Patents by Inventor Norman N. Wang

Norman N. Wang 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: 20180277015
    Abstract: A device implementing an adaptive assembly guidance system includes an image sensor and a processor configured to capture, using the image sensor, an image of a set of connectable components. The processor is further configured to process the captured image to detect individual connectable components of the set of connectable components and to detect a current configuration of the set of connectable components. The processor is further configured to determine, based at least in part on the detected individual connectable components of the set of connectable components, a recommended configuration of the set of connectable components. The processor is further configured to display information for assembling the set of connectable components into the recommended configuration from the current configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Tyler L. CASELLA, Edwin W. FOO, Norman N. WANG, Ken WAKASA
  • Patent number: 10055009
    Abstract: The refresh rate of a display of a portable display device is dependent on the degree of device motion detected by one or more motion sensors included in the portable display device, according to an embodiment of the invention. In an embodiment, when no device motion is detected by the one or more sensors, the display of the portable display device is refreshed at an initial refresh rate. When the one or more motion sensors detects a degree of device motion above a motion threshold, the refresh rate of the display is decreased to a motion-based refresh rate, according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the degree of motion of moving content on the display is also taken into account when determining the display refresh rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Oriol, Norman N. Wang, Domenico P. Porcino, Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg
  • Patent number: 10037622
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating an artificial terrain map can compute a region of a noise map in an N-dimensional space and define a terrain characteristic in correspondence with a value of the noise map at each of a selected plurality of positions within the region of the noise map. The terrain characteristic can be projected at each of a selected plurality of positions within the region on a lower-dimensional sub-space. A map of an artificial terrain can be rendered based on the projection. The map of the artificial terrain can be scaled or otherwise manipulated in correspondence with scaling or otherwise manipulating the lower-dimensional sub-space. Generated maps in machine-readable form can be converted to a human-perceivable form, and/or to a modulated signal form conveyed over a communication connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Cwik, Norman N. Wang, Richard D. Roe
  • Patent number: 9975040
    Abstract: Techniques to automatically generate a navigation graph for a given environment and agent are disclosed. The environment may include an arbitrary number of polygonal obstacles arbitrarily arranged, concave or convex, static or dynamic. The disclosed operation extrudes (in a specified manner) the vertex of each obstacle. The extruded vertices comprise the navigation graph's nodes. Each object's extruded vertices may be joined to form a corresponding extruded object. Paths may then be identified by attempting to connect every extruded vertex with every other extruded vertex. Those paths intersecting any of the extruded objects are rejected as possible paths. In some embodiments, paths that are oriented in approximately the same direction having approximately the same length may be removed as being redundant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Norman N. Wang, Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Bruno M. Sommer, Ross R. Dexter
  • Patent number: 9933901
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for enabling efficient control of a media application at a media electronic device by a user electronic device, and, more particularly, for reducing perceived latency of and/or input response time to control data that may be provided by a user electronic device for a media application running on a media electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, James J. Cwik
  • Publication number: 20170358057
    Abstract: A method of assembling a tile map can include assigning each tile in a plurality of tiles to one or more color groups in correspondence with a measure of a color profile of the respective tile: A position of each tile in relation to one or more neighboring tiles can be determined from a position of a silhouette corresponding to each respective tile in relation to one or more neighboring silhouettes within a set containing a plurality of silhouettes. The plurality of tiles can be automatically assembled into a tile map, with a position of each tile in the tile map being determined from the color group to which the respective tile belongs and the determined position of the respective tile in relation to the one or more neighboring tiles. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media can include computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computing environment to implement disclosed methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Ross R. Dexter, Timothy R. Oriol, Clement P. Boissiere, Tyler L. Casella, Norman N. Wang
  • Publication number: 20170358121
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating an artificial terrain map can compute a region of a noise map in an N-dimensional space and define a terrain characteristic in correspondence with a value of the noise map at each of a selected plurality of positions within the region of the noise map. The terrain characteristic can be projected at each of a selected plurality of positions within the region on a lower-dimensional sub-space. A map of an artificial terrain can be rendered based on the projection. The map of the artificial terrain can be scaled or otherwise manipulated in correspondence with scaling or otherwise manipulating the lower-dimensional sub-space. Generated maps in machine-readable form can be converted to a human-perceivable form, and/or to a modulated signal form conveyed over a communication connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: James J. Cwik, Norman N. Wang, Richard D. Roe
  • Publication number: 20170357910
    Abstract: A method may include receiving, at an artificial intelligence cloud service, a plurality of artificial intelligence feedback communications from a plurality of devices, wherein each artificial intelligence feedback communication of the plurality of artificial intelligence feedback communications includes data generated by software application components running on respective ones of the plurality of devices, the software application components including respective current artificial intelligence models, deriving, from the data included with each artificial intelligence feedback communication, an associated artificial intelligence model update for each of the respective current artificial intelligence models on the plurality of devices, and transmitting, to the plurality of devices, a plurality of artificial intelligence model update communications, wherein each artificial intelligence model update communication of the plurality of artificial intelligence model update communications includes the derived associ
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Bruno M. Sommer, Michael R. Brennan, Norman N. Wang, Ross R. Dexter
  • Publication number: 20170357893
