Patents Assigned to Apple
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20110194775
    Abstract: Techniques are described for causing digital image data to be interpreted according to a particular technique of a plurality of techniques. According to an embodiment, digital sensor data is received, and user input is received that specifies which technique of a plurality of techniques to use to generate a display that depicts an unmodified image from the sensor data, wherein each technique of the plurality of techniques generates a display from the sensor data in a different manner than each other technique of the plurality of techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Nikhil M. Bhatt, Curtis A. Bianchi
  • Publication number: 20110197147
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided for creating a shared workspace where images may be shared between projected displays. In one embodiment, electronic devices each may include a projector that produces a projected display and a camera that detects gestures made with respect to the projected displays. The electronic devices may interpret gestures on the projected displays to identify image sharing commands for sharing images between the projected displays. The electronic devices may be connected through a communication link that allows the electronic devices to share image data for producing images on any of the projected displays included within the shared workspace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Anthony Y. S. Fai
  • Publication number: 20110194141
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates driverless printing. This system includes a discovery component configured to identify accessible printers and to facilitate selection of an accessible printer, wherein the discovery component is also configured to obtain capability information from accessible printers. The system also includes a transport component configured to transport data to the selected printer, wherein the transport component is also configured to obtain capability information from the selected printer. Finally, the system includes a page-description-language component configured to generate printer data for the selected printer based on obtained capability information for the selected printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Howard Miller
  • Publication number: 20110194140
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that supports printing from a computing device. During operation, the system uses a discovery protocol to identify printers that can be accessed by the computing device. Next, the system receives a selection of a printer that can be accessed by the computing device. The system then generates printer data for the print job. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. The system can use a driverless printing technique, which involves obtaining printer capability information from the selected printer and generating printer data for the selected printer based on the printer capability information. Alternatively, the system can use a printer-specific driver for the selected printer to generate the printer data. The system can also send the print job to a cloud, which includes one or more servers that provide a printing service, so that the cloud can generate the printer data. Finally, the system sends the generated printer data to the printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael R. Sweet, Howard Miller
  • Patent number: D643402
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 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, Douglas B. Satzger, Calvin Q. Seid, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer
  • Patent number: D643403
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 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, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Douglas B. Satzger, Calvin Q. Seid, Vincent Keane Seid, legal representative, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang
  • 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