Patents by Inventor Christopher S. Linn

Christopher S. Linn 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: 20190187974
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique for downgrading applications to placeholder applications in order to free up storage space in a user device. Based on a variety of heuristics, a number of installed applications are identified as candidates for a downgrade. The downgrading of the identified applications involves creating a placeholder application for each of the identified applications. The identified applications are temporarily deleted while keeping the user data associated with the applications intact and the placeholder applications are installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher S. LINN, Eric S. BROWN, Eric O. CARLSON, Cindy M. BARRETT, Jonathan M. GRYNSPAN, Donald M. FIRLIK, Cameron S. BIRSE, Timothee GEOGHEGAN
  • Publication number: 20190166212
    Abstract: The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device requests extended activity data from the source electronic device. The source electronic device responds by sending extended activity data from the first application to the companion electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Linn, Keith Stattenfield, Christopher C. Jensen, Alexander R. Ledwith, David A. Carter, Marc Krochmal, John J. Iarocci, Jonathan M. Grynspan
  • Publication number: 20190159005
    Abstract: The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device requests extended activity data from the source electronic device. The source electronic device responds by sending extended activity data from the first application to the companion electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Linn, Keith Stattenfield, Alexander J. Dunn
  • Patent number: 10237711
    Abstract: The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device requests extended activity data from the source electronic device. The source electronic device responds by sending extended activity data from the first application to the companion electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Linn, Keith Stattenfield, Alexander J. Dunn
  • Patent number: 10235152
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique for downgrading applications to placeholder applications in order to free up storage space in a user device. Based on a variety of heuristics, a number of installed applications are identified as candidates for a downgrade. The downgrading of the identified applications involves creating a placeholder application for each of the identified applications. The identified applications are temporarily deleted while keeping the user data associated with the applications intact and the placeholder applications are installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Linn, Eric S. Brown, Eric O. Carlson, Cindy M. Barrett, Jonathan M. Grynspan, Donald M. Firlik, Cameron S. Birse, Timothee Geoghegan
  • Patent number: 10218840
    Abstract: A connection manager manages connections for associated user devices by determining whether an incoming connection has been answered at a user device, and if so then generating and transmitting silencing commands to associated user devices using first and second wireless communication modes, with one mode being faster. Connections can comprise phone calls, and modes can comprise push and Bluetooth® messaging. The connection manager can instruct device outputs to provide connection alerts, limited to visual alerts when an associated user device is active, listen for associated user device communications, and instruct device outputs to stop providing alerts when a silencing command is received. Further, a connection manager can receive a signal regarding a headset status, route an outside connection from a phone to the headset when the headset is active or to another device when the headset is not active, detect a change in headset status, and reroute the connection accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Keith W. Rauenbuehler, Nicholas M. Fraioli, Christopher S. Linn, John J. Iarocci, Keith Stattenfield
  • Publication number: 20190034405
    Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can generate user input correction suggestions based on the user's context. For example, the user's context can include content that the user has open or has recently opened on the computing device or another computing device. For example, when the user opens an item of content, the computing device can generate a context dictionary that includes words, phrases, etc., that describe the opened content. When the user provides input (e.g., text, speech, etc.) the computing device can use the context dictionary to generate input correction suggestions. The computing device can synchronize the context dictionary with other computing devices that the user may be using so that the user's context on one device can be used by another device to generate input correction suggestions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Jason J. Ivan, Christopher S. Linn, Douglas R. Davidson
  • Patent number: 10193987
    Abstract: The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device requests extended activity data from the source electronic device. The source electronic device responds by sending extended activity data from the first application to the companion electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Linn, Keith Stattenfield, Christopher C. Jensen, Jr., Alexander R. Ledwith, David A. Carter, Marc J. Krochmal, John J. Iarocci, Jonathan Grynspan
  • Publication number: 20190020450
    Abstract: The described embodiments augment an activity performed in a first application at a source electronic device using a controller at a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives controller information describing a controller that the activity performed in the first application accepts controller data from, determines a controller identifier for the controller information, and broadcasts a controller advertisement comprising the controller identifier. Upon receiving the controller advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that can provide the controller data is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device establishes a cooperative-activity communication channel with the source electronic device. The companion electronic device uses the cooperative-activity communication channel to provide controller data to the source electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marc J. Krochmal, Christopher S. Linn, John J. Iarocci, Geoffrey G. Stahl, Jaques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Alexander R. Ledwith
  • Patent number: 10165391
    Abstract: The described embodiments augment an activity performed in a first application at a source electronic device using a controller at a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives controller information describing a controller that the activity performed in the first application accepts controller data from, determines a controller identifier for the controller information, and broadcasts a controller advertisement comprising the controller identifier. Upon receiving the controller advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that can provide the controller data is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device establishes a cooperative-activity communication channel with the source electronic device. The companion electronic device uses the cooperative-activity communication channel to provide controller data to the source electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Marc J. Krochmal, Christopher S. Linn, John J. Iarocci, Geoffrey G. Stahl, Jaques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Alexander R. Ledwith
  • Publication number: 20180348849
    Abstract: This application relates to techniques that adjust the sleep states of a computing device based on proximity detection and predicted user activity. Proximity detection procedures can be used to determine a proximity between the computing device and a remote computing device coupled to the user. Based on these proximity detection procedures, the computing device can either correspondingly increase or decrease the amount power supplied to the various components during either a low-power sleep state or a high-power sleep state. Additionally, historical user activity data gathered on the computing device can be used to predict when the user will likely use the computing device. Based on the gathered historical user activity, deep sleep signals and light sleep signals can be issued at a time when the computing device is placed within a sleep state which can cause it to immediately enter either a low-power sleep state or a high-power sleep state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Varaprasad V. LINGUTLA, Kartik R. VENKATRAMAN, Cyril de la CROPTE de CHANTERAC, Bob BRADLEY, Marc J. KROCHMAL, Matthew D. PERKINS, Christopher S. LINN, Akshay MANGALAM SRIVATSA
  • Patent number: 10122759
    Abstract: A novel security framework that is part of an operating system of a device is provided. The framework includes a security assessor that performs security policy assessments for different operations that need to be performed with respect to an application executing on the device. Examples of such operations include the installation of the application, execution of the application, and the opening of content files (e.g., opening of documents) by the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Peter Kiehtreiber, Jacques A. Vidrine, Christopher S. Linn, Randy D. Saldinger, Braden J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10111027
    Abstract: The described embodiments augment an activity performed in a first application at a source electronic device using a controller at a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives controller information describing a controller that the activity performed in the first application accepts controller data from, determines a controller identifier for the controller information, and broadcasts a controller advertisement comprising the controller identifier. Upon receiving the controller advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that can provide the controller data is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device establishes a cooperative-activity communication channel with the source electronic device. The companion electronic device uses the cooperative-activity communication channel to provide controller data to the source electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Marc J. Krochmal, Christopher S. Linn, John J. Iarocci, Geoffrey G. Stahl, Jaques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Alexander R. Ledwith
  • Publication number: 20180205824
    Abstract: A connection manager manages connections for associated user devices by determining whether an incoming connection has been answered at a user device, and if so then generating and transmitting silencing commands to associated user devices using first and second wireless communication modes, with one mode being faster. Connections can comprise phone calls, and modes can comprise push and Bluetooth® messaging. The connection manager can instruct device outputs to provide connection alerts, limited to visual alerts when an associated user device is active, listen for associated user device communications, and instruct device outputs to stop providing alerts when a silencing command is received. Further, a connection manager can receive a signal regarding a headset status, route an outside connection from a phone to the headset when the headset is active or to another device when the headset is not active, detect a change in headset status, and reroute the connection accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Keith W. RAUENBUEHLER, Nicholas M. FRAIOLI, Christopher S. LINN, John J. IAROCCI, Keith STATTENFIELD
  • Patent number: 9967697
    Abstract: A device may comprise at least one wireless transceiver, a memory configured to store a local pasteboard, and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive local selections of data to be placed on a local pasteboard, broadcast advertisements indicating that the local data is on the local pasteboard, and wirelessly transmit the local data to remote device pasteboards. The processor may also be configured to receive advertisements indicating that remote data is available on remote pasteboards of other devices, request the remote data in response to a paste command, wirelessly receive the remote data, and paste the remote data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Stattenfield, Douglas R. Edmonson, Marc Krochmal, John J. Iarocci, Kevin S. Perry, David Rahardja, Christopher S. Linn
  • Patent number: 9948728
    Abstract: The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. Then, the companion electronic device configures the second application and commences performing the activity with the second application at the companion electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Linn, Keith Stattenfield, Christopher C. Jensen, Alexander R. Ledwith, David A. Carter, Marc J. Krochmal, John J. Iarocci, Jonathan M. Grynspan
  • Patent number: 9870166
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for securely caching and sharing image data. A process can generate image data and store the image data into the protected cache using a UUID that is cryptographically derived from the image data. Any process with access to the UUID may retrieve the image data. Because the UUID is uniquely derived from the actual data of the generated file, a process will only be able to retrieve image data that could have been generated by a process associated with the user account, or from a process associated with a user account that could have generated the image data, or that otherwise has a record of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Carter, Keith Stattenfield, David P. Remahl, Jr., Christopher S. Linn
  • Publication number: 20170347226
    Abstract: A device may comprise at least one wireless transceiver, a memory configured to store a local pasteboard, and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive local selections of data to be placed on a local pasteboard, broadcast advertisements indicating that the local data is on the local pasteboard, and wirelessly transmit the local data to remote device pasteboards. The processor may also be configured to receive advertisements indicating that remote data is available on remote pasteboards of other devices, request the remote data in response to a paste command, wirelessly receive the remote data, and paste the remote data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Keith Stattenfield, Douglas R. Edmonson, Marc Krochmal, John J. Iarocci, Kevin S. Perry, David Rahardja, Christopher S. Linn
  • Publication number: 20170347227
    Abstract: A device may comprise at least one wireless transceiver, a memory configured to store a local pasteboard, and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive local selections of data to be placed on a local pasteboard, broadcast advertisements indicating that the local data is on the local pasteboard, and wirelessly transmit the local data to remote device pasteboards. The processor may also be configured to receive advertisements indicating that remote data is available on remote pasteboards of other devices, request the remote data in response to a paste command, wirelessly receive the remote data, and paste the remote data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Keith STATTENFIELD, Douglas R. Edmonson, Marc Krochmal, John J. Iarocci, Kevin S. Perry, David Rahardja, Christopher S. Linn
  • Patent number: 9826089
    Abstract: A connection manager manages connections for associated user devices by determining whether an incoming connection has been answered at a user device, and if so then generating and transmitting silencing commands to associated user devices using first and second wireless communication modes, with one mode being faster. Connections can comprise phone calls, and modes can comprise push and Bluetooth® messaging. The connection manager can instruct device outputs to provide connection alerts, limited to visual alerts when an associated user device is active, listen for associated user device communications, and instruct device outputs to stop providing alerts when a silencing command is received. Further, a connection manager can receive a signal regarding a headset status, route an outside connection from a phone to the headset when the headset is active or to another device when the headset is not active, detect a change in headset status, and reroute the connection accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Keith W. Rauenbuehler, Nicholas M. Fraioli, Christopher S. Linn, John J. Iarocci, Keith Stattenfield