Top Granted Patent: Multi-Touch Screen Liquid Crystal Display

 

Apple's major granted patent discloses liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Apple's patent also discloses techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays for the desktop, notebooks, tablets, handhelds, mobile phones, PDAs, media players and the like.

 

As described in the applications incorporated by reference, a touch surface, and specifically, a multi-touch capable transparent touch surface can be formed from a series of layers.

 

Apple credits Hotelling; Steve Porter (Los Gatos, CA), Chen; Wei (Palo Alto, CA), Krah; Christoph Horst (Los Altos, CA), Elias; John Greer (Townsend, DE), Yao; Wei Hsin (Fremont, CA), Zhong; John Z. (Cupertino, CA), Hodge; Andrew Bert (Palo Alto, CA), Land; Brian Richards (Redwood City, CA), den Boer; Willem (Brighton, MI) as the inventors of granted patent 8,259,078 which was originally filed in Q2 2007 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.  

 

Other patents that were granted to Apple today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office include the following:

 

1. Video Acquisition with Processing based on Ancillary Data

 

Apple's patent relates to processing video images, and more particularly to acquisition of video data with integrated processing using a graphics processing unit.

 

Apple's Patent 8,260,079: Systems and techniques for processing sequences of video images involve receiving, on a computer, data corresponding to a sequence of video images detected by an image sensor. The received data is processed using a graphics processor to adjust one or more visual characteristics of the video images corresponding to the received data. The received data can include video data defining pixel values and ancillary data relating to settings on the image sensor. The video data can be processed in accordance with ancillary data to adjust the visual characteristics, which can include filtering the images, blending images, and/or other processing operations.

 

2. Interference-Weighted Communication Signal Processing Systems and Methods

 

Apple's invention relates generally to communication systems and, in particular, to processing of received communication signals.

 

Apple's Patent 8,259,881: A level of interference affecting signal components of received communication signals is estimated and used to weight the signal components. The signal components in a each of a number of groups of signal components are weighted based on respective interference estimates to thereby adjust signal components for colored interference, which may vary significantly between different groups of signal components. Each group of signal components may include a single component or components within a relatively narrow sub-band of the communication signals, such as a coherence bandwidth of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signal.

 

3. Enhanced Encapsulation Mechanism using GRE Protocol

 

Apple's invention relates generally to cellular wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to enhanced protocols and services provided therein.

 

Apple's Patent 8,259,737: Wireless gateway nodes are enabled to support mobile node services, such as content based billing, when a data treatment server is present in the system. Using one of a defined Content Flow Label (CFL), an Application Program Interface (API), and a compression protocol header, content based billing is provided such as by exchanging content and byte count information with the data treatment server.

 

4. Apparatus and Methods for Managing Access and Update Requests in a Wireless Network

 

Apple's invention relates generally to the field of wireless communication and data networks. More particularly, in one exemplary aspect, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for managing a heavy influx of radio network access attempts (such as those generated by a plurality of self-managing user devices accessing a cellular network within a brief period of time), so as to manage the processing burden on the network.

 

Apple's Patent 8,259,659: Methods and apparatus that enable a wireless network to detect and manage impending congestion events caused by a plurality of mobile devices attempting to access the network in a brief space of time. In one embodiment, the network comprises a 3g (UMTS) cellular network, and includes a congestion management and avoidance entity that preemptively triggers a collision mode upon detecting an impending congestion event. This mode advantageously reduces processing burden on the base station by causing the mobile devices (UEs) to halt current access attempts, and invoke a multiple access scheme (e.g., wait a random amount of time before attempting further access attempts). The comparatively early detection and avoidance of collisions reduces the mobile device's power consumption, while addressing congestion events early in the wireless communication process so as to maintain optimal network conditions.

 

5. Location Specific Content

 

Apple's Patent 8,260,320: Apple's patent relates to systems, methods, and computer program products communicate location information associated with a device, such as a mobile device, to a server. Content identified by the server is received at the device, from the server and/or from a content service. The content can include an application associated with the location information. The content received at the device is displayed on the device only while the device is at or near a particular location identified by the location information.

 

6. System and Method for Peer-to-Peer Communication in Cellular Systems

 

Apple's Patent 8,260,337: Apple's patent relates to systems and methods for delivering both PMP communications, for example standard cellular communications via a base station, and also delivering P2P communications, for example, communications between two mobile stations, using the same spectral resources for both types of communication.

 

7. Design Patent for iPod Armband

Apple's design patent D666,409

 

8. Systems and Methods for Providing Context-Based Movie Information

 

Apple's Patent 8,260,640: Apple's invention relates to systems and methods for generating context-based movie information. For example, a movie application on an electronic device can obtain show times of a movie from multiple movie theaters. In some embodiments, the movie application can combine one or more show times into a single time slot in order to condense the number of show times that are displayed. Furthermore, the movie application can provide slot labels corresponding to each time slot based on one or more context-sensitive factors (e.g., current time of day, current location, one or more upcoming calendar events, and the like). As a result, the movie application can provide a user with a condensed view of the most accessible show times based on current context.

 

9. Variant Streams for Real-Time or Near Real-Time Streaming to Provide Failover Protection

 

Apple's invention relates to data transmission techniques. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to techniques that allow streaming of data using non-streaming protocols such as, for example, HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

 

Apple's Patent 8,260,877: Methods and apparatuses provide real-time or near real-time streaming of content using transfer protocols such as an HTTP compliant protocol. In one embodiment, a method includes providing multiple redundant locations that provide media content to client devices using alternative streams. To implement failover protection, a first server device or first content distribution service creates a stream, or multiple alternate bandwidth streams and generates playlist file(s). A second server device or second content distribution service creates a parallel stream, or set of streams. A client attempts to download the playlist file(s) from a first uniform resource locator (URL) using a first stream associated with the first server device or the first content distribution service. If a client is unable to download the playlist file(s) from the first URL, the client attempts to switch to an alternate stream associated with another URL.

