Patents by Inventor Christopher T. Lebedeff

Christopher T. Lebedeff 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: 11031195
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna
  • Patent number: 10637977
    Abstract: An item such as a leather-based item may have a layer of leather with one or more transparent portions that are illuminated by a light source. The transparent portions of the leather may be formed by a single continuous opening in the leather or may be formed by an array of smaller openings. A flexible light guide may be attached to a lower surface of the leather. The light guide may be used to add structure and heft to a thinned portion of the leather while still allowing the leather to remain flexible and soft. The light guide may be attached to a lower surface of the leather and may diffuse and guide light from a light source towards the leather. The light guide may be formed from one or more waveguide “pipes” or may be formed form a plate-light light guide layer that extends continuously under the leather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Whitney D. Mattson, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Craig C. Leong, James C. Whitley
  • Patent number: 10595618
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a layer of material with transparent portions. The layer of material may be fabric layer, a layer of leather, or other layer of material. The transparent portions may be formed from openings in the layer of material. The transparent portions may overlap electrical components. The electrical components may include a sensor, light-emitting components, and haptic output components. The light-emitting components may include light-emitting diodes, edge-lit light guides, displays having arrays of pixels, or other light-emitting devices. The openings in the layer of material may be patterned to form icon shapes and other shapes. The layer of material may be used in forming a strap for a wristwatch, a case for a cellular telephone or other portable device, or other electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Kenneth M. Silz
  • Patent number: 10590600
    Abstract: An item such as a fabric-based item may have a layer of fabric with openings that are illuminated by a light source. The openings may form symbols or other shapes and may serve as labels for keyboard keys or other components. The fabric may be formed from transparent strands of material that are coated with opaque material or may be formed from opaque strands of material in which openings are formed by laser drilling. The openings may be covered with a transparent coating layer such as a translucent polymer coating. Translucent material on the fabric may be patterned to form parts of the labels or other shapes created by the illuminated openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Xiaopeng Wang, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Joel N. Ruscher, Zheng Gao, Siddhartha Hegde, Zhengyu Li
  • Publication number: 20180368559
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a layer of material with transparent portions. The layer of material may be fabric layer, a layer of leather, or other layer of material. The transparent portions may be formed from openings in the layer of material. The transparent portions may overlap electrical components. The electrical components may include a sensor, light-emitting components, and haptic output components. The light-emitting components may include light-emitting diodes, edge-lit light guides, displays having arrays of pixels, or other light-emitting devices. The openings in the layer of material may be patterned to form icon shapes and other shapes. The layer of material may be used in forming a strap for a wristwatch, a case for a cellular telephone or other portable device, or other electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Kenneth M. Silz
  • Publication number: 20180337010
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna
  • Patent number: 9997305
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna
  • Publication number: 20170069442
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna