Patents by Inventor John Harper

John Harper 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: 7788656
    Abstract: Disclosed is as system for reducing memory and computational requirements of graphics operations. The system provides techniques for combining otherwise individual operations to apply filters to images. The combined filter emerging from the combination spares the processor time and the creation of an entire intermediary image. The system further provides for application of these techniques in many contexts including where the operations are fragment programs in for a programmable GPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: John Harper
  • Patent number: 7652678
    Abstract: Techniques to generate partial display updates in a buffered window system in which arbitrary visual effects are permitted to any one or more windows (e.g., application-specific window buffers) are described. Once a display output region is identified for updating, the buffered window system is interrogated to determine which regions within each window, if any, may effect the identified output region. Such determination considers the consequences any filters associated with a window impose on the region needed to make the output update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Brunner, John Harper
  • Patent number: 7633875
    Abstract: A method and system for performing route calculations in a link state routing protocol at a node within a computer network. The method includes evaluating existing routes of the node when new route information is received and recalculating routes for the node only when the new route information improves at least one of the existing routes or at least one of the existing routes is made worse or lost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John Harper
  • Patent number: 7614041
    Abstract: A image processing system reduces the memory and computational requirements needed to process graphics operations. The system combines otherwise individual operations to apply filters to images. The resulting filter operation that emerges from the combination of individual operations spares the processor time required to apply the filter, and the resulting filter operation eliminates the need to create any intermediary image. The system can be implemented in many contexts, such as in situations where the individual operations are fragment programs of a programmable Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: John Harper
  • Publication number: 20090225093
    Abstract: Embodiments enable a graphics processor to more efficiently process graphics and compositing processing commands. In certain embodiments, a client application submits client graphics commands to a graphics driver. The client in certain embodiments can notify a window server that client graphics commands have been submitted. In response, the window server can generate compositing processing commands and provide these commands to the graphics driver. Advantageously, a graphics processor can execute the client graphics commands while the window server generates compositing processing commands. As a result, processing resource can be used more efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: John Harper, Kenneth C. Dyke
  • Patent number: 7506194
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficiently enabling routing states to be recovered after a failover or during a software upgrade in a system which supports graceful restart and stateful switchover are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for restarting a network device which has a plurality of routers and is in communication with a first peer being arranged to support graceful restart and a second peer includes performing a graceful restart with respect to the first peer. A peer transparent failover is performed with respect to the second peer. The graceful restart and the peer transparent failover are performed in response to a failure associated with the network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chandrashekhar Appanna, Ruchi Kapoor, Barry Friedman, Himanshu Shah, Gargi Nalawade, Shyam Suri, John Harper
  • Patent number: 7499445
    Abstract: A system and method routes data traffic over a unidirectional link of a computer network configured to implement a routing protocol, such as the ISIS routing protocol. To that end, the invention extends the ISIS routing protocol to allow dynamic discovery of neighboring routers (i.e., neighbors) that are connected via the unidirectional link and subsequent establishment of an adjacency between the neighbors over the link. Adjacency establishment is illustratively effected through the use of novel type/length/value (TLV) encoded formats appended to ISIS Hello packets to convey information between the neighbors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefano B. Previdi, David D. Ward, Jonathan C. Barth, John A. Harper, Ian Michael Charles Shand
  • Patent number: 7484765
    Abstract: A snowboard support device for use in lift assist transport. The device may have a base, an extension shaft and a handle member or the like. In one embodiment, the handle serves as a housing to cover the extension shaft in its closed position and provides an engagement surface for non-fixed, gravity-based engagement of a chair lift seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Inventor: David John Harper
  • Publication number: 20090002381
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a system for processing media in an electronic device. An application operative to request the display of one or more graphics elements may be implemented on the electronic device. The application may identify graphics elements for display and organize the graphics elements in a layer tree for processing and display by a render server (e.g., a core animation render server). To coordinate the processing of graphics elements of the application or of several applications, the electronic device may include a media server operative to receive media from the application and generate an image queue that includes video frames of the media. The render server may associate a slot ID with each image queue, while the media server may provide the slot ID to the application for inclusion in the layer tree. When the render server reaches a slot ID in the layer tree, the render server may identify and display the associated image queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Harper, John Samuel Bushell
  • Publication number: 20080165210
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method for animating a display region, windows, or views displayed on a display of a device. The method includes starting at least two animations. The method further includes determining the progress of each animation. The method further includes completing each animation based on a single timer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Andrew Platzer, John Harper
  • Publication number: 20080165161
    Abstract: The application programming interface operates in an environment with user interface software interacting with multiple software applications or processes in order to synchronize animations associated with multiple views or windows of a display of a device. The method for synchronizing the animations includes setting attributes of views independently with each view being associated with a process. The method further includes transferring a synchronization call to synchronize animations for the multiple views of the display. In one embodiment the synchronization call includes the identification and the number of processes that are requesting animation. The method further includes transferring a synchronization confirmation message when a synchronization flag is enabled. The method further includes updating the attributes of the views from a first state to a second state independently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Andrew Platzer, John Harper
  • Patent number: 7397964
    Abstract: A Gaussian blur approximation is applied to an image by repeated down-sampling operations followed by an up-sample operation. By using a truncated Gaussian filter as the down-sample filter, the frequency spectrum removed during down-sampling operations closely approximates the frequency spectrum lost during a true Gaussian blur operation. While any “good” up-sample filter may be used, up-sampling via linear interpolation may be especially beneficial in systems having a dedicated graphics processing unit. One benefit of the described technique is that it is computationally less costly to implement than a Gaussian blur. Another benefit is that this computational benefit increases as the size of the blur increases—becoming significant even for small blurs. Yet another benefit of the invention is that a judicious selection of pixel address to convolve with the filter leads to substantially reduced number of texture lookups required to effect a convolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Brunner, Kok Chen, John Harper
  • Publication number: 20080034292
    Abstract: A framework for performing graphics animation and compositing operations has a layer tree for interfacing with the application and a render tree for interfacing with a render engine. Layers in the layer tree can be content, windows, views, video, images, text, media, or any other type of object for a user interface of an application. The application commits change to the state of the layers of the layer tree. The application does not need to include explicit code for animating the changes to the layers. Instead, an animation is determined for animating the change in state. In determining the animation, the framework can define a set of predetermined animations based on motion, visibility, and transition. The determined animation is explicitly applied to the affected layers in the render tree. A render engine renders from the render tree into a frame buffer for display on the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Brunner, John Harper, Peter Graffagnino
  • Publication number: 20080030504
    Abstract: A framework for performing graphics animation and compositing operations has a layer tree for interfacing with the application and a render tree for interfacing with a render engine. Layers in the layer tree can be content, windows, views, video, images, text, media, or any other type of object for a user interface of an application. The application commits change to the state of the layers of the layer tree. The application does not need to include explicit code for animating the changes to the layers. Instead, an animation is determined for animating the change in state. In determining the animation, the framework can define a set of predetermined animations based on motion, visibility, and transition. The determined animation is explicitly applied to the affected layers in the render tree. A render engine renders from the render tree into a frame buffer for display on the processing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ralph Brunner, John Harper, Peter N. Graffagnino
  • Publication number: 20080027542
    Abstract: The present invention provides for an implantable medical device comprising a hybrid composite material including a first biological component such as an acellular tissue matrix and a second non-biological component for strengthening the device after implantation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: David McQuillan, John Harper, Christopher Wagner, E. Greenhalgh
  • Publication number: 20070286197
    Abstract: In a communications network comprising a plurality of routers the routers exchange router control information by transmitting and receiving control messages. A method is disclosed for transmitting, receiving, acknowledging, and verifying receipt of the message or messages between at least two routers. A transmitting router maintains a list of unacknowledged messages and periodically retransmits all unacknowledged or incompletely acknowledged messages. A receiving router insures that a received message is not a duplicate and is not out of sequence before transmitting an acknowledgement message. The disclosed method may be compatible with other router control message protocols, providing interoperability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventor: JOHN HARPER
  • Publication number: 20070257925
    Abstract: Techniques to generate partial display updates in a buffered window system in which arbitrary visual effects are permitted to any one or more windows (e.g., application-specific window buffers) are described. Once a display output region is identified for updating, the buffered window system is interrogated to determine which regions within each window, if any, may effect the identified output region. Such determination considers the consequences any filters associated with a window impose on the region needed to make the output update.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: APPLE COMPUTER, INC.
    Inventors: Ralph Brunner, John Harper
  • Patent number: 7268970
    Abstract: Electromagnetic tape head position is adjusted according to vibration indicative information received from vibration sensor secured to tape transport mechanism that supports the tape head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James Clifford Anderson, Martin John Harper, Vernon L. Knowles, Donald J. Fasen
  • Publication number: 20070182747
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for producing images including an application program interface. The system includes an API and techniques for creating images by defining relationships between filters and images, such relationships programmatically assembled in an object by a cooperative session between a requesting application and a graphics services resource. The system also includes aspects regarding optimization of the programmatically assembled object and techniques for rendering in multi-processor environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventors: John Harper, Ralph Brunner, Peter Graffagnino, Mark Zimmer
  • Publication number: 20070182749
    Abstract: Techniques to generate partial display updates in a buffered window system in which arbitrary visual effects are permitted to any one or more windows (e.g., application-specific window buffers) are described. Once a display output region is identified for updating, the buffered window system is interrogated to determine which regions within each window, if any, may effect the identified output region. Such determination considers the consequences any filters associated with a window impose on the region needed to make the output update.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: APPLE COMPUTER, INC.
    Inventors: RALPH BRUNNER, John Harper