Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Publication number: 20200111236
    Abstract: A system comprises an encoder configured to compress attribute information for a point cloud and/or a decoder configured to decompress compressed attribute information. Attribute values for at least one starting point are included in a compressed attribute information file and attribute correction values are included in the compressed attribute information file. Attribute values are predicted based, at least in part, on attribute values of neighboring points. The predicted attribute values are compared to attribute values of a point cloud prior to compression to determine attribute correction values. In order to improve computing efficiency and/or repeatability, fixed-point number representations are used when determining predicted attribute values and attribute correction values. A decoder follows a similar prediction process as an encoder and corrects predicted values using attribute correction values included in a compressed attribute information file using fixed-point number representations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Valery G. Valentin, Fabrice A. Robinet, Khaled Mammou, Jungsun Kim, Yeping Su
  • Publication number: 20200112195
    Abstract: An electronic device and methods for inductively charging an electronic device using another external electronic device. The electronic device may include an enclosure, a battery positioned within the enclosure, and an inductive coil coupled to the battery. The inductive coil may have two or more operational modes, including a power receiving operational mode for wirelessly receiving power and a power transmitting operational mode for wirelessly transmitting power. The electronic device may also have a controller coupled to the inductive coil for selecting one of the operational modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Darshan R. Kasar, Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol
  • Patent number: 10616867
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting high speed data on fixed rate and for variable rate channels. The system and method provides the flexibility of adjusting the data rate, the coding rate, and the nature of individual retransmissions. Further, the system and method supports partial soft combining of retransmitted data with previously transmitted data, supports parity bit selection for successive retransmissions, and supports various combinations of data rate variations, coding rate variations, and partial data transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wen Tong, Leo L. Strawczynski, Shalini Periyalwar, Claude Royer
  • Patent number: 10616471
    Abstract: Techniques are described for automated analysis and filtering of image data. Image data is analyzed to identify regions of interest (ROIs) within the image content. The image data also may have depth estimates applied to content therein. One or more of the ROIs may be designated to possess a base depth, representing a depth of image content against which depths of other content may be compared. Moreover, the depth of the image content within a spatial area of an ROI may be set to be a consistent value, regardless of depth estimates that may have been assigned from other sources. Thereafter, other elements of image content may be assigned content adjustment values in gradients based on their relative depth in image content as compared to the base depth and, optionally, based on their spatial distance from the designated ROI. Image content may be adjusted based on the content adjustment values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Claus Molgaard, Paul M. Hubel, Ziv Attar, Ilana Volfin
  • Patent number: 10615853
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a beamforming device (200), including: a first beamforming circuit (201) configured to generate a first beam (211) based on a first set of beamforming coefficients; a second beamforming circuit (202) configured to generate a second beam (212) based on a second set of beamforming coefficients; and a scheduling circuit (203) configured to allocate (204, 206) a first set of frequency resources, a second set of frequency resources, the first set of beamforming coefficients and the second set of beamforming coefficients to a plurality of mobile stations (UE0, UE1, UE2) based on an optimality criterion related to a target scheduling metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Honglei Miao, Bernhard Raaf, Michael Faerber
  • Patent number: 10615953
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for compensating carrier or clock signal phase fluctuations. An apparatus comprises a digital phase locked loop (210) comprising a phase error output (214) for a phase error (216) between a reference signal (218) and an output signal (212) generated by the digital phase locked loop, and a phase rotator (220) coupled to the phase error output (214) and configured to rotate a phase of a data signal based on the phase error (216).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Uri Perlmutter, Michael Kerner, Uri Parker
  • Patent number: 10616387
    Abstract: Electronic devices, such as mobile communication devices, may include several enhancements and modification not found on traditional electronic devices. An electronic device can include a circuit board assembly that includes stacked layers of circuit components that are retained in a stacked configuration and operably connected to each other by retention features such as solder joints. Features can be provided for structural support and thermal mitigation. A battery assembly can accommodate nesting of other components, such as display components, within one or more recesses defined by variable thickness along different regions of the battery assemblies. The battery assembly can further provide a slim profile by including notches to accommodate the increased thickness of a pouch having folded flaps to seal a cell module of the battery assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bryan D. Keen, Sina Bigdeli, Sawyer I. Cohen, William A. Counts, Lucy E. Browning, Devon A. Monaco, Jian Yang, Eric W. Bates
  • Patent number: 10614607
    Abstract: A system for processing a handwritten message received by a messaging app can modify playback over time of the handwritten message based on a set of rules to determine how to modify the playback. In one embodiment, graphics data (e.g. vector graphics data) that represents the handwritten message is processed using the rules to determine how to modify the playback such that the resulting playback includes at least one modification over a portion of time of the playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brandon M. Tennant, Conrad R. Carlen, Bradley Griffin
  • Patent number: 10616452
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide an apparatus for controlling the motion of a camera component. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an actuator module. The actuator module includes a plurality of magnets. Each magnet of the plurality of magnets is poled with magnetic domains substantially aligned in the same direction throughout each magnet. The apparatus further includes a coil rigidly disposed around a lens. Each magnet of the plurality of magnets contributes to the forces to adjust focus of the lens based on Lorentz forces generated from the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Topliss, Douglas S. Brodie, Anthony J. Rossetti, Richard H. Tsai, Richard L. Baer
