Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 11810578
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intercom system via a digital assistant are provided. The intercom system is trigger-free, in that users communicate, in real-time, via devices without employing a trigger to speak. Acoustic fingerprints are employed to associate users with devices. Acoustic fingerprints include vector embeddings of speech input in an acoustic-feature vector space. Speech heard at multiple devices, as embedded in a fingerprint, may be clustered in the vector space, and the structure of the clusters is employed to associate users and devices. Based on the fingerprints, a device is mapped to a user, and the user employs that device to participate in a conversation, via the intercom service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Phipps, Sachin Kajarekar, Eugene Ray, Mahesh Ramaray Shanbhag, Kisun You, Patrick L. Coffman
  • Patent number: 11809783
    Abstract: This relates to systems and processes for using a virtual assistant to arbitrate among and/or control electronic devices. In one example process, a first electronic device samples an audio input using a microphone. The first electronic device broadcasts a first set of one or more values based on the sampled audio input. Furthermore, the first electronic device receives a second set of one or more values, which are based on the audio input, from a second electronic device. Based on the first set of one or more values and the second set of one or more values, the first electronic device determines whether to respond to the audio input or forego responding to the audio input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Piersol, Ryan M. Orr, Daniel J. Mandel
  • Patent number: 11809483
    Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed for operating a digital assistant in a media environment. In an example process, a primary set of media items can be displayed. An audio input containing a media-related request can be received. A primary user intent corresponding to the media-related request can be determined. In accordance with a determination that the primary user intent comprises a user intent to narrow the primary media search query, a second primary media search query corresponding to the primary user intent can be generated. The second primary media search query can be based on the media-related request and the primary media search query. The second primary media search query can be performed to obtain a second primary set of media items. Display of the primary set of media items can be replaced with display of the second primary set of media items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan M. Orr, Raumi N. Sidki, Patrick M. Lister, Jonathan H. Russell
  • Patent number: 11811439
    Abstract: A mobile communication device that is configured to cancel interference within received millimeter wave band signals. The device includes a receiver circuit that is configured to receive a millimeter wave band signal, adjust gain provided to the millimeter wave band signal at a first amplifier, cancel interference in millimeter wave band signal after gain is adjusted by the first amplifier, and adjust gain provided to the millimeter wave band signal at a second amplifier after interference is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail T. Galeev, Oner Orhan, Arnaud Lucres Amadjikpe, Benjamin Grewell, Navid Naderi, Hosein Nikopour, Susruth Sudhakaran, Shilpa Talwar, Liang Xian
  • Patent number: 11812384
    Abstract: A base station is configured to transmit wake-up signals to a user equipment to wake-up the UE to receive a page from the base station. The base station transmits one or more synchronization signals, wherein the synchronization signals correspond to a wake-up signal (WUS) that is to be transmitted to a user equipment (UE) operating in a paging discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle, wherein the paging DRX cycle includes a paging occasion (PO) and transmits the WUS to the UE during a WUS occasion, wherein the WUS indicates whether the UE is to utilize an active mode or a sleep mode during the PO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fangli Xu, Chunhai Yao, Clive E. Rodgers, Dawei Zhang, Haijing Hu, Haitong Sun, Longda Xing, Murtaza A. Shikari, Sarma V. Vangala, Sethuraman Gurumoorthy, Srirang A. Lovlekar, Wei Zeng, Yuchul Kim, Yuqin Chen, Yushu Zhang, Zhibin Wu
  • Patent number: 11809774
    Abstract: A method performed by a processor of a computer system including a headset that is to be worn on a head of a user. The method drives a speaker of the headset with an input audio signal to output sound into an environment. The method determines that the speaker is at least partially covered with a cupped hand. In response to determining that the speaker is at least partially covered with the cupped hand, applying a gain to the input audio signal to reduce an output sound level of the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nikolas T. Vitt, Jonathan D. Sheaffer, Neal D. Evans, Christopher T. Eubank, Jae Hwang Lee
  • Patent number: 11810486