 

10. Application Cache Population from Peer Application

 

Apple's Patent 8,261,026: Apple's patent relates to Improved approaches to manage cache data for applications operating in a data center environment. Data requests incoming over a network are able to be responded to by an application in a consistent and rapid manner through intelligent management of cache data. When like-applications are being concurrently operated (such as at a data center), cache data established by one application can be made available for use by another like application. As a result, cache data available to a given application is more likely to be useful to the application, particularly when the application has just been started (or restarted).

 

11. Methods for Efficient Cluster Analysis

 

Apple's invention is directed towards methods for efficient cluster analysis. Specifically, the invention is directed towards methods for defining a structured document from an unstructured document, for improving the efficiency of such processes, and for improving display of and interaction with structured documents.

 

Apple's Patent 8,261,186: Apple's patent relates to a method for defining structure for an unstructured document that includes a number of primitive elements that are defined in terms of their position in the document. The method identifies a pairwise grouping of nearest primitive elements. The method sorts the pairwise primitive elements based on an order from the closest to the furthest pairs. The method stores a single value that identifies which of the pairwise primitive elements are sufficiently far apart to form a partition. The method uses the stored value to identify and analyze the partitions in order to define structural elements for the document.

 

12. Multi-Point Representation

 

Apple's Patent 8,261,191: Apple's patent relates to a method that presents a preview of a set of images in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a device. To generate the preview, the method initially selects a subset of images that includes several images in the set but not all the images in the set. After selecting the subset of images, the method concurrently displays the images in the selected subset as the preview of the set of images.

13. Methods and Systems for Managing To Do Items or Notes or Electronic Messages

 

Apple's Patent 8,261,197: Apple's patent relates to methods and systems for managing To Do items and/or notes and/or emails (or other electronic messages). On exemplary method includes receiving an input to create a To Do item based on a portion of an email record, such as a received email, and creating, in response to the input, the To do item. Another exemplary method includes storing a note having a To Do item in the note, the note being stored as an entry in a note database which is separate from a To Do database and storing the To Do item in the To do database and receiving an input within either a note view or a To Do view to edit the To Do item and causing the note to be edited and causing the To Do item to be edited in response to the input.

 

14. Updating Content Display based on Cursor Position

 

Apple's Patent 8,261,209: A computer-implemented method can include displaying a display region, on a display device associated with a computer system, corresponding to a container at a remote location operatively coupled to the computer system over a network, wherein the container includes at least two content items, dividing the display region into at least two portions, wherein each portion corresponds to one of the at least two items, and upon detecting a positioning of a cursor in a first portion of the at least two portions, transmitting a request to the remote location for a first content item, of the at least two content items, receiving the first content item, and displaying the first content item in the display region.

 

15. Method and System for Dynamically Populating Groups in a Developer Environment

 

Apple's Patent 8,261,246: Apple's patent relates to improved techniques for automatic (or dynamic) updating (or maintaining) of file groups in a developer environment that stores and executes files. The automatic update to file groups can occur when additional files are added to or removed from the developer environment. The automatic update to file groups can also occur when previously stored files are otherwise altered.

 

16. Data Scrambling Schemes for Memory Devices

 

Apple's Patent 8,261,159: Apple's patent relates to a method for data storage which includes defining a set of scrambling sequences, each sequence including bits in respective bit positions having bit values, such that a distribution of the bit values in any give bit position satisfies a predefined statistical criterion. Each data word is scrambled using a respective scrambling sequence selected from the set. The scrambled data words are stored in the memory device.

 

17. Carbon Composite Mold Design

 

Apple's invention relates generally to the formation of carbon composite based components, and more particularly to the use of molds to form such carbon composite based components.

 

Apple's Patent 8,257,075: A mold assembly or system includes a mold base that holds mold inserts and has embedded fluid lines to facilitate cooling during part formation. Mold inserts combine to form mold cavities that receive carbon fiber and resin components to form a carbon composite based part. A permanent release coating along a mold component surface that contacts the carbon fiber and resin components facilitates the release of the finished part from the mold component. Guide pins and guide pin receiving holes facilitate accurate alignment of mold components. Ejector pins within respective ejector pin shafts help eject a finished part from a respective mold component. An ejector pin shaft cover transfers force from an ejector pin to eject a finished part and also prevents substantial passage of resin into the ejector pin shaft. A fluid actuated ejection system provides fluid based mechanical forces to the ejector pins to facilitate finished part ejection.

 

18. Housing for a Computing Device: MacBook

 

Apple's Patent 8,256,913: An improved housing for a computing device is disclosed. The improved housing is provided with one of an illuminable connector, a touch pad arrangement, and a palm rest stiffening plate. Normally, the illuminable connector and the touch pad arrangement are provided on external portions of a housing of the computing device such that they are available for user interaction. The palm rest stiffening plate is provided internal to a housing to provide stiffness or rigidity to a palm rest region of the housing.

 

19. Highly portable media device

 

Apple's patent 8,259,444 relates to their 2005 iPod Shuffle

 

The last round of granted patents issued today by the U.S. Patent Office include: (8,259,652) Location-based network detection; (8,259,506) Database of memory read thresholds; (8,259,497) Programming schemes for multi-level analog memory cells; (8,259,198) System and method for detecting and correcting defective pixels in an image sensor; (8,259,139) Use of on-chip frame buffer to improve LCD response time by overdriving; and finally (8,259,017) Hybrid antennas for electronic devices. 

 

Notice

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