Patents by Inventor Aaron Robert Allen

Aaron Robert Allen 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: 9432490
    Abstract: A portable electronic device (200), including a first housing (204), a second housing (202) slidably coupled to the first housing, the first housing and the second housing movable between a closed position, an open position and a transition position between the open position and the closed position, at least one input device (212), and at least one position sensor (230, 232) operable to detect whether the portable electronic device is in the open position, the closed position or the transition position. When the at least one position sensor detects the transition position, the at least one input device is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Rohit Krishna Koppal, Aaron Robert Allen, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Laura Ann Mahan, Michael George Langlois, Donald James Lindsay, Sean David Drew Wilson, Tomas Manuel Trujillo
  • Patent number: 9210240
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a portable electronic device that includes a base portion and a sliding portion. The sliding portion is adapted to be coupled to the base portion and slideable relative thereto between a closed position and an open position. The device also includes a flex connector coupled to the sliding portion, the flex connector having a connector end, a dynamic region, and an intermediate coupler between the connector end and the dynamic region. The device also includes a guide base slidably coupled to the sliding portion, the guide base being adapted to be mechanically coupled to the intermediate coupler so as to secure the flex connector to the guide base before the sliding portion is coupled to the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Shawn Glenfield Bernard, Patrick Yves Mas, Martin Earl Holman, IV, Felipe Alonso Varela
  • Publication number: 20150277384
    Abstract: An electronic watch is provided in which multiple features of the watch with each other in at least one other display thereof such that the features are integrated with the module, band, and/or clasp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Mankowski, Ryan Alexander Geris, Dietmar Frank Wennemer, Aaron Robert Allen, Timothy Herbert Kyowski
  • Patent number: 9110525
    Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus includes a first material, a second material joined to the first material such that the first material and the second material are substantially flat across an interface between the first material and the second material, and first touch sensors disposed continuously across the interface from the first material to the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventor: Aaron Robert Allen
  • Patent number: 9092057
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing, a touch-sensitive display exposed by a front of the housing, an actuator disposed between a back and the front of the housing and configured to move the touch-sensitive display and the front of the housing relative to the back when actuated, and functional components comprising memory and a processor coupled to the memory and the touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Felipe Alonso Varela, Aaron Robert Allen, Martin Earl Holman, IV
  • Patent number: 9020570
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a lower housing and an upper housing slidable relative to the lower housing between closed and open positions. The upper housing includes an auxiliary input device and a display. A primary flex connector electrically connects the lower and upper housings. At least one secondary flex connector may electrically connect the primary flex connector to the auxiliary input device or the display. The upper housing may include a cover plate that is removable to allow access to at least a portion of the flex connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Felipe Alonso Varela, Rohit Krishna Koppal, Shawn Glenfield Bernard
  • Patent number: 8937597
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device may include a housing and a display supported by the housing. The handheld electronic device may further include a slider element slidably mounted to housing. The slider element may be configured to move relative to the housing between a closed position and an open position. A keyboard may be coupled to slider element, and may move between a stowed position behind the display and a fully deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Jason Tyler Griffin, Timothy Herbert Kyowski
  • Patent number: 8862190
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a lower housing and an upper housing coupled to the lower housing and slidable relative thereto between closed and open positions. The upper housing includes a cover plate affixed to a rear of the upper housing. The cover plate may conceal at least one electrical connector housed in the upper housing, and may be removable to allow access to at least a portion of the at least one electrical connector. The cover plate may be configured to maintain the lower and upper housings in a generally uniform spaced apart relationship as the upper housing moves between the closed and open positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Felipe Alonso Varela, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Patrick Yves Mas
  • Patent number: 8833805
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprises a lower housing including a battery compartment. An upper housing is coupled to the lower housing and is slidable relative thereto in a first linear direction between a closed position and an open position. A battery cover is configured to engage the lower housing and move generally in the first linear direction relative to the lower housing from an unlatched position to a latched position in which the battery cover interlocks with the lower housing and encloses the battery compartment. The battery cover may comprise at least one of a post element or a beam element and the lower housing may comprise at least one of the other of the post element or the beam element. The post and beam elements are configured to interlock with one another when the battery cover is in the latched position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Paul Brian Koch, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Jean-Charles Mas
  • Patent number: 8803701
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a lower housing slidably coupled to an upper housing, the lower and upper housings being movable between a closed position and an open position, and a holster sized and shaped for holding the device in a holster position. The device also includes a first position sensor to detect proximity of at least one positioning object and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the first position sensor, a second position sensor to detect proximity of the at least one positioning object and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the second position sensor. The first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Rohit Krishna Koppal, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Aaron Robert Allen
  • Patent number: 8660622
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed at a roller assembly for a mobile communication device having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top and bottom portions slidably connected, the roller assembly comprising a slide plate; a guide plate including guide rails for receiving the slide plate; an actuator connected to the slide plate and the guide plate; a shuttle portion, located within the slide plate; and a cam portion for engaging with the shuttle portion, the cam portion including an intermediate detent portion; whereby when the slide plate is moved between open and closed potions, the slide plate can be stopped in an intermediate position by the intermediate detent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Martin Earl Holman, IV, Aaron Robert Allen, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Felipe Alonso Varela
  • Publication number: 20140045559
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a lower housing slidably coupled to an upper housing, the lower and upper housings being movable between a closed position and an open position, and a holster sized and shaped for holding the device in a holster position. The device also includes a first position sensor to detect proximity of at least one positioning object and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the first position sensor, a second position sensor to detect proximity of the at least one positioning object and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the second position sensor. The first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Rohit Krishna Koppal, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Aaron Robert Allen
  • Patent number: 8638556
    Abstract: In some aspects, a portable electronic device is provided having a slidable upper housing movable relative to a lower housing between an open position and a closed position, and a front bezel. The front bezel holds the components of the portable electronic device together and covers up at least some of the fasteners used to attach components of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Paul Brian Koch, Marko Antonio Escalante, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Sacha Benjamin Holland
  • Patent number: 8630686
    Abstract: A slide system for a mobile device including a base portion and a slide portion configured to slide in relation to the base portion, the system including: at least one base magnet provided to the base portion; a plurality of slide magnets provided to the slide portion and configured such that the plurality of slide magnets are aligned to the at least one base magnet at predetermined positions during movement of the slide portion relative to the base portion; and a magnetically active element provided to the slide portion in spatial relation to at least one of the plurality of slide magnets such that magnetic forces between the at least one of the plurality of slide magnets and the at least one base magnet are affected. In particular, the magnetic forces can be altered to provide an altered “feel” to the sliding movement by lowering repulsive forces and increasing attractive forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Martin Earl Holman, IV, Jason Tyler Griffin, Aaron Robert Allen, Martin Riddiford, Julia Allwright, James Fullalove
  • Publication number: 20140002371
    Abstract: A touch-sensitive apparatus includes a first material, a second material joined to the first material such that the first material and the second material are substantially flat across an interface between the first material and the second material, and first touch sensors disposed continuously across the interface from the first material to the second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: Aaron Robert ALLEN
  • Patent number: 8581739
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a lower housing slidably coupled to an upper housing, the lower and upper housings being movable between a closed position and an open position, and a holster sized and shaped for holding the device in a holster position. The device also includes a first position sensor to detect proximity of at least one positioning object and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the first position sensor, a second position sensor to detect proximity of the at least one positioning object and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the second position sensor. The first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Rohit Krishna Koppal, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Aaron Robert Allen
  • Publication number: 20130293474
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device may include a housing and a display supported by the housing. The handheld electronic device may further include a slider element slidably mounted to housing. The slider element may be configured to move relative to the housing between a closed position and an open position. A keyboard may be coupled to slider element, and may move between a stowed position behind the display and a fully deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Jason Tyler Griffin, Timothy Herbert Kyowski
  • Publication number: 20130084921
    Abstract: A portable electronic device (200), including a first housing (204), a second housing (202) slidably coupled to the first housing, the first housing and the second housing movable between a closed position, an open position and a transition position between the open position and the closed position, at least one input device (212), and at least one position sensor (230, 232) operable to detect whether the portable electronic device is in the open position, the closed position or the transition position. When the at least one position sensor detects the transition position, the at least one input device is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Rohit Krishna Koppal, Aaron Robert Allen, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Laura Ann Mahan, Michael George Langlois, Donald James Lindsay, Sean David Drew Wilson, Tomas Manuel Trujillo
  • Publication number: 20120314386
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a portable electronic device that includes a base portion and a sliding portion. The sliding portion is adapted to be coupled to the base portion and slideable relative thereto between a closed position and an open position. The device also includes a flex connector coupled to the sliding portion, the flex connector having a connector end, a dynamic region, and an intermediate coupler between the connector end and the dynamic region. The device also includes a guide base slidably coupled to the sliding portion, the guide base being adapted to be mechanically coupled to the intermediate coupler so as to secure the flex connector to the guide base before the sliding portion is coupled to the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Aaron Robert Allen, Shawn Glenfield Bernard, Patrick Yves Mas, Martin Earl Holman, IV, Felipe Alonso Varela
  • Patent number: 8326381
    Abstract: A mobile device is described herein in which the mobile device can have a base portion that can include a guide base and can also have a slider portion that can include a sliding plate. The slider portion can be slidably engaged with the base portion and can move relative to the base portion. The mobile device can also include a cover plate that can be slidably engaged with the guide base of the base portion and the sliding plate of the slider portion. In one arrangement, the cover plate can be configured to selectively cover a slot of the sliding plate. As an example, when the slider portion moves from a closed position to an open position, the cover plate can move in substantially the same direction as the slider portion due to a friction coefficient between the cover plate and the sliding plate being greater than a friction coefficient between the cover plate and the guide base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Martin Earl Holman, IV, Rohit Krishna Koppal, Felipe Alonso Varela, Aaron Robert Allen, James C. Infanti, Patrick Yves Mas