Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 10693477
    Abstract: An oscillator subsystem included in a phase-locked loop circuit of a computer system may include coarse and fine-tuning circuits. The coarse-tuning circuit may generate a coarse-tuning current based on a reference voltage, and the fine-tuning circuit may generate a fine-tuning current by combining respective currents generated by first and second complement current mirror circuits using a voltage level of a control signal. An oscillator circuit may generate a clock signal whose frequency is based on a combination of the coarse and fine-tuning circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Cristian Marcu
  • Patent number: 10694010
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a cover sheet having a feature that is configured to interface with a camera of the electronic device. The cover sheet has a contoured blind recess formed along an inner surface. The contoured blind recess is configured to receive at least a portion of a lens of a camera system. A contour of the contoured blind recess corresponds with a contour of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Christopher D. Jones
  • Patent number: 10690837
    Abstract: A display such as a liquid crystal display may have an array of pixels that is illuminated using backlight illumination from a backlight. The backlight may have a light guide layer that distributes light from light-emitting diodes across the display. The light guide layer may have a planar portion that provides backlight illumination to the array of pixels and may have bent edge portions that curve out of the plane of the planar portion. Light scattering structures may be formed in the planar portion to extract backlight illumination from the light guide layer. A light sensor adjacent to the bent portion may monitor leaked light. The light guide layer may have two bent portions on opposing edges of the light guide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Rong Liu, Mengyang Liang, Yu P. Sun, Jun Qi, Victor H. Yin
  • Patent number: 10687592
    Abstract: A woven fabric includes light transmissive fibers woven into the fabric to provide a visual display. The fabric may be used as a tether to releasably connect a portable electronic device to a user. The light transmissive fibers may transmit light to convey information to the user. The fabric may also be used as part of the housing of an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Weber, Teodor Dabov
  • Patent number: 10688624
    Abstract: A composite material is disclosed which includes a plastic layer formed on a layer of metal. The metal layer includes pores into which an adhesive is introduced. The plastic layer is injection molded onto the metal layer so as to contact the adhesive in the pores. The plastic layer is thus bonded to the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James R. Krogdahl, Derek C. Krass, Paul Choiniere
  • Patent number: 10691685
    Abstract: The subject technology provides for converting natural language input to structured queries. The subject technology receives a user input query in a natural language format. The subject technology determines scores for candidate entities derived from the user input query. The subject technology selects an entity with a highest score among the candidate entities, and converts, using a context-free grammar, the user input query to a structured query based at least in part on the selected entity. The subject technology classifies the structured query to an expected answer type, the expected answer type corresponding to a type of an expected answer of the structured query. The subject technology queries a database based on the expected answer type and the structured query, the database including information corresponding to a knowledge graph. The subject technology provides, for display, an answer to the user input query based on a result of querying the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vishal Verma, Gang Xiang, Vishnu Konda, Chetan V. Kale
  • Patent number: 10691883
    Abstract: Providing an infinite or seemingly infinite canvas as a workspace is disclosed. In some embodiments, an ability to add to a displayed canvas and view simultaneously one or more table objects, each of which has associated with it an ability to define the content of a first cell by reference to one or more other cells such that the content of the first cell is updated automatically and without further human intervention if the content of one or more of the one or more other cells is changed, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Roger Rock Rosner, Jay Christopher Capela, Yaniv Gur, Christopher Douglas Weeldreyer, Matthew Ross Lehrian
  • Patent number: 10691286
    Abstract: Dynamic window and cursor shadows are described. In some implementations, graphical user interface display objects can be configured with elevation offset information to give the display objects a three-dimensional surface that can have pixels of varying height. In some implementations, shadows that are rendered upon display objects configured with pixel elevation offset information can be adjusted to reflect the three-dimensional surface of the objects thereby better approximating real-life shadows. In some implementations, shadows can be dynamically rendered in real-time and adjusted according to the elevations of display objects onto which they are cast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas V. King, Duncan Robert Kerr
  • Patent number: 10693516
    Abstract: An electronic device may include control circuitry, sensors, and wireless circuitry having antennas. The sensors may generate sensor data that is used by the control circuitry to identify an operating environment for the device. The sensor data may include a grip map generated by a touch-sensitive display, infrared facial recognition image signals or other image signals, an angle of arrival of sound received by a set of microphones, impedance data from an impedance sensor, and any other desired sensor data. The control circuitry may use the sensor data, radio-frequency spatial ranging data, information about whether audio is being played over an ear speaker, and/or information about communications protocols in use to identify the operating environment. The control circuitry may adjust antenna settings for the wireless circuitry based on the identified operating environment to ensure that the antennas operate with satisfactory antenna efficiency regardless of operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Han, Matthew A. Mow, Mattia Pascolini, Ruben Caballero, Thomas E. Biedka, Yuancheng Xu, Iyappan Ramachandran
  • Patent number: 10691490
    Abstract: A hardware scheduling circuit may receive priority indications for a plurality of threads for processing, by an execution unit, multiple data samples associated with a signal. A particular thread of the plurality of threads may be scheduled for execution by the execution unit based on a priority of the particular thread and based on an availability of some of the multiple data samples that are to be processed by the particular thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard T. Witek, Peter C. Eastty
  • Patent number: 10694129
    Abstract: Systems and methods for down-scaling are provided. In one example, a method for processing image data includes determining a plurality of output pixel locations using a position value stored by a position register, using the current position value to select a center input pixel from the image data and selecting an index value, selecting a set of input pixels adjacent to the center input pixel, selecting a set of filtering coefficients from a filter coefficient lookup table using the index value, filtering the set of source input pixels to apply a respective one of the set of filtering coefficients to each of the set of source input pixels to determine an output value for the current output pixel at the current position value, and correcting chromatic aberrations in the set of source input pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Simon Wolfenden Butler, Joseph Anthony Petolino, Jr., Joseph P. Bratt
  • Patent number: 10694169
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an image sensor structure includes a super-pixel sensor comprising a plurality of micro-pixel sensors. The image sensor structure includes a plurality of micro-lenses affixed to focus light on the plurality of micro-pixel sensors. In some embodiments, each micro-lens of the plurality of micro-lenses directs light to locations on a respective one or more of the plurality of micro-pixel sensors. In some embodiments, the image sensor structure includes one or more color filters affixed at locations for filtering light directed by the micro-lenses to a first set of color image micro-pixel sensors comprising one or more of the plurality of micro-pixel sensors for capturing color image data and one or more polarization filters affixed at locations for filtering light directed by the micro-lenses to a second set of polarization micro-pixel sensors comprising one or more of the plurality of micro-pixel sensors for capturing depth map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Topliss, Albert A. Ho, Thomas M. Gregory, Ning Y. Chan, Richard H. Tsai
  • Patent number: 10690946
    Abstract: Flexible photonic crystal structures capable of changing color in response to strain are described. Methods for forming two-dimensional and three-dimensional flexible photonic crystal structures are described. In some aspects, the flexible photonic crystal structures include an array of holes or voids formed within a flexible material. The flexible material changes dimensions of the array when the flexible photonic crystal structures is stretched, pulled, pushed or bent. In some aspects, the flexible photonic crystal structures include an array of features made of a first material, such as a first type of polymer, embedded within a matrix material made of a second material, such as a second type of polymer. The flexible photonic crystal structures can be used in the manufacture of consumer products, such as electronic products, electronic product accessories, thin films, flexible displays and wearable products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: James R. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10691169
    Abstract: A cover for an electronic device and methods of forming a cover is disclosed. The electronic device may include a housing, and a cover coupled to the housing. The cover may have an inner surface having at least one of an intermediate polish and a final polish, a groove formed on the inner surface, and an outer surface positioned opposite the inner surface. The outer surface may have at least one of the intermediate polish and the final polish. The cover may also have a rounded perimeter portion formed between the inner surface and the outer surface. The rounded perimeter portion may be positioned adjacent the groove. The method for forming the cover may include performing a first polishing process on the sapphire component using a polishing tool, and performing a second polishing process on the groove of the sapphire component forming the cover using blasting media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Mylvaganam, Erik G. de Jong, Dale N. Memering, Xiao Bing Cai, Palaniappan Chinnakaruppan, Jong Kong Lee, Srikanth Kamireddi, Sawako Kamei, Feng Min, Jing Zhang, Xiang Du, Sai Feng Liu
  • Patent number: 10687718
    Abstract: This relates to systems and methods for determining one or more of a user's physiological signals. The one or more of the user's physiological signals can be determined by measuring pulsatile blood volume changes. Motion artifacts included in the signals can be canceled or reduced by measuring non-pulsatile blood volume changes and adjusting the signal to account for the non-pulsatile blood information. Non-pulsatile blood volume changes can be measured using at least one set of light emitter-light sensor. The light emitter can be located in close proximity (e.g., less than or equal to 1 mm away) to the light sensor, thereby limiting light emitted by the light emitter to blood volume without interacting with one or more blood vessels and/or arterioles. In some examples, the systems can further include an accelerometer configured to measure the user's acceleration, and the acceleration signal can be additionally be used for compensating for motion artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Rui Peterson, Ueyn L. Block, Vivek Venugopal
  • Patent number: 10689175
    Abstract: A package may include a tray configured to receive a product. The product may be retained or positioned in the tray by a fixed anchor and one or more movable anchors. One or more paper springs may be coupled to the movable anchors, and bias the movable anchors in a retention configuration whereby the product is retained or positioned in a first configuration. Upon actuation of the movable anchors, and overcoming the spring force imparted by the paper spring, the product may be released from the packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Mundt
  • Patent number: 10692333
    Abstract: An electronic device receives an incoming communication and determines that the device is in a first use context. In response to receiving the incoming communication, the device provides first feedback that includes a first ongoing audio output that corresponds to the first use context and a first ongoing tactile output with a first tactile output profile that corresponds to the first use context. While providing the first ongoing audio output and the first ongoing tactile output, the device detects that the electronic device is in a second use context, different from the first use context. In response to detecting that the electronic device is in the second use context, the device provides second feedback that includes a second ongoing tactile output that has a second tactile output profile that corresponds to the second use context.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Camille Moussette, Duncan R. Kerr, Joshua B. Kopin, Miao He, Jules K. Fennis, Hugo D. Verweij, Matthew I. Brown, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Afrooz Family
  • Patent number: 10691330
    Abstract: An electronic device with a front side including a touch-sensitive display, a back side that does not include a display, and sensor(s) to detect contact intensities on the front and back side displays, on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface including objects. While displaying the user interface, the device detects an input on a side of the electronic device. In response, for a front side input with intensity that meets first criteria, the device performs a first operation corresponding to a first object; for front side input with intensity that meets second criteria, the device performs a second operation corresponding to the first object; for back side input with intensity that meets third criteria, the device performs a third operation that changes the user interface; and for back side input with intensity that does not meet the third criteria, the device maintains display of the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Golnaz Abdollahian, Wayne C. Westerman
  • Patent number: 10689783
    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: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Podhajny, Daniel D. Sunshine, Kathryn P. Crews
  • Patent number: D888049
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Daniele De Iuliis, 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, Christopher J. Stringer, Joe Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörefer