Apple has been granted several patents by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Following is a summary of each.

Patent number 20120026403 is for facilitating audio playback during display sleep mode. The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for managing power for a display. During operation, the system receives a video-blank command, which specifies that the display is to enter a video-blank mode wherein the display outputs a blank screen. In response to the video-blank command, the system causes the display to output a blank screen, and powers down display components associated with outputting a display signal to the display.

In some embodiments, the display additionally comprises audio components including an audio-output device, and powering down the display components involves maintaining an existing power state for the audio components, so that the audio components can continue to output an audio signal while the display components are powered down. The inventors are Maciej Maciesowicz, Maria A. Tovar and Simon M. Douglas.

Patent number 20120030653 is for an assumption-based compilation. Techniques for processing source code written in a traditionally interpreted language such as JavaScript, or another dynamic and/or interpreted language, are disclosed. In one example, compiled code associated with the source code is constructed and executed. An assumption on which a specific aspect of the compiled code is based (e.g., an optimization) is tested at a checkpoint of the compiled code.

A roll over to fallback code is performed if the test indicates the assumption is not true. The inventors are Victor Leonel Hernandez Porras, Christopher Arthur Lattner, Jai-Hong Chen, Eric Marshall Christopher, Roger Scott Hoover, Francois Jouaux, Robert John McCall, Thomas John O'Brien and Pratik Solanki.

Patent number 20120026202 involves interrupt-based notifications for display setting changes. The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that communicates a change in a display setting from a display to a host system for the display. During operation, the system determines at the display that the display setting has changed. Next, in response to the change, the system sends an interrupt from the display to the host system through a first interface, wherein the interrupt informs the host system that the display setting has changed.

After sending the interrupt to the host system, the system receives a request from the host system to obtain values for one or more display settings including the changed display setting. In response to the request, the system sends updated values for the one or more display settings to the host system. The inventors are Maciej Maciesowicz, Jack I. Fu and David W. Lum.

Patent number 20120030659 involves constructing a runtime state for inlined code. Techniques for processing computer code are disclosed. In one example, an indication that a computer code is to begin execution at a portion of code other than a starting portion of the code is received, and a runtime state associated with the portion of the code at which execution is to begin is constructed. In some examples, execution of the portion of code is initiated. In some examples, a program counter associated with the portion of the code is used to initiate execution of the code. In some examples, the computer code comprises a fallback code associated with a previously executing code. The inventors are Victor Leonel Hernandez Porras, Christopher Arthur Lattner, Jai-Hong Chen, Eric Marshall Christopher, Roger Scott Hoover, Francois Jouaux, Robert John McCall, Thomas John O'Brien, and Pratik Solanki.

Patent number 20120030661 is for observation and analysis based code optimization. Observation and analysis based optimization of software code is disclosed. An expected value is chosen for a dynamic attribute that cannot be determined, prior to execution of the associated software code, to be guaranteed to have that expected value at runtime. An optimized version of the software code is generated, including one or more optimizations based on an assumption that the dynamic attribute will have the expected value.

Non-exhaustive examples of a dynamic attribute include a variable type; a location in memory; a location in which a global object, property, or variable is stored; the contents of a global function or method; and a value of a global property or variable. A check is performed during execution of the optimized version of the software code, prior to executing the portion that has been optimized based on the assumption, to verify that the dynamic attribute has the expected value.

In the event that it is determined at runtime that the dynamic attribute does not have the expected value, execution reverts to backup code that is not based on the assumption that dynamic attribute will have the expected value. The inventors are Victor Leonel Hernandez Porras, Christopher Arthur Lattner, Jai-Hong Chen, Eric Marshall Christopher, Roger Scott Hoover, Francois Jouaux, Robert John McCall, Thomas John O'Brien, and Pratik Solanki.