Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 11949721
    Abstract: A communication device may include a message generator configured to generate a message in accordance with a command set to use a communication service provided by a communication session setup protocol; and a modem circuit coupled to the message generator and configured to operate in accordance with the message generated by the message generator; wherein the message generator is configured to generate the message comprising a command to at least one of control or establish an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Kowalewski
  • Patent number: 11948561
    Abstract: A signal processing method to determine whether or not a detected key-phrase is spoken by a wearer of a headphone. The method receives an accelerometer signal from an accelerometer in a headphone and receives a microphone signal from at least one microphone in the headphone. The method detects a key-phrase using the microphone signal and generates a voice activity detection (VAD) signal based on the accelerometer signal. The method determines whether the VAD signal indicates that the detected key-phrase is spoken by a wearer of the headphone. Responsive to determining that the VAD signal indicates that the detected key-phrase is spoken by the wearer of the headphone, triggering a virtual personal assistant (VPA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sorin V. Dusan, Sungyub D. Yoo, Dubravko Biruski
  • Patent number: 11945279
    Abstract: A motion control system is coupled to a first mass and a second mass and is configured to regulate motion of the first mass with respect to the second mass. The motion control system is configured to increase a contact area between the second mass and a surface on which the second mass rests by increasing a displacement of the motion control system from a neutral position in a direction toward the first mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Randol W. Aikin, Thaddeus J. Stefanov-Wagner
  • Patent number: 11947457
    Abstract: A scalable cache coherency protocol for system including a plurality of coherent agents coupled to one or more memory controllers is described. The memory controller may implement a precise directory for cache blocks from the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. Multiple requests to a cache block may be outstanding, and snoops and completions for requests may include an expected cache state at the receiving agent, as indicated by a directory in the memory controller when the request was processed, to allow the receiving agent to detect race conditions. In an embodiment, the cache states may include a primary shared and a secondary shared state. The primary shared state may apply to a coherent agent that bears responsibility for transmitting a copy of the cache block to a requesting agent. In an embodiment, at least two types of snoops may be supported: snoop forward and snoop back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James Vash, Gaurav Garg, Brian P. Lilly, Ramesh B. Gunna, Steven R. Hutsell, Lital Levy-Rubin, Per H. Hammarlund, Harshavardhan Kaushikkar
  • Patent number: 11950512
    Abstract: An acoustic imaging system coupled to a sensing plate to define an imaging surface. The acoustic imaging system includes an array of piezoelectric acoustic transducers coupled to the sensing plate opposite the imaging surface and formed using a thin-film manufacturing process over an application-specific integrated circuit that, in turn, is configured to leverage the array of piezoelectric actuators to generate an image of an object at least partially wetting to the imaging surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ehsan Khajeh, Aaron S. Tucker, Andrew W. Joyce, Brian M. King, Giovanni Gozzini, Jason S. Griesbach, Marcus C. Yip, Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Gordon S. Franza, Henry H. Yang
  • Patent number: 11948238
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method for real-time facial animation, and a processing device for real-time facial animation. The method includes providing a dynamic expression model, receiving tracking data corresponding to a facial expression of a user, estimating tracking parameters based on the dynamic expression model and the tracking data, and refining the dynamic expression model based on the tracking data and estimated tracking parameters. The method may further include generating a graphical representation corresponding to the facial expression of the user based on the tracking parameters. Embodiments pertain to a real-time facial animation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sofien Bouaziz, Mark Pauly
  • Patent number: 11949725
    Abstract: One embodiment provides for a media playback device comprising a memory device to store instructions; one or more processors to execute the instructions stored on the memory device, the instructions to cause the one or more processors to provide a playback queue manager to manage one or more media playback queues including a set of media items associated with a scheduled event and a playback routing manager to determine an output destination for the set of media items based on context associated with the scheduled event, the playback routing manager to route output of playback of the set of media items to one or more of multiple different connected media playback devices based on the context associated with the scheduled event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Alsina, David C. Graham, Andrew M. Wadycki, Edward T. Schmidt, Joel M. Lopes Da Silva, Richard M. Powell, Gregory R. Chapman
