Patents by Inventor Christopher D. Prest
Christopher D. Prest 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: 20250126389Abstract: An in-ear listening device having a device housing including a speaker housing and an elongated tube protruding away from the speaker housing, an audio port formed through the speaker housing, a speaker disposed in the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio port, a microphone port formed through the elongated tube, a microphone disposed in the elongated tube and operatively coupled to receive sound through the microphone port, a rechargeable battery and a wireless antenna disposed within the device housing, wireless circuitry coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to input and output radio frequency signals for wireless communications, a user-interface touch control disposed on the device housing and operable to control a function of the earbud, and battery charging circuitry coupled to the rechargeable battery and positioned within the device housing and operable to charge the rechargeable battery when coupled to receive power from an external power source.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2024Publication date: April 17, 2025Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: M. Evans Hankey, Emery A. Sanford, Christopher D. Prest, Way Chet Lim
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Patent number: 12265670Abstract: An electronic device includes a six-sided glass enclosure defining an interior volume and comprising a first glass member and a second glass member. The first glass member defines at least a portion of a first major side of the six-sided glass enclosure, at least a portion of a peripheral side of the six-sided glass enclosure, a first region along the peripheral side and having a first thickness, and a second region along the peripheral side and having a second thickness different from the first thickness. The second glass member is attached to the first glass member and defines at least a portion of a second major side of the six-sided glass enclosure. The electronic device further includes a touchscreen display within the interior volume and positioned adjacent at least a portion of each of the six sides of the six-sided glass enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2021Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Peter N. Russell-Clarke
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Patent number: 12253697Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing surrounding an interior in which electrical components are mounted. A display may be mounted to housing structures in the device. The housing may have a rear wall. The display cover layer and rear wall of the housing may be formed from transparent glass layers. Coatings may be formed on inwardly facing surfaces of the transparent glass layers. A coating on a transparent glass layer may be formed from a thin-film interference filter having a stack of dielectric layers. The coating may include an ink layer on the thin-film interference filter.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2021Date of Patent: March 18, 2025Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Que Anh S. Nguyen, Christopher D. Prest, Jody R. Akana, Marta M. Giachino, Matthew S. Rogers, Ove Lyngnes
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Patent number: 12231837Abstract: An in-ear listening device having a device housing including a speaker housing and an elongated tube protruding away from the speaker housing, an audio port formed through the speaker housing, a speaker disposed in the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio port, a microphone port formed through the elongated tube, a microphone disposed in the elongated tube and operatively coupled to receive sound through the microphone port, a rechargeable battery and a wireless antenna disposed within the device housing, wireless circuitry coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to input and output radio frequency signals for wireless communications, a user-interface touch control disposed on the device housing and operable to control a function of the earbud, and battery charging circuitry coupled to the rechargeable battery and positioned within the device housing and operable to charge the rechargeable battery when coupled to receive power from an external power source.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: M. Evans Hankey, Emery A. Sanford, Christopher D. Prest, Way Chet Lim
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Publication number: 20240327293Abstract: Glass ceramic components for electronic devices are disclosed, as are components including a glass ceramic material. A cover member including a glass ceramic material may be positioned over one or more device components such as an optical module or a component of a wireless communication or charging system. The cover member may have optical properties, electrical properties, magnetic properties, and/or mechanical properties compatible with the requirements of the one or more device components.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2024Publication date: October 3, 2024Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Matthew S. Rogers, Que Anh S. Nguyen
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Publication number: 20240327277Abstract: Asymmetrically strengthened glass articles, methods for producing the same, and use of the articles in portable electronic device is disclosed. The asymmetrically strengthened glass articles include glass articles having a deeper compressive stress layer in a thicker portion of the glass article. Using a budgeted amount of compressive stress and tensile stress, asymmetric chemical strengthening is optimized for the utility of a glass article. In some aspects, the strengthened glass article can be designed for reduced damage, or damage propagation, when dropped.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2024Publication date: October 3, 2024Inventors: Victor Luzzato, Christopher D. Prest, Dale N. Memering, Matthew S. Rogers
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Patent number: 12030818Abstract: Glass ceramic components for electronic devices are disclosed, as are components including a glass ceramic material. A cover member including a glass ceramic material may be positioned over one or more device components such as an optical module or a component of a wireless communication or charging system. The cover member may have optical properties, electrical properties, magnetic properties, and/or mechanical properties compatible with the requirements of the one or more device components.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2021Date of Patent: July 9, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Matthew S. Rogers, Que Anh S. Nguyen
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Patent number: 12012356Abstract: Asymmetrically strengthened glass articles, methods for producing the same, and use of the articles in portable electronic device is disclosed. The asymmetrically strengthened glass articles include glass articles having a deeper compressive stress layer in a thicker portion of the glass article. Using a budgeted amount of compressive stress and tensile stress, asymmetric chemical strengthening is optimized for the utility of a glass article. In some aspects, the strengthened glass article can be designed for reduced damage, or damage propagation, when dropped.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2023Date of Patent: June 18, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Victor Luzzato, Christopher D. Prest, Dale N. Memering, Matthew S Rogers
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Patent number: 11963425Abstract: An electronic device may have a display overlapped by a cover layer. Portions of the surface of the display and cover layer may have curved profiles. The display may include a flexible substrate and may have bent edge portions protruding from a central region. Gaps may be formed between regions of pixels on a common substrate or between separate display panels. Gap-overlapping structures may overlap the gaps to hide internal components from view or to blend the appearance of gaps with the appearance of adjoining portions of a display layer. The gap-overlapping structures may include light sources such as crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes. The diodes may emit light through light diffusing structures. Protruding display layer fingers and other structures may be used to accommodate display cover layer surfaces with curved profiles such as corner surfaces of compound curvature.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael B. Wittenberg, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Tyler R. Kakuda, Christopher D. Prest, Marwan Rammah, Rasamy Phouthavong, Richard H. Dinh, David A. Pakula
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Patent number: 11921300Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with optical markers. A marker may be formed from a coating. The coating may be patterned to form a two-dimensional optical code or may be patterned to form an outline or other recognizable marker structure that helps provide information about an electronic device. A device with a sensor such as a depth sensor or other sensor may gather information on the electronic device and its markers. This information may include information on images captured with an image sensor while the electronic device is illuminated by one or more light beams from the depth sensor or other light sources. Markers may be configured to serve as mixed reality optical markers in a mixed reality system. Analysis of the mixed reality marker images or other sensor data may reveal information on device type, device location, device size, device orientation, and other information on a marked device.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2021Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Marta M. Giachino, Matthew S. Rogers, Que Anh S. Nguyen
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Publication number: 20240073580Abstract: An in-ear listening device having a device housing including a speaker housing and an elongated tube protruding away from the speaker housing, an audio port formed through the speaker housing, a speaker disposed in the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio port, a microphone port formed through the elongated tube, a microphone disposed in the elongated tube and operatively coupled to receive sound through the microphone port, a rechargeable battery and a wireless antenna disposed within the device housing, wireless circuitry coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to input and output radio frequency signals for wireless communications, a user-interface touch control disposed on the device housing and operable to control a function of the earbud, and battery charging circuitry coupled to the rechargeable battery and positioned within the device housing and operable to charge the rechargeable battery when coupled to receive power from an external power source.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: M. Evans Hankey, Emery A. Sanford, Christopher D. Prest, Way Chet Lim
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Patent number: 11877112Abstract: An in-ear listening device having a device housing including a speaker housing and an elongated tube protruding away from the speaker housing, an audio port formed through the speaker housing, a speaker disposed in the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio port, a microphone port formed through the elongated tube, a microphone disposed in the elongated tube and operatively coupled to receive sound through the microphone port, a rechargeable battery and a wireless antenna disposed within the device housing, wireless circuitry coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to input and output radio frequency signals for wireless communications, a user-interface touch control disposed on the device housing and operable to control a function of the earbud, and battery charging circuitry coupled to the rechargeable battery and positioned within the device housing and operable to charge the rechargeable battery when coupled to receive power from an external power source.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: M. Evans Hankey, Emery A. Sanford, Christopher D. Prest, Way Chet Lim
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Patent number: 11864304Abstract: An electronic device may include electrical components and other components mounted within an interior of a housing. The device may have a display on a front face of the device and may have a glass layer that forms part of the housing on a rear face of the device. The glass layer may be provided with regions having different appearances. The regions may be textured, may have coatings such as thin-film interference filter coatings formed from stacks of dielectric material having alternating indices of refraction, may have metal coating layers, and/or may have ink coating layers. Textured surfaces may be formed on thin glass layers and polymer films that are coupled to the glass layer. A glass layer may be formed from a pair of coupled glass layers. The coupled layers may have one or more recesses or other structures to visually distinguish different regions of the glass layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: James R. Wilson, Christopher D. Prest, Marta M. Giachino, Matthew S. Rogers, Que Anh S. Nguyen
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Patent number: 11860409Abstract: A display may have an array of display pixels that generate an image. A coherent fiber bundle may be mounted on the display pixels. The coherent fiber bundle may have a first surface that is adjacent to the display pixels and a second surface that is visible to a viewer. The coherent fiber bundle may contain fibers that carry light from the first surface to the second surface. The second surface may be planar or may have a central planar region and curved edge regions that run along opposing sides of the central planar region. The fibers may have cross-sectional surface areas with a first aspect ratio on the first surface and a second aspect ratio that is greater than the first aspect ratio on the second surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Tseng-Mau Yang, Christopher D. Prest, Dale N. Memering
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Patent number: 11772354Abstract: A glass fastening system includes a glass portion, a support structure defining a recess, a first adhesive layer disposed on an exterior surface of the glass portion facing the recess in the support structure, a second adhesive layer disposed within the recess of the support structure, and a fastener having a first portion secured to the first adhesive layer and a second portion extending away from the first portion and into the second adhesive layer to secure the glass portion to the support structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: David E. Kingman, Derek C. Scott, Donald R. Monroe, Phil M. Hobson, Juan A. Lazaro, Ibuki Kamei, John Raff, Stephen B. Lynch, Albert J. Golko, Christopher D. Prest, Dale N. Memering, James A. Yurko, Christopher D. Jones
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Publication number: 20230209880Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may have an array of display pixels that provide image light to a user. The array of display pixels may form an active display structure with a rectangular shape. The rectangular active display structure may be surrounded by an inactive border region. Optical structures such as a sheet of glass or another optical member may have portions that are configured to bend light from the display pixels along the periphery of the active display structure. The optical member may have an area that is larger than the area of the active display structure, so that the presence of the optical member may serve to enlarge the apparent size of the display. Solidified liquid polymer may be used to support the optical structures and may be interposed between the optical structures and the active display structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2023Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventors: Tseng-Mau Yang, Christopher D. Prest, Dale N. Memering
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Patent number: 11678445Abstract: A housing of an electronic device includes a substrate defining an external surface and internal surface of the housing, at least one sidewall extending from the substrate, and abrasion-resistant members at least partly embedded in the substrate and extending beyond the external surface. The abrasion-resistant members may be formed from metal or ceramic. The substrate comprises a moldable matrix. The abrasion-resistant members are harder than the moldable matrix.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2017Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Stephen B. Lynch, Teodor Dabov
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Publication number: 20230167021Abstract: Asymmetrically strengthened glass articles, methods for producing the same, and use of the articles in portable electronic device is disclosed. The asymmetrically strengthened glass articles include glass articles having a deeper compressive stress layer in a thicker portion of the glass article. Using a budgeted amount of compressive stress and tensile stress, asymmetric chemical strengthening is optimized for the utility of a glass article. In some aspects, the strengthened glass article can be designed for reduced damage, or damage propagation, when dropped.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2023Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Victor Luzzato, Christopher D. Prest, Dale N. Memering, Matthew S. Rogers
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Publication number: 20230122975Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a portable wearable device having a housing that includes a shell formed from a sheet metal material and defining an outer surface of the portable wearable device and a frame formed from a polymer material molded to an inner surface of the shell. The housing also includes a cover glass coupled to a ledge of the frame, where the frame and the cover glass define at least a portion of a sealed cavity. The portable wearable device may include a display assembly coupled to an inner surface of the cover glass such that the display assembly is positioned within the sealed cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: Jagbir S. Dhillon, Christopher D. Prest, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell, William A. Counts
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Patent number: 11626578Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may have an array of display pixels that provide image light to a user. The array of display pixels may form an active display structure with a rectangular shape. The rectangular active display structure may be surrounded by an inactive border region. Optical structures such as a sheet of glass or another optical member may have portions that are configured to bend light from the display pixels along the periphery of the active display structure. The optical member may have an area that is larger than the area of the active display structure, so that the presence of the optical member may serve to enlarge the apparent size of the display. Solidified liquid polymer may be used to support the optical structures and may be interposed between the optical structures and the active display structures.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Tseng-Mau Yang, Christopher D. Prest, Dale N. Memering