Patents by Inventor Allen B. McKittrick

Allen B. McKittrick 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: 11469603
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for charging a stylus of an information handling system includes: receiving, by a stylus docking slot of a keyboard of the information handling system, the stylus, the keyboard communicably coupled to the information handling system; causing, by a plurality of keyboard magnets of the keyboard, a partial alignment of the stylus in relation to the stylus docking slot, the plurality of keyboard magnets attracting a plurality of stylus magnets of the stylus; causing, by an alignment nub of the keyboard, an alignment of one or more spring contacts of the stylus in relation to one or more charging contacts of the keyboard, the alignment nub configured to removably couple to a beveled recess of the stylus; and providing, by the one or more charging contacts, power to an energy storage unit of the stylus via the one or more spring contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Christopher Barnard, Deeder Aurongzeb
  • Patent number: 11435447
    Abstract: A portable information handling system integrates an infrared time of flight sensor to detect end user presence and absence. The portable information handling system has a portable housing with rotationally coupled housing portions so that the infrared time of flight sensor orientation relative to an end user changes its alignment axis based upon an expected end user position relative to the end user. An actuator interfaces with the infrared time of flight sensor to adjust its field of view based upon sensed housing position or configuration and adjusts end user presence/absence detection at actuation to change the orientation of the time of flight sensor, such as by resetting the sensor are re-aligning the scan field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Hamlin, Vivek Viswanathan Iyer, Timothy C. Shaw, Allen B. McKittrick
  • Patent number: 11435795
    Abstract: A cooling system comprises one or more hyperbaric fans and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield protecting selected components in a sealed chassis. The EMI shield comprises vents configured to allow airflow through the shield but prevent direct transmission of electromagnetic energy through the EMI shield. Airflow generated by a hyperbaric fan in the sealed chassis is able to flow through the vents to cool components surrounded by the EMI shield and the EMI shield prevents electromagnetic energy generated by some components from interfering with other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Qinghong He, Allen B. McKittrick, Changsoo Kim
  • Patent number: 11437967
    Abstract: An information handling system housing forms an audio chamber within which a speaker generates audible noise based upon audible information. An adaptive material, such as an electroactive polymer, is disposed at an opening formed in the audio chamber to selectively expand to increase the audio chamber size and contract to decrease the audio chamber size. An increased audio chamber volume enhances audible noise, such as music or audio associated with audiovisual content. A decrease audio chamber can improve airflow within the housing, such as during times of thermal stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Deeder M. Aurongzeb, Allen B. McKittrick, Weijong Sheu
  • Patent number: 11435235
    Abstract: A portable information handling system has dynamic foot disposed at a bottom surface of a housing that extends and retracts to adjust cooling airflow impedance at vents disposed at the bottom surface. The dynamic foot includes an actuator in an internal cavity having opposing ramp structures interfaced by a nickel titanium wire that changes phase when heated to move the ramp structures. In the example embodiment, a push-push lock engages and disengages the ramp structures at each activation of the nickel titanium wire so that an embedded controller controls foot extension and retraction by applying current to the nickel titanium wire that heats the wire based upon detection of predetermined thermal conditions in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Pomin Shih, Timothy C. Shaw
  • Patent number: 11428740
    Abstract: A battery charge state indicator presents an information handling system battery charge state with an illumination element at a housing side surface in response to end user proximity detected at both first and second capacitive sensor electrodes disposed at the side surface. The capacitive sensor electrodes are supported at a nonconductive material, such as a plastic palm rest covered by carbon fiber material, to provide a proximity detection path, and are grounded to an outer surface of the information handling system housing to reduce false detection induced by end user grasp of the information handling system housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ching Wei Chang, Jeffrey D. Kane, Allen B. McKittrick
  • Patent number: 11429164
    Abstract: A compact and mobile information handling system, such as a tablet, including a thermally-configured chassis having one or more fans and one or more inlets for directing air flow directly across components of the information handling system to cool such components by convection. Such fans may additionally direct air flow across a heat exchanger and/or heat pipe coupled to heat-producing components like a central processing unit and/or graphics processing unit. Components of the information handling system may be positioned on the thermally-configured chassis and used to efficiently direct the air flow throughout the chassis without requiring additional space. The inlets and outlets may be positioned on one or more sides of the information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Qinghong He
  • Publication number: 20220253113
    Abstract: A compact and mobile information handling system, such as a tablet, including a thermally-configured chassis having one or more fans and one or more inlets for directing air flow directly across components of the information handling system to cool such components by convection. Such fans may additionally direct air flow across a heat exchanger and/or heat pipe coupled to heat-producing components like a central processing unit and/or graphics processing unit. Components of the information handling system may be positioned on the thermally-configured chassis and used to efficiently direct the air flow throughout the chassis without requiring additional space. The inlets and outlets may be positioned on one or more sides of the information handling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Qinghong He
  • Patent number: 11335258
    Abstract: A zero bezel display formed from an organic light emitting diode film defines a viewing perimeter within an outer perimeter and supports control lines between the viewing perimeter and outer perimeter. A relief cut from each corner of the display film allows each side of the display film to fold to the rear of the display so that the viewing perimeter defines the viewable edge of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Deeder M. Aurongzeb
  • Publication number: 20220085780
    Abstract: An information handling system housing forms an audio chamber within which a speaker generates audible noise based upon audible information. An adaptive material, such as an electroactive polymer, is disposed at an opening formed in the audio chamber to selectively expand to increase the audio chamber size and contract to decrease the audio chamber size. An increased audio chamber volume enhances audible noise, such as music or audio associated with audiovisual content. A decrease audio chamber can improve airflow within the housing, such as during times of thermal stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Deeder M. Aurongzeb, Allen B. McKittrick, Weijong Sheu
