Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Publication number: 20110199479
    Abstract: A user points a handheld communication device to capture and display a real-time video stream. The handheld communication device detects geographic position, camera direction, and tilt of the image capture device. The user sends a search request to a server for nearby points of interest. The handheld communication device receives search results based on the search request, geographic position, camera direction, and tilt of the handheld communication device. The handheld communication device visually augments the captured video stream with data related to each point of interest. The user then selects a point of interest to visit. The handheld communication device visually augments the captured video stream with a directional map to a selected point of interest in response to the user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jaron Waldman
  • Publication number: 20110199171
    Abstract: Various embodiments for magnetic detent assemblies provide for detent devices with improved performance and manufacturability. In one embodiment, magnetic detent assemblies provide for custom detent positions and custom force profiles by including a pair of unitary magnetic components each having a special geometry. In an embodiment, the changing area of overlap (and hence magnetic flux) between the magnetic components can give rise to the custom detent positions and custom force profiles. In a specific embodiment, the magnetic components can comprise an N-point star shaped geometry, where the number and distribution of the start wings can be varied to define customized detent positions and the contour of the star wings can be varied to create customized force profiles. In other embodiments, devices such as laptop computers and docking stations for handheld electronic devices can implement multi-position detent hinges with the magnetic detent assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher D. Prest
  • Patent number: 8001359
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that maps an N-bit application to virtual memory. The N-bit application may be obtained by porting an M-bit application to an N-bit architecture where N is greater than M. During operation, the system receives a request to map an N-bit application to a computer's virtual memory. The system then maps the N-bit application to a section of virtual memory which begins at a memory address that is greater than or equal to 2M. If the N-bit application accesses a memory address which is less than 2M, the system can generate a trap, thereby facilitating the discovery of M-bit memory references in the N-bit application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher G. Peak, Martin Scheinberg, Joseph Sokol, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8000134
    Abstract: A system and method for storing data uses multiple flash memory dies. Each flash memory die includes multiple flash memory cells. A charge pump is adapted to supply charge at a predetermined voltage to each flash memory die of the flash memory dies, and an interface is adapted to receive instructions for controlling the charge pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Cornwell, Christopher P. Dudte
  • Patent number: 7997906
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a first sub assembly having a first housing component. The first housing component has an opening. The electronic device also includes a second sub assembly having a second housing component. The second housing component cooperates with the first housing component to enclose components of an electronic device. The at least one internal component is accessible through the opening. The at least one internal component is also movable relative to the second sub assembly so as to properly align with the opening. The at least one internal component is additionally magnetically attracted towards the first housing component near the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Ligtenberg, John DiFonzo, Brett William Degner, John Brock
  • Patent number: 8000736
    Abstract: The various methods and devices described herein relate to devices which, in at least certain embodiments, may include at least one mechanical switch for user to select a user profile interface setting and at least one processor for causing the device to respond to the mechanical switch. The mechanical switch may be dedicated for the purpose of switching profiles and may allow for a selection of a plurality of profiles. Further, in conjunction with an optional shift key, the user may select preferences programmed within a profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Gregory Christie, Steven P. Jobs, Imran Chaudhri, Patrick L. Coffman, Nitin Ganatra
  • Patent number: 8001187
    Abstract: A system and method to allow chat modules in a peer network to share active content. A sender peer includes an application module to activate a media content file from a content repository. The sender peer also includes a chat module to detect active content on the common peer and send information about the active content for display at a recipient peer. The recipient peer includes a chat module to receive active content information and an application module to active the media in substantially synchronous to active media at the sender peer. A content enhancement server provides supplemental active content information for display at the recipient peer and previews of the active content. The content enhancement server also enables a transaction related to the active media content file such as a purchase of an MP3 copy of the active content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Stochosky
  • Patent number: 8000228
    Abstract: Methods (500, 800) and corresponding systems (100, 200, 300, 400, 900) for generating a pilot symbol (330) include providing an M-point parallel transform sequence that is a discrete Fourier transform of a CAZAC sequence (312, 504-508). The M-point parallel transform sequence (312) is distributed (316, 510) to a set of M subcarriers among N subcarriers to form an N-point frequency-domain sequence (318) wherein the M subcarriers are evenly spaced apart. An N-point inverse fast Fourier transform (320, 512) is performed to convert the N-point frequency-domain sequence to an N-point time-domain sequence (322). The N-point time-domain sequence is converted (324, 514) to a serial sequence (326), and a cyclic prefix is added (328, 516) to the serial sequence to form a pilot symbol (330).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: James W. McCoy
  • Patent number: 8001148
    Abstract: A method for determining group membership in a computer system, the method comprising: obtaining an identifier that describes a member of a group, the member of a group having a member hash table that contains group membership information describing to what groups a member belongs; performing a primary search of a plurality of groups to determine if each group contains the member's identifier, each group in the plurality having a group hash table that describes to what other groups the group belongs, caching the results of the primary search in the member hash table, for each group to which the member belongs, performing a secondary search of a plurality of groups to determine what groups contain the group to which the member belongs, and caching the results of the secondary search into the group hash table and merging the results into the member hash table, and reading the member hash table to determine group membership.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Greg B. Vaughan, David M. O'Rourke
  • Patent number: 7999748
