Patents by Inventor Benjamin A. Detwiler

Benjamin A. Detwiler 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: 11889302
    Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
  • Publication number: 20230328635
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for a mobile electronic device including a a wireless network interface coupled to a bus, a memory device coupled to the bus, and one or more processors coupled to the bus, the one or more processors to execute instructions to perform a scan, via the wireless network interface, for a beacon advertisement that is broadcast by a wireless device within range of the wireless network interface, detect the beacon advertisement broadcast by the wireless device, retrieve an identifier broadcast within the beacon advertisement, based on a result of a comparison between the identifier to at least one expected identifier, selectively send a timer reset packet to the wireless device and an authorization token for the wireless accessory to remain in near-owner mode, and allow the one or more processors to sleep for a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Detwiler, Brent M. Ledvina, Kenneth U. Victa, Langford M. Wasada, Yannick L. Sierra
  • Publication number: 20230328515
    Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
  • Patent number: 11736938
    Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
  • Publication number: 20220358830
    Abstract: Methods to provide separation notifications are described. In an embodiment, movement is detected beyond a threshold distance from a trusted location, in response to the detecting, receiving an indication that at least one accessory device is nearby the electronic device and storing information on a status of a wireless connection with the at least one accessory device, receiving an indication that the electronic device is in transit, monitoring the wireless connection for the at least one accessory device, and upon detection of a lost wireless connection for the at least one accessory device, send a separation notification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Detwiler, Siva Ganesh Movva, Katherine K. Ernst, Richard Akira Heru, Johan O. Bergerengen, Langford M. Wasada, Ernst Thomas Erdmann, IV
  • Publication number: 20220335807
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device displays visual indications to a user when an electronic device is associated with a particular user account. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays notifications of a separation with a remote locator object (and/or device). In some embodiments, an electronic device utilizes a first or second locator process for locating a device or a remote locator object based on the device or remote locator object being located. In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates finding associated components that are at one or more physical locations. In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates display of location information of associated components that are at one or more physical locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Frank DE JONG, Christine A. FRANCO, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Brent M. Ledvina
  • Patent number: 11381982
    Abstract: An example method includes obtaining a plurality of data items. Each data item includes an indication of a particular location, an indication that a wireless signal from a first access point was observed at that location, and an indication of a time at which the wireless signal from the first access point was observed at that location. The method also includes determining a locational stability of the first access point based on the data items. Determining the locational stability of the first access point includes clustering the plurality of data items into one or more clusters based on the locations indicated in the plurality of data items, determining whether the N most recent data items are associated with a common cluster, and determining whether a time span between the N most recent data items exceeds a threshold period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Margaret Tam, David Benjamin Millman, Brian Stephen Smith, Benjamin A. Detwiler
  • Patent number: 11304033
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device comprising a set of classifiers that can determine whether the electronic device is likely on an airplane. Upon a determination that the electronic device is likely on an airplane, one or more wireless radios on the electronic device (e.g., an ultra-wideband ranging radio, a cellular radio, etc.) may be disabled or a prompt can be displayed to enable a user to place the device into airplane mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ping-Ko Chiu, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Stephen P. Jackson, Robert W. Mayor
  • Publication number: 20220070667
    Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
  • Publication number: 20210099839
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device comprising a set of classifiers that can determine whether the electronic device is likely on an airplane. Upon a determination that the electronic device is likely on an airplane, one or more wireless radios on the electronic device (e.g., an ultra-wideband ranging radio, a cellular radio, etc.) may be disabled or a prompt can be displayed to enable a user to place the device into airplane mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Ping-Ko Chiu, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Stephen P. Jackson, Robert W. Mayor
  • Publication number: 20210044986
    Abstract: An example method includes obtaining a plurality of data items. Each data item includes an indication of a particular location, an indication that a wireless signal from a first access point was observed at that location, and an indication of a time at which the wireless signal from the first access point was observed at that location. The method also includes determining a locational stability of the first access point based on the data items. Determining the locational stability of the first access point includes clustering the plurality of data items into one or more clusters based on the locations indicated in the plurality of data items, determining whether the N most recent data items are associated with a common cluster, and determining whether a time span between the N most recent data items exceeds a threshold period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Margaret Tam, David Benjamin Millman, Brian Stephen Smith, Benjamin A. Detwiler
  • Patent number: 10834600
    Abstract: An example method includes obtaining a plurality of data items. Each data item includes an indication of a particular location, an indication that a wireless signal from a first access point was observed at that location, and an indication of a time at which the wireless signal from the first access point was observed at that location. The method also includes determining a locational stability of the first access point based on the data items. Determining the locational stability of the first access point includes clustering the plurality of data items into one or more clusters based on the locations indicated in the plurality of data items, determining whether the N most recent data items are associated with a common cluster, and determining whether a time span between the N most recent data items exceeds a threshold period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Margaret H. Tam, David Benjamin Millman, Brian Stephen Smith, Benjamin A. Detwiler
  • Patent number: 10545231
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for compressing radio maps of fingerprint-based positioning systems using different compression models. In an embodiment, a method comprises: receiving, by a computing device, access point (AP) data from a plurality of mobile devices operating in a geographic region, the AP data including signal strength measurements of AP signals received at a plurality of reference locations in the geographic region and uncertainty measurements associated with the signal strength measurements; determining a level of accuracy with the first compression model; responsive to the determining, selecting one of the first compression model or a second compression model to compress the AP data, the second compression model being different than the first compression model; compressing the AP data using the selected compression model; and responsive to a request from a mobile device operating in the geographic region, sending a data packet including the compressed AP data to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wuzhou Zhang, Benjamin A. Detwiler, David Benjamin Millman, Jasvinder Singh, Anders M. Holtsberg, Darin Tay
  • Publication number: 20190137621
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for compressing radio maps of fingerprint-based positioning systems using different compression models. In an embodiment, a method comprises: receiving, by a computing device, access point (AP) data from a plurality of mobile devices operating in a geographic region, the AP data including signal strength measurements of AP signals received at a plurality of reference locations in the geographic region and uncertainty measurements associated with the signal strength measurements; determining a level of accuracy with the first compression model; responsive to the determining, selecting one of the first compression model or a second compression model to compress the AP data, the second compression model being different than the first compression model; compressing the AP data using the selected compression model; and responsive to a request from a mobile device operating in the geographic region, sending a data packet including the compressed AP data to the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wuzhou Zhang, Benjamin A. Detwiler, David Benjamin Millman, Jasvinder Singh, Anders M. Holtsberg, Darin Tay
  • Publication number: 20180338245
    Abstract: An example method includes obtaining a plurality of data items. Each data item includes an indication of a particular location, an indication that a wireless signal from a first access point was observed at that location, and an indication of a time at which the wireless signal from the first access point was observed at that location. The method also includes determining a locational stability of the first access point based on the data items. Determining the locational stability of the first access point includes clustering the plurality of data items into one or more clusters based on the locations indicated in the plurality of data items, determining whether the N most recent data items are associated with a common cluster, and determining whether a time span between the N most recent data items exceeds a threshold period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Margaret H. Tam, David Benjamin Millman, Brian Stephen Smith, Benjamin A. Detwiler
  • Patent number: 9602311
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that include a first gateway circuit in an optical access network connecting a plurality of end-of-network users to a central node, the first gateway circuit connecting one of the plurality of end-of-network users to the central node via fiber optic data lines. Further, the first gateway circuit is configured and arranged to: relay a first set of data between the end-of-network user and the central node using a packet-switching communication protocol, and relay a second set of data between the end-of-network user and the central node using an optical flow switching communication protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Ahmad R. Dhaini, Marc De Leenheer, Leonid G. Kazovsky, Thomas Shunrong Shen, Shuang Yin, Benjamin A. Detwiler
  • Publication number: 20150222361
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that include a first gateway circuit in an optical access network connecting a plurality of end-of-network users to a central node, the first gateway circuit connecting one of the plurality of end-of-network users to the central node via fiber optic data lines. Further, the first gateway circuit is configured and arranged to: relay a first set of data between the end-of-network user and the central node using a packet-switching communication protocol, and relay a second set of data between the end-of-network user and the central node using an optical flow switching communication protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Ahmad R. Dhaini, Marc De Leenheer, Leonid G. Kazovsky, Thomas Shunrong Shen, Shuang Yin, Benjamin A. Detwiler