Patents by Inventor David W. Lum

David W. Lum has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190313172
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing characterized by a vertical longitudinal axis. A flexible substrate such as a flexible mesh substrate with component support regions coupled by flexible segments may be wrapped around the housing and the vertical axis. The housing may have surface regions with compound curvature. The flexible substrate may conform to the regions with compound curvature. A fabric spacer layer may be interposed between the flexible substrate and the housing. Electrical components such as input-output devices may be mounted to the component support regions. A display may be formed from an array of light-emitting devices that are mounted on respective component support regions. Light from the light-emitting devices may pass through the fabric spacer layer toward the housing and back out away from the housing. An outer fabric layer may cover the mesh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, Kathryn P. Crews, Tirshathah A. Hunter, Kathleen A. Bergeron, Mingjing Ha, Shubham A. Gandhi, Paul S. Drzaic, Yung-Yu Hsu, David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20190172399
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted device may have displays. The display may have regions of lower (L) and higher (M, H) resolution to reduce data bandwidth and power consumption for the display while preserving satisfactory image quality. Data lines may be shared by lower and higher resolution portions of a display or different portions of a display with different resolutions may be supplied with different numbers of data lines. Data line length may be varied in transition regions between lower resolution and higher resolution portions of a display to reduce visible discontinuities between the lower and higher resolution portions. The lower and higher resolution portions of the display may be dynamically adjusted using dynamically adjustable gate driver circuitry and dynamically adjustable data line driver circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Jason C. Sauers, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, David W. Lum, Chun-Yao Huang, Enkhamgalan Dorjgotov, Graham B. Myhre, Bennett S. Wilburn, Paolo Sacchetto, Shih Chang Chang, Wonjae Choi, Cheuk Chi Lo
  • Publication number: 20190088199
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a display having a reference array that includes a first pixel. The display also includes a first emission power supply coupled to the first pixel. The display further includes an active array having a second pixel. The display also includes a second emission power supply coupled to the second pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Sheng Zhang, Chengrui Le, Hopil Bae, Mahdi Farrokh Baroughi, David W. Lum, Adam Adjiwibawa, Chaohao Wang, Paolo Sacchetto, Wei H. Yao, Enkhamgalan Dorjgotov, Michael Slootsky, Giovanni Carbone, Derek K. Shaeffer, Henry C. Jen, Shingo Hatanaka, Hasan Akyol
  • Publication number: 20180350313
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Prasanna NAMBI, Jason N. GOMEZ, Fenghua ZHENG, Paolo SACCHETTO, Sandro H. PINTZ, Taesung KIM, Christopher P. TANN, Marc ALBRECHT, David W. LUM
  • Publication number: 20180337687
    Abstract: A display device may include rows of pixels that displays image data on a display, data lines coupled to the rows of pixels, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that outputs a ramp voltage signal including a data voltage to be depicted on a first pixel of the rows of pixels. The display device may also include a capacitor that receives the ramp voltage signal via the DAC and a circuit that sends a control signal to a circuit component that causes the DAC to couple to the capacitor via one of the data lines for a duration of time that comprises a first time when the ramp voltage signal is below the data voltage and a second time when the ramp voltage signal is approximately equal to the data voltage. The capacitor is coupled to the DAC when the ramp voltage signal is greater than zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Adam Adjiwibawa, David W. Lum, Wonjae Choi, Hynwoo Nho, Hopil Bae, Injae Hwang, Bryce T. Bradford, Jie Won Ryu, Hung Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 10056050
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Patent number: 9953613
    Abstract: Methods and devices employing circuitry for dynamically adjusting bandwidth control of a display interface are provided. The display interface or image content is dynamically adjusted to support both high-speed image data (e.g., 120 Hz image data) and lower-speed content (e.g., 60 Hz content). For example, in some embodiments, additional pixel pipelines and/or processing lanes may be activated during the rendering of high-speed image data, but not during the rendering of low-speed image data. Additionally or alternatively, high-speed image data, but not low-speed data, may be compressed to render high-speed content over an interface that supports only low-speed content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paolo Sacchetto, David W. Lum, Christopher P. Tann, Guy Cote, Chaohao Wang, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Patent number: 9678916
    Abstract: A method for simplifying the host-to-display subsystem communications and consolidating the non-volatile memory requirements into a PMIC (power management integrated circuit) is disclosed. Hardware and software resource reduction in both the client devices (located in the display subsystem) and the host System on a Chip (SOC) can be realized with a novel PMIC design. The novel PMIC design achieves the resource reduction by providing for the following features: (1) Single-point communication, (2) Single-point notification, (3) Client device status storage, (4) Client device initialization from PMIC non-volatile memory, and (5) Subsystem calibration retrieval from PMIC non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Lum, Thomas J. Wilson, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Fenghua Zheng
