Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 11909697
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for remote interference management (RIM) in wireless networks, including RIM reference signals (RIM-RS) transmitted to assist victim radio access network (RAN) nodes to identify aggressor RAN nodes due to, for example, atmospheric ducting. The RIM-RS is also flexibly configured. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hassan Ghozlan, Qian Li, Dawei Ying, Geng Wu
  • Patent number: 11910690
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display mounted in a housing. The display may be mounted on a front side of the device and the housing may have a housing wall on the rear side of the device. The display may be formed from an array of pixels configured to display an image for a user. Pixel-free border areas that run along the edges of the array of pixels may be provided with an edge illuminator. The edge illuminator may provide illumination to the border areas during operation of the device. The edge illuminator may have crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies, backlit liquid crystal devices or electrophoretic display components, or may have a light guide that is supplied with illumination from a light-emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X Wang, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Patent number: 11907270
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for retrieving local information on a user device include detecting itinerary information stored by a first application on a user device, and identifying a travel destination based on the detected itinerary information. The travel destination is communicated to a second application executable on a user device, and the travel destination is stored in association with the second application. The second application is adapted to retrieve local information based on an identified geographic location, and local information for the travel destination is provided through the second application in response to a user interaction with the second application and based on a triggering threshold associated with the itinerary information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Devrim Varoglu, Swapnil R. Dave
  • Patent number: 11909791
    Abstract: Facilitating collaboration in a multiuser communication session includes detecting initiation of an interaction between a user of a first device and a virtual object in a multiuser communication session, where the first device and a second device are active in the multiuser communication session, and where state information is synchronized among the first device and second device in the multiuser communication session. In accordance with detecting the initiation of an interaction between the user and the virtual object, synchronization of state information is suspended by the first device, where the state information is related to the interaction between the user and the virtual object. A representation of the multiuser communication session at the first device and a representation of the multiuser communication session at the second device are inconsistent in accordance with the suspended synchronization of the state information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Luis R. Deliz Centeno, Joseph P. Cerra
  • Patent number: 11908086
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an exemplary process for initializing members of a shared enhanced reality setting is described. In accordance with some embodiments, an exemplary process for forming a private sub-space and example features of the private sub-space is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Grant H. Mulliken, James Williams Charles Vandyke
  • Patent number: 11906778
    Abstract: Configurations for an optical splitter are disclosed. The optical splitter may include an input waveguide, a free propagation region, and an array of output waveguides. The input waveguide may be sufficiently narrow that the light in the free propagation region may diffract and provide the same optical intensity at far field angles across a wide wavelength range. The input waveguide may have a high V number in a vertical dimension and a low V number in a horizontal dimension. Because all of the wavelengths of light diffract at the same angle in the free propagation region, once the light reaches the output waveguides, the light may have similar optical power at each of the output waveguides. Additionally, the output waveguides may vary in width and spacing to mitigate the non-uniform optical power distribution of the phase front of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Alan Arbore, Yi-Kuei Wu
  • Patent number: 11906962
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for tracking and/or controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as well as tracking UAV controllers (UACs) within a cellular network. A UAV/UAC may provide a cellular network with tracking information such as speed, orientation, altitude, C2 communication quality, C2 communication mode change request, measurement report, RRC status, cell ID, TAC ID, current location of the UAV, and destination of the UAV. The network may forward this information to an unmanned aerial system (UAS) traffic management system (UTM). The UTM may determine, based in part on the tracking information, whether to transfer control of the UAV from the UAC to the UTM. In some embodiments, the UAV/UAC may trigger the UTM to transfer control of the UAV form the UAC to the UTM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Han Pu, Alosious Pradeep Prabhakar, Krisztian Kiss, Srinivasan Nimmala, Vijay Venkataraman, Yip Pong Herbert Wong
  • Patent number: 11908343
    Abstract: Exercise-based watch faces and complications for use with a portable multifunction device are disclosed. The methods described herein for exercise-based watch faces and complications provide indications of time and affordances representing applications (e.g., a workout application or a weather application). In response to detecting a user input corresponding to a selection of the affordance (e.g., representing a workout application), a workout routine can optionally be begun. Further disclosed are non-transitory computer-readable storage media, systems, and devices configured to perform the methods described herein, as well as electronic devices related thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Wilson, Aled Hywel Williams, Kevin Will Chen, Chester H. Chipperfield, Stanley Carl Ng
  • Patent number: 11909124
    Abstract: An electronic device having multiple antenna groups for data communication may determine a temperature of a first antenna group and determine a power gain of a second antenna group. The electronic device may communicate using the second antenna group in response to determining that the temperature of the first antenna group exceeds a temperature threshold and the power gain of the second antenna group exceeds a gain threshold. In some embodiments, the electronic device may receive communication link preferences, determine an antenna group that is disposed outside of thermal hotspots of the electronic device, and determine a beam that enables the communication link preferences via the antenna group. The electronic device may then transmit or receive data via the antenna group by forming the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Franz J. Eder, Carlo Tosetti, Kenan Kocagoez, Prashant H. Vashi, Murali Mohan Chakka, Muthukumaran Dhanapal
  • Patent number: 11904789
    Abstract: A body structure defines a passenger cabin. An interior portion is located in the passenger cabin, and a support portion that includes a surface and an adjustable support assembly is located in the passenger cabin. The surface is located adjacent to the interior portion, the adjustable support assembly includes actuators, and the adjustable support assembly is configured to move the surface with respect to the interior portion. Sensors are configured to generate sensor outputs, and a controller detects an event based on the sensor outputs. In response to the detection of the event, the controller outputs a control signal that controls the adjustable support assembly so that the adjustable support assembly moves at least part of the surface away from the interior portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arturo Llamazares Domper, Nicholas A. White, Alexander M. Zoellner
