Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 11646766
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods to implement enhanced sounding reference signaling for uplink (UL) beam tracking in communication systems are described. In one example, an apparatus of an evolved Node B (eNB) comprising processing circuit to broadcast system information about one or more sets of uplink transmit time intervals and bandwidths available for a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission from a first user equipment (UE), configure one or more UE-specific SRS processes for the first UE for uplink beam tracking, and configure one or more millimeter wave access points (mmW APs) to transmit a mmW signal to the first UE and receive a mmW signal from the first UE. Other examples are also disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Honglei Miao, Hyejung Jung, Michael Faerber
  • Patent number: 11647226
    Abstract: A system comprises an encoder configured to compress attribute information and/or spatial information for a point cloud and/or a decoder configured to decompress compressed attribute and/or spatial information for the point cloud. To compress the attribute and/or spatial information, the encoder is configured to convert a point cloud into an image based representation. Also, the decoder is configured to generate a decompressed point cloud based on an image based representation of a point cloud. In some embodiments, a bit stream structure may be used to communicate compressed point cloud data. The bit stream structure may include point cloud compression network abstraction layer (PCCNAL) units that enable use of groups of frames (GOFs), frame, and sub-frame signaling of patch information. Such a bit stream structure may permit low delay streaming and random access reconstruction of point clouds amongst other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jungsun Kim, Alexandros Tourapis, Khaled Mammou, Fabrice A. Robinet, Yeping Su, David W. Singer
  • Patent number: 11647319
    Abstract: Headphone eartips with internal support components and methods for making the same are provided. Different support components may provide specific amounts and types of additional rigidity at specific portions of an exterior surface of an outer eartip body that may be expected to interface with specific portions of an ear canal geometry when an eartip subassembly is positioned within the ear canal, such that the eartip subassembly may conform to the various shapes of the ear canal while maintaining an acoustic seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ethan L. Huwe, Brad G. Boozer, Erik L. Wang, Phillip Qian
  • Patent number: 11647648
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a hinge that allows the device to be flexed about a bend axis. A display may span the bend axis. To facilitate bending about the bend axis without damage, the display may include a display cover layer with a flexible portion. The flexible portion of the display cover layer may be interposed between first and second rigid portions of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may also include a layer with self-healing properties. The layer of self-healing material may be formed across the entire display cover layer or may be formed only in the flexible region of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may include a layer of elastomer in the flexible region of the display cover layer for increased flexibility. Self-healing may be initiated or expedited by externally applied heat, light, electric current, or other type of external stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hoon Sik Kim, Terry C. Lam, Chang-Chia Huang, Paul S. Drzaic, Yasmin F. Afsar, Young Cheol Yang, Leiming Wang
  • Patent number: 11644966
    Abstract: Techniques for coordinating movements of various objects in an electronic document are disclosed. A first-type object remains stationary so that it becomes outside a content boundary of the electronic document, as the content boundary is pulled inside an edge of a window displaying the electronic document. A second-type object remains stationary until the content boundary reaches the edge of the window and then moves along with the scrolled electronic document as the content boundary is pulled inside the edge of the window. A third-type object and a fourth-type object may show different movement behaviors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Beth Dakin, Jonathan Lee, Simon M. Fraser
  • Patent number: 11647650
    Abstract: An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display may have an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels that each have OLED layers interposed between a cathode and an anode. Voltage may be applied to the anode of each pixel to control the magnitude of emitted light. The conductivity of the OLED layers may allow leakage current to pass between neighboring anodes in the display. To reduce leakage current and the accompanying cross-talk in a display, the pixel definition layer may disrupt continuity of the OLED layers. The pixel definition layer may have an undercut to disrupt continuity of some but not all of the OLED layers. The undercut may be defined by three discrete portions of the pixel definition layer. The undercut may result in a void that is interposed between different portions of the OLED layers to break a leakage path formed by the OLED layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jaein Choi, Hairong Tang, Gloria Wong, Sunggu Kang, Younggu Lee, Gwanwoo Park, Chun-Yao Huang, Andrew Lin, Cheuk Chi Lo, Enkhamgalan Dorjgotov, Michael Slootsky, Rui Liu, Wendi Chang, Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11645957
