Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Publication number: 20120083208
    Abstract: A wireless communications system includes an accessory device and multiple host devices. A host device pairs wirelessly with an accessory device using a unique link key, detects a primary trigger event and responds by transferring automatically its pairing with the accessory device to a second host device while all devices remain within wireless range of each other. The pairing transfer involves communicating the link key to the second host device, unpairing the accessory device from the first host device, and establishing a wireless pairing of the accessory device to the second host device. The primary trigger event can involve establishing a ported connection between host devices. A secondary trigger event results in the first host device automatically reclaiming its pairing with the accessory device. An accessory device can also select and pair with one of multiple host devices in response to a specific user gesture detected by the accessory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Giles, Jack I-Chieh Fu, Christopher T. Mullens, Craig P. Dooley, Adrian E. Sun
  • Publication number: 20120083170
    Abstract: Battery connectors that have a small size, are easily connected and disconnected during manufacturing and repair, are resistant to misconnection, and during connection, form electrical contact for one or both power pins before a signal pin. In one example, size may be reduced by providing a lid having a flat surface. Another example may provide a lid that extends beyond an edge of the socket in one or more directions to allow the lid to be pried with a finger during removal. Another example may provide a socket that is keyed using a negative space, which may mate with an open space in the lid. This mating may prevent the lid from being misconnected with the socket during manufacturing or repair. Another example may provide signal pins having a lower height than power and ground pins, such that power and ground connections are formed first when a battery is connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Euan Abraham
  • Publication number: 20120081578
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques relates to the implementation of a raw pixel processing unit using a set of line buffers. In one embodiment, the set of line buffers may include a first subset and second subset. Various logical units of the raw pixel processing unit may be implemented using the first and second subsets of line buffers in a shared manner. For instance, in one embodiment, defective pixel correction and detection logic may be implemented using the first subset of line buffers. The second subset of line buffers may be used to implement lens shading correction logic, gain, offset, and clamping logic, and demosaicing logic. Further, noise reduction may also be implemented using at least a portion of each of the first and second subsets of line buffers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Côté, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen, Joseph P. Bratt
  • Publication number: 20120083209
    Abstract: A wireless communications system includes an accessory device and multiple host devices. A host device pairs wirelessly with an accessory device using a unique link key, detects a primary trigger event and responds by transferring automatically its pairing with the accessory device to a second host device while all devices remain within wireless range of each other. The pairing transfer involves communicating the link key to the second host device, unpairing the accessory device from the first host device, and establishing a wireless pairing of the accessory device to the second host device. The primary trigger event can involve establishing a ported connection between host devices. A secondary trigger event results in the first host device automatically reclaiming its pairing with the accessory device. An accessory device can also select and pair with one of multiple host devices in response to a specific user gesture detected by the accessory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Giles, Jack I-Chieh Fu, Clifford J. Hunt, Michael A. Cretella, JR.
  • Publication number: 20120080301
    Abstract: A dome switch can include a dome mounted to a circuit board and secured by a sheet constructed from a material that is impermeable to air. To allow air enclosed by a volume between the dome and the circuit board to be expelled when the dome is depressed, the sheet can include at least one venting hole through which air can flow to the environment of the switch. To prevent contaminants from accessing the volume between the dome and the circuit board through the at least one venting hole, the dome switch can include a membrane positioned over the venting hole. The membrane can be constructed from a material that is permeable to air, but impermeable to contaminants. In some cases, the membrane can be constructed from a mesh material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Alvarez, Teodor Dabov, Emery Sanford
  • Publication number: 20120081382
    Abstract: Various techniques relating to the alteration of image data are provided herein. An electronic device capable of carrying out such techniques may include data processing circuitry configured to receive image data and detect the occurrence of a device operation event (e.g., an audio event, a motion event, a location event, or an image event, and so forth). The data processing circuitry may alter the image data using a full-quality version or a reduced-quality version of an image alteration effect associated with the device operation event, depending on currently available resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Aram Lindahl, Kelvin Chiu
  • Publication number: 20120083158
    Abstract: Edge connectors to connect a daughter or optional board to an edge of a main or motherboard. These connectors may have a low profile or height to save space in electronic devices, and allow electronic devices incorporating the connector have a thin form factor. These connectors may also provide for reliable manufacturing by providing a robust connection to a motherboard and easy insertion of a daughter card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Funamura, Zheng Gao, Steve McClure
  • Publication number: 20120081347
    Abstract: A method and system for an inversion driving scheme for pixels in a display. Column drivers may drive first voltages to columns of a pixel array in a display during a first period of a frame and drive inverses of the first voltages to columns of the pixel array during a second period of a frame. Row drivers may alternately drive even and odd rows during the first and seconds periods. Additionally, data for display on the display may be arranged such that data is transmitted to the odd and even rows of pixels in conjunction with the alternate activation of the rows and columns. This data rearrangement may be accomplished through the use of a graphics processing unit or local frame buffer coupled with a timing controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Taesung Kim
  • Publication number: 20120082417
