Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 8117038
    Abstract: Storing audio data encoded in any of a plurality of different audio encoding formats is enabled by parametrically defining the underlying format in which the audio data is encoded, in audio format and packet table chunks. A flag can be used to manage storage of the size of the audio data portion of the file, such that premature termination of an audio recording session does not result in an unreadable corrupted file. This capability can be enabled by initially setting the flag to a value that does not correspond to a valid audio data size and that indicates that the last chunk in the file contains the audio data. State information for the audio data, to effectively denote a version of the file, and a dependency indicator for dependent metadata, may be maintained, where the dependency indicator indicates the state of the audio data on which the metadata is dependent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Stewart, James E. McCartney, Douglas S. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 8116179
    Abstract: Facilitating analysis is disclosed. A master track comprising one or more previously recorded inputs to one or more computer system components is played. Two or more sets of instrument output are received, each set generated during at least a corresponding portion of the playback of the master track. At least a selected portion of the instrument output is displayed in a manner that allows visual correlation of the displayed instrument output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Lewallen, Theodore C. Goldstein, Maxwell O. Drukman
  • Patent number: 8116503
    Abstract: This is directed to a bend switch constructed from two substantially co-linear elongated bodies having opposing contact surfaces. In an open switch position, the contact surfaces remain apart, preventing electrical coupling. To close the switch, a user can bend the elongated bodies relative to each other to cause the contact surfaces to meet, thus creating an electrical coupling. Each elongated body can have several independent conductive portions. The bend switch can include a movable space member placed between the elongated bodies to maintain the contact surfaces a predetermined distance apart in the open switch position. The movable space member can include preferred or non-preferred bending orientations, equilibrium positions, and/or a potentiometer for closing the switch. The bend switch can control one or more functions (e.g., microphone, volume, or playback controls) of an electronic device (e.g., portable media device or cellular telephone) coupled to the bend switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric B. Daniels, M. Evans Hankey, Daniele De Iuliis, Shin Nishibori, Peter Russell-Clarke
  • Patent number: 8115773
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining a dependency relationship between graphics commands based on availability of graphics hardware resources to perform graphics processing operations according to the dependency relationship are described. The graphics commands may be received from graphics APIs (application programming interfaces) for rendering a graphics object. A graphics driver may transmit a portion or all of the received graphics commands to a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a media processor based on the determined dependency relationship between the graphics commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James Elliott Swift, Kenneth Christian Dyke, Richard Schreyer
  • Patent number: 8115825
    Abstract: An electronic device for producing an image of an object is disclosed. The electronic device may include a black-and-white camera having a first sensor area configured to receive luma data pertaining to the object. The first sensor area may correspond to a first pixel array, the luma data associated with the first pixel array. The electronic device may also include a color camera having a second sensor area configured to receive chroma data pertaining to the object. The second sensor area may correspond to a second pixel array. The chroma data may be associated with the second pixel array. The electronic device may also include first logic configured to correlate pixels in the first pixel array with locations on the second sensor area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F Culbert, Chris Ligtenberg
  • Patent number: 8117548
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are provided for displaying a graphical representation of at least a portion of a file by interfacing with a graphical interface relating to the file. A request for viewing a file content is received. A window for viewing a graphical representation of at least a portion of the content of a file is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Gene Z. Ragan
  • Patent number: 8117228
    Abstract: Providing a comparison of a set of similar items includes: receiving from a first member of an online community a selection of a stored prior comparison created by another online community member of a set of similar items; providing to the first member a template for the comparison, the template being at least partially pre-populated using data from the stored prior comparison created by the other online community member; and receiving from the first member a submission of the comparison, wherein the comparison includes one or more modifications as made by the first member to the template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth N. Chang, David A. Koski, Pedraum R. Pardehpoosh, Ralph E. Zazula
  • Patent number: 8117309
