Patent number D597099 involves elements of an user interface for a computer display. Patent number D597100 is for an icon for a portion of a display screen (think Mac OS X in both cases). The inventor of the first is Bas Ording; the inventor of the second is Ordinga dn Imran Chaudhri.

Patent number 7568135 is for the user of alternate value in cell detection. It involves a system and method, including computer software, allows reading data from a flash memory cell. Voltages from a group of memory cells are detected. The group of memory cells have associated metadata for error detection, and each memory cell stores a voltage representing a data value selected from multiple possible data values. Each possible data value corresponds to one range of multiple non-overlapping ranges of analog voltages. Memory cells having uncertain data values are identified based on the detected voltages. Alternative data values for the memory cells having the uncertain data values are determined, and a combination of alternative data values is selected. An error detection test is performed using the metadata associated with the multiple memory cells and the selected combination of alternative data values. The inventors are Michael J. Cornwell and Christopher P. Dudte.

Patent number 7565720 is for the hinge mechanism with clutching function (a la Apple laptops). In embodiments of the present invention, hinge mechanisms for use in a portable computing device having a base and a lid are presented, the hinge mechanism including: a base link pivotally connected with a base such that the base link rotates about a first axis of rotation, the base link being in sliding communication with a lid; a lid link pivotally connected with the lid such that the lid link rotates about a second axis of rotation, the lid link being in sliding communication with the base; and a center pin pivotally connecting the base link with the lid link such that the base link and the lid link rotate about a third axis of rotation wherein the base link, the lid link, and the center pin cooperatively function to translate the lid over at least two planes of motion with respect to the base. The inventors are Chris Ligtenberg and Joshua Banko.

Patent number 7565858 involves remote control systems that can distinguish stray light sources -- e.g., environmental light sources and/or reflections are provided. The predetermined light sources can be disposed in asymmetric substantially linear or two-dimensional patterns. The predetermined light sources also can output waveforms modulated in accordance with one or more signature modulation characteristics. The predetermined light sources also can output light at different signature wavelengths. The invention obviously involves the Apple Remote. The inventors are Steve Hotelling, Nicholas Vincent King, Duncan Robert Kerr and Wing Kong Low.

Patent number 7568087 is for partial load/store forward prediction. In one embodiment, a processor comprises a prediction circuit and another circuit coupled to the prediction circuit. The prediction circuit is configured to predict whether or not a first load instruction will experience a partial store to load forward (PSTLF) event during execution. A PSTLF event occurs if a plurality of bytes, accessed responsive to the first load instruction during execution, include at least a first byte updated responsive to a previous uncommitted store operation and also include at least a second byte not updated responsive to the previous uncommitted store operation. Coupled to receive the first load instruction, the circuit is configured to generate one or more load operations responsive to the first load instruction. The load operations are to be executed in the processor to execute the first load instruction, and a number of the load operations is dependent on the prediction by the prediction circuit. The inventors are Sudarshan Kadambi, Po-Yung Chang and Eric Hao.

Patent number D597071 involves the ornamental design of an input mechanism (part of Apple's earbuds for the iPhone and iPod). The inventors are Bartley K. Andre, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishiboro, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Douglas B. Satzger, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer and Calvin Q. Seid.

Patent number D597081 is for the ornamental design for a stand (apparently the iPhone 3GS stand). The inventors are Bartley K. Andre, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishiboro, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Douglas B. Satzger, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zorkendorfer and Calvin Q. Seid.

Patent number D597079 is for the ornamental design of a dock insert (involving the iPod). The inventors are Bartley K. Andre, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishiboro, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Douglas B. Satzger, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang and Rico Zorkendorfer.

For more info on patents, check out Patents.com, a free patent search site.

If you like what you see at Macsimum News, if you read Macsimum regularly, if we cover your products/services, feel free to leave us a tip at the MACSIMUM TIP JAR.