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ApplePatent applicationChips & hardwareInterest 4/10

Apple patents chip feature that shares system status with sleeping parts

Apple describes a hardware circuit that acts as a shared memory board for different parts of a device. It stores status updates from active components so that sleeping or inactive parts can check for changes when they wake up. The circuit can also send alerts to other parts when specific status information is updated.

Why it mattersThis internal design helps different parts of a device coordinate better, potentially improving efficiency by letting inactive components catch up on system changes without staying fully awake.

In the filing’s own words

Embodiments relate to a billboard circuit that stores context information received from various component circuits in an electronic device. The context information indicates an operating status of the corresponding component circuit, system or shared resources. The stored context information may be retrieved by one or more component circuits when events (e.g., turning on of a component circuit) are detected. By using the billboard circuit, a component circuit may detect changes in the operating status of other components circuits and configure or update its operations even when the changes occurred while the component circuit was asleep or disabled. The billboard circuit may monitor updating of the context information by the component circuit and initiate notification to other components circuits when certain entries of the context information is updated.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A coordination circuit, comprising: an interface circuit configured to receive context information from a first integrated circuit via a communication channel; a memory configured to store the context information; and a notification circuit configured to: detect an event that occurred in a second integrated circuit; in response to detection of the event, retrieve the context information from the memory; and transmit the context information to the second integrated circuit via the communication channel.

Facts

Company
Apple (APPLE INC.)
Official title
BILLBOARD FOR CONTEXT INFORMATION SHARING
Publication number
US20260268872A1
Application number
19662860
Filed
Apr 29, 2026
Published
Sep 10, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
20

Classified under

G09G 5/006 Physics & computingG06F 12/1458 Physics & computingG06F 13/4027 Physics & computingG06F 13/4221 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.