    Abstract: A method may include receiving a communication from a device at an artificial intelligence controller including state information for a software application component running on the device, the state information including information corresponding to at least one potential state change available to the software application component, and metrics associated with at least one end condition, interpreting the state information using the artificial intelligence controller, and selecting an artificial intelligence algorithm from a plurality of artificial intelligence algorithms for use by the software application component based on the interpreted state information; and transmitting, to the device, an artificial intelligence algorithm communication, the artificial intelligence algorithm communication indicating the selected artificial intelligence algorithm for use in the software application component on the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Ross R. Dexter, Michael R. Brennan, Bruno M. Sommer, Norman N. Wang
  • Patent number: 9836980
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to improve the operation of graphics systems are described. In general, collision avoidance techniques are disclosed that operate even when the agent lacks a priori knowledge of its environment and is, further, agnostic as to whether the environment is two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D), whether the obstacles are convex or concave, or whether the obstacles are moving or stationary. More particularly, techniques disclosed herein use simple geometry to identify which edges of which obstacles an agent is most likely to collide. With this known, the direction of an avoidance force is also known. The magnitude of the force may be fixed, based on the agent's maximum acceleration, and modulated by weighting agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bruno M. Sommer, Norman N. Wang, Timothy R. Oriol, Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg
  • Patent number: 9710314
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enabling efficient control of a media application at a media electronic device by a user electronic device are provided. For example, a user control data request may be generated by a device application of the media electronic device based on a media control data request received from the media application, where the user control data request may be utilized by a controller application of the user electronic device to update the status of one or more components of the user electronic device and/or to communicate user control data back to the device application, whereby such user control data may be utilized by the device application to generate corresponding media control data for use by the media application (e.g., to control game play of a video game).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, James J. Cwik, Sunny K. Chow
  • Patent number: 9684999
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing easily computable representations of dynamic objects so that a graphic systems' physics engine can more accurately and realistically determine the result of physical actions on, or with, such dynamic objects. More particularly, disclosed techniques generate a convex decomposition of an arbitrarily complex polygonal shape that is then simplified in a manner that preserves physically significant details, resulting in an object having a relatively small number of convex shapes that cover the original polygonal shape. The salience of a physically significant detail may be controlled via a threshold value which may be user or system specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Domenico P. Porcino, Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, Timothy R. Oriol
  • Publication number: 20170060264
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enabling efficient control of a media application at a media electronic device by a user electronic device are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, Bruno M. Sommer, Ross R. Dexter
  • Publication number: 20170060287
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enabling efficient control of a media application at a media electronic device by a user electronic device are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, James J. Cwik
  • Publication number: 20170060286
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enabling efficient control of a media application at a media electronic device by a user electronic device are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, James J. Cwik
  • Publication number: 20170060645
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enabling efficient control of a media application at a media electronic device by a user electronic device are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, James J. Cwik, Sunny K. Chow
  • Patent number: 9582848
    Abstract: A set of tools, in the form of a software developers kit (SDK) for a graphics rendering system, is provided to improve overall graphics operations. In general, the tools are directed to analyzing a scene tree and optimizing its presentation to one or more graphics processing units (GPUs) so as to improve rendering operations. This overall goal is provided through a number of different capabilities, each of which is presented to software developers through a new applications programming interface (API).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Norman N. Wang, Timothy R. Oriol, Geoffrey G. Stahl
  • Publication number: 20160358366
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to the field of image processing and, more particularly, to various techniques and animation tools for allowing 2D and 3D graphics rendering and animation infrastructures to be able to dynamically render customized animations—without the need for the customized animations to be explicitly tied to any particular graphical entity. These so-called entity agnostic animations may then be integrated into “mixed” graphical scenes (i.e., scenes with both two-dimensional and three-dimensional components), where they may be: applied to any suitable graphical entity; visualized in real-time by the programmer; edited dynamically by the programmer; and shared across various computing platforms and environments that support the entity agnostic animation tools described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Norman N. Wang, Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Ross R. Dexter, Tyler L. Casella
  • Publication number: 20160358378
    Abstract: Techniques to automatically generate a navigation graph for a given environment and agent are disclosed. The environment may include an arbitrary number of polygonal obstacles arbitrarily arranged, concave or convex, static or dynamic. The disclosed operation extrudes (in a specified manner) the vertex of each obstacle. The extruded vertices comprise the navigation graph's nodes. Each object's extruded vertices may be joined to form a corresponding extruded object. Paths may then be identified by attempting to connect every extruded vertex with every other extruded vertex. Those paths intersecting any of the extruded objects are rejected as possible paths. In some embodiments, paths that are oriented in approximately the same direction having approximately the same length may be removed as being redundant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Norman N. Wang, Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg, Bruno M. Sommer, Ross R. Dexter
  • Publication number: 20160358485
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to improve the operation of graphics systems are described. In general, collision avoidance techniques are disclosed that operate even when the agent lacks a priori knowledge of its environment and is, further, agnostic as to whether the environment is two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D), whether the obstacles are convex or concave, or whether the obstacles are moving or stationary. More particularly, techniques disclosed herein use simple geometry to identify which edges of which obstacles an agent is most likely to collide. With this known, the direction of an avoidance force is also known.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Bruno M. Sommer, Norman N. Wang, Timothy R. Oriol, Jacques P. Gasselin de Richebourg