Apple patents ranging from a new media player armband to a magnetic connector have appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. Here’s a summary of each.
Patent number 20100032462 is for an armband that holds an electronic device. The armband includes a pouch which includes a window and an opening configured to allow an electronic device to be inserted into the pouch. The armband also includes an arm strap wherein the proximate end of the arm strap is coupled to the pouch, and wherein the arm strap includes: holes arranged in a specified pattern; loop cells at specified locations along the length of the arm strap; and a hook cell located at a distal end of the arm strap. The armband further includes a ring coupled to the pouch configured to allow the distal end of the arm strap to be passed through the ring and pulled toward the proximate end of the arm strap so that the hook cell can be coupled to one or more loop cells. The inventors are Gordon Cameron and Cameron Frazier.
Patent number 20100037154 involves a method and apparatus for binding user interface objects to application objects. gA raphical user interface (GUI) and accompanying functionality for binding Web page definitional elements to a back-end state (e.g., client- or server-side back-end state) and custom logic is provided. In one embodiment, a template containing definitional elements, custom logic, and bindings are generated that define all or a portion of a web page based on input received and functionality provided by the invention. The inventors are Paul Marcos, Arnaud Weber, Avie Tevanian, Rebecca Eades Willrich, Stefanie Herzre and Craig Federighi.
Patent number 20100037076 involves a method and apparatus for facilitating device hibernation. One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that enables a computing device to save additional power by entering a “hibernation mode,” wherein the active state of the computing device is preserved in non-volatile storage while power to volatile storage is turned off. During operation, the system reanimates a computing device from a hibernation image by restoring reanimation code from the hibernation image and then executing the reanimation code. While executing this reanimation code, the system restores the rest of the hibernation image by, reading compressed data containing the rest of the hibernation image, and decompressing the compressed data using computational circuitry within the computing device. During this process, the decompression operations are overlapped with the reading operations to improve performance. The inventors are Dean Reece and Simon M. Douglas.
Patent number 20100033422 is for systems and methods for processing data from a motion sensor to detect intentional movements of a device are provided. An electronic device having a motion sensor may process motion sensor data along one or more dimensions to generate an acceleration value representative of the movement of the electronic device. The electronic device may then determine whether the acceleration value changes from less than a low threshold, to more than a high threshold, and again to less than the low threshold within a particular amount of time, reflecting an intentional movement of the electronic device by the user. In response to determining that the acceleration value is associated with an intentional movement of the electronic device, the electronic device may perform a particular event or operation. For example, in response to detecting that an electronic device has been shaken, the electronic device may shuffle a media playlist. The inventors are Andrea Mucignat and Bryan J. James.
Patent number 20100035598 involves wireless communications out of range indication. With respect to a wireless network, an out of range warning provides an estimate of an amount of time remaining until a wireless device is out of range of the wireless network. In this way, the user is presented with an opportunity to take corrective measures, if desired. The inventors are Michael M. Lee, Christoher McKillip and Stephan Vincent Schell.
Patent number 20100035441 is for a magnetic connector for an electronic device. An electrical plug and receptacle relying on magnetic force to maintain contact are disclosed. The plug and receptacle can be used as part of a power adapter for connecting an electronic device, such as a laptop computer, to a power supply. The plug includes electrical contacts, which are preferably biased toward corresponding contacts on the receptacle. The plug and receptacle each have a magnetic element. The magnetic element on one or both of the plug and receptacle can be a magnet, which is preferably a permanent rare earth magnet although electromagnets may also be used. The magnetic element on the plug or receptacle that does not include a magnet is composed of ferromagnetic material. When the plug and receptacle are brought into proximity, the magnetic attraction between the magnet and its complement, whether another magnet or a ferromagnetic material, maintains the contacts in an electrically conductive relationship. The inventors are Matthew Dean Rochrbach, Mark Edward Doutt, Bartley K. Andre, Kanye Lim, John C. DiFonzo and Jean-Marc Gery.