# Apple Inc — Patents explained on PatentBrief

Apple Inc has 50 landmark patents explained in plain English on PatentBrief.

- [How Smartphones Manage Multiple Notifications on a Locked Screen](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11921980/vision-pro-optic-id) — granted 2024
  A patent describing how a locked smartphone displays multiple notifications from different apps and allows users to interact with them individually without unlocking the phone.
- [How Apple Devices Securely Display Digital Passes and Tickets](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11853535/vision-pro-hand-gesture-recognition) — granted 2023
  A system for securely displaying digital tickets or account codes on a screen only after verifying the user's identity, and automatically hiding them once used or if time runs out.
- [How Folders With Multiple Pages Work on Touchscreens](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11809700/vision-pro-eye-tracking) — granted 2023
  Apple's patent describes how to organize apps into multi-page folders and move icons between those pages by dragging them to specific screen edges.
- [How Smartphones Automatically Adjust Camera Settings in Low Light](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11706521/dynamic-island) — granted 2023
  A system that automatically shows or hides camera exposure controls based on whether the device detects low-light conditions.
- [How Apple's Emoji Search Interface Automatically Adjusts and Filters Results](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11609640/stage-manager) — granted 2023
  A method for managing a dynamic emoji search interface that swaps keyboards and filters emoji variations based on specific user criteria.
- [How Smartphones Let You Rearrange and Organize Your Home Screen Icons](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11449194/spatial-audio-with-dynamic-head-tracking) — granted 2022
  Apple's patent describes the specific software logic used to let users drag, drop, and rearrange app icons on a touchscreen by entering a special 'jiggle' mode.
- [How Digital Assistants Control Apps and Ask for More Information](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11204787/github-copilot-code-generation-ai) — granted 2021
  This patent describes how a digital assistant on a device can understand what a user wants from a natural language command, find the right app, get a step-by-step guide from another device, and then ask the user for more details on the screen to complete the task with that app.
- [Using a Phone Display as a Visual Beacon Based on Activity](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11188196/app-library) — granted 2021
  Apple's patent describes a device that changes its screen lighting behavior, such as pulsing or strobing, based on a user's heart rate or body temperature.
- [How Apple's Interface Switches Between Music Playlists and Menus](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10928980/ios-widgets-on-home-screen) — granted 2021
  A method for navigating through a stack of music playlists on a touchscreen or dial, which automatically shifts to a menu view when you reach the end of the list.
- [How Messaging Apps Quickly Share Photos and Camera Previews](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10732795/ios-dark-mode) — granted 2020
  Apple's patent describes a way to quickly open a camera or photo gallery directly inside a messaging app so you can attach media without leaving your conversation.
- [How Devices Pair Automatically by Scanning Patterns with a Camera](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10579225/apple-fitness) — granted 2020
  A method for pairing two electronic devices by having one device use its camera to scan a visual pattern displayed on the other device's screen.
- [How Touchscreens Predict Where Your Finger Will Land Before You Touch](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10564770/airpods-wireless-earbuds) — granted 2020
  Apple's patent describes a touch controller that tracks an object's path through the air to predict where it will land on a screen before it actually makes physical contact.
- [How Apple Watches Use a Rotating Dial to Navigate Menus](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10466883/apple-arcade) — granted 2019
  A method for using a physical rotating dial on a device to scroll through lists and menus while providing audio feedback for accessibility.
- [How the Apple Watch Uses the Digital Crown to Flip Objects](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10275117/apple-watch-heart-rate-sensor) — granted 2019
  A method for rotating virtual objects on a small wearable screen by spinning the physical dial on the side of the device based on how fast you turn it.
- [How Stylus Ring Electrodes Detect Pen Tilt and Orientation](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10025401/apple-watch-digital-crown) — granted 2018
  Apple's patent for a stylus design that uses specific ring-shaped sensors to accurately measure the angle and tilt of a pen against a touchscreen.
- [How Apple Embeds Haptic Actuators Directly Into Device Layers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10013058/face-id) — granted 2018
  A design for touchscreens that embeds vibration-producing actuators directly into a nonconductive material layer, paired with force sensors to detect how hard a user presses.
