Patents by Inventor Peter C. Tsoi

Peter C. Tsoi 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: 11930420
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device may include a microphone for receiving voice commands, a speaker for providing audio feedback, a display for providing visual output and receiving touch input, and a motion sensor for receiving gesture input. The handheld electronic device may include control circuitry that processes voice commands differently depending on the application running on the handheld electronic device and the icon being displayed on the display. The control circuitry may determine the location of the handheld electronic device and may provide content based on the location. For example, a remote control interface for controlling an external device may be displayed when the handheld electronic device approaches the external device. A head-mounted device may display virtual images based on the location of the handheld electronic device. The virtual images may include a live video feed from a video call, virtual images associated with voice commands, or other virtual images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Per Haakan Linus Persson, Seung Wook Kim, William D. Lindmeier, Paul G. Puskarich, Peter C. Tsoi
  • Patent number: 11930267
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with control circuitry, wireless transceiver circuitry, and a display. The electronic device may be used to provide information to a user in response to being pointed at a particular object. The control circuitry may determine when the electronic device is pointed at a particular object using wireless control circuitry and/or motion sensor circuitry. In response to determining that the electronic device is pointed at a particular object, the control circuitry may take suitable action. This may include, for example, displaying information about an object when the electronic device is pointed at the object, displaying control icons for electronic equipment when the electronic device is pointed at the electronic equipment, and/or displaying a virtual object when the electronic device is pointed at real world object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam S. Meyer, Peter C. Tsoi, Duncan Robert Kerr, Martha Evans Hankey, John B. Morrell, James H. Foster
  • Publication number: 20230409191
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to techniques and interfaces for managing media playback devices. In some embodiments, the techniques include varying a feedback based on movement of a computer system toward or away from an external device. In some embodiments, the techniques include displaying an interface that includes controls for controlling media playback on an external device when the computer system and the external device are playing media. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing operations at a computer system in response to an input having a size that is less than or greater than a size threshold. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing different operations at a computer system when status lights have states that indicate different states of the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Taylor G. CARRIGAN, Patrick L. COFFMAN, Pedro MARI, Camille MOUSSETTE, Gemma Alexandria ROPER, Peter C. TSOI
  • Patent number: 11782598
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to techniques and interfaces for managing media playback devices. In some embodiments, the techniques include varying a feedback based on movement of a computer system toward or away from an external device. In some embodiments, the techniques include displaying an interface that includes controls for controlling media playback on an external device when the computer system and the external device are playing media. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing operations at a computer system in response to an input having a size that is less than or greater than a size threshold. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing different operations at a computer system when status lights have states that indicate different states of the computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taylor G. Carrigan, Pedro Mari, Camille Moussette, Gemma Alexandria Roper, Peter C. Tsoi, Patrick L. Coffman
  • Publication number: 20230247360
    Abstract: Certain embodiments relate generally to modifying audio playing on a first device based on detection of that audio by a second device. Other embodiments relate to transferring audio between a first device and a second device. More particularly, audio playing from a first device may be muted, stopped, or adjusted in volume based on detection of that audio by, or interaction with, a second device. Likewise, audio may be transferred from a first device to a second device based on communications between the first and second devices, proximity of the first and second devices relative to one another, proximity of a user to either the first or second device, and so on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Peter C. Tsoi, Adam S. Meyer, Karlin Y. Bark, Matthew W. Brown, Sean B. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20230195231
    Abstract: An electronic device may include touch input components and associated haptic output components. The control circuitry may provide haptic output in response to touch input on the touch input components and may send wireless signals to the external electronic device based on the touch input. The haptic output components may provide local and global haptic output. Local haptic output may be used to guide a user to the location of the electronic device or to provide a button click sensation to the user in response to touch input. Global haptic output may be used to notify the user that the electronic device is aligned towards the external electronic device and is ready to receive user input to control or communicate with the external electronic device. Control circuitry may switch a haptic output component into an inactive mode to inform the user that a touch input component is inactive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Camille Moussette, James H. Foster, Duncan Kerr, Adam S. Meyer, Per Haakan Linus Persson, Peter C. Tsoi, Stuart J. Wood
  • Patent number: 11653148
    Abstract: Certain embodiments relate generally to modifying audio playing on a first device based on detection of that audio by a second device. Other embodiments relate to transferring audio between a first device and a second device. More particularly, audio playing from a first device may be muted, stopped, or adjusted in volume based on detection of that audio by, or interaction with, a second device. Likewise, audio may be transferred from a first device to a second device based on communications between the first and second devices, proximity of the first and second devices relative to one another, proximity of a user to either the first or second device, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Peter C. Tsoi, Adam S. Meyer, Karlin Y. Bark, Matthew W. Brown, Sean B. Kelly
