Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Publication number: 20110243346
    Abstract: A headset can include a cable structure connecting non-cable components such as jacks and headphones. The cable structure can include several legs connected at a bifurcation such as, for example, a main leg splitting into left and right legs. To prevent tangling of the cable structure, one or more rods constructed from a super-elastic material can be embedded in each of the legs. For example, a first set of superelastic rods can extend from the main leg to the left leg, a second set of superelastic rods can extend from the main leg to the right leg, and a third set of superelastic rods can extend from the left leg to the right leg. In some cases, the super-elastic rods can be incorporated in a conductor bundle used to transfer signals through the cable structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Aase, Craig Stanley
  • Publication number: 20110242776
    Abstract: Sensors modules adapted to be mounted to a motherboard under challenging conditions by using automated manufacturing processes are disclosed. A sensor module can include a sensor mounted to a sensor PCB, a connector coupled to the sensor and having a plurality of guide pins extending therefrom in a vulnerable manner, with the guide pins being adapted to be inserted into guide pin holes on an associated motherboard, and a disposable carrier adapted to hold the connector and protect the guide pins thereof prior to mounting. The disposable carrier is removed from the sensor module before the sensor module is mounted directly to a motherboard by press-fitting the guide pins into guide pin holes on the motherboard and soldering connections thereto in an automated surface mounting operation. Disposable carrier protected sensor modules can be stored and processed in a tray or tape-and-reel automated manufacturing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Derek J. DiCarlo, Vu T. Vo, Gregory A. Fosnes
  • Publication number: 20110246117
    Abstract: Sensor measurements are used to detect when a device incorporating the sensor is stationary. While the device is stationary, sensor measurements at a current device temperature are used to estimate model parameters. The model parameters can be used in a state estimator to provide an estimated attitude that can be provided to other applications. In some implementations, the estimated attitude can be used to mitigate interference in other sensor measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Moore, Brian Michael King, William Matthew Vieta, Xiaoyuan Tu, Patrick Piemonte
  • Publication number: 20110246996
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for dynamically re-ordering operation requests that have previously been submitted to a queue management unit. After the queue management unit has placed multiple requests in a queue to be executed in an order that is based on priorities that were assigned to the operations, the entity that requested the operations (the “requester”) sends one or more priority-change messages. The one or more priority-change messages include requests to perform operations that have already been queued. For at least one of the operations, the priority assigned to the operation in the subsequent request is different from the priority that was assigned to the same operation when that operation was initially queued for execution. Based on the change in priority, the operation whose priority has change is placed at a different location in the queue, relative to the other operations in the queue that were requested by the same requester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Brian R. Tunning
  • Publication number: 20110242088
    Abstract: A method for reducing power consumption of an electronic display is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes transmitting data packets over a data channel between a timing controller and a column driver of the display. Data transmission modes may be read from headers of the data packets, and image data of the packets may be processed at the column driver based on their respective data transmission modes. Further, the data channel may be intermittently deactivated during transmission of the data packets based on their respective data transmission modes. Additional methods, systems, and devices relating to electronic displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Taesung Kim
  • Publication number: 20110246296
    Abstract: The present technology presents targeted content, such as a targeted application, within a primary application, in such a fashion that the targeted application is a separate process from the primary application. The targeted application is targeted to a specific user by compiling targeting data, generally describing aspects related to the user and information about the primary application for use by an application server, which processes the targeting data to determine suitable content. The present technology further achieves a balance between the need to protect a user's information and sharing some of this information with trusted sources for selecting targeted content to be displayed within a primary application by providing an operating system process to accept requests and compile targeting data for determined targeted content from the primary application without sharing the targeting data with the primary application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James Alexander Howard, William Bedford Turner, Christopher Blumenberg, Richard Williamson
  • Patent number: 8031962
    Abstract: The disclosed implementations relate generally to improved workflows for color correcting digital images. In some implementations, a method of correcting images includes: presenting a user interface on a display device, the user interface including a display area; presenting a digital image in the display area; overlaying a correction interface on the digital image; and performing a correction operation on at least a portion of the digital image in response to a user interaction with the correction interface, where the correction operation is performed with real-time responsiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Pettigrew, Jean-Pierre Mouilleseaux, Dan Candela
  • Patent number: 8032843
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing graphical user interfaces are described. To provide greater access and consolidation to frequently used items in the graphical user interface, a userbar is established which includes a plurality of item representations. To permit a greater number of items to reside in the userbar, a magnification function can be provided which magnifies items within the userbar when they are proximate the cursor associated with the graphical user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bas Ording, Steven P. Jobs, Donald J. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 8032672
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing data samples utilizes a channel map populated by device descriptor, or by an application program interface. Packet processing code loops through all of the samples contained in a packet while incrementing through a channel map and steering table without having to look up a table to determine in what audio buffer the sample is to be stored or read. Additionally, the present invention utilizes a stride map, so the audio subsystem knows how many samples to skip in order to reach the next sample frame. The present invention can be used for handling received packets as well as forming packets to send over a bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Xavier Mora, Niel D. Warren
  • Patent number: 8031174
