Apple Inc.

Jorge L Rivera Espinoza

Matthias Sauer

Helena Deirdre O'Shea

Bernd W Adler

Daniel J Hiemstra

Derek Fujio Iwamoto

Venkatesh Rajendran

Timothy Michael Johnson

William C Lukens

Timothy Bryan Ogilvie

Xiaofang Mu

Ruben Caballero

Colin M Ely

Erik G De Jong

Tyler S Bushnell

Maegan K Spencer

Benjamin J Kallman

Ryan C Perkins

Prashanth S Holenarsipur

David D Dashevsky

Osamu Yabe

Steven C Roach

Boon Wai Shiu

Zaki Moustafa

Louie J Sanguinetti

Neeloy Roy

Yue Chen

Scott D Morrison

Siddharth Nangia

Eugene C Cheung

Patrick J Crowley

Christopher D Guichet

Woojin Jung

Kiavash Baratzadeh

Samuel E Vinci

Kevin A Klenk

Zhiwei Gu

Annie Manuja

Shaohua Lin

Evan N Dvorak

Jobin Jacob

Embodiments relate to including information in a data packet transmitted by a transmitting integrated circuit (e.g., SOC) to account for a time delay associated with an unsuccessful arbitration attempt to send the data packet over a multi-drop bus. The unsuccessful arbitration attempt by the integrated circuit may delay the transmission of the data packet until the multi-drop bus becomes available for the integrated circuit to send the data packet. The data packet includes a data field to include time delay information caused by the unsuccessful arbitration attempt. A receiving integrated circuit may determine the time that the data packet would have been sent out from the transmitting integrated circuit absent the unsuccessful arbitration attempt based on the delay information. Embodiments also relate to a synchronization generator circuit in an integrated circuit that generates timing signals indicating times at which periodic events occur at another integrated circuit.

Signaling of time for communication between integrated circuits using multi-drop bus

An electronic device may include a first set of antennas, a second set of antennas, and a slip ring disposed between the first set of antennas and the second set of antennas. The slip ring may include a waveguide that provides a pathway for signals transmitted between the first set of and the second set of antennas. A diameter and a length of the waveguide may enable efficient transmission of the signals between the sets of antennas by reducing signal attenuation. Additionally, gaps between the sets of antennas and the slip ring may be sized to reduce radiation emitted from the electronic device. The gaps between the sets of antennas and the slip ring may enable wireless data transfer between the sets of antennas.

Slip ring for an electronic device

A host device establishes a wireless communication link with a client device, and implements a wired communication standard on the link to transfer a first data stream. To increase data throughput while complying with the standard, the host device replaces synchronizing information in a packet to be sent during a first synchronizing frame with configuration information indicating that packet exchange data of a second data stream is to be sent or received during a second synchronizing frame. The host device sends or receives the packet exchange data of the second data stream to or from the client device during the second synchronizing frame via the wireless communication link. The host device may send or receive the packet exchange data of the second data stream during delays or idle periods between sending and/or receiving packets of the first data stream via the wireless communication link according to the wired communication standard.

Aggregating multiple data streams on a communication link

Embodiments relate to a billboard circuit that stores context information received from various component circuits in an electronic device. The context information indicates an operating status of the corresponding component circuit, system or shared resources. The stored context information may be retrieved by one or more component circuits when events (e.g., turning on of a component circuit) are detected. By using the billboard circuit, a component circuit may detect changes in the operating status of other components circuits and configure or update its operations even when the changes occurred while the component circuit was asleep or disabled. The billboard circuit may monitor updating of the context information by the component circuit and initiate notification to other components circuits when certain entries of the context information is updated.

Billboard for context information sharing

Embodiments relate to coordinating the operations of subsystems in a communication system of an electronic device where a coexistence hub device monitors the state information transmitted as coexistence messages over one or more multi-drop buses, processes the monitored coexistence messages and sends out control messages as coexistence messages to other systems on chips (SOCs). The coexistence hub device can also update the operations of the communication system. The coexistence hub device may receive an operation policy from a central processor and may execute the operation policy without further coordination of the central processor. The coexistence hub device broadcasts the control messages as coexistence messages according to the executed operation policy.

Coordinating operations of multiple communication chips via local hub device

A watch can include a watch body and a band for securing the watch to the user. The watch body can detect an identification of the band or combination of band portions, which can serve as an input to initiate actions performed by the watch body. For example, a type, model, color, size, or other characteristic of a band can be determined and used to select a corresponding action performed by the watch body. Identification of the band can be performed by components of the watch body that also serve other purposes. The watch body can respond to the identification of a particular band by performing particular functions, such as changing an aspect of a user interface or altering settings of the watch body.

Identification of watch bands

A first device such as a wristwatch may include a front face at which a display is disposed and a rear face at which a rear housing wall is mounted. Antenna structures may overlap the rear housing wall and may be operable to transmit and receive relatively high frequency signals through the rear housing wall to a communication with a second device such as a wireless power transmitting device for the wristwatch. The second device may also include antenna structures that overlap a top surface housing. Respective sets of magnetic structures may be provided in the first and second devices to align the two devices and to form a reliable wireless communication link between the two devices. The first and second devices may include respective antenna arrays that include pairs of antenna elements that are selectively used to form a reliable wireless communication link.

Systems and methods for establishing reliable wireless links

A wireless communication system may include an electronic device having a wireless communication module. The wireless communication module may include an antenna radiating element on a first surface, a ground ring surrounding the antenna radiating element on the first surface, and a radio component mounted to a second surface. The wireless communication module may be incorporated into a system package that also includes other components. Encapsulation material may cover the wireless communication module and other components. A shielding material may cover the encapsulation material and be coupled to the ground ring. An opening in the shielding material may be aligned with the antenna radiating element. If desired, the wireless communication system may include external equipment having a wireless communication module communicatively coupled to the wireless communication module to convey firmware testing, debugging, restore, and/or other data.

Wireless communication devices

A first device such as a wristwatch may include a front face at which a display is disposed and a rear face at which a rear housing wall is mounted. Antenna structures may overlap the rear housing wall and may be operable to transit and receive relatively high frequency signals through the rear housing wall to a communication with a second device such as a wireless power transmitting device for the wristwatch. The second device may also include antenna structures that overlap a top surface housing. Respective sets of magnetic structures may be provided in the first and second devices to align the two devices and to form a reliable wireless communication link between the two devices. The first and second devices may include respective antenna arrays that include pairs of antenna elements that are selectively used to form a reliable wireless communication link.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jorge L Rivera Espinoza