    Abstract: An optical connector having a body with an outer surface, a first cavity extending within the body from the outer surface and a second cavity spaced apart from the first cavity and extending within the body of the connector from the outer surface. An optical component is positioned within the first cavity and an ejector, which extents into the second cavity, is coupled to the optical component. A biasing mechanism is operatively coupled to apply a biasing force to the ejector to secure the optical component within the first cavity. When a force greater than the biasing force is applied to the ejector within the second cavity, the ejector ejects the optical component from the first cavity so that it extends beyond the outer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Stanley, Albert John Golko, Felix J. Alvarez Rivera
  • Publication number: 20120083264
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transport format selection in a mobile wireless communication device. During a simultaneous voice and data call, the mobile wireless communication device selects a transport format for proper uplink data transmission. Simultaneous voice and data calls require higher uplink transmit power than voice only calls. The mobile wireless communication device selects a transport format based on the uplink transmit power level. At higher transmit power levels, minimum or zero data rates are chosen to maintain sufficient power for simultaneous voice. Transmit format is specified using a transmit format combination indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Venkatasubramanian RAMASAMY, Giri Prassad DEIVASIGAMANI, Sharad GARG
  • Publication number: 20120081577
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a flexible memory input/output controller that is configured to the storing and reading of multiple types of pixels and pixel memory formats. For instance, the memory I/O controller may support the storing and reading of raw image pixels at various bits of precision, such as 8-bit, 10-bit, 12-bit, 14-bit, and 16-bit. Pixel formats that are unaligned with memory bytes (e.g., not being a multiple of 8-bits) may be stored in a packed manner. The memory I/O controller may also support various formats of RGB pixel sets and YCC pixel sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Côté, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen, Joseph P. Bratt, Jung Wook Cho
  • Publication number: 20120083145
    Abstract: Connectors that may allow SIM cards to be easily removed and replaced, may be resistant to damage by an improper insertion of a SIM card, and may provide reliable mechanical performance. One example may provide a plunger system where a user can push on a plunger rod and eject a SIM card. Another example may provide contacts that are not damaged by improper insertion of a SIM card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zheng Gao, Benjamin Rappoport, Steve McClure
  • Publication number: 20120081213
    Abstract: Active packaging for supplying power, data, or both power and data to an electronic media device while the device is housed within the active packaging is provided. The active packaging may include one or more electrical traces in-molded or printed onto the packaging that couple to a suitable connector on the device. Power may also be provided via one or more wireless power techniques. Multiple active packages may be conductively stacked to transmit power, data, or both power and data to a row or stack or devices. POM sensors integrated with or attached to the device (or the active packaging itself) may detect various movement events. Coordinated and synchronized display effects may be presented while the devices are housed within the active packaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Rosenblatt
  • Publication number: 20120081566
    Abstract: Certain aspects of this disclosure relate to an image signal processing system that includes a flash controller that is configured to activate a flash device prior to the start of a target image frame by using a sensor timing signal. In one embodiment, the flash controller receives a delayed sensor timing signal and determines a flash activation start time by using the delayed sensor timing signal to identify a time corresponding to the end of the previous frame, increasing that time by a vertical blanking time, and then subtracting a first offset to compensate for delay between the sensor timing signal and the delayed sensor timing signal. Then, the flash controller subtracts a second offset to determine the flash activation time, thus ensuring that the flash is activated prior to receiving the first pixel of the target frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Côté, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen
  • Patent number: 8150058
    Abstract: An audio host device has an electrical interface having a speaker contact, a microphone contact, and a reference contact. The reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. The reference contact is also directly coupled to a power return plane of the audio host device. A difference amplifier is provided, having a cold input and a hot input. The hot input is coupled to the microphone contact. A switched attenuator circuit is also provided that has first and second states. In the first state, the attenuator circuit couples a sense point of the reference contact to the cold input, while in the second state the cold input is isolated from the reference sense point. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M. Johnson, Lawrence F. Heyl, Wendell B. Sander, Douglas M. Farrar
  • Patent number: 8150826
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Arrouye, Dominic Giampaolo, Bas Ording, Gregory Christie, Stephen Olivier Lemay, Marcel van Os, Imran Chaudhri, Kevin Tiene, Pavel Cisler, Vincenzo De Marco
  • Patent number: 8151231
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for viewing and/or analyzing the operations and logical states of an integrated circuit. The logical state of various flip-flops within the ASIC may be determined at a specified time. The embodiment may store these flip-flop states in a computer-readable data structure, such as a file or database. By repeating this process and incrementing or decrementing the time with each repetition, a more complete picture of the ASIC's operation may be captured. Additionally, the embodiment may graphically display the flip-flop states, for example as a graph or waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Bailey, Brian D. Howard
  • Patent number: 8148913
    Abstract: A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Steve P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 8150837
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing an index database. In one exemplary method, an index database is stored on a machine readable volume with an operating system and the files which have been indexed, and then the volume is, after the storing, made available for distribution to licensees or customers. In this manner, the volume will include a previously created index database, allowing a user to begin use of the index database without having to perform an indexing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Carol, Yan Arrouye, Dominic Giampaolo
  • Patent number: D656955
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy Bataillou, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer