Patents by Inventor Brett W. Degner
Brett W. Degner 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: 20210397220Abstract: An electronic device may include a glass housing member that includes an upper portion defining a display area, a lower portion defining an input area, and a transition portion joining the upper portion and the lower portion and defining a continuous, curved surface between the upper portion and the lower portion. The electronic device may include a display coupled to the glass housing member and configured to provide a visual output at the display area. The electronic device may include an input device coupled to the glass housing member and configured to detect inputs at the input area. The electronic device may include a support structure coupled to the glass housing member and configured to support the computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
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Patent number: 11112827Abstract: An electronic device may include a glass housing member that includes an upper portion defining a display area, a lower portion defining an input area, and a transition portion joining the upper portion and the lower portion and defining a continuous, curved surface between the upper portion and the lower portion. The electronic device may include a display coupled to the glass housing member and configured to provide a visual output at the display area. The electronic device may include an input device coupled to the glass housing member and configured to detect inputs at the input area. The electronic device may include a support structure coupled to the glass housing member and configured to support the computing device.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
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Publication number: 20210263556Abstract: An input device includes a touch plate having a central axis and a top surface with three outer points evenly spaced away from the central axis. A touch sensor is used to detect a user touch on the top surface at the first outer point, and a support mechanism supports the touch plate and is configured to translate the touch plate at the second and third outer points upon application of the user touch and translation of the touch plate at the first outer point. Translation of the three outer points is substantially equal along the central axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2020Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Thomas R. Matzinger, Bradley J. Hamel, Ryan P. Brooks, Scott J. Krahn, Arka P. Roy
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Patent number: 11102567Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that reduce the size of headphones and allow for small form-factor storage configurations are discussed. User convenience features that include synchronizing earpiece stem positions and automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael E. Leclerc, Brett W. Degner, David H. Narajowski, Kristopher P. Laurent, Daniel R. Bloom, Daniele de Iuliis, Christopher J. Stringer, Sung-Ho Tan, Markus Diebel
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Patent number: 11099649Abstract: A device includes a display portion that includes a display housing and a display within the display housing. The device also includes a base portion flexibly coupled to the display portion and comprising a glass member defining a keyboard region configured to receive user input, a first haptic actuator configured to produce a first haptic output at a first area of the keyboard region, and a second haptic actuator configured to produce a second haptic output at a second area of the keyboard region that is different from the first area.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Ron A. Hopkinson, Asif Hussain, Dinesh C. Mathew, Mikael M. Silvanto, Chang Zhang, Zheng Gao, Robert Y. Cao, Keith J. Hendren, Bryan W. Posner, Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque, Alex J. Lehmann
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Publication number: 20210223822Abstract: An electronic device housing may have upper and lower portions that are attached with a hinge. At least one portion of the housing may have a rear planar surface and peripheral sidewalls having edges. A display module may be mounted in the housing. The display module may have glass layers such as a color filter glass layer and a thin-film transistor substrate. The color filter glass layer may serve as the outermost glass layer in the display module. The edges of the display module may be aligned with the edges of the peripheral housing sidewalls to create the appearance of a borderless display for the electronic device. The display module may be provided with an opening that allows a camera or other electronic components to receive light. Traces may be provided on the underside of the thin-film transistor substrate to serve as signal paths for the electrical components.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, JR., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs
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Publication number: 20210168506Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that reduce the size of headphones and allow for small form-factor storage configurations are discussed. User convenience features that include synchronizing earpiece stem positions and automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2021Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Michael E. Leclerc, David H. Narajowski, Kristopher P. Laurent, William K. Smith, Christopher J. Stringer, Daniele de Iuliis, Markus Diebel, Sung-Ho Tan
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Publication number: 20210152941Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that reduce the size of headphones and allow for small form-factor storage configurations are discussed. User convenience features that include synchronizing earpiece stem positions and automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2021Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Michael E. Leclerc, David H. Narajowski, Kristopher P. Laurent, William K. Smith, Christopher J. Stringer, Daniele de Iuliis, Markus Diebel, Sung-Ho Tan
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Patent number: 11003213Abstract: An electronic device housing may have upper and lower portions that are attached with a hinge. At least one portion of the housing may have a rear planar surface and peripheral sidewalls having edges. A display module may be mounted in the housing. The display module may have glass layers such as a color filter glass layer and a thin-film transistor substrate. The color filter glass layer may serve as the outermost glass layer in the display module. The edges of the display module may be aligned with the edges of the peripheral housing sidewalls to create the appearance of a borderless display for the electronic device. The display module may be provided with an opening that allows a camera or other electronic components to receive light. Traces may be provided on the underside of the thin-film transistor substrate to serve as signal paths for the electrical components.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs
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Patent number: 10983650Abstract: A dynamic input surface for an electronic device and a method of reconfiguring the same is disclosed. The input surface has a partially-flexible metal contact portion defining an input area, and a group of indicators. The indicators may be group of holes extending through the contact portion. The group of holes may be selectively illuminated based on a gesture performed on the contact portion. A size of the input area may be dynamically varied based on the gesture. Additionally, the group of indicators indicates a boundary of the input area.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2020Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Daniel D. Sunshine, Ron A. Hopkinson, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, William F. Leggett, Patrick Kessler
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Patent number: 10983390Abstract: An electronic device display may have a color filter layer and a thin film transistor layer. A layer of liquid crystal material may be interposed between the color filter layer and the thin film transistor layer. A layer of polarizer may be laminated onto the surface of the color filter layer. Laser trimming may ensure that the edges of the polarizer are even with the edges of the color filter layer. The thin film transistor layer may have an array of thin film transistors that control pixels of the liquid crystal material in the display. Driver circuitry may be used to control the array. The driver circuitry may be encapsulated in a planarized encapsulant on the thin film transistor layer or may be mounted to the underside of the color filter layer. Conductive structures may connect driver circuitry on the color filter layer to the thin film transistor layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs, John Z. Zhong, Steve Hotelling, Lynn Youngs, Kuo-Hua Sung
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Patent number: 10948953Abstract: The disclosed embodiments related to a component for use in a portable electronic device. The component includes a wall of the portable electronic device, containing an intake zone that includes a set of intake vents. The wall also includes an exhaust zone containing a set of exhaust vents.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy D. Bataillou, Jay S. Nigen, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Ron A. Hopkinson, Charles A. Schwalbach, Matthew P. Casebolt, Nicholas A. Rundle, Frank F. Liang
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Patent number: 10945076Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that reduce the size of headphones and allow for small form-factor storage configurations are discussed. User convenience features that include synchronizing earpiece stem positions and automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Michael E. Leclerc, David H. Narajowski, Kristopher P. Laurent, William K. Smith, Christopher J. Stringer, Daniele De Iuliis, Markus Diebel, Sung-Ho Tan
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Publication number: 20210029436Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that reduce the size of headphones and allow for small form-factor storage configurations are discussed. User convenience features that include synchronizing earpiece stem positions and automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Christopher J. Stringer, Daniel R. Bloom, Michael E. Leclerc, David H. Narajowski, Kristopher P. Laurent, Daniele de luliis, Markus Diebel, Sung-Ho Tan
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Patent number: 10871828Abstract: A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display, a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a glass top case. The glass top case defines an exterior surface and a keyboard opening through the glass top case from the exterior surface to an interior surface. The portable computer further includes a keyboard positioned at least partially within the keyboard opening and comprising a substrate, a key configured to move relative to the substrate, and a fabric cover disposed over the key and defining a user interface surface of the key.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2018Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: APPLE INCInventors: Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Ron A. Hopkinson, Asif Hussain, Dinesh C. Mathew, Mikael M. Silvanto, Chang Zhang, Zheng Gao, Robert Y. Cao, Keith J. Hendren, Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque
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Publication number: 20200379526Abstract: An electronic device can include a frame configured to receive and support an electronic component, a shell defining an internal volume sized to encompass the frame and the electronic component, the shell being slidably removable from the frame, the electronic component positioned within the internal volume and including an aperture, and a sealing member including a seal body and a compressible lip extending from the seal body, the sealing member at least partially surrounding the electronic component. The compressible lip is oriented such that the shell compresses the lip in a direction against the seal body at a first position adjacent to the electronic component and in the direction against the seal body at a second position adjacent to the electronic component opposite the first position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Bart K. Andre, Edward J. Cooper, Brett W. Degner, Houtan R. Farahani, Steven A. Gerasimoff, William H. Greenbaum, James T. Handy, Daniel D. Hershey, PengYuan Huang, Eric A. Knopf, Richard D. Kosoglow, Mariel L. Lanas, Michael E. Leclerc, Michael D. McBroom, Rodrigo Dutervil Mubarak, David C. Parell, Sabrina K. Paseman, Eric R. Prather, Jacob W. Rutheiser, Christopher G. Siegel, Cheng-Han Yang, James M. Cuseo, Francesco Ferretti
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Publication number: 20200383206Abstract: Computer modules that can have a high-capacity, can simplify the design of a computer system housing the modules, can utilize system resources in a highly configurable manner, can provide a variety of functionality, and can be readily inserted into, and removed from, a computer system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Michael E. Leclerc, Eric R. Prather, Scott J. Campbell, James M. Cuseo, Rodrigo Dutervil Mubarak, Ian A. Guy, Daniel D. Hershey, Mariel L. Lanas, Michael D. McBroom, David C. Parell, Bartley K. Andre, Danny L. McBroom, Houtan R. Farahani
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Publication number: 20200378547Abstract: A display stand has two spaced apart legs connected by a horizontal support bar that is attachable to multiple displays. Carriage assemblies allow the stand to adjust the vertical position of the displays, shuttles and rails allow the stand to adjust the horizontal positions of the displays, and a central joint on the support bar allows the stand to adjust the angle between the displays. The carriage assemblies can convert rotational movement of adjustment handles into vertical movement of the support bar that is synchronized at both legs whether the support bar is in a straight or angled configuration. Wheels on the shuttles can provide smooth, consistent contact with rails in the support bar despite changes in the nominal dimensions of the rails. The display stand provides improved smoothness, rigidity, and comfort for the user to support and use multiple displays on a single stand.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2019Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Michael E. Leclerc, Brett W. Degner, Danny L. McBroom, David H. Narajowski, Denis H. Endisch, Kristopher P. Laurent, Simon J. Trivett
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Publication number: 20200378481Abstract: A display assembly has a linkage and counterbalance made to provide non-tilting movement of a display at the end of a support arm while providing counterbalance equal to a change in potential energy of the display. The linkage can be a four-bar, parallelogram-shaped linkage, and the counterbalance can include a Scotch yoke configured to store energy in an energy storage device of the assembly as the support arm rotates. The display assembly can improve comfort and ease of moving a supported display while minimizing friction, hysteresis, and counterbalance mismatch.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2019Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Kristopher P. Laurent, Brett W. Degner, Danny L. McBroom, David H. Narajowski, Edward T. Sweet
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Patent number: 10848847Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that reduce the size of headphones and allow for small form-factor storage configurations are discussed. User convenience features that include synchronizing earpiece stem positions and automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Christopher J. Stringer, Daniel R. Bloom, Michael E. Leclerc, David H. Narajowski, Kristopher P. Laurent, Daniele de Iuliis, Markus Diebel, Sung-Ho Tan