Patents by Inventor Alejandro Lara-Ascorra

Alejandro Lara-Ascorra 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: 11798462
    Abstract: Light emitting diode display panels with an open loop amplifier resulting in better brightness accuracy and matching between multiple light emitting diode strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mohammad J. Navabi-Shirazi, Ming Gu, Alejandro Lara Ascorra, James E. Brown
  • Publication number: 20220130327
    Abstract: Light emitting diode display panels with an open loop amplifier resulting in better brightness accuracy and matching between multiple light emitting diode strings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Mohammad J. Navabi-Shirazi, Ming Gu, Alejandro Lara Ascorra, James E. Brown
  • Publication number: 20220061135
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having a display. The display includes a channel of light emitting diodes (LEDs) having controllable brightness levels and control circuitry coupled to the channel of LEDs. The control circuitry provides a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal having a duty cycle to control the brightness levels. An adaptive headroom control circuitry is configured to sense a headroom voltage signal for the channel of LEDs and apply a first time period for blanking the headroom voltage signal during the first time period that is associated with a settling time for the headroom voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Ming Gu, Yanhui Xie, Jingdong Chen, Asif Hussain, Behzad Mohtashemi, Mohammad Jafar Navabi-Shirazi, Linda A. Kamas, Alejandro Lara Ascorra
  • Patent number: 10957500
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selective keyboard backlighting with reduced driver circuitry are provided. In one example embodiment, a method includes, inter alia, simultaneously controlling, with a control signal, an output of a first light emitting element that illuminates only one key of a plurality of keys of a keyboard and an output of a second light emitting element that illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys, and maintaining, with a current mirror circuit, uniformity between the output of the first light emitting element and the output of the second light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Qian Zhang, Thai Q. La
  • Patent number: 10728969
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to control circuitry for light-emitting diodes. The control circuitry may operate a light-emitting diode using a multi-peak pulse-width-modulation signal. The control circuitry may include a multi-stage driver having a relatively larger driver stage for providing a direct current through a light-emitting diode and a relatively smaller driver stage configured to cooperate with a pulse-width-modulation controller to pulse-width-modulate a current through the light-emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad J. Navabi-Shirazi, Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Asif Hussain, Ji Yeoul Ryoo, Jingdong Chen, Jun Qi, Manisha P. Pandya, Yanhui Xie
  • Publication number: 20190215924
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to control circuitry for light-emitting diodes. The control circuitry may operate a light-emitting diode using a multi-peak pulse-width-modulation signal. The control circuitry may include a multi-stage driver having a relatively larger driver stage for providing a direct current through a light-emitting diode and a relatively smaller driver stage configured to cooperate with a pulse-width-modulation controller to pulse-width-modulate a current through the light-emitting diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad J. Navabi-Shirazi, Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Asif Hussain, Ji Yeoul Ryoo, Jingdong Chen, Jun Qi, Manisha P. Pandya, Yanhui Xie
  • Patent number: 10237936
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to control circuitry for light-emitting diodes. The control circuitry may operate a light-emitting diode using a multi-peak pulse-width-modulation signal. The control circuitry may include a multi-stage driver having a relatively larger driver stage for providing a direct current through a light-emitting diode and a relatively smaller driver stage configured to cooperate with a pulse-width-modulation controller to pulse-width-modulate a current through the light-emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad J. Navabi-Shirazi, Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Asif Hussain, Ji Yeoul Ryoo, Jingdong Chen, Jun Qi, Manisha P. Pandya, Yanhui Xie
  • Publication number: 20190059136
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to control circuitry for light-emitting diodes. The control circuitry may operate a light-emitting diode using a multi-peak pulse-width-modulation signal. The control circuitry may include a multi-stage driver having a relatively larger driver stage for providing a direct current through a light-emitting diode and a relatively smaller driver stage configured to cooperate with a pulse-width-modulation controller to pulse-width-modulate a current through the light-emitting diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad J. NAVABI-SHIRAZI, Alejandro Lara ASCORRA, Asif HUSSAIN, Ji Yeoul RYOO, Jingdong CHEN, Jun QI, Manisha P. PANDYA, Yanhui XIE
  • Publication number: 20180019081
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selective keyboard backlighting with reduced driver circuitry are provided. In one example embodiment, a method includes, inter alia, simultaneously controlling, with a control signal, an output of a first light emitting element that illuminates only one key of a plurality of keys of a keyboard and an output of a second light emitting element that illuminates only one key of the plurality of keys, and maintaining, with a current mirror circuit, uniformity between the output of the first light emitting element and the output of the second light emitting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Qian Zhang, Thai Q. La
  • Publication number: 20150334799
    Abstract: This application relates to a dynamic lighting circuit for a keyboard of a computing device. The lighting circuit described herein includes several light emitting diode (LED) drivers having multiple channels for controlling multiple LEDs. The lighting circuit also includes an electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM) for storing configuration data for the LED drivers. Each LED is configured to individually illuminate a single key of the keyboard, allowing the lighting circuit to modify the brightness of each key without affecting the brightness of other keys. In this way, more lighting schemes are available for the keyboard, while also providing a thinner mechanical design for the keyboard. Lighting schemes can include illuminating a group or groups of keys at a different brightness level than other keys that are not contained in the group. Additionally, lighting schemes can include animations executed by varying the brightness levels of keys over a period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara ASCORRA, Adam I. PAPAMARCOS, Asif HUSSAIN, Mohammad J. NAVABI-SHIRAZI, Keith J. HENDREN, Thai Q. LA
