Patents by Inventor Chris Ligtenberg

Chris Ligtenberg 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).

  • Portable computer battery structures
    Patent number: 8506322
    Abstract: Portable computer battery structures are provided. The portable computer battery structures may include a battery with a metal enclosure and a battery cable with a floating end. The battery may have six cells. Three pairs of parallel-connected cells may be connected together in series. The six cells may be substantially planar in shape. The battery may have a connector with at least five conductive pins and six recesses. The battery cable may have a cable with at least five conductive pins that mate with the five pins of the battery's connector and with six support pins that slide into the six recesses of the battery's connector. The batter connector may be formed on a printed circuit board substrate that folds over on itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley L. Spare, Michael D. Hillman, Robert L. Coish, Chris Ligtenberg
  • Electronic device with a ceramic component
    Patent number: 8482930
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device may include a component made of a ceramic material. The electronic device may also include circuitry configured to transmit signals. The signals may pertain to input received through the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John DiFonzo, Chris Ligtenberg
  • MAGNETIC CONNECTOR WITH OPTICAL SIGNAL PATH
    Publication number: 20130170794
    Abstract: Circuits, apparatus, and methods that provide a connector system that can supply both power and data to a mobile computing or other type of device using a single connection. Further examples also provide a power and data adapter that can provide power and data to a mobile computing device using a single cable. Further examples provide an easy disengagement when a cable connected to the connector is pulled. One such example provides a magnetic connector that uncouples without binding when its cord is pulled. Another example prevents power from being provided at a connector insert until the connector insert is placed in a connector receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John C. DiFonzo, Chris Ligtenberg, Michael Culbert
  • INTERPOSER CONNECTORS WITH ALIGNMENT FEATURES
    Publication number: 20130148322
    Abstract: Non-rectangular or rectangular interposers for space efficient, reliable to manufacture, high speed interconnections between two printed circuit boards, such as a motherboard and a mating board. One example provides space efficiency with a non-rectangular interposer, where the interposer may be at least approximately circular. Reliable manufacturing may be provided by the inclusion of one or more openings to accept one or more alignment features. In one example, a first opening is provided to accept a threaded boss, which may be used to fasten the two printed circuit boards and interposer together. In another example, a second opening may be provided to accept an alignment post, wherein the post aligns the interposer to the two printed circuit boards. Contacts may be provided on each side to mate with contacts on each of the two printed circuit boards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Fosnes, Aaron Miletich, Chris Ligtenberg, Jay Anastas, Erik James Shahoian, Eric Knopf, Peter Arnold
  • Portable computer display structures
    Patent number: 8456586
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs
  • Movable track pad with added functionality
    Patent number: 8441450
    Abstract: An input device is disclosed. The input device includes a movable touch-sensitive track pad capable of detecting an object in close proximity thereto so as to generate a tracking control signal. The input device also includes a movement indicator capable of detecting the movements of the movable track pad so as to generate one or more other control signals (e.g., button signals). The control signals can be used to perform actions in an electronic device operatively coupled to the input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett William Degner, Patrick Kessler, Chris A. Ligtenberg, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Bartley K. Andre, Matthew P. Casebolt
  • Portable computer housing with integral display
    Patent number: 8408780
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a portable computer may have a housing with a rectangular recess in which layers of display structures such as a light guide panel layer and other light guide structures are directly mounted without intervening chassis members. Mating alignment features in the housing and display structures may be used to align the display structures relative to the housing. A display may be formed from glass layers such as a color filter glass layer and a thin-film transistor glass layer. Backlight for the display may be generated by an array of light-emitting diodes. The light guide panel may direct light from the light-emitting diodes through the glass layers. A clamp may be used to hold the light-emitting diodes and light guide structures in place in the recess. An undercut in the housing may also hold the light guide structures in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs, Adam Garelli
  • Portable computer display structures
    Patent number: 8395722
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs
  • Keyboard with increased control of backlit keys
    Patent number: 8378972
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that provide increased control of backlit keys for a keyboard. Some embodiments may include controllers within the keyboard that are capable of dynamically programming illumination of the keyboard based upon interaction, where each key of the keyboard may be individually programmed in a dynamic manner. For example, a spell checking function may be executing on a computer system, and as the user types various words, the keyboard may dynamically program the illumination of keyboard controllers such that the next letter of the word being typed is illuminated by the keyboard. Also, different keyboard illumination schemes may be generated based upon mouse movements by the user and/or based upon which application is currently executing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksandar Pance, Alex J. Crumlin, Nicholas Vincent King, Duncan Kerr, Chris Ligtenberg, James E. Orr, IV
  • MAGNETIC INSERT AND RECEPTACLE FOR CONNECTOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20130040470
    Abstract: A magnetic connector system having a durable and reliable construction and a reduced height while maintaining sufficient holding strength. A connector insert may utilize a crimping piece to crimp a braiding of a cable. The crimping piece may be fixed to an attraction plate and a board in the insert for mechanical reliability. Retention clips may be used to fix a shell to the attraction plate. A connector receptacle may employ a magnetically conductive label to improve holding strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zheng Gao, Josh Pong, Chris Ligtenberg, Bartley K. Andre, Bradley J. Hamel, John DiFonzo, Dave Narajowski, Greg Springer, Eric Monsef, Min Chul Kim
  • Portable computer speaker grill structures
    Patent number: 8374378
    Abstract: Portable computer structures are provided. The portable computer structures may include speaker grill structures. A speaker grill structure may be formed by creating an array of small holes (perforations) in a portable computer housing structure such as a planar housing wall. A speaker may be mounted adjacent to the array of holes. The planar housing wall may be formed in a block of milled aluminum and may have a thickness of less than 1 mm. The speaker holes may have with small diameters without overly attenuating sound from a speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Hopkinson, John Raff, Bartley K. Andre, Chris Ligtenberg, Ruchi Goel
  • Portable computer clutch structures
    Patent number: 8359710
    Abstract: A portable computer is provided that has a housing. Upper and lower portions of the housing may be joined using a hinge. A clutch mechanism may be associated with the hinge. The clutch mechanism may exhibit asymmetrical friction during opening and closing of the portable computer housing portions. Additional closing force may help to prevent the computer from having a lid that is too easy to close, without overwhelming the clutch with unnecessary friction. The clutch may have a clutch spring that is attached to a clutch shaft using a slot in the shaft. A lobe may be provided in the spring in the vicinity of the slot. A protective cap may be provided over the tip of the shaft to prevent damage to nearby wires. A friction band in the clutch may be used to directly engage an end of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Patrick Kessler, Chris Ligtenberg
  • TOUCHPAD AND PICK BUTTON ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20130009898
    Abstract: A touchpad assembly for use in an electronic device is provided. The touchpad assembly may include a touchpad frame operative to be placed within an opening in an electronic device frame. The touchpad assembly may include a support plate for supporting a touchpad, and a bracket for receiving a pick button. The support plate and bracket may be manufactured into a same component to increase the rigidity of the touchpad assembly. The pick button may include a varying height to prevent the pick button from deflecting and to make the pick button travel for providing a selection instruction uniform. The pick button may be coupled to the frame using any suitable approach, including using springs connected the ends of the pick button to the frame. The frame may also include pads to muffle the sound of the pick button when it returns to its initial position after having been pressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh Mathew, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett William Degner, Thomas W. Wilson, JR., John Brock
  • PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20130003280
    Abstract: A portable computing device includes at least a base portion of a lightweight material that includes at least a wedge shaped top case having a trough formed at an interfacing edge thereof. The trough includes a raised portion having a first contact surface and a receiving area, and a bottom case coupled to the top case to form a complete housing for at least a portion of the portable computing device for enclosing at least a plurality of operational components and a plurality of structural components. The portable computing device also includes at least a lid portion pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge assembly. In the described embodiments, the lid portion has a display in communication with one or more of the plurality of components in the base portion by way of or more electrical conductors that electrically connect the base portion to the lid portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. DEGNER, Euan ABRAHAM, John M. BROCK, Matthew P. CASEBOLT, Robert L. COISH, Laura M. DEFOREST, Michelle GOLDBERG, Bradley Joseph HAMEL, Ron HOPKINSON, Jim HWANG, Caitlin E. KALINOWSKI, Steven KEIPER, Patrick KESSLER, Eugene KIM, Chris LIGTENBERG, Jay K. OSBORN, John RAFF, Nicholas A. RUNDLE, David J. YEH