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for testing and repairing various aspects of an electronic display. The electronic display includes a reference array and an active array. The electronic display also includes test circuitry used to test individual or any combination of pixels of the electronic display. Switches may be disposed between the pixels and the test circuitry to be to repair the various components of the electronic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Wetherell, Hasan Akyol, Xuebei Yang, Xiaofeng Wang, Hopil Bae
  • Patent number: 11647516
    Abstract: Embodiments of a User Equipment (UE) and methods of communication are generally described herein. If a higher layer parameter altMCS-Table is configured, and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is assigned by a downlink control information (DCI) format 1, 1B, 1D, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, or 2D, the UE may, for some subframe/frame configurations, determine a number of physical resource blocks (PRBs) for the transport block as a maximum of: 1; and a floor function applied to a product of a total number of allocated PRBs, a parameter dependent on a special subframe configuration, and a scaling parameter. For other subframe/frame configurations, the UE may determine the number of PRBs for the transport block as a maximum of: 1; and the floor function applied to a product of the total number of allocated PRBs and the scaling parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alexei Davydov, Sameer Pawar
  • Patent number: 11645797
    Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for controlling motion of CGR objects. In various implementations, a device includes a non-transitory memory and one or more processors coupled with the non-transitory memory. In some implementations, a method includes determining, by a first animation controller, values for a first set of animation parameters associated with a first animation for a computer-generated reality (CGR) object. In some implementations, the CGR object is associated with a plurality of joints. In some implementations, the method includes generating, by a motion controller, respective joint movements for the plurality of joints based on the values for the first set of animation parameters. In some implementations, the method includes manipulating the CGR object in accordance with the respective joint movements for the plurality of joints in order to provide an appearance that CGR object is moving within a degree of similarity to the first animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Daniel Laszlo Kovacs
  • Patent number: 11647264
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera having one or more bumper arrangements to cushion lateral movement of one or more camera components. In some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may cushion lateral movement of a moveable platform as the moveable platform approaches a stationary structure. According to some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may include one or more bumper features attached to (and/or defined by) the moveable platform and/or the stationary structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Zachary W. Birnbaum
  • Patent number: 11644617
    Abstract: A system may include one or more electronic devices. Fiber bundles may be provided to convey light. A fiber bundle may have a bend along its length. Fibers for the fiber bundle may be formed from polymer cores coated with polymer claddings. The fibers may have end faces coated with antireflection coatings. The antireflection coatings may be formed from amorphous fluoropolymer deposited from solution. The fluoropolymer may be applied to the end faces of the fibers by dipping, spraying, or by dispensing with a needle dispenser or other dispensing tool. An optical component such as a light-emitting device for a communications system, an illumination system, or a sensor system may provide infrared light that is guided through the fiber bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shenglin Ye, Wei Lin, Prabhakar Gulgunje, Shubhaditya Majumdar, Boyi Fu, Sudirukkuge T. Jinasundera, Nathan K. Gupta
  • Patent number: 11644800
    Abstract: An electronic watch includes a housing, a user-operable watch crown mounted to the housing, an electromagnetic radiation source emitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation toward a watch crown surface, and a sensor. The beam of electromagnetic radiation depends on a coherent mixing of electromagnetic radiation within a resonant cavity of the electromagnetic radiation source. The coherent mixing includes a mixing of a first amount of electromagnetic radiation generated by the electromagnetic radiation source and a second amount of electromagnetic radiation redirected into the resonant cavity by the watch crown surface. The sensor measures a first parameter of the beam of electromagnetic radiation and determines, using the measurement of the first parameter, a value of a second parameter characterizing movement of the watch crown. The second parameter may include a direction of rotation or speed of rotation of the watch crown, or other parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prashanth S. Holenarsipur, Mark T. Winkler, Mehmet Mutlu, David D. Dashevsky
  • Patent number: 11647321
    Abstract: Ear buds may have optical proximity sensors and accelerometers. Control circuitry may analyze output from the optical proximity sensors and the accelerometers to identify a current operational state for the ear buds. The control circuitry may also analyze the accelerometer output to identify tap input such as double taps made by a user on ear bud housings. Samples in the accelerometer output may be analyzed to determine whether the samples associated with a tap have been clipped. If the samples have been clipped, a curve may be fit to the samples. Optical sensor data may be analyzed in conjunction with potential tap input data from the accelerometer. If the optical sensor data is ordered, a tap input may be confirmed. If the optical sensor data is disordered, the control circuitry can conclude that accelerometer data corresponds to false tap input associated with unintentional contact with the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam S. Howell, Hung A. Pham, Akifumi Kobashi, Rami Y. Hindiyeh, Xing Tan, Alexander Singh Alvarado, Karthik Jayaraman Raghuram
