Patents by Inventor Glenn D. MacGougan

Glenn D. MacGougan 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: 12228655
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to shared antenna tuning. An electronic device may receive a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) tune request to tune a shared antenna to a GNSS signal frequency. The electronic device may then tune the antenna to the GNSS signal frequency and enable a GNSS receiver. The electronic device may also receive a cellular tune request to tune the antenna to a cellular frequency. The electronic device may tune the antenna to a cellular frequency and may deactivate the GNSS receiver or blank the GNSS receiver. In some embodiments, the electronic device may also communicate with a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. During LEO satellite communication, the electronic device may transmit a signal to blank a GNSS L1 receiver to avoid signal interference with the LEO satellite communication, and activate a GNSS L5 receiver to receive GNSS signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Aditya N. Srivastava, Harsha Shirahatti, Madhusudan Chaudhary, Ozgur Ekici, Sachin J. Sane, William J. Bencze
  • Publication number: 20240413537
    Abstract: In some implementations, the disclosed techniques may include tuning a first antenna element to a first tuning state during an acquisition mode for establishing communication channels with satellites. The first tuning state can configure the first antenna element to receive signals in a first frequency range. The techniques may include establishing the communication channels using the first antenna element in the first tuning state during the acquisition mode. The techniques may include transitioning from the acquisition mode to a tracking mode. The techniques may include changing the tuning state of the first antenna element. The techniques may include determining a location of the mobile device during the tracking mode: (1) using the first antenna element and a second antenna element of the mobile device or (2) not using the first antenna element and using the second antenna element that is configured to receive signals in a second frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Richard Najarian, Aditya N. Srivastava, Rajesh Bezawada, Thomas E. Biedka
  • Publication number: 20240385066
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable a mobile device to perform multi-source estimation of an altitude for a location. A baseline altitude may be determined at ground level for a location and used to calibrate a barometric pressure sensor on the mobile device. The calibrated barometric pressure sensor can then estimate changes in altitude relative to ground level based on detected pressure differentials, allowing a relative altitude to ground to be determined. Baseline calibration for the barometric sensor calibration can be performed to determine an ambient ground-level barometric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Lei Wang, William J. Bencze, Kumar Gaurav Chhokra, Fatemeh Ghafoori, Stephen P. Jackson, Cheng Jia, Yi-Wen Liao, Glenn D. Macgougan, Isaac T. Miller, Alexandru Popovici, Christina Selle, Aditya Narain Srivastava, Richard Warren, Michael P. Dal Santo, Pejman Lotfali Kazemi
  • Patent number: 12066344
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable a mobile device to perform multi-source estimation of an altitude for a location. A baseline altitude may be determined at ground level for a location and used to calibrate a barometric pressure sensor on the mobile device. The calibrated barometric pressure sensor can then estimate changes in altitude relative to ground level based on detected pressure differentials, allowing a relative altitude to ground to be determined. Baseline calibration for the barometric sensor calibration can be performed to determine an ambient ground-level barometric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lei Wang, William J. Bencze, Kumar Gaurav Chhokra, Fatemeh Ghafoori, Stephen P. Jackson, Cheng Jia, Yi-Wen Liao, Glenn D. Macgougan, Isaac T. Miller, Alexandru Popovici, Christina Selle, Aditya Narain Srivastava, Richard Warren, Michael P. Dal Santo, Pejman Lotfali Kazemi
  • Publication number: 20240045080
    Abstract: User equipment receives a GNSS signal that includes a GNSS signal from a satellite. The user equipment also receives a first data input from a motion sensor of the user equipment that is indicative of a motion of the user equipment, receives a second data input from the temperature sensor of the user equipment that is indicative of a temperature of the user equipment, and performs a coherent operation based on the pilot channel of the GNSS signal over a coherent period of time based on the first data input and the second data input to generate a resulting signal. The user equipment performs a non-coherent operation based on the resulting signal to amplify the resulting signal, and outputs a position of the user equipment based on the resulting signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Robert G. Lorenz, Kevin X. Chin, William J. Bencze
  • Publication number: 20230091349
    Abstract: User equipment (UE) may determine a probability that a cellular network may allocate a resource block to the UE having a frequency that, when a cellular transmitter of the UE transmits a radio frequency (RF) signal using the resource block, a harmonic signal may be generated that interferes with a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) signal received by a GNSS receiver of the UE. The probability may be determined based on a number of factors that may impact resource block allocation, including a location of the UE, a current date and/or time, a historical allocation of resource blocks (which may be crowdsourced), a client type associated with a signal to be transmitted, a signal environment at the UE, real world conditions, and so on. Based on the probability, the UE may selectively perform a mitigation procedure or transmit an RF signal without performing the mitigation procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Harsha Shirahatti, Helena D O'Shea, Mohamed Youssef, Aditya N Srivastava, Glenn D MacGougan
  • Publication number: 20210396619
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable a mobile device to perform multi-source estimation of an altitude for a location. A baseline altitude may be determined at ground level for a location and used to calibrate a barometric pressure sensor on the mobile device. The calibrated barometric pressure sensor can then estimate changes in altitude relative to ground level based on detected pressure differentials, allowing a relative altitude to ground to be determined. Baseline calibration for the barometric sensor calibration can be performed to determine an ambient ground-level barometric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Lei Wang, William J. Bencze, Kumar Gaurav Chhokra, Fatemeh Ghafoori, Stephen P. Jackson, Cheng Jia, Yi-Wen Liao, Glenn D. Macgougan, Isaac T. Miller, Alexandru Popovici, Christina Selle, Aditya Narain Srivastava, Richard Warren, Michael P. Dal Santo, Pejman Lotfali Kazemi
