Patents by Inventor Achim Pantfoerder

Achim Pantfoerder has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20120068981
    Abstract: A luminescence shock avoidance algorithm is disclosed to selectively limit the brightness level of a display device when the display device is activated in a dark environment to prevent the temporary vision impairment that can occur when a display device is activated in a dark environment. The algorithm receives the state of the display (e.g. on or in standby mode), and can optionally receive an ambient lighting value from an ambient light sensor and a user-selectable manual brightness adjustment setting to determine whether luminescence shock avoidance should even be triggered, and if it is triggered, how much should the brightness level of the display be limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: Kai Achim PANTFOERDER
  • Publication number: 20110306318
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for provisioning wireless devices for operation in one or more networks. In one embodiment, a provisioning service may provide access client (e.g., Subscriber Identity Module) data to a secure element in the wireless user device. The device may be preloaded with a provisioning SIM profile. The device may use the provisioning profile to roam onto a carrier, and communicate with a provisioning service, which may present the user with a list of available wireless carriers, such as carriers that service the user's current geographic location. In response to a user selection, the provisioning service may load a SIM profile associated with the selected carrier onto the secure element. The loaded SIM profile can be used to obtain wireless service from the selected carrier. The user may add multiple SIM profiles, and/or may delete SIM profiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Clive Edward Rodgers, Stephan V. Schell, Achim Pantfoerder, Mohit Narang
  • Patent number: 8068125
    Abstract: A luminescence shock avoidance algorithm selectively limits the brightness level of a display device when the display device is activated in a dark environment to prevent the temporary vision impairment that can occur when a display device is activated in a dark environment. The algorithm receives the state of the display (e.g. on or in standby mode), and can optionally receive an ambient lighting value from an ambient light sensor and a user-selectable manual brightness adjustment setting to determine whether luminescence shock avoidance should even be triggered, and if it is triggered, how much should the brightness level of the display be limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Kai Achim Pantfoerder
  • Publication number: 20110150234
    Abstract: A single prong, multiple signal conducting plug and plug detection circuitry is provided. The plug may be electrically coupled to a stereo headset including a microphone. The plug may include four signal conducting regions arranged in a predetermined order along the length of the prong. Detection circuitry may be operative to determine whether a microphone type of plug (e.g., a four region plug including a microphone region and two audio regions, or a three region plug including microphone region and only one audio region) or a non-microphone type of plug (e.g., stereo plug) is inserted into the jack of an electronic device (e.g., mobile phone). Detection circuitry may also detect user activated functions performed in response to user activation of one or more switches included with the headset. For example, the headset may include a single switch for performing a function with respect to a microphone (e.g., end-call function).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Timothy Johnson, Achim Pantfoerder
  • Publication number: 20110090244
    Abstract: A portable electronic device provides a compass bearing display juxtaposed with or superimposed on a camera viewfinder display. The device includes an image sensor and an electronic compass. When the device is held with the image sensor pointed in a generally horizontal direction, the displayed viewfinder image from the image sensor is combined with a graphic indicating a compass bearing corresponding to the imaging axis of the image sensor. The display may be presented as a linear scale to indicate off-axis headings as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Achim Pantfoerder
  • Patent number: 7912501
    Abstract: A single prong, multiple signal conducting plug and plug detection circuitry is provided. The plug may be electrically coupled to a stereo headset including a microphone. The plug may include four signal conducting regions arranged in a predetermined order along the length of the prong. Detection circuitry may be operative to determine whether a microphone type of plug (e.g., a four region plug including a microphone region and two audio regions, or a three region plug including microphone region and only one audio region) or a non-microphone type of plug (e.g., stereo plug) is inserted into the jack of an electronic device (e.g., mobile phone). Detection circuitry may also detect user activated functions performed in response to user activation of one or more switches included with the headset. For example, the headset may include a single switch for performing a function with respect to a microphone (e.g., end-call function).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Johnson, Achim Pantfoerder
  • Publication number: 20100207879
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector has a sensor to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when sensing proximity, and to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when sensing visible light. The emitter may be disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Also, a fence having a non-IR transmissive material disposed between the emitter and the detector to remove electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Anthony M. Fadell, Achim Pantfoerder
  • Patent number: 7728316
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense proximity, and the emitter is disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation of this embodiment, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony M. Fadell, Achim Pantfoerder
  • Patent number: 7714265
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector has a sensor to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when sensing proximity, and to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when sensing visible light. The emitter may be disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Also, a fence having a non-IR transmissive material disposed between the emitter and the detector to remove electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony M. Fadell, Achim Pantfoerder
  • Publication number: 20090296952
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods, apparatus, systems and means for determining a type of microphone button of a headset plugged into a device jack are described. In some embodiments, a type of microphone button or headset is determined from a plurality of button or headset types based on whether or not a headset plug is detected in a headset jack of a device and whether or not a signal received at a first contact of the headset jack includes overcurrent or an undercurrent. In some embodiments, the behavior of the device may be controlled based on the type of microphone button or headset determined. For example, a predetermined circuit, a predetermined algorithm, or a predetermined process may be selected to signal process the audio signal of the microphone, based on the type of microphone button or headset. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Achim Pantfoerder, Hugo Barnabas Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes
  • Publication number: 20080165203
    Abstract: A luminescence shock avoidance algorithm is disclosed to selectively limit the brightness level of a display device when the display device is activated in a dark environment to prevent the temporary vision impairment that can occur when a display device is activated in a dark environment. The algorithm receives the state of the display (e.g. on or in standby mode), and can optionally receive an ambient lighting value from an ambient light sensor and a user-selectable manual brightness adjustment setting to determine whether luminescence shock avoidance should even be triggered, and if it is triggered, how much should the brightness level of the display be limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Kai Achim Pantfoerder
  • Publication number: 20080164994
    Abstract: A single prong, multiple signal conducting plug and plug detection circuitry is provided. The plug may be electrically coupled to a stereo headset including a microphone. The plug may include four signal conducting regions arranged in a predetermined order along the length of the prong. Detection circuitry may be operative to determine whether a microphone type of plug (e.g., a four region plug including a microphone region and two audio regions, or a three region plug including microphone region and only one audio region) or a non-microphone type of plug (e.g., stereo plug) is inserted into the jack of an electronic device (e.g., mobile phone). Detection circuitry may also detect user activated functions performed in response to user activation of one or more switches included with the headset. For example, the headset may include a single switch for performing a function with respect to a microphone (e.g., end-call function).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Timothy Johnson, Achim Pantfoerder
  • Publication number: 20080006762
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector has a sensor to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when sensing proximity, and to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter when sensing visible light. The emitter may be disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Also, a fence having a non-IR transmissive material disposed between the emitter and the detector to remove electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Anthony Fadell, Achim Pantfoerder
  • Publication number: 20070085157
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense proximity, and the emitter is disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation of this embodiment, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Anthony Fadell, Achim Pantfoerder