  • Patent number: 11646822
    Abstract: Groupcast communications between devices of a group of devices, e.g. between vehicles in a platoon, may include a device in the group transmitting a groupcast message in a sidelink transmission to the other devices and receiving feedback information in sidelink transmissions from the other devices within the same channel occupancy time (CoT). The feedback information may be transmitted by the other devices in response to the groupcast message including an information request directed to the other devices. The group of devices may include a designated group leader which may manage one or more aspects of the communications of the other devices in the group. The designated group leader may be dynamically switched based at least on the received feedback information. The devices in the group may use beamforming for intra-group and inter-group sidelink communications for efficient spectrum usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhang, Wanping Zhang, Fangli Xu, Haitong Sun, Pengkai Zhao, Jia Tang, Wei Zeng, Yuqin Chen, Haijing Hu, Sami M. Almalfouh, Dawei Zhang, Johnson O. Sebeni
  • Patent number: 11646591
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for a displaying a user interface including a visual indication that an electronic device is in a protective charging mode. While the electronic device is in a charging configuration with respect to an external power source, an energy-storage component of the electronic device is charged with power supplied by the external power source. After charging the energy-storage component, a user interface is displayed. When charging of the energy-storage component is stopped before reaching a full charge level, the user interface includes a visual indication that the electronic device is in a protective charging mode in which charging of the energy-storage component is delayed based on predetermined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vitalii Kramar, Patrick L. Coffman, Caelan G. Stack
  • Patent number: 11644941
    Abstract: In one implementation, a method of manipulating animation timing is provided by a device including one or more processors coupled to non-transitory memory. The method includes displaying, using a display, a timeline for an animation of an object moving along a path, wherein the timeline includes a plurality of ticks, wherein each of the plurality of ticks is associated with a respective distance along the timeline and a respective distance along the path, wherein the respective distance along the timeline is proportional to an amount of time for the object to move the respective distance along the path. The method includes receiving, using one or more input devices, an input within the timeline. The method includes, in response to receiving the input within the timeline, changing the respective distances along the timeline of two or more of the plurality of ticks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Karen Natalie Wong, James Graham McCarter, Jee Young Park
  • Patent number: 11644917
    Abstract: An electronic device, while displaying a first user interface, detects an input for an input object, detects that first hover proximity criteria are met by the input object, and displays first visual feedback. While displaying the first visual feedback, the device detects a change in a current value of a hover proximity parameter of the input object and that second hover proximity criteria are met by the input object after the change. In response to detecting that the second hover proximity criteria are met, the device displays second visual feedback, distinct from the first visual feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mark K. Hauenstein, Jeffrey T. Bernstein, Julian Missig, Marek A. Bereza
  • Patent number: 11647324
    Abstract: An audio speaker having an adsorptive insert in a speaker back volume, is disclosed. More particularly, an embodiment includes an adsorptive insert having a rigid open-pore body formed by bonded adsorptive particles. The rigid open-pore body includes interconnected macropores that transport air from the speaker back volume to adsorptive micropores in the bonded adsorptive particles during sound generation. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Wilk, Ruchir M. Dave, Scott P. Porter, Daniel T. McDonald
  • Patent number: 11644911
    Abstract: Button functionalities for user interfaces, e.g., for use with a portable multifunction device, are disclosed. Exemplary button functionalities are described for an electronic device with a display, a rotatable and depressible input mechanism, and/or a button. Different device features may be accessed, depending on whether the rotatable and depressible input mechanism or the button is activated, and further depending on whether the activation represents a single press, a double press, or an extended press on the rotatable and depressible input mechanism or the button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Patrick Foss, Anton M. Davydov, Dylan Ross Edwards, Imran Chaudhri, Alan C. Dye, Jonathan P. Ive, Stephen O. Lemay, Kevin M. Lynch, Lawrence Y. Yang, Dennis S. Park
  • Patent number: D985552
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Markus Diebel, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Mikael Silvanto, Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer