Patents Assigned to Apple
  • Patent number: 10610157
    Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
  • Patent number: 10614812
    Abstract: A speech recognition system for resolving impaired utterances can have a speech recognition engine configured to receive a plurality of representations of an utterance and concurrently to determine a plurality of highest-likelihood transcription candidates corresponding to each respective representation of the utterance. The recognition system can also have a selector configured to determine a most-likely accurate transcription from among the transcription candidates. As but one example, the plurality of representations of the utterance can be acquired by a microphone array, and beamforming techniques can generate independent streams of the utterance across various look directions using output from the microphone array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sean A. Ramprashad, Harvey D. Thornburg, Arvindh Krishnaswamy, Aram M. Lindahl
  • Patent number: 10613640
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices with input devices. An input device may include a button or a key of a keyboard that uses a light sensor to detect key press events. The light sensor may detect changes in an amount of received light caused by actuation of a keycap of the button or key. The button or key may include an opaque structure that blocks a portion of the light when the key is compressed. The button or key may include a light source such as a light-emitting diode that generates light. A portion of the light from the light source may illuminate the key or button to provide backlight for the key and another portion may be received by the light sensor for detecting partial or complete compression of the button or key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Daniel J. Drusch, Chang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10613634
    Abstract: An electronic device is configured to: while presenting media content at a first non-zero playback speed, detect a press input by a first contact on a first media control; and, in response to detecting the press input: determine whether an intensity of the first contact is above a first intensity threshold; if the intensity of the first contact is above the first intensity threshold, present the media content at a second playback speed, where the second playback speed is faster than the first non-zero playback speed; and, if the intensity of the first contact is below the first intensity threshold, maintain presentation of the media content at the first non-zero playback speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Patent number: 10615918
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for performing multiuser block acknowledgement in a wireless communication protocol. Embodiments include receiving a control frame from an access point (AP). A transmission mode can be determined based on a trigger information field in the control frame. Further, a data frame to acknowledge can be determined based on a block acknowledgement request (BAR) field in the control frame. A block acknowledgment (BA) frame can be generated based on the data frame to acknowledge. The BA frame can then be transmitted to the AP based on the transmission mode, e.g., at the same time another BA frame is transmitted to the AP by another station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guoqing Li, Yong Liu, Joonsuk Kim, Chiu Ngok E. Wong, Christiaan A. Hartman, Su Khiong Yong, Syed A. Mujtaba
  • Patent number: 10613656
    Abstract: An electronic device, with a touch-sensitive surface and display, displays a user interface at a first display rate. While displaying the user interface, the device detects movement of a touch input across the touch-sensitive surface at a first detection rate that is higher than the first display rate. An application-independent touch processing module sends to an application-specific portion of the first software application touch location information for the touch input that identifies: one or more predicted locations of the touch input on the touch-sensitive surface, and one or more predicted intensity values of the touch input at one or more intensity locations of the touch input on the touch-sensitive surface. The first software application processes the touch location information and updated the user interface accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, David Michael Chan, Jacob A. Xiao, Jason Clay Beaver
  • Patent number: 10613665
    Abstract: A multi-touch sensor panel is disclosed that can be produced by forming a plurality of first traces of substantially transparent conductive material on a first substrate, forming a plurality of second traces of the substantially transparent material, and creating a fluid-tight gap between the plurality of first traces and the plurality of second traces. The fluid-tight gap can then be filled with a fluid having substantially no bubbles and an optical index similar to the optical index of the first and second traces to make the gap and the first and second traces substantially transparent. The second and first traces can be oriented to cross over each other at crossover locations separated by the fluid, the crossover locations forming mutual capacitance sensors for detecting touches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Brian R. Land, Mark Arthur Hamblin
  • Patent number: 10610031
    Abstract: A retail display table includes a table top with openings, and a modular display mat disposed over each opening. Each of the modular display mats is movable between a closed position in which it covers its respective table-top opening, and an open position in which it is lifted above the table top so that a cavity underneath the modular display mat is accessible. Also, each modular display mat has holes to accommodate a configuration of displayed items, and is removable and replaceable with another modular display mat having a different configuration of holes to accommodate a different configuration of displayed items. A retail display system may include such a retail display table, along with other modular retail fixtures such as display walls with modular display wall inserts and retail counter units with modular display mats interchangeable with those of the retail display table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Robert Edwards, Moritz Wilsberg, Russell John Kaaihue Heirakuji, Allison Inouye, Kenneth Luong, Jean-Marc Gady, Alice Marlin Brugger, Manuel Dejesus, Wesley Bryan Hamm
  • Patent number: 10613685
    Abstract: Various embodiments for detecting and rejecting false, unintended rotations of rotary inputs of electronic devices are disclosed herein. In one example, an electronic device is provided with an optical detector that measures the distance between the electronic device and the wearer's forearm or hand, and when the distance is smaller than a threshold distance, the turns of the rotary input are false, unintended turns. In another example, a crown of a rotary input includes a plurality of capacitive sensors that detects the presence of a wearer's finger, which when absent, the turns of the rotary input are false turns. In another example, deflections or positions of a shaft of the rotary input are measured and if the deflections/positions indicate an upward force on the rotary input (which are likely caused by the wearer's forearm or hand), the turns of the rotary input are false turns. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Christopher M. Werner, Colin M. Ely, Samuel Weiss
  • Patent number: 10614857
    Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can calibrate media playback channels for presenting media content through a media system by determining the media propagation latency through the media system. For example, the computing device can send calibration content (e.g., audio data, video data, etc.) to various playback devices (e.g., playback channels) of the media system and record a timestamp indicating when the calibration content was sent. When the playback devices present the calibration content, a sensor device (e.g., remote control device, smartphone, etc.) can detect the presentation of the calibration content. The sensor device can send calibration data (e.g., media samples that may include the calibration content and/or a timestamp indicating when the media sample was detected by the sensor device) to the computing device. The computing device can determine the propagation latency (e.g., presentation delay) based on the calibration data received from the sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Langford M Wasada, Vijay Sundaram, William M Bumgarner, Daniel H Lloyd, Christopher J Sanders, Sean A Ramprashad, Sriram Hariharan, Jarrad A Stallone, Johannes P Schmidt, David P Saracino, Gregory R Chapman
  • Patent number: 10613808
    Abstract: A method is performed at a computing system with a first housing that includes a primary display and a second housing at least partially containing (i) a physical keyboard and a touch-sensitive secondary display (“TSSD”) that is distinct from the primary display. The method includes: displaying, on the primary display, a first user interface for an application and displaying, on the TSSD, a first set of affordances corresponding to a first portion of the application. The method further includes: detecting a swipe gesture on the TSSD. If the swipe gesture was performed in a first direction, the method includes: displaying a second set of affordances corresponding to the first portion on the TSSD. If the swipe gesture was performed in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the method includes: displaying a third set of affordances corresponding to a second portion of the application on the TSSD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Duncan R. Kerr, John B. Morrell, Lawrence Y. Yang, Eric Lance Wilson, Adam S. Meyer
  • Patent number: 10612908
    Abstract: An electronic device displays a field of view of a camera with a view of a three-dimensional space and updates the field of view based on changes detected by the camera. While a measurement-point-creation indicator is over a determined anchor point in the field of view, the device changes a visual appearance of the indicator to indicate that a measurement point will be added at the anchor point if a touch input meets first criteria. In response to a touch input that meets the first criteria, a measurement point is added at the anchor point if the indicator is over the anchor point, and at a location away from the anchor point if not. In response to movement of the camera changing the field of view, if the field of view does not include a feature to which measurement points can be added, the measurement-point-creation indicator ceases to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Allison W. Dryer, Grant R. Paul, Jonathan R. Dascola, Lisa K. Forssell, Andrew H. Goulding, Stephen O. Lemay, Giancarlo Yerkes, Jeffrey S. Norris, Alexandre Da Veiga
  • Patent number: 10616490
    Abstract: An electronic device has multiple cameras and displays a digital viewfinder user interface for previewing visual information provided by the cameras. The multiple cameras may have different properties such as focal lengths. When a single digital viewfinder is provided, the user interface allows zooming over a zoom range that includes the respective zoom ranges of both cameras. The zoom setting to determine which camera provides visual information to the viewfinder and which camera is used to capture visual information. The user interface also allows the simultaneous display of content provided by different cameras at the same time. When two digital viewfinders are provided, the user interface allows zooming, freezing, and panning of one digital viewfinder independently of the other. The device allows storing of a composite images and/or videos using both digital viewfinders and corresponding cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Lukas Robert Tom Girling, Linda L. Dong, Henrique Penha, Paulo Michaelo Lopez, Behkish J. Manzari
  • Patent number: 10616836
    Abstract: A link-budget-limited wireless communication device (UE) may implement improved radio link monitoring procedures for enhancing the link-budget of the UE. The UE may monitor the radio link and may determine whether the radio link can support a lowest acceptable link quality according to a hysteresis-based comparison that uses threshold values to determine error rates associated with a physical control channel. The UE may also identify itself to the network as a link-budget-limited device, and the network may enable special link-budget enhancing features for the UE, including boosting the power of the resource elements (REs) carrying physical channel signaling/data to the UE. The UE may detect the presence of power boost and may estimate/determine the power boost level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tarik Tabet, Samy Khay-Ibbat, Awais M. Hussain
  • Patent number: 10616082
    Abstract: Examples may include techniques for monitoring virtual network functions or network functions virtualization infrastructure. Examples include receiving performance measurement data from virtualized network functions arranged to support a network service or from network functions virtualization infrastructure composed to support the virtualized network functions. In some examples, corrective actions such as virtualized network function lifecycle management operations are initiated based on the received performance measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joey Chou, Muthaiah Venkatachalam
  • Patent number: 10616464
    Abstract: A method of automatically activating a camera application implemented in a mobile device in locked mode starts with the processor receiving a first signal from an accelerometer. The device's processor activates the camera application when the processor determines that the mobile device has remained in a stationary portrait or landscape position for a period of time based on the first signal. Activating the camera application includes signaling by the processor to the display device to display a camera screen from a locked screen. The processor may also receive a second signal from a proximity sensor that detects presence of a nearby object to the mobile device. When the processor determines that there is presence of the nearby object to the mobile device based on the second signal, the mobile device remains in locked mode and the processor does not activate the camera application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Conrad A. Shultz
  • Patent number: 10616498
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for capturing high quality video data, including data having a high dynamic range, for use with conventional encoders and decoders. High dynamic range data is captured using multiple groups of pixels where each group is captured using different exposure times to create groups of pixels. The pixels that are captured at different exposure times may be determined adaptively based on the content of the image, the parameters of the encoding system, or on the available resources within the encoding system. The transition from single exposure to using two different exposure times may be implemented gradually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jiefu Zhai, Xiaosong Zhou, Chris Y. Chung, Hsi-Jung Wu
  • Patent number: D880516
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Freddy Anzures, Imran Chaudhri, Alan C. Dye, Jonathan P. Ive
  • Patent number: D880584
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy Vanslette
  • Patent number: RE47934
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for accessing media across networks. The present invention generally allows for media to be provided across a network. A client requests media information from a server so the client can create a local representation of the server's database. The client is then able to manage the media information locally. When the client selects the desired media, it requests the selection from across the network. The server then delivers the selected media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Amandeep Jawa, Jeffrey L. Robbin, David Heller