  • Patent number: 11907519
    Abstract: A method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a progress icon that indicates a current position within a first piece of content; displaying a multi-purpose content navigation icon; while providing the first piece of content: detecting a first contact at a first location that corresponds to the multi-purpose content navigation icon; while continuing to detect the contact at the first location, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a predefined scrubbing rate; and, in response to detecting movement of the contact that includes a first component of movement in a direction that corresponds to movement on the display parallel to the first predefined direction, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a variable scrubbing rate that varies monotonically as the first component of movement increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Chaudhri, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Michael J. Matas, Lucas C. Newman, Marcel Van Os
  • Patent number: 11905629
    Abstract: A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Areas of the fabric may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry and may overlap other components such as light-emitting components and haptic output devices. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. The fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Podhajny, Daniel D. Sunshine, Kathryn P. Crews
  • Patent number: 11907475
    Abstract: In some examples, an electronic device can use machine learning techniques, such as convolutional neural networks, to estimate the distance between a stylus tip and a touch sensitive surface (e.g., stylus z-height). A subset of stylus data sensed at electrodes closest to the location of the stylus at the touch sensitive surface including data having multiple phases and frequencies can be provided to the machine learning algorithm. The estimated stylus z-height can be compared to one or more thresholds to determine whether or not the stylus is in contact with the touch sensitive surface. In some examples, the electronic device can use machine learning techniques to estimate the (x, y) position and/or tilt and/or azimuth angles of the stylus tip at the touch sensitive surface based on a subset of stylus data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hojjat Seyed Mousavi, Behrooz Shahsavari, Bongsoo Suh, Utkarsh Gaur, Nima Ferdosi, Baboo V. Gowreesunker
  • Patent number: 11908143
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for establishing an activity zone within video captured by a camera. A user device may establish an activity zone or an exclusion zone within video representing a physical view captured by the camera. An automatic monitoring system may analyze the video of the camera with respect to the activity zone or exclusion zone and trigger notifications that are associated with a zone so as to limit notifications transmitted to the user device to those notifications that are relevant to the user. With activity or exclusion zones video from a camera may be automatically monitored to reduce a volume of notifications transmitted to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Sara Bolouki, Yah Yah Cason, Jonghoon Jin, Nils Ängquist, Hendrik Dahlkamp, Patrick L Coffman
  • Patent number: 11910171
    Abstract: A smart speaker power controller may be configured to receive power conforming to one of a plurality of power modes from an input power source. The power controller may be further configured to communicate the power mode to at least one component of a processing system or at least one component of an audio system for operating the smart speaker according to the received power mode, including determining a current limit of a power converter; determining a shutdown voltage threshold and safely shutting down the smart speaker if the input voltage falls below the threshold, and/or modifying audio operation of the smart speaker in response to the power mode. The smart speaker can further include an audio power supply controller configured to monitor energy required to reproduce an audio signal and to servo a power supply voltage provided to an audio amplifier in response to this energy level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Daniel Naito, Evan Thompson, Peter Poon, Manasi Lagare, Michael Nussbaum, David Sumberg
  • Patent number: 11906998
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a low-voltage dropout regulator and more specifically to improving a power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) of the low dropout voltage regulator. The low dropout voltage regulator may be used to generate various voltages for integrated circuits of an electronic device. In some cases, a P-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator may be used. However, the PMOS LDO may not provide a sufficient PSRR or reduction in supply noise. To address these issues, an N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) LDO voltage regulator having an NMOS pass transistor may be used. The NMOS LDO may provide a lower impedance than the PMOS LDO. Further, the NMOS LDO may provide an increased bandwidth and consume a smaller physical area than the PMOS LDO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Reetika Kumari Agarwal, Abbas Komijani
  • Patent number: 11909406
    Abstract: An electronic device may include wireless circuitry having mixer circuitry configured to receive an oscillator signal from phase-locked loop circuitry. The phase-locked loop circuitry may include a digital or analog phase-locked loop having a first frequency divider, a ring oscillator, and an auxiliary phase noise cancellation loop coupled to the ring oscillator. The auxiliary phase noise cancellation loop may include at least a time-to-digital converter, a second frequency divider, an amplifier, and a bandpass filter configured to reject thermal and quantization noise associated with the time-to-digital converter. The first frequency divider may have a first division ratio, whereas the second frequency divider may have a second division ratio that is less than the first division ratio to provide faster phase noise correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed I Hussein, Mahdi Forghani, David M Signoff
  • Patent number: 11909101
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a phased antenna array having a bent dielectric resonating element. The bent dielectric resonating element may have a first segment, a second segment nonparallel to the first segment, and an angled surface that couples the first segment to the second segment. One or more feed probes may be coupled to the first segment to excite the dielectric resonating element. A reflector may be provided on the angled surface to direct electromagnetic energy from the first segment to the second segment and vice versa. The bent dielectric resonating element may exhibit less overall height than dielectric resonators having straight columns of dielectric material, thereby allowing for a reduction in the thickness of the electronic device. The angled surface and the reflector may optimize the radio-frequency performance of the antenna despite the reduction in overall height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lucas R. Compton, Harish Rajagopalan, James T. Handy
  • Patent number: D1015029
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Dejesus, Joshua Robert Edwards, Jean-Marc Gady, Wesley Bryan Hamm, Russell John Kaaihue Heirakuji, Allison Inouye, Moritz Wilsberg
  • Patent number: D1015364
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Will Chen, Alan C. Dye, Aurelio Guzmán, Lauren Kim Trottier