- [How Smartphones Suggest Apps Based on Where You Are](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10002199/uber-driver-incentives) — granted 2018
  Apple's patent for a system that automatically highlights or suggests mobile apps based on your current location or a location you are planning to visit.
- [How a Digital Assistant Launches Apps Using Your Voice](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9548050/continuity-handoff) — granted 2017
  This patent describes how a digital assistant like Siri uses your spoken words and understanding of your conversation to figure out what you want and launch the right app.
- [How Apps Pass Touch Gestures Between Each Other](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9483121/force-touch-3d-touch) — granted 2016
  A method for a device to decide which app should handle a user's touch gesture when multiple apps are running at the same time.
- [How Phones Use Your Voice History to Fix Your Typing](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9075783/alexa-voice-service) — granted 2015
  Apple's patent for a system that improves text autocorrection by using a database of words the user has previously spoken into their device.
- [How Phones Use Motion Sensors to Change Screen Orientation and Views](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE45559/cover-flow) — granted 2015
  A patent describing how mobile devices use sensors to detect movement, allowing the screen to rotate or scroll through pages based on how you tilt or roll the device.
- [How Smartphones Calibrate Their Radio Power Across Different Temperatures](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8831529/airplay-wireless-streaming) — granted 2014
  A method for testing and calibrating a phone's wireless radio performance in a temperature-controlled chamber to ensure it stays accurate as the device heats up or cools down.
- [How Smartphones Switch Between Slow and Fast Scrolling](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8683378/scrolling-techniques-for-user-interfaces) — granted 2014
  A system that automatically changes how a list scrolls based on how fast or hard you interact with the screen.
- [Controlling a Camera on Your Phone with a Separate Gadget](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8675084/facetime-video-calling) — granted 2014
  Apple's 2014 patent describes how a separate device, like a remote control, can talk to a phone to take pictures and videos, and show them on the remote.
- [How Smartphones Use Light Sensors to Detect When You Are Talking](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8600430/imessage) — granted 2013
  Apple's patent on using light sensors to help a phone accurately detect when it is pressed against your ear, preventing accidental screen touches.
- [How to Split a Smartphone Keyboard with a Gesture](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8587547/device-method-and-graphical-user-interface-for-manipulating-soft-keyboards) — granted 2013
  Apple's 2013 patent describes how to split a phone's keyboard in half and move it up the screen with a swipe, making it easier to type with thumbs.
- [How Touchscreens Precisely Align Signals to Detect Your Touch](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8493330/individual-channel-phase-delay-scheme) — granted 2013
  Apple's patent describes a way for touchscreens to adjust the timing of internal electrical signals so they perfectly match the signals coming from your finger, making touch detection more accurate.
- [How Smartphones Organize Apps into Folders](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8423911/ios-control-center) — granted 2013
  Apple's 2010 patent describing the logic for creating and interacting with app folders on a touchscreen device, specifically distinguishing between 'normal' use and 'editing' modes.
- [The Design of the Original Apple iPhone](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/D670286/iphone-4-4s-design) — granted 2012
  This is a design patent protecting the specific visual appearance and physical shape of a portable electronic device, commonly recognized as the iPhone.
- [How Computers Safely Resume Interrupted Data Backups](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8307004/amazon-dynamodb) — granted 2012
  A method for computers to pause a large data backup and resume exactly where they left off without restarting the entire process from scratch.
- [How Mobile Devices Switch Between Open Apps Using Gestures](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8291344/ios-autocorrect-keyboard) — granted 2012
  Apple's patent describes a way to switch between open apps on a touchscreen by showing a bar of app previews and selecting one with a tap.
- [How the iPhone Switches and Adds Mobile Web Browser Tabs](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8214768/ios-notification-center) — granted 2012
  Apple's 2007 patent on using swipes, edge taps, and dedicated buttons to create and flip through multiple full-screen windows in a mobile web browser.
- [How Touchscreens Save Battery by Sleeping Between Touches](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8125456/multi-touch-capacitive-scanning) — granted 2012
  A power-saving method for touchscreens that puts the main processor to sleep when not in use and wakes it up only when a touch is detected.
- [How Smartphones Suggest and Correct Words While You Type](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8074172/ios-springboard-home-screen) — granted 2011
  Apple's patent on a system that displays word suggestions above a touchscreen keyboard, allowing users to accept or reject them with simple taps or keystrokes.
- [How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8046721/unlocking-a-device-by-performing-gestures-on-an-unlock-image) — granted 2011
  Apple's 2011 patent describes a method for unlocking a touchscreen device by dragging a specific graphical icon from a starting point to a designated end point.
- [How Your Phone Knows When It's Against Your Ear](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7957762/ios-app-store) — granted 2011
  This Apple patent describes how a phone uses both a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor to accurately detect when it's held to your ear, preventing accidental screen touches during calls.
- [How Touchscreens Handle Scrolling and Rubber-Band Effects](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7844915/application-programming-interfaces-for-scrolling-operations) — granted 2010
  This patent describes the software logic that allows touchscreens to distinguish between simple scrolling and multi-finger gestures, while also enabling the signature 'rubber-band' bounce effect when you reach the end of a page.
- [How Multi-Touch Gestures Like Pinch-to-Zoom Work on Smartphones](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7812826/iphone-software-keyboard) — granted 2010
  Apple's patent on using two-finger gestures to manipulate images and objects on a touchscreen, allowing for smooth zooming and rotation even if you lift your fingers briefly.
- [How Touchscreens Use Math to Recognize Your Fingers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7812828/ellipse-fitting-for-multi-touch-surfaces) — granted 2010
  Apple's patent on using mathematical ellipses to track and identify individual fingers and palms on a touch-sensitive surface.
- [The Design of the Original iPhone 3G](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/D618677/original-iphone-design) — granted 2010
  A design patent protecting the specific visual appearance and shape of the iPhone 3G as it appeared in 2008.
- [How Multi-Touch Screens Track Multiple Fingers at Once](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7663607/multipoint-touchscreen) — granted 2010
  Apple's 2010 patent describes a touch screen that uses two layers of transparent conductive lines to detect several fingers touching the screen simultaneously.
- [How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7657849/slide-to-unlock) — granted 2010
  Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
- [How Phones Sense Your Finger Hovering Without Touching the Screen](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7653883/multi-touch-trackpad-gestures) — granted 2010
  This patent describes a system for electronic devices, like phones, to detect a finger hovering just above the screen, display a specific interactive element below it, and then let you control that element with gestures without ever making contact.
- [How Apple's Navigation Bar Manages App Screens](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7596761/os-x-dashboard-widgets) — granted 2009
  A method for navigating between different screens in a music app using a fixed bar that shows where you are, where you came from, and a shortcut to the player.
- [How Widgets Flip Over to Show Settings](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7530026/time-machine-backup) — granted 2009
  A method for letting digital widgets flip over like a physical object to reveal hidden settings or controls on the back.
- [How the iPhone's Jiggling App Icons Work](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7509588/os-x-spotlight-search) — granted 2009
  This patent describes the 'jiggle mode' on iPhones, where app icons shake to show they can be moved or deleted.
- [How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7479949/iphone-multi-touch) — granted 2009
  This patent describes how touchscreens use smart rules, called heuristics, to figure out if your finger movement means scrolling up, moving around a map, or flipping to the next photo, especially by looking at how you start your swipe.
- [How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7469381/iphone-rubberbanding) — granted 2008
  Apple's 2008 patent describes how a touchscreen device displays a blank area when a user scrolls past the edge of a document, then smoothly snaps the document back into place when the user lifts their finger.
- [How the Apple Mac Dock Magnifies Icons](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7434177/itunes-digital-music-store) — granted 2008
  Apple's 1999 patent on the macOS Dock, which shrinks a row of app icons to save screen space and smoothly magnifies them as your mouse pointer glides over them.
- [How Computers Automatically Manage Temporary Pop-up Windows](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7343566/os-x-dock) — granted 2008
  A method for computer systems to automatically display, fade out, and close temporary windows based on timers or system events without requiring user interaction.

**Full profile:** https://patentbrief.org/company/apple-inc

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Plain-English explanations of US patents._