Abstract: Systems and methods for sanitizing a fluid mixture dispensing system are disclosed. One system comprises at least one reservoir for storing a substance, a mixing area, and a controller. The controller is programmed to cause the system to execute a mixing cycle and a cleaning cycle. During the mixing cycle the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture. During the cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to sanitize the mixing area.

Abstract: A fluid mixture dispensing system using a membrane to seal multiple reservoirs is disclosed. The multiple reservoirs each contain a respective ingredient. The reservoirs are coupled to respective orifices in a plate. The respective ingredients are dispensable via the respective orifices. The membrane seals the respective orifices. The ingredients are dispensed into one or more channels formed between the membrane and the plate. In specific embodiments, the membrane is an integral part of a cartridge which contains the multiple reservoirs. In specific embodiments, the cartridge includes an inlet and an outlet. A solvent flows from the inlet to the outlet through the one or more channels, and the ingredients are dispensed into the solvent in the one or more channels.

Abstract: A fluid mixture dispensing system using a membrane to seal multiple reservoirs is disclosed. The multiple reservoirs each contain a respective ingredient. The reservoirs are coupled to respective orifices in a plate. The respective ingredients are dispensable via the respective orifices. The membrane seals the respective orifices. The ingredients are dispensed into one or more channels formed between the membrane and the plate. In specific embodiments, the membrane is an integral part of a cartridge which contains the multiple reservoirs. In specific embodiments, the cartridge includes an inlet and an outlet. A solvent flows from the inlet to the outlet through the one or more channels, and the ingredients are dispensed into the solvent in the one or more channels.

Abstract: Ingredient dispensing systems and methods are disclosed. A disclosed system includes an ingredient reservoir and an electromechanical valve configured so that, when the electromechanical valve is activated, an ingredient is dispensed from the ingredient reservoir. The disclosed system also includes a current sensor configured to measure a current draw of the electromechanical valve. The disclosed system also includes a controller programmed to sample the current draw from the current sensor and to detect a dispense error of the electromechanical valve based on the sampled current draw.

Abstract: Solvent cartridges for fluid mixture dispensing devices are disclosed. One disclosed solvent cartridge comprises a solvent chamber exposed to atmospheric pressure, a straw located in the solvent chamber and in air-tight fluid communication with a filter assembly along a line of air-tight fluid communication, a sealed device interface in air-tight fluid communication with the filter assembly along the line of air-tight fluid communication, and a filter located in the filter assembly. The filter is positioned across the line of air-tight fluid communication to filter solvent from the solvent chamber.

Abstract: Dual slot antennas are provided for portable electronic devices such as handheld electronic devices. A dual slot antenna may have an open slot that has an open end that is not encircled by conductive material and may have a closed slot in which each end is surrounded by conductor. The closed and open slots may have portions that run parallel to each other. The antenna may be fed using feed terminals that bridge the closed and open slots in the vicinity of the portions of the slots that run parallel to each other. The slots may have portions that are angled with respect to each other. An end portion of one of the slots may be bent and widened for impedance matching and broadened bandwidth. Other portions of the slots may also be angled with respect to their main longitudinal axes.

Abstract: An antenna may be formed from conductive regions that define a gap that is bridged by shunt inductors. The inductors may have equal inductances and may be located equidistant from each other to form a scatter-type antenna structure. The inductors may also have unequal inductances and may be located along the length of the gap with unequal inductor-to-inductor spacings, thereby creating a decreasing shunt inductance at increasing distances from a feed for the antenna. This type of antenna structure functions as a horn-type antenna. One or more scatter-type antenna structures may be cascaded to form a multiband antenna. Antenna gaps may be formed in conductive device housings.

Abstract: Antenna support structures and antennas are provided for wireless electronic devices such as portable electronic devices. Antenna resonating elements may be formed from conductive coatings on two-shot molded interconnect device dielectric antenna support structures. The conductive coatings may be formed from wet-plated copper or other conductive materials. The antenna support structure may have tabs that electrically connect antenna resonating elements to the case of a wireless electronic device that serves as an antenna ground plane. The antenna support structure may be curved about its longitudinal axis so that the antenna resonating elements on the support structure protrude upwards to enhance antenna performance. In a portable electronic device such as a portable computer, the antenna support structure may be mounted within a dielectric portion of the computer housing that is located between the display portion of the housing and the base of the housing.

Abstract: Electronic devices and antennas for electronic devices are provided. The antennas may have ground plane elements with dielectric-filled openings. The dielectric-filled openings may be configured to form one or more rectangular slots. The antennas may be fed using transmission lines having first and second conductors. The first conductor of a given transmission line may be coupled to the ground plane element on one side of the slots. The second conductor of the transmission line may be coupled to a planar conductive element. The planar conductive element may couple to the ground plane element on the other side of the slots. The slots may be separated by a portion of the ground plane element. The planar conductive element may bridge at least one of the slots and may overlap the portion of the ground plane element that separates the slots without electrically contacting that portion of the ground plane element.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a first conductive unit and a second conductive unit disposed such that a gap exists between the first component and the second component. The electronic device further includes one or more components disposed along the gap and configured to counteract one or more capacitance effects in the gap, wherein at least one of the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit represents a part of an antenna. By counteracting the capacitance effects in the gap, certain radiation attributes of the antenna, such as radiation efficiency, can be improved. The one or more components are also employed to counteract one or more capacitance effects in a slot of a conductive unit in an electronic device.

Abstract: Microslot antennas may be provided for electronic devices such as portable electronic devices. The microslot antennas may have dielectric-filled microslots that are formed in a ground plane element. The ground plane element may be formed from part of a conductive device housing. The microslots may be narrow enough that they are not readily noticeable to the naked eye. The microslots may have lengths that allow the microslot antenna to provide antenna coverage in one or more communications bands. A first group of the microslots may be used to provide coverage in a first communications band and a second group of the microslots may be used to provide coverage in a second communications band.

