Patents by Inventor Robert W. Mayor
Robert W. Mayor 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: 11889302Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
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Publication number: 20230328515Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
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Publication number: 20230308994Abstract: In some aspects a first electronic device may detect a triggering condition for enabling control of a second electronic device. Upon detection of the triggering condition, the method can include determining an increased rate of transmission of advertising signals of a wireless protocol transmitted from a wireless transceiver of the first electronic device. The method can include transmitting a plurality of advertising wireless signals at the increased rate using the wireless protocol. The method can include receiving, from the second electronic device, one or more responses to the advertising wireless signals. The method can include determining a distance measurement based on the one or more responses. Responsive to the distance measurement being less than a threshold value, the method can include enabling control of one or more components of the first electronic device or the second electronic device by the other device. Numerous other aspects are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2022Publication date: September 28, 2023Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Benjamin A. Werner, Kevin J. Van Vechten, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, Brian G. Kilberg, Subash Marri Sridhar, Alejandro A. Rodriguez
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Patent number: 11751162Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable a mobile device to determine a Z-axis coordinate based on altitudes associated with Wi-Fi access points detected in a Wi-Fi scan by the mobile device. One embodiment provides for an electronic device configured to compute a weighted average of Z-axis coordinates associated with detected Wi-Fi access points and determine a Z-axis coordinate for the electronic device based on the weighted average.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brian S. Smith, Robert W. Mayor, Wei Kong, Lei Wang
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Patent number: 11736938Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
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Patent number: 11711565Abstract: A device implementing a system for estimating device location includes at least one processor configured to receive a first estimated position of the device at a first time. The at least one processor is further configured to capture, using an image sensor of the device, images during a time period defined by the first time and a second time, and determine, based on the images, a second estimated position of the device, the second estimated position being relative to the first estimated position. The at least one processor is further configured to receive a third estimated position of the device at the second time, and estimate a location of the device based on the second estimated position and the third estimated position.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2022Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Hyojoon Bae, Isaac T. Miller, Robert W. Mayor
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Patent number: 11690041Abstract: Described herein are techniques to enable a mobile device to determine a Z-axis coordinate based on altitudes associated with Wi-Fi access points detected in a Wi-Fi scan by the mobile device. One embodiment provides for an electronic device configured to compute a weighted average of Z-axis coordinates associated with detected Wi-Fi access points and determine a Z-axis coordinate for the electronic device based on the weighted average.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brian S. Smith, Robert W. Mayor, Wei Kong
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Patent number: 11641563Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for system and methods to crowdsource the location of wireless devices and accessories that lack a connection to a wide area network. One embodiment provides for a data processing system configured to perform operations comprising loading a user interface on an electronic device, the user interface to enable the determination of a location of a wireless accessory that is associated with the electronic device, generating a set of public keys included within a signal broadcast by the wireless accessory, the signal broadcast during a first period, sending the set of public keys to a server with a request to return data that corresponds with a public key in the set of public keys, decrypting the location data using a private key associated with the public key, and processing the location data to determine a probable location for the wireless accessory.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2019Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Scott Lopatin, Emmanuel Lalande, Lawrence T. Lu, Robert W. Mayor, Siva Ganesh Movva, Raghunandan K. Pai, Munish K. Poonia, Tommy Rochette, Sam Schaevitz, Yannick L. Sierra, Navin Bindiganavile Suparna, Langford Wasada
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Patent number: 11606669Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for system and methods to crowdsource the location of wireless devices and accessories that lack a connection to a wide area network. One embodiment provides for a data processing system configured to perform operations comprising loading a user interface on an electronic device, the user interface to enable the determination of a location of a wireless accessory that is associated with the electronic device, generating a set of public keys included within a signal broadcast by the wireless accessory, the signal broadcast during a first period, sending the set of public keys to a server with a request to return data that corresponds with a public key in the set of public keys, decrypting the location data using a private key associated with the public key, and processing the location data to determine a probable location for the wireless accessory.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2022Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Scott Lopatin, Emmanuel Lalande, Lawrence T. Lu, Robert W. Mayor, Siva Ganesh Movva, Raghunandan K. Pai, Munish K. Poonia, Tommy Rochette, Sam Schaevitz, Yannick L. Sierra, Navin Bindiganavile Suparna, Langford Wasada
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Publication number: 20220394431Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for system and methods to crowdsource the location of wireless devices and accessories that lack a connection to a wide area network. One embodiment provides for a data processing system configured to perform operations comprising loading a user interface on an electronic device, the user interface to enable the determination of a location of a wireless accessory that is associated with the electronic device, generating a set of public keys included within a signal broadcast by the wireless accessory, the signal broadcast during a first period, sending the set of public keys to a server with a request to return data that corresponds with a public key in the set of public keys, decrypting the location data using a private key associated with the public key, and processing the location data to determine a probable location for the wireless accessory.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Scott Lopatin, Emmanuel Lalande, Lawrence T. Lu, Robert W. Mayor, Siva Ganesh Movva, Raghunandan K. Pai, Munish K. Poonia, Tommy Rochette, Sam Schaevitz, Yannick L. Sierra, Navin Bindiganavile Suparna, Langford Wasada
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Publication number: 20220386076Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for system and methods to crowdsource the location of wireless devices and accessories that lack a connection to a wide area network. One embodiment provides for a data processing system configured to perform operations comprising loading a user interface on an electronic device, the user interface to enable the determination of a location of a wireless accessory that is associated with the electronic device, generating a set of public keys included within a signal broadcast by the wireless accessory, the signal broadcast during a first period, sending the set of public keys to a server with a request to return data that corresponds with a public key in the set of public keys, decrypting the location data using a private key associated with the public key, and processing the location data to determine a probable location for the wireless accessory.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Scott Lopatin, Emmanuel Lalande, Lawrence T. Lu, Robert W. Mayor, Siva Ganesh Movva, Raghunandan K. Pai, Munish K. Poonia, Tommy Rochette, Sam Schaevitz, Yannick L. Sierra, Navin Bindiganavile Suparna, Langford Wasada
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Publication number: 20220360945Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for system and methods to crowdsource the location of wireless devices and accessories that lack a connection to a wide area network. One embodiment provides for a data processing system configured to perform operations comprising loading a user interface on an electronic device, the user interface to enable the determination of a location of a wireless accessory that is associated with the electronic device, generating a set of public keys included within a signal broadcast by the wireless accessory, the signal broadcast during a first period, sending the set of public keys to a server with a request to return data that corresponds with a public key in the set of public keys, decrypting the location data using a private key associated with the public key, and processing the location data to determine a probable location for the wireless accessory.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Inventors: Scott Lopatin, Emmanuel Lalande, Lawrence T. Lu, Robert W. Mayor, Siva Ganesh Movva, Raghunandan K. Pai, Munish K. Poonia, Tommy Rochette, Sam Schaevitz, Yannick L. Sierra, Navin Bindiganavile Suparna, Langford Wasada
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Publication number: 20220301410Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions to cause one or more processor to perform operations comprising establishing a wireless connection with a beacon peripheral, monitoring a connection state of the wireless connection, in response to detecting a loss of connection with the beacon peripheral, posting a separation notification for the beacon peripheral to a notification framework of the electronic device, deferring display of the notification during a reconnect interval, attempting to reconnect with the beacon peripheral during the reconnect interval, and displaying the separation notification via a user interface in response to a failure to reconnect with the beacon peripheral.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2020Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: Ernst Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan, Brent M. Ledvina, Scott Lopatin, Robert W. Mayor
