Patents by Inventor Darren C. Minifie

Darren C. Minifie 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: 20160349970
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display showing a user interface (UI) automatically adjusts the zoom level of a magnification region. The electronic device receives a request to magnify at least a portion of the display showing the UI. The electronic device determines the context that the electronic device was operating in at the time of the magnification request. The context is comprised of display parameters, environmental parameters, or both. The electronic device displays the UI at a zoom level determined based on user preferences. Upon detecting a text input condition, the device resizes and optionally moves the magnification region so that the resized magnification region does not overlap with the newly displayed composition interface window. The device uses an auto-snap feature when the content within the magnification region displays a second boundary upon scrolling the content within the magnification region from a first boundary opposite the second one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Aaron M. Everitt, Christopher Brian Fleizach, Darren C. Minifie, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Eric T. Seymour, Gregory F. Hughes
  • Patent number: 9483461
    Abstract: Techniques that enable a user to select, from among multiple languages, a language to be used for performing text-to-speech conversion. In some embodiments, upon determining that multiple languages may be used to perform text-to-speech conversion for a portion of text, the multiple languages may be displayed to the user. The user may then select a particular language to be used from the multiple languages. The portion of text may then be converted to speech in the user-selected language.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Brian Fleizach, Darren C. Minifie
  • Publication number: 20150355813
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and user interfaces enable users identify a user-selected location of a user interface with reduced movement and motor effort. A first selection indicator is overlaid on the user interface and moved in a first direction. Responsive to receiving a first user input to stop movement of the first selection indicator, movement of the first selection indicator is ceased over a first location of the user interface. A second selection indicator is overlaid on the user interface and the second selection indicator is moved in a second direction. Responsive to receiving a second user input to stop movement of the second selection indicator, movement of the second selection indicator is ceased over a second location of the user interface. The user-selected location of the user interface is selected based at least in part on the first and the second locations of the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory F. Hughes, Christopher Brian Fleizach, Eric T. Seymour, Darren C. Minifie, Patti Pei-Chin Hoa
  • Publication number: 20150040213
    Abstract: While an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface is in a screen reader accessibility mode, the device displays an application launcher screen including a plurality of application icons. A respective application icon corresponds to a respective application stored in the device. The device detects a sequence of one or more gestures on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to one or more characters. A respective gesture that corresponds to a respective character is a single finger gesture that moves across the touch-sensitive surface along a respective path that corresponds to the respective character. The device determines whether the detected sequence of one or more gestures corresponds to a respective application icon of the plurality of application icons, and, in response to determining that the detected sequence of one or more gestures corresponds to the respective application icon, performs a predefined operation associated with the respective application icon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher B. FLEIZACH, Darren C. MINIFIE, Gregory F. HUGHES, Ryan N. DOUR, Ian M. FISCH, Joel M. LOPES DA SILVA, Michael M. PEDERSEN, II, Eric T. SEYMOUR, Devang K. NAIK, Ryan S. DIXON
  • Patent number: 8881269
    Abstract: While an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface is in a screen reader accessibility mode, the device displays an application launcher screen including a plurality of application icons. A respective application icon corresponds to a respective application stored in the device. The device detects a sequence of one or more gestures on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to one or more characters. A respective gesture that corresponds to a respective character is a single finger gesture that moves across the touch-sensitive surface along a respective path that corresponds to the respective character. The device determines whether the detected sequence of one or more gestures corresponds to a respective application icon of the plurality of application icons, and, in response to determining that the detected sequence of one or more gestures corresponds to the respective application icon, performs a predefined operation associated with the respective application icon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher B. Fleizach, Darren C. Minifie, Gregory F. Hughes, Ryan N. Dour, Ian M. Fisch, Joel M. Lopes Da Silva, Michael M. Pedersen, II, Eric T. Seymour, Devang K. Naik, Ryan S. Dixon
  • Publication number: 20140281950
    Abstract: An electronic device in communication with a haptic feedback device that includes a touch-sensitive surface sends instructions to the haptic display to display a document with multiple characters. A respective character is displayed at a respective character size. While the haptic display is displaying the document, the device receives an input that corresponds to a finger contact at a first location on the haptic display. In response to receiving the input, the device associates a first cursor position with the first location, determines a first character in the plurality of characters adjacent to the first cursor position, and sends instructions to the haptic display to output a Braille character, at the first location, that corresponds to the first character. A respective Braille character is output on the haptic display at a respective Braille character size that is larger than the corresponding displayed character size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc
    Inventors: Samuel C. White, Darren C. Minifie, Christopher B. Fleizach
  • Publication number: 20140215398
    Abstract: Systems and processes for scanning a user interface are disclosed. One process can include scanning multiple elements within a user interface by highlighting the elements. The process can further include receiving a selection while one of the elements is highlighted and performing an action on the element that was highlighted when the selection was received. The action can include scanning the contents of the selected element or performing an action associated with the selected element. The process can be used to navigate an array of application icons, a menu of options, a standard desktop or laptop operating system interface, or the like. The process can also be used to perform gestures on a touch-sensitive device or mouse and track pad gestures (e.g., flick, tap, or freehand gestures).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Fleizach, Eric T. Seymour, Clare Kasemest, Samuel White, Darren C. Minifie, Ian Fisch, Gregory F. Hughes, Justin Kaufman, Patti P. Hoa
  • Publication number: 20130263251
    Abstract: While an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface is in a screen reader accessibility mode, the device displays an application launcher screen including a plurality of application icons. A respective application icon corresponds to a respective application stored in the device. The device detects a sequence of one or more gestures on the touch-sensitive surface that correspond to one or more characters. A respective gesture that corresponds to a respective character is a single finger gesture that moves across the touch-sensitive surface along a respective path that corresponds to the respective character. The device determines whether the detected sequence of one or more gestures corresponds to a respective application icon of the plurality of application icons, and, in response to determining that the detected sequence of one or more gestures corresponds to the respective application icon, performs a predefined operation associated with the respective application icon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher B. Fleizach, Darren C. Minifie, Gregory F. Hughes, Ryan N. Dour, Ian M. Fisch, Joel M. Lopes Da Silva, Michael M. Pedersen, II, Eric T. Seymour
  • Publication number: 20130238339
    Abstract: Techniques that enable a user to select, from among multiple languages, a language to be used for performing text-to-speech conversion. In some embodiments, upon determining that multiple languages may be used to perform text-to-speech conversion for a portion of text, the multiple languages may be displayed to the user. The user may then select a particular language to be used from the multiple languages. The portion of text may then be converted to speech in the user-selected language.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Brian Fleizach, Darren C. Minifie