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display and a camera. Control circuitry in the device can gather information on a user's point of gaze using a gaze tracking system and other sensors, can gather information on the real-world image such as information on content, motion, and other image attributes by analyzing the real-world image, can gather user vision information such as user acuity, contrast sensitivity, field of view, and geometrical distortions, can gather user input such as user preferences and user mode selection commands, and can gather other input. Based on the point-of-gaze information and/or other gathered information, the control circuitry can display the real-world image and supplemental information on the display. The supplemental information can include augmentations such as icons, text labels, and other computer-generated text and graphics overlaid on the real world image and can include enhanced image content such as magnified portions of the real-world image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ramin Samadani, Christina G. Gambacorta, Elijah H. Kleeman, Nicolas P. Bonnier
  • Patent number: 11811567
    Abstract: A serial data receiver is disclosed. In one embodiment, a receiver includes an amplifier circuit configured to receive one or more signals that encode a serial data stream that includes a plurality of data symbols and to perform a comparison of the one or more signals to a threshold value to generate a recovered data symbol. The receiver circuit further includes a threshold circuit configured to generate a delayed version of the one or more signals. The threshold circuit is further configured to generate a delayed data symbol using the delayed version of the one or more signals and adjust the threshold value using the delayed data symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Battaje Vimalesh Rao, Jacob S. Schneider, Mitesh D. Katakwar
  • Patent number: 11810714
    Abstract: A head-mounted device includes a device housing, a display device, an optical system, and a headband. The head-mounted device also includes a first headband connector that includes a headband-side connector portion that is connected to the headband at a first end of the headband and a device-side connector portion that is connected to the device housing. The first headband connector is movable between a disconnected position, in which the headband-side connector portion is disconnected from the device-side connector portion, and a connected position, in which the headband-side connector portion is connected to the device-side connector portion. The first headband connector also includes paired magnetic components that are configured to attract the headband-side connector portion and the device-side connector portion to one another to urge the first headband connector to move to the connected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Darshan R. Kasar, Javier Mendez, Nicholas C. Soldner
  • Patent number: 11812135
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to embodiments for video communication interface for managing content that is shared during a video communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fiona P. O'Leary, Sean Z. Amadio, Julio C. Hernandez Zaragoza, Johnnie B. Manzari
  • Patent number: 11811694
    Abstract: Some embodiments of this disclosure include systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media for a single downlink control information (DCI) signal that supports multi-transmission reception point (TRP) transmissions from different TRPs (e.g., different 5G Node Bs or different antenna panels.) A user equipment (UE) receives a single DCI signal that includes a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a first TRP, a second TCI state of a second TRP, and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port indication value. The UE uses the DMRS port indication value to determine a first DMRS port and a first code division multiplexing (CDM) group of the first TCI state and a second DMRS port and a second CDM group of the second TCI state. The UE receives a multi-Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) signal that includes multi-TRP transmissions, and uses the above determinations to decode data from the first and/or the second TCI states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bishwarup Mondal, Avik Sengupta, Alexei Davydov, Yushu Zhang
  • Patent number: 11810516
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted device may have displays. The display may have regions of lower and higher resolution to reduce data bandwidth and power consumption for the display while preserving satisfactory image quality. Data lines may be shared by lower and higher resolution portions of a display or different portions of a display with different resolutions may be supplied with different numbers of data lines. Data line length may be varied in transition regions between lower resolution and higher resolution portions of a display to reduce visible discontinuities between the lower and higher resolution portions. The lower and higher resolution portions of the display may be dynamically adjusted using dynamically adjustable gate driver circuitry and dynamically adjustable data line driver circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Jason C. Sauers, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, David W. Lum, Chun-Yao Huang, Enkhamgalan Dorjgotov, Graham B. Myhre, Bennett S. Wilburn, Paolo Sacchetto, Shih Chang Chang, Wonjae Choi, Cheuk Chi Lo
  • Patent number: 11812248
    Abstract: A moving magnet motor comprising: a stationary voice coil coupled to a frame; a moving magnet assembly movably coupled to the frame and operable to move relative to the stationary coil, the moving magnet assembly comprising a magnet and a flux concentrating member that define a gap within which the stationary coil is positioned; and an actuating surface coupled to the moving magnet assembly, and wherein a movement of the moving magnet assembly drives a movement of the actuating surface along an axis of translation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Onur I. Ilkorur, Oliver Leonhardt, Matthew A. Donarski, Christopher Wilk