    Abstract: Improved techniques that enable users to download digital media assets are disclosed. According to one aspect, digital media assets that a user has acquired from a remote media repository can be authorized for download multiple times. This, for example, allows a user to subsequently re-downloaded digital media assets that the user previously acquired. In one embodiment, digital media assets that a user previously downloaded to a user client device from a remote media repository can be made available to the user for subsequent re-download. Advantageously, a remote media repository can, in effect, provide users with a remote backup for previously acquired digital media assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Payam Mirrashidi, Neale Patton, Colin Meldrum, David Neumann, Alan Ward, Hiro Mitsuji
  • Patent number: 8116703
    Abstract: Portable electronic devices are provided that contain radio-frequency transceiver circuitry. Power amplifier circuitry may amplify transmitted radio-frequency signals from the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry. The power amplifier circuitry may be powered with a power supply voltage. The power supply voltage may be reduced to conserve power provided that requirements such as adjacent channel leakage ratio requirements are satisfied. Calibration measurements may be made to determine the extent to which power can be conserved by power supply voltage reductions. During calibration, the transceiver circuitry may transmit signals in a transmit subband. Test equipment that is external to the device may frequency shift the transmitted signals into a receive subband. The frequency-shifted signals may be fed back into the device. The transceiver circuitry in the device may make power measurements on the fed back signals. The power measurements may be used to compute adjacent channel leakage ratio values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Sorensen
  • Patent number: 8117260
    Abstract: In a computer system having a memory, a processor, and a network interface, a method for listening on multiple conferencing interfaces having the steps of loading a set of transport components into the memory; initializing each transport components of the set of transport components to listen on a particular conferencing interface using the network interface, each transport component of the set of transport components listening to a different conferencing interface; receiving an incoming call signal on the network interface having an incoming conferencing interface; processing the incoming call signal to detect the incoming conferencing interface; and launching an application based on the incoming conferencing interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Guy Riddle
  • Patent number: 8115892
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a display that emits circularly-polarized light. This display includes a display mechanism that emits linearly-polarized light and a layer placed in the path of the linearly-polarized light. The layer receives the linearly-polarized light on one surface, converts the linearly-polarized light to circularly-polarized light, and then emits the circularly-polarized light from another surface. By emitting circularly-polarized light, the display reduces the perceived distortion found at some angles when the display is viewed through a linearly-polarizing filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Z. Zhong, Wei Chen, Cheng Chen, Victor H. E. Yin, Shawn R. Gettemy
  • Patent number: 8117404
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor comprises a circuit coupled to receive an indication of a memory operation to be executed in the processor. The circuit is configured to predict whether or not the memory operation is misaligned. A number of accesses performed by the processor to execute the memory operation is dependent on whether or not the circuit predicts the memory operation as misaligned. In another embodiment, a misalignment predictor is coupled to receive an indication of a memory operation, and comprises a memory and a control circuit coupled to the memory. The memory is configured to store a plurality of indications of memory operations previously detected as misaligned during execution in a processor. The control circuit is configured to predict whether or not a memory operation is misaligned responsive to a comparison of the received indication and the plurality of indications stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tse-Yu Yeh, Po-Yung Chang, Eric Hao
  • Patent number: 8116057
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for protecting data bus ports and their corresponding PHY devices from taking damage associated with excess voltage across one or more signal pairs during an intermittent connection. Such connections cause the signal pins to carry external device current which raises the signal voltage above the power rails, exceeding the PHY device ratings and causing PHY degradation or destruction. In an exemplary embodiment, an RC circuit is used to detect the voltage level across a signal pair. If this voltage level exceeds a certain preset voltage level, power to the outgoing serial bus port is shut off and return power is abated. While the circuit is responding, the exemplary embodiment uses a 3.6V Zener diode to bleed excess voltage to ground. A current monitor/limiter is also used for limiting current if the voltage level detected exceeds a certain threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Colin Whitby-Strevens
  • Patent number: 8116586
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of editing images with distortion caused by a camera lens. The method identifies a set of geometries on a set of images taken by the camera lens. The method finds transformations for applying on the set of identified geometries to remove distortion on the geometries. The method applies the transformations to images taken by the camera lens to remove distortions. In some embodiments the identified geometries are curvilinear lines that correspond to straight lines in the scene being captured by the lens. Some embodiments provide a method of matching distortion for adding graphical objects to images. The method first removes the distortion on the images as described above. The method then adds the graphical objects to these images. Finally, the method applies inverse transformations on the images to restore them to their original form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Christophe Souchard
