Patents by Inventor Elizabeth Caroline Furches

Elizabeth Caroline Furches 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: 20250140255
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a first speech input from a user. The method further includes identifying context information and determining a user intent based on the first speech input and the context information. The method further includes determining whether the user intent is to perform a task using a searching process or an object managing process. The searching process is configured to search data, and the object managing process is configured to manage objects. The method further includes, in accordance with a determination the user intent is to perform the task using the searching process, performing the task using the searching process; and in accordance with the determination that the user intent is to perform the task using the object managing process, performing the task using the object managing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Aram D. KUDURSHIAN, Bronwyn JONES, Elizabeth Caroline Furches CRANFILL, Harry J. SADDLER
  • Patent number: 12254171
    Abstract: A method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a progress icon that indicates a current position within a first piece of content, displaying a multi-purpose content navigation icon; while providing the first piece of content: detecting a first contact at a first location that corresponds to the multi-purpose content navigation icon; while continuing to detect the contact at the first location, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a predefined scrubbing rate; and, in response to detecting movement of the contact that includes a first component of movement in a direction that corresponds to movement on the display parallel to the first predefined direction, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a variable scrubbing rate that varies monotonically as the first component of movement increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Chaudhri, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Michael J. Matas, Lucas C. Newman, Marcel Van Os
  • Publication number: 20250005195
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to, among other things, monitoring a user device to determine whether a user associated with the device is safe. In some examples, a user (which may be referred to herein as an “initiator” establishes a device monitoring session (which may be referred to herein as “session”) with a user, or a group of users, so that the user(s) are notified either when the initiator has safely ended the device monitoring session or receives access to session data that was collected during the session. In some configurations, the session can be handed off from a first user device that is currently active to a different user device. Instead of the first user device always being the device that interacts with the server, a different first user device may be selected as the active device to interact with the server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2024
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel P. Shepard, Michael P. Dal Santo, Ping-Ko Chiu, Kumar Gaurav Chhokra, Yannick L. Sierra, Andrew M. Pace, Richard L. Hagy, Lindsey McAllister, Dharini Sitaraman, Andrew N. Khoury, Richard Bower Warren, Brent M. Ledvina, Siva Ganesh Movva, Ronald Keryuan Huang, Robert W. Mayor, Stacey F. Lysik, Areeba Kamal, Ryan D. Shelby, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Kanika Malhotra, Gillian T. Verga
  • Patent number: 12175977
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a first speech input from a user. The method further includes identifying context information and determining a user intent based on the first speech input and the context information. The method further includes determining whether the user intent is to perform a task using a searching process or an object managing process. The searching process is configured to search data, and the object managing process is configured to manage objects. The method further includes, in accordance with a determination the user intent is to perform the task using the searching process, performing the task using the searching process; and in accordance with the determination that the user intent is to perform the task using the object managing process, performing the task using the object managing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aram D. Kudurshian, Bronwyn Jones, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Harry J. Saddler
  • Patent number: 12160545
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls. In some embodiments, when the electronic device is executing multiple phone calls and receives user input corresponding to an informational item, the electronic device suspends a first phone call and activates a second phone call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Imran Chaudhri, Michael Matas, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Greg Christie
  • Patent number: 12160546
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls. In some embodiments, when the electronic device receives a request to initiate another phone call, the electronic device displays a contacts user interface including a plurality of contact user interface objects associated with respective contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Imran Chaudhri, Michael Matas, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Greg Christie
  • Publication number: 20240319860
    Abstract: A method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes displaying a progress icon that indicates a current position within u first piece of content, displaying a multi-purpose content navigation icon; while providing the first piece of content: detecting a first contact at a first location that corresponds to the multi-purpose content navigation icon; while continuing to detect the contact at the first location, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a predefined scrubbing rate; and, in response to detecting movement of the contact that includes a first component of movement in a direction that corresponds to movement on the display parallel to the first predefined direction, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a variable scrubbing rate that varies monotonically as the first component of movement increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Imran CHAUDHRI, Elizabeth Caroline Furches CRANFILL, Michael J. MATAS, Lucas C. NEWMAN, Marcel VAN OS
  • Publication number: 20240272788
    Abstract: Information is presented to a user by accessing a library of electronic publications that includes a first publication, generating a representation of the first publication in an electronic bookshelf, determining a state for the first publication and modifying the representation of the first publication to reflect the state of the first publication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Elizabeth Caroline Furches CRANFILL, David HELLER, Jeffrey ROBBIN, Alan C. CANNISTRARO, William Martin BACHMAN, Timothy B. MARTIN, Matt EVANS, Joe R. HOWARD
  • Patent number: 12019750
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing updates to an electronic device are provided. Upon receiving an update statement, indicating availability of an update to an application on an electronic device, a determination is made as to whether an update notification threshold has been met at the electronic device based upon the indication of availability of the update to the application. When the update notification threshold has been met at the electronic device, a graphical indication of the availability of the update to the application is provided. However, when the update notification threshold has not been met, the graphical indication of the availability of the update to the application is not provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sean B. Kelly, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Thomas Alsina
  • Patent number: 11995171
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing access to credentials. In some examples, an electronic device authorizes release of credentials for use in an operation for which authorization is required. In some examples, an electronic device causes display of one or more steps to be taken to enable an input device for user input. In some examples, an electronic device disambiguates between commands to change the account that is actively logged-in on the device and commands to cause credentials to be released from the secure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marcel Van Os, Peter D. Anton, Patrick L. Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Raymond S. Sepulveda, Chun Kin Minor Wong
  • Patent number: 11907519
    Abstract: A method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a progress icon that indicates a current position within a first piece of content; displaying a multi-purpose content navigation icon; while providing the first piece of content: detecting a first contact at a first location that corresponds to the multi-purpose content navigation icon; while continuing to detect the contact at the first location, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a predefined scrubbing rate; and, in response to detecting movement of the contact that includes a first component of movement in a direction that corresponds to movement on the display parallel to the first predefined direction, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a variable scrubbing rate that varies monotonically as the first component of movement increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Chaudhri, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Michael J. Matas, Lucas C. Newman, Marcel Van Os
  • Publication number: 20230421698
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls. In some embodiments, when the electronic device is executing multiple phone calls and receives user input corresponding to an informational item, the electronic device suspends a first phone call and activates a second phone call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Scott FORSTALL, Imran Chaudhri, Michael Matas, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Greg Christie
  • Publication number: 20230421699
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls. In some embodiments, when the electronic device receives a request to initiate another phone call, the electronic device displays a contacts user interface including a plurality of contact user interface objects associated with respective contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Scott FORSTALL, Imran CHAUDHRI, Michael MATAS, Marcel VAN OS, Stephen O. LEMAY, Patrick Lee COFFMAN, Elizabeth Caroline Furches CRANFILL, Greg CHRISTIE
  • Publication number: 20230352016
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a first speech input from a user. The method further includes identifying context information and determining a user intent based on the first speech input and the context information. The method further includes determining whether the user intent is to perform a task using a searching process or an object managing process. The searching process is configured to search data, and the object managing process is configured to manage objects. The method further includes, in accordance with a determination the user intent is to perform the task using the searching process, performing the task using the searching process; and in accordance with the determination that the user intent is to perform the task using the object managing process, performing the task using the object managing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Aram D. KUDURSHIAN, Bronwyn JONES, Elizabeth Caroline Furches CRANFILL, Harry J. SADDLER
  • Patent number: 11797934
    Abstract: A user having multiple electronic devices may receive notifications at each of the devices. When it is determined that a first device is in an active state and that a notification has been viewed on that device, an indication that the notification has been viewed may be communicated by the first device to a synchronization server. It may then be determined whether the viewed notification is also present on one or more of the user's other devices. Based on the determination, an indication that the notification has been viewed may be sent from the synchronization server to each of the user's devices on which the notification is present. Upon receipt of the indication from the synchronization server, the viewed notification may be removed from each of the devices, thereby avoiding a redundant display of the notification on multiple devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran Chaudhri, Stephen Lemay, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Ron Huang
  • Patent number: 11743390
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing phone calls. In some embodiments, an electronic device with a touch screen displays a phone call user interface which includes informational items associated with phone calls, such as an add call affordance. In some embodiments, when the electronic device receives a request to initiate another phone and displays an additional user interface that includes a merge call affordance that replaces display of the add call affordance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Imran Chaudhri, Michael Matas, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Greg Christie
  • Patent number: 11727093
    Abstract: A first electronic device is configured to operate in a restricted mode of operation, which restricted mode may be terminated or continued by one or more remotely located authorization devices, according to predetermined criteria. In a restricted mode, a first set of permitted applications stored on the first electronic device are executable, and a first set of data is accessible. While operating in the restricted mode, the first device detects a termination condition of the restricted mode and transmits an indication of the termination condition to one or more authorization devices. After transmitting the request, the first electronic devices receives an indication that the restricted mode of the operation has been continued according to predetermined criteria. Responsive to receiving the indication, the first electronic device continues to operate in the restricted mode according to the predetermined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Walter Pitschel, Maria Dimitrova Ioveva, Christopher Brian Fleizach, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill
  • Publication number: 20230168797
    Abstract: A method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a progress icon that indicates a current position within a first piece of content; displaying a multi-purpose content navigation icon; while providing the first piece of content: detecting a first contact at a first location that corresponds to the multi-purpose content navigation icon; while continuing to detect the contact at the first location, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a predefined scrubbing rate; and, in response to detecting movement of the contact that includes a first component of movement in a direction that corresponds to movement on the display parallel to the first predefined direction, moving the current position within the first piece of content at a variable scrubbing rate that varies monotonically as the first component of movement increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Imran CHAUDHRI, Elizabeth Caroline Furches CRANFILL, Michael J. MATAS, Lucas C. NEWMAN, Marcel VAN OS
  • Patent number: 11657820
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a first speech input from a user. The method further includes identifying context information and determining a user intent based on the first speech input and the context information. The method further includes determining whether the user intent is to perform a task using a searching process or an object managing process. The searching process is configured to search data, and the object managing process is configured to manage objects. The method further includes, in accordance with a determination the user intent is to perform the task using the searching process, performing the task using the searching process; and in accordance with the determination that the user intent is to perform the task using the object managing process, performing the task using the object managing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aram D. Kudurshian, Bronwyn Jones, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Harry J. Saddler
  • Patent number: 11574041
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing access to credentials. In some examples, an electronic device authorizes release of credentials for use in an operation for which authorization is required. In some examples, an electronic device causes display of one or more steps to be taken to enable an input device for user input. In some examples, an electronic device disambiguates between commands to change the account that is actively logged-in on the device and commands to cause credentials to be released from the secure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marcel Van Os, Peter D. Anton, Patrick L. Coffman, Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, Raymond S. Sepulveda, Chun Kin Minor Wong