Apple Inc.

Other

Paul James Wehrenberg

Ray Ling Chang

Aaron Leiba

David R Falkenburg

Louis G Gerbarg

Richard Charles Williams

Bartley K Andre

Brett W Degner

John Raff

Chris A Ligtenberg

Ron Alan Hopkinson

John M Brock

Michelle Rae Goldberg

Mi Zhou

Stewart Shannon Fields

Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, it is determined whether a portable device is moving using an accelerometer. It is determined a moving pattern of the portable device based on movement data provided by the accelerometer. A media content is selected based on the moving pattern of the portable device. The selected media content is played via the portable device. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer

Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, an accelerometer attached to a portable device detects a movement of the portable device. In response, a machine executable code is executed within the portable device to perform one or more predetermined user configurable operations. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Apparatus and methods for a two-lens optical system having a focal length that can be readily switched between a first focal length and a second focal length. The system includes first and second multi-element lenses, each of which includes a cavity for a fluid. The first lens has the first focal length in the absence of the fluid in its cavity and the second focal length when the fluid is present in its cavity. The second lens has the second focal length in the absence of the fluid in its cavity and the first focal length when the fluid is present in its cavity. The focal length of the optical system is controlled by controlling which cavity of the two lenses contains the fluid.

Apparatus and method for multi-focus lens system

Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, a movement of a portable device is detected using an accelerometer attached to the portable device. An orientation of the portable device after the movement is determined based on movement data provided by the accelerometer. It is determined whether the portable device is held by a user after the movement based on the movement data provided by the accelerometer. Locations of the hands of the user for holding the portable device are determined based on the orientation of the portable device. At least one interface that is not within the predicted locations of the hands of the user is activated.

The embodiments herein describe an apparatus and method for a reduced Z stack slot loading optical disc drive (ODD). In one embodiment a reduced Z stack height slot loading optical disc drive (ODD) is described. The reduced Z stack height ODD includes at least a hub/turntable arrangement having a hub portion and a turntable portion, the turntable portion arranged to support an optical disc secured thereto by way of the hub such that when a rotational motive force is applied to the hub/combination, the optical disc rotates about a hub/turntable axis of rotation, and a rotational motor adjacent to the hub/turntable arrangement, the rotational motor being arranged to provide the rotational motive force to the hub/turntable arrangement, the rotational motor being located in such a way that a rotational motor axis of rotation is translated in a direction perpendicular to the hub/turntable axis of rotation and wherein a Z height of the hub/turntable arrangement and a Z height of the rotational motor are not cumulative.

Disc mounting in optical disc drives

Portable computer structures are provided. The portable computer structures may include connector structures. The portable computer may have a case. A portion of the connector structure may be formed by the case of the portable computer. The portable computer may have a circuit board with grounding spring-loaded pins which electrically ground the circuit board to the case of the portable computer. The portable computer may have an optical disk drive that is form fitted to mount to the portable computer case.

Portable computer structures

A theft prevention system for protecting portable electronic devices is disclosed. An acceleration sensor detects the acceleration of a portable electronic device, and a controller analyzes this acceleration to determine whether a theft condition is present. If so, an alarm can be initiated. The theft prevention system can include a filter for attenuating irrelevant acceleration frequencies and isolating those representative of theft, and comparison hardware/software for determining whether the detected acceleration matches a known acceleration profile characteristic of theft. Various parameters of the theft prevention system can also be set by a user through mechanisms such as a graphical user interface.

Acceleration-based theft detection system for portable electronic devices

Example embodiments provide various techniques for playing data from an optical media drive. The optical media drive may detect certain media access information for use in accessing optical media. This media access information is stored a non-volatile memory. The optical media drive then retrieves the media access information from the non-volatile memory once the optical media drive is reactivated after deactivation. The optical media drive may then read from the optical media using the provided media access information.

Playing data from an optical media drive

The embodiments herein describe an apparatus and method for a reduced Z stack slot loading optical disc drive (ODD). In one embodiment, an optical disc mounting assembly can be used to chuck an optical disc to a turntable. The optical disc mounting assembly can include a hub spring for spring loading a hub and a clamping mechanism pivotally connected to the hub. In the described embodiment, in an extended position, the clamp is used to secure the optical disc to the turntable. The clamping mechanism can include a clamp pivotally attached to the hub at a pivot point. In the absence of the optical disc, the clamp is retracted and secured within a recess in the optical disc mounting assembly. In the presence of the optical disc, the mounting assembly chucks the optical disc to the turntable using the clamp and hub.

Mounting objects on a turntable

Example embodiments provide various techniques for playing data from an optical media drive. The optical media drive may detect certain media access information for use in accessing optical media. This media access information is stored in a memory that is configured to retain the media access information after the optical media drive is deactivated. The optical media drive reads the data from an optical media and this data is transferred to a buffer until, with reference to some threshold parameter, the optical media drive is deactivated. The optical media drive may be reactivated in reference to another threshold parameter and the media access information is thereafter retrieved from the memory. The optical media drive may then read from the optical media using the provided media access information.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Paul James Wehrenberg