  • Patent number: 10614775
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a main display and an ancillary display that forms a dynamic function row. The device may also have a backlit keyboard with glyphs. The keyboard may have light-emitting diodes that emit backlight illumination. The backlight illumination has a backlight illumination color and intensity. A color ambient light sensor may measure ambient light color and intensity. Control circuitry in the laptop computer may make white point adjustments to the main and ancillary displays. White point adjustments may be made based on factors such as the backlight illumination intensity, information on the nominal white point of a display (which may be comparable to the color of the backlight illumination), information on the ambient light color and intensity, and a white point adaptation scaling factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul V. Johnson, Lu Zhang, Jiaying Wu
  • Patent number: 10613608
    Abstract: A device with a touch-sensitive display and a battery can determine a battery level of the battery, and in accordance with a determination that the battery level is at or below a first threshold value, cause a haptic output and/or enter a low-power mode. While in low-power mode, the device may produce different outputs in response to user inputs than while in a normal power mode. In some embodiments, while in the low-power mode, the device may display only the time and an indication that the device is in a low-power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David Chance Graham, Imran Chaudhri, Alan C. Dye, Christopher Patrick Foss, Jonathan P. Ive, Kevin Lynch, Christopher Wilson, Lawrence Y. Yang
  • Patent number: 10611523
    Abstract: Active packaging for supplying power, data, or both power and data to an electronic media device while the device is housed within the active packaging is provided. The active packaging may include one or more electrical traces in-molded or printed onto the packaging that couple to a suitable connector on the device. Power may also be provided via one or more wireless power techniques. Multiple active packages may be conductively stacked to transmit power, data, or both power and data to a row or stack or devices. POM sensors integrated with or attached to the device (or the active packaging itself) may detect various movement events. Coordinated and synchronized display effects may be presented while the devices are housed within the active packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Rosenblatt
  • Patent number: 10613745
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to user interfaces for receiving user input. In some examples, a device determines which user input technique a user has accessed most recently, and displays the corresponding user interface. In some examples, a device scrolls through a set of information on the display. When a threshold criteria is satisfied, the device displays an index object fully or partially overlaying the set of information. In some examples, a device displays an emoji graphical object, which is visually manipulated based on user input. The emoji graphical object is transmitted to a recipient. In some examples, a device displays paging affordances that enlarge and allow a user to select a particular page of a user interface. In some examples, the device displays user interfaces for various input methods, including multiple emoji graphical objects. In some examples, a keyboard is displays for receiving user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Daamun Mohseni
  • Patent number: 10614750
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally systems and methods for controlling current provided to display devices. A method for controlling the current may include receiving drive current values associated with subpixels in a display and receiving information that corresponds to an application type being rendered on the display and/or an indication of image data being rendered on the display. The method may then include reducing at least some of the drive current values based at least in part on the application type. Alternatively, the method may include reducing the at least a portion of the image data corresponding to the at least some of the drive current values has substantially similar luminance and color values. The method may then include supplying the subpixels with drive currents that correspond to the drive current values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Paul S. Drzaic
  • Patent number: 10613867
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a branch prediction redirection system may include a first branch prediction circuit configured to predict a first target of a branch instruction and a second branch prediction circuit configured to predict a second target of the branch instruction. A redirection circuit may send a pipeline redirection indication in response to the first target differing from the second target. A suppression circuit may prevent the pipeline redirection indication from being sent in response to identifying that data corresponding to the branch instruction indicates a potential multi-hit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sendil Srinivasan, Brett S. Feero
  • Patent number: 10613643
    Abstract: Active styli, methods and non-transitory computer readable storage media can be used for mitigating noise coupling from an active stylus to a touch sensing system. An active stylus can include a force sensor that can be used to detect stylus touch-down and lift-off events. Based on a touch-down and lift-off events, the stylus can generate stimulation signals and ramp up or ramp down the amplitude of the stimulation signals. Additionally or alternatively, an active stylus can receive information to synchronize the active stylus with a touch-sensitive device. Based on the information, the stylus can synchronize generation of stimulation signals with the stylus scan performed by the touch-sensitive device. The stimulation signals can be ramped up during a guard band period before a stylus scan and can be ramped down during a guard band period after the stylus scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shahrooz Shahparnia, Vivek Pant
  • Patent number: 10613741
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application to provide gesture operations for a display of a device. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring, from platform code configured to provide a common framework for handling gesture events, to a program, a rotation transform function call in response to an input that corresponds to a gesture based on two or more concurrent touches. The method includes transferring, via the API, a gesture change function call from the platform code to the program in response to detecting a change in the gesture that corresponds to a change in one or more touches. The method includes, in response to transferring the rotation transform function call and the gesture change function call, performing a rotation transform to rotate a view of the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: D880495
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Dascola, Christopher P. Foss, Heena Ko
  • Patent number: D880521
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alan C. Dye, David C. Graham, Richard D. Lyons, Wan Si Wan
  • Patent number: D880525
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan P. Ive, Eric Lance Wilson