Patents by Inventor Kevin P. McLaughlin
Kevin P. McLaughlin 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).
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Patent number: 11831770Abstract: A relay service can relay messages between controllers and electronically controllable accessory devices that may be located remotely from the controllers. Relaying of messages by the relay service can be decoupled from any knowledge of the functionality of the accessory or the content of the messages. Device identification and relaying of messages can be managed using “relay aliases” that are meaningful only to the relay service and the endpoint devices (the controller and accessory). The endpoint devices can implement end-to-end security for messages transported by the relay service.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kevin P. McLaughlin, Andrew Burks, Matthew C. Lucas, Gokul P. Thirumalai, Anush G. Nadathur
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Publication number: 20230127500Abstract: Controllers can be used to control the operation of various accessories. A group of accessories can be organized into an accessory network that can facilitate coordinated control of multiple accessories. The accessory network can be organized according to an environment model that can include a hierarchical representation of a physical environment where accessories are present. The environment model can be synchronized across different controllers that have access to the accessories.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2021Publication date: April 27, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Andrew Burks, Anush G. Nadathur, Srinivas Rama, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Joe Abuan, Harlan Haskins
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Patent number: 11575752Abstract: Techniques for suggesting accessory devices controlled by an application executing on a mobile device are disclosed. A method includes measuring one or more sensor values using one or more sensors of a mobile device and the one or more sensor values are determined from one or more signals emitted by a first one or more accessory devices. An area of a physical space for the first one or more accessory devices can be determined based on the one or more sensor values. A second one or more accessory devices associated with the same area as the first one or more accessory devices can be suggested to a user.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brent M. Ledvina, Kevin P. McLaughlin, David R. Stites, Jahshan A. Bhatti, Kevin Duffy, Robert William Mayor
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Publication number: 20230023775Abstract: A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joe Abuan, Bob Bradley, Craig Dooley, Gregg Golembeski, JR., Andrew Burks, Srinivas Rama, Arun Mathias, Anush Nadathur, Kevin P. McLaughlin
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Publication number: 20220360748Abstract: An integrated accessory control system can integrate functionality (services) of multiple disparate accessories and provide a unified user interface for interacting with the system via a controller device. An integrated accessory control system can include one accessory that can detect an event or action and send a notification to the controller device and at least one other accessory, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) camera, that can be operated in response to the notification. In response to the notification, a controller device can generate an integrated user interface for interacting with the accessories in the integrated accessory control system. The interface can include a live feed from the IP camera, which can provide a media stream responsive to instructions from the controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Cyrus D. Irani, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Anush G. Nadathur, Arun G. Mathias, Vinay A. Ramaswamy, Christopher D. Soli, Patrick L. Coffman, Stephen O. Lemay
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Patent number: 11425104Abstract: A data transfer process can include multiple verification features usable by a “source” device to ensure that a “destination” device is authorized to receive a requested data object. The source device and destination device can communicate via a first communication channel (which can be on a wide-area network) to exchange public keys, then use the public keys to verify their identities and establish a secure session on a second communication channel (which can be a local channel). The data object can be transferred via the secure session. Prior to sending the data object, the source device can perform secondary verification operations (in addition to the key exchange) to confirm the identity of the second device and/or the locality of the connection on the second communication channel.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Arun G. Mathias, Thomas A. Dilligan, Matthew C. Lucas, Anush G. Nadathur, Kevin P. McLaughlin
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Patent number: 11405593Abstract: An integrated accessory control system can integrate functionality (services) of multiple disparate accessories and provide a unified user interface for interacting with the system via a controller device. An integrated accessory control system can include one accessory that can detect an event or action and send a notification to the controller device and at least one other accessory, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) camera, that can be operated in response to the notification. In response to the notification, a controller device can generate an integrated user interface for interacting with the accessories in the integrated accessory control system. The interface can include a live feed from the IP camera, which can provide a media stream responsive to instructions from the controller.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Cyrus D. Irani, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Anush G. Nadathur, Arun G. Mathias, Vinay A. Ramaswamy, Christopher D. Soli, Patrick L. Coffman, Stephen O. Lemay
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Publication number: 20220166700Abstract: A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2022Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joe Abuan, Bob Bradley, Craig Dooley, Gregg Golembeski, JR., Andrew Burks, Srinivas Rama, Arun Mathias, Anush Nadathur, Kevin P. McLaughlin
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Patent number: 11283703Abstract: A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joe S. Abuan, Bob Bradley, Craig P. Dooley, Gregg J. Golembeski, Jr., Andrew W. Burks, Srinivas Rama, Arun G. Mathias, Anush G. Nadathur, Kevin P. McLaughlin
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Publication number: 20220006662Abstract: An automated environment can include multiple controller devices capable of communicating with multiple accessory devices. The controller devices can automatically elect one of their number as a coordinator device for the environment and can automatically perform a new election if an incumbent coordinator becomes unavailable or resigns. The election processes can be transparent to any users. An elected coordinator can perform various operations to facilitate management of the automated environment, including routing of communications between controllers and accessories.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anush G. Nadathur, Srinivas Rama, Matthew C. Lucas, Nathan E. Carroll, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Thomas A. Dilligan, Arun G. Mathias
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Publication number: 20210273802Abstract: A relay service can relay messages between controllers and electronically controllable accessory devices that may be located remotely from the controllers. Relaying of messages by the relay service can be decoupled from any knowledge of the functionality of the accessory or the content of the messages. Device identification and relaying of messages can be managed using “relay aliases” that are meaningful only to the relay service and the endpoint devices (the controller and accessory). The endpoint devices can implement end-to-end security for messages transported by the relay service.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Inventors: Kevin P. McLaughlin, Andrew Burks, Matthew C. Lucas, Gokul P. Thirumalai, Anush G. Nadathur
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Patent number: 11088862Abstract: An automated environment can include multiple controller devices capable of communicating with multiple accessory devices. The controller devices can automatically elect one of their number as a coordinator device for the environment and can automatically perform a new election if an incumbent coordinator becomes unavailable or resigns. The election processes can be transparent to any users. An elected coordinator can perform various operations to facilitate management of the automated environment, including routing of communications between controllers and accessories.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anush G. Nadathur, Srinivas Rama, Matthew C. Lucas, Nathan E. Carroll, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Thomas A. Dilligan, Arun G. Mathias
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Patent number: 11068883Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the deployment of financial instruments and other assets are disclosed. In one embodiment, a security software protocol is disclosed that guarantees that the asset is always securely encrypted, that one and only one copy of an asset exists, and the asset is delivered to an authenticated and/or authorized customer. Additionally, exemplary embodiments of provisioning systems are disclosed that are capable of, among other things, handling large bursts of traffic (such as can occur on a so-called “launch day” of a device).Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2017Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: David T. Haggerty, Ahmer A. Khan, Christopher B. Sharp, Jerrold Von Hauck, Joakim Linde, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Mehdi Ziat, Yousuf H. Vaid
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Publication number: 20210184881Abstract: A triggered action set for a first device can be defined by the first device. Instructions for executing the triggered action set can be provided by the first device to a second device. Subsequent to providing the instructions, the first device can monitor the status of the second device; if the delegate device enters a state in which it is presumed to be unavailable to execute the trigger, the first device can monitor for a triggering event associated with the triggered action set and send a control message to an accessory device in response to detecting the triggering event.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2021Publication date: June 17, 2021Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anush G. Nadathur, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Nathan E. Carroll
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Patent number: 11018862Abstract: A relay service can relay messages between controllers and electronically controllable accessory devices that may be located remotely from the controllers. Relaying of messages by the relay service can be decoupled from any knowledge of the functionality of the accessory or the content of the messages. Device identification and relaying of messages can be managed using “relay aliases” that are meaningful only to the relay service and the endpoint devices (the controller and accessory). The endpoint devices can implement end-to-end security for messages transported by the relay service.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Anush G. Nadathur, Gokul P. Thirumalai, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Matthew C. Lucas, Andrew Burks
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Patent number: 11010416Abstract: In some implementations, a coordinator device can prefetch images from a camera accessory in response to receiving a doorbell event notification from a doorbell accessory. For example, the coordinator device can prefetch an image in response to receiving a doorbell event notification from a doorbell accessory so that the captured image is contemporaneous with the doorbell event and to avoid making multiple subsequent requests for the same image from the camera accessory when multiple user devices request the captured image. The coordinator device can store the image received from the camera accessory and serve the image to user devices when the user devices request a snapshot image corresponding to the doorbell event.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Benjamin A. Smith, Reed E. Olsen, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Anush G. Nadathur
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Patent number: 10985937Abstract: A triggered action set for a first device can be defined by the first device. Instructions for executing the triggered action set can be provided by the first device to a second device. Subsequent to providing the instructions, the first device can monitor the status of the second device; if the delegate device enters a state in which it is presumed to be unavailable to execute the trigger, the first device can monitor for a triggering event associated with the triggered action set and send a control message to an accessory device in response to detecting the triggering event.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2016Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anush G. Nadathur, Kevin P. McLaughlin, Nathan E. Carroll
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Patent number: 10951592Abstract: A controller and an accessory controllable by the controller can communicate using secure read and write procedures. The procedures can include encrypting identifiers of accessory characteristics targeted by a read or write operation as well as any data being read or written. The procedures can also include the accessory returning a cryptographically signed response verifying receipt and execution of the read or write instruction. In some instances, a write procedure can be implemented as a timed write in which a first instruction containing the write data is sent separately from a second instruction to execute the write operation; the accessory can disregard the write data if the second instruction is not received within a timeout period after receiving the first instruction.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kevin P. McLaughlin, Anush G. Nadathur, Matthew C. Lucas, Srinivas Rama, Dennis Mathews
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Patent number: 10938593Abstract: In some implementations, a user device (or resident device) can notify the user of anomalous accessory states. For example, the user device can determine which accessory states and contexts represent normal accessory states in the respective contexts. Similarly to scene suggestions, the user device can analyze historical accessory state data and context data to determine an accessory state pattern that indicates a normal state of an accessory for a given context. The user device can compare the current state and/or context of an accessory to historical accessory state data to determine when the current state of the accessory is abnormal for the current context. If the current accessory state is abnormal for the current context, the user device can present a notification to the user informing the user of the anomalous accessory state.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2016Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kevin P. McLaughlin, Serhat S. Bucak, Sumit Saxena, Anush Nadathur, Arun Mathias
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Publication number: 20200296168Abstract: Techniques for suggesting accessory devices controlled by an application executing on a mobile device are disclosed. A method includes measuring one or more sensor values using one or more sensors of a mobile device and the one or more sensor values are determined from one or more signals emitted by a first one or more accessory devices. An area of a physical space for the first one or more accessory devices can be determined based on the one or more sensor values. A second one or more accessory devices associated with the same area as the first one or more accessory devices can be suggested to a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2020Publication date: September 17, 2020Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brent M. Ledvina, Kevin P. McLaughlin, David R. Stites, Jahshan A. Bhatti, Kevin Duffy, Robert William Mayor