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Publication number: 20220237274Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods and user interfaces for authentication, including providing and controlling authentication at a computer system using an external device in accordance with some embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Grant PAUL, Benjamin BIRON, Kyle C. BROGLE, Naresh Kumar CHINNATHAMBI KAILASAM, Brent M. LEDVINA, Robert W. MAYOR, Nicole WELLS
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Patent number: 11385603Abstract: An automated environment can include an accessory device that operates according to an automation rule, to take a prescribed action when a triggering condition occurs. A controller device for the automated environment can determine a user's regular routine and can detect when the user is deviating from the regular routine. The controller device can communicate with accessory devices in the automated environment to modify their behavior relative to the automation rules.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2019Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Lukas M. Marti, Robert W. Mayor, Arun G. Mathias, Ronald Keryuan Huang
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Publication number: 20220201429Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device comprising a wireless processor coupled with a wireless radio, memory to store instructions, and one or more processors to execute the instructions. The one or more processors, based on the instructions, are to scan for a beacon advertisement using the wireless processor, store the beacon and a timestamp in a beacon advertisement buffer in response to detection of the beacon via the wireless processor, correlate a beacon advertisement with stored location data to determine a location estimate for a device associated with the beacon advertisement, encrypt the location estimate for the beacon advertisement using a beacon identifier broadcast with the beacon identifier, and transmit a hash of the beacon identifier and an encrypted location estimate for the beacon advertisement to a device locator server.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Jonathan R. Schoenberg, Adam M. Driscoll, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Emmanuel Lalande, Michael C. Laster, Scott Lopatin, Robert W. Mayor, Siva Ganesh Movva, Munish K. Poonia, Tommy Rochette, Christina Selle, Langford M. Wasada, Swadesh Bhattacharya, Raghunandan K. Pai, Brent M. Ledvina
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Publication number: 20220137237Abstract: A device implementing a system for estimating device location includes at least one processor configured to receive a first estimated position of the device at a first time. The at least one processor is further configured to capture, using an image sensor of the device, images during a time period defined by the first time and a second time, and determine, based on the images, a second estimated position of the device, the second estimated position being relative to the first estimated position. The at least one processor is further configured to receive a third estimated position of the device at the second time, and estimate a location of the device based on the second estimated position and the third estimated position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Hyojoon BAE, Isaac T. MILLER, Robert W. MAYOR
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Patent number: 11304033Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device comprising a set of classifiers that can determine whether the electronic device is likely on an airplane. Upon a determination that the electronic device is likely on an airplane, one or more wireless radios on the electronic device (e.g., an ultra-wideband ranging radio, a cellular radio, etc.) may be disabled or a prompt can be displayed to enable a user to place the device into airplane mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ping-Ko Chiu, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Stephen P. Jackson, Robert W. Mayor
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Publication number: 20220070667Abstract: The presence of a wireless device and/or accessory that cannot maintain an independent network connection can be detected by network connected wireless devices and the location of the detected device and/or accessory can be reported to a device location service. As the wireless devices and/or accessories do not have independent network connections, periodic maintenance is performed on those devices by nearby owner devices to which the wireless devices and/or accessories are paired or associated. Described herein are systems, methods, and associated devices to maintain a locatable wireless device by a set of multiple owner devices for that wireless device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Kenneth U. Victa, Benjamin A. Detwiler, Nikhil Nilakantan, Todd Wheeler, Robert W. Mayor, Brent M. Ledvina, E. Thomas Erdmann, IV, Sriram Hariharan
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Patent number: 11249197Abstract: A device implementing a system for estimating device location includes at least one processor configured to receive a first estimated position of the device at a first time. The at least one processor is further configured to capture, using an image sensor of the device, images during a time period defined by the first time and a second time, and determine, based on the images, a second estimated position of the device, the second estimated position being relative to the first estimated position. The at least one processor is further configured to receive a third estimated position of the device at the second time, and estimate a location of the device based on the second estimated position and the third estimated position.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Hyojoon Bae, Isaac T. Miller, Robert W. Mayor