  • Publication number: 20170047027
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Prasanna NAMBI, Jason N. GOMEZ, Fenghua ZHENG, Paolo SACCHETTO, Sandro H. PINTZ, Taesung KIM, Christopher P. TANN, Marc ALBRECHT, David W. LUM
  • Patent number: 9501993
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20160275905
    Abstract: Methods and devices employing circuitry for dynamically adjusting bandwidth control of a display interface are provided. The display interface or image content is dynamically adjusted to support both high-speed image data (e.g., 120 Hz image data) and lower-speed content (e.g., 60 Hz content). For example, in some embodiments, additional pixel pipelines and/or processing lanes may be activated during the rendering of high-speed image data, but not during the rendering of low-speed image data. Additionally or alternatively, high-speed image data, but not low-speed data, may be compressed to render high-speed content over an interface that supports only low-speed content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Paolo Sacchetto, David W. Lum, Christopher P. Tann, Guy Cote, Chaohao Wang, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Patent number: 9318069
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Patent number: 9113511
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus that can be used to operate a display device in an energy efficient manner. The energy efficient display device can effectively and efficiently compensate for changes in ambient light incident at a display screen of the display device using an internal ambient light sensor to provide control signals to a backlight driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20150199292
    Abstract: A method for simplifying the host-to-display subsystem communications and consolidating the non-volatile memory requirements into a PMIC (power management integrated circuit) is disclosed. Hardware and software resource reduction in both the client devices (located in the display subsystem) and the host System on a Chip (SOC) can be realized with a novel PMIC design. The novel PMIC design achieves the resource reduction by providing for the following features: (1) Single-point communication, (2) Single-point notification, (3) Client device status storage, (4) Client device initialization from PMIC non-volatile memory, and (5) Subsystem calibration retrieval from PMIC non-volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: David W. Lum, Thomas J. Wilson, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Fenghua Zheng
  • Publication number: 20140198093
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20140198114
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20140198138
    Abstract: The disclosure describes procedures for dynamically employing a variable refresh rate at an LCD display of a consumer electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, or a music player device. In some configurations, the consumer electronic device can include a host system portion, having one or more processors and a display system portion, having a timing controller, a buffer circuit, a display driver, and a display panel. The display system can receive image data and image control data from a GPU of the host system, evaluate the received image control data to determine a reduced refresh rate (RRR) for employing at the display panel, and then transition to the RRR, whenever practicable, to conserve power. In some scenarios, the transition to the RRR can be a transition from a LRR of 50 hertz or above to a RRR of 40 hertz or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna Nambi, Jason N. Gomez, Fenghua Zheng, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz, Taesung Kim, Christopher P. Tann, Marc Albrecht, David W. Lum
  • Patent number: 8773451
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for adjusting the display characteristics of an electronic display, such as a computer or television display. The display is color corrected, e.g., at the factory, to measure its white point correction, gamma and gray tracking correction, and the gain correction over time as the display warms up. Moreover the white point correction and the gamma correction are performed on a per unit basis for each individual display to be manufactured. The resulting correction parameters are stored in memory or firmware associated with the display. Thereby when the display is in use, it performs compensation for white point, gray tracking and gain correction as the display warms up, each time it is powered up or when its thermal operation conditions change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Gheorghe Marcu, Wei Chen, David W. Lum, Jean-Jacques P. Drolet
  • Patent number: 8599589
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing power are described. In one embodiment of a method, a DC input voltage from an AC mains to DC converter, inputted to a DC to DC converter, is adjusted lower while maintaining substantially constant DC output voltage from the DC to DC converter in order to improve power efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Lum
  • Publication number: 20120313911
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus that can be used to operate a display device in an energy efficient manner. The energy efficient display device can effectively and efficiently compensate for changes in ambient light incident at a display screen of the display device using an internal ambient light sensor to provide control signals to a backlight driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: David W. LUM