Patents are a good information resource for obtaining IoT (Internet of Things) R&D status in a company. Even if Apple is active in the IoT business (it provides HomeKit home automation platform for helping developers to create new securely connected home automation devices in iOS, and thus, enables users to discover HomeKit accessories in their home and configure them, or create actions to control the devices), there are only a few patents that are directly related to the IoT specific R&D activities. On the other hand, Samsung was found to be very active in patenting of the IoT smart home R&D activities, and Cisco was found to be very active in patenting of the IoT smart grids networks R&D activities. Followings are some examples of patents that provide Apple IoT R&D status.

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Apple Internet of Things R&D Insights from Patents
Patents are a good information resource for obtaining IoT (Internet of Things) R&D status in a company. Even if
Apple is active in the IoT business (it provides HomeKit home automation platform for helping developers to
create new securely connected home automation devices in iOS, and thus, enables users to discover HomeKit
accessories in their home and configure them, or create actions to control the devices), there are only a few patents
that are directly related to the IoT specific R&D activities. On the other hand, Samsung was found to be very active
in patenting of the IoT smart home R&D activities, and Cisco was found to be very active in patenting of the IoT
smart grids networks R&D activities. Followings are some examples of patents that provide Apple IoT R&D status.
US20150072674 (Location-Based Device Automation; Apple) illustrates a system for location-based device
automation for some smart home applications. Smart home IoT devices (e.g., lights and appliances) associated
with a particular geographic location (e.g., room, office, building) can be automated based on a geographic location
of mobile devices. Automation of a device can include activating or deactivating the device, or adjusting the
settings of the device. For example, home lighting can be configured to activate or deactivate depending on a day
and time. Automation modes (e.g., a home mode, an away mode, or a vacation mode) can be used to adjust
automation settings for the devices. A particular automation mode can be selected to automate (e.g., adjust the
settings) the devices using the configured automation settings for the particular automation mode. An automation
setting can indicate a particular setting for the particular device (e.g., a thermostat setting, a volume level, or a light

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dimming setting). Automation modes can be personalized using the user profiles associated with the mobile device
at the specific geographic location to provide the personalized entertainment.

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Related Patents
US20150237470 (Personal Geofence; Apple)
Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for providing location-based services triggered by a
personal geofence are disclosed. A mobile device can determine that a venue located at a geographic location and
frequently visited by the mobile device in the past is associated with a particular item, service, or activity. Upon
receiving a query about the item, service, or activity, the mobile device can create a temporary geofence around the
venue. Using past behavior patterns and a current location, the mobile device can determine a condition to trigger
execution of an application program or display of certain content. The condition can be personalized to match a life
style of a user of the mobile device. Accordingly, trigging the execution of the application program or the display
of the content may be based on factors other than a distance between the mobile device and a point location.

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US20140203972 (PERSONAL ITEMS NETWORK, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS; Apple)
Abstract: A personal items network, comprising a plurality of items, each item having a wireless communications
port for coupling in network with every other item, each item having a processor for determining if any other item
in the network is no longer linked to the item, each item having an indicator for informing a user that an item has
left the network, wherein a user may locate lost items. A method for locating lost personal items, comprising:
linking at least two personal items together on a network; and depositing one or both of time and location
information in an unlost item when one of the items is lost out of network.

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US20150205623 (Device Configuration for Multiple Users Using Remote User Biometrics; Apple) illustrates a
system to provide a personalized entertainment experience for different users exploiting the biometrics (e.g.,
fingerprint). An electronic device receives data associated with the biometric detected by a sensor of a remote
control device. A profile for a user associated with the data is determined out of a number of possible profiles
based on the data. The electronic device is then configured in some ways according to the determined user profile.
Such configuration may include any way that the electronic device may be personalized and/or otherwise altered.
In this way, an electronic device may provide a personalized experience for a number of different users without
burdening and/or annoying the respective users.
Personalization of experiences may include providing access and/or not providing access to one or more files or
applications, altering the presentation of user interfaces, enabling and/or disabling software and/or hardware
components, altering the way that the user interfaces may be interacted with, modifying presentation settings,
altering the functionality of software and/or hardware components, organizing storage of files and/or applications,
configuring user authentication for content delivery and/or other services, and/or any other aspect of a user's
experience with the electronic device.