Patents by Inventor Brian C. Menzel

Brian C. Menzel 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: 10564770
    Abstract: A touch controller is disclosed. The touch controller can comprise sense circuitry configured to sense an object at a touch sensor panel, and a touch processor. The touch processor can be capable of, when the object is a first distance from the touch sensor panel, determining a predicted touch location associated with the object on the touch sensor panel based on at least a trajectory of the object towards the touch sensor panel, and when the object is a second distance from the touch sensor panel, less than the first distance, determining an identified touch location associated with the object on the touch sensor panel based on at least the predicted touch location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Keeler, Brian C. Menzel, Alvin J. Hilario, Randal Marsden
  • Patent number: 10404235
    Abstract: Power transfer systems including a direct current source and a plurality of outputs operable in several modes. A ground mode may couple an output to circuit ground and a current mode may couple the output to the direct current source. The power transfer system may also include a controller configured to iteratively select a pair of outputs from the plurality of outputs. Once a pair is selected, the controller may set a first output of the pair of outputs to the current mode and the second to ground mode for a determined duration. After the duration has passed, the controller may set the first output to the ground mode and the second output to the current mode for the same duration. Thereafter the controller may select another pair of outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brian C. Menzel, Jeffrey M. Alves, Kevin M. Keeler, Zachary C. Rich
  • Publication number: 20170272058
    Abstract: Power transfer systems including a direct current source and a plurality of outputs operable in several modes. A ground mode may couple an output to circuit ground and a current mode may couple the output to the direct current source. The power transfer system may also include a controller configured to iteratively select a pair of outputs from the plurality of outputs. Once a pair is selected, the controller may set a first output of the pair of outputs to the current mode and the second to ground mode for a determined duration. After the duration has passed, the controller may set the first output to the ground mode and the second output to the current mode for the same duration. Thereafter the controller may select another pair of outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Brian C. Menzel, Jeffrey M. Alves, Kevin M. Keeler, Zachary C. Rich
  • Patent number: 9752999
    Abstract: This application relates to a moisture ingress sensor. In particular, this application relates to a moisture ingress sensor that can detect liquid ingress into an electronic device. The moisture ingress sensor can include a resistor, an N-channel MOSFET, an operation amplifier, comparators, and an AND logic gate. The moisture ingress sensor is configured to provide a lower power means for accurately detecting moisture in an electronic device. Multiple areas of the electronic device can include the moisture ingress sensor in order to optimize the detection of moisture for at a variety of regions of the electronic device. Additionally, the electronic device can record signals from the moisture ingress sensor and shut down components of the electronic device that could be affected by the detected moisture. Furthermore, the moisture ingress sensor can be tuned to detect one or more types of liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kirill Kalinichev, Kevin M. Keeler, Brian C. Menzel
  • Patent number: 9673784
    Abstract: Power transfer systems including a direct current source and a plurality of outputs operable in several modes. A ground mode may couple an output to circuit ground and a current mode may couple the output to the direct current source. The power transfer system may also include a controller configured to iteratively select a pair of outputs from the plurality of outputs. Once a pair is selected, the controller may set a first output of the pair of outputs to the current mode and the second to ground mode for a determined duration. After the duration has passed, the controller may set the first output to the ground mode and the second output to the current mode for the same duration. Thereafter the controller may select another pair of outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Menzel, Jeffrey M. Alves, Kevin M. Keeler, Zachary C. Rich
  • Patent number: 9335355
    Abstract: Electronic devices may be accidentally exposed to liquid during operation. To detect liquid intrusion events, an electronic device may be provided with one or more electronic liquid contact sensors. The liquid contact sensors may have electrodes. Control circuitry may make measurements across the electrodes such as resistance and capacitance measurements to detect the presence of liquid. Liquid contact sensor data may be maintained in a log within storage in the electronic device. The liquid contact sensor data can be used to display information for a user of the electronic device or can be loaded onto external equipment for analysis. Liquid contact sensor electrodes may be formed from metal traces on substrates such as printed circuits, from contacts in a connector, from contacts on an integrated circuit, or from other conductive electrode structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Menzel, Kevin M. Keeler, Jim Z. Huang, Parviz Mishkanian
