Patents by Inventor Avi E. Cieplinski

Avi E. Cieplinski 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).

  • Patent number: 9990121
    Abstract: An electronic device, with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, includes one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface. The device displays a user interface object on the display. The device further detects a press input on the touch-sensitive surface while a focus selector is at a first location in a user interface. In response to detecting the press input on the touch-sensitive surface, upon determining that the press input has an intensity above a predefined activation threshold, the device moves the user interface object directly to the first location in the user interface; and upon determining that the press input has an intensity below the predefined activation threshold and meets gradual-movement criteria, the device moves the user interface object toward the first location in the user interface in accordance with the intensity of the press input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Avi E. Cieplinski, May-Li Khoe
  • Patent number: 9977500
    Abstract: The present application is related to a computer for providing output to a user. The computer includes a processor and an input device in communication with the processor. The input device includes a feedback surface and at least one sensor in communication with the feedback surface, the at least one sensor configured to detect a user input to the feedback surface. The processor varies a down-stroke threshold based on a first factor and varies an up-stroke threshold based on a second factor. The down-stroke threshold determines a first output of the computing device, the up-stroke threshold determines a second output of the computing device, and at least of the first factor or the second factor are determined based on the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne C. Westerman, Duncan Kerr, Avi E. Cieplinski, Jeffrey T. Bernstein, William M. Vieta, Julian K. Missig
  • Patent number: 9977499
    Abstract: The present application is related to a computer for providing output to a user. The computer includes a processor and an input device in communication with the processor. The input device includes a feedback surface and at least one sensor in communication with the feedback surface, the at least one sensor configured to detect a user input to the feedback surface. The processor varies a down-stroke threshold based on a first factor and varies an up-stroke threshold based on a second factor. The down-stroke threshold determines a first output of the computing device, the up-stroke threshold determines a second output of the computing device, and at least one of the first factor or the second factor are determined based on the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne C. Westerman, Duncan Kerr, Avi E. Cieplinski, Jeffrey T. Bernstein, William M. Vieta, Julian K. Missig
  • Patent number: 9965074
    Abstract: An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts, detects a contact, determines a location and intensity of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, and displays a response, the response being based at least in part on an input-output mapping of intensity to response at the contact location. The input-output mapping including a first input-output relationship between intensity and response over a first range of intensity values, a second input-output relationship between intensity and response over a second range of intensity values, and a transitional intensity value where the first range of intensity values meets or overlaps the second range of intensity values. At the transitional intensity value, the first input-output relationship has a first rate of change, the second input-output relationship has a second rate of change, and the first rate is substantially the same as the second rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, David J. Hart, B. Michael Victor
  • Patent number: 9959025
    Abstract: An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts displaying a lower-level user interface that is part of a user interface hierarchy, where the hierarchy includes at least three levels, including the lower-level user interface, an intermediate-level user interface and a higher-level user interface. The device also, while displaying the lower-level user interface, detects an input on a portion of the device that is associated with user interface hierarchy navigation and, in response to detecting the input, in accordance with a determination that the input meets first transition criteria, the device replaces display of the lower-level user interface with display of the intermediate-level user interface and in accordance with a determination that the input meets second transition criteria, the device replaces display of the lower-level user interface with display of the higher-level user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Avi E. Cieplinski
  • Patent number: 9946447
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display, touch-sensitive surface and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface displays a first user interface object and detects first movement of the contact that corresponds to movement of a focus selector toward the first user interface object. In response to detecting the first movement, the device moves the focus selector to the first user interface object; and determines an intensity of the contact. After detecting the first movement, the device detects second movement of the contact. In response to detecting the second movement of the contact, when the contact meets selection criteria based on an intensity of the contact, the device moves the focus selector and the first user interface object; and when the contact does not meet the selection criteria, the device moves the focus selector without moving the first user interface object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, Matthew I. Brown, May-Li Khoe, B. Michael Victor
  • Patent number: 9928029
    Abstract: An electronic device provides data to present a user interface with a plurality of user interface objects. A current focus is on a first user interface object of the plurality of user interface objects. The device receives an input. In response, the device provides data to move the current focus from the first user interface object to a second user interface object based on a direction and/or magnitude of the input, and provides sound information to provide a sound output concurrently with the movement of the current focus from the first user interface object to the second user interface object. A pitch of the sound output is based on a size of the first user interface object, a type of the first user interface object, a size of the second user interface object, and/or a type of the second user interface object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Matthew I. Brown, Avi E. Cieplinski
  • Patent number: 9910494
