Patents by Inventor Stefan Hafeneger

Stefan Hafeneger 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: 12182652
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a wearable electronic device may have a coil. The device may have a finger-ring housing that surrounds a finger-shaped opening to allow the device to be worn on a finger of a user. The coil may be formed from metal traces on a printed circuit that wrap around the finger-shaped opening. Near-field communications circuitry in the device may be used to gather near-field communications tag information. The tag information may be gathered in response to user input. Wireless communications circuitry that uses a non-near-field communications antenna may wirelessly transmit the tag information and/or other information such as user input to a companion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J Ershov, Joel N Ruscher, Stefan Hafeneger, Travis J McQueen
  • Publication number: 20240362312
    Abstract: Electronic devices in a system may be controlled by a user. The user may have one or more wearable devices or other devices. A user's device may be used by the user in identifying a target electronic device of interest among the electronic devices in the system. The target electronic device may be identified using a gaze tracking sensor that senses the user's point-of-gaze, an orientation sensor that detects a direction in which the user's device is pointed, or other sensor circuitry. Visual feedback, audio feedback, and/or haptic feedback may be provided to the user to confirm which electronic device has been identified as a target electronic device of interest. User input may be gathered by sensors and used in adjusting operating parameters in the target electronic device of interest. Health monitoring operations and other operations may also be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Stefan Hafeneger, Craig C. Leong
  • Publication number: 20240281065
    Abstract: A ring device may be worn on a user's finger. The ring device may include near-field communications circuitry for emulating near-field communications tags based on biometric data and/or for logging health-related actions such as medicine intake. An inertial measurement unit in the ring device may detect pointing and other gestures for controlling equipment. A microphone may detect voice input and other sounds that can be used to infer the context in which the ring device is operating. Motion data from a first device may be used to determine a gaze direction towards a second device so that ring input may be directed towards the second device. A map of locations of different devices that can be controlled by the ring device may be generated using a combination of pointing input, voice input, gaze input, and/or touch input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Stefan Hafeneger, Amrith V Ram, Joel N Ruscher
  • Patent number: 12061680
    Abstract: Electronic devices in a system may be controlled by a user. The user may have one or more wearable devices or other devices. A user's device may be used by the user in identifying a target electronic device of interest among the electronic devices in the system. The target electronic device may be identified using a gaze tracking sensor that senses the user's point-of-gaze, an orientation sensor that detects a direction in which the user's device is pointed, or other sensor circuitry. Visual feedback, audio feedback, and/or haptic feedback may be provided to the user to confirm which electronic device has been identified as a target electronic device of interest. User input may be gathered by sensors and used in adjusting operating parameters in the target electronic device of interest. Health monitoring operations and other operations may also be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Hafeneger, Craig C. Leong
  • Publication number: 20240070409
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a wearable electronic device may have a coil. The device may have a finger-ring housing that surrounds a finger-shaped opening to allow the device to be worn on a finger of a user. The coil may be formed from metal traces on a printed circuit that wrap around the finger-shaped opening. Near-field communications circuitry in the device may be used to gather near-field communications tag information. The tag information may be gathered in response to user input. Wireless communications circuitry that uses a non-near-field communications antenna may wirelessly transmit the tag information and/or other information such as user input to a companion device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Michael J. Ershov, Joel N. Ruscher, Stefan Hafeneger, Travis J. McQueen
  • Patent number: 11829831
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a wearable electronic device may have a coil. The device may have a finger-ring housing that surrounds a finger-shaped opening to allow the device to be worn on a finger of a user. The coil may be formed from metal traces on a printed circuit that wrap around the finger-shaped opening. Near-field communications circuitry in the device may be used to gather near-field communications tag information. The tag information may be gathered in response to user input. Wireless communications circuitry that uses a non-near-field communications antenna may wirelessly transmit the tag information and/or other information such as user input to a companion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J Ershov, Joel N Ruscher, Stefan Hafeneger, Travis J McQueen
  • Patent number: 10754542
    Abstract: A device displays a user interface. The user interface includes a folder icon that corresponds to an application folder containing a plurality of application icons. The plurality of application icons correspond to different applications in a plurality of applications. The plurality of applications include applications that have unread notifications. While displaying the user interface, the device detects an input that includes a contact at a location that corresponds to the folder icon. In response to detecting the input: when the input meets menu-presentation criteria, wherein the menu-presentation criteria require that a characteristic intensity of a contact in a detected input meet an intensity threshold in order for the menu-presentation criteria to be met, the device displays selectable options that, when activated, launch corresponding applications that have unread notifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian J. Bauer, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Jonathan R. Dascola, Christopher P. Foss, Stefan Hafeneger, Chanaka G. Karunamuni, Kenneth L. Kocienda
  • Patent number: 10613634
    Abstract: An electronic device is configured to: while presenting media content at a first non-zero playback speed, detect a press input by a first contact on a first media control; and, in response to detecting the press input: determine whether an intensity of the first contact is above a first intensity threshold; if the intensity of the first contact is above the first intensity threshold, present the media content at a second playback speed, where the second playback speed is faster than the first non-zero playback speed; and, if the intensity of the first contact is below the first intensity threshold, maintain presentation of the media content at the first non-zero playback speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Publication number: 20190004605
    Abstract: An electronic device is configured to: while presenting media content at a first non-zero playback speed, detect a press input by a first contact on a first media control; and, in response to detecting the press input: determine whether an intensity of the first contact is above a first intensity threshold; if the intensity of the first contact is above the first intensity threshold, present the media content at a second playback speed, where the second playback speed is faster than the first non-zero playback speed; and, if the intensity of the first contact is below the first intensity threshold, maintain presentation of the media content at the first non-zero playback speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Patent number: 10048757
