Patents by Inventor APPLE INC.

APPLE INC. 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: 20130159868
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed allow a user of an electronic device to obtain dynamic media asset information, such as media assets information concerning events. The obtained media asset information can be then presented via the electronic device in a convenient and efficient manner. According to one embodiment, a show time request for a media asset can be transmitted to a media server. In response to the show time request, event information for a plurality of event sites showing the requested media asset can be received. The event sites are selected based upon proximity to the location reference. The event information can include a plurality of show times for the requested media asset at at least a first one of the event sites. The plurality of show times can be presented on a graphical timeline displayed on a display of a computing device. A map image can also be presented to depict a geographic area derived from the event information for each of the plurality of event sites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130157717
    Abstract: A wireless electronic device may be used to communicate using multiple wireless standards in adjacent frequency bands. The wireless standards may include Wi-Fi® and cellular standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The wireless electronic device may be provided with wireless communications circuitry that handles Wi-Fi® and cellular signals in adjacent frequency bands such as the Wi-Fi® 2.4 GHz frequency band and LTE bands 38 and 40. The wireless communications circuitry may include a triplexer interposed between transceiver circuitry and an antenna. The triplexer may be used to handle radio-frequency signals in adjacent frequency bands by separating the radio-frequency signals into signals associated with each frequency band. The triplexer may include filters that each pass signals in a respective one of the frequency bands between the transceiver circuitry and the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130154031
    Abstract: A biometric sensor device, such as a fingerprint sensor, comprises a substrate to which is mounted a die on which is formed a sensor array and at least one conductive bezel. The die and the bezel are encased in a unitary encapsulation structure to protect those elements from mechanical, electrical, and environmental damage, yet with a portion of the sensor array and the bezel exposed or at most thinly covered by the encapsulation or other coating material structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: APPLE INC.
  • Publication number: 20130159315
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, in response to one or more terms to be indexed, each of the terms is indexed in a regular index. In addition, for each of the terms having multiple characters, at least one prefix portion of the term is indexed in a prefix index, where the regular index is used for regular searches and the prefix index is used for prefix searches without having to combine a plurality of postings lists of the regular index at the point in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130159775
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of stopping a functional block of an integrated circuit (IC) for debugging purposes is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a number of functional units accessible by an external debugger via a debug port (DP). During a debug operation, a power controller in the IC may power down a functional unit. When the functional unit is powered off, a first register may be programmed. Responsive to the programming of the first register, a first signal may be asserted and provided to the functional unit. When power is restored to the functional unit, operation of the functional unit may be halted prior to execution of instructions or other operations, responsive to the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130152508
    Abstract: Systems and methods for hanking a cable are disclosed. A hanked cable may be formed by winding the cable around two or more mandrels attached to support members of a winding fixture. At least one of the mandrels can be removeably attached to the winding fixture to facilitate clamping the cable between the mandrel and the support member. The distance between mandrels may be varied by including, in the winding fixture, an adjustable stage for adjusting the relative positions of the mandrels. Once the cable is wound into a hanked configuration, it may be wrapped with a semi-rigid wrapping member to help retain the hanked shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130159860
    Abstract: Techniques are provided, for generating a heads-up-display to assist users during performance of media manipulation operations. According to one embodiment, a transient heads-up-display is displayed during a media manipulation operation to assist the user in the media manipulation operation. The heads-up-display may, for example, depict three frames of a video clip when an audio clip is being positioned, on a timeline, relative to the video clip. The three frames that are depicted in the heads-up-display may be the frames located at the current starting position, cursor position, and ending position, of the audio clip. As the audio clip is being moved during the positioning operation, the three frames depicted in the heads-up-display change accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130152378
    Abstract: This is directed to an antenna for use in an electronic device. The antenna can be constructed from a flex and printed trace, such that the flex is originally defined to be as large or nearly as large as possible to fit within portion of the electronic device dedicated to the antenna. This can allow the antenna trace to vary as the antenna is tuned without requiring a new flex having a different shape. In addition, this can allow the antenna design to be decoupled from the mechanical considerations related to mounting the antenna within the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130159861
    Abstract: Various techniques for adaptively varying audio feedback data on an electronic device are provided. In one embodiment, an audio user interface implementing certain aspects of the present disclosure may devolve or evolve the verbosity of audio feedback in response to user interface events based at least partially upon the verbosity level of audio feedback provided during previous occurrences of the user interface event. In another embodiment, an audio user interface may be configured to vary the verbosity of audio feedback associated with a navigable list of items based at least partially upon the speed at which a user navigates the list. In a further embodiment, an audio user interface may be configured to vary audio feedback verbosity based upon the contextual importance of a user interface event. Electronic devices implementing the present techniques provide an improved user experience with regard to audio user interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130159925
    Abstract: Heuristics for resizing displayed objects within an electronic document are disclosed. The heuristics include resizing displayed objects to predefined ratios, resizing displayed objects by predefined increments, relating resizing of displayed objects to a global reference grid, and resizing a plurality of displayed objects aligned to an axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: APPLE INC.
