7,242,576 Quick release structures for a computer (42 pages)
Release mechanism for the access door on pro-level towers.

7,242,411 Adjustment of color values for optimized image processing (13 pages)
Color space conversion from YCrCb to RGB.

7,242,169 Method and apparatus for voltage compensation for parasitic impedance (14 pages)

7,218,510 Computer controlled display device (116 pages)
Related to the construction and mechanical operation of the “lamp base” iMac. This patent describes how this iMac is put together, from a mechanical perspective. Shows a few different views of a gooseneck design (Figures 23A-23F), the straight neck design (Figures 33A-33F), and a telescoping neck design (Figure 47). The claims are directed to a moveable assembly that provides at least three degrees of freedom for a display and a brake device to control the positioning of the display.

7,218,226 Acceleration-based theft detection system for portable electronic devices (12 pages)
An electronic device has an acceleration sensor, and based on the sensor output, a determination is made whether the device is being stolen. Theft can be detected by using an acceleration profile characteristic of theft. The device can determine if the acceleration were due to a shock or an impact to the device. Certain types of movements could be filtered out based on the acceleration frequency generated by the movement (see column 4, lines 28-42). A theft profile can include various acceleration changes that are likely to result during a theft (see column 4, lines 43-62 and column 6, lines 43-57).

Note: I can’t quite figure out how a thief would be profiled. I also think that this could be easily be defeated by a constant motion for a period of time. The opposite could be true – the alarm could go off if you suddenly find yourself running for the bus, and that’s not normal behavior for you.

D542,288 Computing device (4 pages)
Design for the Mac mini.

7,216,304 Graphical user interface for computers having variable size icons (11 pages)
This patent is related to an application that was published in April 2007 (read that discussion here) about variable sized icons. The claims of this patent relate to a method for varying the size of displayed icons.

7,216,302 Method and system for automatically resizing and repositioning windows in response to changes in display (12 pages)
Repositioning and resizing windows in a GUI based on changes in the display resolution. The claims relate to a method for maintaining the windows in a preferred screen position.

7,215,813 Method and apparatus for color correction (35 pages)
GUI for performing color correction. Users can changes the colorspace of individual pixels, and other pixels will change proportionally in response.

D541,799  Electronic device    (5 pages)
Design for flat-panel iMac with the camera at the top front of the display.

7,213,103  Accessing data storage systems without waiting for read errors    (16 pages)
Accessing data on a data storage system that is experiencing a slow access (i.e., access that takes more than a predetermined length of time).

D541,298  Media device    (5 pages)
Design for the iPod, 4G and up.

D541,297  Media device    (4 pages)
Design for the iPod nano.

D541,042  Electronic device holder    (7 pages)
Design for the iPod nano arm band.

7,209,344  Computer controlled display device    (136 pages)
Various embodiments for the old iMac “desklamp” design. In 102 pages of drawings, this patent shows the mechanical aspects of how the screen is supported and moves.

7,209,146  Methods and apparatuses for the automated display of visual effects    (20 pages)
Fade transition effects for video clips.

7,207,104  Hybrid ground grid for printed circuit board    (15 pages)
Printed circuit board layout with ground traces.

7,200,836 Menu authoring for automatically performing low-level DVD configuration functions (40 pages)
DVD authoring system.

7,199,805 Method and apparatus for titling (30 pages)
Creating titles and text effects in movies.

7,196,690  Input device off table switch    (13 pages)
A method and system to handle mousing while repositioning the mouse during a selection process (i.e., keeping the button pressed to extend a selection while picking up and moving the mouse to continue the selection). Useful when a user reaches the edge of a mousepad or other mouse-tracking surface.

D538,820  Media device    (4 pages)

7,194,692  Method and apparatus for binding user interface objects to application objects    (24 pages)

7,194,564  Method and apparatus for preventing loops in a full-duplex bus    (32 pages)

7,194,035  Method and apparatus for improved coding mode selection    (12 pages)

Type:  issued design patent

Patent number:  D537,817

Issue date:  March 6, 2007

Filing date:  June 19, 2006 (priority to December 23, 2004)

Link to PDF:    (4 pages)

AIPW Summary:  This is a design patent for the Mac mini enclosure. The front slot and the rear ports are not part of the design (that’s why they’re shown with dashed lines).

Type:  design patent

Patent number:  D537,074

Issue date:  February 20, 2007

Filing date:  March 28, 2006 (priority to August 26, 2004)

Link to PDF: (5 pages)

AIPW Summary: A design for a portable iPod dock connector with a lanyard (cord) threaded through the bottom of the connector. It looks more like a lanyard for an iPod Nano, but not the Lanyard Headphones.

Related case:  D527,723    (4 pages) – This design patent covers only the dock connector portion, without the lanyard.