Apple Patent Roundup October 16, 2012

This is TheTechStorm weekly update of Apple’s patent granted by the USPTO. This week we have some veery interesting patents such as  Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing concurrently open software applications, which is based on the app switching process seen in iOS devices at the moment.

 

8,291,344

Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing concurrently open software applications

Patent Backgound   8,291,344

The use of touch-sensitive surfaces as input devices for computers and other electronic computing devices has increased significantly in recent years. Exemplary touch-sensitive surfaces include touch pads and touch screen displays. Such surfaces are widely used to select, launch, and manage software applications.

For portable electronic devices, existing methods for managing concurrently open applications are cumbersome and inefficient. For example, portable devices with small screens (e.g., smart phones and other pocket-sized devices) typically display a single application at a time, even though multiple applications may be running on the device. With such devices, a user may have difficulty seeing and managing the currently open applications. This situation creates a significant cognitive burden on a user. In addition, existing methods for managing currently open applications take longer than necessary, thereby wasting energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery-operated devices.

Patent Invention –  8,291,344

Accordingly, there is a need for computing devices with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for managing concurrently open applications. Such methods and interfaces may complement or replace conventional methods for managing concurrently open applications. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitive burden on a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing devices, such methods and interfaces conserve power and increase the time between battery charges.

The above deficiencies and other problems associated with user interfaces for computing devices with touch-sensitive surfaces are reduced or eliminated by the disclosed devices. In some embodiments, the device is portable (e.g., a notebook computer, tablet computer, or handheld device). In some embodiments, the device has a touchpad. In some embodiments, the device has a touch-sensitive display (also known as a “touch screen” or “touch screen display”). In some embodiments, the device has a graphical user interface (GUI), one or more processors, memory and one or more modules, programs or sets of instructions stored in the memory for performing multiple functions. In some embodiments, the user interacts with the GUI primarily through finger contacts and gestures on the touch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, the functions may include image editing, drawing, presenting, word processing, website creating, disk authoring, spreadsheet making, game playing, telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging, workout support, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing, digital music playing, and/or digital video playing. Executable instructions for performing these functions may be included in a computer readable storage medium or other computer program product configured for execution by one or more processors.

In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display. The method includes displaying a first application view on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to a first application in a plurality of concurrently open applications. The first application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications. The method also includes detecting a first input, and in response to detecting the first input, entering an application view selection mode for selecting one of the concurrently open applications for display in a corresponding application view, displaying in a first predefined area an initial group of open application icons that correspond to at least some of the plurality of concurrently open applications, and concurrently displaying at least a portion of the first application view adjacent to the first predefined area. The method further includes detecting a gesture on a respective open application icon in the first predefined area, and, in response to detecting the gesture on the respective open application icon, displaying a respective application view on the touch-sensitive display for a corresponding application in the plurality of concurrently open applications, ceasing to display open application icons in the first predefined area, and exiting the application view selection mode. The respective application view is displayed without concurrently displaying an application view for any other application in the plurality of concurrently open applications.

 

 

8,290,513

Location-based services

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for location-based services. An event or device condition is detected at a device. A current geographic location of a device is determined. Location-based information based on the determined current geographic location is received. The location-based information includes information relevant to the event or device condition. The information is presented.

 

Patent Background

This specification relates generally to mobile devices.

Conventional mobile devices are often dedicated to performing a specific application. For example, a mobile phone provides telephony services; a personal digital assistant (PDA) provides a way to organize address, contacts and notes; a media player plays content; email devices provide email communication, etc. Modern mobile devices can include two or more of these applications. Typically, the two or more applications operate independent of one another. For example, some mobile devices include a digital camera and access to various services available on the World Wide Web (Web). Such devices, however, fail to integrate digital camera functions with network services to provide the user with an enriched user experience.

Patent Invention

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of detecting a picture taking event on a device; determining a current geographic location of the device; receiving location-based information based on the determined current geographic location, the location-based information including information corresponding to one or more relevant businesses in a vicinity of the determined current geographic location and further including information corresponding to one or more businesses ancillary to the picture taking event; and presenting the location-based information. Other implementations can include corresponding systems, apparatus, devices, and computer program products.

 

 

8,291,346

3D remote control system employing absolute and relative position detection

The present invention can include three-dimensional remote control systems that can detect an absolute location to which a remote control is pointing in first and second orthogonal axes and an absolute position of the remote control in a third orthogonal axis. Remote control systems of the present invention can employ absolute position detection with relative position detection. Absolute position detection can indicate an initial absolute position of the remote control and relative position detection can indicate changes in the position of the remote control. By combining absolute and relative position detection, remote control systems of the present invention can track remote controls more precisely than systems that only employ absolute position detection. The present invention also can include methods and apparatus for zooming in and out of an image shown on a display based on the absolute position of the remote control in the third axis.

 

 

8,291,332

Layer for accessing user interface elements

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. Once the dashboard has been dismissed, the previous user interface state is restored, allowing the user to resume normal interactions with the operating system.

 

 

8,291,480

Trusting an unverified code image in a computing device 

A method and an apparatus for configuring a key stored within a secure storage area (e.g., ROM) of a device including one of enabling and disabling the key according to a predetermined condition to execute a code image are described. The key may uniquely identify the device. The code image may be loaded from a provider satisfying a predetermined condition to set up at least one component of an operating environment of the device. Verification of the code image may be optional according to the configuration of the key. Secure execution of an unverified code image may be based on a configuration that disables the key.

 

 

8,291,320

Graphical user interface for browsing, searching and presenting media items

Improved graphical user interfaces suitable for reviewing, browsing, previewing and/or purchasing media items are disclosed. The graphical user interfaces are particularly useful for a system that provides purchase and distribution of media in a client-server environment.

 

 

8,290,908

Synchronization server process

Processing data synchronization sessions includes processing a request to initiate a synchronization session from one or more clients to update one or more data records that include one or more data items. The one or more clients are selectively identified as one of a trusted client and an untrusted client based on one or more properties of the synchronization session, wherein the trusted client is configured to support all data classes defined by the server. The one or more clients are detected as being configured to support field level differencing that sends changed data items only for the one or data records or record level differencing that sends all of the data items included in the one or more data records.

 

 

8,289,813

Devices and systems for outputting contextual information about an event for which an alarm is set on an electronic device

The present invention can permit an electronic device to output contextual information about an event when an alarm stored within the electronic device goes off. In one embodiment, an electronic device can permit a user to select an alarm template from a plurality of alarm templates and associate the selected alarm template with an alarm. When the alarm goes off at a later date, the electronic device can output the contextual information of the user-selected alarm template, thereby providing the user with contextual information relevant to the event for which the alarm was created. In another embodiment of the present invention, a receiving electronic device can automatically match alarm templates with alarms transferred from a transmitting electronic device. The present invention also can permit a user to create an alarm template, and customize alarm templates pre-populated by the manufacturer of an electronic device.

 

 

8,289,333

Multi-context graphics processing

A method of managing multiple contexts for a single mode display includes receiving a plurality of tasks from one or more applications and determining respective contexts for each task, each context having a range of memory addresses. The method also includes selecting one context for output to the single mode display and loading the selected context into a graphics processor for the display.

 

Source:  USPTO