Patents by Inventor Christopher K. Thomas

Christopher K. Thomas 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: 11895105
    Abstract: An access control system is provided to prevent the surreptitious granting of access to privacy related functionality on an electronic device. Software-based events to grant access to device functionality can be validated by confirming that the software event corresponds with a hardware input event. This validation prevents the spoofing of a user interface input that may be used to fraudulently grant access to specific functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Montgomerie, Jessica Aranda, Patrick Coffman, Julien Freudiger, Matthew Hansen Gamble, Ron Huang, Anant Jain, Glen S. Low, Andrey Pokrovskiy, Stephen J. Rhee, Matthew E. Shepherd, Ansh Shukla, Katherine Skinner, Kyle Martin Sluder, Christopher Soli, Christopher K. Thomas, Guy L. Tribble, John Wilander
  • Publication number: 20230359345
    Abstract: At an electronic device, a user input is detected that corresponds to a respective user interface element in a portion of a user interface that is associated with a first standard gesture recognizer and a first supplemental gesture recognizer. The user input is processed in accordance with the first standard gesture recognizer and the first supplemental gesture recognizer. In accordance with a determination that content associated with the respective user interface element cannot be added to a drag operation, the device fails to recognize the user input using the first supplemental gesture recognizer, and processes the user input using the first standard gesture recognizer. On the other hand, in accordance with a determination that the content associated with the respective user interface element can be added to the drag operation, a gesture is recognized using the first supplemental gesture recognizer and the content is added to the drag operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, Christopher K. Thomas, Dominik Wagner, Michael T. Turner
  • Patent number: 11747975
    Abstract: An electronic device, while displaying a user interface of an application, detects a user input on a portion of the user interface associated with a plurality of gesture recognizers. A first set of standard gesture recognizers are associated with the portion of the user interface by the application; a second set of supplemental gesture recognizers are associated with the portion of the user interface by a system process; and a first failure requirement determines which gesture recognizers must fail before other gesture recognizers can recognize a user input. In one example, the first failure requirement is that a particular standard gesture recognizer (e.g., an intensity-based gesture recognizer) must fail before a particular supplemental gesture recognizer (e.g., a drag start gesture recognizer) can recognize a user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, Christopher K. Thomas, Dominik Wagner, Michael T. Turner
  • Patent number: 11675412
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device may include an attention detection service. The attention detection service may monitor various peripheral devices in the device for indications that a user is paying attention to the device. Various clients may register for notification of attention detection and attention lost (attention no longer detected) events, or may poll the service for the events. If a user is not paying attention to the device, it may be possible to take various actions to permit reduced energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Biron, Ronnie G. Misra, Christopher K. Thomas, Weijie Zhang, Roberto G. Yepez, Anthony J. Guetta, Kelsey Y. Ho, Paul W. Chinn, Myra Haggerty, Curtis Rothert, Peter D. Anton, Jonathan E. Drummond, Andrew B. Cato
  • Publication number: 20220179535
    Abstract: An electronic device, while displaying a user interface of an application, detects a user input on a portion of the user interface associated with a plurality of gesture recognizers. A first set of standard gesture recognizers are associated with the portion of the user interface by the application; a second set of supplemental gesture recognizers are associated with the portion of the user interface by a system process; and a first failure requirement determines which gesture recognizers must fail before other gesture recognizers can recognize a user input. In one example, the first failure requirement is that a particular standard gesture recognizer (e.g., an intensity-based gesture recognizer) must fail before a particular supplemental gesture recognizer (e.g., a drag start gesture recognizer) can recognize a user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, Christopher K. Thomas, Dominik Wagner, Michael T. Turner
  • Patent number: 11269508
    Abstract: An electronic device, while displaying a user interface for a first application, receives at the first application information that describes a first touch detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a respective user interface object. In accordance with a determination that the first touch meets predefined criteria associated with initiating a respective type of interface operation, the device initiates a user interface operation of the respective type involving the respective user interface object. The first application receives instructions to ignore the first touch with respect to user interface operations other than the respective type of interface operation, and ignores the first touch with respect to user interface operations other than the respective type of interface operation. In some embodiments, the respective type of interface operation is a drag operation, for dragging an object in or from a view of the first application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, Christopher K. Thomas, Dominik Wagner, Michael T. Turner
  • Publication number: 20210400037
    Abstract: An access control system is provided to prevent the surreptitious granting of access to privacy related functionality on an electronic device. Software-based events to grant access to device functionality can be validated by confirming that the software event corresponds with a hardware input event. This validation prevents the spoofing of a user interface input that may be used to fraudulently grant access to specific functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: James R. Montgomerie, Jessica Aranda, Patrick Coffman, Julien Freudiger, Matthew Hansen Gamble, Ron Huang, Anant Jain, Glen S. Low, Andrey Pokrovskiy, Stephen J. Rhee, Matthew E. Shepherd, Ansh Shukla, Katherine Skinner, Kyle Martin Sluder, Christopher Soli, Christopher K. Thomas, Guy L. Tribble, John Wilander
