Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Publication number: 20110188677
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a technique for inductively charging an electronic device. This technique involves winding an audio cable for the electronic device around a charging mechanism multiple times so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil. Next, a magnetic field is created through the charging mechanism to induce a current in the inductive receiving coil. Finally, the induced current in the inductive receiving coil is used to charge a rechargeable battery for the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Stephen Brian Lynch
  • Publication number: 20110188150
    Abstract: A hard-disk drive (HDD) is described. During operation of the HDD, measured internal temperatures in the HDD may be stored in a first table, and state information specifying operational states of the HDD associated with ranges of internal temperatures may be stored in a second table. Note that a given operational state in the second table may be associated with a corresponding internal temperature in the first table. Furthermore, during operation of the HDD, the first table and/or the second table may be stored on: a rotatable medium in the HDD, a semiconductor memory in the HDD, or both. This stored table information may facilitate error detection and diagnosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Thomas R. Colligan
  • Publication number: 20110186325
    Abstract: This is directed to providing a cosmetic finish on a component constructed by connecting several elements. A single manufacturing process, such as machining or grinding, can be applied to the connected elements to remove material from some or all of the elements and to form a smooth and continuous surface across interfaces between the individual elements of the component. In some cases, settings of the material removal process can be adjusted based on the material of the component elements. For example, the settings can be adjusted based on the manufacturing or mechanical properties of each element material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Myers, Richard Heley, Matthew Theobald, Adam Stagnaro, Tang Tan, Richard Dinh, David Pakula
  • Publication number: 20110187531
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for securing handheld electronic devices. To provide an optimal shopping experience for consumers, handheld electronic devices must be made accessible to users, while simultaneously being secured to prevent theft. A security system can include a coupler connected to an electronic device. The coupler can include a connector operative to provide power and/or data to the electronic device. A cable transferring the power and data can also include an alarm path and a security cable for providing security. The security cable may be difficult to cut, and the alarm path can direct an alarm to sound if the cable is cut or if the electronic device is disconnected from the coupler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelm Oehl, Erik Anderson, Edmond Kuan, Joe Nobles, Kambiz Ahmadi, Isao Takezawa
  • Publication number: 20110185562
    Abstract: A media player according to the invention is provided. The media player may include a scroll wheel and a housing including a retention ledge. The retention ledge may maintain the position of the scroll wheel with respect to the housing. A flexible printed circuit may also be included in the media player. The flexible printed circuit may include a first face and a second face. The first face may contact the scroll wheel. The second face may include tactile dome switches. Compressible shims may also form a portion of the media player and may be adjacent the second face. The compressible shims may control the distance between the scroll wheel and the retention ledge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Pinida Jan Moolsintong, Douglas J. Weber, Stephen P. Zadesky
  • Publication number: 20110188179
    Abstract: This is directed to an electronic device enclosure. The enclosure includes an outer periphery member forming an outer surface of a device, and to which an internal platform is connected. Electronic device components can be assembled to one or both surfaces of the internal platform. The enclosure can include front and back cover assemblies assembled to the opposite surfaces of the outer periphery member to retain electronic device components. One or both of the cover assemblies can include a window through which display circuitry can provide content to a user of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Myers, Matthew Theobald, Richard Heley, Adam Stagnaro, Richard Dinh, David Pakula, Tang Tan
  • Patent number: 7991834
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for integrating applets running on a client with the application logic for applications running on a server. The mechanism of the present invention provides two significant advantages over the prior art: the synchronization of state, and the recognition of user actions in the browser including the invocation of the appropriate application logic in the server. Instead of using the FORM element available in HTML, individual active applets are available and may be created that obtain user input (e.g. a checkbox, textbox, button, etc.). A hidden applet called the Applet Group Controller is created which handles communication between the applets on the browser and the application logic on the server. The Applet Group Controller maintains an association with each applet that maintains the keys and values of any parameters and variables for the applet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Ferris, Nicolas Popp, Scott Forstall, Charles D'Harcourt
  • Patent number: 7990919
    Abstract: A technique for operating a wireless communication device includes transmitting a scheduling request from the wireless communication device and receiving, following the scheduling request, an uplink grant that assigns an uplink channel to the wireless communication device. A time period between the scheduling request and the uplink grant is determined. Only channel quality information is transmitted in the uplink channel when the uplink grant requests the channel quality information and the time period is less than a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jayesh Kotecha
  • Patent number: 7991781
    Abstract: The invention receives a request to store a file having a filename written in a first text encoding, converts the filename into a Unicode filename and stores the Unicode filename and the file into memory. The invention then sets a flag, associated with the memory, indicating that a first text encoding has been used. To retrieve a Unicode filename, the invention receives a request to locate a Unicode filename from memory. Next, the invention uses a predetermined text encoding to convert the filename into Unicode. The invention then searches for the Unicode filename in the memory. If the Unicode filename is not found, the invention uses a next text encoding from the set of text encodings which have been used, to repeat the conversion and searches the memory until the Unicode filename is identified. Lastly, the Unicode file is retrieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Day, Donald J. Brady, Deric S. Horn
  • Patent number: 7991740