  • Publication number: 20150346127
    Abstract: This application relates to a moisture ingress sensor. In particular, this application relates to a moisture ingress sensor that can detect liquid ingress into an electronic device. The moisture ingress sensor can include a resistor, an N-channel MOSFET, an operation amplifier, comparators, and an AND logic gate. The moisture ingress sensor is configured to provide a lower power means for accurately detecting moisture in an electronic device. Multiple areas of the electronic device can include the moisture ingress sensor in order to optimize the detection of moisture for at a variety of regions of the electronic device. Additionally, the electronic device can record signals from the moisture ingress sensor and shut down components of the electronic device that could be affected by the detected moisture. Furthermore, the moisture ingress sensor can be tuned to detect one or more types of liquids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kirill KALINICHEV, Kevin M. KEELER, Brian C. MENZEL
  • Publication number: 20150137617
    Abstract: Power transfer systems including a direct current source and a plurality of outputs operable in several modes. A ground mode may couple an output to circuit ground and a current mode may couple the output to the direct current source. The power transfer system may also include a controller configured to iteratively select a pair of outputs from the plurality of outputs. Once a pair is selected, the controller may set a first output of the pair of outputs to the current mode and the second to ground mode for a determined duration. After the duration has passed, the controller may set the first output to the ground mode and the second output to the current mode for the same duration. Thereafter the controller may select another pair of outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Menzel, Jeffrey M. Alves, Kevin M. Keeler, Zachary C. Rich
  • Patent number: 9030208
    Abstract: Techniques for detecting mating and un-mating of a first connector with a second connector include providing a pulsed voltage signal at a contact of the second connector and measuring a rate of rise of voltage at the contact. If the measured voltage at the contact exceeds a threshold voltage during the time the pulsed voltage signal is applied, then it is concluded that the first connector is not present and not mated with the second connector. If the measured voltage is lower than or equal to the threshold voltage during the time of application of the voltage pulse, it is concluded that the first connector is present and mated with the second connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene L. Shoykhet, Brian C. Menzel, Yehonatan Perez, Joseph R. Fisher, Jr., Jahan C. Minoo, Kevin M. Keeler
  • Publication number: 20150044527
    Abstract: A battery cell core is hermetically sealed inside a casing, with conductive paths formed in the casing that individually connect cell subsets of the core to a battery management circuit for detecting individual failing cell subsets and for changing the battery output voltage by forming series/parallel connections between the cell subsets. In one version, the casing has a metal can with an opening of the can being sealed by a non-conductive cap that is sealed and bonded along its periphery to the can walls. In one aspect, the cap has edge metallization along its periphery where it is sealed to the can walls. In another aspect, the conductive paths are formed in the non-conductive cap. Various other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Bernd J. Neudecker, Brian C. Menzel, Gregory A. Springer, Shawn W. Snyder, Timothy W. Scales, Victor William Santini
  • Publication number: 20140253150
    Abstract: Electronic devices may be accidentally exposed to liquid during operation. To detect liquid intrusion events, an electronic device may be provided with one or more electronic liquid contact sensors. The liquid contact sensors may have electrodes. Control circuitry may make measurements across the electrodes such as resistance and capacitance measurements to detect the presence of liquid. Liquid contact sensor data may be maintained in a log within storage in the electronic device. The liquid contact sensor data can be used to display information for a user of the electronic device or can be loaded onto external equipment for analysis. Liquid contact sensor electrodes may be formed from metal traces on substrates such as printed circuits, from contacts in a connector, from contacts on an integrated circuit, or from other conductive electrode structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Menzel, Kevin M. Keeler, Jim Z. Huang, Parviz Mishkanian
  • Publication number: 20140218045
    Abstract: Techniques for detecting mating and un-mating of a first connector with a second connector include providing a pulsed voltage signal at a contact of the second connector and measuring a rate of rise of voltage at the contact. If the measured voltage at the contact exceeds a threshold voltage during the time the pulsed voltage signal is applied, then it is concluded that the first connector is not present and not mated with the second connector. If the measured voltage is lower than or equal to the threshold voltage during the time of application of the voltage pulse, it is concluded that the first connector is present and mated with the second connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene L. Shoykhet, Brian C. Menzel, Yehonatan Perez, Joseph R. Fisher, JR., Jahan C. Minoo, Kevin M. Keeler