Patents by Inventor Christopher Wilk

Christopher Wilk 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).

  • Publication number: 20240121559
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having speakers such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) speakers. A MEMS speaker can include cylindrical corrugated MEMS structure. The cylindrical corrugated MEMS structure may include a contiguous MEMS structure with corrugations that run around an open cylindrical core that is defined, in part, by interior folds of the corrugations. The cylindrical corrugated MEMS structure may be deformed, responsive to an applied voltage, such that a portion of the cylindrical corrugated MEMS structure bends into and/or out of the open cylindrical core to push air out of and/or pull air into the open cylindrical core. In one or more implementations, a MEMS speaker may include an array of cylindrical corrugated MEMS structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Onur I. ILKORUR, Christopher WILK, Gokhan HATIPOGLU, Peter C. HRUDEY
  • Publication number: 20240113548
    Abstract: A voltage discharge device configured to drain a voltage of one or more energy storage devices by adaptively adjusting an internal resistance based on a voltage of the one or more energy storage devices. The internal resistance may be selectively adjusted using a plurality of transistors coupled to a resistor coil disposed in the voltage discharge device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Brian Christopher Gumino, Matthew Adomaitis, John Raymond Curran, Jeremy Winston Wilks
  • Patent number: 11950036
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Patent number: 11917350
    Abstract: A loudspeaker having a compressible lead wire is described. The lead wire carries an electrical audio input signal to a voice coil. The electrical audio input signal drives the voice coil to oscillate in an axial direction. The compressible lead wire includes an elastic portion that stretches and compresses in the axial direction to allow the voice coil to oscillate freely. The elastic portion includes several compressible elements that are located within a cavity of the loudspeaker. The compressible elements extend through the cavity in the axial direction. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Wilk, Logan A. Rotolo, Anthony P. Grazian, Onur I. Ilkorur
  • Patent number: 11917387
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having speakers such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) speakers. A MEMS speaker can include an electrostatically driven, corrugated MEMS structure to move air without a magnet, coil, or traditional speaker membrane, and thus provide a low-power, compact speaker with a large acoustically active area in a small volume. Neighboring folds in the corrugated MEMS structure may form pairs of MEMS electrodes that can be pushed together and/or pulled apart to deform the MEMS structure in a breathing motion that generates pressure differentials on opposing sides of the corrugated MEMS structure to generate sound. Additional modes of operation are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gokhan Hatipoglu, Onur I. Ilkorur, Pablo Seoane Vieites, Christopher Wilk, Peter C. Hrudey
  • Publication number: 20240064467
    Abstract: A moving magnet motor comprising: a stationary voice coil coupled to a frame; a moving magnet assembly movably coupled to the frame and operable to move relative to the stationary coil, the moving magnet assembly comprising a magnet and a flux concentrating member that define a gap within which the stationary coil is positioned; and an actuating surface coupled to the moving magnet assembly, and wherein a movement of the moving magnet assembly drives a movement of the actuating surface along an axis of translation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Onur I. Ilkorur, Oliver Leonhardt, Matthew A. Donarski, Christopher Wilk
  • Publication number: 20240007796
    Abstract: A transducer assembly comprising: a magnet motor assembly comprising a first magnet plate and a second magnet plate arranged along an axis, a first support plate positioned between inward facing surfaces of the first magnet plate and the second magnet plate, a second support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the first magnet plate to form a first magnetic gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, and a third support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the second magnet plate to form a second magnetic gap between the first support plate and the third support plate; a voice coil coupled to the magnet motor assembly, wherein the voice coil is positioned around the first support plate and within the first magnetic gap and the second magnetic gap; and a piston coupled to the voice coil, wherein the piston is operable to vibrate in a direction parallel to the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk, Onur I. Ilkorur, David S. Wilkes, JR., Christopher Wilk, Michael J. Newman
  • Patent number: 11812248
    Abstract: A moving magnet motor comprising: a stationary voice coil coupled to a frame; a moving magnet assembly movably coupled to the frame and operable to move relative to the stationary coil, the moving magnet assembly comprising a magnet and a flux concentrating member that define a gap within which the stationary coil is positioned; and an actuating surface coupled to the moving magnet assembly, and wherein a movement of the moving magnet assembly drives a movement of the actuating surface along an axis of translation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Onur I. Ilkorur, Oliver Leonhardt, Matthew A. Donarski, Christopher Wilk
  • Patent number: 11785392
    Abstract: A transducer assembly comprising: a magnet motor assembly comprising a first magnet plate and a second magnet plate arranged along an axis, a first support plate positioned between inward facing surfaces of the first magnet plate and the second magnet plate, a second support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the first magnet plate to form a first magnetic gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, and a third support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the second magnet plate to form a second magnetic gap between the first support plate and the third support plate; a voice coil coupled to the magnet motor assembly, wherein the voice coil is positioned around the first support plate and within the first magnetic gap and the second magnetic gap; and a piston coupled to the voice coil, wherein the piston is operable to vibrate in a direction parallel to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk, Onur I. Ilkorur, David S. Wilkes, Jr., Christopher Wilk, Michael J. Newman
  • Patent number: 11778367
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber and a sound output port to an ambient environment; a speaker positioned within the interior chamber, the speaker having a front volume chamber coupling a sound output surface of the speaker to the sound output port and a back volume chamber acoustically coupled to the interior chamber by an aperiodic vent; and a valve operable to open and close the aperiodic vent in response to a pressure change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Onur I. Ilkorur, Christopher Wilk, Matthew A. Donarski, Pablo Seoane Vieites, Anthony P. Grazian
  • Publication number: 20230217204
    Abstract: Implementations of the subject technology provide user tracking headrest audio control. For example, a seat may have a headrest and one or more speakers mounted to the headrest for providing audio output to an occupant of the seat. Because the head of the occupant may be disposed in the near field of the headrest speakers when the occupant is seated in the seat, movements of the occupant's head and/or ears may affect the acoustic experience of the occupant. Aspects of the subject technology provide for modifications to audio output(s) from one or more speaker(s) mounted in a headrest, based on tracking of the location of the occupant's head and/or ears relative to the location(s) of the speaker(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel K. BOOTHE, Onur I. ILKORUR, Martin E. JOHNSON, Christopher WILK, Andrea Baldioceda OREAMUNO, Sanjana WADHWA
  • Publication number: 20230188877
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A. Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Publication number: 20230179920
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having speakers such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) speakers. A MEMS speaker can include an electrostatically driven, corrugated MEMS structure to move air without a magnet, coil, or traditional speaker membrane, and thus provide a low-power, compact speaker with a large acoustically active area in a small volume. Neighboring folds in the corrugated MEMS structure may form pairs of MEMS electrodes that can be pushed together and/or pulled apart to deform the MEMS structure in a breathing motion that generates pressure differentials on opposing sides of the corrugated MEMS structure to generate sound. Additional modes of operation are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Gokhan HATIPOGLU, Onur I. ILKORUR, Pablo Seoane VIEITES, Christopher WILK, Peter C. HRUDEY
  • Patent number: 11671745
    Abstract: A headphone earcup comprising: a frame defining an acoustic cavity that is acoustically coupled to a driver; an earcup cushion coupled to the frame and surrounding the acoustic cavity; and an adsorbent member acoustically coupled to the acoustic cavity to cause an acoustic enlargement of the acoustic cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Wilk, Jarrett B. Lagler
  • Publication number: 20230171532
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that defines a first chamber, a second chamber and an acoustic opening from the first chamber or the second chamber; and an electroosmotic flow valve operable to open and close the acoustic opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Wilk, Scott C. Grinker, Esge B. Andersen, Onur I. Ilkorur, Peter C. Hrudey, Gokhan Hatipoglu
  • Patent number: 11665470
    Abstract: An audio speaker having a speaker housing surrounding a back volume that is divided into a rear cavity behind a speaker driver and an adsorption cavity separated from the rear cavity by a permeable partition, is disclosed. More particularly, the adsorption cavity may be defined between the speaker housing and the permeable partition, and may be directly filled with adsorptive particles to adsorb gas during sound generation. The permeable partition may allow the gas to flow between the rear cavity and the adsorption cavity, and may retain the adsorptive particles within the adsorption cavity. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Wilk, Ruchir M. Dave, Scott P. Porter
  • Patent number: 11647324
    Abstract: An audio speaker having an adsorptive insert in a speaker back volume, is disclosed. More particularly, an embodiment includes an adsorptive insert having a rigid open-pore body formed by bonded adsorptive particles. The rigid open-pore body includes interconnected macropores that transport air from the speaker back volume to adsorptive micropores in the bonded adsorptive particles during sound generation. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Wilk, Ruchir M. Dave, Scott P. Porter, Daniel T. McDonald
  • Patent number: 11617039
    Abstract: A planar magnetic driver including a radiating surface having a trace-free central region is described. The driver has a magnet defining an acoustic opening on a central axis. A diaphragm of the planar magnetic driver is held by mounts having a mounting profile around the central axis, and the diaphragm includes a radiating surface facing the acoustic opening. An innermost conductive trace on the diaphragm extends around a central region of the radiating surface within a magnetic flux of the magnet such that no conductive traces are on the central region. A radial distance between the innermost conductive trace and the mounting profile is less than another radial distance between the innermost conductive trace and the central axis. Accordingly, an excursion range of the diaphragm along the central axis is greater than a gap distance between the conductive trace and the magnet. Other aspects are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Onur I. Ilkorur, Miikka O. Tikander, Christopher Wilk, Bonnie W. Tom
  • Patent number: 11606633
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A. Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Patent number: 11595758
    Abstract: A MEMS speaker can include an electrostatically driven, corrugated MEMS structure to move air without a magnet, coil, or traditional speaker membrane, and thus provide a low-power, compact speaker with a large acoustically active area in a small volume. Neighboring folds in the corrugated MEMS structure may form pairs of MEMS electrodes that can be pushed together and/or pulled apart to deform the MEMS structure in a breathing motion that generates pressure differentials on opposing sides of the corrugated MEMS structure to generate sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gokhan Hatipoglu, Onur I. Ilkorur, Pablo Seoane Vieites, Christopher Wilk, Peter C. Hrudey