Apple has been granted six patents by the US Patent & Trademark Office. Following is a summary of each.

Patent number 8072471 involves processing cursor movements in a graphical user interface of a multimedia application. Per the patent, amethod for processing a selected item in a graphical user interface of a multimedia application is provided. The method includes receiving a hot key input that specifies a function that is to be applied to the selected item and displaying a set of control guidelines associated with the hot key input. The set of control guidelines indicates cursor movement inputs needed to specify particular aspects of the function.

A method for transforming a received cursor movement in a first coordinate system to a transformed cursor movement in a second coordinate system is provided. The received cursor movement specifies a particular manner (e.g., aspect and extent) of a function to be applied to an item in a workspace of a multimedia application. The first coordinate system displays a particular view of the workspace. The inventors are Mitchell Scott Middler and Peter Warner.

Patent number 8073324 involves a magnet array for coupling and aligning an accessory to an electronic device. In particular, some accessories such as optical filters and lens require specific alignment to operative properly.

Using a first magnet array positioned around the periphery of the interface and a second magnet array positioned within the accessory, a user can position an accessory on the electronic device and rotate the accessory until the magnets of each array exert a force on an opposing magnet of the other array. By distributing the magnets in a manner that includes no repeating segments, only a single alignment of the accessory relative to the interface can allow the magnet arrays to be properly in opposition. Richard Tsai is the inventor.

Patent number 8073248 is for the automatic detection of calibration charts in images. Per the patent, in one exemplary method, an image that includes an embedded color chart is located without the intervention of the user.

The embedded color chart is verified and used to create a color profile of the image. Furthermore, the orientation angle of the color chart is determined and the image orientation is fixed based on this angle. The inventors are Ralph T. Brunner and David Hayward.

Patent number 8073984 involves a communication protocol for use with portable electronic devices. Improved techniques for communicating between a portable electronic device and an accessory (or auxiliary) device are disclosed. The accessory device can augment or supplement the functionality or capabilities of the portable electronic device.

For example, in one embodiment, the accessory device can provide wireless communication capabilities to the portable electronic device. In one embodiment, the portable electronic device pertains to a portable media player and thus provide media data for storage, playback or transmission. In one embodiment, the accessory device is attachable to the portable electronic device. The inventors are Gregory Thomas Lydon and Scott Krueger.

Patent number 8073813 involve refresh and filter anchors. Per the patent, structured data on a device is synchronized with structured data on a host if the device and the host have a matching refresh anchor. Structured data on the device is additively synchronized with structured data on the host if the device and the host have different refresh anchors. Additive synchronization combines structured data from the device with structured data on the host without deleting structured data from the device or the host. Gordon J. Freedman is the inventor.

Patent number 8074172 is for a method, system and graphical user interface for providing word recommendations. One aspect of the invention involves a method that includes: in a first area of the touch screen, displaying a current character string being input by a user with the keyboard; in a second area of the touch screen, displaying the current character string or a portion thereof and a suggested replacement for the current character string; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement if the user activates a delimiter key on the keyboard; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement if the user performs a first gesture on the suggested replacement displayed in the second area; and keeping the current character string in the first area if the user performs a second gesture on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area. The inventors are Kenneth Kocienda and Bas Ording.

-- Dennis Sellers