Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 10623461
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for distributing a playlist of a user. The systems and methods receive an indication from the user of a song to add to the playlist and adds the song to the playlist. In aspects, the systems and methods analyze the playlist to determine whether an attribute of the playlist meets a specified parameter. In some cases, the specified parameter can be met if a musical attribute of the song is similar to a music profile of one of the users, or if an amount of songs on the playlist meets or exceeds a specified threshold. The systems and methods can enable the user to distribute the playlist either publicly or to a specified set of users if the specified parameter of the playlist is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Trent Reznor, Rob Sheridan, Joel Brosjo, Fredric Vinna, Brian Frank, Ola Sars
  • Patent number: 10620300
    Abstract: A sensing device includes a first array of sensing elements, which output a signal indicative of a time of incidence of a single photon on the sensing element. A second array of processing circuits are coupled respectively to the sensing elements and comprise a gating generator, which variably sets a start time of the gating interval for each sensing element within each acquisition period, and a memory, which records the time of incidence of the single photon on each sensing element in each acquisition period. A controller controls the gating generator during a first sequence of the acquisition periods so as to sweep the gating interval over the acquisition periods and to identify a respective detection window for the sensing element, and during a second sequence of the acquisition periods, to fix the gating interval for each sensing element to coincide with the respective detection window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Anup K. Sharma, Arnaud Laflaquière, Gennadiy A. Agranov, Gershon Rosenblum, Shingo Mandai
  • Patent number: 10623744
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for coding video data in a manner that provides consistency to portions of the video that have similar content. According to such techniques, a video sequence may be parsed into partitions and content of the partitions may be analyzed. Partitions may be grouped together based on detected similarities in content. Coding parameters may be selected for each partition based on the partition's membership in the groups. Thus, when the video sequence is coded, coding parameters for frames of two commonly-grouped partitions may be similar, which causes coded video data to have similar presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mei Guo, Jun Xin, Yeping Su, Chris Y. Chung, Xiaosong Zhou, Hsi-Jung Wu
  • Patent number: 10622820
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a wireless charging transmitter coil includes: a support structure having an outer perimeter surrounding a contact housing and having first and second channels extending from the outer perimeter to the contact housing; first and second contacts positioned within the contact housing; and a wire wound around the outer perimeter of the support structure, the wire having a first end that extends through the first channel and a second end that extends through the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Jol, Christopher S. Graham, Demetrios B. Karanikos
  • Patent number: 10624173
    Abstract: An invisible, light-transmissive display system with a light resistant material is provided. Substantially invisible holes penetrate through at least a portion of the light resistant material in a predetermined light-transmissive display pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bartley K. Andre, Daniel Coster, Richard Howarth, Daniele de Iuliis, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Kerr, Jivan Kumar Khosla, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Rohrbach, Doug B. Satzger, Calvin Seid, Christopher Stringer, Eugene Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer
  • Patent number: 10620787
    Abstract: An electronic device receives a message and identifying, in the received message, an entity and an item of contact information associated with the entity. The electronic device determines that a contact associated with the identified entity exists among a plurality of contacts in a database and that the contact does not comprise the identified item of contact information. In response to the determining, the electronic device updates the contact to comprise the item of contact information and an indication that the item of contact information is a suggested item of contact information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Gross, Lawrence Y. Yang, Stephen O. Lemay, Tiffany S. Jon
  • Patent number: 10622538
    Abstract: Haptic interfaces are described. One haptic interface includes a piezoelectric body and first and second electrodes coupled to the piezoelectric body. The haptic interface also includes a control circuit. The control circuit includes a haptic actuator, a haptic sensor circuit, and an overcurrent protection circuit. The haptic actuator circuit is coupled to the first electrode and configured to charge the piezoelectric body. The charging causes the piezoelectric body to provide a haptic output. The haptic sensor circuit is coupled to the second electrode and configured to sense an electrical change at the second electrode. The electrical change is related to a haptic input received by the piezoelectric body. The overcurrent protection circuit is coupled to the second electrode and configured to limit a current flow into the haptic sensor circuit while the haptic actuator circuit is charging the piezoelectric body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zhipeng Zhang, Richard H. Koch, Teera Songatikamas
