US Patent Application Review Series

Apple

3rd Week of May 2010 Issue

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Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 1

A few words from the editor

A few words from the editor

If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.
- Issac Newton

If you want your views to be known, we now open this monthly review to columnists, bloggers
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Structure of this review IPC Catchword Index is an alphabetical sorted list of

catchwords of the IPC appeared in the review.
The Table of Contents is created based on
alphabetical order of IPC. The patent applications
are also sorted by alphabetical order of IPC. A brief How to use this review?
description of each IPC is shown. We find that the IPC
description could help ‘deciphering’ the abstract of an For creativity stimulation purpose:
patent application. If a patent application belongs to • quickly flip the pages and write down the page
multiple IPC, the patent application will only be shown number of the diagrams that interests you for
under the section of first IPC. later review.
For each patent application, the following information
will be shown: • look up the IPC Catchword Index and go to the
IPC that you are interested
1. App. No. – patent application no. – it is unique
to each patent application. For business intelligent purpose:
2. Assignee – this is owner of the patent • quickly flip the pages and identify the IPC that
application. If there is no assignee being could “ring a bell”
specified, either the inventor of the patent
application own the patent application or the • study all patent applications belong to the
owner of the patent application did not record identified IPC.
such information when the patent application
was filed. For engineering design purpose:

3. Title – this is the title of the patent application. • quickly flip the pages and identify the diagrams
that may be similar to your work.
4. Abstract – this is the abstract of the patent
application. There are rules on how an abstract • click on the patent application link and visit the
should be drafted. Most patent attorneys like to US server for more detailed information of the
have the abstract based on the first claim of the patent application.
patent application.
• read the description of IPC carefully.
5. Pri. Date – priority date – it is the date
of filing of the first application of the patent • if you are interested in IPC, compare the patent
application (a patent application could have applications belong to it.
multiple application dates because of divisional
patents as well as overseas patent applications). Copyright
It is considered to be the effective date of filing
for the examination of novelty and inventive Patent applications are free of copyrights unless the
step or non-obviousness for the subsequent inventor specifically stated so in the patent application.
application claiming the priority of the first However, this review is protected by copyright law due
application. to the editing effort we have invested in. We hope you
find this review useful and would recommend your
6. App. Date – application date – it is the date of friend to purchase another review from us. Please
filing of the patent application at the US. do not copy or distribute this review. This would be
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7. Pub. Date – publishing date – it is the date of the revenue we should earn.
patent application published by US. Usually, it is
about 18 months after the application date. We hope you find this review useful. If you
would like to contact us or have us to develop a
Patent Index is a numerical sorted list the patent customized review, please send us an email at
applications appeared in the review. info@d-publish.com.

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 2

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A few words from the editor
Table of Contents
G01 - Measuring distances, levels or bearings
G01C 21/00 - Navigation . . . . . . . . . . .
G06 - Electric digital data processing
G06F 03/048 - Interaction techniques
for graphical user interfaces, e.g.
interaction with windows, icons or menus
G06F 07/06 - Arrangements for sorting,
selecting, merging, or comparing data
on individual record carriers . . . . . . .
G06F 07/08 - Sorting, i.e. grouping
record carriers in numerical or other
ordered sequence according to the
classification of at least some of the
information they carry . . . . . . . . . .
G06F 17/00 - Digital computing or data
processing equipment or methods,
specially adapted for specific functions .
G06F 17/30 - Information retrieval . . . . . .
Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications
G06K 09/00 - Methods or arrangements for
reading or recognising printed or written
characters or for recognising patterns,
e.g. fingerprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
G06Q 20/00 - Payment schemes,
architectures or protocols . . . . . . . . 7
G06Q 30/00 - Commerce, e.g. marketing,
shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce 8
G06Q 40/00 - Finance, e.g. banking,
investment or tax processing . . . . . . 8
G06Q 90/00 - Systems or methods specially
adapted for administrative, commercial,
financial, managerial, supervisory or
2 forecasting purposes, not involving
significant data processing . . . . . . . 8
3
G08 - Transmission systems for measured
4 values, control or similar signals 9
4 G08C 19/16 - in which transmission is by
pulses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5
G09 - Arrangements or circuits for control of
indicating devices using static means to
5 present variable information 10
G09G 05/00 - Control arrangements or
circuits for visual indicators common to
5 cathode-ray tube indicators and other
visual indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
H04 - Pictorial communication, e.g. television 10
H04N 05/228 - Circuit details for pick-up tubes 10
6 H04N 05/44 - Receiver circuitry . . . . . . . . 10
H04R 03/00 - Circuits for transducers . . . . 12
Patent Index 13
6
7 IPC Catchword Index 14
3
G01C 21/00

