Apple Inc.

Timothy P Hannon

Matthew Lee Rogers

Pierre-Olivier J Martel

Andrew S Terry

Richard L Hagy

Kelly B Yancey

Cameron Stuart Birse

Alastair Kenneth Fettes

Joseph R Auricchio

Ananthakrishna Ramesh

Puja Dilip Gupta

Matthew W Wright

Policarpo Bonilla Wood

Benjamin A Rottler

Bryan J James

Paul William Chinn

Kazuhisa Yanagihara

Ronnie G Misra

Christopher R Wysocki

Daniel Adam Warren

Michael Ingrassia

Rishabh Bhargava

Mark A Pauley

Susan M Grady

Kenji Konanka

Some embodiments provide a method for a device having multiple users. The method identifies a process installed on the device that requires an isolated storage in a file system of the device. For each of a set of the users of the electronic device, the method assigns at least one container for use by the process within a user-specific section of the file system. The containers assigned to the process in a section of the file system specific to a particular user are only accessible by the process when the particular user is logged into the device. The method assigns at least one container for use by the process within a non-user-specific section of the file system. The containers assigned to the process within the non-user-specific section of the file system are accessible by the process irrespective of which user is logged into the device.

Multi-user device

Systems and methods are disclosed for implementing an educational mode on a portable computing device, such as a tablet computer, that is a single-user system, used serially by multiple users. Each user can have a separate user storage that may be encrypted. The computing device boots as a system user to a login screen. A first student user enters user credentials into the login screen. The computing device can reboot the user-space processes, while leaving the kernel running, rebooting the computing device as the first student user. When the first student user logs out, data to be synchronized to, e.g., the cloud, can be synchronized for the first student user while a second student user is logged into the device.

Switching users and sync bubble for EDU mode

Containers shared by multiple users of a device

This application sets forth techniques for managing the allocation of storage space within a storage device that is communicably coupled to a computing device. Requests are received from a plurality of applications executing on the computing device, in which each request specifies a respective amount of storage space to be reserved within the storage device. Detection is performed for the availability of a minimum amount of free space that corresponds to an optimal amount of space for executing at least one application of the plurality of applications. A respective priority ranking for each application is identified based on historical data gathered for the applications. Based on the priority rankings, a subset of requests from the plurality of requests is established. For each request of the subset, at least a portion of the respective amount of space specified by the request is reserved while maintaining the minimum amount of free space.

Techniques for managing storage space allocation within a storage device

Disclosed herein is a technique for managing disk space in user devices. A disk space manager is configured to manage the disk space by requesting clients running on the user device to free up disk space. The clients receive the requests and respond to the requests by deleting their own data to free up the requested disk space.

Intelligent disk space manager

This invention is directed to an audio menu provided in an electronic device having no display. The electronic device can further include an input interface having only a single sensing element (e.g., a single button) for controlling audio playback of the device and for accessing and controlling the device audio menu. In response to a particular input detected by the single sensing element, the electronic device can enable an audio menu mode and play back audio clips associated with different menu options. The user can provide selection instructions using the single sensing element during the playback of an audio clip to select the menu option associated with the played back audio clip. In some embodiments, the audio menu can be multi-dimensional (e.g., the device plays back audio clips for sub-options in response to a selection of a menu option). Suitable menu options can include, for example, groupings of audio (e.g., playlists), options to toggle (e.g., a shuffle option), or options associated with particular metadata tags associated with audio available to the device.

Audio user interface for displayless electronic device

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for managing a playlist on a portable media device including generating a random order of media items based on a seed, receiving an instruction to power down the portable media device, saving the seed in a storage, and powering down the portable media device.

Media list management

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for controlling an electronic device using data transmitted over radio signals. In some embodiments, a radio source may embed instructions to control an electronic device into a radio signal. For example, the radio source may use the RDS communications protocol to transmit the instructions in an FM radio signal. The electronic device may receive the radio signal and may perform the instructions included in the radio signal. For example, in a testing environment, the instructions can include commands to test the electronic device's radio using test parameters specified in the instructions. Responsive to receiving the test parameters, the electronic device may configure itself (e.g., turn on or off certain components) and record audio from a specified radio station.

Electronic device instructions provided using radio signals

This is directed to processing inputs received from an input mechanism to control media playback operations and volume. The input mechanism can include a first button providing inputs by shorting an electrical circuit, and a second button providing inputs by changing the resistance or tone detected or received by a processor. To process inputs, a processor can first detect and process short events from the first button, and subsequently process button events from the second button.

Detecting and processing button press events for performing electronic device operations

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Timothy P Hannon