Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Burns

Christopher A. Burns 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: 11373360
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to grouping rays during traversal of a spatially-organized acceleration data structure (e.g., a bounding volume hierarchy) for ray intersection processing. The grouping may provide temporal locality for accesses to bounding region data. In some embodiments, ray intersect circuitry is configured to group rays based on the node of the data structure that they target next. The ray intersect circuitry may select one or more groups of rays for issuance each clock cycle, e.g., to bounding region test circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley, Luca Iuliano, Jonathan M. Redshaw
  • Patent number: 11367242
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to ray intersection processing for ray tracing. In some embodiments, ray intersection circuitry traverses a spatially organized acceleration data structure and includes bounding region circuitry configured to test, in parallel, whether a ray intersects multiple different bounding regions indicated by a node of the data structure. Shader circuitry may execute a ray intersect instruction to invoke traversal by the ray intersect circuitry and the traversal may generate intersection results. The shader circuitry may shade intersected primitives based on the intersection results. Disclosed techniques that share processing between intersection circuitry and shader processors may improve performance, reduce power consumption, or both, relative to traditional techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley, Luca Iuliano, Jonathan M. Redshaw
  • Patent number: 11335061
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to an acceleration data structure for ray intersection with a many-to-many mapping between bounding regions and primitives. In some embodiments, one or more graphics processors access data for multiple graphics primitives in a graphics scene and generate a spatially organized data structure. Some nodes of the data structure indicate graphics primitives and some nodes indicate coordinates of bounding regions in the graphics scene. In some embodiments, the spatially organized data structure includes a node with a bounding region for which multiple primitives are indicated as children and also includes a primitive for which multiple bounding regions are indicated as parents. Disclosed techniques may generate bounding regions that closely fit primitives, which may reduce primitive testing for ray tracing. This in turn may increase performance or reduce power consumption relative to traditional techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley
  • Publication number: 20220036652
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to an acceleration data structure for ray intersection with a many-to-many mapping between bounding regions and primitives. In some embodiments, one or more graphics processors access data for multiple graphics primitives in a graphics scene and generate a spatially organized data structure. Some nodes of the data structure indicate graphics primitives and some nodes indicate coordinates of bounding regions in the graphics scene. In some embodiments, the spatially organized data structure includes a node with a bounding region for which multiple primitives are indicated as children and also includes a primitive for which multiple bounding regions are indicated as parents. Disclosed techniques may generate bounding regions that closely fit primitives, which may reduce primitive testing for ray tracing. This in turn may increase performance or reduce power consumption relative to traditional techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley
  • Publication number: 20220036630
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to forming single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) groups during ray intersection traversal. In particular, ray intersection circuitry may include dedicated circuitry configured to traverse an acceleration data structure, but may dynamically form a SIMD group to transform ray coordinates when traversing from one level of the data structure to another. This may allow shader processors to execute the SIMD group to perform the transformation. Disclosed techniques may facilitate instancing of graphics models within the acceleration data structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley, Jonathan M. Redshaw
  • Publication number: 20220036638
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to primitive testing associated with ray intersection processing for ray tracing. In some embodiments, shader circuitry executes a first SIMD group that includes a ray intersect instruction for a set of rays. Ray intersect circuitry traverses, in response to the ray intersect instruction, multiple nodes in a spatially organized acceleration data structure (ADS). In response to reaching a node of the ADS that indicates one or more primitives, the apparatus forms a second SIMD group that executes one or more instructions to determine whether a set of rays that have reached the node intersect the one or more primitives. The shader circuitry may execute the first SIMD group to shade one or more primitives that are indicated as intersected based on results of execution of the second SIMD group. Thus, disclosed techniques may use both dedicated ray intersect circuitry and dynamically formed SIMD groups executed by shader processors to detect ray intersection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley, Luca Iuliano, Jonathan M. Redshaw
  • Publication number: 20220036639
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to ray intersection processing for ray tracing. In some embodiments, ray intersection circuitry traverses a spatially organized acceleration data structure and includes bounding region circuitry configured to test, in parallel, whether a ray intersects multiple different bounding regions indicated by a node of the data structure. Shader circuitry may execute a ray intersect instruction to invoke traversal by the ray intersect circuitry and the traversal may generate intersection results. The shader circuitry may shade intersected primitives based on the intersection results. Disclosed techniques that share processing between intersection circuitry and shader processors may improve performance, reduce power consumption, or both, relative to traditional techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley, Luca Iuliano, Jonathan M. Redshaw
