Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 11378813
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera includes a lens assembly in a lens carrier, an image sensor for capturing a digital representation of light transiting the lens, and a voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the voice coil motor includes a spring suspension assembly for moveably mounting the lens carrier to an actuator base, a plurality of permanent magnets mounted to the actuator base through a magnet holder assembly and a focusing coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier and mounted to the actuator base through the suspension assembly. In some embodiments, the permanent magnets each generate a magnetic field of a respective permanent magnet field strength, and the magnet holder assembly generates a holder magnetic field of a holder magnetic field strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Steven Webster, Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11377066
    Abstract: A safety system includes a restraint configured to secure an occupant to a seat, an anchor coupled to the restraint and movable along an anchor guide, an anchor energy-absorbing (EA) device configured to control movement of the anchor along the anchor guide, and a controller that includes a processor configured to receive information indicative of an imminent vehicle event, receive information indicative of a recline angle of the seat being above a recline threshold, and send a command to enable the anchor to move along the anchor guide under control of the anchor EA device based on the information indicative of the imminent vehicle event and the recline angle being above the recline threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Arturo Llamazares Domper, Nathaniel J. Dennis, Alexander M. Zoellner
  • Patent number: 11380260
    Abstract: An electronic device comprises a controller. The controller is configured to provide a first signal to a display of the electronic device to turn off the display. The controller is also configured to provide a second signal to the display to alter a gate source voltage of a drive transistor coupled to a light emitting diode (LED) of a pixel of the display while the display is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Junhua Tan, Kingsuk Brahma, Jie Won Ryu, Shengkui Gao, Shiping Shen, Majid Gharghi, Hyunwoo Nho, Injae Hwang, Kavinaath Murugan, Sun-Il Chang, Chin-Wei Lin, Hyunsoo Kim, Rui Zhang, Jesse Aaron Richmond, Yun Wang, Hung Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 11379952
    Abstract: Generating an image stream may include obtaining image data from a camera, identifying a first subset of the image data including a region of interest, identifying a second subset of the image data different than the first subset of the image data, processing the first subset of image data by a first processing pipeline to obtain a first processed set of image data, processing the second subset of image data by a second processing pipeline to obtain a second processed set of image data, wherein the second processing pipeline processes at a lower quality than the first processing pipeline, and combining the first processed set of image data and the second processed set of image data to obtain a processed image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anup K. Sharma, Andrew K. McMahon
  • Patent number: 11380231
    Abstract: Electronic devices and methods for compensating for aging or other effects in a display during a non-transmitting state (off state) of the display. Sensing may include emissive element sensing of the display and/or thin film transistor sensing of the display. Compensating for the effects may preserve or increase a uniformity of transmission of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chin-Wei Lin, Hung Sheng Lin, Hyunsoo Kim, Hyunwoo Nho, Injae Hwang, Jesse A. Richmond, Jie Won Ryu, Junhua Tan, Kavinaath Murugan, Kingsuk Brahma, Shengkui Gao, Shiping Shen, Sun-Il Chang, Myung-Je Cho, Yafei Bi, Myungjoon Choi, Weichuan Yao, Chaohao Wang
  • Patent number: 11382080
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to providing system information for cell access to link budget limited devices. According to some embodiments, a base station may transmit a master information block (MIB), a first system information block (SIB), and second SIBs. The first SIB and the second SIBs may be configured for different device categories, and may accordingly have different characteristics. For example, the first SIB may be configured for link budget limited devices, and may include information specific to such devices and/or may exclude information not relevant to such devices or not critical to accessing the cell. In some instances, the first SIB may also include information from the MIB, such that at least some devices may be able to decode the first SIB and gain cell access without decoding the MIB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tarik Tabet, Farouk Belghoul, Awais M. Hussain
  • Patent number: 11381514
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-sequential packet transfer. Prior art multi-processor devices implement a complete network communications stack at each processor. The disclosed embodiments provide techniques for delivering network layer (L3) and/or transport layer (L4) data payloads in the order of receipt, rather than according to the data link layer (L2) order. The described techniques enable e.g., earlier packet delivery. Such design topologies can operate within a substantially smaller memory footprint compared to prior art solutions. As a related benefit, applications that are unaffected by data link layer corruptions can receive data immediately (rather than waiting for the re-transmission of an unrelated L4 data flow) and thus the overall network latency can be greatly reduced and user experience can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Karan Sanghi, Saurabh Garg, Cahya Adiansyah Masputra
  • Patent number: 11381747
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera system having a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit includes an autofocus actuator. The autofocus actuator includes a first plurality of magnets for autofocus motion control of components of a first optical package. The first plurality of magnets is positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned in parallel with a first magnetic axis at a right angle to the optical axis of the first optical package. The second camera unit includes an optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator. The optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator includes a second plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a second magnet axis at 45-degrees to the first magnetic axis. The second camera unit includes a third plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a third magnetic axis at 135-degrees to the first magnetic axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Alfred N. Mireault, Simon S. Lee
  • Patent number: 11379996
    Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that use event camera data to track deformable objects such as faces, hands, and other body parts. One exemplary implementation involves receiving a stream of pixel events output by an event camera. The device tracks the deformable object using this data. Various implementations do so by generating a dynamic representation of the object and modifying the dynamic representation of the object in response to obtaining additional pixel events output by the event camera. In some implementations, generating the dynamic representation of the object involves identifying features disposed on the deformable surface of the object using the stream of pixel events. The features are determined by identifying patterns of pixel events. As new event stream data is received, the patterns of pixel events are recognized in the new data and used to modify the dynamic representation of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Kaufmann, Daniel Kurz, Brian Amberg, Yanghai Tsin
  • Patent number: 11380097
    Abstract: Implementations of the subject technology provide visualizations of non-visible features of a physical environment, at the location of the non-visible features in the physical environment. The non-visible features may include wireless communications signals, sounds, airflow, gases, subsonic and/or ultrasonic waves, hidden objects, or the like. A device may store visual contexts for visualizations of particular non-visible features. The device may obtain a depth map that allows the device to determine the location of the non-visible feature in the physical environment and to overlay the visualization on a user's view of that location. In this way, the non-visible feature can be visualized its correct location, orientation, direction and/or strength in the physical environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ying Bai, Kieran Dimond, James Christopher Schneider, Marco Cavallo, Arun Srivatsan Rangaprasad, Tiejian Zhang
  • Patent number: 11380816
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to mass-transfer methods useful for fabricating products containing Light Emitting Diode (LED) structures. LED arrays are transferred from a source substrate to a target substrate by an in-process functional test Known-Good Die (KGD) driven mass-transfer of a plurality of LED devices in a high-speed flexible manner. Certain preferred embodiments using beam-addressed release (BAR) mass-transfer approaches are able to utilize a Known Good Die (KGD) data file of the source substrate in a manner that avoids additional steps, rework and yield losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 11379078
    Abstract: Pre-stored no-touch or no-hover (no-event) sensor output values can initially be used when a sensor panel subsystem is first booted up to establish an initial baseline of sensor output values unaffected by fingers or other objects touching or hovering over the sensor panel during boot-up. This initial baseline can then be normalized so that each sensor generates the same output value for a given amount of touch or hover, providing a uniform response across the sensor panel and enabling subsequent touch or hover events to be more easily detected. After the initial normalization process is complete, the pre-stored baseline can be discarded in favor of a newly captured no-event baseline that may be more accurate than the pre-stored baseline due to temperature or other variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Richards Land, Wayne Carl Westerman, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 11381060
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate with a first set of epitaxial layers formed on an area of the substrate defining a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack. A second set of epitaxial layers formed over the first set defines a quantum well structure, and a third set of epitaxial layers, formed over the second set, defines an upper DBR stack. At least the third set of epitaxial layers is contained in a mesa having sides that are perpendicular to the epitaxial layers. A dielectric coating extends over the sides of at least a part of the mesa that contains the third set of epitaxial layers. Electrodes are coupled to the epitaxial layers so as to apply an excitation current to the quantum well structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arnaud Laflaquière, Marc Drader, Christophe Vérove
  • Patent number: 11382150
    Abstract: Systems and methods of managing PNF connectivity are provided. A NM determines to add to or remove external connectivity from a PNF and transmits a NS update request to a NFVO that contains an identifier of the NS instance to be updated, an indication of a type of update operation requested, and information of the PNF connectivity to be changed. A NS update response contains a lifecycle operation occurrence identifier identifying a NS lifecycle operation occurrence. Separate NS lifecycle change notification from the NFVO indicate that a NS update to change the connectivity of the PNF has started and a result of the change. The notifications include the lifecycle operation occurrence identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joey Chou, Yizhi Yao
  • Patent number: 11379106
    Abstract: While a user is using a computer system, the computer system detects the occurrence of a first plurality of events including a first event corresponding to a first application, wherein the first event is associated with a first time, and a second event corresponding to a second application that is different from the first application, wherein the second event is associated with a second time. At a first delivery time, after the first time and after the second time, the computer system provides notifications corresponding to the first plurality of events as a first bundled notification that includes an indication of the first event and an indication of the second event. A notification for the first event was not provided prior to the first delivery time and a notification for the second event was not provided prior to the first delivery time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: David C. Graham, Heena Ko, Caelan G. Stack, Christopher P. Foss, Justin S. Titi, Matthew E. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 11379113
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to selecting text. An example method includes displaying, a focus indicator at a first location; while displaying the focus indicator, detecting a gesture at a first touch location that corresponds to the focus indicator; while detecting the gesture, detecting movement of the gesture to a second touch location; in response to detecting movement of the gesture to the second touch location: in accordance with a determination that the second touch location is in a first direction, moving the focus indicator to a second indicator location; in accordance with a determination that the second touch location is in a second direction, moving the focus indicator to a third location; while the focus indicator is at a fourth location, detecting liftoff of the gesture; and in response to detecting the liftoff, maintaining display of the focus indicator at the fourth location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan Winer, Patrick L. Coffman, Dylan Ross Edwards, Stephen O. Lemay, Toby Paterson, Marcos Alonso
  • Patent number: D956685
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sawyer Isaac Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Bryan D. Keen, Shayan Malek, Devon A. Monaco
  • Patent number: D956811
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Satoru Hamaguchi, Christopher I. Wilson
  • Patent number: D956812
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan P. Ive, Woo-Ram Lee, Christopher Daryl Soli
  • Patent number: D956815
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ian M. Henderson, Chanaka Karunamuni, Martin Pedrick