Patents by Inventor Martin Melcher

Martin Melcher 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: 20220312614
    Abstract: An electronic device may have transparent housing structures such as walls formed of glass or sapphire. Housing structures such as transparent housing structures may have a colored coating. The colored coating may include an absorptive layer and a metal layer. The coating may exhibit a color that can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of the thin absorptive layer. A colored layer such as a layer of colored polymer may be incorporated into the colored coating to further adjust the color of the coating. The colored coating may be formed on an inner or outer housing structure surface. The surface may have a texture to provide the coating with a matte appearance. When formed on an outer surface, a diamond-like carbon layer may protect the colored coating. When formed on an inner surface, a passivation layer may be used to prevent oxidation of the metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Khadijeh Bayat, Yoshitaka Matsui, Naomi Sugawara, Daisuke Nozu, Xianwei Zhao, Avery P. Yuen, Martin Melcher, James R. Wilson, Di Fan
  • Publication number: 20220284715
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to sensing defects associated with a window. Furthermore, various embodiments relate to performing image processing to produce a corrected image of a scene based at least partly on data corresponding to the detected defects. In some examples, one or more lighting modules may be used to illuminate the window to facilitate detection of the defects by one or more sensor devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Clarisse Mazuir, Malcolm J. Northcott, Jack E. Graves, James R. Wilson, Christopher D. Jones, Martin Melcher
  • Patent number: 11432766
    Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
  • Patent number: 11426091
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a portable electronic device that includes a first housing component having an exterior-facing surface and an interior-facing surface; and a second housing component cooperating with the first housing component to define an interior volume. A seal fills an interface between the first and second housing components. Electrically conductive material that forms an electrically conductive pathway extends across portions of the interior and exterior-facing surfaces of the first housing component. The electrically conductive pathway is configured to transmit and/or receive signals or power between an exterior and interior of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam T. Clavelle, Martin Melcher
  • Publication number: 20220268967
    Abstract: An electronic device may be surrounded by an exterior region and may have an interior region. Electronic components may be mounted in the interior region. Housing walls such as housing walls formed from transparent layers of material may separate the interior region from the exterior region. A display may be visible through one of the transparent layers of material. A transparent layer of material may be coupled to housing structures in the device and may be formed of glass or glass-ceramic. The transparent layer may have two opposing chemically strengthened surface layers of different thicknesses. A coating may be formed on a thinner of the two opposing chemically strengthened surface layers. The coating may have an oleophobic outer coating layer, an antireflection layer, and an antiscratch layer. The antiscratch layer may have one or more compressively stressed dielectric layers and may have one or more corresponding graded composition layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Martin Melcher, Matthew S. Rogers, Ove Lyngnes, Que Anh S. Nguyen, Stephen C. Cool, Tyler R. Roschuk
  • Patent number: 11399442
    Abstract: An electronic device may have transparent housing structures such as walls formed of glass or sapphire. Housing structures such as transparent housing structures may have a colored coating. The colored coating may include an absorptive layer and a metal layer. The coating may exhibit a color that can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of the thin absorptive layer. A colored layer such as a layer of colored polymer may be incorporated into the colored coating to further adjust the color of the coating. The colored coating may be formed on an inner or outer housing structure surface. The surface may have a texture to provide the coating with a matte appearance. When formed on an outer surface, a diamond-like carbon layer may protect the colored coating. When formed on an inner surface, a passivation layer may be used to prevent oxidation of the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Khadijeh Bayat, Yoshitaka Matsui, Naomi Sugawara, Daisuke Nozu, Xianwei Zhao, Avery P. Yuen, Martin Melcher, James R. Wilson, Di Fan
  • Patent number: 11398359
    Abstract: Keycaps for keyboards that have transparent top portions have a set of layered components to define a top surface that provides key definition by curvature, texture, ridges, or other external structural features. Other portions of the keycaps define a glyph or support structure for the top layer. Features such as angle filters and partially reflective materials are implemented to improve the visibility, contrast, and reflectivity of the keycaps. Multiple methods are used to bend or otherwise modify rigid transparent materials such as glass in order to add surface features and to improve aesthetics of the keycaps of a keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Christopher D. Jones, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Martin Melcher, Matthew S. Rogers, Naoto Matsuyuki, Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque, Avianne Marie B. Tuano
  • Patent number: 11348345
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to sensing defects associated with a window. Furthermore, various embodiments relate to performing image processing to produce a corrected image of a scene based at least partly on data corresponding to the detected defects. In some examples, one or more lighting modules may be used to illuminate the window to facilitate detection of the defects by one or more sensor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Clarisse Mazuir, Malcolm J. Northcott, Jack E. Graves, James R. Wilson, Christopher D. Jones, Martin Melcher
  • Publication number: 20220151094
