Patents by Inventor Ann Torres

Ann Torres 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: 10288937
    Abstract: A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Hillman, Gregory L. Tice, William Sauway Law, Sean Bailey, Ann Torres, Efrain Alcorta, Perry Anderson
  • Patent number: 10254795
    Abstract: An attachable article or device, such as a wristband, includes a flexible electronic display disposed thereon in a manner that is bendable or conformable to a user's wrist or other curved surface, and that enables various images to be displayed on the electronic display in a manner that is easily viewable to the user. The article further includes a connection mechanism that releasably connects the two ends of the article together. The article can, in some cases, include two different sized tail segments. As the shorter tail segment of the article tends to be subjected to more stress over time, the article can be structured in a manner that mitigates the amount of stress to which the shorter tail segment is subjected to over time, while at the same time maintaining a maximum, viewable display area on the shorter tail and longer tail segments of the article, particularly when the shorter tail segment is curved to a greater degree (e.g., when curved around a user's wrist).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: FLEXTERRA, INC.
    Inventors: Hjalmar Edzer Ayco Huitema, Ann Torres
  • Publication number: 20160327987
    Abstract: An attachable article or device, such as a wristband, includes a flexible electronic display disposed thereon in a manner that is bendable or conformable to a user's wrist or other curved surface, and that enables various images to be displayed on the electronic display in a manner that is easily viewable to the user. The article further includes a connection mechanism that releasably connects the two ends of the article together. The article can, in some cases, include two different sized tail segments. As the shorter tail segment of the article tends to be subjected to more stress over time, the article can be structured in a manner that mitigates the amount of stress to which the shorter tail segment is subjected to over time, while at the same time maintaining a maximum, viewable display area on the shorter tail and longer tail segments of the article, particularly when the shorter tail segment is curved to a greater degree (e.g., when curved around a user's wrist).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Hjalmar Edzer Ayco Huitema, Ann Torres
  • Publication number: 20160231624
    Abstract: A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Michael D. Hillman, Gregory L. Tice, William Sauway Law, Sean Bailey, Ann Torres, Efrain Alcorta, Perry Anderson
  • Patent number: 9316863
    Abstract: A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Hillman, Gregory L. Tice, William Sauway Law, Sean Bailey, Ann Torres, Efrain Alcorta, Perry Anderson
  • Patent number: 9166402
    Abstract: ESD protection apparatus disclosed herein include an ESD trigger circuit to sense the occurrence of an ESD event and an ESD discharge device to provide a low impedance path to ground through which to discharge energy associated with the ESD pulse. Some embodiments also include a VDD turn-on clamp to prevent the ESD discharge device from switching to a conductive state during a VDD power-on event. Some embodiments further include a VDD glitch clamp to prevent a switching pulse triggered by a transient disruption in the VDD supply from propagating to the ESD discharge device and causing the ESD discharge device to conduct in the absence of an ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kyle Clifton Schulmeyer, Cynthia Ann Torres
  • Patent number: 8982517
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD)-triggered protection apparatus includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes an ESD trigger circuit to sense an ESD pulse and to generate a switching pulse responsive to the ESD pulse; a first ESD discharge device communicatively coupled to the ESD trigger circuit and responsive to the switching pulse to transfer a current generated by the ESD pulse to the ground rail; a control circuit that generates a control signal in response to the switching pulse. The second circuit includes at least one trigger cell buffer that is configured to receive the control signal and to control a second ESD discharge device such that the current generated by the ESD pulse is transferred to the ground rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Cynthia Ann Torres, Timothy Alan Rost, Senthil Kumar Sundaramoorthy, Victor James Nuss
  • Publication number: 20140198415
    Abstract: ESD protection apparatus disclosed herein include an ESD trigger circuit to sense the occurrence of an ESD event and an ESD discharge device to provide a low impedance path to ground through which to discharge energy associated with the ESD pulse. Some embodiments also include a VDD turn-on clamp to prevent the ESD discharge device from switching to a conductive state during a VDD power-on event. Some embodiments further include a VDD glitch clamp to prevent a switching pulse triggered by a transient disruption in the VDD supply from propagating to the ESD discharge device and causing the ESD discharge device to conduct in the absence of an ESD event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kyle Clifton Schulmeyer, Cynthia Ann Torres
  • Publication number: 20120120633
    Abstract: A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. HILLMAN, Gregory L. Tice, William Sauway Law, Sean Bailey, Ann Torres, Efrain Alcorta, Perry Anderson
  • Patent number: 8104911
    Abstract: A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Hillman, Gregory L. Tice, William Sauway Law, Sean Bailey, Ann Torres, Efrain Alcorta, Perry Anderson
  • Publication number: 20090135583
    Abstract: A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. HILLMAN, Gregory L. Tice, William Sauway Law, Sean Bailey, Ann Torres, Efrain Alcorta, Perry Anderson
  • Patent number: 6546745
    Abstract: A simple one-piece, flexible, lightweight and portable shade apparatus for an evaporative or “swamp” cooler that can collapse for transport or storage and does not require tools or equipment for installation whereby it does not blemish or deface the cooler unit or the attached dwelling in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Inventors: Mary Ann Torres, Deborah Dean Stalker
  • Publication number: 20030037558
    Abstract: A simple one-piece, flexible, lightweight and portable shade apparatus for an evaporative or “swamp” cooler that can collapse for transport or storage and does not require tools or equipment for installation whereby it does not blemish or deface the cooler unit or the attached dwelling in any way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Inventors: Mary Ann Torres, Deborah Dean Stalker
  • Patent number: 5946177
    Abstract: A circuit (100) ensures electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection during an ESD event. The ESD circuit (100) has a current shunting device (135), a RC trigger circuit (125) and a RC delay circuit (130). The shunting device (135) is connected between two IC power supply rails, and provides the primary current path for a positive ESD event referenced from one power supply rail (V.sub.DD 105) to the other (V.sub.ss 110). The trigger circuit (125) initially activates the shunting device into a low resistance conductive state in response to an ESD event. The RC delay circuit (130) serves to maintain the shunting device in the conductive state, initially produced by the trigger circuit (125), for the remaining duration of the ESD event. A large capacitor required to achieve the delay time in this RC circuit may be eliminated by utilizing the gate-to-body capacitance in the existing shunting device (135).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: James Wesley Miller, Cynthia Ann Torres, Troy L. Cooper