Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 7970926
    Abstract: A method for controlling data transmission between a computer and a video client via an interface, the method comprising: the computer polling the interface a first time to determine the size of the buffer on the interface; receiving a first buffer size value from the interface; sending a plurality of frames of video and audio data to the buffer on the interface such that a delay period exists between the sending of each frame; the computer polling the interface a second time to determine buffer size after the frames are sent to the interface; receiving a second buffer size value from the interface; and modifying the amount of time between the transmission of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Giovanni M. Agnoli, Andrew Yanowitz, John O. Abt, Samuel R. Bowman, James A. Delwiche, Jeffrey C. Dillon
  • Patent number: 7969333
    Abstract: Techniques for encoding data based at least in part upon an awareness of the decoding complexity of the encoded data and the ability of a target decoder to decode the encoded data are disclosed. In some embodiments, a set of data is encoded based at least in part upon a state of a target decoder to which the encoded set of data is to be provided. In some embodiments, a set of data is encoded based at least in part upon the states of multiple decoders to which the encoded set of data is to be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James Normile, Thomas Pun, Xiaojin Shi, Xin Tong, Hsi-Jung Wu
  • Patent number: 7969453
    Abstract: Techniques to generate partial display updates in a buffered window system in which arbitrary visual effects are permitted to any one or more windows (e.g., application-specific window buffers) are described. Once a display output region is identified for updating, the buffered window system is interrogated to determine which regions within each window, if any, may effect the identified output region. Such determination considers the consequences any filters associated with a window impose on the region needed to make the output update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Brunner, John Harper
  • Patent number: 7966785
    Abstract: A laminated window assembly for a device, such as a handheld electronic device (e.g., a media player or mobile telephone), includes a window layer that preferably is glass, and a larger, substantially transparent lip-forming layer to which it is laminated, preferably by a substantially clear adhesive. Additional adhesive preferably is placed at at least portions of the edge of the window layer adjacent the lip-forming layer, especially at the corners, to resist delamination. Holes preferably are formed in the lip—e.g., at the corners—to resist the lip-forming layer peeling apart from the window layer forming layer. The holes preferably make up at most about 33% of the periphery of the window layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Zadesky, Tang Yew Tan, John Benjamin Filson, Stephen Brian Lynch
  • Patent number: 7970970
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a switch is configured to be coupled to an interconnect. The switch comprises a plurality of storage locations and an arbiter control circuit coupled to the plurality of storage locations. The plurality of storage locations are configured to store a plurality of requests transmitted by a plurality of agents. The arbiter control circuit is configured to arbitrate among the plurality of requests stored in the plurality of storage locations. A selected request is the winner of the arbitration, and the switch is configured to transmit the selected request from one of the plurality of storage locations onto the interconnect. In another embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of agents, an interconnect, and the switch coupled to the plurality of agents and the interconnect. In another embodiment, a method is contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar P. Subramanian, James B. Keller, Ruchi Wadhawan, George Kong Yiu, Ramesh Gunna
  • Patent number: 7967610
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for manufacturing a portable electronic device that does not cause yield loss or premature failure due a connector shell contacting the housing or its attached components during assembly. One example provides a connector shell that is split in at least two separate pieces or portions. A first piece of the connector shell is attached to a subassembly. A second piece of the connector shell is attached to or included as part of an endcap. During assembly, the subassembly and first connector shell piece is inserted into a housing from a first end. The endcap and the second piece of the connector shell can then be inserted into, or attached to, a second end of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Brian Lynch, Fletcher Rothkopf
  • Patent number: 7969478
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for color correction of color device for various operating conditions. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, operating under a current condition, a color correction operation that is derived from color correction operations defined for other conditions is performed on the color data. In another embodiment, a device profile for managing colors for a color device operating under one condition is interpolated from the device profiles for the color device operating under other conditions (e.g., based on the input received from a user interface according to the perception of the user or based on the measurement of a sensor). The interpolation can be based on the input received from a user interface according to the perception of the user or it can be based on the measurement of a sensor or a set of sensors. Various operating conditions for a color device (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kok Chen, Gabriel G. Marcu, Wei Chen, John Z. Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 7970799
    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: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Arrouye, Dominic Giampaolo, Bas Ording, Gregory Christie, Stephen Olivier Lemay, Marcel van Os, Imran Chaudhri, Kevin Tiene, Pavel Cisler
  • Patent number: 7971186
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus for programming a computing apparatus are disclosed. The method is a computer-implemented method for use in a computer programming environment, and comprises invoking a script; and determining an execution order for the invoked script predicated on the passing of parameters between scripted actions. The apparatus, in a first aspect, includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs the method. In a second aspect, the apparatus includes a computing apparatus programmed to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Eric S. Peyton
  • Publication number: 20110154198
    Abstract: Playlists having media items from more than one source are described. Media items in a first library are mapped to media items from an online media item store. Media items within the playlist that can be found in the first library will be played from the first library, while media items not within the first library will be played from the online media store. By identifying media items present in both libraries and playing them only from the first library, the described method can reduce the royalties needing to be paid by the online media store. Further methods are disclosed for setting limits on the number of media items that can be shared by a second library.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: William Martin Bachman, Christopher J. Sanders, Timothy B. Martin
  • Publication number: 20110153789
    Abstract: A local device is configured to monitor operating conditions coupled to a wireless network. An advertisement period is dynamically adjusted based on the operating conditions of the local device, where the advertisement period is dynamically adjusted based on at least one of a battery condition of the local device, a user behavior of the local device, network traffic condition, and a type of service to be advertised. The local device broadcasts a service advertisement in the wireless network according to the adjusted advertisement period, the service advertisement including one or more service IDs for identifying one or more services to be advertised from the local device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Pierre Vandwalle, Tito Thomas, Charles Francis Dominguez
  • Publication number: 20110154309
    Abstract: An energy based framework is disclosed that allows a software compiler or developer to make decisions between performance and energy consumption. In one aspect, a first program code (e.g., vector engine based computation) may alternatively be compiled into a second program code (e.g., register operations). Using measurements obtained from a processor for which the first and second program codes are being compiled, and the expected size of the data and a number of iterations, a comparison can be made between the expected energy consumption profile of the first program code and the equivalent second program code. Based on the comparison, a software developer or the compiler can choose the program code that minimizes energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ali Sazegari, Charles Randolph Overbeck
  • Publication number: 20110149502
    Abstract: A portable computing device having an outer housing, and internal hard disk drive and a shock damping mounting assembly is disclosed. Multiple outer dimensions of the portable computing device can be less than the width of the hard drive due to a diagonal arrangement of the hard drive within the overall device. The hard drive can comply with a standardized form factor, such as a 3.5 inch form factor. A mounting assembly located within the outer housing and coupled to the hard drive can include one or more components adapted to damp a mechanical shock to the hard drive, which components can be mounted to corners and/or edges of the hard drive. Mounting assembly components can includes a first stage spring comprising a finger geometry that provides initial damping of the mechanical shock and a second stage spring comprising an elastic block that provides final damping of the mechanical shock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Cheng Ping TAN, Con PHAN, Steven Lee OWEN, Michael D. HILLMAN
  • Publication number: 20110153773
    Abstract: Operating conditions of a remote device and operating conditions of a local device are compared, where the local device and the remote device are located within a predetermined proximity of a wireless network. An advertisement request is transmitted from the local device to the remote device based on the comparison of the operating conditions of the local device and the remote device. The advertisement request includes information identifying one or more services advertised by the local device, whereby the remote device is configured to advertise the one or more services on behalf of the local device in the wireless network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Pierre Vandwalle, Tito Thomas, Charles Francis Dominguez
  • Publication number: 20110154163
    Abstract: Systems and processes may be used to retrieve metadata from a nonvolatile memory of a portable device and transmit the retrieved metadata to an external host. Metadata may be analyzed using the external host and/or at least a portion of the metadata may be modified based on the analysis. Modified metadata may be transmitted from the external host to a memory controller of the host.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Cornwell, Christopher P. Dudte, Nir Jacob Wakrat
  • Publication number: 20110153818
    Abstract: A local device broadcasts a first advertisement in a first wireless network via a first wireless interface, where the first advertisement includes one or more service identifiers (IDs) identifying one or more services being advertised and an availability schedule of the local device in the first wireless network. The local device broadcasts a second advertisement in a second wireless network via a second wireless interface. The local device scans in the first wireless network during an availability window of the availability schedule for a response to the first advertisement, where the broadcast of the second advertisement is disabled during the availability window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Pierre Vandwalle, Tito Thomas, Charles Francis Dominguez, Joakim Linde
  • Publication number: 20110148912
    Abstract: A display color-correcting system is provided. Color response values are measured that go into the vertices of polyhedra in a cubic color output space of the display. A set of corresponding values for the display is built from intermediate values determined between the measured color response values. The intermediate values are determined by decomposition and interpolation of interpolation volumes in the cubic color output space. Each of the interpolation volumes is the combined volume of a selected polyhedron within the cubic color output space and a predetermined volume of space between the selected polyhedron and the next polyhedron within the cubic color output space. The set of corresponding values is converted into decoupled RGB adjustment values that specify the RGB signals independently for the display to produce corrected colors. The RGB adjustment values are saved into one or more look-up tables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel G. MARCU, Wei Chen
  • Publication number: 20110154394
    Abstract: Media menu items are generated within a media interface environment. Media menu item abstractions are generated, one of the media menu item abstractions arranged in a foreground position, and one or more of the media menu item abstractions arranged in background positions in the media interface environment. Selection of a media menu items transitions to a corresponding content menu interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Rainer Brodersen, Rachel Clare Goldeen, Jeffrey Ma, Mihnea Calin Pacurariu, Eric Taylor Seymour, Jeff Robbin, Thomas Michael Madden
  • Publication number: 20110149087
    Abstract: A video coding system and method for increasing a transmitted output bit rate of a video encoding system by altering the content of the bit stream. A video encoder may receive a coding mode signal from a computer application for coding source video data, the coding mode signal indicating a target bit rate having a risk factor related to transmission error associated to the target bit rate. The coded bitstream may be modified based on the risk factor indicated in the coding mode signal. A modified coded bitstream may be outputted at the target bit rate and at a reduced coding efficiency, and the channel may be tested for transmission errors. Based on the test results, a revised coding mode signal indicating the same target bit rate, but a revised risk factor may be provided. The coded bitstream may be revised by removing the modifications previously made to the coded bitstream and a revised coded bitstream having greater coding efficiency may be output at the target bit rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Hyeonkuk JEONG, Xiaosong ZHOU, Joe ABUAN, Xiaojin SHI, Hsi-Jung WU, James Oliver NORMILE
  • Patent number: D640695
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bartley K. Andre, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Steve Jobs, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Douglas B. Satzger, Calvin Q. Seid, Vincent Keane Seid, legal representative, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer