Patents by Inventor Christiaan A. Ligtenberg

Christiaan A. 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).

  • Patent number: 12147605
    Abstract: A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: 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
  • Publication number: 20240210990
    Abstract: A laptop computer may include a lid portion including a housing structure, a glass cover positioned coupled to the housing structure and defining a concave region, and a display positioned below the concave region of the glass cover. The laptop computer may also include a base portion positionable in a closed configuration and an open configuration with respect to the lid portion and defining a convex region along a top side of the base portion, the convex region configured to extend into the concave region of the glass cover when the lid portion and the base portion is in the closed configuration, the base portion including a keyboard positioned at the convex region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Ari P. Miller, Nicholas Alan Rundle, Dinesh C. Mathew, Simon J. Trivett, Ron A. Hopkinson, Michael E. Leclerc
  • Publication number: 20240069595
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Patent number: 11822165
    Abstract: A display may have display layers that form an array of pixels. An angle-of-view adjustment layer may overlap the display layers. The angle-of-view adjustment layer may include an array of adjustable light blocking structures formed from electrochromic material. The electrochromic material may be interposed between first and second electrode layers. When it is desired to operate the display in a private viewing mode, control circuitry may apply a current to the first and second electrodes that causes the electrochromic material to become more opaque, thereby restricting the angle of view of the display. When it is desired to operate the display in a public viewing mode, control circuitry may apply a current to the first and second electrodes that causes the electrochromic material to become more transparent, thereby opening up the angle of view of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Cihan Yilmaz, Supriya Goyal, Shih-Chyuan Fan Jiang, Paul V. Johnson, Se Hyun Ahn, Cheng Chen, Yuan Chen, Hyungryul Choi, Zhibing Ge, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew, Hyunmin A. Song, Chaohao Wang, Jiaying Wu
  • Patent number: 11822385
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Publication number: 20230333658
    Abstract: A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    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
  • Patent number: 11720176
    Abstract: A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: 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
  • Publication number: 20220357773
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Publication number: 20220342487
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an enclosure, a substrate within the enclosure, a keycap support mechanism, and a keycap supported by the keycap support mechanism and movable relative to the substrate. The keycap includes a body, a mask layer defining a glyph opening, and a semitransparent mirror layer positioned within the glyph opening. The electronic device also includes a light source configured to direct light through the semitransparent mirror layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque, Dinesh C. Mathew, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Mikael M. Silvanto
  • Publication number: 20220326777
    Abstract: A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    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
  • Patent number: 11448908
    Abstract: A display may have display layers that form an array of pixels. An angle-of-view adjustment layer may overlap the display layers. The angle-of-view adjustment layer may include an array of adjustable louvers that move from a first position in which the angle of view of the display is restricted for a private viewing mode and a second position in which the angle of view of the display is not restricted for a normal viewing mode. The louvers may contain electrophoretic particles. The louvers may be tapered and may have a width at one end that is less than ten microns. The electrophoretic particles may form isolated clusters on a lower substrate in normal viewing mode to increase the transmittance of the display in normal viewing mode. The angle-of-view adjustment layer may be a second liquid crystal display layer that is used to block off-axis light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Chyuan Fan Jiang, Paul V. Johnson, Se Hyun Ahn, Cheng Chen, Yuan Chen, Hyungryul Choi, Zhibing Ge, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew, Hyunmin A. Song, Chaohao Wang, Jiaying Wu
  • Patent number: 11416082
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an enclosure, a substrate within the enclosure, a keycap support mechanism, and a keycap supported by the keycap support mechanism and movable relative to the substrate. The keycap includes a body, a mask layer defining a glyph opening, and a semitransparent mirror layer positioned within the glyph opening. The electronic device also includes a light source configured to direct light through the semitransparent mirror layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque, Dinesh C. Mathew, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Mikael M. Silvanto
  • Patent number: 11397449
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Patent number: 11366523
    Abstract: A portable computer includes a display portion comprising a display and a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion. The base portion may include a bottom case and a top case, formed from a dielectric material, coupled to the bottom case. The top case may include a top member defining a top surface of the base portion and a sidewall integrally formed with the top member and defining a side surface of the base portion. The portable computer may also include a sensing system including a first sensing system configured to determine a location of a touch input applied to the top surface of the base portion and a second sensing system configured to determine a force of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: 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
  • Publication number: 20210397220
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Patent number: 11112827
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Patent number: 11099649
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 11073954
    Abstract: Embodiments related to an electronic device having an adaptive input row. The adaptive input row may be positioned within an opening of a device and include a cover for receiving a touch and a display that is configured to present an adaptable set of indicia. The adaptive input row may also include one or more sensors for detecting the location of a touch and/or the magnitude of a force of the touch. The adaptive input row may be positioned adjacent or proximate to a keyboard of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mikael M. Silvanto, Erik A. Zweigle, Jun Qi, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Robert Y. Cao, Bartley K. Andre, Molly J. Anderson, ByoungSuk Kim, Dinesh C. Mathew, Victor H. Yin
  • Publication number: 20210119296
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Alan Hopkinson, Brett William Degner, Robert Sean Murphy, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Matthew P. Casebolt, Peter M. Arnold, Eric A. Knopf
  • Patent number: 10983650
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Daniel D. Sunshine, Ron A. Hopkinson, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, William F. Leggett, Patrick Kessler