  • Method to create an enclosure for an electronic device
    Patent number: 8341832
    Abstract: A top case assembly for a portable computer is disclosed. The assembly may include an integral unified (e.g., homogenous) top case formed from a single part. The integral top case provides an enclosure, frame and cosmetic exterior of the portable computer. The integral top case also serves as the primary structure of the portable computer. The assembly may include a variety of subassemblies such as keyboards, touchpads, circuit boards, and drives that are carried by the underside of the integral top case. The integral top case may be formed from aluminum slab that has been machined to form walls, openings, attachment areas and cosmetic areas of the top case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Theobald, Jonathan P. Ive, Bartley K. Andre, Christopher Stringer, Daniel J. Coster, John Raff, Ron Hopkinson, John Brock, Chris Ligtenberg, Michelle Rae Goldberg
  • Portable computing device
    Patent number: 8339775
    Abstract: A portable computing device includes at least a base portion of a lightweight material that includes at least a wedge shaped top case having a trough formed at an interfacing edge thereof. The trough includes a raised portion having a first contact surface and a receiving area, and a bottom case coupled to the top case to form a complete housing for at least a portion of the portable computing device for enclosing at least a plurality of operational components and a plurality of structural components. The portable computing device also includes at least a lid portion pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge assembly. In the described embodiments, the lid portion has a display in communication with one or more of the plurality of components in the base portion by way of or more electrical conductors that electrically connect the base portion to the lid portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Euan Abraham, John M. Brock, Matthew P. Casebolt, Robert L. Coish, Laura M. DeForest, Michelle Goldberg, Bradley Joseph Hamel, Ron Hopkinson, Jim Hwang, Caitlin E. Kalinowski, Steven Keiper, Patrick Kessler, Eugene Kim, Chris Ligtenberg, Jay K. Osborn, John Raff, Nicholas A. Rundle, David J. Yeh
  • Battery pack and connector
    Patent number: 8309245
    Abstract: By being embedded in a portable computing device, a battery pack is made essentially inaccessible to unauthorized users, thereby allowing for a battery pack that can be made smaller and of lighter construction material, thereby facilitating greater component density within the portable computing device, lower cost to manufacture, and more environmentally secure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Coish, Chris Ligtenberg, Ron Hopkinson, John Raff
  • Touchpad and pick button assembly
    Patent number: 8294675
    Abstract: A touchpad assembly for use in an electronic device is provided. The touchpad assembly may include a touchpad frame operative to be placed within an opening in an electronic device frame. The touchpad assembly may include a support plate for supporting a touchpad, and a bracket for receiving a pick button. The support plate and bracket may be manufactured into a same component to increase the rigidity of the touchpad assembly. The pick button may include a varying height to prevent the pick button from deflecting and to make the pick button travel for providing a selection instruction uniform. The pick button may be coupled to the frame using any suitable approach, including using springs connected the ends of the pick button to the frame. The frame may also include pads to muffle the sound of the pick button when it returns to its initial position after having been pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh Mathew, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett William Degner, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., John Brock
  • Battery connector structures for electronic devices
    Patent number: 8284546
    Abstract: A portable computer is provided that has a housing. A removable battery may provide power to the portable computer. A connector on the battery may mate with a corresponding battery connector in the portable computer housing. The battery connector may be mounted in the portable computer housing a floating arrangement. This allows the position of the connector to move slightly to accommodate variations in the position of the battery. A cable may be used to route power between the battery and a main logic board. A cover may be used to hold the battery connector and cable to the housing of the portable computer without excessively impeding movement of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Daniel J. Coster, John Brock, Michelle Rae Goldberg, Dinesh Mathew, Chris Ligtenberg, Hank D. Ching, Glenn E. Wheelock
  • Electronic device
    Patent number: D686215
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bartley K. Andre, John M. Brock, Matthew Phillip Casebolt, Brett William Degner, Ron Alan Hopkinson, Eugene Kim, Chris Ligtenberg, John Raff, David Yeh