Patents by Inventor Shawn R. Gettemy

Shawn R. Gettemy 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).

  • Patent number: 11650368
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display that displays an image. The image may be viewed through a display cover layer that overlaps the display. The display cover layer may include an optical coupling layer such as a coherent fiber bundle. A pixel expansion layer such as a diffractive layer may be incorporated between the optical coupling layer and a protective layer. The diffractive layer may create duplicate pixels to occupy otherwise non-light-emitting areas on the output surface of the display cover layer. The diffractive layer may also create duplicate pixels that overlap adjacent pixels to allow for brightness averaging. An adhesive layer or the protective layer may be used to form diffractive elements for the diffractive layer. An adhesive layer having a high index of refraction may be interposed between the optical coupling layer and the display panel to mitigate undesired reflections of ambient light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Qiao, David A. Doyle, James P. Landry, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Ming Xu, Paul C. Kelley, Shawn R. Gettemy, Tyler R. Kakuda, Ying-Chih Wang, Yue Cui
  • Patent number: 11402869
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing with a display. The display may be overlapped by an image transport layer such as a coherent fiber bundle or layer of Anderson localization material. The image transport layer may have an input surface that receives an image from the display and a corresponding output surface to which the image is transported. The input surface and output surface may have different shapes. During fabrication of the image transport layer, molding techniques, grinding and polishing techniques, and other processes are used to deform the image transport layer and the shape of the output surface. The area of peripheral portions of the output surface may expand relative to central portions. Optical uniformity across the output surface can be enhanced by maintaining uniformity in fiber core diameters and other attributes of the image transport layer across deformed and undeformed portions of the output surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth C. Porter, Yi Qiao, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Tyler R. Kakuda, Di Liu, Shawn R. Gettemy, Wei Lin, Shenglin Ye, Shubhaditya Majumdar, Christopher E. Glazowski, Paul C. Kelley, Michael J. Brown, Ian T. Clark, Salman Karbasi
  • Patent number: 10937987
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a flexible organic light-emitting diode display layer. The edge of the flexible display layer may be bent. The display may have pixels formed from organic light-emitting diodes having anodes characterized by anode surface normals. For pixels in some regions of the display such as the bent edge of the display, the display may be characterized by a display surface normal for a pixel that differs from an anode surface normal for the anode of the organic light-emitting diode of that pixel. By tilting the anodes in this way, color shifts due to off-axis viewing of the pixels in the bend edge of the display can be minimized. If desired, tilted anodes may have multiple areas with different tilts. Sets of pixels with different anode tilts or other characteristics that differ may be supplied with common pixel data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Meng-Huan Ho, Ming Xu, Rui Liu, Shawn R. Gettemy, Yi Qiao
  • Patent number: 9997578
    Abstract: An electronic device display may have a color filter layer, a thin-film-transistor layer, and a layer of liquid crystal material. The display may have a display cover layer such as a layer of glass or plastic. Adhesive may be used to attach the upper polarizer to the display cover layer. The thin-film transistor layer may have a substrate with upper and lower surfaces. Thin-film-transistor circuitry may be formed on the upper surface. A display driver integrated circuit may be mounted to the lower surface or a flexible printed circuit and may be coupled to the thin-film-transistor circuitry using wire bonding wires. Through vias that are formed through the thin-film-transistor layer substrate may be used in coupling the thin-film-transistor circuitry to the display driver integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Z. Zhong, Cheng Chen, Shih-Chang Chang, Victor H. Yin, Shawn R. Gettemy, Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 9977641
    Abstract: A display system is disclosed. The display system includes a processor. The display system also includes a first display device having a first display surface and receiving display data from the processor. The display system also includes a second displayed device having a display area smaller then the first display device and moveable over the surface of the first display device. The display system also includes a sensor in communication with the processor and communicating location data to the processor. The location data is representative of the relative location of the first display to the second display. Further still, the display system includes a program running on the processor and providing display data to the first and second display devices. The display data is provided to the second display device based on the location data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: William Robert Hanson, Shawn R. Gettemy, Sherridythe A. Fraser, Yoon Kean Wong, Mark W. Oliver
  • Patent number: 9939672
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing in which components are mounted that produce heat. The heat producing components may be light-emitting diodes mounted on a flexible printed circuit in a display backlight, may be integrated circuits, or may be other devices that generate heat during operation. A heat spreading layer such as a layer of graphite may be attached to the backlight unit or other structures in the electronic device using adhesive. The adhesive may be patterned to form an unbonded area between at least some of the backlight unit or other structures to which the heat spreading layer is being attached and the heat spreading layer. The heat spreading layer may be mounted adjacent to a housing structure such as a metal midplate member that is attached to housing walls in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler R. Kakuda, Shawn R. Gettemy, Mark T. Sullivan, Ihtesham H. Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 9658479
