Patents by Inventor Charles A. Bates

Charles A. Bates 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: 12181930
    Abstract: An accessory device with a cover and keyboard section is described. The keyboard section includes a keyboard and a touchpad, while the cover section includes multiple segments. The cover section orients the electronic device such that a user can access the electronic device, the keyboard, and the touchpad. The cover section is rotationally coupled to the keyboard section by one or more hinge assemblies (including clutches and springs), allowing the cover section and the electronic device to rotate relative to the keyboard section. The cover section includes a first and second segment rotationally coupled together. To further adjust the electronic device, the first segment remains coupled to the electronic device, allowing the first segment and the electronic device to rotate relative to the second segment. The cover section can then suspend the electronic device over the keyboard section, and the electronic device does not contact the keyboard section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kristine S. Atom, Charles A. Bates, III, Taylor Harrison Gilbert, Eric Shyr
  • Patent number: 11561586
    Abstract: An accessory device with a cover and keyboard section is described. The keyboard section includes a keyboard and a touchpad, while the cover section includes multiple segments. The cover section orients the electronic device such that a user can access the electronic device, the keyboard, and the touchpad. The cover section is rotationally coupled to the keyboard section by one or more hinge assemblies (including clutches and springs), allowing the cover section and the electronic device to rotate relative to the keyboard section. The cover section includes a first and second segment rotationally coupled together. To further adjust the electronic device, the first segment remains coupled to the electronic device, allowing the first segment and the electronic device to rotate relative to the second segment. The cover section can then suspend the electronic device over the keyboard section, and the electronic device does not contact the keyboard section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kristine S. Atom, Charles A. Bates, III, Taylor Harrison Gilbert, Eric Shyr
  • Patent number: 10739825
    Abstract: An accessory device for an electronic device is described. The accessory device may include a cover section and a keyboard section. The cover section may include a receiving surface that engages the electronic device. The cover section may include electrical contacts designed to electrically couple with contacts on the electronic device. The cover section may include several magnets designed to magnetically couple with magnets within the electronic device. The keyboard section may include a keyboard and one or more channels designed to receive and position the electronic device in a usable configuration with the keyboard. Several magnets may surround each channel, and may magnetically couple with magnets within (and along an edge of) the electronic device. The magnetic circuits formed between the channel magnets and the device magnets may counter, or offset, forces that otherwise remove the electronic device from the channel in an undesired manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taylor Harrison Gilbert, Kristine S. Tom, Elvis M. Kibiti, Jaime G. Chavez Ruiz Garza, Thomas R. Matzinger, Zhengyu Li, Charles A. Bates, III, Shih-Hsiang Hsiao, Johan E. Lyon
  • Patent number: 6414807
    Abstract: A disk drive system is described for forming and reading precise optically detectable patterns on rotating members of a disk and spindle assembly used in data storage system. In particular the invention describes a magnetic disk drive employing a laser system to form and sense optical clock patterns placed on the rotating members of the disk drive. These optically detectable patterns are used to create an accurate clock track. The clock may be used to create multiple accurate magnetic patterns on one or more disks attached to a disk and spindle assembly in a magnetic data storage system. By successively changing the radius at which the magnetic patterns are created it is then possible to create multiple magnetic patterns at successive radii with all such magnetic patterns having a precise geometric relationship to each other. Alternatively, the accurate clock pattern may stand alone as an encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles A. Bates, Lawrence M. Bryant, David S. Kuo, Eric G. Rawson
  • Patent number: 6356401
    Abstract: The present invention is used to form precise, optically detectable patterns on rotating members of a disk and spindle assembly of a disk drive used in data storage system. In particular, the invention employs an optical source to form optically detectable patterns on the rotating members of the disk drive. These optically detectable patterns are used to create an accurate clock track. The clock track may be used to create multiple accurate magnetic patterns on one or more disks attached to a disk and spindle assembly in a magnetic data storage system. By successively changing the radius at which the magnetic patterns are created it is then possible to create multiple magnetic patterns at successive radii with all such magnetic patterns having a precise geometric relationship to each other. Alternatively, the accurate clock pattern may stand alone as an encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles A. Bates, Lawrence M. Bryant, David S. Kuo, Eric G. Rawson
  • Patent number: 5570241
    Abstract: A write drive logic circuit is described. The write driver logic circuit comprises a set of write drivers, with each one of the set of write drivers having an input and an output, such that each write driver is responsive to an input signal applied to the input to provide a write output signal at the output as a function of the input signal. A set of memory devices (e.g. shift registers) is provided, one for each write driver. Each one of the shift registers stores unique head identification information and includes an output to controllably output a signal representative of the unique head identification information. Furthermore, each one of a set of multiplexers includes an output, a first input coupled to a corresponding one of the outputs of the set of shift registers to receive the signal representative of the unique identification information stored in the respective shift register and a second input coupled to a common write data line that transmits a signal representative of preselected information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Conner Peripherals, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Nielsen, Charles A. Bates, Matthew W. Rooke, Fred R. Hansen, Paul T. Petersen, Me V. Le, Eugene K. Lew
  • Patent number: 4337458
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding binary data in a data stream so as to increase the number of data bits represented by one transition, such as a transition recorded on a magnetic medium, and thereby increase the storage density. The data stream is converted into words each having m bits. Two of the data words are stored so as to be simultaneously accessible to a converting system that converts the data words into code words wherein each code word has n bits. In the invention, m/n=2/3. In order to increase the space between adjacent transitions, the conversion is carried out according to a scheme wherein all code words have at least one binary ONE and lack successive binary ONEs except certain cases in which a code word is converted to all ZEROs to avoid ONEs in the nth bit of a given code word and the first bit of the code word following the given code word. Also described is a decoding method and apparatus for recovering the encoded data and decoding it to the original binary data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1982
    Assignee: Sperry Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Cohn, George V. Jacoby, Charles A. Bates, III
  • Patent number: 4136840
    Abstract: A cord take-up reel for use on an electric lawn mower. The reel is telescopically constructed to permit its axial dimension to be adjusted for mounting between a pair of opposing mower handles. A pair of shafts extending outwardly from opposing sides of the reel are detachably and rotatably mounted in brackets held on the opposing mower handles. A crank pivotally attached to one of the reel shafts is positionable between a winding position and a stowed position, the motion of the crank in its stowed position being limited by a cradling member attached to the adjacent bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Inventor: Charles A. Bates