Apple wins 59 Patents Covering Face ID, AirPods Case, MicroLED Displays, a Solar Invariant Imaging System & more
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple 59 newly granted patents today. Our report mainly covers 4 granted patents relating to Face ID, the AirPods Case, MicroLED Displays, a Project Titan patent relating to a solar invariant imaging system. We wrap up this week's granted patent report with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.
Face ID Enrollment Process Tutorial
Apple was granted patent #10,395,128 that relates to setting up Face ID on iDevices and an enrollment process tutorial. In some examples, a device provides user interfaces for aligning a biometric feature for enrollment. In some examples, a device provides user interfaces for enrolling a biometric feature. In some examples, a device provides user interfaces for providing hints during a biometric enrollment process.
Apple's patent FIGS. 7S above is one of several figures illustrating an exemplary user interfaces for a biometric enrollment process; FIGS. 9C is just one of several patent figures illustrating an exemplary user interfaces for aligning a biometric feature for enrollment.
AirPods Case
Apple was granted patent #10,397,683 that relates to the AirPods case that uses a torsion spring over-center mechanism. The patent also covers the possibility of a future AirPod's case being able to charge the Apple Watch resting on the AirPod's case exterior as shown below.
Apple's patent FIG. 22A above is a side view of a case with a torsion spring over center mechanism; FIG. 22B is an isometric view of the torsion spring over center mechanism illustrated in FIG. 22A; and FIG. 23 is a simplified perspective view of a wireless charging system.
Patently Apple originally covered this as a patent application back in April 2017 in a report titled "Apple's Next-Gen AirPods Case could double as a Wireless Charging Dock for Apple Watch and iPhone." Review it here for more details of the invention.
Project Titan: Solar Invariant Imaging System for Object Detection
Apple was granted patent #10,397,497 that relates to vehicle guidance systems and autonomous control systems. More specifically, the invention relates to an imaging system that leverages images generated using incident light captured in particular wavelength bands of an infrared spectrum to isolate an output of an object detection algorithm from natural light phenomena.
Variations caused by solar radiation and/or certain weather conditions, such as glints, glares, haze, fog, or the differences in illumination of a particular scene captured during the day or at night, are avoided when using images generated using incident light from the identified wavelength bands. The task of object detection, including training of the appropriate system using machine learning techniques, becomes a less complicated task absent these variations.
(Click on image to slightly Enlarge)
Apple's patent FIG. 5 above shows an example of an image generated using light from an infrared spectrum.
Hybrid Microdriver Architecture for driving MicroLED Displays
Apple was granted patent #10,395,590. This highly technical patent relates to a display system comprising: a thin film transistor (TFT) backplane including an active area; an array of micro driver chips coupled to the TFT backplane in the active area; an array of micro light emitting diode (LED) devices in the active area, the array of micro LED devices electrically connected to the array of micro driver chips, and each micro driver chip controls a plurality of pixels, wherein the array of micro driver chips comprises an array of crystalline silicon integrated circuits to switch and drive the array of micro LED devices.
Apple notes that microLED displays may be used in a wide variety of future display system such as a television, tablet, phone, laptop, computer monitor, automotive heads-up display, automotive navigation display, kiosk, digital camera, handheld game console, media display, e-book display, or large area signage display.
(Click on image to slightly Enlarge)
Apple's patent FIG. 16 above illustrates the processing of substrates of .mu.Driver and .mu.LEDs into a receiving substrate for a hybrid .mu.Driver and .mu.LED display.
One More Thing
Lastly, for those interested, Apple won a patent today titled "Optical Keyboards" under number 10,394,341. Apple's granted patent generally relates to a possible new feature for future MacBook or standalone keyboards,though it's not restricted to keyboards, as the patent points to "input components" that could be associated with a future Apple TV box (or remote) or any iDevice including Apple Watch or a future gaming device (like a game controller). If you're interested in this granted patent, then check it out here.
The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today
About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Comments