    Abstract: The present application is related to a computer for providing output to a user. The computer includes a processor and an input device in communication with the processor. The input device includes a feedback surface and at least one sensor in communication with the feedback surface, the at least one sensor configured to detect a user input to the feedback surface. The processor varies a down-stroke threshold based on a first factor and varies an up-stroke threshold based on a second factor. The down-stroke threshold determines a first output of the computing device, the up-stroke threshold determines a second output of the computing device, and at least one of the first factor or the second factor are determined based on the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne C. Westerman, Duncan Kerr, Avi E. Cieplinski, Jeffrey T. Bernstein, William M. Vieta, Julian K. Missig
  • Patent number: 9886184
    Abstract: An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface displays a user interface object having a plurality of activation states; detects a contact on the touch-sensitive surface; and detects an increase of intensity of the contact from a first intensity to a second intensity. In response to detecting the increase in intensity, the device: changes activation states M times, and generates a tactile output on the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to each change in activation state. The device detects a decrease of intensity of the contact from the second intensity to the first intensity; and in response to detecting the decrease in intensity, the device: changes activation states N times, and generates a tactile output on the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to each change in activation state, where N is different from M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Avi E. Cieplinski, May-Li Khoe, Nicholas Zambetti
  • Publication number: 20180024681
    Abstract: An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts, detects a contact, determines a location and intensity of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, and displays a response, the response being based at least in part on an input-output mapping of intensity to response at the contact location. The input-output mapping including a first input-output relationship between intensity and response over a first range of intensity values, a second input-output relationship between intensity and response over a second range of intensity values, and a transitional intensity value where the first range of intensity values meets or overlaps the second range of intensity values. At the transitional intensity value, the first input-output relationship has a first rate of change, the second input-output relationship has a second rate of change, and the first rate is substantially the same as the second rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, David J. Hart, B. Michael Victor
  • Patent number: 9851829
    Abstract: Signal processing for a touch and hover sensing display device is disclosed. A touch and hover sensing display device can include a sensing panel for sensing a touch or hover event, a display for displaying graphical information to select based on the touch or hover event, and a control system for processing a signal indicative of the touch or hover event. The control system can process the signal to determine to which display location a hovering object is pointing according to a profile of the object's shape. In addition or alternatively, the control system can process the signal to differentiate between a close small object and a distant large object so as to subsequently perform intended actions of the device based, at least in part, on the object distance and/or area (or size). The display can be positioned at a desirable distance from the panel so as to reduce interference from the display to the panel and avoid adverse effects on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Michael King, Omar Leung, Paul G. Puskarich, Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Andrea Mucignat, Avi E. Cieplinski, Muhammad U. Choudry, Praveen R. Subramani, Marc J. Piche, David T. Amm, Duncan Robert Kerr
  • Patent number: 9836158
    Abstract: Compensation for sensors in a touch and hover sensing device is disclosed. Compensation can be for sensor resistance and/or sensor sensitivity variation that can adversely affect touch and hover measurements at the sensors. To compensate for sensor resistance, the device can gang adjacent sensors together so as to reduce the overall resistance of the sensors. In addition or alternatively, the device can drive the sensors with voltages from multiple directions so as to reduce the effects of the sensors' resistance. To compensate for sensor sensitivity variation (generally at issue for hover measurements), the device can apply a gain factor to the measurements, where the gain factor is a function of the sensor location, so as to reduce the sensitivity variation at different sensor locations on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Michael King, Omar S. Leung, Paul G. Puskarich, Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Andrea Mucignat, Avi E. Cieplinski, Muhammad Umar Choudry, Praveen R. Subramani, Marc J. Piche, David Amm, Duncan Robert Kerr
  • Patent number: 9823839
    Abstract: An electronic device, with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, includes one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface. The device detects a contact on the touch-sensitive surface while a focus selector corresponding to the contact is at a respective location on the display associated with additional information not initially displayed on the display. While the focus selector is at the respective location, upon determining that the contact has an intensity above a respective intensity threshold before a predefined delay time has elapsed with the focus selector at the respective location, the device displays the additional information associated with the respective location without waiting until the predefined delay time has elapsed; and upon determining that the contact has an intensity below the respective intensity threshold, the device waits until the predefined delay time has elapsed to display the additional information associated with the respective location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Matthew I. Brown, Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, May-Li Khoe, Nicholas Zambetti, Bianca C. Costanzo, Myra Haggerty, David J. Hart, B. Michael Victor
  • Publication number: 20170308163
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally identifies a person's face, and optionally performs an action in accordance with the identification. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally determines a gaze location in a user interface, and optionally performs an action in accordance with the determination. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally designates a user as being present at a sound-playback device in accordance with a determination that sound-detection criteria and verification criteria have been satisfied. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally determines whether a person is further or closer than a threshold distance from a display device, and optionally provides a first or second user interface for display on the display device in accordance with the determination. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally modifies the playing of media content in accordance with a determination that one or more presence criteria are not satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Avi E. CIEPLINSKI, Jeffrey Traer BERNSTEIN, Julian MISSIG, May-Li KHOE, Bianca Cheng COSTANZO, Myra Mary HAGGERTY, Duncan Robert KERR, Bas ORDING, Elbert D. CHEN