  • Patent number: 10955556
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to assist a global positioning system (GPS) module to determine GPS position estimates for a wireless communication device is disclosed. Processing circuitry in the wireless communication device determines a potential or an actual inaccuracy in a GPS position estimate obtained from a GPS module. The processing circuitry obtains a set of map vector data stored in or associated with the wireless communication device. The processing circuitry determines a location estimate of the wireless communication device based on at least a portion of the set of map vector data. The processing circuitry provides the location estimate to the GPS module and obtains an updated GPS position estimate from the GPS module, the updated GPS position estimate based at least in part on the location estimate provided to the GPS module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Robert W. Mayor, Stephen J. Rhee
  • Publication number: 20200378787
    Abstract: A navigation application that provides a dynamic set of warnings based on a set of collected and calculated data. The navigation application collects a series of data and identities a set of critical points along the route. The navigation application analyzes the collected data to determine whether to provide a navigation warning to the user. The navigation application uses the collected data to determine whether a navigation instruction for the critical point should be modified to account for different driving conditions. Finally, the navigation application of some embodiments determines a timing for when a navigation instruction should be provided to the user, ensuring that the instruction is presented to the user with sufficient time to safely adjust their behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Charignon, Glenn D. MacGougan
  • Patent number: 10775192
    Abstract: A navigation application that provides a dynamic set of warnings based on a set of collected and calculated data. The navigation application collects a series of data and identifies a set of critical points along the route. The navigation application analyzes the collected data to determine whether to provide a navigation warning to the user. The navigation application uses the collected data to determine whether a navigation instruction for the critical point should be modified to account for different driving conditions. Finally, the navigation application of some embodiments determines a timing for when a navigation instruction should be provided to the user, ensuring that the instruction is presented to the user with sufficient time to safely adjust their behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Laurent Charignon
  • Patent number: 10309775
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a pressure sensor for measuring barometric pressure. Pressure measurements may be calibrated using crowd-sourced pressure data to remove any weather bias or sensor bias associated with the pressure measurements. Altitude of the electronic device may be determined using the calibrated pressure measurement. When it is desired to estimate altitude, the electronic device may transmit a query to a server, which returns a local reference pressure value for the electronic device based on crowd-sourced pressure data from electronic devices in the vicinity of the electronic device making the query. To determine the local reference pressure value, the server may correlate the crowd-sourced pressure data with space, taking into account variations in terrain using digital elevation models to determine location-specific reference pressures. The local reference pressure value for a given electronic device is then determined using crowd-sourced reference pressures at nearby locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Changlin Ma, Robert W. Mayor
  • Publication number: 20180209812
    Abstract: A navigation application that provides a dynamic set of warnings based on a set of collected and calculated data. The navigation application collects a series of data and identifies a set of critical points along the route. The navigation application analyzes the collected data to determine whether to provide a navigation warning to the user. The navigation application uses the collected data to determine whether a navigation instruction for the critical point should be modified to account for different driving conditions. Finally, the navigation application of some embodiments determines a timing for when a navigation instruction should be provided to the user, ensuring that the instruction is presented to the user with sufficient time to safely adjust their behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Laurent Charignon
  • Publication number: 20180038962
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to assist a global positioning system (GPS) module to determine GPS position estimates for a wireless communication device is disclosed. Processing circuitry in the wireless communication device determines a potential or an actual inaccuracy in a GPS position estimate obtained from a GPS module. The processing circuitry obtains a set of map vector data stored in or associated with the wireless communication device. The processing circuitry determines a location estimate of the wireless communication device based on at least a portion of the set of map vector data. The processing circuitry provides the location estimate to the GPS module and obtains an updated GPS position estimate from the GPS module, the updated GPS position estimate based at least in part on the location estimate provided to the GPS module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Glenn D. MACGOUGAN, Robert W. MAYOR, Stephen J. RHEE
  • Patent number: 9869564
    Abstract: A navigation application that provides a dynamic set of warnings based on a set of collected and calculated data. The navigation application collects a series of data and identifies a set of critical points along the route. The navigation application analyzes the collected data to determine whether to provide a navigation warning to the user. The navigation application uses the collected data to determine whether a navigation instruction for the critical point should be modified to account for different driving conditions. Finally, the navigation application of some embodiments determines a timing for when a navigation instruction should be provided to the user, ensuring that the instruction is presented to the user with sufficient time to safely adjust their behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Laurent Charignon
  • Patent number: 9798011
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to assist a global positioning system (GPS) module to determine GPS position estimates for a wireless communication device is disclosed. Processing circuitry in the wireless communication device determines a potential or an actual inaccuracy in a GPS position estimate obtained from a GPS module. The processing circuitry obtains a set of map vector data stored in or associated with the wireless communication device. The processing circuitry determines a location estimate of the wireless communication device based on at least a portion of the set of map vector data. The processing circuitry provides the location estimate to the GPS module and obtains an updated GPS position estimate from the GPS module, the updated GPS position estimate based at least in part on the location estimate provided to the GPS module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Robert W. Mayor, Stephen J. Rhee
  • Patent number: 9763050
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for estimating a location of a wireless device in communication with a wireless network, such as a UMTS network, based at least in part on WLAN/WPAN AP measurements and/or barometric measurements are disclosed. The wireless device responds to a location capability inquiry from the wireless network by providing a response that indicates the wireless device is configurable to estimate its location based on WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric measurements. The wireless network sends WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric reference information to the wireless device to assist in estimating its location. The wireless device measures one or more WLAN/WPAN APs, and the wireless device uses the WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric measurements to estimate its location. In some embodiments, GPS/GNSS information is used in conjunction with WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric measurements to estimate the location of the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Farouk Belghoul, Robert W. Mayor, Glenn D. MacGougan, Kumar Gaurav Chhokra, Syed A. Mujtaba, Dawei Zhang, Tarik Tabet
  • Patent number: 9763051
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for estimating a location of a wireless device in communication with a wireless network, such as an LTE/LTE-A network, based at least in part on WLAN/WPAN AP measurements and/or barometric measurements are disclosed. The wireless device responds to a location capability inquiry from the wireless network by providing a response that indicates the wireless device is configurable to estimate its location based on WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric measurements. The wireless network sends WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric reference information to the wireless device to assist in estimating its location. The wireless device measures one or more WLAN/WPAN APs, and the wireless device uses the WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric measurements to estimate its location. In some embodiments, GPS/GNSS information is used in conjunction with WLAN/WPAN AP and/or barometric measurements to estimate the location of the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Farouk Belghoul, Robert W. Mayor, Glenn D. MacGougan, Kumar Gaurav Chhokra, Syed A. Mujtaba, Dawei Zhang, Tarik Tabet
  • Patent number: 9681269
    Abstract: A mobile device adjusts the extents to which it depends on various satellites to estimate its global position based on the predicted probability for each such satellite that a ray extending from that satellite to the mobile device is obstructed by a building. The mobile device can predict the probabilities of building obstructions based on a digital model of the environment in which the mobile device is estimated to be. The mobile device weights the extent of uncertainty for each satellite's global positioning data based on the predicted probability of obstruction for that satellite. Using these weighted uncertainties, the mobile device selects the extents to which it relies on each satellite's global positioning data when estimating the mobile device's current global position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Robert W. Mayor, Kumar Chhokra
  • Publication number: 20170013407
    Abstract: A mobile device adjusts the extents to which it depends on various satellites to estimate its global position based on the predicted probability for each such satellite that a ray extending from that satellite to the mobile device is obstructed by a building. The mobile device can predict the probabilities of building obstructions based on a digital model of the environment in which the mobile device is estimated to be. The mobile device weights the extent of uncertainty for each satellite's global positioning data based on the predicted probability of obstruction for that satellite. Using these weighted uncertainties, the mobile device selects the extents to which it relies on each satellite's global positioning data when estimating the mobile device's current global position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Robert W. Mayor, Kumar Chhokra
  • Patent number: 9535163
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide assistance data for satellite navigation in a wireless communication device are disclosed. Processing circuitry in the wireless communication device determines whether to obtain assistance data for navigation based on a set of criteria. The set of criteria include one or more of a property of a geographic region in which the wireless communication device operates, a satellite signal quality estimate measured by the wireless communication device, and a user setting of the wireless communication device. When the set of criteria indicates that assistance data for navigation is beneficial for satellite navigation in the wireless communication device, the processing circuitry obtains one or more sets of assistance data. The processing circuitry configures operation of the wireless communication device for navigation based at least in part on the one or more sets of assistance data obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn D. MacGougan, Yefim Grosman, Ronald Keryuan Huang, Robert W. Mayor