  • Patent number: 11579701
    Abstract: An electronic device may include touch input components and associated haptic output components. The control circuitry may provide haptic output in response to touch input on the touch input components and may send wireless signals to the external electronic device based on the touch input. The haptic output components may provide local and global haptic output. Local haptic output may be used to guide a user to the location of the electronic device or to provide a button click sensation to the user in response to touch input. Global haptic output may be used to notify the user that the electronic device is aligned towards the external electronic device and is ready to receive user input to control or communicate with the external electronic device. Control circuitry may switch a haptic output component into an inactive mode to inform the user that a touch input component is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Camille Moussette, James H. Foster, Duncan Kerr, Adam S. Meyer, Per Haakan Linus Persson, Peter C. Tsoi, Stuart J. Wood
  • Patent number: 11568588
    Abstract: One embodiment provides for a display system to generate and display data on a display device, the display system comprising one or more graphics processors to generate one or more frames of data for display on the display device; a window manager to submit a request to display the one or more frames of data; a display engine to present the one or more frames of data to the display device for display; and display logic to receive the request to display the one or more frames of data and generate one or more display events for the display engine based on the request to display the one or more frames of data, wherein the display logic is to manage a set of statistics associated with the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arthur L. Spence, Jeremy T. Sandmel, David M. Chan, Chendi Zhang, Peter C. Tsoi
  • Publication number: 20230012223
    Abstract: An electronic device with a first off-display input region detects a first portion of an input on the input region. In response to the first portion of the input: when the first portion of the input meets first criteria without a characteristic intensity of the first input increasing above a first intensity threshold, the electronic device provides a first output that indicates a current state of a first attribute of the electronic device without altering the first attribute. The electronic device detects a second portion of the input. In response to the second portion of the input: if the second portion of the first input meets second criteria that require the characteristic intensity of the input increases above the first intensity threshold, the electronic device performs a first operation that alters the first attribute of the electronic device; and otherwise, the electronic device forgoes performing the first operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Brian T. Gleeson, Brigit E. Lamberson, Camille Moussette, Madeleine S. Cordier, Megan A. McClain, Michael J. Beyhs, Thayne M. Miller, Jacob L. Matlick, Jean-Pierre M. Mouilleseaux, David H. Bloom, Miao He, Peter C. Tsoi
  • Publication number: 20220350482
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to techniques and interfaces for managing media playback devices. In some embodiments, the techniques include varying a feedback based on movement of a computer system toward or away from an external device. In some embodiments, the techniques include displaying an interface that includes controls for controlling media playback on an external device when the computer system and the external device are playing media. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing operations at a computer system in response to an input having a size that is less than or greater than a size threshold. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing different operations at a computer system when status lights have states that indicate different states of the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Taylor G. CARRIGAN, Pedro MARI, Camille MOUSSETTE, Gemma Alexandria ROPER, Peter C. TSOI
  • Publication number: 20220286314
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods and user interfaces for managing live communication between multiple participants using a computer system in accordance with some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Adam Stern MEYER, Durrell BISHOP, James H. FOSTER, Peter C. TSOI
  • Publication number: 20220252689
    Abstract: An electronic device may use information about the location of nearby devices to make sharing with those devices more intuitive for a user. The electronic device may include control circuitry, wireless circuitry including first and second antennas, and motion sensor circuitry. The control circuitry may determine the location of a nearby electronic device by calculating the angle of arrival of signals that are transmitted by the nearby electronic device. To obtain a complete, unambiguous angle of arrival solution, the electronic device may be moved into different positions during angle of arrival measurement operations. At each position, the control circuitry may calculate a phase difference associated with the received signals. Motion sensor circuitry may gather motion data as the electronic device is moved into the different positions. The control circuitry may use the received antenna signals and the motion data to determine the complete angle of arrival solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Tunc Ertan, Brent M. Ledvina, Robert W. Brumley, Adam S. Meyer, Peter C. Tsoi
  • Patent number: 11392291
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to techniques and interfaces for managing media playback devices. In some embodiments, the techniques include varying a feedback based on movement of a computer system toward or away from an external device. In some embodiments, the techniques include displaying an interface that includes controls for controlling media playback on an external device when the computer system and the external device are playing media. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing operations at a computer system in response to an input having a size that is less than or greater than a size threshold. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing different operations at a computer system when status lights have states that indicate different states of the computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taylor G. Carrigan, Pedro Mari, Camille Moussette, Gemma Alexandria Roper, Peter C. Tsoi
