Patents by Inventor Florence W. Ow

Florence W. Ow 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: 20200089276
    Abstract: Electronic devices and accessory devices for electronic devices are described. In some instances, an accessory device includes a keyboard and a cover rotatable with respect to the keyboard. In some instances, an accessory device includes a back panel and a foldable cover rotatable with respect to the back panel. These accessory devices may include several magnetic elements designed to magnetically couple with, and retain, an electronic device without any additional mechanical or other interlocking devices. In this regard, the magnetic elements in the accessory devices provide an external magnetic field sufficiently strong enough to retain the electronic device, and can counter gravitational forces and/or the weight of the electronic device. However, some accessory devices include additional magnetic elements that provide an external magnetic field that repels magnetic elements in the electronic device. Also, the magnetic elements may also be used to hold different sections of the accessory device together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Hao ZHU, Yang ZHOU, Thomas R. MATZINGER, Guangtao ZHANG, Ming YU, Jaime G. CHAVEZ RUIZ GARZA, Florence W. OW, James A. STRYKER, Travis C. PEDLEY, Melody L. KUNA, Taylor Harrison GILBERT
  • Publication number: 20200073445
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display, a housing member at least partially surrounding the display and including a first segment defining a first portion of an exterior surface of the electronic device, a second segment defining a second portion of the exterior surface of the electronic device and configured to function as an antenna, and a bridge segment structurally and conductively coupling the first segment to the second segment. The electronic device may also include a molded element positioned between the first segment and the second segment and defining a third portion of the exterior surface of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Melody L. Kuna, Carlo Catalano, Lee B. Hamstra, Ross Errett, Devin Williams, Florence W. Ow, Alex Chung Lap Yeung, Carli Oster
  • Patent number: 10580556
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Patent number: 10579096
    Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to contact designs for electrically coupling electronic devices and electronic accessories. Some embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device including a housing, one or more magnets configured to align and removably couple the electronic accessory to the electronic device, and a contact area disposed at an external surface of the housing, the contact area including two or more spaced apart contacts. Each of the contacts includes a conductive contact surface positioned at the external surface of the housing, the contact surface configured to directly contact a corresponding contact of the electronic accessory when the electronic device is coupled to the electronic accessory, and an electrically-conductive via extending from the contact surface through the outer surface of housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Senem E. Emgin, Florence W. Ow
  • Publication number: 20200026359
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing haptic output on an electronic device. In some embodiments, the electronic device includes an actuator configured to move in a first direction. The electronic device also includes a substrate coupled to the actuator. When the actuator moves in the first direction, the substrate or a portion of the substrate, by virtue of being coupled to the actuator, moves in a second direction. In some implementations, the movement of the substrate is perpendicular to the movement of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Erik A. Uttermann, Kevin D. Gibbs, Dhaval Chandrakant Patel, Florence W. Ow, Derek W. Wright, Stephen R. McClure, Inna Lobel
  • Patent number: 10481691
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing haptic output on an electronic device. In some embodiments, the electronic device includes an actuator configured to move in a first direction. The electronic device also includes a substrate coupled to the actuator. When the actuator moves in the first direction, the substrate or a portion of the substrate, by virtue of being coupled to the actuator, moves in a second direction. In some implementations, the movement of the substrate is perpendicular to the movement of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erik A. Uttermann, Kevin D. Gibbs, Dhaval Chandrakant Patel, Florence W. Ow, Derek W. Wright, Stephen R. McClure, Inna Lobel
  • Publication number: 20190278349
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a receiving element that includes a ferromagnetic structure axially symmetrical around a central axis disposed along a length of the ferromagnetic structure. The ferromagnetic structure includes a groove region defining two end regions on opposing sides of the groove region, where the groove region has a smaller length than the two end regions. The receiving element also includes an inductor coil wound about the groove region of the ferromagnetic structure and in between the two end regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Blake R. Marshall, Florence W. Ow, Joel N. Ruscher, Liquan Tan, Aidan N. Zimmerman, Reza Nasiri Mahalati, Hao Zhu, Qigen Ji, Madhusudanan Keezhveedi Sampath, Nan Liu, Robert Scritzky, Gianpaolo Lisi
  • Publication number: 20190180898
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Publication number: 20190138073
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a receiving element that includes a ferromagnetic structure axially symmetrical around a central axis disposed along a length of the ferromagnetic structure. The ferromagnetic structure includes a groove region defining two end regions on opposing sides of the groove region, where the groove region has a smaller length than the two end regions. The receiving element also includes an inductor coil wound about the groove region of the ferromagnetic structure and in between the two end regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Blake R. Marshall, Florence W. Ow, Joel N. Ruscher, Liquan Tan, Aidan N. Zimmerman, Reza Nasiri Mahalati, Hao Zhu, Qigen Ji, Madhusudanan Keezhveedi Sampath, Nan Liu, Robert Scritzky, Gianpaolo Lisi
  • Publication number: 20190103715
    Abstract: Hybrid connectors that may transfer power and data with a variety of electronic devices having different types of connector interfaces, may consume a minimal amount of surface area, depth, and volume in an electronic device, and may be readily manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Reza Nasiri Mahalati, Blake R. Marshall, Liquan Tan, Florence W. Ow, Alex C. Yeung, John Raff, Robert Scritzky, Wei-Hsuan Chen, Eric S. Jol, Madhusudanan Keezhveedi Sampath, Nan Liu, Gianpaolo Lisi, YiBo Liu
  • Publication number: 20190103764
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a receiving element that includes a ferromagnetic structure axially symmetrical around a central axis disposed along a length of the ferromagnetic structure. The ferromagnetic structure includes a groove region defining two end regions on opposing sides of the groove region, where the groove region has a smaller length than the two end regions. The receiving element also includes an inductor coil wound about the groove region of the ferromagnetic structure and in between the two end regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Blake R. Marshall, Florence W. Ow, Joel N. Ruscher, Liquan Tan, Aidan N. Zimmerman, Reza Nasiri Mahalati, Hao Zhu, Qigen Ji, Madhusudanan Keezhveedi Sampath, Nan Liu, Robert Scritzky, Gianpaolo Lisi
  • Patent number: 10236106
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Publication number: 20180126704
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a three-dimensional glass feature. In one embodiment, the three-dimensional glass feature is a cavity formed on the inside portion of a cover glass of an electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Li Zhang, John Raff, Florence W. Ow, Guangtao Zhang, Soyoung Kim, Victor Luzzato, Dan Sargent
  • Publication number: 20180012691
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Patent number: 9773598
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Publication number: 20170125144
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Patent number: 9568954
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Publication number: 20160306423
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing haptic output on an electronic device. In some embodiments, the electronic device includes an actuator configured to move in a first direction. The electronic device also includes a substrate coupled to the actuator. When the actuator moves in the first direction, the substrate or a portion of the substrate, by virtue of being coupled to the actuator, moves in a second direction. In some implementations, the movement of the substrate is perpendicular to the movement of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Erik A. Uttermann, Kevin D. Gibbs, Dhaval Chandrakant Patel, Florence W. Ow, Derek W. Wright, Stephen R. McClure, Inna Lobel
  • Publication number: 20160209883
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner
  • Patent number: 9329630
    Abstract: A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lauder, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Daniel J. Coster, Christopher J. Stringer, Florence W. Ow, Jiang Ai, Jonathan P. Ive, Elvis M. Kibiti, John P. Ternus, Sean D. Lubner