Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Publication number: 20120194448
    Abstract: A tablet device with a flexible cover is disclosed. Thin flexible display technology can be integrated into the flexible cover without affecting the overall form factor of the cover or tablet device. Adding the integrated display to the flexible cover greatly enhances the overall functionality of the tablet device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Fletcher R. ROTHKOPF
  • Publication number: 20120195356
    Abstract: A video coding system and method that dynamically controls coding parameters to satisfy a resource usage requirement. A resource controller may set parameters or parameter thresholds to change the coding complexity of the video coding system and to effectuate a change in the resource usage rate. Parameters may include the frame rate, the frame resolution, the bit rate, or pixel block sizes. A parameter or parameter threshold adjustment may be based on system resource data, for example, power consumption, CPU usage, fan speed, battery status, input video statistics, coding latency, and other video encoder internal states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Feng YI, Chris Y. CHUNG, Hsi-Jung WU, David CONRAD, Jiefu ZHAI
  • Publication number: 20120194997
    Abstract: A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include at least a single piece housing with a cavity having a substantially flat bottom wall. A battery assembly and main logic board can be mounted directly to the substantially flat bottom wall with a plurality of additional components arranged around a peripheral edge of the battery assembly and main logic board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Robert MCCLURE, Sean S. Corbin, John P. Ternus, Kevin Gibbs, Jeremy C. Franklin, Elvis Mwenda Kibiti, Jules B. Henry, Benjamin M. Rappoport, Erik Andrew Uttermann, Alex Chun Lap Yeung, John Raff, Carl Peterson, Brianna C. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20120195070
    Abstract: An LED backlight method for display systems comprising receiving a plurality of light emitting diodes categorized into a plurality of bins, wherein each bin references a separate range of white point colors, and determining an optimal order for mounting the plurality of light emitting diodes at spatially distributed positions, the plurality of light emitting diodes comprising white point colors associated with separate bins, wherein the optimal order of the plurality of light emitting diodes produces a light of a desired white point color when the light outputs of the plurality of light emitting diodes are mixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wei CHEN, Jun Qi, Victor Yin, John Zhong
  • Publication number: 20120198337
    Abstract: Smart scaling and cropping of video clips is disclosed. According to some implementations, a video clip sequence can be generated from one or more video clips. Video clips added to the video clip sequence can be automatically modified (e.g. scaled and/or cropped) to conform to the dimensions and/or aspect ratio of video clips in the video clip sequence. Video clips can be modified based on the spatial characteristics of the video clips, for example, the location and size of objects of interest (e.g., faces) in the video clips. Implementations may also include a method, system and/or non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for performing smart scaling and cropping. Other aspects and implementations are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Publication number: 20120198125
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for increasing efficiency of read operations by selectively adding pages from a pagelist to a batch, such that when the batch is executed as a read operation, each page in the batch can be concurrently accessed. The pagelist can include all the pages associated a read command received, for example, from a file system. Although the pages associated with the read command may have an original read order sequence, embodiments according to this invention re-order this original read order sequence by selectively adding pages to a batch. A page is added to the batch if it does not collide with any other page already added to the batch. A page collides with another page if neither page can be accessed simultaneously. One or more batches can be constructed in this manner until the pagelist is empty.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Post, Matthew Byom
  • Publication number: 20120195008
    Abstract: A methodology for connecting device components with circuitry located at different levels and orientations relative to one another is described. First circuitry can be located on a multi-plane rigid circuit board where the multi-plane rigid circuit board can include at least one flexible member sharing a common substrate with the multi-plane rigid circuit board that extends from a body portion of the multi-plane rigid circuit board. The flexible member can include traces used to convey power and/or data and an interface coupled to the power and/or data traces. The flexible member can be deflected or twisted to connect first circuitry on the body portion of the multi-plane rigid circuit board to second circuitry associated with another device component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. MCCLURE, Joshua D. Banko, John P. Ternus
  • Publication number: 20120198338
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable storage medium for performing smart transitions between video clips are disclosed. According to implementations, a first video clip can be displayed on an interface of a video editing application. A second video clip can be received in the interface. In response to receiving the second video clip, a video clip sequence that includes the first video clip, the second video clip and a transition selected based on content characteristics of the first video clip and the second video clip can be generated. The generated video clip sequence containing the transition can be displayed on the interface. The video clip sequence including the transition can be generated automatically in response to receiving the second video clip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Publication number: 20120194393
    Abstract: A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include a single piece housing formed from a radio opaque material with a cover formed from a radio transparent material. To implement a wireless interface, an antenna stack-up can be provided that allows an antenna to be mounted to a bottom of the cover. Methods and apparatus are provided for improving wireless performance. For instance, in one embodiment, a metal housing can be thinned to improve antenna performance. As another example, a faraday cage can be formed around speaker drivers to improve antenna performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Erik A. Uttermann, Jeremy C. Franklin, Stephen R. McClure, Sean S. Corbin, Qingxiang Li, Rodney A. Gomez Angulo
  • Publication number: 20120195080
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a power-supply circuit, an electronic device that includes the power-supply circuit, and a method for generating high-voltage DC power from AC line power using the power-supply circuit. This power-supply circuit includes a voltage multiplier and a low dropout (LDO) regulator, and does not include a step-up transformer. Conventional power supplies often use a custom step-up transformer, which is expensive unless the power supplies are manufactured in high quantities. In contrast, one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a solid-state implementation of a 700 V regulated power supply that can take up to a 1020 V input from an 6× voltage multiplier powered from the AC mains. Hence, the disclosed power-supply circuit eliminates the need for large, heavy and expensive step-up transformers and chokes that are used in conventional high-voltage DC power supplies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric Smith, P. Jeffrey Ungar, Heather R. Sullens
