Apple patents ranging from portable electronic devices to battery charging systems have appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. Following is a summary of each.
Patent number 7,673,238 is for a portable media device with video acceleration capabilities. Improved techniques for performing accelerated video presentation on a media device are disclosed. The improved techniques enable smooth, uniform accelerated video presentation by displaying key frames from a video file in a periodic fashion. The rate and direction of accelerated video presentation can be controlled. The improved techniques are well suited for use with portable media devices. The inventors are Muthya K. Girish, Aram Lindahl and Joseph Mark Williams.
Patent number 7,673,083 involves a method and system for controlling video selection and playback in a portable media player. It involves a a system that allows a portable media player to control settings of the portable media player when receiving video from an accessory, to control playback of the portable media player, and to provide for navigation between video tracks in a hierarchical fashion. In so doing, a portable media player can then utilize this information to provide for the maximum functionality of the accessory when connected to the portable media player. The inventors are Jay S. Laefer, Gregory T. Lydon, Donald J. Novotney, John B. Filson and David Tupman.
Patent number 7,671,804 is for tunable antennas for handheld devices. A compact tunable antenna for a handheld electronic device and methods for calibrating and using compact tunable antennas are provided. The antenna can have multiple ports. Each port can have an associated feed and ground. The antenna design can be implemented with a small footprint while covering a large bandwidth. The antenna can have a radiating element formed from a conductive structure such as a patch or helix. The antenna can be shaped to accommodate buttons and other components in the handheld device. The antenna may be connected to a printed circuit board in the handheld device using springs, pogo pins, and other suitable connecting structures. Radio-frequency switches and passive components such as duplexers and diplexers may be used to couple radio-frequency transceiver circuitry to the different feeds of the antenna. Antenna efficiency can be enhanced by avoiding the use of capacitive loading for antenna tuning. The inventors are Zhijun Zhang and Ruben Caballero.
Patent number 7,671,756 is for a portable electronic device with alert silencing. In some embodiments, audible alerts issued by a portable electronic device can be silenced in response to user smacks on the body of the device. These audible alerts are initiated by applications running on the device, such as email, phone, alarm, and/or timer applications. In some embodiments, the device includes one or more accelerometers that detect and signal the user smacks. In some embodiments, the alert response mode of the device (such as whether it rings or vibrates to signal an alert) can be changed in response to predefined patterns of user smacks. The inventors are Scott Herz and Dan Keen.
Patent number 7,673,127 is for a method and apparatus for enabling a computer system by loading and executing an updated hardware specific boot routine to modify the operating system. The system and method of the present invention employs a separate modular software file called a System Enabler that has all patches, code, data and resources needed to make a particular computer system operational. The System Enabler file is matched to a particular hardware system and may be bundled with that hardware system. During computer system start up the System Enabler file modifies the generic operating system software for optimum operation with the particular computer hardware system. The inventors are Dean T. Yu and Christopher S. Derossi.
Patent number 7,671,837 involves scrolling input arrangements using capacitive sensors on a flexible membrane. Scrolling input arrangements are presented including: a flexible membrane; a number of capacitive sensors mechanically integrated with the flexible membrane, the capacitive sensors radially disposed with respect to a first axis that is perpendicular with respect to the flexible membrane; an integrated circuit mechanically coupled with the flexible membrane and electronically coupled with the capacitive sensors, the integrated circuit configured to process a number of electronic signals from the capacitive sensors to provide a scrolling function; and a connection region on the flexible membrane for electronically coupling the scrolling input arrangement with an electronic device. In some embodiments, the capacitive sensors are configured with a plate element having a first surface area and a trace element having a second surface area such that the first surface area and second surface area comprise a sensor surface area, wherein the sensor surface areas for the capacitive sensors is substantially equal in size. The inventors are Larry Forsblad, Steve Hotelling, Brian Lynch, Benjamin Lyon, Jan Moolsintrong, Doug Weber and Steve Zadesky.
Patent number 7,672,962 is for methods and systems for managing data, such as metadata or indexes of content of files. In one exemplary method, notifications to update a metadata database or an index database are combined into a combined notification. According to other aspects, an order among logical locations on a storage device is determined in order to specify a sequence for scanning for files to be indexed. According to another aspect, a method includes determining whether to index a file based on a path name of the file relative to a plurality of predetermined path names. The inventors are Yan Arrouye, Dominic Giampaolo and Andrew Carol.
Patent number 7,672,464 involves locating and correcting undesirable effects in signals that represent time-based media. The invention describes a graphical method for detecting and adjusting audio overload conditions. The graphical user interface provides a user complete playback control of several audio tracks, detection of overload conditions such as audio clipping, and graphical methods to correct the overload conditions. The graphical interface provides drag handles which the user can use to adjust the various characteristics of an audio file. The characteristics, such as amplitude and tempo, may be adjusted as a function of time. The inventors are Curt Bianchi, Nikhil Bhatt and Christopher Moulios.
Patent number 7,672,968 is for displaying a tooltip associated with a concurrently displayed database object. Techniques for displaying information associated with a database are disclosed. A database-informer displays information (or additional information) about various database objects displayed for a user. The database-informer may be presented to user as a tool-tip. However, the database-informer can be customized and dynamically constructed based on various variables that are dynamically determined at runtime. As such, the information can be dynamically determined based on variables stored in different tables and provided on-demand when the database-informer is invoked by the user. As a result, database users can be provided with customized and up-to-date information without having to view different tables. The inventors are Vladimir Bradateanu, Toufic Milan, Lee McIntyre, Geraldine Vahey and John Lorin Welshofer.
Patent number 7,672,968 is for an user interface control for changing a parameter. Per the patent, an user interface comprises a control for adjusting a numeric field value. The control includes controls for editing the numeric field text directly and for dynamically incrementing and decrementing the value. In addition, the control includes controls for combining several functions into one control, allowing for quicker numeric value editing, control of multiple parameters, and taking up less user interface space. The inventors are Charles Migos, Patrick Heyknen, Jean-Pierre Mouilleseaux, Gregory E. Niles and Egan Schulz.
Patent number 7,671,559 is for a battery charging system and mobile and accessory devices. Various embodiments of the present invention are directed at a method and system for recharging batteries for wireless electronic devices. According to one embodiment, a battery charging and monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a host machine providing a plurality of charging slots and a plurality of wireless devices coupled to and powered by a plurality of batteries. The host machine is adapted to communicate with the plurality of wireless devices through a plurality of wireless links to monitor the plurality of batteries coupled to the wireless devices. According to another embodiment, an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device is adapted to couple with at least a rechargeable battery and to negotiate with the rechargeable battery for an agreed range of power parameters. The electronic device is further adapted to accept power from and to provide power to the rechargeable battery at the agreed range of power parameters. The inventor is Aaron Ludtke.
Patent number 7,671,561 involves host machines for a battery charging system. Various embodiments of the present invention are directed at a method and system for recharging batteries for wireless electronic devices. According to one embodiment, a host machine for recharging rechargeable batteries for wireless devices is disclosed. The host machine includes a plurality of wireless devices coupled to and powered by a first plurality of rechargeable batteries and a plurality of charging slots configured to couple with a second plurality of rechargeable batteries. The host machine is adapted to provide power to charge the second plurality of rechargeable batteries and to hold in standby a third plurality of rechargeable batteries comprising the second plurality of rechargeable batteries that have been fully charged. According to an embodiment, the host machine is further adapted to join a network of host machines and to share the batteries in standby with each other. The inventor is Aaron Ludtke.