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Apple Granted 41 Patents Covering Multitouch Event Handling, iDevice Security, Stir Welding, EarPod Design & More

1. Cover - Apple granted 41 patents covering EarPod design, iDevice Security & more
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 41 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. Our report briefly covers Apple's patents relating to multitouch event handling, iDevice security and a new method of stir welding used in the manufacturing of iDevices. Our report also covers 3 design patents and a master list of the remaining patents that we didn't elaborate on in our report.


Apple Granted Patent for Multitouch Event Handling

 

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention relating to multi-point and multi-touch enabled devices in general, and more specifically to recognizing single and multiple point and touch events in multi-point and multi-touch enabled devices.

 

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, software, devices and APIs for defining touch events for application level software. Furthermore, some embodiments are directed to simplifying the recognition of single and multiple touch events for applications running in multi-touch enabled devices. To simplify the recognition of single and multiple touch events, each view within a particular window can be configured as either a multi-touch view or a single touch view. Furthermore, each view can be configured as either an exclusive or a non-exclusive view.

 

Depending on the configuration of a view, touch events in that and other views can be either ignored or recognized. Ignored touches need not be sent to the application. Selectively ignoring touches can allow for simpler applications or software elements that do not take advantage of advanced multi touch features to be executed at the same device (and even at the same time) as more complex applications or software elements.

 

2. Apple granted a patent for multitouch event handling

Apple credits Jason Beaver and Andrew Platzer as the inventors of granted patent 8,560,975 which was originally filed in Q4 2012 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. A reference is made within the patent to a related 2007 patent. To review today's granted patent with 24 claims and details, see Apple's patent.

 

Apple Granted an iDevice Security System Patent

 

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention relating to systems and methods for identifying unauthorized users of an electronic device. In particular, this relates to systems and methods for detecting an unauthorized user, gathering information related to the electronic device, the unauthorized user, or both, and transmitting an alert notification to a responsible party for the electronic device.

 

In some embodiments, an unauthorized user can be detected by comparing the identity of the current user to the identities of authorized users of the electronic device. For example, a photograph of the current user can be taken, a recording of the current user's voice can be recorded, the heartbeat of the current user can be recorded, or any combination of the above. The photograph, recording, or heartbeat can be compared, respectively, to a photograph, recording, or heartbeat of authorized users of the electronic device to determine whether they match. If they do not match, the current user can be detected as an unauthorized user.

 

3. Apple granted an idevice security system patent

In some embodiments, an unauthorized user can be detected by noting particular activities that can indicate suspicious behavior. For example, activities such as entering an incorrect password a predetermined number of times in a row, hacking of the electronic device, jailbreaking of the electronic device, unlocking of the electronic device, removing a SIM card from the electronic device, or moving a predetermined distance away from a synced device can be used to detect an unauthorized user.

 

Apple credits Taido Nakajima, Pareet Rahul and Gloria Lin as the inventors of granted patent 8,558,662 which was originally filed in Q3 2012 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review today's granted patent claims and details, see Apple's patent.

 

Apple Granted Patent for New Friction Stir Welding Method

 

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention relating to friction stir welding, and more particularly to methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for improving the quality of welds produced by friction stir welding.

 

A method for friction stir welding is provided. The method may be conducted by various systems for friction stir welding. For example, such a system for friction stir welding may include a friction stir welding tool, a motor to rotate the friction stir welding tool, an actuator to move the friction stir welding tool and apply force against the parts being welded, one or more sensors configured to determine the temperature of the resulting weld, and a controller configured to control process parameters associated with operating the friction stir welding system.

 

The process parameters may include the rotational speed of the friction stir welding tool, the feed rate at which the friction stir welding tool moves across the length of the joint, the axial force applied along the length of the friction stir welding tool against the parts being welded, and a tilt angle of the friction stir welding tool. By adjusting the process parameters while the friction stir welding process is ongoing, a temperature differential between a measured temperature of the weld and a desired temperature of the weld may be decreased. In this regard, the desired temperature may correspond to a temperature at which the parts are plasticized, which is the temperature at which friction stir welding ideally occurs.

 

4AA Apple patent - improved friction stir welding method

Apple's patent FIG. 3 illustrates a three-dimensional temperature response curve based on changes in rotational speed, feed rate, and axial force during a friction stir welding operation; patent FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of a portion of the friction stir welding system comprising a plurality of temperature sensors and a plurality of proximity sensors mounted in a backing plate.

 

Apple's patent fails to identify any specific iDevice but they do state the following:

 

"The electronic device may also include a user interface that allows a user of the electronic device to interact with the electronic device. For example, the user interface can take a variety of forms, such as a button, keypad, dial, touch screen, audio input interface, visual/image capture input interface, input in the form of sensor data, etc. Still further, the user interface may be configured to output information to the user through a display, speaker, or other output device. A communication interface 608 may provide for transmitting and receiving data through, for example, a wired or wireless network such as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), and/or a wide area network (WAN), for example, the Internet."

 

Apple credits Shravan Bharadwaj as the inventors of granted patent 8,556,156 which was originally filed in Q3 2012 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review today's 20 granted patent claims and details, see Apple's patent.

 

Apple Granted Three Design Patents Today

 

Apple has been granted three design patents today covering their EarPods, Cinema Display and an iMovie related interface.

 

5. Apple granted 3 design patents - EarPods, Cinema display + Oct 15, 2013

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today

 

6. Remaining Apple Granted Patents Oct 15, 2013 

PA - Bar - Notice
Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments.

 

New on Patent Bolt this Week

 

Google Invents Floating Navigational Controls for Tablets

New Google Wallet NFC Feature Coming to Android Smartphones

 

 


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