  • Patent number: 11809631
    Abstract: A reluctance haptic engine for an electronic device includes a core, an attractor plate, and mechanical suspension. The core and/or the attractor plate may be coupled to an input structure, such as a button cap, a trackpad cover, or a touchscreen cover. In an unactuated configuration, flexible support members maintain a gap between the core and the attractor plate. An electrical current may be applied to one or more conduction loops of the core to actuate the reluctance haptic engine and provide a haptic output by moving the input structure. The electrical current may cause a magnetic flux that results in a reluctance force that pulls the attractor and the core together and causes the input structure to move to produce a haptic output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Denis G. Chen, Timothy D. Koch
  • Patent number: 11810266
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to generating keypoint descriptors of the keypoints using a sub-scale refinement and a sample pattern radius adjustment. An apparatus includes a sub-pixel refiner circuit and a keypoint descriptor generator circuit. The sub-pixel refiner circuit determines a keypoint scale value for a scale dimension of a keypoint in an image pyramid by performing an interpolation of response map (RM) pixel values of a pixel block of RM images defined around the keypoint. The keypoint descriptor generator circuit determines sample scales of the image pyramid based on the keypoint scale value and determines a radius value for each sample scale based on the keypoint scale value. The keypoint descriptor generator circuit samples patches of pixel values at the sample scales using the radius value for each sample scale to generate a keypoint descriptor of the keypoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Muge Wang, Assaf Metuki
  • Patent number: 11811133
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a dielectric cover layer, a dielectric substrate, and a phased antenna array on the dielectric substrate for conveying millimeter wave signals through the dielectric cover layer. The array may include conductive traces mounted against the dielectric layer. The conductive traces may form patch elements or parasitic elements for the phased antenna array. The dielectric layer may have a dielectric constant and a thickness selected to form a quarter wave impedance transformer for the array at a wavelength of operation of the array. The substrate may include fences of conductive vias that laterally surround each of the antennas within the array. When configured in this way, signal attenuation, destructive interference, and surface wave generation associated with the presence of the dielectric layer over the phased antenna array may be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer M. Edwards, Harish Rajagopalan, Simone Paulotto, Bilgehan Avser, Hao Xu, Rodney A. Gomez Angulo, Siwen Yong, Matthew A. Mow, Mattia Pascolini
  • Publication number: 20230354363
    Abstract: Described are approaches to multi-cell PUSCH/PDSCH scheduling with a single DCI (downlink control information) in a wireless communication system. In one approach, only one component carrier is configured with the multi-cell scheduling DCIs, with no DCI configured on the other component carriers. In a second approach, all of the component carriers can be configured with the multi-cell scheduling DCIs. In a third option, one component carrier is configured with multi-cell scheduling DCI only, while the other component carriers can be configured with the legacy single-cell scheduling DCIs. In a fourth option, one component carrier is configured with both multi-cell scheduling DCIs and the legacy single-cell scheduling DCIs, while the other component carriers can be configured with the legacy single-cell scheduling DCIs. In the fifth option, all the component carriers can be configured with both multi-cell scheduling DCIs and the legacy single-cell scheduling DCIs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sigen YE, Weidong YANG, Haitong SUN, Chunhai YAO, Yushu ZHANG, Wei ZENG, Dawei ZHANG, Seyed Ali Akbar FAKOORIAN, Huaning NIU
  • Publication number: 20230352886
    Abstract: Methods, structures, and apparatus that are able to detect the presence of liquid, moisture, or other contaminants in or on a connector. Examples provide a connector having a dedicated liquid-detect contact that does not have a corresponding contact in a corresponding connector. Examples provide liquid-detect circuitry that can use the liquid-detect contact to determine the presence of a liquid on or in the connector and can perform self-diagnostic tests such as continuity checks and calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tavys Q. Ashcroft, Robert Scritzky, Daibo Chen
  • Patent number: D1003827
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Abidur Rahman Chowdhury, Clara Geneviève Courtaigne, Markus Diebel, Jonathan Gomez Garcia, M. Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Joe Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang
  • Patent number: D1003911
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: George B. Chadwick, Allegra Fisher, Khristine Arceo Valdez