    Abstract: An electronic device is configured to: while presenting media content at a first non-zero playback speed, detect a press input by a first contact on a first media control; and, in response to detecting the press input: determine whether an intensity of the first contact is above a first intensity threshold; if the intensity of the first contact is above the first intensity threshold, present the media content at a second playback speed, where the second playback speed is faster than the first non-zero playback speed; and, if the intensity of the first contact is below the first intensity threshold, maintain presentation of the media content at the first non-zero playback speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Patent number: 10042537
    Abstract: Video frame loupes are presented that provide a frame-by-frame video navigation tool. A video frame loupe is a graphical user interface (UI) element that may be displayed over a portion of a display screen, and which may be used by a user to navigate frames of a video clip. For example, a user may provider a user input to activate the video frame loupe to be displayed as a preview window that presents a continuum of frames available at the time corresponding to a point at which the video frame loupe UI was invoked. The user may then navigate forward/backward with frame-level accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger, Craig H. Yeh
  • Publication number: 20170075520
    Abstract: A device displays a user interface. The user interface includes a folder icon that corresponds to an application folder containing a plurality of application icons. The plurality of application icons correspond to different applications in a plurality of applications. The plurality of applications include applications that have unread notifications. While displaying the user interface, the device detects an input that includes a contact at a location that corresponds to the folder icon. In response to detecting the input: when the input meets menu-presentation criteria, wherein the menu-presentation criteria require that a characteristic intensity of a contact in a detected input meet an intensity threshold in order for the menu-presentation criteria to be met, the device displays selectable options that, when activated, launch corresponding applications that have unread notifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Sebastian J. Bauer, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Jonathan R. Dascola, Christopher P. Foss, Stefan Hafeneger, Chanaka G. Karunamini, Kenneth L. Kocienda
  • Publication number: 20160259412
    Abstract: An electronic device is configured to: while presenting media content at a first non-zero playback speed, detect a press input by a first contact on a first media control; and, in response to detecting the press input: determine whether an intensity of the first contact is above a first intensity threshold; if the intensity of the first contact is above the first intensity threshold, present the media content at a second playback speed, where the second playback speed is faster than the first non-zero playback speed; and, if the intensity of the first contact is below the first intensity threshold, maintain presentation of the media content at the first non-zero playback speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Publication number: 20150346984
    Abstract: Video frame loupes are presented that provide a frame-by-frame video navigation tool. A video frame loupe is a graphical user interface (UI) element that may be displayed over a portion of a display screen, and which may be used by a user to navigate frames of a video clip. For example, a user may provider a user input to activate the video frame loupe to be displayed as a preview window that presents a continuum of frames available at the time corresponding to a point at which the video frame loupe UI was invoked. The user may then navigate forward/backward with frame-level accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger, Craig H. Yeh
  • Patent number: 9196306
    Abstract: Smart scaling and cropping of video clips is disclosed. According to some implementations, a video clip sequence can be generated from one or more video clips. Video clips added to the video clip sequence can be automatically modified (e.g. scaled and/or cropped) to conform to the dimensions and/or aspect ratio of video clips in the video clip sequence. Video clips can be modified based on the spatial characteristics of the video clips, for example, the location and size of objects of interest (e.g., faces) in the video clips. Implementations may also include a method, system and/or non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for performing smart scaling and cropping. Other aspects and implementations are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Patent number: 9196305
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable storage medium for performing smart transitions between video clips are disclosed. According to implementations, a first video clip can be displayed on an interface of a video editing application. A second video clip can be received in the interface. In response to receiving the second video clip, a video clip sequence that includes the first video clip, the second video clip and a transition selected based on content characteristics of the first video clip and the second video clip can be generated. The generated video clip sequence containing the transition can be displayed on the interface. The video clip sequence including the transition can be generated automatically in response to receiving the second video clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Patent number: 8467663
    Abstract: Video context popups are disclosed. In some implementations, video popups can be displayed in a video editor to provide context to a user who is editing a video clip sequence. In some implementations, a user can indicate a position in a video clip sequence where one or more video clips may be added to the video clip sequence and one or more video popups can be presented that display a portion of one or more video clips that are adjacent to the indicated position. Implementations include a method, system and computer-readable medium for performing video context popups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Hafeneger, Gary Flint
  • Publication number: 20120213495
    Abstract: Video context popups are disclosed. In some implementations, video popups can be displayed in a video editor to provide context to a user who is editing a video clip sequence. In some implementations, a user can indicate a position in a video clip sequence where one or more video clips may be added to the video clip sequence and one or more video popups can be presented that display a portion of one or more video clips that are adjacent to the indicated position. Implementations include a method, system and computer-readable medium for performing video context popups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Stefan Hafeneger, Gary Flint
  • Publication number: 20120198337
    Abstract: Smart scaling and cropping of video clips is disclosed. According to some implementations, a video clip sequence can be generated from one or more video clips. Video clips added to the video clip sequence can be automatically modified (e.g. scaled and/or cropped) to conform to the dimensions and/or aspect ratio of video clips in the video clip sequence. Video clips can be modified based on the spatial characteristics of the video clips, for example, the location and size of objects of interest (e.g., faces) in the video clips. Implementations may also include a method, system and/or non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for performing smart scaling and cropping. Other aspects and implementations are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger
  • Publication number: 20120198338
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable storage medium for performing smart transitions between video clips are disclosed. According to implementations, a first video clip can be displayed on an interface of a video editing application. A second video clip can be received in the interface. In response to receiving the second video clip, a video clip sequence that includes the first video clip, the second video clip and a transition selected based on content characteristics of the first video clip and the second video clip can be generated. The generated video clip sequence containing the transition can be displayed on the interface. The video clip sequence including the transition can be generated automatically in response to receiving the second video clip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gary Flint, Stefan Hafeneger