Apple Assigned Eight Patents

Cloud storage and synchronization of messages
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,742,732) developed by Lindeman, Kevin J., Morgan Hill, CA, Garcia, Roberto, Santa Clara, CA, Thirumalai, Gokul, Mountain View, CA, Aybes, Alexandre A., San Francisco, CA, Sarma, Bhaskar P., Santa Clara, CA, Herrnstadt, Ori, Los Altos Hills, CA, Pisolkar, Raghav V., Santa Clara, CA, Ford, Michael D., Menlo Park, CA, and Loh, Robert Y., Sunnyvale, CA, for “cloud storage and synchronization of messages.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A messaging system uses a cloud storage backup system for messages and a temporary storage for messages that are not deliverable to offline devices at the time that the messages are sent by one or more messaging servers. The messages are backed up through a synchronization process that transfers a batch of a plurality of messages rather than a single message or an entire database of messages. A conversation state can be synchronized first before synchronizing messages through the transfer of one or more batches of messages.”

The patent application was filed on February 22, 2018 (15/902,495).

Hybrid pulse/master-slave data latch
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,742,201) developed by Venugopal, Vivekanandan, San Jose, CA, Denduluri, Raghava Rao V., Cupertino, CA, Bhatia, Ajay, Saratoga, CA, Vats, Suparn, Fremont, CA, Balasubramanian, Suresh, Cupertino, CA, Venkatesh, Gopinath, San Jose, CA, and Wang, Teng, Cupertino, CA, for a “hybrid pulse/master-slave data latch.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus includes a control circuit configured to selectively activate, based on an operating mode signal, either a local clock signal or a pulse signal. The apparatus further includes a data storage circuit that is coupled to a data signal, the local clock signal, and the pulse signal. The data storage circuit may be configured to sample the data signal using the local clock signal during a first operating mode, and to sample the data signal using the pulse signal during a second operating mode.”

The patent application was filed on January 9, 2019 (16/243,954).

Tamper-proof storage using signatures based on threshold voltage distributions
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,740,476) developed by Shappir, Assaf, Ganey Tikva, Israel, and Sagron, Itay, Gedera, Israel, for a “tamper-proof storage using signatures based on threshold voltage distributions.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus includes an interface and storage circuitry. The interface is configured to communicate with a memory including multiple memory cells that store data as respective analog values. The memory is addressable using physical addresses. The storage circuitry is configured to perform a first read operation from a physical address, and determine a first sequence of analog values retrieved by the first read operation, to further perform a second read operation from the physical address, and determine a second sequence of analog values retrieved by the second read operation, to evaluate a variation between the first sequence and the second sequence, and to determine that an unauthorized re-programming to the physical address has occurred between the first read operation and the second read operation, in response to the evaluated variation exceeding a predefined variation level.”

The patent application was filed on April 10, 2019 (16/379,817).

Optimized management of file system metadata within SSDs
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,740,015) developed by Giampaolo, Dominic B., Lewinston, ME, for an “optimized management of file system metadata within solid state storage devices, (SSDs).“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”The embodiments set forth a technique for managing file nodes within a storage device. According to some embodiments, the method can include the steps of (1) receiving a transaction request that involves modifying a plurality of file nodes, (2) analyzing the plurality of file nodes against temporal transaction information to identify, among the plurality of file nodes, at least one group of file nodes that were previously modified in conjunction with at least one previously-executed transaction request, (3) modifying each file node in the at least one group of file nodes in accordance with the transaction request to establish a modified group of file nodes, (4) allocating, within the storage device, physical storage space for storing the modified group of file nodes, and (5) contiguously writing the modified group of file nodes into the allocated physical storage space.”

The patent application was filed on September 29, 2017 (15/720,320).

Storing and retrieving data from computing device
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,719,260) developed by Ari, Vinay, Hemmo, Guy D., Sunnyvale, CA, Puz, Nicholas K., Li, Lionel, Mountain View, CA, and Gallet, Bernard L., Los Altos, CA, for “techniques for storing and retrieving data from a computing device.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”The embodiments set forth a technique that enables the storage of data at a first data storage device. The technique includes, at the first data storage device, dividing the data to produce a first and second portion of the data, in which the first and second portions are associated with a computed exclusive or (XOR) value. Also, the technique includes deleting the second portion stored at the first data storage device, based at least in part on whether the computed XOR value is established. Also, the technique includes receiving a first replicated metadata, in which the first replicated metadata indicates a location of the second portion stored at the second data storage device. Furthermore, the technique includes communicating either the first portion or the second portion, to a remote computing device, based at least in part on the first replicated metadata.”

The patent application was filed on September 19, 2018 (16/136,187).

Multi-user storage volume encryption via secure enclave
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,691,837) developed by Martel, Pierre Olivier, Mountian View, CA, Mesh, Arthur, San Francisco, CA, and Benson, Wade, San Jose, CA, for a “multi-user storage volume encryption via secure enclave.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Embodiments described herein enable multi-user storage volume encryption via a secure enclave processor. One embodiment provides for a computing device comprising a first processor to execute a first operating system having one or more user accounts, a second processor to execute a second operating system, the second processor including a secure enclave, the secure enclave to receive a first encrypted key from the first processor and decrypt a volume encryption key via a key encryption key derived from the first encrypted key, the first encrypted key derived via the secure enclave without user-provided entropy, and a non-volatile memory controller to access encrypted data within non-volatile memory using the volume encryption key.”

The patent application was filed on December 6, 2017 (15/832,887).

Unified addressable memory
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,671,762) developed by Gulati, Manu, Saratoga, CA, Sokol, Jr., Joseph, Wilcox, Jeffrey R., San Jose, CA, Semeria, Bernard J., Palo Alto, CA, and Smith, Michael J., San Francisco, CA, for an “unified addressable memory.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, a system includes a non-volatile memory that may serve as both the main memory system and the backing store, or persistent storage). In some embodiments, the non-volatile memory is divided into a main memory portion and a persistent portion. Data in the main memory operation may be encrypted using one or more first keys, and data in the persistent portion may be encrypted using one or more second keys, in an embodiment. The volatile behavior of main memory may be implemented by discarding the one or more first keys in a power down event or other event that indicates a loss of main memory data, while the one or more second keys may be retained. In one embodiment, the physical address space of the non-volatile memory may be a mapping from a second physical address space that is used within the system.”

The patent application was filed on August 25, 2016 (15/748,893).

Elastic data storage
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,642,821) developed by Jadidi, Amir H., and Psenicnik, Rudolf, San Jose, CA, for an “elastic data storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing a database system that provides flexible organizational aspects while retaining the ability to process and respond to database queries in an efficient manner. In particular, the techniques involve utilizing characteristics of both entity-attribute-value (EAV) database technologies and relational database technologies to provide a hybrid approach that exploits a large number of their benefits while eliminating a large number of their deficiencies. According to some embodiments, the techniques can involve implementing at least one central storage repository, (configured to implement an EAV-style database), where the central storage repository provides information to at least one distributor to enable the establishment of at least one cached table, (implemented in accordance with relational-style databases) within at least one cached storage device. In turn, the cached storage device can process fetch-based queries issued by client computing devices in a highly efficient manner.”

The patent application was filed on March 17, 2017 (15/462,609).