  • Patent number: 8116807
    Abstract: A graphical user interface on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display includes an airplane mode switch icon with an “on” position and an “off” position. A communications signal strength icon is displayed if the airplane mode switch icon is at the “off” position. The communications signal strength icon is replaced with an airplane icon upon detecting a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon. The detected movement of the finger contact is from the “off” position to the “on” position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Matas
  • Publication number: 20120033103
    Abstract: Systems, methods and a computer readable mediums for reducing run-time bandwidth requirements within digital image capture devices are disclosed herein. As the resolution of digital image capture devices increase, the bandwidth needed to support this increased resolution is becoming increasingly difficult to support. To reduce the problems associated with run-time bandwidth requirements, it may be beneficial to obtain full-resolution and display-resolution images at the same time from the image capture circuitry—writing both to memory at virtually the same time. The display resolution image may then be delivered to a display unit directly without the need for additional memory operations on the full-resolution image. Only when a user indicates they wish to capture an image need additional memory operations on the full-resolution image be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brandon Corey, Nikhil Bhogal, Andrew Yanowitz
  • Publication number: 20120036212
    Abstract: Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for syncing data between a client device and a server. Synchronizing data includes initiating a sync session by negotiating a sync mode between a client device and a server for each of one or more dataclasses. A status code is generated based on a result of the negotiating. Based on the generated status code, the client device and the server exchange one or more data items to be updated for the one or more dataclasses using the negotiated sync mode for each dataclass. The exchanged one or more data items are updated at the client device or the server. The updated one or more data items are committed at the client or the server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brendan A. McCarthy, Carsten Guenther
  • Publication number: 20120034808
    Abstract: Connector receptacles having a reduced height or z-dimension that are capable of accepting standard sized connector inserts. One example provides a connector having a reduction in the amount of height consumed by the deflection of a number of fingers. Specifically, the amount of deflection is reduced by eliminating one or more of these fingers on one or both sides of the connector receptacle. Instead of fingers, bumps may be used. These bumps fit into the connector insert cutouts or slots when the connector insert is fully inserted in the connector receptacle. Another example uses a rail, which may be referred to as speed rail. This speed rail can be formed along the seam of connector receptacle. The speed rail can run either a portion or the entire depth of the connector receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett William Degner, Joshua Banko, John Raff, Chris Ligtenberg
  • Publication number: 20120032765
    Abstract: The various embodiment provide fastening devices, systems and methods that utilize two or more maxels in respective correlated magnetic structures provided in a first structure and at least one second structure to fasten or repulse the first structure to or from, as the case may be, the at least one second structure. In at least one embodiment, each maxel is programmable and may vary either or both the polarity and magnetic strength of the given maxel. The variance of the polarity and/or magnetic strength of the given maxel may be programmable and may be varied to attract or repulse a second magnetic structure which desirably also contains one or maxels forming a correlated magnetic structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Bilbrey, Aleksandar Pance, Peter Arnold, David I. Simon, Jean Lee, Michael D. Hillman, Gregory L. Tice, Vijay Iyer, Bradley Spare
  • Publication number: 20120033590
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for packet classification and prioritization using a user datagram protocol (UDP) header in a mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device includes an application processor and a transceiver. The application processor sets a value of a field embedded in a higher layer packet and transfers the higher layer packet to the transceiver. The transceiver receives the higher layer packet from the application processor and reads the set value of the embedded field. The transceiver clears the value in the embedded field and creates at least one lower layer protocol data unit from the higher layer packet. The transceiver maps the lower layer protocol data unit to a wireless access channel having a transmission property based on the read value of the embedded field. In representative embodiments, the embedded field is an optional checksum in a UDP header.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Cherif JAZRA, Sundararaman V. SHIVA, Thanigaivelu ELANGOVAN, Tong LIU, Madhusudan CHAUDHARY