Patents by Inventor Alexander B. Beaman
Alexander B. Beaman 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).
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Patent number: 9842115Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for creating and using media asset proxies. The media asset proxies represent a digital media asset and are created by filtering and modifying elements from the digital media asset. The media asset proxies can be queried in the same manner as their corresponding digital media asset.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Samir Gehani, Alexander B. Beaman, Kevin Calhoun, John Samuel Bushell
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Publication number: 20150347441Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for creating and using media asset proxies. The media asset proxies represent a digital media asset and are created by filtering and modifying elements from the digital media asset. The media asset proxies can be queried in the same manner as their corresponding digital media asset.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2014Publication date: December 3, 2015Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Samir Gehani, Alexander B. Beaman, Kevin Calhoun, John Samuel Bushell
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Patent number: 8499102Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for managing data requests from multiple requestors. According to one implementation, when a new data request is received, a determination is made as to whether a companion relationship should be established between the new data request and an existing data request. Such a companion relationship may be appropriate under certain conditions. If a companion relationship is established between the new data request and an existing data request, then when data is returned for one request, it is used to satisfy the other request as well. This helps to reduce the number of data accesses that need to be made to a data storage, which in turn enables system efficiency to be improved.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2012Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Alexander B. Beaman
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Publication number: 20120210022Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for managing data requests from multiple requestors. According to one implementation, when a new data request is received, a determination is made as to whether a companion relationship should be established between the new data request and an existing data request. Such a companion relationship may be appropriate under certain conditions. If a companion relationship is established between the new data request and an existing data request, then when data is returned for one request, it is used to satisfy the other request as well. This helps to reduce the number of data accesses that need to be made to a data storage, which in turn enables system efficiency to be improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: ALEXANDER B. BEAMAN
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Patent number: 8122157Abstract: Techniques are described herein for expanding the range of data targeted in I/O requests made by clients, so that the expanded range results in aligned I/O operations within the file system. Data that is included in the expanded range, but was not actually requested by the client, is trimmed off the data chunk returned by the file system, so that the client receives only the data required by the client. The blocks that contain the partially-read data are cached, so that they can be provided to the clients in response to subsequent I/O requests, without having to retrieve the blocks again from the file system. The I/O requests of multiple clients are handled by a read scheduler that uses a single global queue for all such requests. When appropriate, the read scheduler creates companionship relationships between the requests, and services the “companion” requests based on the data returned for the requests with which the companion requests are associated.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2009Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Alexander B. Beaman
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Patent number: 8044961Abstract: Data tables that are required for the proper processing of font glyphs are automatically synthesized if they do not form part of an original font definition. The synthesized tables are stored in an annex file that is associated with the font, rather than being incorporated into the font definition. As a result, the integrity of the original font data is maintained, and does not adversely affect font protection systems that are based upon font data.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2010Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: David G. Opstad, Alexander B. Beaman
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Publication number: 20100283786Abstract: Data tables that are required for the proper processing of font glyphs are automatically synthesized if they do not form part of an original font definition. The synthesized tables are stored in an annex file that is associated with the font, rather than being incorporated into the font definition. As a result, the integrity of the original font data is maintained, and does not adversely affect font protection systems that are based upon font data.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2010Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: David G. Opstad, Alexander B. Beaman
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Patent number: 7793055Abstract: Techniques for transferring data between multiple processing entities are described. A processing entity, such as a process or thread, transfers a first data structure to another processing entity. The first data structure represents a first amount of memory and references a second data structure of a similar type. The second data structure represents a second amount of memory. The second data structure contains a pointer to a block of memory. The second amount of memory includes at least a portion of the block of memory. The first amount of memory includes at least a portion of the block of memory. The transfer is performed without having to copy any portion of the block of memory.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2006Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Alexander B. Beaman
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Patent number: 7757173Abstract: A voice menu system is disclosed. The present invention generally allows for updateable audio menus. Although a device might have some pre-packaged menu components, other menu components can be received from a server. Each menu component, regardless of whether it is original or received from the server, has an associated voiced name. When a user highlights a menu choice, the voiced name can be played. The user then has the option of selecting the menu choice or scrolling to a new menu choice. In this way, a user could navigate the menu without having to actually see a visual display of the menu, which may be especially useful for users unable to see the visual display or users with visual disabilities.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2003Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Alexander B. Beaman
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Patent number: 7697000Abstract: A system for typographic glyph construction includes a graphics system, a glyph server coupled to the graphics system, and an operating system coupled to the glyph server. An apparatus for typographic glyph construction of input text in a graphics system running on a computer system and output on an output device of the computer system includes a line layout core unit, a glyph cache unit coupled to the line layout core unit, an open font architecture services unit coupled to the glyph cache unit, at least one scaler unit coupled to the open font architecture unit, a font object management unit coupled to the at least one font scaler, and an attribute group support unit supporting a data structure for communication among the units of the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2004Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: Apple IncInventors: Alexander B. Beaman, Richard W. Becker, David G. Opstad, Michael R. Reed
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Patent number: 7692656Abstract: Data tables that are required for the proper processing of font glyphs are automatically synthesized if they do not form part of an original font definition. The synthesized tables are stored in an annex file that is associated with the font, rather than being incorporated into the font definition. As a result, the integrity of the original font data is maintained, and does not adversely affect font protection systems that are based upon font data.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2006Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: David G. Opstad, Alexander B. Beaman