    Abstract: Key antennas are provided for an electronic device such as a laptop computer. The electronic device may have radio-frequency transceivers that transmit and receive signals using the key antennas. An antenna resonating element may be mounted beneath a keycap of each key antenna. The antenna resonating element may be spirally wrapped and integrated into the keycap. The key antenna may function as an antenna and may also function as an input key for an electronic device. A flexible communications path may pass through a hole in a conductive housing of the electronic device and may be used to couple the antenna resonating element to the radio-frequency transceiver. The antenna resonating element may be coupled to the radio-frequency transceiver by a weak spring. The weak spring may form a portion of the antenna resonating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Ligtenberg, Brett William Degner, Douglas Blake Kough
  • Patent number: 8001011
    Abstract: Techniques for interacting with an online media store using a first device to identify a digital media item of interest to a user of the first device, using the first device to store an interest indicator for the digital media item of interest at the online media store, and subsequently interacting with the online media store using a second device to purchase or preview the digital media item of interest as identified by the interest indicator. Additionally, ring tones and graphics associated with the digital media item of interest can also be purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Hayashi, Kevin Saul
  • Patent number: 8001400
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing power consumption in a multi-function electronic device powered by one or more batteries are provided. In one embodiment, when the power available from the one or more batteries is diminished (e.g., below a certain threshold), management of power consumption in a battery-powered electronic device (e.g., a portable electronic device) can operate or be operated to preserve one or more functions supported by the electronic device. For example, the one or more functions can be preserved by: (i) alerting a user that they should act to avoid usage of other functions that are not being preserved, and/or (ii) disabling (e.g., automatically) one or more of the other functions that are not being preserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony M. Fadell
  • Patent number: 8000598
    Abstract: A lens assembly includes a brush-like baffle between the lens and a transparent cover. The baffle at least partially surrounds the lens to prevent stray light from entering and causing flare or other image artifacts. If the baffle does not entirely surround the lens structure, an adjustment mechanism may be provided to rotate the baffle so as to “tune” a flare reduction effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Tsai
  • Patent number: 8001314
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for accessing a memory, such as a NAND or NOR flash memory, involve storing an operating application for a computing device in a first memory and storing a driver containing software operable to control the first memory in a second memory that is independently accessible from the first memory. By storing the driver in a second memory that is independently accessible from the first memory, changes to the driver and/or the first memory can be made without altering the operating application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Cornwell, Christopher P. Dudte, Carl Norum
  • Patent number: 8001211
    Abstract: A system integrates standards-defined multimedia storage system and an Internet browser. In one example, Universal Resource Locator (URL) information corresponding to web sites accessible by the browser is stored in fields within the DVD data. When a user actuates a DVD element that has a corresponding URL, the web browser displays information from that site. When the user actuates an HTML menu or other browser-implemented feature, the DVD system accesses a portion of the DVD data specified in the menu. This arrangement provides for two-way communication, i.e., HTML in the browser is able to control DVD content and vice-versa. Having WWW information embedded in the DVD brings a number of benefits, the foremost of which is the ability to write a “one size fits all” template web page that can interrogate the DVD for URL information and present WWW content corresponding to the URL synchronized with the DVD information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fergal John Mohan, Rainer Brodersen
  • Patent number: 7999795
    Abstract: A multi-touch sensor panel can be created using a substrate with column and row traces formed on either side. Metal traces running along the border of the substrate can be used to bring the row traces to the same edge as the column traces. A single flex circuit can be fabricated to connect to the rows and columns on directly opposing sides. Flex printed circuits can be bonded to directly opposing attachment areas of a substrate by cooling one side of the substrate while bonding the other. In addition, “coverlay” material extending over right-angled traces on the flex circuit ensure that those traces do not get shorted should conductive bonding material get squeezed out during bonding. Furthermore, a spacer is placed at the distal end of the flex circuit to apply even bonding pressure over the entire flex circuit attachment area during bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Arthur Hamblin, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 8000694
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to operate a commute time function of a communications device are described herein. In one embodiment, the commute time function is automatically activated based on an event and is then performed by (i) determining an up-to-date commute time based on commute information and (ii) displaying or speaking the up-to-date commute time on the device. In one embodiment, triggered by and before the occurrence of a calendar event, a device obtains a current commute time (based on the commute information and based on current traffic conditions). In this embodiment, the device reschedules the calendar event based on the current commute time, by sending an update to the contacts with whom the user is to meet that indicates a change to the calendar event. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Cyril Labidi, Michael M. Lee
  • Patent number: 8001472
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a lifestyle companion system are provided. The lifestyle companion system can provide a platform to conduct a user interview. Based on the user interview responses, the system can suggest activities, references, and/or plug-in modules. During performance of activities, the system can provide audio and/or visual cues related to the activities and collect data indicative of the user's performance. Based on the collected data, the system can dynamically adapt the user's goals and/or activities the user is performing or will perform. In some embodiments of the present invention, the lifestyle companion system of the present invention can be applied to fitness, nutrition, and/or medical modules. The system also can be used to facilitate synchronous group activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Gregory Gilley, Sarah A. Brody, Randall Hayes Ubillos, Mihnea Calin Pacurariu, Jesse Lee Dorogusker, Robert Edward Borchers, Donald Ginsburg
  • Patent number: D643436
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen O. Lemay
  • Patent number: D643437
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Imran Chaudhri