Apple Inc. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160142531 | CATEGORY-BASED FENCE - Techniques of category-based fence are described. A category-based fence can correspond to a group of signal sources instead of a point location fixed to latitude and longitude coordinates. The group of signal sources can represent a category of entities, e.g., a particular business chain. The signal sources can be distributed to multiple discrete locations. A category-based fence associated with the group, accordingly, can correspond to multiple locations instead of a single point location and a radius. Each signal source in the group can be associated with a category identifier unique to the group and uniform among signal sources in the group. The category identifier can be programmed into each signal source. A mobile device can enter the category-based fence by entering any of the discrete locations when the mobile device detects the signal identifier. The mobile device can then execute an application program associated with the category-based fence. | 05-19-2016 |
20160140162 | MANAGEMENT OF DOWNLOADS FROM A NETWORK-BASED DIGITAL DATA REPOSITORY BASED ON NETWORK PERFORMANCE - Improved techniques and systems for storage, delivery and acquisition of digital assets stored in cloud data storage. Cloud data storage can be provided by a cloud data repository that is capable of storing digital data for various users. A given user can access cloud data storage from any of his/her authorized client devices via a network. A given client device can access not only locally stored digital assets but also remotely stored digital assets from cloud data storage. In one embodiment, downloads of digital assets resident in cloud data storage to client devices can be managed in view of available network performance. As one example, digital assets of differing quality levels can be downloaded in a manner dependent on network performance. As another example, locally stored digital assets of reduced quality can be upgraded (e.g., replaced) by higher quality versions in a manner dependent on network performance. | 05-19-2016 |
20160139779 | DEVICE, METHOD, AND GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR RESIZING CONTENT VIEWING AND TEXT ENTRY INTERFACES - An electronic device includes instructions for: displaying a text entry interface area at a first size for the text entry interface area; concurrently displaying a viewing area adjacent to the text entry interface area, at a first size for the viewing area; detecting a continuous finger contact that starts in the viewing area, moves in a first direction towards the text entry interface area, contacts a predefined boundary associated with the text entry interface area, and continues to move in the first direction after contacting the predefined boundary; and, in response to detecting the continuous finger contact continuing to move in the first direction after contacting the predefined boundary: increasing the viewing area to a second size of the viewing area; and scrolling the text entry interface area to reduce the displayed text entry interface area to a second size of the text entry interface area. | 05-19-2016 |
20160119517 | CAMERA ACTUATOR - Some embodiments include an actuator assembly for mounting a moving component. In some embodiments, the actuator assembly includes a base substrate including a first portion for mounting comb drive actuators and a second portion for mounting the moving component. In some embodiments, the actuator assembly includes a plurality of comb drive actuators rigidly affixed to the first portion of the base substrate. In some embodiments, the plurality of comb drive actuators is flexibly affixed to the second portion of the base substrate by a plurality of respective mechanical flexures. In some embodiments, the respective mechanical flexures provide a flexible mechanical connection between the second portion and the first portion, and the plurality of comb drive actuators is arranged to control the motion of the second portion to adjust the position of the moving component in multiple degrees of freedom relative to first portion. | 04-28-2016 |
20160119312 | ENCRYPTION METHODS AND APPARATUS - The embodiments discussed herein relate to updating and encrypting passwords for one or more computing devices. The computing devices can be associated with a common user account. According to the embodiments discussed herein, the user the can update a password of the user account at one computing device, and log into another computing device using the updated password without having to provide the current password for the other computing device. The embodiments incorporate a variety of encryption and key generation methods in order to safely transmit password updates between local computing devices. Specifically, the embodiments set forth methods and apparatus for generating and storing breadcrumbs that allow for decrypting a current password of a computing device using a new password. | 04-28-2016 |
20160119133 | PERMUTATION COMPOSITION BASED HASH FUNCTION - The disclosed hash and message padding functions are based on the permutation composition problem. To compute a hash of a message using permutation composition based hashing, the message is split into equal size blocks. For each block, a permutation composition value is computed. The block permutation composition values are then combined through composition to generate an overall permutation composition value. The hash of the message is then based on the overall permutation composition value. To pad a message using permutation composition based padding, the message is split into equal size blocks. For each block, a permutation composition value is computed and the permutation composition value is added to the block. The padded blocks are then recombined to generate the padded message. | 04-28-2016 |
20160117147 | USER INTERFACE FOR RECEIVING USER INPUT - The present disclosure relates to user interfaces for receiving user input. In some examples, a device determines which user input technique a user has accessed most recently, and displays the corresponding user interface. In some examples, a device scrolls through a set of information on the display. When a threshold criteria is satisfied, the device displays an index object fully or partially overlaying the set of information. In some examples, a device displays an emoji graphical object, which is visually manipulated based on user input. The emoji graphical object is transmitted to a recipient. In some examples, a device displays paging affordances that enlarge and allow a user to select a particular page of a user interface. In some examples, the device displays user interfaces for various input methods, including multiple emoji graphical objects. In some examples, a keyboard is displays for receiving user input. | 04-28-2016 |
20160112837 | MONITORING A MOBILE DEVICE EN ROUTE TO DESTINATION - A system, method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring a mobile device en route to a destination. A user of a monitored device specifies geo-fence regions along a route to the destination. Entry and exit of regions triggers the sending of event notifications to a monitoring device. Event notifications may be sent if an estimated time of arrival changes due to delay. Event notifications may be sent if the monitored device deviates from a planned route by a threshold distance. Event notifications may be sent through a direct communication link between the monitored device and monitoring device or through a location-based service. | 04-21-2016 |
20160110843 | SENSOR DATA RESCALER FOR IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING - An input rescale module that performs cross-color correlated downscaling of sensor data in the horizontal and vertical dimensions. The module may perform a first-pass demosaic of sensor data, apply horizontal and vertical scalers to resample and downsize the data in the horizontal and vertical dimensions, and then remosaic the data to provide horizontally and vertically downscaled sensor data as output for additional image processing. The module may, for example, act as a front end scaler for an image signal processor (ISP). The demosaic performed by the module may be a relatively simple demosaic, for example a demosaic function that works on 3×3 blocks of pixels. The front end of module may receive and process sensor data at two pixels per clock (ppc); the horizontal filter component reduces the sensor data down to one ppc for downstream components of the input rescale module and for the ISP pipeline. | 04-21-2016 |
20160110536 | ACCESSORY AUTHENTICATION FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES - Improved techniques to control utilization of accessory devices with electronic devices are disclosed. The improved techniques can use cryptographic approaches to authenticate electronic devices, namely, electronic devices that interconnect and communicate with one another. One aspect pertains to techniques for authenticating an electronic device, such as an accessory device. Another aspect pertains to provisioning software features (e.g., functions) by or for an electronic device (e.g., a host device). Different electronic devices can, for example, be provisioned differently depending on different degrees or levels of authentication, or depending on manufacturer or product basis. Still another aspect pertains to using an accessory (or adapter) to convert a peripheral device (e.g., USB device) into a host device (e.g., USB host). The improved techniques are particularly well suited for electronic devices, such as media devices, that can receive accessory devices. One example of a media device is a media player, such as a hand-held media player (e.g., music player), that can present (e.g., play) media items (or media assets). | 04-21-2016 |
20160105491 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR SHARING AWARENESS INFORMATION - Systems, methods, and computer readable media for sharing awareness information are provided. A non-aware electronic device can require awareness information including, for example, information about its environment or information about its status within its environment, in order to perform a particular device operation. When the non-aware device lacks an awareness component for detecting the required type of awareness information, the non-aware device can establish a communications path with an aware device that includes such an appropriate awareness component. The aware device can share the required type of awareness information as captured by its awareness component with the non-aware device. The distance between the non-aware device and the aware device can be less than a threshold distance to ensure that the shared awareness information is relevant to the non-aware device. | 04-14-2016 |
20160099564 | POWER DELIVERY IN A MULTIPLE-OUTPUT SYSTEM - The disclosed embodiments provide a system that operates a power supply. During operation, the system disposes a first switching mechanism between a first output of a first power converter and two or more loads. Next, the system obtains two or more error signals for the two or more loads, wherein each error signal from the two or more error signals represents a difference between a load voltage of a load from the two or more loads and a first reference voltage for the load from a first set of reference voltages for driving the two or more loads using the first power converter. The system then uses the first switching mechanism to couple the load with a largest error signal from the two or more error signals to the first output. | 04-07-2016 |
20160099524 | CONNECTOR RECEPTALE HAVING GOOD SIGNAL INTEGRITY - Connector receptacles that have good signal integrity, are reduced in size, are reliable and durable, and are easy to assemble. One example may provide a connector receptacle having several ground connections to improve signal integrity and quality. | 04-07-2016 |
20160098247 | USING A PLURALITY OF BUFFERS TO PROVIDE AUDIO FOR SYNCHRONIZED PLAYBACK TO MULTIPLE AUDIO DEVICES HAVING SEPARATE DEVICE CLOCKS - According to one embodiment, a media system communicates with an aggregate device that includes multiple media output devices. When providing media data for presentation, the system adjusts for device clock drift by resampling the media data provided to a media output device based at least in part on a device clock rate difference between a device clock of one of the media output devices and a device clock of another of the media output devices. | 04-07-2016 |
20160095063 | Scoring Beacon Messages for Mobile Device Wake-Up - Techniques and systems for scoring beacon messages and selectively performing mobile device wake-up on a score are disclosed. Such a technique can include receiving, at a mobile device in a first operational state, a beacon message from a beacon device over a short-range communication link; determining a score based on the beacon message and one or more criteria for causing a transition from the first operational state to a second operational state, the second operational state consumes more energy from a battery of the mobile device than the first operational state; determining whether the score exceeds a threshold for causing the transition; if the score does not exceed the threshold, maintaining the mobile device in the first operational state; and if the score exceeds the threshold, transitioning the mobile device to the second operational state and presenting the beacon message through the mobile device in the second operational state. | 03-31-2016 |
20160094940 | Prioritizing Beacon Messages for Mobile Devices - Techniques and systems for prioritizing beacon messages are disclosed. Such a technique can include receiving, at a mobile device, beacon messages from multiple beacon devices over short-range communication links, the beacon devices being within a vicinity of an establishment, the beacon messages being configured to provide content associated with the establishment; determining, at the mobile device, priorities of the beacon messages based on one or more criteria; selecting, at the mobile device, a beacon message of the beacon messages based on the priorities to produce a selected beacon message; and presenting the selected beacon message through the mobile device. | 03-31-2016 |
20160094763 | ASYMMETRIC MULTIPHASE BOOST FOR DISPLAY BACKLIGHTS - An asymmetric multiphase boost that provides flash functionality for display backlights. A backlight power management module for a display backlight may implement and control an asymmetric multiphase boost that includes two boost phases: a primary boost phase for typical display backlighting, and a secondary or flash boost phase that provides flash functionality via the display backlight when needed. The primary boost phase may be sized to provide high low-load efficiency, high inductance, and low switching frequency for normal display backlight operations. The flash boost phase may be sized for high current and peak power, low inductance, and high switching frequency for pulsed current applications. Via the asymmetric multiphase boost, the backlight power management module may, for example, be used to provide a camera flash function for front facing cameras. | 03-31-2016 |
20160094368 | ALTERNATIVE ROUTING OF WIRELESS DATA ONTO POWER SUPPLY - Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may provide a wired communication path that is simple to implement and does not greatly increase costs and complexity. One example may provide an electronic device having wired data path, where the wired data path is implemented using a power connection. Data from a wireless signal path may be routed and combined with a power supply voltage. This combined signal may then be provided to, or received from, a second electronic device over the power connection. The combined signal may be provided at a power connection that may include a power and ground path, paths for multiple power supplies, or paths for multiple power supplies and ground. | 03-31-2016 |
20160094061 | CASCADING POWER FOR ACCESSORIES - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for charging a host device from a charging source through an accessory are described. Upon detecting an input power signal from the charging source, an accessory may send an identification request to the host device and authenticate the host device based on the identification information received from the host device. Upon authenticating the host device, the accessory may enable a power path between the charging source and the host device to supply a charging current to charge the host device. | 03-31-2016 |
20160093999 | UNIVERSAL MAGNETIC ADAPTER - Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may reduce the number of connector receptacles on an electronic device. Also, connector inserts mated with these receptacles may be easily removed in the event of an inadvertent disconnection. One example may provide a number of adapters, where each adapter may have a receptacle to accept one of a number of connector inserts. Each adapter may also have an insert portion to fit in a connector receptacle on an electronic device, where each of the number of connector inserts may fit in the same connector receptacle. | 03-31-2016 |
20160093975 | MAGNETIC PINS - Connectors that may provide an improved reliability by having a reduced tendency for damage to their contacts and may have a reduced size and complexity. One example may provide a magnetic connector having a magnetic pin. The magnetic pin may have a plunger that may remain protected in a barrel and housing when the magnetic connector is not engaged with a corresponding connector. When the magnetic connector is engaged with a corresponding connector, the plunger may be magnetically attracted to a corresponding contact on the corresponding connector and may emerge from the barrel or housing to make an electrical connection between the plunger and the corresponding contact. | 03-31-2016 |
20160093964 | PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES FOR CONNECTOR CONTACTS - Connector receptacles having protective structures for connector contacts. One example may provide a connector receptacle having one or more contacts that are reinforced with a protective piece around a portion of the contact. Another example may provide a connector receptacle having two or more contacts reinforced with adjacent protective pieces to provide additional protective reinforcement. Another example may provide a connector receptacle having two or more contacts reinforced with interlocking protective pieces. These protective pieces may protect contacts in a connector receptacle from damage when a device, module, or connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle at an oblique angle, when a device, module, or insert is stressed while in the receptacle, or when a device, module, or insert is removed from the receptacle at an oblique angle. | 03-31-2016 |
20160093316 | Management, Replacement and Removal of Explicit Lyrics during Audio Playback - Unwanted audio, such as explicit language, may be removed during audio playback. An audio player may identify and remove unwanted audio while playing an audio stream. Unwanted audio may be replaced with alternate audio, such as non-explicit lyrics, a “beep”, or silence. Metadata may be used to describe the location of unwanted audio within an audio stream to enable the removal or replacement of the unwanted audio with alternate audio. An audio player may switch between clean and explicit versions of a recording based on the locations described in the metadata. The metadata, as well as both the clean and explicit versions of the audio data, may be part of a single audio file, or the metadata may be separate from the audio data. Additionally, real-time recognition analysis may be used to identify unwanted audio during audio playback. | 03-31-2016 |
20160092561 | VIDEO ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES FOR IMPROVED EDITING, NAVIGATION, AND SUMMARIZATION - Systems and processes for improved video editing, summarization and navigation based on generation and analysis of metadata are described. The metadata may be content-based (e.g., differences between neighboring frames, exposure data, key frame identification data, motion data, or face detection data) or non-content-based (e.g., exposure, focus, location, time) and used to prioritize and/or classify portions of video. The metadata may be generated at the time of image capture or during post-processing. Prioritization information, such as a score for various portions of the image data may be based on the metadata and/or image data. Classification information such as the type or quality of a scene may be determined based on the metadata and/or image data. The classification and prioritization information may be metadata and may be used to automatically remove undesirable portions of the video, generate suggestions during editing or automatically generate summary video. | 03-31-2016 |
20160091996 | LIFTOFF INPUT DETECTION - An electronic device including one or more processors, a touch-sensitive surface, and memory detects a contact area of a set of one or more contacts on the touch-sensitive surface. A plurality of changes in the contact area are mapped to corresponding predefined responses. After detecting the contact area, a change in the contact area that includes a liftoff of at least a portion of the set of one or more contacts from the touch-sensitive surface is detected. In response to detecting the change in the contact area, in accordance with a determination that the change is a first change in the contact area, a first predefined response is performed. In accordance with a determination that the change is a second change in the contact area, a second predefined response that is different from the first predefined response is performed. | 03-31-2016 |
20160087461 | DIFFUSION-LIMITED ADAPTIVE BATTERY CHARGING - Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that adaptively charges a battery, wherein the battery is a lithium-ion battery which includes a transport-limiting electrode governed by diffusion, an electrolyte separator and a non-transport-limiting electrode. During operation, the system determines a lithium surface concentration at an interface between the transport-limiting electrode and the electrolyte separator based on a diffusion time for lithium in the transport-limiting electrode. Next, the system calculates a charging current or a charging voltage for the battery based on the determined lithium surface concentration. Finally, the system applies the charging current or the charging voltage to the battery. | 03-24-2016 |
20160085267 | PORTABLE USER DEVICE - Systems and methods are provided for docking a portable user device to a docking device or adapter via a clip mechanism. A portable user device may include two clip members which rotate relative to one another about an axis. A coupling pivot may be coupled to both clip members to facilitate relative rotation, and may provide a clamping force between the clip members. One or more terminals may be located on at least one of the clip members, allowing data transfer, charging, or other functions when the portable user device is docked using the clip mechanism. | 03-24-2016 |
20160085059 | SMALL FORM FACTOR TELEPHOTO CAMERA - A compact telephoto lens system that may be used in a small form factor cameras. The lens system may include five lens elements with refractive power. Alternatively, the lens system may include four lens elements with refractive power. At least one of the object side and image side surfaces of at least one of the lens elements is aspheric. Total track length (TTL) of the lens system may be 6.0 mm or less. Focal length f of the lens system may be at or about 7.0 mm (for example, within a range of 6.5-7.5 mm). Lens elements are selected and configured so that the telephoto ratio (TTL/f) satisfies the relation 0.7403-24-2016 | |
20160073028 | WIRE SUSPENSION MOUNTING APPROACH FOR REDUCED OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION PACKAGE SIZE - Some embodiments include an optics assembly. In some embodiments, the optics assembly includes an optics component. In some embodiments, the optics assembly is configured to move within the apparatus on one or more axes orthogonal to an optical axis of the optics component. In some embodiments, the optics assembly is suspended by a plurality of wires on a base component of the apparatus, each wire of the plurality of wires being substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optics component. Some embodiments include a base assembly component or substrate having an upper surface plane and a lower surface plane. In some embodiments, one or more terminations are disposed around the plurality of wires. In some embodiments, the terminations are located beyond the upper surface plane of the base assembly component. | 03-10-2016 |
20160070399 | MULTI-FUNCTIONAL HAND-HELD DEVICE - Disclosed herein is a multi-functional hand-held device capable of configuring user inputs based on how the device is to be used. Preferably, the multi-functional hand-held device has at most only a few physical buttons, keys, or switches so that its display size can be substantially increased. The multi-functional hand-held device also incorporates a variety of input mechanisms, including touch sensitive screens, touch sensitive housings, display actuators, audio input, etc. The device also incorporates a user-configurable GUI for each of the multiple functions of the devices. | 03-10-2016 |
20160070270 | LORENTZ ACTUATOR MECHANISM CALIBRATION - An actuator module which includes a Hall sensor, configured to generate output signals indicating a displacement of a mobile component by a Lorentz actuator mechanism, can be calibrated to remove corruption of the output signals due to magnetic fields generated by a coil assembly of the actuator mechanism. Such calibration can include tracking and manipulating one or more of current strength, output signal voltage strength, and mobile component displacement to establish a relationship between output signal voltage and current applied to the coil assembly. The relationship can be used to generate, for a given generated output signal voltage and applied current strength, an offset signal voltage which can be subtracted from the voltage strength of the output signal to determine a corrected output signal, independent of coil assembly corruption, which indicates a displacement of the mobile component. | 03-10-2016 |
20160070115 | UPRIGHT MOUNTED CAMERA ACTUATOR COMPONENT WITH TRAPEZOIDAL MAGNET FOR OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION - Some embodiments provide an actuator module for optical image stabilization of a lens assembly relative to an image sensor in a camera. In some embodiments, the actuator module includes a coil mounting structure. One or more optical image stabilization (OIS) coils is mounted to the coil mounting structure. The actuator module further includes a lens assembly structure configured to hold a lens assembly. One or more autofocus coils is affixed to the lens assembly structure. The actuator module further includes a spring assembly for coupling the coil mounting structure to the lens assembly structure, such that the lens assembly structure is movable relative to the coil mounting structure. The actuator module further includes a plurality of trapezoidal magnets affixed to the lens assembly structure for magnetic interaction with one or more of the one or more optical image stabilization coils and the one or more autofocus coils. | 03-10-2016 |
20160070114 | PASSIVE DAMPING SOLUTION TO OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION FOR VOICE CONTROL MOTORS - Passive dampers (e.g., a viscoelastic material such as a silicon gel) may be applied at one or more locations within an actuator module along wires suspending a moving component (an optics assembly) from a fixed component (e.g., a base of an actuator module). The passive dampers act to passively dampen the motion of the optics assembly on the XY plane within the actuator module during optical image stabilization (OIS) of the optics assembly when subjected to external excitation or disturbance, and may also provide Z (optical) axis damping and impact protection. Process control and automation manufacturing and assembly methods for an OIS voice coil motor (VCM) actuator module including passive dampers are described, as well as design elements that provide for the integrity and reliability of the passive dampers over the life cycle of the actuator module. | 03-10-2016 |
20160065973 | CHROMA CACHE ARCHITECTURE IN BLOCK PROCESSING PIPELINES - Methods and apparatus for caching reference data in a block processing pipeline. A cache may be implemented to which reference data corresponding to motion vectors for blocks being processed in the pipeline may be prefetched from memory. Prefetches for the motion vectors may be initiated one or more stages prior to a processing stage. Cache tags for the cache may be defined by the motion vectors. When a motion vector is received, the tags can be checked to determine if there are cache block(s) corresponding to the vector (cache hits) in the cache. Upon a cache miss, a cache block in the cache is selected according to a replacement policy, the respective tag is updated, and a prefetch (e.g., via DMA) for the respective reference data is issued. | 03-03-2016 |
20160065969 | VIDEO ENCODER WITH CONTEXT SWITCHING - A context switching method for video encoders that enables higher priority video streams to interrupt lower priority video streams. A high priority frame may be received for processing while another frame is being processed. The pipeline may be signaled to perform a context stop for the current frame. The pipeline stops processing the current frame at an appropriate place, and propagates the stop through the stages of the pipeline and to a transcoder through DMA. The stopping location is recorded. The video encoder may then process the higher-priority frame. When done, a context restart is performed and the pipeline resumes processing the lower-priority frame beginning at the recorded location. The transcoder may process data for the interrupted frame while the higher-priority frame is being processed in the pipeline, and similarly the pipeline may begin processing the lower-priority frame after the context restart while the transcoder completes processing the higher-priority frame. | 03-03-2016 |
20160065831 | CAMERA REMOTE CONTROL - Certain embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to control a camera from a wearable mechanism device, such as a watch, pendant or other device with its own limited display. Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a wearable mechanism device for remotely controlling a camera with an intuitive user interface and sequencing of interface options. In one embodiment, the display on the wearable mechanism changes before a picture or video is taken with the electronic camera. Certain embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to partially control a camera from the wearable mechanism device, providing split control. | 03-03-2016 |
20160065525 | ELECTRONIC MAIL USER INTERFACE - The present disclosure relates to electronic mail user interfaces. A device, including a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and a rotatable input mechanism, is described in relation to accessing, composing, and manipulating electronic mail. In some examples, a user can provide input through the rotatable input mechanism to access a landing screen of an electronic mail application. The landing screen concurrently displays an affordance for accessing an electronic mail inbox and an affordance for accessing an interface for composing electronic mail. | 03-03-2016 |
20160064986 | MULTI-PHASE BATTERY CHARGING WITH BOOST BYPASS - The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a battery in a portable electronic device. During operation, the system operates a charging circuit for converting an input voltage from a power source into a set of output voltages for charging the battery and powering a low-voltage subsystem and a high-voltage subsystem in the portable electronic device. Upon detecting the input voltage from the power source and a low-voltage state in the battery during operation of the charging circuit, the system uses a first inductor group in the charging circuit to down-convert the input voltage to a target voltage of the battery that is lower than a voltage requirement of the high-voltage subsystem. The system also uses a second inductor group in the charging circuit to up-convert the target voltage to power the high-voltage subsystem. | 03-03-2016 |
20160064840 | RECEPTACLE FOR CONNECTING TO FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT BOARD - Connector receptacles that may be space efficient and provide a direct connection to a flexible circuit board. One example may provide an electronic device having a receptacle including a recess formed in a housing of the electronic device. The recess may have a sidewall and a bottom surface portion, and the bottom surface portion may include one or more openings extending through the bottom surface portion from an external surface to an internal surface. One or more contacts formed on a flexible circuit board may be aligned with the one or more openings in the bottom surface portion. In this way, the receptacle may be space efficient and provide a direct connection to a flexible circuit board inside an electronic device. A cosmetic cap may be placed in the recess to obscure the existence of the connector receptacle. | 03-03-2016 |
20160062778 | DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT FOR MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES - A development device operating system may simulate a first electronic device operating system. A first electronic device application executed by the simulated first electronic device operating system may generate a command for a second electronic device application executed by the simulated first electronic device operating system. A first electronic device framework of the first electronic device application may process the command for the second electronic device application. The processing may transform the command data for the second electronic device application to a form that is usable by a simulated relay module executed by the simulated first electronic device operating system. The simulation relay module may route the command to the second electronic device application. The development device operating system may display data for the second electronic device application on a simulated second electronic device display. The displayed data may be updated based on the command for the second electronic device. | 03-03-2016 |
20160062590 | USER INTERFACE FOR LIMITING NOTIFICATIONS AND ALERTS - The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for limiting notifications on an electronic device. In one example process, data representing a user input can be received by an electronic device. The data representing the user input can include touch data from the touch-sensitive device, ambient light data from an ambient light sensor, intensity data from a contact intensity sensor, and/or motion data from one or more motion sensors. Based on the data, it can be determined whether the user input is a cover gesture over a touch-sensitive display of the electronic device. In response to determining that the user input is a cover gesture over the touch-sensitive display, the electronic device can be put into a DND mode for a predetermined amount of time. While in the DND mode, the electronic device can cease to output some or all notifications. | 03-03-2016 |
20160062589 | REDUCED-SIZE USER INTERFACES FOR DYNAMICALLY UPDATED APPLICATION OVERVIEWS - An electronic device with a touch-sensitive display can detect a contact with the display, and in response to detecting the contact, the device can display a user interface screen representing a corresponding application. The user interface screen can include an affordance for launching the application, and a set of information obtained from the application, where the set of information is updated in accordance with data from the application. | 03-03-2016 |
20160062582 | STOPWATCH AND TIMER USER INTERFACES - An electronic device may display a first lap time representation, and may move the first lap time representation in accordance with a first amount of elapsed time. While moving the first lap time representation, the electronic device may detect a lap input. In response to the lap input, the electronic device may cease movement of the first lap time representation, display a second lap time representation, and move the second lap time representation in accordance with a second amount of elapsed time. A relative positioning of the first lap time representation and the second lap time representation may correspond to a difference between a first lap time and a second lap time. In some embodiments, the electronic device may update the timescales of lap time representation(s) in accordance with a rotational input. In some embodiments, the electronic device may update a timer duration setting in accordance with a rotational input. | 03-03-2016 |
20160062570 | REDUCED-SIZE NOTIFICATION INTERFACE - An electronic device with a touch-sensitive display can obtain a plurality of alerts associated with dates and times. The device can detect a user input, and in response to the input display a notification interface. The notification interface can include a future notification representing a future alert with a date and time after the current date and time, and a past notification representing a past alert with a date and time before the current date and time. The future and past notifications can be separated by a graphical separator that has an indication of the current time. The future and past alerts correspond to different installed applications. | 03-03-2016 |
20160062567 | MUSIC USER INTERFACE - The present disclosure relates to music user interfaces. A device, including a display and a rotatable input mechanism, is described in relation to accessing and playing music. In some examples, a user can provide input through the rotatable input mechanism to access a landing screen of a music application. The landing screen concurrently displays an affordance for accessing playlists, an affordance for a list of artists, and an affordance for accessing a list of songs. | 03-03-2016 |
20160062540 | REDUCED-SIZE INTERFACES FOR MANAGING ALERTS - An electronic device with a display can receive an alert comprising information, and in response to receiving the alert, issue a perceptual output. The device can detect a user input and determine whether the user input was detected within a predetermined time interval after the perceptual output. In accordance with a determination that the user input was detected within the predetermined time interval, the device can display a notification on the display, wherein the notification comprises a first portion of the information. If the device continues to detect the user input after a second predetermined time period, the device can display a second portion of the information, where the second portion is different from the first portion. | 03-03-2016 |
20160058367 | CONTEXT-AWARE HEART RATE ESTIMATION - A device can estimate the heart rate of an active user by using a physiological model to refine a “direct” measurement of the user's heart rate obtained using a pulse sensor. The physiological model can be based on heart rate response to activity and can be informed by context information, such as the user's current activity and/or intensity level as well as user-specific parameters such as age, gender, general fitness level, previous heart rate measurements, etc. The physiological model can be used to predict a heart rate, and the prediction can be used to assess or improve the direct measurement. | 03-03-2016 |
20160057707 | TRAFFIC SHAPING TO MITIGATE BROWNOUT CONDITIONS - Circuits, methods, and apparatus that react to brownout or near brownout conditions and mitigate complications that may result. Examples may turn off one or more circuits, such as a Wi-Fi transceiver when a brownout condition is reached or neared. Other examples may provide circuits, methods, and apparatus that proactively avoid brownout conditions. These examples may detect that a brownout condition may occur and take steps, such as Wi-Fi traffic shaping, to avoid them. Still further examples may react to brownout or near brownout conditions one or more times, then preemptively act to avoid further brownout conditions. | 02-25-2016 |
