Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 10685553
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for providing an output for an electronic device. In certain embodiments, an alert is output in accordance with a current alert mode, which are selected based on one or more environmental conditions. The environmental conditions may be detected using one or more environmental sensors. The alert can optionally include one or more of: an audio component, a haptic component and a visual component. One or more of alert components correspond to an aspect of the environmental condition detected by the one or more environmental sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Yang, Jonathan R. Dascola, Camille Moussette, Hugo D. Verweij, Jonah A. Harley, John B. Morrell
  • Patent number: 10682694
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus comprising feedback-assisted control of the heating process in rapid discharge heating and forming of metallic glass articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: Glassimetal Technology, Inc., Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Schramm, Marios D. Demetriou, William L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10686651
    Abstract: End-to-end techniques for creating PM (Performance Measurement) thresholds at a NFVI (Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure) are discussed. In various aspects, techniques are discussed for: creating PM jobs at the NFVI based on a request from a NM (Network Manager), creating thresholds to monitor PM data collected in connection with PM jobs based on a request from the NM, subscribing the NM to TC (threshold crossing) notifications based on a request from the NM, and reporting TC notifications to the NM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joey Chou, Xuesong Wang
  • Patent number: 10684708
    Abstract: A user input system including a stylus and an electronic device. A user may manipulate the stylus across an input surface of the electronic device and the movement may be detected using axially-aligned electric fields generated by the stylus. The stylus may also include a force-sensitive structure that can be used to estimate a force applied to the electronic device by the stylus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aidan N. Zimmerman, Wingshan Wong, Kevin Armendariz, Nathan Bohney, Christopher Pasma, Mahmoud Amini, Brenton A. Baugh, Ryan P. Brooks
  • Patent number: 10683591
    Abstract: An item such as a removable device cover or a portable electronic device may have a fabric hinge. The item may have first and second structures that are configured to rotate relative to each other. The fabric hinge may have first and second fabric layers that are coupled to the first structure and third and fourth fabric layers that are coupled to the second structure. A center portion of the fabric hinge may have one side that is coupled to the first and second fabric layers and an opposing second side that is coupled to the third and fourth fabric layers. In the center portion, first strands of material may extend outwardly into the first and fourth fabric layers and second parallel strands that are interspersed with the first strands may extend outwardly into the second and third fabric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Podhajny, Daniel D. Sunshine, Didio V. Gomes, Kevin M. Robinson, Mariel L. Lanas, Ari P. Miller, Houtan Farahani
  • Patent number: 10684822
    Abstract: In an example method, an electronic device receives data regarding a graphical user interface to be presented on a display of the electronic device. The electronic device identifies one or more key regions of the graphical user interface based on the received data and one or more rules. The one or more rules pertain to at least one of a geometric shape, a geometric size, a location, or a hierarchical property. The graphical user interface is presented on the display of the electronic device, and the at least one of the key regions of the graphical user interface is indicated using the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Patti Pei-Chin Hoa, Gregory F. Hughes, Reginald Dean Hudson
  • Patent number: 10686510
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for supporting a beamforming antenna system in a mobile broadband communication network with an improved beam pattern, beam sweep pattern, pilot channel design with feedback and reporting rules, and control signaling design. Specifically, the improved beam pattern includes a method of supporting wireless communications in a wireless network forming at least two spatial beams within a cell segment where the at least two spatial beams are associated with different power levels, and separately, where at least two spatial beams can be moved across the cell segment according to a unique sweep pattern. The pilot channel design improves network bandwidth performance and improves user mobility tracking. Feedback and reporting rules can be established using a particular field designator, CQI, in the preferred embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Song, Lai King Tee, Jun Li
  • Patent number: 10684656
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices with intelligent barometric vents. An intelligent barometric vent may provide a moisture-resistant opening between an environment external to a housing of the device and an internal cavity within the housing. The moisture-resistant opening may include a moisture-resistant cover over the opening, the cover having a cover-integrated sensor to detect occlusions of the opening. The device may also include occlusion mitigation components within the housing that operate, responsive to a detected occlusion, to at least partially remove the occlusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David MacNeil, Roberto M. Ribeiro, William S. Lee
  • Patent number: 10684670
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for an inter-processor communication (IPC) link between two (or more) independently operable processors. In one aspect, the IPC protocol is based on a “shared” memory interface for run-time processing (i.e., the independently operable processors each share (either virtually or physically) a common memory interface). In another aspect, the IPC communication link is configured to support a host driven boot protocol used during a boot sequence to establish a basic communication path between the peripheral and the host processors. Various other embodiments described herein include sleep procedures (as defined separately for the host and peripheral processors), and error handling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Karan Sanghi, Saurabh Garg, Haining Zhang
  • Patent number: 10686974
    Abstract: A camera module includes a lens carrier that houses a lens, electrical components of optical path modifiers positioned on the lens carrier, an image sensor, and a controller that is to generate commands for operating the optical path modifiers. A printed circuit assembly positioned on the lens carrier is electrically coupled to suspension wires. The printed circuit assembly includes a printed circuit that has installed thereon a serial bus communications interface circuit that is to receive the commands from the controller through one of the suspension wires, and a translation circuit that is to translate the commands into control signals that are to operate or drive the optical path modifiers via the electrical components and according to the commands, respectively. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Douglas S. Brodie