  • Publication number: 20210341986
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device may include an attention detection service. The attention detection service may monitor various peripheral devices in the device for indications that a user is paying attention to the device. Various clients may register for notification of attention detection and attention lost (attention no longer detected) events, or may poll the service for the events. If a user is not paying attention to the device, it may be possible to take various actions to permit reduced energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Benjamin Biron, Ronnie G. Misra, Christopher K. Thomas, Weijie Zhang, Roberto G. Yepez, Anthony J. Guetta, Kelsey Y. Ho, Paul W. Chinn, Myra Haggerty, Curtis Rothert, Peter D. Anton, Jonathan E. Drummond, Andrew B. Cato
  • Patent number: 11106265
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device may include an attention detection service. The attention detection service may monitor various peripheral devices in the device for indications that a user is paying attention to the device. Various clients may register for notification of attention detection and attention lost (attention no longer detected) events, or may poll the service for the events. If a user is not paying attention to the device, it may be possible to take various actions to permit reduced energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Biron, Ronnie G. Misra, Christopher K. Thomas, Weijie Zhang, Roberto G. Yepez, Anthony J. Guetta, Kelsey Y. Ho, Paul W. Chinn, Myra Haggerty, Curtis Rothert, Peter D. Anton, Jonathan E. Drummond, Andrew B. Cato
  • Patent number: 10884604
    Abstract: The subject technology provides for receiving a request for a representation of an item from a destination application. The subject technology sends the request for the representation of the item to a source application. The subject technology receives a link to a file provider, the file provider fulfilling a data transfer of the representation of the item. Further, the subject technology sends the link to the file provider to the destination application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, David Rahardja, Michael T. Turner, Kurt A. Revis, Christopher K. Thomas, Stephen R. Breen, Tyler M. Fox, Emanuele Rudel, Robert D. Boehnke, Tom Adriaenssen, James R. Montgomerie
  • Patent number: 10860200
    Abstract: The subject technology provides for identifying an item being dragged over an application in which the items are arranged in a table in a first arrangement. The subject technology copies the first arrangement to generate a second arrangement that corresponds to an initial arrangement of the items when the item is identified as being dragged over the first application. The subject technology updates the first arrangement to reflect changed positions of the items in the table resulting from another item being inserted into the table. The subject technology updates the second arrangement to reflect changed positions of items. Further, the subject technology merges the updated second arrangement with the updated first arrangement to reconcile the changed positions resulting from the item being inserted into the table at the location with the changed positions resulting from the another item being inserted into the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, David Rahardja, Michael T. Turner, Kurt A. Revis, Christopher K. Thomas, Stephen R. Breen, Tyler M. Fox, Emanuele Rudel, Robert D. Boehnke, Tom Adriaenssen, James R. Montgomerie
  • Publication number: 20200363858
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device may include an attention detection service. The attention detection service may monitor various peripheral devices in the device for indications that a user is paying attention to the device. Various clients may register for notification of attention detection and attention lost (attention no longer detected) events, or may poll the service for the events. If a user is not paying attention to the device, it may be possible to take various actions to permit reduced energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Benjamin Biron, Ronnie G. Misra, Christopher K. Thomas, Weijie Zhang, Roberto G. Yepez, Anthony J. Guetta, Kelsey Y. Ho, Paul W. Chinn, Myra Haggerty, Curtis Rothert, Peter D. Anton, Jonathan E. Drummond, Andrew B. Cato
  • Patent number: 10705713
    Abstract: A device implementing drag and drop for touchscreen devices may include a processor configured to detect a drag gesture selecting an item in a first application. The processor may be further configured to detect a touch release at an end of the drag gesture for dropping the item in a second application, and send, in response to the detected touch release, a message to the second application, the message including information for a plurality of representations of the item. The processor may be further configured to receive, from the second application, a request for a representation of the item from among the plurality of representations. The processor may be further configured to send, to the first application, the request for the representation of the item. The processor may be further configured to initiate a data transfer of the representation of the item from the first application to the second application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, David Rahardja, Michael T. Turner, Kurt A. Revis, Christopher K. Thomas, Stephen R. Breen, Tyler M. Fox, Emanuele Rudel, Robert D. Boehnke, Tom Adriaenssen, James R. Montgomerie
  • Patent number: 10642335
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device may include an attention detection service. The attention detection service may monitor various peripheral devices in the device for indications that a user is paying attention to the device. Various clients may register for notification of attention detection and attention lost (attention no longer detected) events, or may poll the service for the events. If a user is not paying attention to the device, it may be possible to take various actions to permit reduced energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Biron, Ronnie G. Misra, Christopher K. Thomas, Weijie Zhang, Roberto G. Yepez, Anthony J. Guetta, Kelsey Y. Ho, Paul W. Chinn, Myra Haggerty, Curtis Rothert, Peter D. Anton, Jonathan E. Drummond, Andrew B. Cato
  • Publication number: 20190346986
    Abstract: An electronic device, while displaying a user interface for a first application, receives at the first application information that describes a first touch detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a respective user interface object. In accordance with a determination that the first touch meets predefined criteria associated with initiating a respective type of interface operation, the device initiates a user interface operation of the respective type involving the respective user interface object. The first application receives instructions to ignore the first touch with respect to user interface operations other than the respective type of interface operation, and ignores the first touch with respect to user interface operations other than the respective type of interface operation. In some embodiments, the respective type of interface operation is a drag operation, for dragging an object in or from a view of the first application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, Christopher K. Thomas, Dominik Wagner, Michael T. Turner
  • Patent number: 10444976
    Abstract: The subject technology provides for detecting a drag gesture selecting an item in a first application. The subject technology detects a touch release at an end of the drag gesture for dropping the item in a second application. The subject technology sends in response to the detected touch release, a message to the second application, the message including information for a plurality of representations of the item. The subject technology receives, from the second application, a request for a representation of the item from among the plurality of representations. The subject technology sends, to the first application, the request for the representation of the item. Further, the subject technology initiates a data transfer of the representation of the item from the first application to the second application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, David Rahardja, Michael T. Turner, Kurt A. Revis, Christopher K. Thomas, Stephen R. Breen, Tyler M. Fox, Emanuele Rudel, Robert D. Boehnke, Tom Adriaenssen, James R. Montgomerie
  • Patent number: 10409477
    Abstract: An electronic device, while displaying a user interface for a first application, receives at the first application information that describes a first touch detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a respective user interface object. In accordance with a determination that the first touch meets predefined criteria associated with initiating a respective type of interface operation, the device initiates a user interface operation of the respective type involving the respective user interface object. The first application receives instructions to ignore the first touch with respect to user interface operations other than the respective type of interface operation, and ignores the first touch with respect to user interface operations other than the respective type of interface operation. In some embodiments, the respective type of interface operation is a drag operation, for dragging an object in or from a view of the first application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Nilo, Christopher K. Thomas, Dominik Wagner, Michael T. Turner
  • Publication number: 20180348842
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a device may include an attention detection service. The attention detection service may monitor various peripheral devices in the device for indications that a user is paying attention to the device. Various clients may register for notification of attention detection and attention lost (attention no longer detected) events, or may poll the service for the events. If a user is not paying attention to the device, it may be possible to take various actions to permit reduced energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Benjamin Biron, Ronnie G. Misra, Christopher K. Thomas, Weijie Zhang, Roberto G. Yepez, Anthony J. Guetta, Kelsey Y. Ho, Paul W. Chinn, Myra Haggerty, Curtis Rothert, Peter D. Anton, Jonathan E. Drummond, Andrew B. Cato
  • Publication number: 20180335912
    Abstract: The subject technology provides for detecting a drag gesture selecting an item in a first application. The subject technology detects a touch release at an end of the drag gesture for dropping the item in a second application. The subject technology sends in response to the detected touch release, a message to the second application, the message including information for a plurality of representations of the item. The subject technology receives, from the second application, a request for a representation of the item from among the plurality of representations. The subject technology sends, to the first application, the request for the representation of the item. Further, the subject technology initiates a data transfer of the representation of the item from the first application to the second application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Bruce D. NILO, David RAHARDJA, Michael T. TURNER, Kurt A. REVIS, Christopher K. THOMAS, Stephen R. BREEN, Tyler M. FOX, Emanuele RUDEL, Robert D. BOEHNKE, Tom ADRIAENSSEN, James R. MONTGOMERIE
  • Publication number: 20180335914
    Abstract: The subject technology provides for receiving a request for a representation of an item from a destination application. The subject technology sends the request for the representation of the item to a source application. The subject technology receives a link to a file provider, the file provider fulfilling a data transfer of the representation of the item. Further, the subject technology sends the link to the file provider to the destination application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Bruce D. NILO, David RAHARDJA, Michael T. TURNER, Kurt A. REVIS, Christopher K. THOMAS, Stephen R. BREEN, Tyler M. FOX, Emanuele RUDEL, Robert D. BOEHNKE, Tom ADRIAENSSEN, James R. MONTGOMERIE