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with electrical components mounted in an electronic device housing. A display module may be attached to a display cover layer with a layer of adhesive to form a display module assembly. The display module assembly may include a display module assembly chassis. The display module assembly chassis may include a plastic display module assembly chassis molded over a metal display module assembly chassis. The display module assembly and a backlight unit may be assembled to form a display module that is installed within the electronic device housing or display module assembly layers and backlight unit structures may be assembled into the electronic device housing. The backlight unit may include a backlight unit chassis. A metal housing midplate may serve as part of the backlight unit chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua G. Wurzel, David A. Doyle, Shawn R. Gettemy, Wey-Jiun Lin
  • Publication number: 20170012095
    Abstract: An electronic device display may have a color filter layer, a thin-film-transistor layer, and a layer of liquid crystal material. The display may have a display cover layer such as a layer of glass or plastic. Adhesive may be used to attach the upper polarizer to the display cover layer. The thin-film transistor layer may have a substrate with upper and lower surfaces. Thin-film-transistor circuitry may be formed on the upper surface. A display driver integrated circuit may be mounted to the lower surface or a flexible printed circuit and may be coupled to the thin-film-transistor circuitry using wire bonding wires. Through vias that are formed through the thin-film-transistor layer substrate may be used in coupling the thin-film-transistor circuitry to the display driver integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: John Z. Zhong, Cheng Chen, Shih-Chang Chang, Victor H. Yin, Shawn R. Gettemy, Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 9489018
    Abstract: A proximity input detection system for an electronic device. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes an inductive field sensor to detect a change in a magnetic field when an input device with a coil is within a threshold distance. In another embodiment, the present invention utilizes a capacitive sensor which can locate the position of an electrically conductive object which is within a threshold distance. The capacitive sensor can also be used, for example, as a switch to activate the device if a user picks it up. The present invention allows user inputs to be detected without actually touching the electronic device. The present invention can also be used to detect inputs through intervening non-metallic layers such as a protective cover or another display of the device without using additional input sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Shawn R. Gettemy, Yoon Kean Wong
  • Patent number: 9454025
    Abstract: An electronic device display may have a color filter layer, a thin-film-transistor layer, and a layer of liquid crystal material. The display may have a display cover layer such as a layer of glass or plastic. Adhesive may be used to attach the upper polarizer to the display cover layer. The thin-film transistor layer may have a substrate with upper and lower surfaces. Thin-film-transistor circuitry may be formed on the upper surface. A display driver integrated circuit may be mounted to the lower surface or a flexible printed circuit and may be coupled to the thin-film-transistor circuitry using wire bonding wires. Through vias that are formed through the thin-film-transistor layer substrate may be used in coupling the thin-film-transistor circuitry to the display driver integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Z. Zhong, Cheng Chen, Shih-Chang Chang, Victor H. Yin, Shawn R. Gettemy, Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 9366899
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a liquid crystal display having a backlight and color mixing prevention structures. The color mixing prevention structures may, in part, be formed from one or more arrays of color filter elements. The liquid crystal display may include first and second transparent substrate layers on opposing sides of a liquid crystal layer. The display may include a first array of color filter elements on the first transparent substrate layer and a second array of color filter elements on the second transparent substrate layer. One or more of the arrays of color filter elements may include a black matrix formed over portions of the color filter elements. The color filter elements may fill or partially fill openings in the black matrix. The display may include a collimating layer on the second transparent substrate layer. The color filter elements may include cholesteric color filter elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Shawn R. Gettemy, Young Cheol Yang, Zhibing Ge, Cheng Chen
  • Publication number: 20160131830
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display. Backlight structures may be used to provide backlight for the display. The backlight structures may include a light guide plate. A rectangular ring-shaped chassis may have a rectangular opening that receives the light guide plate. One or more edges of the chassis may be provided with an array of notches that receive light-emitting diodes or other light sources. The light sources may launch light into edge portions of the light guide plate. The chassis may include a first plastic structure such as a light reflecting structure formed from a material such as white plastic. The first plastic structure may surround two or more peripheral edges of the light guide plate. The chassis may also include a second plastic structure such as a light blocking structure formed from a material such as black plastic that helps prevent light leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Shawn R. Gettemy, Joshua G. Wurzel, David A. Doyle, Alexander D. Schlaupitz
  • Patent number: 9244215
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display. Backlight structures may be used to provide backlight for the display. The backlight structures may include a light guide plate. A rectangular ring-shaped chassis may have a rectangular opening that receives the light guide plate. One or more edges of the chassis may be provided with an array of notches that receive light-emitting diodes or other light sources. The light sources may launch light into edge portions of the light guide plate. The chassis may include a first plastic structure such as a light reflecting structure formed from a material such as white plastic. The first plastic structure may surround two or more peripheral edges of the light guide plate. The chassis may also include a second plastic structure such as a light blocking structure formed from a material such as black plastic that helps prevent light leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn R. Gettemy, Joshua G. Wurzel, David A. Doyle, Alexander D. Schlaupitz
  • Patent number: 9239489
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display having backlight structures that include a light guide plate formed from a clear polymer film. The polymer film may have an edge into which light is emitted from an adjacent array of light-emitting diodes. The light emitting diodes may each include a semiconductor device that emits light. The semiconductor device in each diode may be mounted on lead frame structures and wirebonded to the lead frame structures with first and second wire bonds. To improve backlight homogeneity and thereby reduce the mixing distance for light in the light guide plate, the diodes may be spaced closely together using diode packages having end faces that are free of lead frame structures. Exposed lead frame structures for soldering the light-emitting diodes to a substrate may be formed under the light-emitting diodes and on rear surfaces of the light-emitting diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Doyle, Shawn R. Gettemy
  • Publication number: 20150362791
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing in which components are mounted that produce heat. The heat producing components may be light-emitting diodes mounted on a flexible printed circuit in a display backlight, may be integrated circuits, or may be other devices that generate heat during operation. A heat spreading layer such as a layer of graphite may be attached to the backlight unit or other structures in the electronic device using adhesive. The adhesive may be patterned to form an unbonded area between at least some of the backlight unit or other structures to which the heat spreading layer is being attached and the heat spreading layer. The heat spreading layer may be mounted adjacent to a housing structure such as a metal midplate member that is attached to housing walls in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Tyler R. Kakuda, Shawn R. Gettemy, Mark T. Sullivan, Ihtesham H. Chowdhury
  • Publication number: 20150227000
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a liquid crystal display having a backlight and color mixing prevention structures. The color mixing prevention structures may, in part, be formed from one or more arrays of color filter elements. The liquid crystal display may include first and second transparent substrate layers on opposing sides of a liquid crystal layer. The display may include a first array of color filter elements on the first transparent substrate layer and a second array of color filter elements on the second transparent substrate layer. One or more of the arrays of color filter elements may include a black matrix formed over portions of the color filter elements. The color filter elements may fill or partially fill openings in the black matrix. The display may include a collimating layer on the second transparent substrate layer. The color filter elements may include cholesteric color filter elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Shawn R. Gettemy, Young Cheol Yang, Zhibing Ge, Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 9058086
    Abstract: A portable computer system contained within a housing that comprises an electronic muscle material for performing a plurality of functions. The electronic muscle can be used to replace buttons or keys used in many PDAs. The movement of the electronic muscle material can charge the battery. When handled, the electronic muscle material can further detect the left- or right-handedness of the user and, based on the handedness, can generate function buttons or other alterations to accommodate the user's hand preference and finger placement. The electronic muscle can change shape to accommodate the user's hand for comfort and, further, as a security function to identify and authorize the user. Additionally, the electronic muscle material in the housing can be caused to vibrate at given frequencies so that it can generate an alarm and can function as a speaker or a dynamically directional microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Shawn R. Gettemy, Yoon Kean Wong
  • Patent number: 9025112
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a liquid crystal display having a backlight and color mixing prevention structures. The color mixing prevention structures may, in part, be formed from one or more arrays of color filter elements. The liquid crystal display may include first and second transparent substrate layers on opposing sides of a liquid crystal layer. The display may include a first array of color filter elements on the first transparent substrate layer and a second array of color filter elements on the second transparent substrate layer. One or more of the arrays of color filter elements may include a black matrix formed over portions of the color filter elements. The color filter elements may fill or partially fill openings in the black matrix. The display may include a collimating layer on the second transparent substrate layer. The color filter elements may include cholesteric color filter elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Shawn R. Gettemy, Young Cheol Yang, Zhibing Ge, Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 8836879
    Abstract: Displays such as liquid crystal displays may be provided with structures that minimize curtain mura. A display may have upper and lower polarizers. A color filter layer and a thin film transistor layer may be located between the upper and lower polarizers. A liquid crystal layer may be interposed between the color filter layer and the thin film transistor layer. A first optical film layer that includes a birefringent compensating layer may be located between the upper polarizer and the color filter layer. A second optical film layer that is devoid of birefringent compensating layers may be located between the thin film transistor layer and the lower polarizer. A grid of metal signal lines may be used to distribute signals to thin film transistors on the thin film transistor layer. A black mask may be interposed between the grid of signal lines and the thin film transistor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zhibing Ge, Diane L. Culbert, David A. Doyle, Jun Qi, Cheng Chen, Shawn R. Gettemy
  • Publication number: 20140211122
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with electrical components mounted in an electronic device housing. A display module may be attached to a display cover layer with a layer of adhesive to form a display module assembly. The display module assembly may include a display module assembly chassis. The display module assembly chassis may include a plastic display module assembly chassis molded over a metal display module assembly chassis. The display module assembly and a backlight unit may be assembled to form a display module that is installed within the electronic device housing or display module assembly layers and backlight unit structures may be assembled into the electronic device housing. The backlight unit may include a backlight unit chassis. A metal housing midplate may serve as part of the backlight unit chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua G. Wurzel, David A. Doyle, Shawn R. Gettemy, Wey-Jiun Lin