  • Patent number: 9013113
    Abstract: One embodiment of a display backlight driver integrated circuit can be configured for operation in at least two different ways. A first method transfers data from an EEPROM to hardware registers prior to regular operation. A second method also transfers data from an EEPROM to registers. However, hardware registers can be overwritten with data accepted from a control bus, prior to regular operation. A keyboard driver IC can detect the presence or absence of a cable to an LED. If the cable is absent, the driver IC will not supply power for the LED. One embodiment of a keyboard and display backlight control system can be configured to allow substantially independent operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Eric G. Smith, Steven J. Sfarzo
  • Patent number: 8933643
    Abstract: One embodiment of a display backlight driver integrated circuit can be configured for operation in at least two different ways. A first method transfers data from an EEPROM to hardware registers prior to regular operation. A second method also transfers data from an EEPROM to registers. However, hardware registers can be overwritten with data accepted from a control bus, prior to regular operation. A keyboard driver IC can detect the presence or absence of a cable to an LED. If the cable is absent, the driver IC will not supply power for the LED. One embodiment of a keyboard and display backlight control system can be configured to allow substantially independent operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Shimon Elkayam, Asif Hussain, Brad Lee Patton, Steven J. Sfarzo, Eric G. Smith
  • Patent number: 8928246
    Abstract: One embodiment of a display backlight driver integrated circuit can be configured for operation in at least two different ways. A first method transfers data from an EEPROM to hardware registers prior to regular operation. A second method also transfers data from an EEPROM to registers. However, hardware registers can be overwritten with data accepted from a control bus, prior to regular operation. A keyboard driver IC can detect the presence or absence of a cable to an LED. If the cable is absent, the driver IC will not supply power for the LED. One embodiment of a keyboard and display backlight control system can be configured to allow substantially independent operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Brad Lee Patton, Shimon Elkayam
  • Patent number: 8681458
    Abstract: In one embodiment, and electro-static discharge detector is formed with a plurality of channels and is configured to detect a positive electro-static discharge and a negative electro-static discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Robb, David M. Heminger, Alejandro Lara-Ascorra
  • Publication number: 20130278170
    Abstract: One embodiment of a display backlight driver integrated circuit can be configured for operation in at least two different ways. A first method transfers data from an EEPROM to hardware registers prior to regular operation. A second method also transfers data from an EEPROM to registers. However, hardware registers can be overwritten with data accepted from a control bus, prior to regular operation. A keyboard driver IC can detect the presence or absence of a cable to an LED. If the cable is absent, the driver IC will not supply power for the LED. One embodiment of a keyboard and display backlight control system can be configured to allow substantially independent operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara ASCORRA, Brad Lee Patton, Shimon Elkayam
  • Publication number: 20130278171
    Abstract: One embodiment of a display backlight driver integrated circuit can be configured for operation in at least two different ways. A first method transfers data from an EEPROM to hardware registers prior to regular operation. A second method also transfers data from an EEPROM to registers. However, hardware registers can be overwritten with data accepted from a control bus, prior to regular operation. A keyboard driver IC can detect the presence or absence of a cable to an LED. If the cable is absent, the driver IC will not supply power for the LED. One embodiment of a keyboard and display backlight control system can be configured to allow substantially independent operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Shimon Elkayam, Asif Hussain, Brad Lee Patton, Steven J. Sfarzo, Eric G. Smith
  • Publication number: 20130278175
    Abstract: One embodiment of a display backlight driver integrated circuit can be configured for operation in at least two different ways. A first method transfers data from an EEPROM to hardware registers prior to regular operation. A second method also transfers data from an EEPROM to registers. However, hardware registers can be overwritten with data accepted from a control bus, prior to regular operation. A keyboard driver IC can detect the presence or absence of a cable to an LED. If the cable is absent, the driver IC will not supply power for the LED. One embodiment of a keyboard and display backlight control system can be configured to allow substantially independent operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara Ascorra, Eric G. Smith, Steven J. Sfarzo
  • Patent number: 7583034
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a vertical N-channel transistor is coupled in a high side configuration to control a current through an LED. A control circuit operates the vertical N-channel transistor to control a value of the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara-Ascorra, Stephen P. Robb, Alan R. Ball
  • Publication number: 20090052100
    Abstract: In one embodiment, and electro-static discharge detector is formed with a plurality of channels and is configured to detect a positive electro-static discharge and a negative electro-static discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Robb, David M. Heminger, Alejandro Lara-Ascorra
  • Publication number: 20080074364
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a vertical N-channel transistor is coupled in a high side configuration to control a current through an LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Alejandro Lara-Ascorra, Stephen P. Robb, Alan R. Ball