Patents by Inventor Zhigang Dang

Zhigang Dang 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: 20240107229
    Abstract: A smart speaker power controller may be configured to receive power conforming to one of a plurality of power modes from an input power source. The power controller may be further configured to communicate the power mode to at least one component of a processing system or at least one component of an audio system for operating the smart speaker according to the received power mode, including determining a current limit of a power converter; determining a shutdown voltage threshold and safely shutting down the smart speaker if the input voltage falls below the threshold, and/or modifying audio operation of the smart speaker in response to the power mode. The smart speaker can further include an audio power supply controller configured to monitor energy required to reproduce an audio signal and to servo a power supply voltage provided to an audio amplifier in response to this energy level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Daniel Naito, Evan Thompson, Peter Poon, Manasi Lagare, Michael Nussbaum, David Sumberg
  • Patent number: 11910171
    Abstract: A smart speaker power controller may be configured to receive power conforming to one of a plurality of power modes from an input power source. The power controller may be further configured to communicate the power mode to at least one component of a processing system or at least one component of an audio system for operating the smart speaker according to the received power mode, including determining a current limit of a power converter; determining a shutdown voltage threshold and safely shutting down the smart speaker if the input voltage falls below the threshold, and/or modifying audio operation of the smart speaker in response to the power mode. The smart speaker can further include an audio power supply controller configured to monitor energy required to reproduce an audio signal and to servo a power supply voltage provided to an audio amplifier in response to this energy level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Daniel Naito, Evan Thompson, Peter Poon, Manasi Lagare, Michael Nussbaum, David Sumberg
  • Publication number: 20220078548
    Abstract: A smart speaker power controller may be configured to receive power conforming to one of a plurality of power modes from an input power source. The power controller may be further configured to communicate the power mode to at least one component of a processing system or at least one component of an audio system for operating the smart speaker according to the received power mode, including determining a current limit of a power converter; determining a shutdown voltage threshold and safely shutting down the smart speaker if the input voltage falls below the threshold, and/or modifying audio operation of the smart speaker in response to the power mode. The smart speaker can further include an audio power supply controller configured to monitor energy required to reproduce an audio signal and to servo a power supply voltage provided to an audio amplifier in response to this energy level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Daniel Naito, Evan Thompson, Peter Poon, Manasi Lagare, Michael Nussbaum, David Sumberg
  • Patent number: 11102566
    Abstract: A case for a pair of earbuds including a housing having first and second cavities formed within the housing, the first cavity configured to receive a first earbud in the pair of earbuds and the second cavity configured to receive a second earbud in the pair of earbuds; a lid attached to the housing; a first pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the first cavity; a second pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the second cavity; and charging circuitry coupled to the first and second pairs of electrodes, the charging circuitry including a high frequency inverter configured to receive a DC power signal and output a high frequency AC signal to each of the first and second pairs of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Michael B. Nussbaum
  • Publication number: 20200351580
    Abstract: A case for a pair of earbuds including a housing having first and second cavities formed within the housing, the first cavity configured to receive a first earbud in the pair of earbuds and the second cavity configured to receive a second earbud in the pair of earbuds; a lid attached to the housing; a first pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the first cavity; a second pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the second cavity; and charging circuitry coupled to the first and second pairs of electrodes, the charging circuitry including a high frequency inverter configured to receive a DC power signal and output a high frequency AC signal to each of the first and second pairs of electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Michael B. Nussbaum
  • Patent number: 10750268
    Abstract: A case for a pair of earbuds including a housing having first and second cavities formed within the housing, the first cavity configured to receive a first earbud in the pair of earbuds and the second cavity configured to receive a second earbud in the pair of earbuds; a lid attached to the housing; a first pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the first cavity; a second pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the second cavity; and charging circuitry coupled to the first and second pairs of electrodes, the charging circuitry including a high frequency inverter configured to receive a DC power signal and output a high frequency AC signal to each of the first and second pairs of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Michael B. Nussbaum
  • Publication number: 20200068285
    Abstract: A case for a pair of earbuds including a housing having first and second cavities formed within the housing, the first cavity configured to receive a first earbud in the pair of earbuds and the second cavity configured to receive a second earbud in the pair of earbuds; a lid attached to the housing; a first pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the first cavity; a second pair of electrodes positioned within the housing adjacent to the second cavity; and charging circuitry coupled to the first and second pairs of electrodes, the charging circuitry including a high frequency inverter configured to receive a DC power signal and output a high frequency AC signal to each of the first and second pairs of electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Zhigang Dang, Michael B. Nussbaum