Patents by Inventor Michael F. Culbert
Michael F. Culbert 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: 11862173Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Publication number: 20210333132Abstract: In an embodiment, a system on a chip (SOC) includes a component that remains powered when the remainder of the SOC is powered off. The component may include a sensor capture unit to capture data from various device sensors, and may filter the captured sensor data. Responsive to the filtering, the component may wake up the remainder of the SOC to permit the processing. The component may store programmable configuration data, matching the state at the time the SOC was most recently powered down, for the other components of the SOC, in order to reprogram them after wakeup. In some embodiments, the component may be configured to wake up the memory controller within the SOC and the path to the memory controller, in order to write the data to memory. The remainder of the SOC may remain powered down.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2021Publication date: October 28, 2021Inventors: Brijesh Tripathi, Shane J. Keil, Manu Gulati, Jung Wook Cho, Erik P. Machnicki, Gilbert H. Herbeck, Timothy J. Millet, Joshua P. de Cesare, Anand Dalal, Michael F. Culbert
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Publication number: 20210287677Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2021Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 11049503Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2020Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Publication number: 20200184976Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2020Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 10573319Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Publication number: 20190378514Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 10431224Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2019Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Publication number: 20190287532Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 10276165Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2018Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 10199873Abstract: Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. The wireless powered local computing environment includes at least a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply arranged to wirelessly provide power to any of a number of suitably configured devices. In the described embodiments, the devices arranged to receive power wirelessly from the NFMR power supply must be located in a region known as the near field that extends no further than a distance D of a few times a characteristic size of the NFMR power supply transmission device. Typically, the distance D can be on the order of 1 meter or so.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael F. Culbert, Brett C. Bilbrey, David I. Simon, Peter M. Arnold
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Publication number: 20180350369Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 10079019Abstract: In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs, a memory controller, and a circuit configured to remain powered on when the rest of the SOC is powered down. The circuit may be configured to receive audio samples from a microphone, and match those audio samples against a predetermined pattern to detect a possible command from a user of the device that includes the SOC. In response to detecting the predetermined pattern, the circuit may cause the memory controller to power up so that audio samples may be stored in the memory to which the memory controller is coupled. The circuit may also cause the CPUs to be powered on and initialized, and the operating system (OS) may boot. During the time that the CPUs are initializing and the OS is booting, the circuit and the memory may be capturing the audio samples.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2013Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Millet, Manu Gulati, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 9955426Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to operate a display device of an electronic device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a user setting of a display control parameter, and altering, based on the user setting, an effect of an ambient light sensor value (ALS) on control of the display control parameter. Also, according to embodiments of the inventions, a method of operating a display of an electronic device includes receiving a change to one of a display brightness output level and an ambient light sensor output level, and altering, according to the change, a display contrast output level. In some embodiments, a method of operating a proximity sensor of an electronic device includes receiving a light sensor output, and altering, according to the output, an on/off setting of a proximity sensor. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2011Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Scott M. Herz, Roberto G. Yepez, Michael F. Culbert, Scott Forstall
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Publication number: 20170366045Abstract: Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. The wireless powered local computing environment includes at least a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply arranged to wirelessly provide power to any of a number of suitably configured devices. In the described embodiments, the devices arranged to receive power wirelessly from the NFMR power supply must be located in a region known as the near field that extends no further than a distance D of a few times a characteristic size of the NFMR power supply transmission device. Typically, the distance D can be on the order of 1 meter or so.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Brett C. Bilbrey, Michael F. Culbert, Peter M. Arnold, David I. Simon, Mushtaq Sarwar, Richard W. DeVaul
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Publication number: 20170018972Abstract: Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. The wireless powered local computing environment includes at least a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply arranged to wirelessly provide power to any of a number of suitably configured devices. In the described embodiments, the devices arranged to receive power wirelessly from the NFMR power supply must be located in a region known as the near field that extends no further than a distance D of a few times a characteristic size of the NFMR power supply transmission device. Typically, the distance D can be on the order of 1 meter or so.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2016Publication date: January 19, 2017Inventors: Michael F. CULBERT, Brett C. BILBREY, David I. SIMON, Peter M. ARNOLD
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Patent number: 9542914Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for improving graphics abilities while switching between graphics processing units (GPUs). Some embodiments may include a display system, including a plurality of graphics processing units (GPUs) and a memory buffer coupled to the GPUs via a timing controller, where the memory buffer stores data associated with a first video frame from a first GPU within the plurality of GPUs and where the timing controller is switching between the first GPU and a second GPU within the plurality.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2008Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kapil V. Sakariya, Victor H. Yin, Michael F. Culbert
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Patent number: 9466989Abstract: Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. The wireless powered local computing environment includes at least a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply arranged to wirelessly provide power to any of a number of suitably configured devices. In the described embodiments, the devices arranged to receive power wirelessly from the NFMR power supply must be located in a region known as the near field that extends no further than a distance D of a few times a characteristic size of the NFMR power supply transmission device. Typically, the distance D can be on the order of 1 meter or so.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2015Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael F. Culbert, Brett C. Bilbrey, David I. Simon, Peter M. Arnold
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Patent number: 9436497Abstract: A linked multiple independent control system can include two or more independent controllers configured to cooperatively control operating points of a system. In one particular embodiment, the linked multiple independent control system can control operating temperatures of a computing device. In one embodiment, the independent controllers can operate in parallel to develop control effort signals that are used by the computing device to affect operating parameters of one or more components included in the computing device. In another embodiment, independent controllers can have independent temperature thresholds that can affect control effort signals only from the related controller.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2013Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Keith Cox, Kit-Man Wan, Michael F. Culbert
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Publication number: 20150263540Abstract: Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. The wireless powered local computing environment includes at least a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply arranged to wirelessly provide power to any of a number of suitably configured devices. In the described embodiments, the devices arranged to receive power wirelessly from the NFMR power supply must be located in a region known as the near field that extends no further than a distance D of a few times a characteristic size of the NFMR power supply transmission device. Typically, the distance D can be on the order of 1 meter or so.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2015Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Michael F. Culbert, Brett C. Bilbrey, David I. Simon, Peter M. Arnold