  • Patent number: 10621076
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention propose a method for mobile phone and instrument control a system using the method. The method for mobile phone and instrument control is performed by a processing unit and comprises the following steps: reading one script; determining what a destination is according to the script; if the destination is a mobile phone, transmitting a first control command to the mobile phone according to the script; and if the destination is one of a plurality of instruments, transmitting a second control command to the instrument according to the script.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Haibo Xu
  • Patent number: 10620794
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays a first authentication user interface on the display, the first authentication user interface including a text entry field for entering a text-based authentication code; detects a first input by a user on the touch-sensitive surface while displaying the first authentication user interface; in response to detecting the first input, displays a second authentication user interface on the display, distinct from the first authentication user interface, the second authentication user interface configured for entering a gesture-based authentication code; while displaying the second authentication user interface, detects one or more gestures by the user at locations on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to locations on the second authentication user interface; and authenticates the user in accordance with a determination that the detected one or more gestures correspond to a gesture-based authentication code for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Hayden Cotterill, Jake M. Logan, Oleksandr Kuvshynov, Erik M. Cressall, Brandon J. Casey, Jeffrey Paul McCurdy Hultquist
  • Patent number: 10624217
    Abstract: A housing for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The housing is composed of yttria-sensitized zirconia. Yttria-sensitized zirconia has from about 1.5 to about 2.5 mole percent yttria, and more typically about 2 mole percent yttria, and most typically 2 mole percent yttria, in zirconia. Yttria-sensitized zirconia is both tough and able to limit the formation and propagation of micro-cracks. Methods for manufacturing yttria-sensitized zirconia composed housings are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Naoto Matsuyuki, Dale N. Memering, Theodore A. Waniuk, Kazuya Takagi, Colin M. Ely
  • Patent number: 10620490
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display having a thin-film transistor layer. One or more holes in the thin-film transistor layer may be used to form pathways from display circuitry to other circuitry underneath the display. One or more conductive bridges may pass through holes in the thin-film transistor layer and may have one end that couples to the display circuitry and a second end that couples to a printed circuit underneath the display. These conductive bridges may be formed from wire bonding. Wire bond connections may be encapsulated with potting material to improve the reliability of the wire bond and increase the resiliency of the display. Display signal lines may be routed through holes in a thin-film transistor layer to run along a backside of the display thereby reducing the need for space in the border region for display circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul S. Drzaic, Jeremy C. Franklin, Stephen Brian Lynch, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin M. Rappoport, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, John P. Ternus
  • Patent number: 10623007
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an oscillator circuit that may generate a clock signal with a frequency that is based on a voltage level of a control node, and a charge pump circuit that includes a first current source and a second current source. The first current source may be coupled between a first supply node and a first circuit node. The second current source may be coupled between a second supply node and a second circuit node. The charge pump circuit may be configured to pre-charge the first and second circuit nodes to voltage levels that differ from the control node and the first and second supply nodes. In addition, the charge pump circuit may select, based on phase information, either the first or second circuit node, and then modify, based on a voltage level of the selected circuit node, a voltage level of the control node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert K. Kong, Shaobo Liu, Dennis M. Fischette, Jr., Patrick J Landy
  • Patent number: 10623864
    Abstract: An audio speaker having a suspension system including a surround to support a diaphragm within a frame and to reduce non-pistonic motion of the diaphragm at several resonant frequencies is disclosed. More particularly, embodiments of the surround include a film that undulates in a peripheral direction around the diaphragm and includes several undulations above and below a radial gap between the diaphragm and the frame. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Pablo Seoane Vieites, Christopher Wilk, Suzanne Hardy, Alexander V. Salvatti, Oliver Leonhardt, Scott P. Porter
  • Patent number: 10620780
    Abstract: A portable electronic device displays icons (e.g., graphical objects) in one or more regions of a user interface of a touch-sensitive display, and detects user input specifying an exchange of positions of icons in the user interface. In some aspects, the respective positions of two icons in a user interface can be selected to exchange positions in the one or more regions of the user interface, and one or both icons can change their visual appearance to indicate their selection status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran A. Chaudhri, Bas Ording, Steven P. Jobs
  • Patent number: 10624214
    Abstract: Readily manufactured structures for sealing or encapsulating devices in system-in-a-package modules, such that the modules are easily assembled, have a low-profile, and are space efficient. One example may provide readily manufactured covers for SIP modules. These modules may be easily assembled by attaching the cover to a top side of a substrate. These SIP modules may have a low-profile, for example when their height is reduced using one or more recesses in a bottom surface of a top of the recess, where the one or more recesses are arranged to accept one or more components. These SIP modules may be made space efficient by placing an edge of a cover near an edge of the substrate and connecting the plating of the cover using side plating on, or vias through, the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Salehi, Takayoshi Katahira, Vu T. Vo, Wyeman Chen, Chang Liu, Dennis R. Pyper, Steven Patrick Cardinali, Lan Hoang, Siddharth Nangia, Meng Chi Lee
  • Patent number: 10621462
    Abstract: Sampling data is disclosed. A region of a map to be rendered is determined. It is determined that a first subregion is included in the region. Data points associated with subregions in a neighborhood of the first subregion are analyzed to determine a regional density of points. Data points associated with the first subregion are sampled based on the regional density of points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Marcel William Watts, Erez Cohen
  • Patent number: 10620765
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel configured to detect objects touching the panel as well as objects that are at a varying proximity to the touch sensor panel. The touch sensor panel includes circuitry that can configure the panel in a mutual capacitance (near field) architecture or a self-capacitance (far field and super far field) architecture. The touch sensor panel can operate in different object sensing modes having different resolutions such as a near field mode, a far field mode, and a super-far field mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Greer Elias, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 10624099
    Abstract: Methods and systems provide for coordinated control between multiple devices of playback of a media track or playlist. The multiple devices may form an ad-hoc network for sharing control of media. A control device may coordinate control of the playlist and facilitate playback of the media at a playback device. Then when the control device leaves the group, a second device in the group will seamlessly become the control device and control playback and playlist coordination. The playback device may also be the control device. The playback advice may be a network-enabled speaker. Where the playback device is separate from the control device, the playback device may maintain sufficient information to operate without a control device until a new control device is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Alsina, Szu-Wen Huang, Steven P. Bischoff, Nicholas J. Paulson, Gregory R. Chapman, David P. Saracino, Jason Ketterman
  • Patent number: 10621945
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus are described to dynamically generate map textures. A client device may obtain map data, which may include one or more shapes described by vector graphics data. Along with the one or more shapes, embodiments may include texture indicators linked to the one or more shapes. Embodiments may render the map data. For one or more shapes, a texture definition may be obtained. Based on the texture definition, a client device may dynamically generate a texture for the shape. The texture may then be applied to the shape to render a current fill portion of the shape. In some embodiments the render map view is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marcel Van Os, Patrick S. Piemonte, Billy P. Chen, Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 10623045
    Abstract: A receiver for reducing a distortion component within a baseband receive signal is provided. The baseband receive signal is derived from a radio frequency signal. The receiver includes a signal generation unit configured to generate a local oscillator signal. The local oscillator signal comprises a first signal component having a first frequency related to a desired signal component of the radio frequency signal, and a second signal component having a second frequency related to a frequency of an interfering signal. The receiver further includes a mixer coupled to the signal generation unit. The mixer is configured to receive the local oscillator signal, wherein the mixer receives the local oscillator signal with the interfering signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Tertinek