    Abstract: Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for providing sync server process. Processing data sync sessions includes processing a request to initiate a sync session from one or more clients to update one or more data records that include one or more data items. The one or more clients are selectively identified as one of a trusted client and an untrusted client based on one or more properties of the sync session, wherein the trusted client is configured to support all dataclasses defined by the server. The one or more clients are detected as being configured to support field level differencing that sends changed data items only for the one or data records or record level differencing that sends all of the data items included in the one or more data records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brendan A. McCarthy, Carsten Guenther
  • Patent number: 7992097
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes displaying, within a user interface in a digital media system, a media pane, and a project pane, displaying, within the media pane, a thumbnail group representing a media item, the thumbnail group comprising one or more thumbnails, enabling a user to select, from the thumbnail group, a segment of the media item, and enabling a user to transfer the selected segment to the project pane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Randy Ubillos
  • Patent number: 7991808
    Abstract: Per thread garbage collection is disclosed. Objects associated only with a thread that created them are tracked. At a garbage collection time for a particular thread, it is determined which objects associated only with that thread remain reachable from a restricted root set associated with the thread. Any thread-only objects that are not determined to be reachable are garbage collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Blaine Garst, Jr., Gregory Robert Parker, Douglas Joshua Behnke, Patrick C. Beard
  • Patent number: 7991637
    Abstract: A method of sharing a calendar between a plurality of users is described where the calendar is capable of holding one or more events. The method includes providing the calendar to each of said plurality of users. The method further includes allowing any of the plurality of users to add to the calendar a new event, a change to an event and a message relating to an event. The method further includes providing a new event, change to an event and/or message added by a user to the other users including automatically displaying at least one updated calendar to its respective other user without said other user having to cause said updated calendar to be fetched through a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bertrand Guiheneuf, Sébastien Maury, Olivier Gutknecht, Julien Jalon
  • Patent number: 7990780
    Abstract: A memory circuit may include a pair of cross-coupled inverters configured to store a bit of data and a first transistor coupled to a first node of the pair of cross-coupled inverters. A plurality of transistors that form the pair of inverters have a first nominal threshold voltage. The first transistor is coupled to a first bit line, and has a second nominal threshold voltage that is lower than the first nominal threshold voltage. The first transistor may be a write transistor and another write transistor having the second nominal threshold voltage is coupled to the other node of the pair of cross-coupled inverters. A register file may include a bit storage section that includes at least one pair of the cross-coupled inverters; a write transistor section and a read transistor section having the second nominal threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Honkai Tam, Sribalan Santhanam, Jung-Cheng Yeh, Sanjay P. Zambare
  • Patent number: 7992101
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling a display of a data processing system. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of controlling a display of a data processing system includes: displaying a first list as a scrollable view of items in a first mode; receiving an input to switch from the first mode to a second mode; and displaying, in the second mode, a representation of a command which when activated causes a display of a second list of the items. The first list is displayed within a window and the representation is displayed within the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Chaudhri, Bas Ording
  • Patent number: 7990398
    Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and media bearing instructions for matching movements of objects are described. In one example, the method can include determining a position of a first point in a first coordinate system, converting the position of the first point from the first coordinate system to a second coordinate system, performing a transformation on a second point in the second coordinate system, wherein the second point is initialized to a starting position in the second coordinate system, determining an ending position of the second point in the second coordinate system based on the transformation, converting the ending position of the second point in the second coordinate system to the first coordinate system, and associating the ending position of the second point in the first coordinate system to the first point in the first coordinate system, wherein the associating causes a transformation of the first point to match the transformation performed on the second point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Pelletier, Gregory Niles, Stephen Sheeler, William Stein
  • Patent number: 7991928
    Abstract: An interface unit may comprise a buffer configured to store requests that are to be transmitted on an interconnect and a control unit coupled to the buffer. In one embodiment, the control unit is coupled to receive a retry response from the interconnect during a response phase of a first transaction for a first request stored in the buffer. The control unit is configured to record an identifier supplied on the interconnect with the retry response that identifies a second transaction that is in progress on the interconnect. The control unit is configured to inhibit reinitiation of the first transaction at least until detecting a second transmission of the identifier. In another embodiment, the control unit is configured to assert a retry response during a response phase of a first transaction responsive to a snoop hit of the first transaction on a first request stored in the buffer for which a second transaction is in progress on the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Keller, Sridhar P. Subramanian, Ramesh Gunna
  • Patent number: 7991720
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for organizing information in a computer filing system. The method and apparatus include the creation of a pile comprising a collection of documents and displaying a graphical representation of the collection of documents. The method and apparatus further include browsing the collection of documents by pointing a cursor at a particular item in the collection of documents to reveal an indicia for the particular item in the collection of documents. The filing system can automatically divide a pile (e.g. a collection of documents from an electronic mail network) into subpiles on the basis of the content of each document in the pile, and the filing system, at the user's request can automatically file away documents into existing piles in the computer system on the basis of a similarity match between the content (or other internal representation) of the document and the content (or other internal representation) of existing piles in the computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Mander, Daniel E. Rose, Gitta Salomon, Yin Yin Wong, Timothy Oren, Susan Booker, Stephanie Houde
  • Patent number: D642560
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy Bataillou, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer
  • Patent number: D642563
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy Bataillou, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P Ive, Steve Jobs, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer