Patent

Apple patent would use Apple Watch to intelligently adjust iPhone alert volume on the fly

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 11, 2016

Apple has been researching software solutions that would tap into a user's Apple Watch to intelligently adjust an iPhone's alert volume on the fly, by monitoring and comparing ambient sound samples.

Filed for with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) back in 2014 and published on Thursday, the patent application titled “Volume control for mobile device using a wireless device” outlines volume control adjustments by having a Watch's built-in microphone sample an alert generated on an iPhone to “detect a distinct contribution corresponding to the audible alert.”

Apple researching pressure-sensing Touch ID with 3D Touch type functionality

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 4, 2016

Apple has filed for a new patent application, which surfaced this morning in the United States Patent & Trademark Office's (USPTO) database.

It reveals that the Cupertino firm is seeking to add pressure sensing capability to the iPhone's Touch ID button while hinting at the possibility of enabling 3D Touch-like functionality by way of applying various degrees of pressure to the Home button.

Titled “Force-sensitive fingerprint sensing input,” the invention describes adding a resistive element having a mechanically resistive force to the Touch ID button—such as an elastomeric material, spring or similar component—which would then be able to measure the depression.

Apple ordered to pay $625 million in VirnetX patent suit

Cody Lee ∙ February 3, 2016

Apple has been ordered by a federal jury in east Texas to pay $625 million for patent infringement, Reuters reported late Wednesday. The jury found the iPhone maker guilty of using VirnetX's security technology without its permission.

More specifically, Apple was found guilty of willfully infringing on technology found in VirnetX Holding Corp's patents related to virtual private networking protocols, which Apple uses in its FaceTime and iMessage apps on iPhone and iPad.

Apple granted a patent which could help get rid of iPhone’s embarrassing camera bulge

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 26, 2016

Apple has just been granted a very cool patent that promises to solve the protruding camera lens on the back of the iPhone 6/6s series. The invention basically calls for packing a spherical photosensor and lens array in a tiny package.

The patent No. 9,244,253 for a “Small form factor high-resolution camera,” which was published Tuesday by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), reduces the distance between the CMOS sensor and the lens by making the sensor curved, a technique used in astronomical telescopes and instrumentation.

VirnetX seeking to extract $532 million from Apple in patent infringement retrial

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 26, 2016

Patent holding firm VirnetX yesterday told a federal jury that Apple should be slapped with a $532 million fine over an alleged patent infringement pertaining to FaceTime, iMessage and VPN technologies used in its products, which is nearly 45 percent higher than an initial damages award vacated last year.

According to Bloomberg, the notorious patent troll “keeps moving the boundary, asking for more and more and more,” said Apple’s lawyer.

Apple fine tunes patent that outlines a possible future iPhone with a wraparound display

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 21, 2016

Samsung has popularized and mainstreamed so-called phablets, then Apple followed suit by making its iPhones bigger. And with last year's release of the Galaxy S6 with a curved screen, legitimate questions arose as to whether Apple should engineer an iPhone with a wraparound display.

Before you jump straight to the comments, consider Apple's patent applications for an “Electronic device with wrapped display,” which surfaced Thursday in the United States Patent and Trademark Office's database.

Apple working on magnetic Watch band that doubles as stand, protective case

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple is working on a new magnetic band for its Apple Watch that could transform into a stand, or protective case. The project, first spotted by AppleInsider, was brought to light in a patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday.

Aptly-named the "Magnetic Wristband," the invention calls for a Milanese-style band consisting of two straps made from malleable material. These straps feature a series of magnets embedded in various polarity patterns that allow them to interact in unusual, but useful ways.

Patents hint that broadcast TV and presence detection features may be coming to Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 28, 2015

Apple is researching a pair of interesting new features to give its fourth-generation Apple TV some new smarts and make the box more TV-like. Titled “User detection by a computing device” and “Input device & user interface interactions”, these inventions outline a fresh new user interface for changing channels on an iOS device and a presence-aware remote to keep playing content as long as someone is in the room.

Apple wants additional $180 million in supplemental damages from Samsung

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 28, 2015

Apple wants a Christmas present from Samsung in the form of an additional $180 million in supplemental damages (damages for infringements after the cutoff date of the jury trial), FOSS Patents reported this past weekend.

The iPhone maker on Christmas Eve filed a motion seeking the additional $180 million on top of the initial $548 million settlement that Samsung has agreed to pay to Apple (though a reimbursement may be demanded later).

Ericsson and Apple sign seven-year cross-licensing patent agreement

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 22, 2017

Ericsson, a Swedish multinational provider of communication technology, equipment and services, today announced it has signed a seven-year cross-licensing agreement with Apple, putting an end to a multi-year patent spat that has plagued their relationship.

The global agreement includes a cross-license that covers patents relating to both companies' standard-essential patents, including the GSM, UMTS and LTE cellular standards. It also resolves all pending patent-infringement litigation between the companies before the United States International Trade Commission, United States District Courts and European courts.

Samsung to pay Apple $548 million settlement, but reserves right to seek reimbursement

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 4, 2015

The long-standing Apple vs. Samsung patent dispute has been dragging on for five years now without any meaningful resolution in sight, despite Samsung announcing a settlement payment of $548 million to the iPhone maker today.

According to patent blog FOSS Patents, even though the Galaxy maker will send the payment to Apple by December 14 it's found a loophole that would give it the right to seek reimbursement of all amounts required to be paid as taxes, and then some more.

Apple patents technology that would allow iPhones to detect touches while wearing gloves

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 26, 2015

Did you know that your iPhone's multi-touch display cannot detect touches while you're wearing gloves? That's because the iPhone uses capacitive touchscreen technology that takes human body capacitance as input and gloves block your fingers from touching the screen directly.

A new patent application Apple filed for with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) in the summer of 2014 was published this morning.

Titled “Glove Touch Detection”, it seeks to fix this problem via dynamically adjusted threshold values, which would permit the touchscreen to register touch events while the user is wearing regular gloves.