Apple patents range from on-chip frame buffer to email notification proxy
In the addition to the ones we've already covered, four other Apple patents have appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. Here's a summary of each.
Patent number 20010085290 is for the use of an on-chip frame buffer to improve LCD response drive by overdriving. The patent is for a method and system is disclosed for improving the response time of displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The method includes receiving a target picture frame and comparing it to a current picture frame. If the comparison shows that a display may be unable to transition from a current pixel intensity level to a target pixel intensity level within a specified time period, then the pixels that correspond to those current pixel intensities that may not be reach target pixel intensities may be overdriven. This overdriving of one or more pixels may allow the pixel to reach the target pixel intensity within the specified time period. The inventors are Michael Culbert and Timothy J. Millet.
Patent number 20010087071 is for an electromagnetic connector for an electronic device. An electrical plug and receptacle relying on magnetic force from an electromagnet to maintain contact are disclosed. The plug and receptacle can be used as part of a power adapter for connecting an electronic device, such as a laptop computer, to a power supply. The plug includes electrical contacts, which are preferably biased toward corresponding contacts on the receptacle. The plug and receptacle each have a magnetic element. The magnetic element on one of the plug or receptacle can be a magnet or ferromagnetic material. The magnetic element on the other of the plug or receptacle is an electromagnet. When the plug and receptacle are brought into proximity, the magnetic attraction between the electromagnet magnet and its complement, whether another magnet or a ferromagnetic material, maintains the contacts in an electrically conductive relationship. Inventors are John C. DiFonzo, Bartley K. Andre, Kanye Lim, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Mark Edward Doutt and Jean-Marc Gery.
Patent number 20010085356 involves a system and method for integrating media contacts. The patent is for a system and method for integrating media objects for viewing on and manipulation via a computing device such as a personal computer. The system and method may be provided via an application program interface (API) which provides functions that allow an application program to create a scene and add media objects to the scene. The method includes preparing a translation vector and a rotation matrix for each of the media objects to define an orientation and a location of each of the media objects in the scene. The scene including the media objects is displayed. An interface is provided so that a user may manipulate the scene and the objects therein. The system and method may be implemented on a personal computer or other computing device. The inventors are Xiaochun Nie and Christopher L. Flick.
Patent number 20010088387 is for an email notification proxy. Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for exchanging notifications and data between a client device and a server. A system includes a server configured to maintain a first persistent connection to a mobile electronic device. The first persistent connection is configured to push at least service specific data to the mobile electronic device. The server is further configured to maintain a second persistent connection to a third party server. The second persistent connection is configured to monitor for availability, at the third party server, of new data associated with the mobile electronic device. The server is also configured to notify the mobile electronic device via the first persistent connection when new data becomes available at the third party server. The inventor is Pablo M. Calamera.