosed for providing a non-volatile memory, such as flash memory (e.g., NAND flash memory), for use in an electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nir J. Wakrat, Nick Seroff, Anthony Fai
  • Publication number: 20120080515
    Abstract: A barcode decoding system and method are disclosed that use a data-driven classifier for transforming a potentially degraded barcode signal into a digit sequence. The disclosed implementations are robust to signal degradation through incorporation of a noise model into the classifier construction phase. The run-time computational cost is low, allowing for efficient implementations on portable devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Rudolph van der Merwe
  • Publication number: 20120083294
    Abstract: An image is received by a data processing system. A text recognition module identifies textual information in the image. A data detection module identifies a pattern in the textual information and determines a data type of the pattern. A user interface provides a user with a contextual processing command option based on the data type of the pattern in the textual information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Cedric Bray, Olivier Bonnet
  • Publication number: 20120081385
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide for a an image signal processing system that includes back-end pixel processing unit that receives pixel data after being processed by at least one of a front-end pixel processing unit and a pixel processing pipeline. In certain embodiments, the back-end processing unit receives luma/chroma image data and may be configured to apply face detection operations, local tone mapping, bright, contrast, color adjustments, as well as scaling. Further, the back-end processing unit may also include a back-end statistics unit that may collect frequency statistics. The frequency statistics may be provided to an encoder and may be used to determine quantization parameters that are to be applied to an image frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Côté, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen
  • Publication number: 20120082317
    Abstract: An electronic device having an enclosure including an upper panel and a bottom panel operably connected to the upper panel. A transducer is operably connected to the enclosure and the transducer is configured to mechanically vibrate the enclosure. The transducer includes an electromagnet, a magnet in communication with the electromagnet and a bracket substantially surrounding the electromagnet and the magnet, the bracket substantially secures the transducer to the bottom panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksandar Pance, Paul Gerard Puskarich, Craig Leong, Ronald Nadim Isaac, Ruchi Goel, Jim Lynn Tenneboe, Daniel Culbert, Niel Warren, Nathan Alan Johanningsmeier
  • Publication number: 20120083911
    Abstract: Sensor data is communicated between two electronic devices under control of the receiving device. For example, one device is equipped with one or more sensors that can produce a stream of real-time readings. The other device can request the sensor data from the first device and can also specify to the first device one or more throttling criteria to control or limit the amount of sensor data that is sent. Each throttling criterion can specify both a category of criterion (e.g., time-based, value-based, etc.) and a throttling parameter specific to the category. The first device can monitor the sensor data to determine when a throttling criterion specified by the second device is satisfied; when the throttling criterion is satisfied, the first device can send the current sensor reading as sensor data to the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sylvain R.Y. Louboutin, Robert J. Walsh, Shyam S. Toprani
  • Publication number: 20120081207
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for launching an application in response to a launch request from an accessory. In some embodiments, the mobile computing device can determine whether it is in a state that allows launching of an application and/or can determine whether the application or application type requested in the launch command is available for launching. In response to the request, and if the mobile computing device is capable, the mobile computing device can launch the application. The mobile computing device can also send a positive acknowledgment message to the accessory indicating that the application may be launched. An open communication session message may also be sent to the accessory. In response thereto the accessory can open a communication session and interoperate with the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shyam Toprani, Paul Holden, Emily Clark Schubert, Thomas Alsina, Scott Forstall
  • Publication number: 20120083164
    Abstract: Connectors to connect optional or daughter cards or boards to main or motherboards. One example provides a connector that is capable of supporting high-speed data rates by employing contacts that provide short signal paths and a ground plane to improve signal quality. The space consumed in electronic devices may be reduced by providing a connector having a low profile, while another example may provide a connector having mechanical stability. Another example provides a connector having an increased manufacturability. Other examples include wider contacts for increased current capabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zheng Gao, George Marc Simmel, Euan Abraham
  • Publication number: 20120081579
    Abstract: In personal electronic devices including digital imaging capability, methods, devices and computer readable media are described for determining when image capture operations may benefit from using high dynamic range imaging (HDRI) operations. In general, techniques are disclosed for analyzing an image's luminosity and/or color/tonal histograms to automatically determine when HDRI operations can benefit scene capture. If the determination that HDRI operations can improve scene capture, the user is so notified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Frank Doepke
  • Publication number: 20120084484
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for selectively combining commands for a system having non-volatile memory (“NVM”). In some embodiments, a command dispatcher of a system can receive multiple commands to access a NVM for a period of time. After receiving the multiple commands, the command dispatcher can determine a set of commands that are naturally combinable. In some embodiments, the command dispatcher can select commands that are fairly distributed across different chip enables (“CEs”) and/or buses. After selecting the set of commands, the command dispatcher can combine the set of commands into a multi-access command. Finally, the command dispatcher can dispatch the multi-access command to the NVM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Post, Nir J. Wakrat, Vadim Khmelnitsky
  • Publication number: 20120084627
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for data recovery using outer codewords stored in volatile memory. Outer codewords can be associated with one or more horizontal portions or vertical portions of a non-volatile memory (“NVM”). In some embodiments, an NVM interface of an electronic device can program user data to a super block of the NVM. The NVM interface can then determine if a program disturb has occurred in the super block. In response to detecting that a program disturb has occurred in the super block, the NVM interface can perform garbage collection on the super block. The NVM interface can then use outer codewords associated with the super block to recover from any uncorrectable error correction code errors detected in the super block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Post, Kenneth Herman