  • Publication number: 20210343236
    Abstract: A zero bezel display formed from an organic light emitting diode film defines a viewing perimeter within an outer perimeter and supports control lines between the viewing perimeter and outer perimeter. A relief cut from each corner of the display film allows each side of the display film to fold to the rear of the display so that the viewing perimeter defines the viewable edge of the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Deeder M. Aurongzeb
  • Publication number: 20210318381
    Abstract: A battery charge state indicator presents an information handling system battery charge state with an illumination element at a housing side surface in response to end user proximity detected at both first and second capacitive sensor electrodes disposed at the side surface. The capacitive sensor electrodes are supported at a nonconductive material, such as a plastic palm rest covered by carbon fiber material, to provide a proximity detection path, and are grounded to an outer surface of the information handling system housing to reduce false detection induced by end user grasp of the information handling system housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ching Wei Chang, Jeffrey D. Kane, Allen B. McKittrick
  • Publication number: 20210318174
    Abstract: A portable information handling system has dynamic foot disposed at a bottom surface of a housing that extends and retracts to adjust cooling airflow impedance at vents disposed at the bottom surface. The dynamic foot includes an actuator in an internal cavity having opposing ramp structures interfaced by a nickel titanium wire that changes phase when heated to move the ramp structures. In the example embodiment, a push-push lock engages and disengages the ramp structures at each activation of the nickel titanium wire so that an embedded controller controls foot extension and retraction by applying current to the nickel titanium wire that heats the wire based upon detection of predetermined thermal conditions in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Pomin Shih, Timothy C. Shaw
  • Publication number: 20210240239
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling components and a chassis in a portable information handling system includes a pressure barrier that divides the chassis into a plurality of zones, an evacuative fan in a first zone to generate airflow across components to cool the components and a hyperbaric fan in a second zone to increase air pressure in the second zone. The pressure barrier may provide thermal isolation, acoustic dampening and electromagnetic insulation. A controller communicatively coupled to the fans can operate each fan independently to cool components for improved performance and maintain a surface temperature of the chassis below a temperature for user comfort.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Qinghong He, Travis Christian North, Allen B. McKittrick
  • Publication number: 20210109486
    Abstract: An information handling system manages operation of an infrared time of flight sensor to provide accurate and timely user presence and absence detection through monitoring of the time of flight distance detection for indications of object velocity that validates or invalidates a transition between the user presence and user absence states. An integrated sensor hub in a central processing unit stores distances received from the infrared time of flight sensor in a distance table in association with a time stamp of the distance measurement. During monitoring of distances received from the infrared time of flight sensor, if the integrated sensor hub detects a user absence or presence, validation of the transition is performed by analyzing the stored distances to determine a vector of velocity at the state transition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Hamlin, Vivek Viswanathan Iyer, Timothy C. Shaw, Allen B. McKittrick
  • Publication number: 20210109198
    Abstract: A portable information handling system integrates an infrared time of flight sensor to detect end user presence and absence. The portable information handling system has a portable housing with rotationally coupled housing portions so that the infrared time of flight sensor orientation relative to an end user changes its alignment axis based upon an expected end user position relative to the end user. An actuator interfaces with the infrared time of flight sensor to adjust its field of view based upon sensed housing position or configuration and adjusts end user presence/absence detection at actuation to change the orientation of the time of flight sensor, such as by resetting the sensor are re-aligning the scan field of view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Hamlin, Vivek Viswanathan Iyer, Timothy C. Shaw, Allen B. McKittrick
  • Publication number: 20210055767
    Abstract: A portable information handling system structure located between housing hinges along one side of the housing has first and second antenna disposed at opposing ends with a cooling fan between the first and second antenna and over the antenna structure to isolate the first and second antenna. In one embodiment, a parasitic element disposed between the first and second antenna and under the cooling fan has resonance tuned to isolate wireless signals of a frequency supported by the first and second antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ching Wei Chang, Suresh Ramasamy, Allen B. McKittrick, Jeffery D. Kane
  • Patent number: 10852782
    Abstract: A portable information handling system structure located between housing hinges along one side of the housing has first and second antenna disposed at opposing ends with a cooling fan between the first and second antenna and over the antenna structure to isolate the first and second antenna. In one embodiment, a parasitic element disposed between the first and second antenna and under the cooling fan has resonance tuned to isolate wireless signals of a frequency supported by the first and second antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Ching Wei Chang, Suresh Ramasamy, Allen B. McKittrick, Jeffery D. Kane
  • Patent number: 10819920
    Abstract: An information handling system transitions security settings and/or visual image presentations based upon a user absence or user presence state detected by an infrared time of flight sensor. An operating system service monitors the state detected by the infrared time of flight sensor and other context at the information handling system to selectively apply the user absence or user presence state at the information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Hamlin, Timothy C. Shaw, Vivek Viswanathan Iyer, Allen B. McKittrick
  • Patent number: 10698445
    Abstract: A portable information handling system battery pack couples plural flat battery cells to a frame in first and second planes having battery cells of the first plane aligned to extend past battery cells of the second plane in a cantilevered manner. In one embodiment, the battery pack integrates a battery management unit and a wireless charger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Allen B. McKittrick, Ernesto Ramirez, Jeffrey D. Kane, Richard Christopher Thompson