2011-07-21 Newly Published Apple Patent Applications

	PUB. APP. NO.	Title
1	20110179483	METHODS FOR HANDLING A FILE ASSOCIATED WITH A PROGRAM IN A RESTRICTED PROGRAM ENVIRONMENT
2	20110179403	SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANNOTATION-DRIVEN FUNCTION INLINING
3	20110179388	Techniques And Systems For Enhancing Touch Screen Device Accessibility Through Virtual Containers And Virtually Enlarged Boundaries
4	20110179351	AUTOMATICALLY CONFIGURING WHITE SPACE AROUND AN OBJECT IN A DOCUMENT
5	20110179350	AUTOMATICALLY PLACING AN ANCHOR FOR AN OBJECT IN A DOCUMENT
6	20110179345	AUTOMATICALLY WRAPPING TEXT IN A DOCUMENT
7	20110179281	HASH FUNCTION USING A QUASI-GROUP OPERATION
8	20110179194	METHODS FOR HANDLING REMOVAL OF MEDIA STORAGE DEVICES
9	20110179192	DISTRIBUTING AND SYNCHRONIZING OBJECTS
10	20110179163	METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDLING A NETWORK CONNECTION
11	20110179153	METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDLING A NETWORK CONNECTION
12	20110178896	ON-DEVICE OFFLINE PURCHASES USING CREDITS
13	20110178697	POINT OF INTEREST BASED DIRECTIONS IN A MAPPING APPLICATION
14	20110177300	DICHROIC GLASS FOR COSMETIC APPEAL IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE
15	20110175915	VISUALLY-ASSISTED MIXING OF AUDIO USING A SPECTRAL ANALYZER
16	20110175902	MULTILAYER DISPLAY DEVICE
17	20110175821	Virtual Drafting Tools
18	20110175813	PIEZO-BASED ACOUSTIC AND CAPACITIVE DETECTION
19	20110175805	MOTION CONTROLLABLE DUAL DISPLAY PORTABLE MEDIA DEVICE
20	20110174515	SPACER FOR USE IN A FLAT CABLE

Of Note

The first application in the list relates to sandboxing (e.g., in iOS or Lion) and facilitating access for two separate programs:

20110179483

METHODS FOR HANDLING A FILE ASSOCIATED WITH A PROGRAM IN A RESTRICTED PROGRAM ENVIRONMENT

1. A machine-implemented method for handling a file associated with a program, the method comprising:

• in response to a request for accessing a file received through a first program, storing the file in a first sandboxed storage area, wherein the file can be accessed by a second program;
• performing an atomic move operation on the file that atomically moves the file from the first sandboxed storage area to a second sandboxed storage area, wherein the first sandboxed storage area is not accessible to the first program and second program; and
• invoking the second program to access the file stored in the second sandboxed storage area, wherein the second sandboxed storage area is a part of a sandbox associated with the second program.

 

Craig Federighi is the second listed inventor on a sync application:

20110179192

DISTRIBUTING AND SYNCHRONIZING OBJECTS

1. A method for synchronizing objects comprising:

• copying an object having data and behavior from a first computer across a network to a second computer;
• obtaining a policy for synchronizing said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer; and
• synchronizing said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer based on said policy.

 

Another describes off-line purchases, perhaps of pre-downloaded iTunes content:

20110178896

ON-DEVICE OFFLINE PURCHASES USING CREDITS

1. A method for purchasing access to a restricted media item while an electronic device is offline, comprising:

• receiving a selection of a locally stored media item while no communications with a remote payment processing entity are available, wherein:
  • the locally stored media item is not owned by the user; and
  • access to the locally stored media item is restricted;
• identifying a cost for removing the access restriction to the locally stored media item; and
• deducting the cost from locally stored credit previously purchased when communications with the remote payment processing entity were available.

 

The last application in the list serves as a reminder that these are patent applications, the claims of which have not yet been examined:

20110174515

SPACER FOR USE IN A FLAT CABLE

1. A cable for carrying electrical signals, comprising:

• a plurality of wires substantially disposed in a plane; and a spacer positioned in the plane between two of the plurality of wires, wherein:
  • the spacer maintains the two of the plurality of wires apart at a minimum distance; and
  • the spacer height is less than a height of the taller of the two of the plurality of wires.

 

Also of note is that we continue to see Apple developing its own IP around mapping applications.