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing component that can define an interior surface and an exterior surface of the device, a metallic film deposited on the interior surface and extending at least partially onto the exterior surface, and a ceramic film deposited on the exterior surface and at least partially over a portion of the metallic film on the exterior surface. The ceramic film can be in electrical communication with a portion of the metallic film deposited on the interior surface to form an electrical pathway from the exterior surface to the interior surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Jiahui Liang, Anirban Das, Jungyup Kim, Martin Melcher, Srinivasan Varadharajan, Wolf Oetting
  • Patent number: 11272631
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing component that can define an interior surface and an exterior surface of the device, a metallic film deposited on the interior surface and extending at least partially onto the exterior surface, and a ceramic film deposited on the exterior surface and at least partially over a portion of the metallic film on the exterior surface. The ceramic film can be in electrical communication with a portion of the metallic film deposited on the interior surface to form an electrical pathway from the exterior surface to the interior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jiahui Liang, Anirban Das, Jungyup Kim, Martin Melcher, Srinivasan Varadharajan, Wolf Oetting
  • Patent number: 11237315
    Abstract: Light-control panels including layered optical components are described in this application. An example of a light-control panel includes first and second glazing layers and first and second switchable components extending between the first and second glazing layers. The light-control panel also includes a thermal coating extending between the first switchable component and the first glazing layer and a filter extending between the first and second switchable components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Kingman, Christopher D. Jones, James R. Wilson, Martin Melcher, Peter F. Masschelein
  • Patent number: 11186146
    Abstract: A laminated glazing includes a first glass layer, a second glass layer, an interlayer, and an optical coating layer. The interlayer is between the first glass layer and the second glass layer and has a first textured surface with a texture. The optical coating layer is between the interlayer and the second glass layer and includes an optical coating material. One or more of the texture or the optical coating material is different between an outer region and a central region of the laminated glazing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Kingman, Derek C. Scott, Christopher L. Porritt, Marcelo B. da Silveira Magalhaes, Martin Melcher, Peter F. Masschelein, Donald R. Monroe
  • Patent number: 11180005
    Abstract: A system such as a vehicle may have windows. A window may have a structural window layer such as a structural window layer formed from laminated glass layers. A thin chemically strengthened glass layer may be coupled to an inwardly facing surface of the structural window layer. A guest-host liquid crystal light modulator layer or other electrically adjustable optical component layer may be interposed between the chemically strengthened glass layer and the structural window layer. An infrared light-blocking coating may be formed on an inwardly facing surface of one of the pair of laminated glass layers. The inwardly facing surface of the thin chemically strengthened glass layer may be provided with a coating that includes a low emissivity layer to block heat and that serves as an antireflection coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter F. Masschelein, Martin Melcher, Derek C. Scott, David E. Kingman
  • Publication number: 20210286112
    Abstract: An electronic device may include conductive structures having a visible-light-reflecting coating. The coating may include a seed layer, transition layers, a neutral-color base layer, and an uppermost layer that forms a single-layer interference film. The neutral-color base layer may be opaque to visible light. The interference film may include silicon and may have an absorption coefficient between 0 and 1. The interference film may include, for example, CrSiCN or CrSiC. The composition of the interference film, the thickness of the interference film, and/or the composition of the base layer may be selected to provide the coating with a desired color in the visible spectrum (e.g., at blue or purple wavelengths). The color may be relatively stable even if the thickness of the coating varies across its area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Brian S. Tryon, Lijie Bao, Martin Melcher, Sonja R. Postak
  • Publication number: 20210204876
    Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
  • Patent number: 11002066
    Abstract: A system such as a vehicle system or building system may have an enclosing structure such as a wall that surrounds an interior region and separates the interior region from an exterior region. An occupant of the system may be located in the interior region. An adjustable window in the enclosing structure may be located between the interior and exterior regions. Control circuitry in the system may use an exterior sensor system in the exterior region to capture an image of the environment surrounding the system, to locate external objects such as light sources, and to make other measurements. User input can be gathered from the occupant of the system and the location of the occupant and inanimate objects in the interior region can be gathered using an interior sensor system. The control circuitry can adjust the window based on the gathered information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Wilson, Martin Melcher, Christopher D. Jones
  • Patent number: 10987054
    Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
  • Patent number: D924240
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik Geddes Pieter De Jong, Markus Diebel, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Martin Melcher, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Mikael Silvanto, Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer
  • Patent number: D939512
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik Geddes Pieter De Jong, Markus Diebel, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Martin Melcher, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Mikael Silvanto, Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer
  • Patent number: D962948
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik Geddes Pieter De Jong, Markus Diebel, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Martin Melcher, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Mikael Silvanto, Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer