Patents by Inventor Blake M Coughenour
Blake M Coughenour 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).
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Publication number: 20230314891Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2023Publication date: October 5, 2023Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Publication number: 20230299564Abstract: A mobile device includes a camera and a light source module embedded in the mobile device. The light source module includes at least a laser-pumped phosphor light source that includes a photoluminescent phosphor and a laser diode to generate laser light within a first wavelength range to pump the photoluminescent phosphor. Exposure of the photoluminescent phosphor to the laser light results in emission of visible light within a second wavelength range according to a laser-pumped emission spectrum associated with the photoluminescent phosphor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2023Publication date: September 21, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Angelo M. Alaimo, Richard L. Baer, Garam Young, Florian R. Fournier, Blake M. Coughenour, Bryan Dang
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Patent number: 11740527Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Publication number: 20230239558Abstract: A portable electronic device may include an enclosure including a front cover defining a front exterior surface of the portable electronic device and a rear cover defining a rear exterior surface of the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device may further include a rear-facing camera and a rear-facing flash including a light emitting component defining a plurality of illuminable regions. The light emitting component may be configured to illuminate a first subset of the plurality of illuminable regions to illuminate a first field of view and illuminate a second subset of the plurality of illuminable regions, the second subset different from the first subset, to illuminate a second field of view different from the first field of view.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2022Publication date: July 27, 2023Inventors: Matthew D. Hill, Michael W. Firka, Nicholas D. Rath, Douglas G. Fournier, Matthew P. Rao, Benjamin J. Pope, James A. Bertin, David A. Hurrell, Jonathan Gomez Garcia, Blake M. Coughenour, Angelo M. Alaimo, Jeremy D. Bataillou
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Patent number: 11658465Abstract: A mobile device includes a camera and a light source module embedded in the mobile device. The light source module includes at least a laser-pumped phosphor light source that includes a photoluminescent phosphor and a laser diode to generate laser light within a first wavelength range to pump the photoluminescent phosphor. Exposure of the photoluminescent phosphor to the laser light results in emission of visible light within a second wavelength range according to a laser-pumped emission spectrum associated with the photoluminescent phosphor.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2020Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Angelo M. Alaimo, Richard L. Baer, Garam Young, Florian R. Fournier, Blake M. Coughenour, Bryan Dang
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Publication number: 20230086557Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include adaptive light source modules that can provide adaptive illumination to a scene. The adaptive light source modules may comprise a housing, an emitter array, and a lens. The emitter array comprises a plurality of emitters. The lens may redirect light emitted from the emitter array through a transparent window of the housing. The housing may further include a prismatic surface that distorts light emitted from the emitter array and/or one or more non-transparent portions that limits light travelling therethrough. The adaptive light source module may optionally comprise a light sensor, and a portion of the lens may be configured to direct light toward the light sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Angelo M. Alaimo, Blake M. Coughenour, Bryan Dang, Florian R. Fournier, Katherine J. Armstrong
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Publication number: 20220404663Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Publication number: 20220381419Abstract: A strobe module can include a Fresnel lens that defines an external surface of the strobe module and a sidewall at least partially defining an internal volume and defining an external channel. A gasket can be disposed in the external channel. A substrate can be coupled to the sidewall to further define the internal volume and a light source can be disposed on the substrate in the internal volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Garrett R. Owoc, Stoyan P. Hristov, Jason B. Neevel, Ian A. Spraggs, Daniel W. Jarvis, David A. Pakula, Mikael S. Wagner, Blake M. Coughenour, Gikku J. George
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Patent number: 11467472Abstract: A Fresnel lens includes multiple different zones. At least one of the zones may be an asymmetric zone that is radially asymmetric. The asymmetric zone may redirect light received from a light source located within a focal length of the Fresnel lens to a portion of a field of view of an image sensor. In some embodiments, multiple asymmetric zones may be implemented within the same Fresnel lens, which may have different radial asymmetry.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Blake M. Coughenour
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Patent number: 11460746Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Patent number: 11435044Abstract: A strobe module can include a Fresnel lens that defines an external surface of the strobe module and a sidewall at least partially defining an internal volume and defining an external channel. A gasket can be disposed in the external channel. A substrate can be coupled to the sidewall to further define the internal volume and a light source can be disposed on the substrate in the internal volume.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Garrett R. Owoc, Stoyan P. Hristov, Jason B. Neevel, Ian A. Spraggs, Daniel W. Jarvis, David A. Pakula, Mikael S. Wagner, Blake M. Coughenour, Gikku J. George
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Publication number: 20210191233Abstract: A light source module includes an illumination element and an adjustable light diffusing material. The light source module is configured to receive or generate a control signal for adjusting diffusion of light emitted from the light source module and accordingly adjust an amount of diffusion of light emitted from the light source module. In some embodiments, an adjustable light diffusing material includes a polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (PSCT), a smectic phase liquid crystal, a polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC), or other suitable material. A controller for a light source module may determine a level of diffusion based on a level of inclusion of a wide-angle field of view of a wide-angle lens system or a telephoto field of view of a telephoto lens system in a composite camera field of view that includes a combination of the wide angle field of view and the telephoto field of view.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2021Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Blake M. Coughenour, Hossein Nemati, Florian R. Fournier
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Publication number: 20210096417Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2020Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Publication number: 20210071837Abstract: A strobe module can include a Fresnel lens that defines an external surface of the strobe module and a sidewall at least partially defining an internal volume and defining an external channel. A gasket can be disposed in the external channel. A substrate can be coupled to the sidewall to further define the internal volume and a light source can be disposed on the substrate in the internal volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2019Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Garrett R. Owoc, Stoyan P. Hristov, Jason B. Neevel, Ian A. Spraggs, Daniel W. Jarvis, David A. Pakula, Mikael S. Wagner, Blake M. Coughenour, Gikku J. George
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Patent number: 10942423Abstract: A light source module includes an illumination element and an adjustable light diffusing material. The light source module is configured to receive or generate a control signal for adjusting diffusion of light emitted from the light source module and accordingly adjust an amount of diffusion of light emitted from the light source module. In some embodiments, an adjustable light diffusing material includes a polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (PSCT), a smectic phase liquid crystal, a polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC), or other suitable material. A controller for a light source module may determine a level of diffusion based on a level of inclusion of a wide-angle field of view of a wide-angle lens system or a telephoto field of view of a telephoto lens system in a composite camera field of view that includes a combination of the wide angle field of view and the telephoto field of view.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2018Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Blake M. Coughenour, Hossein Nemati, Florian R. Fournier
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Patent number: 10942412Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2020Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Publication number: 20200201103Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2020Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Patent number: 10690986Abstract: An electronic device has an electrically adjustable shutter. The shutter may be placed in a transparent state or a nontransparent state. The shutter may overlap a portion of a display, may overlap a liquid contact indictor or a structure with text in a device, or may overlap an optical component such as an optical proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, visible light-emitting diode or laser, infrared light-emitting diode or laser, visible light image sensor, or infrared light image sensor. Control circuitry in the electronic device may place the shutter in an opaque state to hide an overlapped component from view or may place the shutter in a transparent state to allow the overlapped component to transmit or receive light. The adjustable shutter may exhibit changes in its transmission spectrum in different modes of operation and may be used as a camera filter or neutral density filter.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael W. Firka, Ashley E. Fletcher, Benjamin J. Pope, Lee E. Hooton, Scott A. Myers, Benjamin Shane Bustle, Garam Young, Blake M. Coughenour
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Publication number: 20200166824Abstract: A Fresnel lens includes multiple different zones. At least one of the zones may be an asymmetric zone that is radially asymmetric. The asymmetric zone may redirect light received from a light source located within a focal length of the Fresnel lens to a portion of a field of view of an image sensor. In some embodiments, multiple asymmetric zones may be implemented within the same Fresnel lens, which may have different radial asymmetry.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2020Publication date: May 28, 2020Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventor: Blake M. Coughenour
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Patent number: 10578949Abstract: A Fresnel lens includes multiple different zones. At least one of the zones may be an asymmetric zone that is radially asymmetric. The asymmetric zone may redirect light received from a light source located within a focal length of the Fresnel lens to a portion of a field of view of an image sensor. In some embodiments, multiple asymmetric zones may be implemented within the same Fresnel lens, which may have different radial asymmetry.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2018Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Blake M. Coughenour