  • Patent number: 11950036
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Patent number: 11948815
    Abstract: Mass transfer tools and methods for high density transfer of arrays of micro devices are described. In an embodiment, a mass transfer tool includes a micro pick up array with an array of transfer heads arranged in clusters. The clusters of transfer heads can be used to pick up a high density group of micro devices followed by sequential placement onto a receiving substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Antoine Manens, Dariusz Golda, Hyeun-Su Kim
  • Patent number: 11949474
    Abstract: Apparatuses of a user equipment (UE), a cellular base station, and radio access network (RAN) nodes are disclosed. An apparatus of a wireless communication device includes circuitry configured to measure reference signals received from a plurality of antennas of an other wireless communication device, and circuitry configured to cause one or more antennas of the wireless communication device to transmit information regarding the received reference signals back to the other wireless communication device to enable the other wireless communication device to estimate a utility function for different transmit parameter sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jan Schreck, Nageen Himayat, Hosein Nikopour, Feng Xue, Ehsan Aryafar, Oner Orhan, Mustafa R. Akdeniz, Wook Bong Lee, Jing Zhu
  • Patent number: 11948245
    Abstract: Novel machine learning (ML) models are introduced for image reconstruction training and inference workflows, which are able to estimate intrinsic components of single view images, including albedo, normal, and lighting components. According to some embodiments, such models may be trained on a mix of real and synthetic image datasets. For training on real datasets, both reconstruction and cross-relighting consistency terms may be imposed. The use of a cross-relighting consistency term allows for the use of multiple images of the same scene—although lit under different lighting conditions—to be used during training. At inference time, the model is able to operate on single or multiple images. According to other embodiments, adversarial training (e.g., in the form of a generative adversarial network (GAN)) may optionally be incorporated into the training workflow, e.g., in order to better refine the re-rendered images from the individual lighting and geometric components estimated by the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shaona Ghosh, Mona Zehni
  • Patent number: 11947776
    Abstract: An example method for sharing an application in an application store occurs at a mobile device in communication with a display device. The method includes, displaying, at the display device, an application store user interface for a particular application where the user interface includes an affordance for sharing the particular application. The method also includes, receiving an input corresponding to the affordance, and in response to receiving the input, displaying a sharing user interface that includes one or more options for sharing the particular application with another user. The method further includes, receiving an instruction to share the particular application with the other user, and in response to receiving the instruction, sending a link to the particular application in an application store to the other user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Stephen O. Lemay, Sean B. Kelly
  • Patent number: 11949462
    Abstract: A communication system may an optical signal generator and a signal path. The generator may generate one or more optical local oscillator (LO) signals and an optical frequency comb. Optical paths and an optical demultiplexer may distribute the optical LO signal(s) and the frequency comb to photodiodes in one or more access points. The photodiodes may be coupled to antenna radiating elements. The optical paths may illuminate each photodiode using a signal pair that includes one of the optical LO signals and one of the carriers from the frequency comb. The photodiodes may convey wireless signals using the antenna radiating elements at frequencies given by the differences in frequency between the signals in the signal pairs. The radiating elements may concurrently convey the wireless signals with different external devices at different frequencies, with different devices at the same frequency, and/or with the same device at the same frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bertram R Gunzelmann, Zdravko Boos
  • Patent number: 11948030
    Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for verifying that an image includes a complete code of a time-varying visual marker that displays codes sequentially on a display. In some implementations, the verification determines that the image include a complete code rather than combinations of sequentially-displayed codes that may be included in an image based on use of a rolling shutter (e.g., in a camera of a detecting electronic device). In some implementations, the verification involves comparing a first verification portion of an image to a second opposing verification portion of an image. Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for modifying image capture parameters (e.g., frame rate) to ensure capture of all codes of a time-varying visual marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anselm Grundhoefer, Arun Srivatsan Rangaprasad
  • Patent number: 11948043
    Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that use a marking on a transparent surface (e.g., a prescription lens insert for an HMD) to identify information (e.g., prescription parameters) about the transparent surface. In some implementations, the markings do not interfere with eye tracking through the transparent surface or using the transparent surface to view virtual content or a physical environment. In some implementations, image data is obtained from an image sensor of an electronic device, the image data corresponding to a transparent surface attached to the electronic device. Then, a code is identified in the image data, wherein the code is detectable on the transparent surface by the image sensor without interfering with a function of the electronic device involving the transparent surface. In some implementations, content is provided at the electronic device based on the identified code, wherein the content is viewable through the transparent surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Kurz, Anselm Grundhoefer, Tushar Gupta
  • Patent number: 11950263
    Abstract: A user equipment (UE) transmits concurrent channel state information (CSI) processing capability information to a base station. The capability information can take various forms, and is intended to constrain the base station in the types of CSI requests that can be made to the UE. For example, the UE may indicate different CSI processing capabilities for intra-CC and inter-CC cases and/or for different codebook types. The UE may also specify supported combinations of codebook types for concurrent CSI reporting. The UE may also specify maximum resources or weighting factors for different codebook types. The UE may further restrict the rank information it provides and use a priority rule for “dropping” CSI report data due to payload size restrictions. The base station may direct, or the UE may implement, improved utilization of CSI resources that are shared for multiple concurrent CSI reports. Minimum time requirements for CSI reporting may also be relaxed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chunhai Yao, Chunxuan Ye, Dawei Zhang, Ghaith N Hattab, Haitong Sun, Hong He, Ismael Gutierrez Gonzalez, Oghenekome Oteri, Wei Zeng, Weidong Yang, Yeong-Sun Hwang, Yuchul Kim, Yushu Zhang
  • Patent number: 11950154
    Abstract: The present application relates to devices and components including apparatus, systems, and methods to perform a switch of a TCI state from a serving cell to a neighbor cell. A UE determines whether the state of the neighbor cell is known or unknown and whether the neighbor cell's TCI state is known or unknown. The total delay time to perform the TCI state switch can impacted by this the known/unknown statuses. Other factors can also contribute to the total delay time. The UE may also signal its capability to monitor the TCI state of the neighbor cell and its capability to switch to such a TCI state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Manasa Raghavan, Yushu Zhang, Dawei Zhang, Haitong Sun, Huaning Niu, Jie Cui, Qiming Li, Xiang Chen, Yang Tang
  • Publication number: 20240106161
    Abstract: Connector structures that can help to reduce corrosion of contacts in a connector receptacle and can reduce liquid ingress into an electronic device that houses the connector receptacle. An example can increase an effective width between adjacent contacts. This and other examples can force dendritic growth to occur in a location where it can be at least partially cleared by the insertion of a corresponding connector into the connector receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mahmoud R. Amini, Eric B. Wankoff, Nikhil S. Pansare, Ibuki Kamei, Samira Chizari, Peter J. Cameron
  • Publication number: 20240105639
    Abstract: Structures, methods, and apparatus for protecting interconnections between components and boards in an electronic device from damage resulting from a physical shock. This damage can occur due to differential tensile forces being applied between the component and the board during a drop or other shock event. An example can reduce or prevent damage by providing differential compression forces between the component and board that can cancel differential tensile forces between the component and board during the shock event. Another example can reduce or prevent damage by reducing differential tensile forces between a component and board. Another example can secure a component to the board to directly reduce the differential force in order to prevent damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Helia Rahmani, Stephane J. Marcadet, Scott J. Campbell, Zhiyong C. Xia, Stephen V. Jayanathan, Vineet Negi, Christian Kettenbeil
  • Publication number: 20240103124
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for cross-polarization-based object detection and classification. One example includes a system implemented for cross-polarization-based object detection and classification. The system includes a first transmitter antenna configured for radiating a first millimeter wave electromagnetic signal, where the first millimeter wave electromagnetic signal including a first polarization. The system further includes a first receiver antenna configured for receiving a second millimeter wave electromagnetic signal, the second millimeter wave electromagnetic signal including a second polarization. The system further includes a processing circuitry configured to detect an object based at least in part on the second millimeter wave electromagnetic signal, the object being impacted by the first millimeter wave electromagnetic signal to cause the second millimeter wave electromagnetic signal to reflect off the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Mow, Jiaming Cui, Fanfan He, Joseph Hakim