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Publication number: 20090300248Abstract: Techniques are described herein for expanding the range of data targeted in I/O requests made by clients, so that the expanded range results in aligned I/O operations within the file system. Data that is included in the expanded range, but was not actually requested by the client, is trimmed off the data chunk returned by the file system, so that the client receives only the data required by the client. The blocks that contain the partially-read data are cached, so that they can be provided to the clients in response to subsequent I/O requests, without having to retrieve the blocks again from the file system. The I/O requests of multiple clients are handled by a read scheduler that uses a single global queue for all such requests. When appropriate, the read scheduler creates companionship relationships between the requests, and services the “companion” requests based on the data returned for the requests with which the companion requests are associated.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2009Publication date: December 3, 2009Inventor: Alexander B. Beaman
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Patent number: 7620753Abstract: A reader and writer access a ring buffer without using a locking mechanism, thereby avoiding any delays attendant to using a locking mechanism when performing read operations to supply the reader with data from the ring buffer. Other measures are used to reduce delayed performance of read operations. If data requested by a reader is not available in the ring buffer, rather than waiting until the data becomes available, substitute data not from the ring buffer is provided instead. The ring buffer's size may be dynamically increased or decreased to improve performance of read and write operations and/or to conserve computer resources.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2005Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alexander B. Beaman, Daniel Steinberg
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Patent number: 7577763Abstract: Techniques are described herein for expanding the range of data targeted in I/O requests made by clients, so that the expanded range results in aligned I/O operations within the file system. Data that is included in the expanded range, but was not actually requested by the client, is trimmed off the data chunk returned by the file system, so that the client receives only the data required by the client. The blocks that contain the partially-read data are cached, so that they can be provided to the clients in response to subsequent I/O requests, without having to retrieve the blocks again from the file system. The I/O requests of multiple clients are handled by a read scheduler that uses a single global queue for all such requests. When appropriate, the read scheduler creates companionship relationships between the requests, and services the “companion” requests based on the data returned for the requests with which the companion requests are associated.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2005Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Alexander B. Beaman
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Patent number: 7379075Abstract: Colors are specified within the individual glyphs of a font by means of an indirect approach which employs multiple tables. The data values for individual pixels of a glyph identify entries in an index table, which pertains to a subset of all available colors. The entries in the index table map to a complete set of colors that are specified in a color table. As a result of this structure, the amount of data that is required to specify the individual pixels of a glyph can be minimized to the number of bits required to distinguish the colors within that glyph. The specification of all available colors within a single table permits that table to be shared among various resources, including bitmap fonts and outline fonts.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: David G. Opstad, Alexander B. Beaman
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Publication number: 20080034168Abstract: Techniques for transferring data between multiple processing entities are described. A processing entity, such as a process or thread, transfers a first data structure to another processing entity. The first data structure represents a first amount of memory and references a second data structure of a similar type. The second data structure represents a second amount of memory. The second data structure contains a pointer to a block of memory. The second amount of memory includes at least a portion of the block of memory. The first amount of memory includes at least a portion of the block of memory. The transfer is performed without having to copy any portion of the block of memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2006Publication date: February 7, 2008Inventor: Alexander B. Beaman
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Patent number: 7064757Abstract: Data tables that are required for the proper processing of font glyphs are automatically synthesized if they do not form part of an original font definition. The synthesized tables are stored in an annex file that is associated with the font, rather than being incorporated into the font definition. As a result, the integrity of the original font data is maintained, and does not adversely affect font protection systems that are based upon font data.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1999Date of Patent: June 20, 2006Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: David G. Opstad, Alexander B. Beaman
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Publication number: 20040246254Abstract: Colors are specified within the individual glyphs of a font by means of an indirect approach which employs multiple tables. The data values for individual pixels of a glyph identify entries in an index table, which pertains to a subset of all available colors. The entries in the index table map to a complete set of colors that are specified in a color table. As a result of this structure, the amount of data that is required to specify the individual pixels of a glyph can be minimized to the number of bits required to distinguish the colors within that glyph. The specification of all available colors within a single table permits that table to be shared among various resources, including bitmap fonts and outline fonts.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: David G. Opstad, Alexander B. Beaman
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Publication number: 20040160443Abstract: A system for typographic glyph construction includes a graphics system, a glyph server coupled to the graphics system, and an operating system coupled to the glyph server. An apparatus for typographic glyph construction of input text in a graphics system running on a computer system and output on an output device of the computer system includes a line layout core unit, a glyph cache unit coupled to the line layout core unit, an open font architecture services unit coupled to the glyph cache unit, at least one scaler unit coupled to the open font architecture unit, a font object management unit coupled to the at least one font scaler, and an attribute group support unit supporting a data structure for communication among the units of the apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Inventors: Alexander B. Beaman, Richard W. Becker, David G. Opstad, Michael R. Reed
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Patent number: 6762770Abstract: Colors are specified within the individual glyphs of a font by means of an indirect approach which employs multiple tables. The data values for individual pixels of a glyph identify entries in an index table, which pertains to a subset of all available colors. The entries in the index table map to a complete set of colors that are specified in a color table. As a result of this structure, the amount of data that is required to specify the individual pixels of a glyph can be minimized to the number of bits required to distinguish the colors within that glyph. The specification of all available colors within a single table permits that table to be shared among various resources, including bitmap fonts and outline fonts.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1999Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: David G. Opstad, Alexander B. Beaman