Apple Inc.

Daniel S Naito

James Hollabaugh

Richard Michael Powell

Daniel C Klingler

Afrooz Family

Daniel R Borges

Jay S Nigen

Michael B Nussbaum

David A Sumberg

Zhigang Dang

Evan J Thompson

Peter Poon

Manasi Lagare

Jahan C Minoo

Zachary C Rich

Kirill Kalinichev

James L McPeak

Jason Brinsfield

Joshua L Hare

A smart speaker power controller may be configured to receive power conforming to one of a plurality of power modes from an input power source. The power controller may be further configured to communicate the power mode to at least one component of a processing system or at least one component of an audio system for operating the smart speaker according to the received power mode, including determining a current limit of a power converter; determining a shutdown voltage threshold and safely shutting down the smart speaker if the input voltage falls below the threshold, and/or modifying audio operation of the smart speaker in response to the power mode. The smart speaker can further include an audio power supply controller configured to monitor energy required to reproduce an audio signal and to servo a power supply voltage provided to an audio amplifier in response to this energy level.

Smart speaker power management

Methods and apparatus for synchronization of media playback within a wireless network. In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to precision synchronization over time, based on repeated measurements of a common time reference. In one exemplary embodiment, the common time reference is a Time Synchronization Function (TSF) of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the application processor and the modem processor measure a pulse width and the aforementioned common time reference in order to adjust media playback.

Methods and apparatus for synchronization of media playback within a wireless network

Simplified interfaces for charging and communication between accessories and docking stations. One example may provide an interface for charging and communication between an accessory and docking station where data and a charging voltage are provided over the same pins. An accessory may determine that it is in a powered docking station by receiving a charging voltage. The accessory may determine that it is in an unpowered docking station by providing a voltage to the unpowered docking station, where the unpowered docking station uses the voltage to power an oscillator. The oscillator signal may be received by the accessory, which may use the presence of the signal to determine that it is in an unpowered docking station.

Accessory communication over power pins

An audio appliance includes an oscillatable diaphragm, a first heat-dissipation unit, a second heat-dissipation unit, and a control unit. The first heat-dissipation unit dissipates heat at a first rate and the second heat-dissipation unit dissipates heat at a second rate. The control unit can receive an indication of a temperature of the first heat-dissipation unit and an indication of a temperature of the second heat-dissipation unit. The control unit provides oscillation control of the oscillatable diaphragm to maintain the temperature of the first heat-dissipation unit below a first threshold and/or to maintain the temperature of the second heat-dissipation unit below a second threshold. The control unit can provide the oscillation control responsive to each of the indication of the temperature of the first heat-dissipation unit and the indication of the temperature of the second heat-dissipation unit exceeding a respective threshold.

Cooling for audio appliances

A method for operating a distributed wireless audio system including several loudspeaker cabinets all of which can communicate with each other as part of a computer network. The method receives temperature data that is indicative of temperature of a first loudspeaker cabinet, which has a network master responsibility of obtaining an audio signal from an audio source and wirelessly transmitting some of the audio signal to a second loudspeaker cabinet of several loudspeaker cabinets, for playback by the second loudspeaker cabinet, while playing back some of the audio signal by the first loudspeaker cabinet. The method determines whether a thermal threshold of the first loudspeaker cabinet has been reached, based on the temperature data. The method, in response to the thermal threshold being reached, gives up the network master responsibility from the first loudspeaker cabinet to the second loudspeaker cabinet, where doing so reduces temperature in the first loudspeaker cabinet.

Dynamic master assignment in distributed wireless audio system for thermal and power mitigation

Growing community of inventors

Campbell, CA, United States of America

Daniel S Naito