  • Patent number: 9778771
    Abstract: An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts, detects a contact, determines a location and intensity of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, and displays a response, the response being based at least in part on an input-output mapping of intensity to response at the contact location. The input-output mapping including a first input-output relationship between intensity and response over a first range of intensity values, a second input-output relationship between intensity and response over a second range of intensity values, and a transitional intensity value where the first range of intensity values meets or overlaps the second range of intensity values. At the transitional intensity value, the first input-output relationship has a first rate of change, the second input-output relationship has a second rate of change, and the first rate is substantially the same as the second rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, David J. Hart, B. Michael Victor
  • Patent number: 9766702
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally identifies a person's face, and optionally performs an action in accordance with the identification. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally determines a gaze location in a user interface, and optionally performs an action in accordance with the determination. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally designates a user as being present at a sound-playback device in accordance with a determination that sound-detection criteria and verification criteria have been satisfied. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally determines whether a person is further or closer than a threshold distance from a display device, and optionally provides a first or second user interface for display on the display device in accordance with the determination. In some embodiments, an electronic device optionally modifies the playing of media content in accordance with a determination that one or more presence criteria are not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Avi E. Cieplinski, Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, May-Li Khoe, Bianca Cheng Costanzo, Myra Mary Haggerty, Duncan Robert Kerr, Bas Ording, Elbert D. Chen
  • Patent number: 9753639
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface displays, on the display, an affordance corresponding to respective content at a respective size and detects a gesture that includes an increase in intensity of a contact followed by a subsequent decrease in intensity of the contact. In response to the increase in intensity, the device decreases a size of the affordance below the respective size. In response to the subsequent decrease in intensity: when a maximum intensity of the contact is above a content-display intensity threshold, the device ceases to display the affordance and displays at least a portion of the respective content; and when a maximum intensity of the contact is below the content-display intensity threshold, the device increases the size of the affordance to the respective size and forgoes displaying the respective content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Avi E. Cieplinski, May-Li Khoe, Bianca C. Costanzo, David J. Hart
  • Publication number: 20170212673
    Abstract: An electronic device displays a user interface in a first display state. The device detects a first portion of a gesture on a touch-sensitive surface, including detecting intensity of a respective contact of the gesture. In response to detecting the first portion of the gesture, the device displays an intermediate display state between the first display state and a second display state. In response to detecting the end of the gesture: if intensity of the respective contact had reached a predefined intensity threshold prior to the end of the gesture, the device displays the second display state; otherwise, the device redisplays the first display state. After displaying an animated transition between a first display state and a second state, the device, optionally, detects an increase of the contact intensity. In response, the device displays a continuation of the animation in accordance with the increasing intensity of the respective contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, Matthew I. Brown, May-Li Khoe, Nicholas Zambetti, Bianca C. Costanzo, David J. Hart, B. Michael Victor
  • Patent number: 9619076
    Abstract: An electronic device displays a user interface in a first display state. The device detects a first portion of a gesture on a touch-sensitive surface, including detecting intensity of a respective contact of the gesture. In response to detecting the first portion of the gesture, the device displays an intermediate display state between the first display state and a second display state. In response to detecting the end of the gesture: if intensity of the respective contact had reached a predefined intensity threshold prior to the end of the gesture, the device displays the second display state; otherwise, the device redisplays the first display state. After displaying an animated transition between a first display state and a second state, the device, optionally, detects an increase of the contact intensity. In response, the device displays a continuation of the animation in accordance with the increasing intensity of the respective contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, Matthew I. Brown, May-Li Khoe, Nicholas Zambetti, Bianca C. Costanzo, David J. Hart, B. Michael Victor
  • Patent number: 9612741
    Abstract: An electronic device, with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, includes one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface. The device detects a contact on the touch-sensitive surface while a focus selector corresponding to the contact is at a respective location on the display associated with additional information not initially displayed on the display. While the focus selector is at the respective location, upon determining that the contact has an intensity above a respective intensity threshold before a predefined delay time has elapsed with the focus selector at the respective location, the device displays the additional information associated with the respective location without waiting until the predefined delay time has elapsed; and upon determining that the contact has an intensity below the respective intensity threshold, the device waits until the predefined delay time has elapsed to display the additional information associated with the respective location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Matthew I. Brown, Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Julian Missig, Avi E. Cieplinski, May-Li Khoe, Nicholas Zambetti, Bianca C. Costanzo, Myra Haggerty, David J. Hart, B. Michael Victor