  • Publication number: 20130155307
    Abstract: A device can receive live video of a real-world, physical environment on a touch sensitive surface. One or more objects can be identified in the live video. An information layer can be generated related to the objects. In some implementations, the information layer can include annotations made by a user through the touch sensitive surface. The information layer and live video can be combined in a display of the device. Data can be received from one or more onboard sensors indicating that the device is in motion. The sensor data can be used to synchronize the live video and the information layer as the perspective of video camera view changes due to the motion. The live video and information layer can be shared with other devices over a communication link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130147761
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc
    Inventor: Apple Inc
  • Publication number: 20130148288
    Abstract: An electronic device including at least one electronic component, such as a processor and a housing enclosing the at least one electronic component. The housing including a top skin forming an outer surface of the housing, a bottom skin forming an inner surface of the housing and facing the at least one electronic component, and a core sandwiched by the top skin and the bottom skin. The core is made from a first material having a first modulus of elasticity and the top skin and the bottom skin are made from a second material having a second modulus of elasticity, the second modulus greater than the first. The inner surface of the housing is positioned above the at least one electronic component such that a clearance level is defined between the inner surface of the housing and the at least one electronic component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Apple, Inc.
    Inventor: Apple, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130151781
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a cache stores tags for cache blocks stored in the cache. Each tag may include an indication identifying which of two or more replacement policies supported by the cache is in use for the corresponding cache block, and a replacement record indicating the status of the corresponding cache block in the replacement policy. Requests may include a replacement attribute that identifies the desired replacement policy for the cache block accessed by the request. If the request is a miss in the cache, a cache block storage location may be allocated to store the corresponding cache block. The tag associated with the cache block storage location may be updated to include the indication of the desired replacement policy, and the cache may manage the block in accordance with the policy. For example, in an embodiment, the cache may support both an LRR and an LRU policy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130149584
    Abstract: A battery assembly for use in an electronic device. The battery assembly may include a battery cell, a battery connector for providing power from the battery cell to the electronic device, and a flex circuit electrically coupling the battery cell to the electronic device. The battery connector may be located adjacent the battery cell, and may include one or more alignment mechanisms so that conductive pads connector align properly with corresponding conductive elements of the electronic device. The battery cell may be fixed to the electronic device using an adhesive layer placed between the cell and the electronic device. A tab may extend beyond the periphery of the battery cell to allow a user to pull or peal the battery cell from the electronic device for replacement or repair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130152013
    Abstract: In a computer-implemented method, a portion of an electronic document is displayed on the touch screen display. The displayed portion of the electronic document has a vertical position in the electronic document. An object is detected on or near the displayed portion of the electronic document. In response to detecting the object on or near the displayed portion of the electronic document, a vertical bar is displayed on top of the displayed portion of the electronic document. The vertical bar has a vertical position on top of the displayed portion of the electronic document that corresponds to the vertical position in the electronic document of the displayed portion of the electronic document. After a predetermined condition is met, display of the vertical bar is ceased. The vertical bar is displayed for a predetermined time period when the portion of the electronic document is initially displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130148754
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for an improved application of signal strength weightings in an SDMA sectored cellular network. The improved signal strength weightings application is conducted through the improved selection of weightings from a new codebook subset or by the selection of weightings from a larger codebook subset. In a further embodiment, an antenna beam index or bit map can be used to select the best beam(s) in an SDMA sectored cellular network. In another embodiment, a field or factor in an uplink or downlink transmission packet can designate which directional transmission beam is best suited for the transmission or when the directional transmission beam should be activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130148887
    Abstract: A method performed by a software process executing on a computer system includes selecting a first set of pixels in a digital image in the RGB color space. The pixels are selected such that, for each pixel in the set, a red component is a highest value component and a blue component is a lowest value component. The method also includes identifying at least a subset of the first set as a region of orange hue in the digital image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: APPLE INC.
  • Publication number: 20130148559
    Abstract: To schedule uplink transmission time slots for a collection of mobile communication devices, a set of base station target interference patterns is associated with base stations. A time slot target interference pattern is assigned for each time slot and it repeats after several time slots. The time slot target interference pattern in a given time slot specifies the interference allowed by each time slot to a given base station by any single mobile. A priority index may be determined for each time slot for each mobile associated with the particular base station. The priority index may be based, in part, on a determined correlation between the time-slot target interference patterns and a potential interference profile of a mobile to which a time slot is to be allocated. A mobile's throughput requirement, the throughput already received over a specified past duration, the system fairness requirement, as well as the amount of data available for transmission are also used for evaluating the priority index.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: APPLE INC.
  • Publication number: 20130147383
    Abstract: A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Apple Inc.