Abstract: Antenna support structures and antennas are provided for wireless electronic devices such as portable electronic devices. Antenna resonating elements may be formed from conductive coatings on two-shot molded interconnect device dielectric antenna support structures. The conductive coatings may be formed from wet-plated copper or other conductive materials. The antenna support structure may have tabs that electrically connect antenna resonating elements to the case of a wireless electronic device that serves as an antenna ground plane. The antenna support structure may be curved about its longitudinal axis so that the antenna resonating elements on the support structure protrude upwards to enhance antenna performance. In a portable electronic device such as a portable computer, the antenna support structure may be mounted within a dielectric portion of the computer housing that is located between the display portion of the housing and the base of the housing.

Abstract: Antenna support structures and antennas are provided for wireless electronic devices such as portable electronic devices. Antenna resonating elements may be formed from conductive coatings on two-shot molded interconnect device dielectric antenna support structures. The conductive coatings may be formed from wet-plated copper or other conductive materials. The antenna support structure may have tabs that electrically connect antenna resonating elements to the case of a wireless electronic device that serves as an antenna ground plane. The antenna support structure may be curved about its longitudinal axis so that the antenna resonating elements on the support structure protrude upwards to enhance antenna performance. In a portable electronic device such as a portable computer, the antenna support structure may be mounted within a dielectric portion of the computer housing that is located between the display portion of the housing and the base of the housing.

Abstract: An antenna may be formed from conductive regions that define a gap that is bridged by shunt inductors. The inductors may have equal inductances and may be located equidistant from each other to form a scatter-type antenna structure. The inductors may also have unequal inductances and may be located along the length of the gap with unequal inductor-to-inductor spacings, thereby creating a decreasing shunt inductance at increasing distances from a feed for the antenna. This type of antenna structure functions as a horn-type antenna. One or more scatter-type antenna structures may be cascaded to form a multiband antenna. Antenna gaps may be formed in conductive device housings.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a first conductive unit and a second conductive unit disposed such that a gap exists between the first component and the second component. The electronic device further includes one or more components disposed along the gap and configured to counteract one or more capacitance effects in the gap, wherein at least one of the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit represents a part of an antenna. By counteracting the capacitance effects in the gap, certain radiation attributes of the antenna, such as radiation efficiency, can be improved. The one or more components are also employed to counteract one or more capacitance effects in a slot of a conductive unit in an electronic device.

Abstract: Antenna window structures and antennas are provided for electronic devices. The electronic devices may be laptop computers or other devices that have conductive housings. Antenna windows can be formed from dielectric members. The dielectric members can have elastomeric properties. An antenna may be mounted inside a conductive housing beneath a dielectric member. The antenna can be formed from a parallel plate waveguide structure. The parallel plate waveguide structure may have a ground plate and a radiator plate and may have dielectric material between the ground and radiator plates. The ground plate can have a primary ground plate portion and a ground strip. The ground strip may reflect radio-frequency signals so that they travel through the dielectric member. The antenna may handle radio-frequency antenna signals in one or more communications bands. The radio-frequency antenna signals pass through the dielectric member.

Abstract: An antenna may be formed from conductive regions that define a gap that is bridged by shunt inductors. The inductors may have equal inductances and may be located equidistant from each other to form a scatter-type antenna structure. The inductors may also have unequal inductances and may be located along the length of the gap with unequal inductor-to-inductor spacings, thereby creating a decreasing shunt inductance at increasing distances from a feed for the antenna. This type of antenna structure functions as a horn-type antenna. One or more scatter-type antenna structures may be cascaded to form a multiband antenna. Antenna gaps may be formed in conductive device housings.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a first conductive unit and a second conductive unit disposed such that a gap exists between the first component and the second component. The electronic device further includes one or more components disposed along the gap and configured to counteract one or more capacitance effects in the gap, wherein at least one of the first conductive unit and the second conductive unit represents a part of an antenna. By counteracting the capacitance effects in the gap, certain radiation attributes of the antenna, such as radiation efficiency, can be improved. The one or more components are also employed to counteract one or more capacitance effects in a slot of a conductive unit in an electronic device.

Abstract: Antenna window structures and antennas are provided for electronic devices. The electronic devices may be laptop computers or other devices that have conductive housings. Antenna windows can be formed from dielectric members. The dielectric members can have elastomeric properties. An antenna may be mounted inside a conductive housing beneath a dielectric member. The antenna can be formed from a parallel plate waveguide structure. The parallel plate waveguide structure may have a ground plate and a radiator plate and may have dielectric material between the ground and radiator plates. The ground plate can have a primary ground plate portion and a ground strip. The ground strip may reflect radio-frequency signals so that they travel through the dielectric member. The antenna may handle radio-frequency antenna signals in one or more communications bands. The radio-frequency antenna signals pass through the dielectric member.

Abstract: Antenna window structures and antennas are provided for electronic devices. The electronic devices may be laptop computers or other devices that have conductive housings. Antenna windows can be formed from dielectric members. The dielectric members can have elastomeric properties. An antenna may be mounted inside a conductive housing beneath a dielectric member. The antenna can be formed from a parallel plate waveguide structure. The parallel plate waveguide structure may have a ground plate and a radiator plate and may have dielectric material between the ground and radiator plates. The ground plate can have a primary ground plate portion and a ground strip. The ground strip may reflect radio-frequency signals so that they travel through the dielectric member. The antenna may handle radio-frequency antenna signals in one or more communications bands. The radio-frequency antenna signals pass through the dielectric member.