Patents by Inventor Patrick J. Au

Patrick J. Au 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).

  • Capacitive sensing for determining mass displacement and direction
    Patent number: 10345973
    Abstract: A capacitive sensing system for determining mass displacement and direction is disclosed. In an embodiment, a capacitive sensing system for sensing mass displacement and direction comprises: a mass; a periodic drive electrode pattern formed on or attached to the mass; a sensing electrode array positioned relative to the periodic electrode pattern, the sensing electrode array operable to sense a capacitance in an overlapping area between the periodic drive electrode pattern and the sensing electrode array; and a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to at least the sensing electrode array, the capacitive sensing circuit operable to generate a periodic signal based on the sensed capacitance, to determine a phase shift in the periodic signal in response to the periodic drive electrode pattern moving relative to the sensing electrode array, and to determine, based on the phase shift, a displacement and direction of the mass on a movement axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mengshu Huang, Patrick J. Au, Xingxing Cai, Yuta Kuboyama
  • CAPACITIVE SENSING FOR DETERMINING MASS DISPLACEMENT AND DIRECTION
    Publication number: 20180018038
    Abstract: A capacitive sensing system for determining mass displacement and direction is disclosed. In an embodiment, a capacitive sensing system for sensing mass displacement and direction comprises: a mass; a periodic drive electrode pattern formed on or attached to the mass; a sensing electrode array positioned relative to the periodic electrode pattern, the sensing electrode array operable to sense a capacitance in an overlapping area between the periodic drive electrode pattern and the sensing electrode array; and a capacitive sensing circuit coupled to at least the sensing electrode array, the capacitive sensing circuit operable to generate a periodic signal based on the sensed capacitance, to determine a phase shift in the periodic signal in response to the periodic drive electrode pattern moving relative to the sensing electrode array, and to determine, based on the phase shift, a displacement and direction of the mass on a movement axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mengshu Huang, Patrick J. Au, Xingxing Cai, Yuta Kuboyama