    Abstract: A multi-layer cover for an electronic device having one or more of a sensor panel, a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, and a display device can include an outer hardcoat, a structural layer, an IR transmissive ink layer, a mask layer, and a backside hardcoat. The backside hardcoat can reduce cover warpage, enable full surface lamination of the cover to the sensor panel, prevent bubbles from forming in transparent windows in the cover, enable a wider range of functional inks to be applied in various layering orders to allow certain types of light to pass through while blocking others, and hide the sensors to provide a seamless, uncluttered visual appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Arthur Hamblin, Richard Hung Minh Dinh
  • Patent number: 8032565
    Abstract: The invention pertains to techniques for creating media asset illustrations for media assets are disclosed. The created media asset illustrations are useful for media assets that lack associated media asset illustrations. The techniques can analyze media asset data or media asset metadata when creating the create media asset illustrations. The created media asset illustrations can, for example, be used while playing, browsing or displaying associated media assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Imran Chaudhri
  • Patent number: 8031094
    Abstract: A controller for a touch sensor includes a transimpedance amplifier, and a feedback resistor coupled to an input of the transimpedance amplifier and to an output of the transimpedance amplifier. At least one multiplexor may be coupled to the input of the transimpedance amplifier and configured to multiplex a plurality of analog inputs to one dedicated channel. The controller may further include a bandpass filter coupled to the output of the transimpedance amplifier. The output of the bandpass filter may be input to an anti-aliasing filter, which feeds into an analog to digital converter. Alternatively, the output of the bandpass filter may be input to a sigma-delta analog to digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Christoph Horst Krah
  • Patent number: 8031777
    Abstract: An encoder includes an encoder engine, a storage device and a controller to implement an iterative coding process. The encoder engine compresses a selected portion of a data sequence. The storage device stores the compressed portion of the data sequence after each iteration. The controller selects the portion of the data sequence to compress for each iteration. The controller gathers statistics from the compressed portion of the data sequence. The gathered statistics include statistics generated by the selected frames and statistics extrapolated from the selected frames for the non-selected frames. The controller adjusts coding parameters of the encoder engine on each iteration until the gathered statistics meet a specified performance requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Barin Haskell, Adriana Dumitras, Hsi-Jung Wu, Xin Tong, Thomas Pun
  • Patent number: 8031569
    Abstract: Example embodiments provide various techniques for playing data from an optical media drive. The optical media drive may detect certain media access information for use in accessing optical media. This media access information is stored in a memory that is configured to retain the media access information after the optical media drive is deactivated. The optical media drive reads the data from an optical media and this data is transferred to a buffer until, with reference to some threshold parameter, the optical media drive is deactivated. The optical media drive may be reactivated in reference to another threshold parameter and the media access information is thereafter retrieved from the memory. The optical media drive may then read from the optical media using the provided media access information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Paul J. Wehrenberg
  • Patent number: 8032181
    Abstract: Systems and methods for activating a mobile device for use with a service provider are described. In one exemplary method, a mobile device having a currently inserted SIM card may be prepared for activation using a signing process in which an activation server generates a signed activation ticket encoded with SIM policy data that corresponds to the combination of the device and one of a number of SIM cards belonging to a set of SIM cards defined by the SIM policy data. The activation ticket is securely stored on the mobile device. In another exemplary method the mobile device may be activated in an activation process in which the device verifies an activation ticket against information specific to the device and SIM card in accordance with the SIM policy in the activation ticket, and initiates activation when the verification of the activation ticket is successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Hauck, Jeffrey Bush, Michael Lambertus Hubertus Brouwer, Daryl Mun-Kid Low
  • Patent number: 8029166
    Abstract: A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Steve P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 8031864
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system which supports a dual-purpose aperture for an electronic device. This system includes a first component configured to perform an acoustic function through the aperture and a second component configured to perform a non-acoustic function through the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael N. Rosenblatt, Michael M. Lee, Justin L. Gregg
  • Patent number: 8031164
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to operate a display device of an electronic device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a user setting of a display control parameter, and altering, based on the user setting, an effect of an ambient light sensor value (ALS) on control of the display control parameter. Also, according to embodiments of the inventions, a method of operating a display of an electronic device includes receiving a change to one of a display brightness output level and an ambient light sensor output level, and altering, according to the change, a display contrast output level. In some embodiments, a method of operating a proximity sensor of an electronic device includes receiving a light sensor output, and altering, according to the output, an on/off setting of a proximity sensor. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Herz, Roberto G. Yepez, Michael F. Culbert, Scott Forstall
  • Patent number: 8032670
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a first interface circuit, a direct memory access (DMA) controller coupled to the first interface circuit, and a host coupled to the DMA controller. The first interface circuit is configured to communicate on an interface according to a protocol. The host comprises at least one address space mapped, at least in part, to a plurality of memory locations in a memory system of the host. The DMA controller is configured to perform DMA transfers between the first interface circuit and the address space, and the DMA controller is further configured to perform DMA transfers between a first plurality of the plurality of memory locations and a second plurality of the plurality of memory locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic Go, Mark D. Hayter, Zongjian Chen, Ruchi Wadhawan
  • Patent number: RE42779
    Abstract: An apparatus for increasing a digital camera image capture rate comprises an imaging device for capturing raw image data, a frame buffer for receiving the image data, a first RAM spooler for transferring the raw image data to a RAM disk, a first flash spooler for transferring the raw image data from the RAM disk to a flash memory, an image processor for processing and compressing the raw data, a second RAM spooler for storing the compressed image data into the RAM disk, and a second flash spooler for transferring the compressed image data from the RAM disk to the flash memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Anderson, Mike M. Masukawa