  • Patent number: 10686767
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide convenient auto-authentication for user data on a primary device, while still providing a significant level of security, by taking advantage of existing security and cryptographic measures used to communicate with a secondary device. The primary device of some embodiments encrypts the user data on the primary device using a cryptographic key based on a set of keys received from the secondary device. In some embodiments, the primary device encrypts authentication data, or a local key generated from the authentication data, using a remote key received from the secondary device, and encrypts the user data with the local key. In some embodiments, the keys received from the secondary device are an existing set of keys for establishing an encrypted channel of communication for transmitting digital rights management (DRM) protected content according to a DRM protection scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell D. Adler, Andrew Roger Whalley
  • Patent number: 10686561
    Abstract: Methods described herein are for wireless communication systems. One aspect of the invention is directed to a method for a HARQ process, in which the HARQ process includes a first transmission of an encoder packet and at least one retransmission. The method involves allocating a transmission resource for each respective transmission. The method involves transmitting control information from a base station to a mobile station for each respective transmission. The control information includes information to uniquely identify the HARQ process and an identification of one of a time resource, a frequency resource and a time and frequency resource that is allocated for the transmission. In some embodiments of the invention, specific control information is signalled from a base station to a mobile station to enable RAS-HARQ operation. In some embodiments of the invention, retransmission signaling in included as part of regular unicast signaling used for both first transmission and retransmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mo-han Fong, Sophie Vrzic, Robert Novak, Jun Yuan, Dong-Sheng Yu
  • Patent number: 10687251
    Abstract: A robust header compression (ROHC) controller provides for service flow processing of a ROHC channel in a WiMAX wireless communication system. The ROHC controller controls the negotiations of the MS ROHC capabilities during its registration and the negotiations of the ROHC channel parameters during ROHC enabled service flow setup; the MS ROHC capabilities including ROHC compression and decompression capabilities and ROHC channel and feedback strategies; the channel parameter negotiation covers the ROHC profile set and feedback channel information in addition to the 16e/12D standard. The ROHC controller receives a service flow request for a ROHC enabled service flow, wherein the request includes a QoS profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Qingchao Liu, Wenhui Yuan, Randy Kuang
  • Publication number: 20200184798
    Abstract: Companion and accessory devices can be wirelessly leashed together in a manner that enables the devices to estimate their proximities to each other. One device can periodically attempt to detect a signal from the other device. For each attempt, the attempting device can store an indication of whether the signal was detected. Further, a companion device or accessory device can detect signals from different wireless-capable devices in an environment. The companion device or the accessory device can configure an interface displayed on the companion device or the accessory device, respectively, based on signal information about the different wireless-capable devices in the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Tyler D. Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20200183870
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that can allow chipsets in an electronic device to share information such that they can more efficiently utilize resources that are available in the electronic device. One example can provide a bus that is shared by three or more chipsets in an electronic device. This shared bus can be used by the chipsets in the electronic device to communicate and negotiate for the utilization of resources of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Farouk Belghoul, Paul V. Flynn, Tideya Kella, Vijay Kumar Ramamurthi
  • Publication number: 20200183058
    Abstract: Light-absorbing flange lenses that may be used in the lens stacks of compact lens systems. In a light-absorbing flange lens, the effective area of the lens is composed of a transparent optical material, and at least a portion of the flange of the lens is composed of an optical material that absorbs at least a portion of the light that enters the flange. Using light-absorbing flange lenses may allow the lens barrel to be eliminated from the lens system, thus reducing the X-Y dimensions of the lens system when compared to conventional compact lens systems that include a lens stack enclosed in a lens barrel. In addition, using a light-absorbing material in the flanges of the light-absorbing flange lenses may reduce or eliminate optical aberrations such as lens flare, haze, and ghosting in images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20200187381
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments related to a component for use in a portable electronic device. The component includes a wall of the portable electronic device, containing an intake zone that includes a set of intake vents. The wall also includes an exhaust zone containing a set of exhaust vents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy D. Bataillou, Jay S. Nigen, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Ron A. Hopkinson, Charles A. Schwalbach, Matthew P. Casebolt, Nicholas A. Rundle, Frank F. Liang
  • Publication number: 20200187351
    Abstract: Connector receptacles that may be space efficient and provide a direct connection to a flexible circuit board. One example may provide an electronic device having a receptacle including a recess formed in a housing of the electronic device. The recess may have a sidewall and a bottom surface portion, and the bottom surface portion may include one or more openings extending through the bottom surface portion from an external surface to an internal surface. One or more contacts formed on a flexible circuit board may be aligned with the one or more openings in the bottom surface portion. In this way, the receptacle may be space efficient and provide a direct connection to a flexible circuit board inside an electronic device. A cosmetic cap may be placed in the recess to obscure the existence of the connector receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin J. Verhoeve, Jason C. Sauers, Benjamin J. Kallman
  • Patent number: D887185
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alice Marlin Brugger, Manuel DeJesus, Joshua Robert Edwards, Jean-Marc Gady, Wesley Bryan Hamm, Russell John Kaaihue Heirakuji, Allison Inouye, Moritz Wilsberg
  • Patent number: D887443
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mani Amini, Taylor Gerard Carrigan, Chanaka Karunamuni