G01C 21/00: Measuring distances, levels or bearings Ü Navigation

App. No. 20100123737 Assignee APPLE INC.
Title Techniques for manipulating panoramas
Abstract A multi-step animation sequence for smoothly transitioning from a map view to a panorama view
of a specified location is disclosed. An orientation overlay can be displayed on the panorama,
showing a direction and angular extent of the field of view of the panorama. An initial specified
location and a current location of the panorama can also be displayed on the orientation overlay. A
navigable placeholder panorama to be displayed in place of a panorama at the specified location
when panorama data is not available is disclosed. A perspective view of a street name annotation
can be laid on the surface of a street in the panorama.
Pri. Date 20081114 App. Date 20081119 Pub. Date 20100520

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G06F 07/06

G06F 03/048: Electric digital data processing Ü Input arrangements for

transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled
by the computer Ü Input arrangements or combined input and output
arrangements for interaction between user and computer Ü Interaction
techniques for graphical user interfaces, e.g. interaction with windows,
icons or menus
App. No. 20100123785 Assignee APPLE INC.
Title Graphic control for directional audio input
Abstract A device to provide an audio output includes a microphone array, a signal processor, and a graphic
user interface (GUI). The signal processor is coupled to the microphone array to perform audio
beamforming with input from the microphone array. The GUI is coupled to the signal processor
to display a plurality of audio sources, to receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of
audio sources from a user, and to provide the selection to the signal processor for aiming the
audio beamforming toward the selected audio source. The selection may be made by touching
the display. The device may further include a camera and the GUI may display an image received
from the camera as the plurality of audio sources. The camera may provide a moving video image
and the signal processor may provide a synchronized audio signal aimed at the selected audio
source.
Pri. Date 20081114 App. Date 20081117 Pub. Date 20100520

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 5

G06F 17/30

G06F 07/06: Electric digital data processing Ü Methods or arrangements

for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data
handled Ü Arrangements for sorting, selecting, merging, or comparing
data on individual record carriers
App. No. 20100125351 Assignee Apple Inc.
Title Ordering a playlist based on media popularity
Abstract This is directed to systems and methods for ordering a playlist of media items. An existing playlist
can include media sharing some characteristics, where some of the media items are unfamiliar
to the user. To provide the user with a sense of the unfamiliar media items, the electronic device
can order the playlist media items based on a familiarity or popularity measure. For example, the
electronic device can determine the chart rankings of each media item in the playlist, and play
back the media items in the order of chart ranking. This may allow a user to first listen or watch
the most familiar or popular media items and get a sense for the less familiar or popular media
items in the playlist.
Pri. Date 20081118 App. Date 20081114 Pub. Date 20100520

G06F 07/08: Electric digital data processing Ü Methods or arrangements

for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data
handled Ü Arrangements for sorting, selecting, merging, or comparing
data on individual record carriers Ü Sorting, i.e. grouping record carriers
in numerical or other ordered sequence according to the classification
of at least some of the information they carry
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100125351 page 6

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 6

G06Q 20/00

G06F 17/00: Electric digital data processing Ü Digital computing or

data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific
functions
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100125351 page 6

G06F 17/30: Electric digital data processing Ü Digital computing or

data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific
functions Ü Information retrieval
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100125351 page 6

G06K 09/00: Recognition of data Ü Methods or arrangements for reading

or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns,
e.g. fingerprints
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100123785 page 5

G06Q 20/00: Data processing systems or methods, specially adapted

for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or
forecasting purposes Ü Payment schemes, architectures or protocols
App. No. 20100125492 Assignee Apple Inc.
Title System and method for providing contextual advertisements according to dynamic pricing scheme
Abstract Systems, methods, and devices for providing electronic advertisements according to a dynamic
pricing scheme are provided. For example, a method for providing an electronic advertisement
according to a dynamic pricing scheme may include transmitting an advertisement to an electronic
device belonging to a user and receiving marketing factors indicating a likelihood that the user
will be receptive to the advertisement. The advertisement may be configured for display on the
electronic device and at least one of the marketing factors may be received from the electronic
device. A price for providing the advertisement to the target user may be determined based on
the marketing factors.
Pri. Date 20081120 App. Date 20081114 Pub. Date 20100520

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 7

G08C 19/16

G06Q 30/00: Data processing systems or methods, specially adapted

for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or
forecasting purposes Ü Commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing,
auctions or e-commerce
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100125492 page 7

G06Q 40/00: Data processing systems or methods, specially adapted

for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or
forecasting purposes Ü Finance, e.g. banking, investment or tax processing
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100125492 page 7

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 8

G08C 19/16

G06Q 90/00: Data processing systems or methods, specially adapted

for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or
forecasting purposes Ü Systems or methods specially adapted for administrativ
commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or forecasting purposes,
not involving significant data processing
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100125492 page 7

G08C 19/16: Transmission systems for measured values, control or

similar signals Ü Electric signal transmission systems Ü in which transmission
is by pulses
App. No. 20100123598 Assignee APPLE INC.
Title System and method for capturing remote control device command signals
Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying protocols. In one aspect, a method includes
comparing characteristics of a wireless signal received from a remote control to characteristics
associated with a set of protocols. The method also includes assigning a score, based upon the
comparison, to each protocol included in the plurality of protocols. The method also includes
identifying a protocol from the set of protocols based upon the assigned scores. The identified
protocol is substantially similar to a protocol associated with the wireless signal.
Pri. Date 20081119 App. Date 20090310 Pub. Date 20100520

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 9

H04N 05/44

G09G 05/00: Arrangements or circuits for control of indicating devices

using static means to present variable information Ü Control arrangements
or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators
and other visual indicators
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100123737 page 4

H04N 05/228: Pictorial communication, e.g. television Ü Details of

television systems Ü Studio circuitry Ü Television cameras Ü Circuit
details for pick-up tubes
Patent applications also belong to this classification and have been already shown:
20100123785 page 5

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 10

H04N 05/44

H04N 05/44: Pictorial communication, e.g. television Ü Details of television

systems Ü Receiver circuitry
App. No. 20100123834 Assignee APPLE INC.
Title System and method for capturing remote control device command signals
Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatus for learning remote control command signals by a media
processing device. In one aspect, a method includes activating a learning mode of operation,
presenting an instruction to actuate a control associated with a secondary remote control device,
capturing a command signal transmitted by the secondary remote control device while the learning
mode is active, generating a mapping that associates a representation of the captured command
signal with a media processing device function, and storing the generated mapping in a profile
corresponding to the secondary remote control device. Further, a control symbol identifying the
control associated with the secondary remote control device can be displayed. Additionally, a
progress bar can be displayed indicating a period for which the control is to be actuated.
Pri. Date 20081119 App. Date 20090310 Pub. Date 20100520

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 11

H04R 03/00

H04R 03/00: Loudspeakers, microphones, gramophone pick-ups or like

acoustic electromechanical transducers Ü Circuits for transducers

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 12

Patent Index

Patent Index
Patent Application Page Patent Application Page Patent Application Page
20100123598 9 20100123737 4 20100123785 5
20100123834 11 20100125351 6 20100125492 7

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 13

IPC Catchword Index

IPC Catchword Index

Catch Word IPC Page

ACCOUNT(S) electric digital computers for accounting G06F 17/00 7
BANK(S) -accounting computers G06F 17/00 7
CHARACTERS recognition of CHARACTERS G06K 09/00 7
COMPILING statistics G06 5
COMPUTER(S) G06 5
COMPUTER(S) multimedia applications G06F 17/00 7
CONTOURS following CONTOURS for character recognition G06K 09/00 7
COURSES measuring COURSES G01C 21/00 4
DATA processing G06 5
DRAG(S) measuring DRAG(S) in navigation G01C 21/00 4
DRIFT(S) measuring DRIFT(S) for navigation G01C 21/00 4
EQUATIONS solving EQUATIONS G06 5
FUNCTIONS evaluating FUNCTIONS G06 5
INDICATING control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators G09G 05/00 10
INFORMATION electric digital computers for INFORMATION retrieval G06F 17/30 7
INVENTORY electric digital computers for INVENTORY G06F 17/00 7
INVOICING electric digital computers for INVOICING G06F 17/00 7
LETTER(S) identification or recognition of LETTER(S) G06K 09/00 7
MEASURING G01 4
NAVIGATION G01C 21/00 4
PLOTTING in navigation G01C 21/00 4
PRINT(S) recognition of printed characters G06K 09/00 7
READING printed or written characters G06K 09/00 7
RECOGNITION of printed or written characters G06K 09/00 7
RESERVATION electric computers for RESERVATION of seats G06F 17/00 7
ROUTES determining ROUTES G01C 21/00 4
SEAT(S) electric digital computers for SEAT(S) reservation G06F 17/00 7
SORTING of record carriers in electric digital computers G06F 07/06 6
STATISTICS electric digital computers for STATISTICS G06F 17/00 7
SYMBOLS recognition of SYMBOLS G06K 09/00 7
TOTALISATORS for electrically computing outcome of betting G06F 17/00 7
TRAFFIC electric digital computers for TRAFFIC control G06F 17/00 7
VARIABLES measuring VARIABLES G01 4
VEHICLES measuring position or course of VEHICLES G01C 21/00 4
WEAPON(S) electric digital computers for WEAPON(S) G06F 17/00 7

Apple - 3rd Week of May 2010 USPTO Patent Applications 14