  • Patent number: 11320509
    Abstract: An electronic device may use information about the location of nearby devices to make sharing with those devices more intuitive for a user. The electronic device may include control circuitry, wireless circuitry including first and second antennas, and motion sensor circuitry. The control circuitry may determine the location of a nearby electronic device by calculating the angle of arrival of signals that are transmitted by the nearby electronic device. To obtain a complete, unambiguous angle of arrival solution, the electronic device may be moved into different positions during angle of arrival measurement operations. At each position, the control circuitry may calculate a phase difference associated with the received signals. Motion sensor circuitry may gather motion data as the electronic device is moved into the different positions. The control circuitry may use the received antenna signals and the motion data to determine the complete angle of arrival solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tunc Ertan, Brent M. Ledvina, Robert W. Brumley, Adam S. Meyer, Peter C. Tsoi
  • Publication number: 20220100367
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to techniques and interfaces for managing media playback devices. In some embodiments, the techniques include varying a feedback based on movement of a computer system toward or away from an external device. In some embodiments, the techniques include displaying an interface that includes controls for controlling media playback on an external device when the computer system and the external device are playing media. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing operations at a computer system in response to an input having a size that is less than or greater than a size threshold. In some embodiments, the techniques include performing different operations at a computer system when status lights have states that indicate different states of the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Taylor G. CARRIGAN, Pedro MARI, Camille MOUSSETTE, Gemma Alexandria ROPER, Peter C. TSOI
  • Publication number: 20220078578
    Abstract: Certain embodiments are directed to techniques (e.g., a device, a method, a memory or non-transitory computer readable medium storing code or instructions executable by one or more processors) for communication techniques between an electronic device (e.g., a smart speaker, a smart TV, a smart appliance, etc.) and one or more mobile devices (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a wearable device etc.). Techniques can vary the rate the mobile device responds to ranging messages from the smart speaker based on one or more factors. These factors can include a state of the mobile device (e.g., awake or asleep), mobile device orientation (e.g., face down), application state (e.g., music App active), motion of the mobile device (e.g., at rest for period of time), and a range (distance/angle) between the mobile device and the speaker to conserve battery life. The range to the electronic device can activate one or more smart speaker features on the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Robert W. Brumley, Peter C. Tsoi, Yagil Burowski
  • Publication number: 20220038883
    Abstract: An electronic device may use information about the location of nearby devices to make sharing with those devices more intuitive for a user. When two devices are pointed towards one another, each device may automatically present the option to share information with the other device. When a user wishes to share information with one or more devices in a group of users, an array of icons representing the nearby users may be positioned on the display according to the locations of the nearby users so that the sharing user can easily select which user he or she wishes to share with. A sharing user may broadcast a signal and nearby users may elect to receive the signal by pointing their devices towards the sharing user. A user of two devices may share information between the two devices and may use one device to manipulate the information on the other device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Adam S. Meyer, Peter C. Tsoi, Stuart J. Wood, Duncan Robert Kerr, Martha Evans Hankey, John B. Morrell
  • Publication number: 20210397263
    Abstract: An electronic device may include touch input components and associated haptic output components. The control circuitry may provide haptic output in response to touch input on the touch input components and may send wireless signals to the external electronic device based on the touch input. The haptic output components may provide local and global haptic output. Local haptic output may be used to guide a user to the location of the electronic device or to provide a button click sensation to the user in response to touch input. Global haptic output may be used to notify the user that the electronic device is aligned towards the external electronic device and is ready to receive user input to control or communicate with the external electronic device. Control circuitry may switch a haptic output component into an inactive mode to inform the user that a touch input component is inactive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Camille Moussette, James H. Foster, Duncan Kerr, Adam S. Meyer, Per Haakan Linus Persson, Peter C. Tsoi, Stuart J. Wood
  • Patent number: 11159932
    Abstract: An electronic device may use information about the location of nearby devices to make sharing with those devices more intuitive for a user. When two devices are pointed towards one another, each device may automatically present the option to share information with the other device. When a user wishes to share information with one or more devices in a group of users, an array of icons representing the nearby users may be positioned on the display according to the locations of the nearby users so that the sharing user can easily select which user he or she wishes to share with. A sharing user may broadcast a signal and nearby users may elect to receive the signal by pointing their devices towards the sharing user. A user of two devices may share information between the two devices and may use one device to manipulate the information on the other device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam S. Meyer, Peter C. Tsoi, Stuart J. Wood, Duncan Robert Kerr, Martha Evans Hankey, John B. Morrell