  • Publication number: 20220036637
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques relate to grouping rays during traversal of a spatially-organized acceleration data structure (e.g., a bounding volume hierarchy) for ray intersection processing. The grouping may provide temporal locality for accesses to bounding region data. In some embodiments, ray intersect circuitry is configured to group rays based on the node of the data structure that they target next. The ray intersect circuitry may select one or more groups of rays for issuance each clock cycle, e.g., to bounding region test circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ali Rabbani Rankouhi, Christopher A. Burns, Justin A. Hensley, Luca Iuliano, Jonathan M. Redshaw
  • Publication number: 20210406031
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to operand routing among SIMD pipelines. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a set of multiple hardware pipelines configured to execute a single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) instruction for multiple threads in parallel, wherein the instruction specifies first and second architectural registers. In some embodiments, the pipelines include execution circuitry configured to perform operations using one or more pipeline stages of the pipeline. In some embodiments, the pipelines include routing circuitry configured to select, based on the instruction, a first input operand for the execution circuitry from among: a value from the first architectural register from thread-specific storage for another pipeline and a value from the second architectural register from thread-specific storage for a thread assigned to another pipeline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher A. Burns, Liang-Kai Wang, Robert D. Kenney, Terence M. Potter
  • Publication number: 20210345634
    Abstract: A coffee capsule dispensing assembly that includes at least one substantially gelatin casing capsule or composite which contains a coffee concentrate or composite or coffee enhancing substance. The gelatin casing capsule with a hydrolyzed collagen gelatin portion is designed to dissolve in an aqueous solution. A housing assembly with a distal end and a proximal end is designed to contain the at least one gelatin casing capsule. A depressible button assembly is disposed substantially at the proximal end of the housing assembly and is designed to advance the at least one gelatin casing capsule toward the distal end of the housing assembly. A latch and release assembly at the distal end of the housing assembly is designed to singularly release the at least one gelatin casing capsule when the at least one gelatin casing capsule is advanced by the depressible button assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventor: Christopher Burns
  • Patent number: 11126439
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to operand routing among SIMD pipelines. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a set of multiple hardware pipelines configured to execute a single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) instruction for multiple threads in parallel, wherein the instruction specifies first and second architectural registers. In some embodiments, the pipelines include execution circuitry configured to perform operations using one or more pipeline stages of the pipeline. In some embodiments, the pipelines include routing circuitry configured to select, based on the instruction, a first input operand for the execution circuitry from among: a value from the first architectural register from thread-specific storage for another pipeline and a value from the second architectural register from thread-specific storage for a thread assigned to another pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Burns, Liang-Kai Wang, Robert D. Kenney, Terence M. Potter
  • Publication number: 20210149679
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to operand routing among SIMD pipelines. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a set of multiple hardware pipelines configured to execute a single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) instruction for multiple threads in parallel, wherein the instruction specifies first and second architectural registers. In some embodiments, the pipelines include execution circuitry configured to perform operations using one or more pipeline stages of the pipeline. In some embodiments, the pipelines include routing circuitry configured to select, based on the instruction, a first input operand for the execution circuitry from among: a value from the first architectural register from thread-specific storage for another pipeline and a value from the second architectural register from thread-specific storage for a thread assigned to another pipeline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher A. Burns, Liang-Kai Wang, Robert D. Kenney, Terence M. Potter
  • Patent number: 10967171
    Abstract: A transdermal delivery system (1) configured to deliver an active agent to human or animal tissue, comprising a penetrative electrode (2) of one polarity that provides an electrical contact (3) beneath the stratum corneum (20); a surface electrode (4) of the opposite polarisation to that of the penetrative electrode (2) that provides an electrical contact to the external surface of the skin (21) on the opposite side of the stratum corneum (20) to the electrical contact (3) of the penetrative electrode (2); a dispenser (5) configured to deliver of an active agent to the external surface of the skin (21) adjacent to an electrical contact of the surface electrode (4); a method of delivering the active agent to the tissue of a human or animal body using the transdermal delivery system (1) and an electrode assembly (10) for use in preparing the transdermal delivery system (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SISAF LTD.
    Inventors: Roghieh Suzanne Saffie-Siebert, Christopher Burns
  • Publication number: 20210029162
    Abstract: Disclosed are various examples for enrolling a device in a management service. An enrollment wizard can include a series of user interfaces to facilitate enrollment of a device in the management service. Enrollment data can be obtained from the user and sent to the management service for authentication of the user and device. A user interface object can be instantiated to access a webpage within a user interface of the enrollment wizard for downloading a configuration profile provided by the management service. A user can be redirected to a settings application to install the configuration profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Suyu Pan, Naveen Pitchandi, Gerard T. Murphy, David Jablonski, Christopher Burns
  • Publication number: 20200230395
    Abstract: A transdermal delivery system (1) configured to deliver an active agent to human or animal tissue, comprising a penetrative electrode (2) of one polarity that provides an electrical contact (3) beneath the stratum corneum (20); a surface electrode (4) of the opposite polarisation to that of the penetrative electrode (2) that provides an electrical contact to the external surface of the skin (21) on the opposite side of the stratum corneum (20) to the electrical contact (3) of the penetrative electrode (2); a dispenser (5) configured to deliver of an active agent to the external surface of the skin (21) adjacent to an electrical contact of the surface electrode (4); a method of delivering the active agent to the tissue of a human or animal body using the transdermal delivery system (1) and an electrode assembly (10) for use in preparing the transdermal delivery system (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: SISAF LTD.
    Inventors: Roghieh Suzanne SAFFIE-SIEBERT, Christopher BURNS
  • Patent number: 10678381
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for identifying shadow regions on a multi-element capacitive input device such as a smart phone, and in particular using analysis of shadow regions, where the user may not be in direct contact with the device, to identify more accurately the area on the device the user is selecting, the hand, left or right, used to do the selecting and to identify the user using the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: DISH Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeremy Mickelsen, Christopher Burns
  • Publication number: 20200061227
    Abstract: A fragrance sachet includes a holder for a medium such as vermiculite. The medium can be treated with fragrance materials such as essential oils. The holder comprises a pouch formed with different materials on opposing sides which form designated respective front and back of the sachet. The designated front material is selected to support the application of indicia and/or decorations, while the designated back material may have filter type characteristics, to facilitate fragrance dispersion. The use of heat-sealable opposing side materials particularly facilitates formation of the pouch using a form-fill-seal system. The resulting sachet product may be configured with self-standing and/or hanging support features which avoid damaging any associated finished surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Burns, Heidi S. Ruehl, Jason Lye
  • Publication number: 20200061228
    Abstract: A fragrance sachet includes a holder for a medium such as vermiculite. The medium can be treated with fragrance materials such as essential oils. The holder comprises a pouch formed with different materials on opposing sides which form designated respective front and back of the sachet. The designated front material is selected to support the application of indicia and/or decorations, while the designated back material may have filter type characteristics, to facilitate fragrance dispersion. The use of heat-sealable opposing side materials particularly facilitates formation of the pouch using a form-fill-seal system. The resulting sachet product may be configured with self-standing and/or hanging support features which avoid damaging any associated finished surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Burns, Heidi S. Ruehl, Jason Lye
  • Publication number: 20200061226
    Abstract: A fragrance sachet includes a holder for a medium such as vermiculite. The medium can be treated with fragrance materials such as essential oils. The holder comprises a pouch formed with different materials on opposing sides which form designated respective front and back of the sachet. The designated front material is selected to support the application of indicia and/or decorations, while the designated back material may have filter type characteristics, to facilitate fragrance dispersion. The use of heat-sealable opposing side materials particularly facilitates formation of the pouch using a form-fill-seal system. The resulting sachet product may be configured with self-standing and/or hanging support features which avoid damaging any associated finished surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Burns, Heidi S. Ruehl, Jason Lye
  • Publication number: 20200054778
    Abstract: A fragrance sachet includes a holder for a medium such as vermiculite. The medium can be treated with fragrance materials such as essential oils. The holder comprises a pouch formed with different materials on opposing sides which form designated respective front and back of the sachet. The designated front material is selected to support the application of indicia and/or decorations, while the designated back material may have filter type characteristics, to facilitate fragrance dispersion. The use of heat-sealable opposing side materials particularly facilitates formation of the pouch using a form-fill-seal system. The resulting sachet product may be configured with self-standing and/or hanging support features which avoid damaging any associated finished surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Burns, Heidi S. Ruehl