20160056701 | FLAT COIL ASSEMBLY FOR LORENTZ ACTUATOR MECHANISM - A Lorentz actuator mechanism, which controls the motion of a mobile component relative to a static component, includes a flat coil assembly which is physically coupled to the mobile component in a magnetic field of one or more magnets and is configured to adjust a position of the mobile component, relative to the static component, based at least in part upon Lorentz forces. The flat coil assembly includes at least one conductor element, at least partially bounded by a set of insulator elements within an interior of the flat coil assembly, which forms a coil structure, within the interior of the flat coil assembly, which is configured to generate the Lorentz forces based at least in part upon an electrical current through the at least one conductor element. | 02-25-2016 |
20160056558 | MICRO-ARRAY CONNECTOR STACK-UP - Board-to-board connectors that are small in size and provide a low-profile. | 02-25-2016 |
20160054989 | AUTOMATIC PURPOSED-APPLICATION CREATION - An electronic device (such as a cellular telephone) automatically installs and optionally personalizes a purposed application (which is sometimes referred to as an ‘applet’) on a secure element in the electronic device (which is sometimes referred to as ‘applet creation’). In particular, when a digitally signed installation package containing the applet is received from an installing device (such as a server), the secure element verifies the digital signature of the installation package using an encryption key associated with a vendor of the secure element. Then, the secure element installs the applet. In addition, the secure element may optionally export user data from another applet installed on the secure element. Moreover, the secure element may personalize the installed applet using the user data from the other applet. In this way, the electronic device provides a scalable installation solution while allowing personalization from the other applet. | 02-25-2016 |
20160054978 | Digital Media Asset Browsing With Audio Cues - Methods, systems and apparatus for image-based browsing through a plurality of digital media assets assisted by media cues are disclosed. The media cues can be provided by playback of short audio segments, referred to as snippets, of the digital media assets being browsed. The digital media assets can be grouped into collections of digital media assets. In one embodiment, as a user browses through digital media assets using visual representations of the collections of digital media assets, media cues can be provided. | 02-25-2016 |
20160054868 | Recording a Command Stream with a Rich Encoding Format for Capture and Playback of Graphics Content - Analyzing an application executing on a target device. An application may be executed on a target device. Low cost measurement may be gathered regarding the application executing on the target device. In response to a trigger, high cost measurement data may be gathered regarding the application executing on the target device. The high cost measurement data may include graphics commands provided by the application. The graphics commands and related information may be stored and provided to a host. The host may modify the graphics commands to perform experiments to determine performance issues of the application executing on the target device. The host may determine whether the performance is limited by the CPU or the GPU and may determine specific operations that are causing performance issues. The host may provide suggestions for overcoming the performance issues. | 02-25-2016 |
20160048283 | WEATHER USER INTERFACE - Reduced-size user interfaces for providing weather information are disclosed. At an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, indications of a location and a temperature at the location may be displayed. In some examples, a user may provide input through a touch on the touch-sensitive display and/or through a rotation of a rotatable input mechanism to display additional weather information, such as weather information for another location, another temperature, another time, and so forth. In some examples, the device may obtain data representing an upcoming activity, determine whether the activity is to begin within a threshold amount of time, and display weather information based on the upcoming activity. In some examples, the device may display an affordance at a position to indicate the time of day for which a weather condition is provided. | 02-18-2016 |
20160048163 | INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE - The present application describes various embodiments of systems and methods for providing internal components for portable computing devices having a thin profile. More particularly, the present application describes internal components configured to fit within a relatively thin outer enclosure. | 02-18-2016 |
20160044373 | UPDATING PROPERTIES OF REMOTE A/V PERFORMANCE NODES - Aspects include systems, computer readable media and methods for remotely updating properties of Audio/Visual (A/V) performance nodes that can receive A/V content through a wireless network from a central content source. The central content source can maintain information about properties of such nodes, providing such information to a device configured with remote control software, upon request. The remote control device can accept user inputs relating to properties updates, indications of such being provided to the central content source for distribution to nodes whose properties were updated. Examples of updatable properties include on/off toggling, and volume controls. Updating such properties can be protected by passwords. The central content source can be configured as software executing on a personal computer operable to communicate over the Internet for obtaining access to streaming and/or downloadable A/V content. Remote control device examples include phones that can be networked to receive node properties data, obtain user inputs affecting such data, and transmit that data back to the central source. | 02-11-2016 |
20160044151 | VOLUME CONTROL FOR MOBILE DEVICE USING A WIRELESS DEVICE - A wearable device can facilitate automatic adjustment of a volume control and/or other settings of a host device based on properties of the ambient environment. For example, when a host device generates an audible alert, a wearable device can sample the ambient sound to detect a distinct contribution corresponding to the audible alert; if the contribution is outside acceptable levels, the wearable device can notify the host device to adjust the alert volume and/or other alert characteristics. Adjustments to host-device settings can also be made based on comparing audio signals collected by the host device and the wearable device. | 02-11-2016 |
20160042666 | Converting Audio to Haptic Feedback in an Electronic Device - In general, in one aspect, a method performed by one or more processes executing on a computer systems includes receiving an audio signal comprising a range of audio frequencies including high frequencies and low frequencies, converting a first portion of the range of audio frequencies into haptic data, shifting a second portion of the range of audio frequencies to a different range of audio frequencies, and presenting at least one of the converted first portion and the shifted second portion to a human user. Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products. | 02-11-2016 |
20160041597 | REDUCED-SIZE USER INTERFACES FOR BATTERY MANAGEMENT - A device with a touch-sensitive display and a battery can determine a battery level of the battery, and in accordance with a determination that the battery level is at or below a first threshold value, cause a haptic output and/or enter a low-power mode. While in low-power mode, the device may produce different outputs in response to user inputs than while in a normal power mode. In some embodiments, while in the low-power mode, the device may display only the time and an indication that the device is in a low-power mode. | 02-11-2016 |
20160037346 | FACILITATING A SECURE SESSION BETWEEN PAIRED DEVICES - A wearable device can establish a verified session with a host device. For example, if a user wearing the wearable device unlocks the host device (e.g., by entering a credential), the devices can create a verified session, which can persist across lock and unlock events at the host device. For the duration of the verified session, a host device can request session confirmation from the wearable device at any time to confirm that the verified session is still in progress. While the session is in progress, the host can make features available such as bypassing re-entry of a credential during unlock operations. | 02-04-2016 |
20160037345 | CONTROLLING ACCESS TO PROTECTED FUNCTIONALITY OF A HOST DEVICE USING A WIRELESS DEVICE - A wearable device can establish a verified session with a host device (e.g., by establishing that the wearable device is present in the vicinity of the host device and is currently being worn). The existence of such a verified session can be used to control user access to sensitive information that may be stored in or otherwise accessible to a host device. For example, the host device and/or application programs executing thereon can be configured to restrict a user's ability to invoke program functionality that accesses sensitive information based on whether a verified session with a wearable device is currently in progress. | 02-04-2016 |
20160037085 | AUTO FILTER EXTENT MANAGEMENT - An output rescale module may determine an estimated set of lines to hold in vertical support for use when performing image transformations. For example, an output rescale module may monitor input Y coordinates (in terms of input pixel lines) computed over previous lines and compute a set of lines to hold in a set of line buffers. As each output pixel line is generated, the output rescale module may compute the minimum and maximum values of Y generated by the transform across that line. The minimum and maximum input Y coordinates may then be averaged to determine the center value (the centermost input line) for that output line. The difference (in terms of input pixel lines) between centerlines for two adjacent output lines may be added to the centerline value for the current output line to estimate a center line for the next (net yet generated) output pixel line. | 02-04-2016 |
20160037073 | PIECEWISE PERSPECTIVE TRANSFORM ENGINE - An image signal processor of a device, apparatus, or computing system that includes a camera capable of capturing image data may apply piecewise perspective transformations to image data received from the camera's image sensor. A scaling unit of an Image Signal Processor (ISP) may perform piecewise perspective transformations on a captured image to correct for rolling shutter artifacts and to provide video image stabilization. Image data may be divided into a series of horizontal slices and perspective transformations may be applied to each slice. The transformations may be based on motion data determined in any of various manners, such as by using gyroscopic data and/or optical-flow calculations. The piecewise perspective transforms may be encoded as Digital Difference Analyzer (DDA) steppers and may be implemented using separable scalar operations. The image signal processor may not write the received image data to system memory until after the transformations have been performed. | 02-04-2016 |
20160037061 | DYNAMIC MOTION ESTIMATION AND COMPENSATION FOR TEMPORAL FILTERING - A temporal filter may perform dynamic motion estimation and compensation for filtering an image frame. A row of pixels in an image frame received for processing at the temporal filter may be received. A motion estimate may be dynamically determined that registers a previously filtered reference image frame with respect to the row of pixels in the image frame. The reference image frame may be aligned according to the determined motion estimate, and pixels in the row of the image frame may be blended with corresponding pixels in the aligned reference image frame to generate a filtered version of the image frame. Motion statistics may be collected for subsequent processing based on the motion estimation and alignment for the row of pixels in the image frame. | 02-04-2016 |
20160037060 | GENERATING A HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE USING A TEMPORAL FILTER - A temporal filter in an image processing pipeline may be configured to generate a high dynamic range (HDR) image. Image frames captured to generate an HDR image frame be blended together at a temporal filter. An image frame that is part of a group of image frames capture to generate the HDR image may be received for filtering at the temporal filter module. A reference image frame, which may be a previously filtered image frame or an unfiltered image frame may be obtained. A filtered version of the image frame may then be generated according to an HDR blending scheme that blends the reference image frame with the image frame. If the image frame is the last image frame of the group of image frames to be filtered, then the filtered version of the image frame may be provided as the HDR image frame. | 02-04-2016 |
20160037059 | TEMPORAL FILTERING FOR IMAGE DATA USING SPATIAL FILTERING AND NOISE HISTORY - A temporal filter in an image processing pipeline may perform filtering using spatial filtering and noise history. A given pixel of a current image frame may be received for filtering at a temporal filter. A filtering weight may be determined for blending the given pixel with a corresponding pixel of a reference image frame that was previously filtered at the temporal filter. The filtering weight may be determined based on neighboring pixels of the given pixel in the current image frame and corresponding pixels in the reference image frame. The filtering weight may be adjusted according to a quality score indicating noise history for the corresponding pixel in the reference image frame. Based on the filtering weight, a filtered version of the given pixel may be generated, blending the given pixel and the corresponding pixel to store as part of a filtered version of the current image frame. | 02-04-2016 |
20160037058 | PROVIDING FRAME DELAY USING A TEMPORAL FILTER - A temporal filter in an image processing pipeline may insert a frame delay when filtering an image frame. A given pixel of a current image frame may be received and a filtered version of the given pixel may be generated, blending the given pixel and a corresponding pixel of a reference image frame to store as part of a filtered version of the current image frame. If a frame delay setting is enabled, the corresponding pixel of the reference image frame may be provided as output for subsequent image processing inserting a frame delay for the current image frame. During the frame delay programming instructions may be received and image processing pipeline components may be configured according to the programming instructions. If the frame delay setting is disabled, then the filtered version of the given pixel may be provided as output for subsequent image processing. | 02-04-2016 |
20160036949 | ACCESSORY AND MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE COMMUNICATION USING AN APPLICATION COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL - Embodiments of the present invention provide various communication techniques for communication between a mobile computing device and an accessory. An accessory protocol that is generic to the mobile computing device can be used for some communication. An application executing at the mobile computing device can communicate with the accessory using an application communication protocol. In some embodiments, the application communication protocol can be different from the accessory communication protocol. In other embodiments the application protocol may only be recognized by the application and the accessory. In some embodiments, messages conforming to an application protocol can be communicated between the application and the accessory by packaging the messages inside a message conforming to the accessory communication protocol. | 02-04-2016 |
20160036171 | DUAL ORIENTATION ELECTRONIC CONNECTOR - A dual orientation connector having a connector tab with first and second major opposing sides and a plurality of electrical contacts carried by the connector tab. The plurality of contacts includes a first set of external contacts formed at the first major side and a second set of external contacts formed at the second major side. Each individual contact in the first plurality of contacts is electrically connected within the tab or body to a corresponding contact in the second plurality of contacts. In some embodiments contacts in the first and second pluralities of contacts that are directly opposite each other are coupled together. In some other embodiments, contacts in the first and second pluralities of contacts that are in a cater cornered relationship with each other are coupled together. The first plurality of contacts are symmetrically spaced with the second plurality of contacts and the connector tab is shaped to have 180 degree symmetry so that it can be inserted and operatively coupled to a corresponding receptacle connector in either of two insertion orientations. | 02-04-2016 |
20160035121 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING VISUAL FEEDBACK OF A MAP VIEW CHANGE - Methods, systems and apparatus are described to provide visual feedback of a change in map view. Various embodiments may display a map view of a map in a two-dimensional map view mode. Embodiments may obtain input indicating a change to a three-dimensional map view mode. Input may be obtained through the utilization of touch, auditory, or other well-known input technologies. Some embodiments may allow the input to request a specific display position to display. In response to the input indicating a change to a three-dimensional map view mode, embodiments may then display an animation that moves a virtual camera for the map display to different virtual camera positions to illustrate that the map view mode is changed to a three-dimensional map view mode. | 02-04-2016 |
20160034167 | CONTEXT-SPECIFIC USER INTERFACES - Context-specific user interfaces for use with a portable multifunction device are disclosed. The methods described herein for context-specific user interfaces provide indications of time and, optionally, a variety of additional information. Further disclosed are non-transitory computer-readable storage media, systems, and devices configured to perform the methods described herein. | 02-04-2016 |
20160034166 | CONTEXT-SPECIFIC USER INTERFACES - Context-specific user interfaces for use with a portable multifunction device are disclosed. The methods described herein for context-specific user interfaces provide indications of time and, optionally, a variety of additional information. Further disclosed are non-transitory computer-readable storage media, systems, and devices configured to perform the methods described herein. | 02-04-2016 |
20160034152 | CONTEXT-SPECIFIC USER INTERFACES - Context-specific user interfaces for use with a portable multifunction device are disclosed. The methods described herein for context-specific user interfaces provide indications of time and, optionally, a variety of additional information. Further disclosed are non-transitory computer-readable storage media, systems, and devices configured to perform the methods described herein. | 02-04-2016 |
20160034148 | CONTEXT-SPECIFIC USER INTERFACES - Context-specific user interfaces for use with a portable multifunction device are disclosed. The methods described herein for context-specific user interfaces provide indications of time and, optionally, a variety of additional information. Further disclosed are non-transitory computer-readable storage media, systems, and devices configured to perform the methods described herein. | 02-04-2016 |
20160034133 | CONTEXT-SPECIFIC USER INTERFACES - Context-specific user interfaces for use with a portable multifunction device are disclosed. The methods described herein for context-specific user interfaces provide indications of time and, optionally, a variety of additional information. Further disclosed are non-transitory computer-readable storage media, systems, and devices configured to perform the methods described herein. | 02-04-2016 |
20160033342 | Force-Sensitive Fingerprint Sensing Input - An object can depress an input device, such as, for example, a function button in an electronic device. A resistive element having a mechanically resistive force can be disposed to resist the depression or movement of the input device. One or more electrodes can be disposed to provide a measure of capacitance based on the depression of the input device. A shield can be disposed to reduce the parasitic capacitance between the one or more electrodes and the object. The electronic device can include a fingerprint sensor operably connected to at least one of the one or more electrodes. | 02-04-2016 |
20160029198 | IMMEDIATE CONNECTION FOLLOWING DEVICE DISCOVERY - An electronic device is described. During operation, this electronic device activates a communication channel having a carrier frequency in a radio in an interface circuit to listen for an advertising frame of interest from another electronic device during a scan window having a predefined duration. If the advertising frame of interest is received from the other electronic device, the electronic device terminates the listening before the predefined duration has expired and, using the communication channel in the radio, transmits the connect request to the other electronic device to establish the connection with the other electronic device. In this way, the delay between discovery of the other electronic device and establishing the connection is reduced. In addition, the power consumed by the electronic device while scanning for the other electronic device and initiating the connection is reduced. | 01-28-2016 |
20160029176 | PROVIDING PERSONALIZED CONTENT BASED ON HISTORICAL INTERACTION WITH A MOBILE DEVICE - Methods and computer products can provide personalized content based on historical interaction with a mobile device. A computing device can receive information about a user interaction with an application running on the mobile device at a first time and location. A type of the application can be identified by parsing a description of the application (e.g., using a natural language processing algorithm). An affinity model can be generated that associates the type of the application with the first time and/or location. At a second time and location, it can be determined that the second time corresponds to the first time and/or that the second location corresponds to the first location. Using the affinity model, the second time and/or location can be associated with the type of the application, and the mobile device may then display content related to the type of the application. | 01-28-2016 |
20160029165 | Location-Based Ticket Books - Location-based ticket books are described. A mobile device can be programmed to present a virtual ticket to a service provider based on a location of the mobile device. The mobile device can receive a virtual ticket for accessing a service from a service provider. The virtual ticket can be associated with a signal source. The signal source can be pre-programmed to broadcast a beacon signal that includes an identifier identifying the signal source. The signal source can be placed at a venue where the service is available. The mobile device, upon arriving at the venue, can detect the beacon signal from the signal source. In response, the mobile device can activate a ticket manager. The ticket manager can automatically select, from a ticket book, the virtual ticket associated with the signal source. The mobile device can present content of the selected virtual ticket at the venue where the service is available. | 01-28-2016 |
20160029153 | DYNAMIC TYPES FOR ACTIVITY CONTINUATION BETWEEN ELECTRONIC DEVICES - The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device requests extended activity data from the source electronic device. The source electronic device responds by sending extended activity data from the first application to the companion electronic device. Then, the companion electronic device uses the extended activity data to configure the second application and commences performing the activity with the second application at the companion electronic device. | 01-28-2016 |
20160028869 | PROVIDING REMOTE INTERACTIONS WITH HOST DEVICE USING A WIRELESS DEVICE - A wearable device that communicates with a host device can be used to initiate a communication functionality of the host device (e.g., telephone calls, text messages). The wearable device can obtain user input indicating a recipient of the communication and in some instances content for the communication and can provide an instruction to the host device. The host device can use the indicated recipient and content to initiate communication and where applicable to send the content. Recipients and/or content can be selected from predefined lists available on the wearable device. | 01-28-2016 |
20160025119 | ATTACHMENT APPARATUSES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE - A system for carrying or using a device includes the device and at least one attachment apparatus. The device may include at least one attachment element. The attachment apparatus may include a length of material and at least one attachment point arranged on an end of the length of material. The at least one attachment point may include at least one magnetic feature configured to attach and detach the device and the length of material. The material can include but is not limited to cloth, metallic (magnetic and non-magnetic), fibrous material, and so forth. | 01-28-2016 |
20160021756 | LOW-AREA OVERHEAD CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS TO SIP MODULE - Readily modifiable and customizable, low-area overhead interconnect structures for forming connections between a system-in-a-package module and other components in an electronic device. One example may provide an interposer for providing an interconnection between a system-in-a-package module and other components in an electronic device. Another may provide a plurality of conductive pins or contacts to form interconnect paths between a module and other components. | 01-21-2016 |
20160021514 | Survey Techniques for Generating Location Fingerprint Data - Surveying techniques for generating location fingerprint data are described. A mobile device can survey a venue by measuring, at multiple locations at the venue, signals from one or more signal sources. At each location, the mobile device can take multiple measurements of signals. The mobile device can take each measurement at a distinct orientation. The measurements can be used to determine expected measurements of the signals at the venue. Differences between the multiple measurements of signals can be used to determine a variance of the expected measurements. The expected measurements and variance can be designated as location fingerprint data for the venue. The location fingerprint data can be used by mobile devices for determining a location at the venue. | 01-21-2016 |
20160021513 | Reducing Location Search Space - Methods, program products, and systems for reducing a location search space are described. A mobile device, when arriving at a venue, can determine a location of the mobile device using signals from one or more signal sources associated with the venue. The mobile device can use a coarse location estimator to estimate a coarse location of the mobile device at the venue. The mobile device can request, from a server, detailed location data associated with the coarse location. The detailed location data can include location fingerprint data associated with a portion of the venue that includes the coarse location. The mobile device can determine an estimated location that has finer granularity than the coarse location using the location fingerprint data. | 01-21-2016 |
20160021498 | Deduplicating Location Fingerprint Data - Methods, systems, and computer program product for deduplicating location fingerprint data for a venue are described. A system including a location server, or a mobile device, or both, can deduplicate the location fingerprint data. Deduplicating the location fingerprint data can include identifying correlated signal sources the signals of which are mutually dependent such that measurements of one signal source can be used to predict measurements of another. The system can determine a mutual information entropy value for each pair of signal sources, and identify the correlated signal sources based on high mutual information entropy value. The system can adjust weights of the correlated signal sources in location determination. | 01-21-2016 |
20160021385 | MOTION ESTIMATION IN BLOCK PROCESSING PIPELINES - Block processing pipeline methods and apparatus in which. motion estimation is performed at a stage of a motion estimation module for a current block with respect to a reference frame at one or more partition sizes to determine candidate motion vectors. The candidate motion vectors may be passed to a next stage for refinement. Motion estimation may then be performed at the next stage to refine the motion vectors. In performing motion estimation at this stage, the input motion vectors of at least one partition size received from the previous stage may be used as candidate motion vectors in searches for at least one other partition size. | 01-21-2016 |
20160021168 | REMOTE USER INTERFACE - Target electronic devices can be remotely controlled using a personal electronic device are disclosed. The personal electronic device can identify target devices that are responsive to remote control. The personal electronic device displays graphical user interface objects that, when selected, cause the personal electronic device to instruct the target electronic device to perform an operation. | 01-21-2016 |
20160020542 | SPRING-LOADED CONTACTS HAVING SLOPED BACKSIDE WITH RETENTION GUIDE - A spring-loaded contact may include a barrel to form a housing for the spring-loaded contact, a plunger at least partially enclosed by the barrel, a spring enclosed by the barrel, and a sphere between the plunger and the spring. A back of the plunger may be formed at an angle and to include a retention guide, the retention guide partly over the sphere such that the sphere may be in contact with the back of the plunger and the retention guide. | 01-21-2016 |
20160019360 | WELLNESS AGGREGATOR - The present disclosure relates to aggregating and sharing wellness data. The wellness data can be received by a user device from any number of sensors external or internal to the user device, from a user manually entering the wellness data, or from other users or entities. The user device can securely store the wellness data on the user device and transmit the wellness data to be stored on a remote database. A user of the device can share some or all of the wellness data with friends, relatives, caregivers, healthcare providers, or the like. The user device can further display a user's wellness data in an aggregated view of different types of wellness data. Wellness data of other users can also be viewed if authorizations from those users have been received. | 01-21-2016 |
20160018900 | WAKING A DEVICE IN RESPONSE TO USER GESTURES - A wearable computing device can detect device-raising gestures. For example, onboard motion sensors of the device can detect movement of the device in real time and infer information about the spatial orientation of the device. Based on analysis of signals from the motion sensors, the device can detect a raise gesture, which can be a motion pattern consistent with the user moving the device's display into his line of sight. In response to detecting a raise gesture, the device can activate its display and/or other components. Detection of a raise gesture can occur in stages, and activation of different components can occur at different stages. | 01-21-2016 |
20160018899 | DETECTING LOSS OF USER FOCUS IN A DEVICE - A wearable computing device can detect device-raising gestures. For example, onboard motion sensors of the device can detect movement of the device in real time and infer information about the spatial orientation of the device. Based on analysis of signals from the motion sensors, the device can detect a raise gesture, which can be a motion pattern consistent with the user moving the device's display into his line of sight. In response to detecting a raise gesture, the device can activate its display and/or other components. Detection of a raise gesture can occur in stages, and activation of different components can occur at different stages. | 01-21-2016 |
20160018898 | RAISE GESTURE DETECTION IN A DEVICE WITH PREHEATING OF A PROCESSOR - A wearable computing device can detect device-raising gestures. For example, onboard motion sensors of the device can detect movement of the device in real time and infer information about the spatial orientation of the device. Based on analysis of signals from the motion sensors, the device can detect a raise gesture, which can be a motion pattern consistent with the user moving the device's display into his line of sight. In response to detecting a raise gesture, the device can activate its display and/or other components. Detection of a raise gesture can occur in stages, and activation of different components can occur at different stages. | 01-21-2016 |
20160018872 | RAISE GESTURE DETECTION IN A DEVICE - A wearable computing device can detect device-raising gestures. For example, onboard motion sensors of the device can detect movement of the device in real time and infer information about the spatial orientation of the device. Based on analysis of signals from the motion sensors, the device can detect a raise gesture, which can be a motion pattern consistent with the user moving the device's display into his line of sight. In response to detecting a raise gesture, the device can activate its display and/or other components. Detection of a raise gesture can occur in stages, and activation of different components can occur at different stages. | 01-21-2016 |
20160016526 | ACCESSORY CONTROL WITH GEO-FENCING - A vehicle accessory can transmit a first signal to a mobile device, the first signal including a location of a vehicle. The mobile device can monitor its own location. The mobile device can assess whether one or more location-based criteria have been satisfied based on the location of the mobile device and the location of the vehicle. Upon determining that a location-based criterion has been satisfied, the mobile device can transmit a second signal to the vehicle accessory indicating that a function of the vehicle is to be controlled. Thus, for example, the mobile device can activate or de-activate vehicle features (e.g., door locking, vehicle defrosting, etc.) in a manner that capitalizes on efficient signal transmission. | 01-21-2016 |
20160007167 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOPERATIVE CHANNEL SWITCHING - An apparatus and methods are provided for opportunistically conducting data communications on multiple wireless channels. In these methods, a device is engaged in data communications with a second device and receives a conflicting communication demand requiring action on one or more channels other than the data-communication channel (e.g., to conduct a channel scan, to issue or receive a beacon). The device arranges a schedule of channel switches to satisfy the communication demand and advises the second device of the schedule, and may explicitly invite the second device to implement the schedule. To the extent the second device does so, the data communications continue on the other channels. The devices may be participating in a synchronized peer-to-peer communication environment that requires their attendance on the data-communication channel and that is not associated with the other channels. | 01-07-2016 |
20160007046 | ESTIMATING RATE COSTS IN VIDEO ENCODING OPERATIONS USING ENTROPY ENCODING STATISTICS - A component of an entropy encoding stage of a block processing pipeline (e.g., a CABAC encoder) may, for a block of pixels in a video frame, accumulate counts indicating the number of times each of two possible symbols is used in encoding a syntax element bin. An empirical probability for each symbol, an estimated entropy, and an estimated rate cost for encoding the bin may be computed, dependent on the symbol counts. A pipeline stage that precedes the entropy encoding stage may, upon receiving another block of pixels for the video frame, calculate and use the estimated rate cost when making encoding decisions for the other block of pixels based on a cost function that includes a rate cost term. The symbol counts or empirical probabilities may be passed to the earlier pipeline stage or written to a shared memory, from which components of the earlier stage may obtain them. | 01-07-2016 |
20160007038 | LATE-STAGE MODE CONVERSIONS IN PIPELINED VIDEO ENCODERS - The video encoders described herein may determine an initial designation of a mode in which to encode a block of pixels in an early stage of a block processing pipeline. A component of a late stage of the block processing pipeline (one that precedes the transcoder) may determine a different mode designation for the block of pixels based on coded block pattern information, motion vector information, the position of the block in a row of such blocks, the order in which such blocks are processed in the pipeline, or other encoding related syntax elements. The component in the late stage may communicate information to the transcoder usable in coding the block of pixels, such as modified syntax elements or an end of row marker. The transcoder may encode the block of pixels in accordance with the different mode designation or may change the mode again, dependent on the communicated information. | 01-07-2016 |
20160007008 | MOBILE CAMERA SYSTEM - Some embodiments include methods and/or systems for using multiple cameras to provide optical zoom to a user. Some embodiments include a first camera unit of a multifunction device capturing a first image of a first visual field. A second camera unit of the multifunction device simultaneously captures a second image of a second visual field. In some embodiments, the first camera unit includes a first optical package with a first focal length. In some embodiments, the second camera unit includes a second optical package with a second focal length. In some embodiments, the first focal length is different from the second focal length, and the first visual field is a subset of the second visual field. In some embodiments, the first image and the second image are preserved to a storage medium as separate data structures. | 01-07-2016 |
20150379982 | SYNTHESIZED AUDIO MESSAGE OVER COMMUNICATION LINKS - A communication device establishes an audio connection with a far-end user via a communication network. The communication device receives text input from a near-end user, and converts the text input into speech signals. The speech signals are transmitted to the far-end user using the established audio connection while muting audio input to its microphone. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 12-31-2015 |
20150379476 | REDUCED SIZE USER INTERFACE - Techniques for a displaying user interfaces screens of a calendar application include displaying different screens based on an input modality. The calendar application may respond differently to inputs from a touch-sensitive screen, inputs from a rotatable input mechanism, inputs having higher intensities, inputs having lower intensities, and so forth. | 12-31-2015 |
20150378602 | DEVICE, METHOD, AND GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR ENTERING CHARACTERS - A device with a display and a touch-sensitive keyboard with one or more character keys: displays a text entry area; detects a first input on the touch-sensitive keyboard; in accordance with a determination that the first input corresponds to activation of a character key, enters a first character corresponding to the character key into the text entry area; in accordance with a determination that the first input corresponds to a character drawn on the touch-sensitive keyboard: determines one or more candidate characters for the drawn character, and displays a candidate character selection interface that includes at least one of the candidate characters; while displaying the candidate character selection interface, detects a second input that selects a respective candidate character within the candidate character selection interface; and in response to detecting the second input, enters the selected respective candidate character into the text entry area. | 12-31-2015 |
20150375296 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SKULL TRAPPING - Disclosed are systems and methods for mechanically reducing an amount of the skull material in a finished, molded part formed from amorphous alloy using an injection molding system. Skull material of molten amorphous alloy can be captured in a trap before molding such material. A cavity can be provided in the injection molding system to trap the skull material. For example, the cavity can be provided in the mold, the tip of the plunger rod, or in the transfer sleeve. Alternatively, mixing of molten amorphous alloy can be induced so that skull material is reduced before molding. A plunger and/or its tip can be used to induce mixing (e.g., systematic movement of plunger rod, or a shape of its tip). By minimizing the amount of skull material in the finished, molded part, the quality of the part is increased. | 12-31-2015 |
20150373084 | FORWARDING ACTIVITY-RELATED INFORMATION FROM SOURCE ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO COMPANION ELECTRONIC DEVICES - The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising an activity identifier for the activity. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device acquires extended activity data from the source electronic device and uses the extended activity data to configure the second application and commence performing the activity with the second application at the companion electronic device. The source electronic device may also forward activity-related information (e.g., information from a copy and paste clipboard in the source electronic device) to the companion electronic device. | 12-24-2015 |
20150372526 | BATTERY CHARGING WITH REUSED INDUCTOR FOR BOOST - The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a battery in a portable electronic device. During operation, the system provides a charging circuit for converting an input voltage from a power source into a set of output voltages for charging the battery and powering a low-voltage subsystem and a high-voltage subsystem in the portable electronic device. Upon detecting discharging of the battery in a low-voltage state, the system uses the charging circuit to directly power the low-voltage subsystem from a battery voltage of the battery and up-convert the battery voltage to power the high-voltage subsystem. | 12-24-2015 |
20150370339 | INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE WITH A DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTABLE APPEARANCE AND FUNCTION - A computing device is disclosed. The computing device may include a display, a processor in communication with the display and an enclosure connected to the display. The computing device may also include an input/output (I/O) device in communication with the processor. The I/O device may also be connected to the enclosure. Additionally, the I/O device may include a modifiable display that may substantially match the appearance of the enclosure. | 12-24-2015 |
20150363102 | DEVICES, METHODS, AND GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES FOR PROVIDING MULTITOUCH INPUTS AND HARDWARE-BASED FEATURES USING A SINGLE TOUCH INPUT - An electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays, on the display, a first visual indicator. The electronic device receives a first single touch input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first visual indicator; and, in response to detecting the first single touch input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first visual indicator, replaces display of the first visual indicator with display of a first menu. The first menu includes a virtual touches selection icon. In response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, the electronic device displays a menu of virtual multitouch contacts. | 12-17-2015 |
20150358582 | DYNAMIC TRANSITION FROM VIDEO MESSAGING TO VIDEO COMMUNICATION - Computing devices may implement dynamic transitions from video messages to video communications. Video communication data for a video message may be received at a recipient device. The video communication data may be displayed as it is received, and recorded for subsequent playback. An indication of a selection to establish a video communication with the sender of the video message may be received, or an indication that display of the video communication is to be ceased may be received. If a video communication is to be established, then a video communication connection with the sender of the video message may be created so that subsequent video communication data may be sent via the established connection. | 12-10-2015 |
20150358581 | DYNAMIC DETECTION OF PAUSE AND RESUME FOR VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS - Computing devices may implement dynamic detection of pause and resume for video communications. Video communication data may be capture at a participant device in a video communication. The video communication data may be evaluated to detect a pause or resume event for the transmission of the video communication data. Various types of video, audio, and other sensor analysis may be used to detect when a pause event or a resume event may be triggered. For triggered pause events, at least some of the video communication data my no longer be transmitted as part of the video communication. For triggered resume events, a pause state may cease and all of the video communication data may be transmitted. | 12-10-2015 |
20150358580 | DYNAMIC DISPLAY OF VIDEO COMMUNICATION DATA - Computing devices may implement dynamic display of video communication data. Video communication data for a video communication may be received at a computing device where another application is currently displaying image data on an electronic display. A display location may be determined for the video communication data according to display attributes that are configured by the other application at runtime. Once determined, the video communication data may then be displayed in the determined location. In some embodiments, the video communication data may be integrated with other data displayed on the electronic display for the other application. | 12-10-2015 |
20150358577 | INSTANT VIDEO COMMUNICATION CONNECTIONS - Computing devices may implement instant video communication connections for video communications. Connection information for mobile computing devices may be maintained. A request to initiate an instant video communication may be received, and if authorized, the connection information for the particular recipient mobile computing device may be accessed. Video communication data may then be sent to the recipient mobile computing device according to the connection information so that the video communication data may be displayed at the recipient device as it is received. New connection information for different mobile computing devices may be added, or updates to existing connection information may also be performed. Connection information for some mobile computing devices may be removed. | 12-10-2015 |
20150358528 | MOVING MAGNET FOR AUTO-FOCUS - In some embodiments, the actuator module includes an voice coil motor base, a coil rigidly attached to the voice coil motor base, a lens movement mechanism suspended on the voice coil motor base by a suspension means configured to limit relative motion in linear directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the miniature camera, and a plurality of magnets rigidly mounted to the lens movement mechanism. | 12-10-2015 |
20150358384 | Intelligent Data Delivery and Storage Based on Data Characteristics - Methods, program products, and systems of intelligent data delivery and storage based on data characteristics are disclosed. A database server can receive, from a user device, a request for data. The database server can determine a data size and a data type of the requested data. The database server can identify, based on the data size and data type, and from multiple candidate data delivery protocols for responding to the request, a data delivery protocol designated for delivering data having the data size and data type. The database server can deliver the data to the user device in response to the request using the identified data delivery protocol. | 12-10-2015 |
20150357815 | RECONFIGURABLE MULTIPLE-OUTPUT POWER-DELIVERY SYSTEM - The disclosed embodiments provide a system that operates a power supply. During operation, the system obtains power states of two or more loads coupled to two or more power converters in the power supply. Next, the system generates one or more control signals for a set of switching mechanisms to configure a coupling of the two or more loads to the two or more power converters through the switching mechanisms based on the power states. | 12-10-2015 |
20150357751 | MAGNETIC INSERT AND RECEPTACLE FOR CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A magnetic connector system having a durable and reliable construction and a reduced height while maintaining sufficient holding strength. A connector insert may utilize a crimping piece to crimp a braiding of a cable. The crimping piece may be fixed to an attraction plate and a board in the insert for mechanical reliability. Retention clips may be used to fix a shell to the attraction plate. A connector receptacle may employ a magnetically conductive label to improve holding strength. | 12-10-2015 |
20150355830 | Visual Characteristics of User Interface Elements In a Unified Interest Layer - A user-activatable dashboard (also referred to as a unified interest layer) contains any number of user interface elements, referred to herein as “widgets,” for quick access by a user. In response to a command from a user, the dashboard is invoked and the widgets are shown on the screen. The user can activate the dashboard at any time, causing the dashboard to temporarily replace the existing user interface display on the user's screen. Once the dashboard has been activated, the user can interact with any or all of the widgets, and can configure the dashboard by adding, deleting, moving, or configuring individual widgets as desired. When the user wishes to return to the normal user interface he or she was working with, the user issues a command causing the dashboard to be dismissed. | 12-10-2015 |
20150355326 | OPTICALLY GATED DETECTOR ARRANGEMENT - A camera includes a pulse transmitter for transmitting at a transmit time through an aperture and along an optical path to a target a coherent electromagnetic ranging pulse at a first wavelength range outside the visible spectrum. In some embodiments, the camera includes a reflected pulse detector for receiving a reflected electromagnetic pulse reflected by the target back along the optical path and through the aperture at a detect time subsequent to the transmit time. In some embodiments, the camera includes a shutter positioned for shielding the pulse detector from at least transmit time to an intermediate time between the transmit time and the detect time. In some embodiments, the shutter includes a layer of semiconductor material placed in the optical path at a point between the target and the detector. | 12-10-2015 |
20150351145 | CONTROLLER NETWORKS FOR AN ACCESSORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Controllers can be used to control the operation of various accessories. Controllers with access to a particular accessory (or group of accessories) can be organized into a controller network to facilitate control. The controller network can include various proxy devices including bridge and tunnel proxies that can relay messages to and from accessories, perform protocol translations, and/or provide communication security. Some proxy devices can include decision logic to enable coordinated control over one or more accessories by the controllers in the controller network. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351114 | REAL-TIME PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT INCLUDES A RESTRICTED CHANNEL - An apparatus and methods are provided for conducting wireless data communications, particularly real-time data communications, in a communication environment that includes a restricted channel (e.g., a channel subject to Dynamic Frequency Selection or DFS). Two or more mobile communication/computing devices (e.g., smart phones, tablet computers) participate in a peer-to-peer network and engage in data communications while one or more of them operate on the restricted channel (e.g., to maintain an infrastructure communication connection). Their channel sequences are configured to maximize the efficiency of the data communication while satisfying restrictions of the restricted channel or avoiding that channel, and only require them to monitor one beacon interval. One or more of the devices may strategically roam to the restricted channel or away from the restricted channel, depending on which action will provide greater communication throughput or efficiency. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351073 | LOCATION BASED APPLICATION FEATURE NOTIFICATION - Some embodiments provide location-based, application-feature notifications for a multi-feature application that executes on a device. For instance, when a feature (e.g., a functionality, or service) of an application becomes available in a particular region, some embodiments provide a notification of the availability of the new feature in the particular region. In some embodiments, the notification is a location-based notification that is provided to only devices that execute in or near the particular region in which the location-based feature has recently become available. In other embodiments, the notification is also provided to devices that are not near the particular region (e.g., are provided to all devices in the United States, when the feature becomes available in California). | 12-03-2015 |
20150351049 | Device and Method for Setting a Target Power - A method, station and computer readable storage medium used for setting a power level of the station. The station implements a first processing layer that is a radio link control layer and a second processing layer that is a physical layer. The method includes receiving data units of a voice application, the data units being in a sequence, determining whether the first processing layer of the station detects a gap in the sequence of received data units, communicating an indication from the first processing layer to the second processing layer, the indication indicating at least one identity of corresponding missing data units in the gap relative to the first processing layer and increasing the current power level when the at least one identity of the corresponding missing data units relative to the first processing layer is also determined to be a missing data unit relative to the second processing layer. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351037 | ADAPTIVE BATTERY LIFE EXTENSION - According to one embodiment, a first battery number is determined representing a battery condition of a battery of a mobile device using a predictive model, where the predictive model is configured to predict future battery conditions based on a past battery usage of the battery. A second battery number is determined representing the battery condition using a drain model, where the drain model is configured to predict a future battery discharge rate based on a past battery discharge rate. A third battery number is determined representing the battery condition based on a current battery level corresponding to a remaining life of the battery at the point in time. Power management logic performs a power management action based on the battery condition derived from at least one of the first battery number, the second battery number and the third battery number. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351021 | Device-Type Specific Preferred PLMN List - Generating and using a device-type specific preferred public land mobile network (PLMN) list for roaming PLMN selection. Wireless devices sharing one or more common characteristics may be tasked with collecting roaming PLMN selection data. That data may be collected and used to generate a preferred PLMN list specific to wireless devices sharing those common characteristics. The preferred PLMN list may be distributed to wireless devices sharing those common characteristics, which may then use it in conjunction with roaming PLMN selection. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351013 | Station and Method for Location Aware Network Selection - A method, station and computer readable storage medium used for location aware network selection. A station determines a geographic location of the station, determines at least one predetermined Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) in the geographic location by comparing the geographic location to a database including stored geographic locations and PLMNs known to be present within each of the geographic locations, performs a targeted scan on select channels corresponding to the at least one predetermined PLMN to identify at least one available PLMN from among the at least one predetermined PLMN and selects one of the at least one available PLMN for the station to join. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351012 | Device and Method for WiFi Scan Optimization - A method and wireless station used to perform WiFi scans. The wireless station determines a first cell identity of a first cell to which the wireless station is currently connected, determines a second cell identity of a second cell that is available, determines whether either of the first or second cell identities are related to a WiFi network based on relationships between cell identities and WiFi networks stored in the wireless station, performs a first type of scan for available WiFi networks when either of the first cell identity or the second cell identity is related to the WiFi network and performs a second type of scan for available WiFi networks when neither of the first cell identity or the second cell identity is related to the WiFi network, the first type of scan is performed more frequently or over more channels compared to the second type of scan. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351011 | Systems and Methods for Cell Selection and Reselection by Improving System Information Reading Procedure - Described herein are methods performed by user equipment (“UE”) for carrier aggregation deployment and organization in unlicensed bands. The method includes initiating a cell selection process with a target cell, wherein the target cell sends a plurality of information blocks, receiving a first information block, prior to reading a second information block, determining whether the target cell is suitable for the UE to camp on based on the first information block, and terminating the cell selection process when the target cell is determined to be unsuitable for camping based on the first information block. The terminating may include comparing data from the first information block to data stored in a database. The method further includes determining whether the UE is in a stationary state or is in a state of motion, and using this information to improve cell selection delay on target cell. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351008 | Centralized Beacon Management Service - A centralized beacon management service includes a beacon database for storing beacon information for different enterprises. The beacon database includes tables that associate beacons deployed by enterprises with beacon information. The beacon information can include information for commissioning the beacons and payload data to be broadcast by the beacon to client devices within communication range of the beacon. Based on proximity sensing data provided by a client device, beacon information is retrieved and sent to the client device over a communication channel (e.g., WiFi, cellular) established with the client device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351004 | CLIENT-INITIATED TETHERING FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES - The described embodiments include a tethering device that provides a tethering service to client devices. Generally, the tethering service enables a client device to share the tethering device's access to a network. For example, a client device may share the tethering device's access to a cellular network, through which the client device can access the Internet. In the described embodiments, a client device and the tethering device are configured so that the client device causes the tethering device to activate the tethering service without a user performing one or more operations for manually activating the tethering service on the tethering device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350993 | Device and Method for Opportunistic Roaming - A method, station and computer readable storage medium used to perform opportunistic roaming procedures. A station joined to a basic service set (BSS) of an access point (AP) performs a method including determining a roam profile for the station, the roam profile indicating at least one of available operating bands or available APs for the station, determining a first value associated with a network parameter of the joined AP, determining at least one roam candidate AP having a second value associated with the network parameter corresponding to the roam candidate AP, wherein the first and second values are a received signal strength indicator, determining whether a predetermined criteria value is satisfied based upon the first and second values, wherein the predetermined criteria value is a minimum difference between the first value and second value and roaming to the roam candidate AP when the predetermined criteria value is satisfied. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350976 | Motion Based Search and Measurement Periodicity - Adjusting search and measurement periodicity based on device motion. A wireless device may camp on a serving cell. Signal strength, signal quality, and signal to noise ratio of the serving cell may be measured. If each is above a respective threshold, and if the wireless device is stationary, the periodicities at which searches and neighbor cell measurements are performed may be adjusted (e.g., increased) from baseline periodicities. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350972 | User Context Aware Throttling of Transition Attempts to Connected Mode - Throttling of transition attempts to connected mode based on user context. A wireless device may camp on a serving cell. A motion state of the wireless device may be monitored. One or more connected mode transition procedures on the serving cell may be attempted. If at least a threshold number of connected mode transition procedures fail on the serving cell while the wireless device is stationary, further connected mode transition attempts may be throttled for up to a certain amount of time. Alternatively, or in addition, the wireless device may bar itself from camping on that cell for up to a certain amount of time. Either or both of throttling connected mode transition attempts or barring cells may also be based on other aspects of user context, such as display state. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350971 | System and Method for Network Selection to Transfer Call Session - A method performed by stations to transfer call sessions between different access networks. The methods include transmitting, by a first station to a second station, an invite to join a voice call on a first radio access network (RAN), receiving, by the second station, the invite, generating, by the second station, a response to the invite, determining, by the second station, that the response cannot be successfully transmitted to the first station, associating, by the second station, with a second RAN, generating, by the second station, a message indicating the second station has associated with the second RAN, transmitting, by the second station, the message to the first station, retransmitting, by the first station, the invite to join the voice call, receiving, by the second station, the invite on the second RAN and setting up the voice call between the first station and the second station. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350937 | Device and Method for Idle Mode Power Saving - A method to be performed by a wireless station having a wireless transceiver configured to establish a connection to a network, a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. The method includes receiving information during a first reception segment of a discontinuous reception cycle, wherein the discontinuous reception cycle includes the first reception segment and a first idle segment, performing a first measurement that begins during the first reception segment and performing a second measurement, wherein the second measurement begins prior to an end of the first measurement. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350933 | Wireless Link Quality Monitoring - Wi-Fi link health monitoring by a wireless device. Signal strength (e.g., RSSI) of a Wi-Fi link may be monitored. If the signal strength is low, further link quality metrics may be monitored. If it is determined that health of the Wi-Fi link is poor based on monitoring signal strength and other link quality metrics, roaming to a different Wi-Fi network may be performed, the Wi-Fi link may be disconnected, and/or an application processor of the wireless device may be woken. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350875 | Device and Method for Basic Service Set Transition Management - A method, station and computer readable storage medium used to perform a roaming procedure. The method performed by the station including determining whether a roam is to be performed, the station being associated with a first access point (AP), receiving network related information for at least one second AP, determining a score value for each of the at least one second AP based upon the network related information, the score value being either a quantitative score calculated as a function of a respective received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value and a respective load value or a qualitative score calculated as a function of a preference value and the RSSI value, selecting one of the at least one second AP based upon the score values and roaming from the first AP to the selected one of the at least one second AP. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350849 | Location Determination Using Dual Statistical Filters - Methods, systems, and computer program product for location determination using dual statistical filters are described. A mobile device can determine a location of the mobile device using a particle filter and a Kalman filter. The particle filter can filter candidate locations of the mobile device using measurements of environment variables in the venue. The Kalman filter can filter inputs from a sensor of the mobile device for measuring angular movement of the mobile device. The particle filter and the Kalman filter can be linked by heading of the mobile device. Output of the Kalman filter can be used to determine where to place particles, or candidate locations, in a next iteration of the particle filter. Output from the particle filter can be used to determine a center mode of the Kalman filter and to determine a bias of the sensor for measuring angular movement. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350840 | ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL (ETA) BASED ON CALIBRATED DISTANCE - One example of determining an estimated time of arrival (ETA) based on calibrated distance includes a method implemented by a processor included in a mobile device to be carried by a user. An estimated distance between a starting location and an ending location is received. A calibration factor based on a location of the mobile device on the user's body and a movement pace of the user is determined. The estimated distance between the starting location and the ending location is modified based, in part, on the determined calibration factor resulting in a modified estimated distance. An estimated time to arrive (ETA) at the ending location is determined based, in part, on the modified estimated distance. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350814 | COMPANION APPLICATION FOR ACTIVITY COOPERATION - The described embodiments augment an activity performed in a first application at a source electronic device using a controller at a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives controller information describing a controller that the activity performed in the first application accepts controller data from, determines a controller identifier for the controller information, and broadcasts a controller advertisement comprising the controller identifier. Upon receiving the controller advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that can provide the controller data is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device establishes a cooperative-activity communication channel with the source electronic device. The companion electronic device uses the cooperative-activity communication channel to provide controller data to the source electronic device. The source electronic device provides the controller data to the first application to cause a corresponding action to be performed. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350813 | DYNAMIC TRANSPORT SWITCHING IN INTER-DEVICE COMMUNICATION - A transport for data communication can be selected based on current data communication activity. A master device and a slave device can establish a control channel on one transport and one or more data channels. A master device can determine which transport should be used for the data channel(s) based on real-time status information about the data exchange and can coordinate with the slave device to switch the data channel(s) to a different transport when appropriate. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350803 | SYNCHRONIZATION OF INDEPENDENT OUTPUT STREAMS - A system determines to use at least two independent renderers to render at least two output streams that are to be synchronized. The independent renderers are provided with a shared synchronization object when instructed to render the respective output stream. A time when all of the independent renderers can render a respective first buffer of the respective output stream is determined from the shared synchronization object. Rendering of the output streams utilizing the independent renderers is begun at the determined time. In this way, rendering of the output streams may be synchronized. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350778 | PERCEPTUAL ECHO GATE APPROACH AND DESIGN FOR IMPROVED ECHO CONTROL TO SUPPORT HIGHER AUDIO AND CONVERSATIONAL QUALITY - To address issues with present echo gate control, a method and apparatus for more intelligently operating an echo gate is described herein. In particular, the decision of whether to mute an uplink signal, or not, is formulated herein as primarily a perceptual decision based on an appropriate analysis of the perceptual interaction of the current residual echo and the current near-end signal(s). By doing so, the application of muting through an echo gate may be minimized and/or more appropriately engaged. This will lead to fewer dropouts and muting of speech onsets and offsets 1) during periods such as double-talk or 2) during periods of downlink playback in the presence of low near-end signal levels, two cases of particular importance. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350777 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED RESIDUAL ECHO SUPPRESSION AND FLEXIBLE TRADEOFFS IN NEAR-END DISTORTION AND ECHO REDUCTION - A system and method is described for estimating residual echo and performing residual echo suppression on a signal. In particular, the system and method described herein: 1) provides a more accurate coherence-based approach where the sub-band nature of coherence-based residual echo estimation is leveraged using sub-band-based coherence measures and upper-bound envelopes to guide residual echo estimates; 2) provides joint estimation of the residual echo and a background stationary noise-floor; 3) provides more accurate residual echo estimation by combining the above two measures with information on near-end activity to selectively adjust the residual-echo estimation in sub-bands; and 4) provides improved control of near-end distortion by leveraging the noise-floor estimate and the internally calculated signal-to-echo ratios as additional guides/limits to help balance, flexibly, and as needed, near-end distortion with residual echo suppression. The resultant residual echo suppressor design provides significant improvement in both residual echo suppression and background noise preservation. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350714 | PLAYBACK OF VIDEO ON DEMAND - A method and system for caching and streaming media content, including predictively delivering and/or acquiring content is provided. In the system, client devices may be communicatively coupled in a network, and may access and share cached content. Video segments making up a media stream may be selectively delivered to the clients such that a complete media stream may be formed from the different segments delivered to the different clients. Video segments may be pushed by the server to the client or requested by the client according to a prioritization scheme, including downloading: partial items on a client's subscription log, lower quality version(s) of content before higher quality version(s), higher bitrate segments before lower bitrate segments, summaries of full-length content, advertisements and splash screens common to multiple video clips. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350700 | MEDIA REQUESTS FOR TRICKPLAY - An embodiment of a method of requesting and receiving a media stream can include, as performed by a computing device, responsive to a control input to control an enhanced playback mode for a media stream, determining a video frame to display in the enhanced playback mode of the media stream; requesting the determined frame from a media source over at least one connection between the computing device and the media source; predicting a second video frame for the enhanced playback mode; and requesting the predicted second frame from the media source over the at least one connection before receiving the determined video frame over the at least one connection. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350687 | IN LOOP CHROMA DEBLOCKING FILTER - Chroma deblock filtering of reconstructed video samples may be performed to remove blockiness artifacts and reduce color artifacts without over-smoothing. In a first method, chroma deblocking may be performed for boundary samples of a smallest transform size, regardless of partitions and coding modes. In a second method, chroma deblocking may be performed when a boundary strength is greater than 0. In a third method, chroma deblocking may be performed regardless of boundary strengths. In a fourth method, the type of chroma deblocking to be performed may be signaled in a slice header by a flag. Furthermore, luma deblock filtering techniques may be applied to chroma deblock filtering. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350686 | PREENCODER ASSISTED VIDEO ENCODING - A method and system of using a pre-encoder to improve encoder efficiency. The encoder may conform to ITU-T H.265 and the pre-encoder may conform to ITU-T H. 264. The pre-encoder may receive source video data and provide information regarding various coding modes, candidate modes, and a selected mode for coding the source video data. In an embodiment, the encoder may directly use the mode selected by the pre-encoder. In another embodiment, the encoder may receive both the source video data and information regarding the various coding modes (e.g., motion information, macroblock size, intra prediction direction, rate-distortion cost, and block pixel statistics) to simplify and/or refine its mode decision process. For example, the information provided by the pre-encoder may indicate unlikely modes, which unlikely modes need not be tested by the encoder, thus saving power and time. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350654 | VIDEO QUALITY ADAPTATION WITH FRAME RATE CONVERSION - During video coding, frame rate conversion (FRC) capabilities of a decoder may be estimated. Based on the estimated FRC capabilities, an encoder may select a frame rate for a video coding session and may alter a frame rate of source video to match the selected frame rate. Thereafter, the resultant video may be coded and output to a channel. By incorporating knowledge of a decoder's FRC capabilities as source video is being coded, an encoder may reduce the frame rate of source video opportunistically. Bandwidth that is conserved by avoiding coding of video data in excess of the selected frame rate may be directed to coding of the remaining video at a higher bitrate, which can lead to increased quality of the coding session as a whole. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350653 | IMAGE COMPRESSION BASED ON DEVICE ORIENTATION AND LOCATION INFORMATION - An encoding system may include a video source that provides video data to be coded, a video coder, a transmitter, and a controller to manage operation of the system. The controller may control the video coder to code and compress the image information from the video source into video data, based upon one or more motion prediction parameters. The transmitter may transmit the video data. A decoding system may decode the video data based upon the motion prediction parameters. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350646 | ADAPTIVE SYNTAX GROUPING AND COMPRESSION IN VIDEO DATA - An encoding system may include a video source that captures video image, a video coder, and a controller to manage operation of the system. The video coder may encode the video image into encoded video data using a plurality of subgroup parameters corresponding to a plurality of subgroups of pixels within a group. The controller may set the subgroup parameters for at least one of the subgroups of pixels in the video coder, based upon at least one parameters corresponding to the group. A decoding system may decode the video data based upon the motion prediction parameters. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350575 | PIXEL BINNING IN AN IMAGE SENSOR - Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350562 | System And Method For Assisting In Computer Interpretation Of Surfaces Carrying Symbols Or Characters - The present disclosure relates to image processing and analysis and in particular automatic segmentation of identifiable items in an image, for example the segmentation and identification of characters or symbols in an image. Upon user indication, multiple images of a subject are captured and variations between the images are created using lighting, spectral content, angles and other factors. The images are processed together so that characters and symbols may be recognized from the surface of the image subject. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350560 | VIDEO CODING WITH COMPOSITION AND QUALITY ADAPTATION BASED ON DEPTH DERIVATIONS - Techniques for coding video data estimate depths of different elements within video content and identify regions within the video content based on the estimated depths. One of the regions may be assigned as an area of interest. Thereafter, video content of a region that is not an area of interest may be masked out and the resultant video content obtained from the masking may be coded. The coded video content may be transmitted to a channel. These techniques permit a coding terminal to mask out captured video content prior to coding in order to support coding policies that account for privacy interests or video composition features during a video coding session. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350551 | CAMERA TIMER - Disclosed are devices, systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for displaying useful countdown timers on a media capture device. A media capture device can increase contrast between countdown timer and the video of a scene to be captured by a media capture device and adjust the position and size of a counter displayed on the device based on whether the object is determined to be closer or further than a predetermined threshold distance. Countdown timers can be triggered by detection of objects and gestures. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350550 | VIDEO ROLLING SHUTTER CORRECTION FOR LENS MOVEMENT IN OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION CAMERAS - In some embodiments, a method for compensating for lens motion includes estimating a starting position of a lens assembly associated with captured pixel data. The captured pixel data is captured from an image sensor. In some embodiments, the method further includes calculating from the starting position and position data received from the one or more position sensors lens movement associated with the captured pixel data. The lens movement is mapped into pixel movement associated with the captured pixel data. A transform matrix is adjusted to reflect at least the pixel movement. A limit factor associated with the position data is calculated. The captured pixel data is recalculated using the transform matrix and the limit factor. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350549 | OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION CALIBRATION - In some embodiments, a camera actuator module includes a linear actuator motor for moving a lens assembly, a position sensor coupled to the lens assembly, a mechanical end stop mounted in the path of motion of the lens assembly, and a non-transitory storage medium storing program instructions. In some embodiments, the program instructions are computer-executable to implement exciting, using the linear actuator motor, a mechanical resonance in the camera actuator module calculated to cause the lens assembly to move to an overload displacement by powering the linear actuator of the camera actuator module at a resonant frequency of the camera actuator module, measuring, using the position sensor, a current maximal displacement of the lens assembly during the exciting using a position sensor, and estimating a position of the mechanical end stop using at least the current maximal displacement. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350533 | REALTIME CAPTURE EXPOSURE ADJUST GESTURES - Disclosed herein are systems, device, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enabling semi-manual media capture. Semi-manual media capture can involve calculating optimal exposure settings in an auto-exposure loop, displaying a scene with optimal exposure settings in real time, receiving a manual adjust gesture, and adjusting the scene, in real time, based on the manual adjust gesture. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350522 | Focus Score Improvement By Noise Correction - A method to correct an autofocus operation of a digital image capture device based on an empirical evaluation of image capture metadata is disclosed. The method includes capturing an image of a scene (the image including one or more autofocus windows), obtaining an initial focus score for at least one of the image's one or more autofocus windows, obtaining image capture metadata for at least one of the one or more autofocus windows, determining a focus adjustment score for the one autofocus window based on a combination of the autofocus window's image capture metadata (wherein the focus adjustment score is indicative of the autofocus window's noise), and determining a corrected focus score for the one autofocus window based on the initial focus score and the focus adjustment score. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350513 | Constant Bracket High Dynamic Range (cHDR) Operations - Systems, methods, and computer readable media to capture and process high dynamic range (HDR) images when appropriate for a scene are disclosed. When appropriate, multiple images at a single—slightly underexposed—exposure value are captured (making a constant bracket HDR capture sequence) and local tone mapping (LTM) applied to each image. Local tone map and histogram information can be used to generate a noise-amplification mask which can be used during fusion operations. Images obtained and fused in the disclosed manner provide high dynamic range with improved noise and de-ghosting characteristics. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350512 | Highlight Exposure Metric And Its Applications - Systems, methods, and computer readable media for the use of a metric whose value is especially sensitive to the information lost when an image's pixels are clipped are disclosed. The metric may be used as an image's score, where higher values are indicative of lost highlight information (more clipped pixels). One use of the disclosed metric would be to determine when the use of high dynamic range (HDR) techniques are appropriate. The disclosed metric may also be used to bias a scene's exposure value (EV) such as to a lower or underexposed value (EV−) so that the scene may be captured with no more than an acceptable number of clipped pixels. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350509 | Scene Motion Correction In Fused Image Systems - Techniques to capture and fuse short- and long-exposure images of a scene from a stabilized image capture device are disclosed. More particularly, the disclosed techniques use not only individual pixel differences between co-captured short- and long-exposure images, but also the spatial structure of occluded regions in the long-exposure images (e.g., areas of the long-exposure image(s) exhibiting blur due to scene object motion). A novel device used to represent this feature of the long-exposure image is a “spatial difference map.” Spatial difference maps may be used to identify pixels in the short- and long-exposure images for fusion and, in one embodiment, may be used to identify pixels from the short-exposure image(s) to filter post-fusion so as to reduce visual discontinuities in the output image. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350507 | OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION COMPENSATIONS - Some embodiments include an optical image stabilization system. The optical image stabilization system includes a sensor. The sensor is configured for measuring movements of a camera module stabilized by the optical image stabilization system. Some embodiments further include an optical image stabilization control system for calculating from the movements a calculated position of a moving body. In some embodiments, the moving body is part of a camera module. Some embodiments further include an actuator control for generating electrical signals to move at least two actuators to achieve a calculated position of the moving body. In some embodiments, the actuator control system receives measurements from positions sensors that assess the position of the moving body. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350499 | COMB DRIVE AND LEAF SPRING CAMERA ACTUATOR - An actuator package includes a base frame member and an image sensor. The actuator package further includes a plurality of comb drive actuators affixed to the base frame member by a plurality of respective electrically conductive leaf spring flexures. The respective electrically conductive leaf spring flexures provide an electrical current conductive path between the image sensor and conductors mounted on the base frame member, and the plurality of comb drive actuators is arranged to control the motion of the image sensor in multiple degrees of freedom relative to the fixed structure. Each of the plurality of comb drive actuators includes at least two independent comb drive array portions. At least one of the comb drive array portions generates force tending to move the image sensor out of a plane of the base frame member. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350497 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A SINGLE FRAME CAMERA MODULE ACTIVE ALIGNMENT TILT CORRECTION - Some embodiments include methods for correcting optical alignment of components in a camera module for a multifunction device. In some embodiments, components of a camera module for use in a multifunction device are assembled on a test station. Some embodiments include a method that includes capturing a single test image, calculating from the spatial frequency response data an optical tilt between the optical axis of a lens and an optical axis of the image sensor of the camera module, and mechanically adjusting an alignment of the lens and the optical axis of the image sensor of the camera module to reduce the optical tilt. In some embodiments, the capturing is performed using the components of the camera module, and the single test image contains visually encoded spatial frequency response data for characterizing the components of the camera module. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350494 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF IMPROVING AUDIO TIME STRETCHING USING TIMELINE - Method for improving audio time stretching starts with processor receiving input media file and rate schedule. Rate schedule includes identification of portions of input media file and playback output rates associated with each of the portions of input media file. Writer thread being executed by processor generates timeline that is linked list including segments that respectively represent portions of input media file and associated playback output rates as desired playback rate curves. Generating timeline include writing each segment in linked list to end of linked list. Processor then performs time scaling of media file based on rate schedule to generate output media file. Performing time scaling of media file includes identifying by reader thread being executed by processor a segment in timeline corresponding to desired output time, and translating by reader thread desired output time to corresponding input time based on identified segment. Other embodiments are described. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350371 | CACHING AND SYNCING MECHANISMS FOR A CLOUD LIBRARY - Methods and arrangements are provided for managing, caching and optimizing a media file library on a user device and a cloud media library in a cloud storage space. Once media files are created and stored on the user device, they are uploaded to the cloud storage space. A caching and optimizing strategy is then employed both on the device and the cloud storage space, according to a set of optimization rules. The rules relate to efficiently managing the storage limitations on both the device and the cloud space as needed. Original media files and their cached versions can be dynamically assigned to be automatically deleted from the user device in favor of being uploaded to the cloud space, as device storage space becomes limited. These media files and their cached versions can be automatically re-downloaded from the cloud space to the user device when a user or application requires them. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350356 | ACTIVITY CONTINUATION BETWEEN ELECTRONIC DEVICES - The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device requests extended activity data from the source electronic device. The source electronic device responds by sending extended activity data from the first application to the companion electronic device. Then, the companion electronic device uses the extended activity data to configure the second application and commences performing the activity with the second application at the companion electronic device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350355 | ACTIVITY CONTINUATION BETWEEN ELECTRONIC DEVICES - The described embodiments transfer an activity from a source electronic device to a companion electronic device. The source electronic device receives activity information describing an activity performed in a first application at the source electronic device, determines an activity identifier for the activity information, and broadcasts an activity advertisement comprising the activity identifier. Upon receiving the activity advertisement, the companion electronic device determines whether a second application that is associated with the first application is available at the companion electronic device. If the second application is available, the companion electronic device requests extended activity data from the source electronic device. The source electronic device responds by sending extended activity data from the first application to the companion electronic device. Then, the companion electronic device uses the extended activity data to configure the second application and commences performing the activity with the second application at the companion electronic device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350342 | USING LISTEN RANGES TO DELIVER CONTENT TO ELECTRONIC DEVICES FROM LOCAL CACHING SERVERS - In the described embodiments, local caching servers (LCSs) are configured to cache content so that the content can be acquired by client electronic devices that are located on local area networks (LANs) with the LCSs. In some embodiments, to enable the acquisition of the cached content, a client electronic device sends, to a registration server, a request for identifiers for LCSs that are located on a LAN with the client electronic device. The request includes one or more “listen ranges,” each of which includes an indication of client electronic devices for which a corresponding LCS is to provide content. The registration server uses the listen ranges to select one or more LCSs, and returns identifiers for the one or more LCSs to the client electronic device. Using the one or more identifiers, the client electronic device acquires the content from an LCS via the LAN. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350337 | Long-Lived MPTCP Sessions - Techniques for supporting long-lived multipath transmission control protocol (MPTCP) sessions. An MPTCP session may be established between two endpoints. Application data may be communicated between the MPTCP endpoints over one or more MPTCP subflows of the MPTCP session. All MPTCP subflows may be terminated. MPTCP session state information may be maintained after all MPTCP subflows have been terminated. Thus, a zero-subflow MPTCP session may be maintained. Additional MPTCP subflows may subsequently be added back to the MPTCP session using the maintained MPTCP session state information. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350334 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INITIATING A HIGH-POWER CONNECTION VIA A LOW-POWER INTERFACE - An apparatus and methods are provided for initiating a network connection between a first device and a second device. While one or more high-power network interfaces of the first device are in a dormant state, the first device communicates with a second device via the first device's low-power network interface. The first device can determine, based on the communication, whether to establish a network connection with the second device via a high-power network interface of the first device. Next, if the first device is to establish the network connection with the second device via the high-power network interface, the device can wake the first high-power network interface and connect to the second device via the first high-power network interface. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350275 | CONTENT PODS FOR STREAMING MEDIA SERVICES - Methods and arrangements are provided for the generation and assembly of content pods for playback within an online streaming media service. A content pod is assembled to contain personal content that is relevant to an end user. In some embodiments, personal content can consist of traffic updates, voicemail messages, text messages, social media updates, and personal status updates. A content delivery system determines what personal content is available on the user device through connecting to available information sources. The delivery system then assembles the content pod from these elements in addition to invitational content from content providers. In some embodiments, a bumper message is included in the content pod to provide a context for the elements that are being assembled in combination with each other. Once the content pod is generated, it is sent to the user device to be played during content breaks within the online streaming playback. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350256 | Device and Method for Virtual Private Network Connection Establishment - A method, client device and non-transitory computer readable storage medium for connecting to a virtual private network (VPN). A request to connect to a destination identified by a hostname is received from an application executed on the client device and a domain name system (DNS) lookup functionality is performed on the hostname, the DNS lookup functionality returning an address. It is then determined whether the returned address is a redirected address, whether a hypertext transmission protocol secure (HTTPS) probe configured for the hostname fails, or whether the returned address matches a cached route in which a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection establishment is unsuccessful. If any of the returned address is a redirected address, the HTTPS probe fails or the returned address matches the cached route and the TCP connection establishment is unsuccessful, the client device is connected to the VPN. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350146 | COORDINATION OF MESSAGE ALERT PRESENTATIONS ACROSS DEVICES BASED ON DEVICE MODES - Certain embodiments of the present invention can detect and evaluate new messages at a coordinating device to determine whether to forward the message to a wearable device. In this manner, a server can reduce a number of devices that it is to communicate a message to, while still allowing the message to be availed to multiple devices. Further, certain embodiments relate to coordinating alerts (e.g., audio or haptic alerts) to reduce redundant alerts of a single message amongst spatially clustered devices. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350145 | SHARING OF ACTIVITY METADATA VIA MESSAGING SYSTEMS - Systems and methods are provided for sharing activity information of devices engaged in a messaging session. In operation, the devices provide activity and sharing preference information to a data service. Thereafter, the data service generates notifications for the devices based on the activity, sharing preference, and device information, wherein the notifications include a payload with instructions for messaging clients at the devices to present user interface elements that allow users to access content and applications associated with other users in the messaging session. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350142 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MARKING EMAIL THREADS - Disclosed herein is a technique for marking email threads as important. When an email thread is marked as important, all email messages belonging to the email thread are marked as important in an email user interface. Also, notifications are generated for any incoming messages belonging to the email thread that has been marked as important. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350133 | MESSAGE ATTACHMENT MANAGEMENT - A method and system for exchanging email attachments is disclosed. An attachment can be sent to one or more recipients using a file hosting service. In this way, instead of including the attachment with the email, the attachment is sent and stored on a file server. The attachment can later be retrieved by the email's recipients using a link that is included in the email. The link can be embedded in the email's header or body. In one case, the attachment is automatically retrieved from the file server using the link. In another case, a recipient can manually retrieve the attachment from the file server using the link. A link can be associated with an expiration date such that when a link expires, the link can no longer be used to retrieve the attachment. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350129 | MESSAGE PROCESSING BY SUBSCRIBER APP PRIOR TO MESSAGE FORWARDING - Certain embodiments of the present invention can detect and evaluate new messages at a coordinating device to determine whether to forward the message to a wearable device. In this manner, a server can reduce a number of devices that it is to communicate a message to, while still allowing the message to be availed to multiple devices. Further, certain embodiments relate to coordinating alerts (e.g., audio or haptic alerts) to reduce redundant alerts of a single message amongst spatially clustered devices. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350119 | SENDING MESSAGES TO MULTIPLE RECEIVING ELECTRONIC DEVICES USING A MESSAGE SERVER - The described embodiments include a message server that is configured to send, to multiple receiving electronic devices, corresponding messages that each include a payload acquired from a single request message received from a client electronic device. In these embodiments, the request message received from the client electronic device includes a push token for each of the receiving electronic devices and the payload. Upon receiving the request message, the message server generates, for a receiving electronic device associated with each push token, a message that includes the payload. The message server then sends each message to the corresponding receiving electronic device. In this way, the message server “fans out,” to the multiple receiving electronic devices, corresponding messages that each include the payload from the single request message. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350118 | CANNED ANSWERS IN MESSAGES - At an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, display a message transcript, where the message transcript includes at least one message from at least a first user. Determine, based at least in-part on the at least one message, a plurality of suggested one or more characters. Display, on the touch-sensitive display, the plurality of suggested one or more characters. Detect an input on the touch-sensitive display. Determine whether the input represents user selection of one of the plurality of suggested one or more characters. Display the selected one of the plurality of suggested one or more characters in the message transcript. Send the selected one or more characters to the first user. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350106 | Sharing Account Data Between Different Interfaces to a Service - Some embodiments provide a method for an electronic device. The method stores user data associated with a web-based third party service based on user interaction with a web domain for the third party service through a web browser. The method receives a request from a service-specific application to utilize the user data stored for the third party service. The method provides the user data to the application only when the application is verified by the web domain for receiving user data associated with the third party service. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350100 | MULTI-STREAM SCHEDULING AND REQUESTS - An embodiment of a method of requesting a plurality of media streams can include, as performed by a computing device, receiving a control input to control a playback function of at least one of the plurality of media streams, determining a download bandwidth between the computing device and a media source on a network, classifying the at least one of the plurality of media streams based on the control input and total download bandwidth, and sending a plurality of requests for the plurality media streams over a single connection to the media source, wherein at least one of an order or a content of the requests is based on the classification. The sending of the media stream requests can utilize at least one of a server-side protocol for multiplexing media streams over a single connection or one or more of HTTP pipelining or HTTP range requests over a single connection. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350071 | SELECTING AN INTERFACE FOR PACKET ROUTING BASED ON APPLICATION-LAYER DATA - The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for selecting an interface for routing an outbound packet. During operation, the system receives an outbound packet to be routed to a destination address. Next, the system obtains application-layer data associated with the outbound packet, including one or more of a process identifier, an application identifier and a user identifier. The system then selects an interface through which to route the outbound packet based on the application-layer data, and uses the selected interface to route the outbound packet. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350031 | ACCESSORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING ENVIRONMENT MODEL - Controllers can be used to control the operation of various accessories. A group of accessories can be organized into an accessory network that can facilitate coordinated control of multiple accessories. The accessory network can be organized according to an environment model that can include a hierarchical representation of a physical environment where accessories are present. The environment model can be synchronized across different controllers that have access to the accessories. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350014 | NETWORKING IMPLEMENTATION USING A CONVERGED HIGH SPEED INPUT/OUTPUT FABRIC TECHNOLOGY - Networking between two host devices can leverage a converged high-speed input/output fabric (“HSIO”) technology (e.g., Thunderbolt). HSIO networking can be implemented between two host devices as a “cross-domain” service. Each host device can establish a data transmit path segment to an endpoint at the boundary of its HSIO domain. A host device can send a login request to another host device and can respond to a login request from another host device by establishing a data receive path segment that connects to the endpoint location of the data transmit segment of the requesting host device. When both devices have sent and responded to login requests, a bidirectional cross-domain data transport is established and can be used to communicate network data. The HSIO networking service can present a virtual Ethernet controller interface to other software on the host device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350003 | DYNAMIC ACCOUNT UPDATING - A method and apparatus for dynamically updating settings of an electronic mail client of a client device is disclosed. In one embodiment, as the client device moves to different network environments, the settings of the electronic mail client are automatically updated to account for each network's characteristics and operational requirements. In another embodiment, the settings of the electronic mail client are automatically updated to account for changes (e.g., upgrades) at a particular server. The settings can be updated based on network information or server information from received from another device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150349979 | Device and Method for Adaptive Channel Estimation - A method to be performed at a station configured to connect to a Long Term Evolution radio access network (LTE-RAN) to utilize enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services using a Multicast-Broadcast Single-Frequency Network (MBSFN). The method including receiving a MBSFN subframe having a MBSFN subframe structure including a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, a first one of the OFDM symbols having a first reference symbol inserted therein, a second one of the OFDM symbols having a second reference symbol inserted therein, determining a rate of change of channel conditions being experienced by the station and performing a non-destaggered channel estimation when the rate of change of channel conditions is greater than a predetermined threshold, the non-destaggered channel estimation using a first Channel Impulse Response (CIR) at the first OFDM symbol and a second CIR at the second OFDM symbol. | 12-03-2015 |
20150349951 | Protecting Cryptographic Operations Using Conjugacy Class Functions - Some embodiments provide for an improved method for performing AES cryptographic operations. The method applies a look up table operation that includes several operations embedded within look up tables. The embedded operations include a permutation operation to permute several bytes of AES state, a multiplication operation to apply a next round's protection to the AES state, an affine function and an inverse affine function to conceal the multiplication operation, and an inverse permutation operation to remove a previous round's protection. Some embodiments provide for an optimized method for efficiently performing such protected AES operations. The method alternates rounds of AES processing between software processing (e.g. processing by a CPU, performed according to software instructions) and hardware processing (e.g. processing by cryptographic ASIC). | 12-03-2015 |
20150349870 | Dynamic Antenna Switching - Dynamic antenna switching based on weighted signal to noise ratio (SNR). A wireless device may include multiple antennas. SNR at each active antenna may be calculated. An antenna-specific weight may be applied to each antenna's SNR. The antenna-specific weights may further be radio specific and/or transmit or receive specific in some cases. Antenna selection (possibly just for a specific radio and/or for transmit or receive operations, depending on the specificity of the antenna weights), including potentially switching which antenna is used, may be based on the resulting weighted SNR values for each antenna. If the antenna-specific weights are radio specific and/or transmit or receive operation specific, the method may be performed multiple times with different antenna-specific weights to select antenna(s) for different radios and/or for other operations. | 12-03-2015 |
20150349571 | ELECTROMAGNETIC ALIGNMENT OF INDUCTIVE COILS - Methods and systems for automatically aligning a power-transmitting inductor with a power-receiving inductor. One embodiment includes a method of applying a direct current pulse to a transmit coil of a power-transmitting inductor to attract the power-receiving inductor into alignment along an alignment axis. | 12-03-2015 |
20150349465 | CONNECTOR SYSTEM IMPEDANCE MATCHING - Connector inserts and receptacles that provide signal paths having desired impedance characteristics. One example may provide a connector system having a connector insert and a connector receptacle. Contacts in the connector insert may form signal paths with corresponding contacts in the connector receptacle. Additional traces in the connector insert and receptacle may be part of these signal paths. The signal paths may have a target or a desired impedance along their lengths such that the power paths electrically appear as transmission lines. Constraints on physical dimensions of the connector insert and connector receptacle contacts may result in variations in impedance along the signal paths. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide structures to reduce these variations, to compensate for these variations, or a combination thereof. | 12-03-2015 |
20150349464 | REUSE OF PLUG DETECTION CONTACTS TO REDUCE CROSSTALK - An audio jack may include two contacts to electrically connect to a ground contact of an audio plug in order to detect that a metallic audio plug is inserted into the audio jack. A first of these two contacts may be grounded to form a current return path that generates a ground voltage at the ground contact of the audio plug. The second of these two contacts may be repurposed after the detection to sense the ground voltage. The sensed ground voltage may be added to right and left audio signals. The net voltages provided to the audio plug may be right and left audio signals that include the sensed ground voltage minus the actual ground voltage at the ground contact of the audio plug. This may remove the ground voltage from the net audio output signals, which may reduce crosstalk. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348697 | COIL CONSTRUCTIONS FOR IMPROVED INDUCTIVE ENERGY TRANSFER - An inductor coil for an inductive energy transfer system includes multiple layers of a single wire having windings that are interlaced within at least two of the multiple layers such that both an input end and an output end of the wire enter and exit the coil on a same side of the coil. The input end and the output end of the wire may abut one another at the location where the input and output wires enter and exit the inductor coil. The wire can include one or more bundles of strands and the strands in each bundle are twisted around an axis extending along a length of the wire, and when there are at least two bundles, the bundles may be twisted around the axis. At least one edge of the inductor coil can be formed into a variety of shapes, such as in a curved shape. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348600 | CONFIGURABLE VOLTAGE REDUCTION FOR REGISTER FILE - A system, a memory device and a method are contemplated in which the apparatus may include a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of voltage reduction circuits, and control circuitry. The plurality of voltage reduction circuits may be configured to reduce a voltage level of a power supply coupled to the plurality of memory cells. The control circuitry may be configured to select one of the voltage reduction circuits based on one or more operating parameters. The control circuitry may be further configured to activate the selected voltage reduction circuit upon receiving a write command directed towards the memory cells. The control circuitry may be further configured to execute the write command. Upon completion of the write command, the control circuitry may be further configured to de-activate the selected one of the voltage reduction circuits. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348585 | AUDIO EDITING AND RE-RECORDING - Instructions stored in a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium executable by a computing device to record audio. The instructions include instructions to, when a first record command to record a first piece of audio is detected, generate an original audio composition, which includes a first audio file reference to a first audio file that stores a digital representation of the first piece of audio, a first waveform file reference to a first waveform file that stores a digital representation of intensity of the first piece of audio, and a first metadata. Additionally, the instructions includes instructions to, when a second record command that modifies at least a portion of the first piece of audio is detected, generate an audio fragment, which includes a second audio file reference to a second audio file that stores a digital representation of the second piece of audio, a second waveform file reference to a second waveform file that stores a digital representation of intensity of the second piece of audio, and a second metadata. More specifically, the first metadata and second metadata describe playback organization of the first audio file, the second audio file, the first waveform file, and the second waveform file, and enable recomposition of the original audio composition and the audio fragment into a composed audio composition. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348511 | Dynamic Display Refresh Rate Based On Device Motion - The refresh rate of a display of a portable display device is dependent on the degree of device motion detected by one or more motion sensors included in the portable display device, according to an embodiment of the invention. In an embodiment, when no device motion is detected by the one or more sensors, the display of the portable display device is refreshed at an initial refresh rate. When the one or more motion sensors detects a degree of device motion above a motion threshold, the refresh rate of the display is decreased to a motion-based refresh rate, according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the degree of motion of moving content on the display is also taken into account when determining the display refresh rate. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348502 | User Interface and Method for Directly Setting Display White Point - A method and user interface for direct setting of black and white points. Black point is set using a slider and matching of gray shades. White point setting is performed by having a setting object move within a defined region, such as a square or circle, with the area where the setting object moves being adjusted dynamically based on the location of the setting object with respect to the defined region. When the area is the desired white, the setting is complete. Preferably the defined region has a varying color border to allow a reference for the user in moving the setting object. A more detailed setting of gray levels can be accomplished by providing a gray scale with reference points. Each reference point has an associated white point setting area, so that settings are developed for each reference point. Settings at other locations are determined by interpolation or extrapolation. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348316 | Equivalent Lighting For Mixed 2D and 3D Scenes - Systems, methods and program storage devices are disclosed, which cause one or more processing units to: obtain one or more two-dimensional components and one or more three-dimensional components; convert the pixel color values of the two-dimensional components into luminance values; create height maps over the two-dimensional components using the converted luminance values; calculate a normal vector for each pixel in each of two-dimensional components; and cause one or more processing units to render three-dimensional lighting effects on the one or more two-dimensional components and one or more three-dimensional components in a mixed scene, wherein the calculated normal vectors are used as the normal maps for the two-dimensional components, the pixel color values are used as the texture maps for the two-dimensional components, and the one or more three-dimensional components are rendered in the scene according their respective depth values, textures, and/or vertices—along with the one or more two-dimensional components. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348305 | 3D ASSET PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT - Three-dimensional (3D) asset performance enhancement is disclosed. In various embodiments, the 3D assets may be retrieved from a specific folder, each 3D asset describing one or more 3D models. The 3D assets may be processed at build-time of an application to enhance the performance of the 3D assets at runtime of the application by performing one or more enhancements on the 3D assets before adding the enhanced 3D assets to a bundle of the application. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348285 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING REFINED, HIGH FIDELITY NORMAL MAPS FOR 2D AND 3D TEXTURES - Systems, methods and program storage devices are disclosed, which comprise instructions to cause one or more processing units to dynamically generate refined normal maps for 2D texture maps, e.g., supplied by a programmer or artist. Generally speaking, there are two pertinent properties to keep in balance when generating normal vectors comprising a normal map: “smoothness” and “bumpiness.” The smoothness of the normal vectors is influenced by how many neighboring pixels are involved in the “smoothening” calculation. Incorporating the influence of a greater number of neighboring pixels' values reduces the overall bumpiness of the normal map, as each pixel's value takes weight from those neighboring pixels. Thus, the techniques described herein iteratively: downsample height maps; generate normal maps; scale the normal maps to maintain bumpiness; and blend the generated scaled normal maps with generated normal maps from previous iterations—until the smoothness of the resultant normal map has reached desired levels. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348280 | Dynamic Generation Of Texture Atlases - Systems, methods and program storage devices are disclosed, which comprise instructions to cause one or more processing units to analyze input images to a texture atlas and determine how each texture should be modified before being stored in the texture atlas to prevent undesirable drawing artifacts. For example, “tileable” images may be identified on a per-edge basis (e.g., by determining whether each edge pixel is above a certain opacity threshold). The tileable images may then be modified, e.g., by extruding a 1-pixel border identical to the outer row of pixels, before being stored in the texture atlas. “Character”-type sprites may also be identified on a per-edge basis (e.g., by determining whether each edge pixel is below the opacity threshold). The character-type sprites may then by modified by adding a single pixel transparent border around the outer rows of pixels before being stored in the texture atlas. | 12-03-2015 |