  • Publication number: 20120198124
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for increasing efficiency of read operations by selectively re-ordering a sequence in which logical block addresses (“LBAs”) are read out of multi-level cell (“MLC”) non-volatile memory. In one embodiment, the LBAs can correspond to upper and lower pages. Because data stored in lower pages can be retrieved from NVM faster than data stored in upper pages, embodiments disclosed herein can selectively re-order the LBAs such that the first LBA to be read corresponds to a lower page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Post, Matthew Byom, Michael Williams
  • Publication number: 20120195573
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable storage medium for defect replacement using smart transitions are disclosed. According to implementations, a video can be obtained by a video editing application, a defective portion of the video can be identified, and the defective portion can be replaced with a transition selected based on content characteristics of at least two non-defective portions of the video. The defective portion of the video can be identified and replaced automatically upon obtaining the video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Publication number: 20120196462
    Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting a flat object from a casing of a mobile device is disclosed. The apparatus is arranged to receive an ejection tool along a first axis and to eject the flat object along a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are not parallel. In one embodiment, the first axis is parallel to a top surface of the mobile device and the second axis is perpendicular to a curved edge surface of the mobile device. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first pivot element to receive the ejection tool and rotate thereby displacing a lever section of a second pivot element. The second pivot element includes a tabular element that contacts and ejects the flat object upon rotation of the second pivot element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jules B. Henry, Sean S. Corbin, Stephen R. McClure
  • Publication number: 20120196510
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for machining an exterior surface of a metal alloy casing of a portable electronic device to form a combination of a flat edge surface, a curved edge surface and a flat bottom surface is disclosed. The flat edge surface is abraded by contacting a first flat section of a rotating cutting tool along a first circuit of a pre-determined continuous spiral path. The curved edge surface is abraded by contacting a convex section of the rotating cutting tool along additional circuits of the first pre-determined continuous spiral path. The pitch of vertical movement of the cutting tool is adjusted for each circuit of the continuous spiral path based on a resulting curvature of the metal alloy casing. The bottom surface is abraded by contacting a flat section of the cutting tool along a second pre-determined alternating direction linear path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeremy C. Franklin, Kevin Gibbs, Christopher J. Stringer, Daniel J. Coster, Donald Q. Ross, III, David Kim, Chuan You Su, Max A. Maloney, Erik D. Gillow
  • Publication number: 20120194308
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Lauder, Matthew D. Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Publication number: 20120195013
    Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting a flat object from a casing of a mobile device is disclosed. The apparatus is arranged to receive an ejection tool along a first axis and to eject the flat object along a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are not parallel. In one embodiment, the first axis is parallel to a top surface of the mobile device and the second axis is perpendicular to a curved edge surface of the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Piotr S. TRZASKOS, Justin Richard Wodrich, Carl Peterson
  • Publication number: 20120198383
    Abstract: Methods and a computer program product for providing a user interface including earlier versions of data. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes receiving, while a current view is displayed in a user interface, a first user input requesting that a backup interface be displayed. In response to the first user input, the transition from displaying the current view in the user interface to displaying the backup interface is animated. The backup interface is displayed including a display area for presenting at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view, where the earlier version includes a first element. While the backup interface is displayed, a second user input is received requesting that the current view be modified according to the earlier version. In response to the second user input, the current view is modified according to the earlier version.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Pavel Cisler, Mike Matas, Marcel MWA van Os, Gregory N. Christie, Kevin Tiene, Gene Zyrl Ragan, Scott Forstall
  • Patent number: 8234392
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for providing hardware acceleration of a web browser are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of operating a web browser on a computer system includes analyzing a data stream having a plurality of fragments. The method further includes determining what fragments of the data stream should be rendered for storage into separate backing stores. The method further includes rendering the fragments into raster images intended for hardware acceleration. The method further includes storing the raster images in the backing stores located in a graphics processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Graffagnino, Dave Hyatt, Richard Blanchard, Kevin Calhoun, Gilles Drieu, Maciej Stachowiak, Don Melton, Darin Adler
  • Patent number: 8230553
    Abstract: A hinge is disclosed. The hinge can include an axle, a first member coupled to the axle, and a second member coupled to the axle and configured to rotate relative the first member and around the axle. The hinge can further include a stop mechanism configured to stop the second member from rotating, relative to the first member, in a first direction and beyond a first range when the stop mechanism is in a first position and the second member is in the first range. The stop mechanism can be further configured to allow the second member to rotate, relative to the first member, in the first direction, beyond the first range, and into a second range when the stop mechanism is in a second position and the second member is in the first range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett William Degner, John Ternus, Andy Lauder
  • Patent number: 8233026
    Abstract: The present invention employs scalable video coding (SVC) in a multi-view camera system, which is particularly suited for video conferencing. Multiple cameras are oriented to capture video content of different image areas and generate corresponding original video streams that provide video content of the image areas. An active one of the image areas may be identified at any time by analyzing the audio content originating from the different image areas and selecting the image area that is associated with the most dominant speech activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Dany Sylvain