Apple Inc.

Paul J Costa

David R Cox

Bharat K Patel

Nicholas W Ruhter

Michael Jason Giles

Benjamin A Bard

Derek J DiCarlo

Steven J Sfarzo

Neal V Cecil

Ruenjou Lu

Steven Ichung Kuo

Timur O Starobinets

Dane Oleson

Fei Ni

Fiyinfolu O Adewale

Xiaoyang Zhang

Steve X Zhou

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may provide power supply voltages in a safe and reliable manner that meets safety and regulatory concerns and does not exceed physical limitations of cables and other circuits and components used to provide the power supply voltages. One example may provide a cable having a sufficient number of conductors to provide power without exceeding a maximum current density for the conductors. Another example may provide a cable having more than the sufficient number of conductors in order to provide an amount of redundancy. Current sense circuits may be included for one or more conductors. When an excess current is sensed, a power source in the power supply may be shut down, the power source may be disconnected from one or more conductors, or both events may occur.

Power supply with current limit on individual conductors

Transitioning between a high-resolution input mode, such as a mouse-based interface, and a low-resolution input mode, such as a touch-based interface, is described. A change of orientation of a touch screen between a first orientation and a second orientation is detected. Transitioning between the two input modes and corresponding user interfaces (UIs) is based on the detected change of orientation. A change of orientation can be detected with one or more sensors, such as an accelerometer, position sensors, etc. Transitioning from one mode to another can include modifying an item displayed in the UI of the one mode into a corresponding item displayed in the UI of the other mode. The modifying can include enlarging/reducing, obscuring/unobscuring, moving, etc. For example, an item can be obscured by the visual effect of sliding it off of the screen.

Transitioning between modes of input

A system that displays a video signal on a display for a computer system is presented. During operation, the system receives a signal to switch from displaying a video signal from an internal video source to displaying a video signal from an external video source. In this system, the internal and external video sources are coupled to a bi-directional video port for the computer system, wherein the internal video source generates an output video signal and the external video source generates an input video signal. The system then determines whether the external video source is coupled to the bi-directional video port. If so, the system couples the external video source to the display and determines whether the external video source is a valid video source. If the external video source is a valid video source, the system displays the video signal from the external video source on the display.

Method and apparatus for displaying a video signal on a computer system

A method and apparatus for recovering from a low power state in a computing system is disclosed. In one embodiment of the method, the computing system enters the low power state from a standard power state after an activity detector indicates a user controlled peripheral device connected to the computer system has been inactive for a period of time. To enter the low power state, the method disconnects the user controlled peripheral device from a host controller, while continuing to supply power to the user controlled peripheral device and shutting off power to the host controller. The method returns the computer system to the standard power state when the activity detector indicates the user controlled peripheral device has become active. To return to the standard power state, power is restored to the host controller and the user controlled peripheral device is reconnected to the host controller.

Method and apparatus for entry into low power state

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that manages the acoustic noise produced by a device. During operation, the system receives a set of acoustic characteristics for the device. The system then uses these acoustic characteristics to estimate the acoustic noise being generated by the device. Next, the system uses the estimated acoustic noise to adjust a setting in the device to manage the acoustic noise produced by the device.

Managing acoustic noise produced by a device

A method and system for reducing acoustic power supply noise, specifically acoustic noise related to power supply switching frequencies in a computing device, is disclosed. In one embodiment, a controller can monitor power consumed by the computing device, and an operational state of the computing device can be determined. If the computing device is in a first operational state and the power consumed is greater than a threshold amount, then the power supply can be operated at a first switching frequency or mode of operation, thereby avoiding switching frequencies that can produce acoustic noise.

Power supply acoustic noise mitigation

Method and apparatus for recovery from low power state

The disclosure describes a processing system with a soft power switch assembly configured to include a zero-power off mode that would allow an off state with no power drain by the device while maintaining all other soft power off mode capabilities, including low power modes, (e.g., sleep, hibernation modes). The processing system can be restored from the zero-power off mode using the same actuation mechanism used when switching from a power on mode to a soft power off mode.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Paul J Costa