Patents by Inventor Devon K. Copeland

Devon K. Copeland 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: 12596334
    Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall, a display, a front cover positioned over the display, and an input system configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input. The input system may include a switch element positioned within the housing and defining a first opening along a top of the switch element, a crown including a knob external to the housing, and a shaft assembly coupled to the knob and extending through a second opening in the side wall of the housing and through the first opening in the switch element, the shaft assembly defining an actuation feature configured to actuate the switch element in response to the translational input, and a rotation sensing system configured to detect the rotational input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Davis, Devon K. Copeland
  • Patent number: 12507353
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing sidewall defining an opening and a display component, such as a display cover, disposed in the opening to form a gap between the housing sidewall and the display component. In at least one example, the cavity is defined by the sidewall and the display cover with the cavity in fluid communication with an external environment through the gap. In at least one example, an epoxy component at least partially defines the cavity and can be in direct contact with the housing sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Trent J. Canales, Devon K. Copeland, YoungHoon Kim, Michael R. Parker, Dimitrios Papantonis, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell
  • Publication number: 20250343349
    Abstract: Housings for electronic devices are disclosed, as well as electronic devices including the housings. A wireless communication system of the electronic device may include an antenna element within a display assembly. The antenna element within the display assembly may be operatively coupled to a conductive upper portion of the housing. The housing may define a slot between the conductive upper portion and a conductive lower portion of the housing, and a dielectric material may be positioned within the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2025
    Publication date: November 6, 2025
    Inventors: Michael R. Parker, Devon K. Copeland, Jody C. Fu, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell, Trent Canales
  • Patent number: 12388168
    Abstract: Housings for electronic devices are disclosed, as well as electronic devices including the housings. A wireless communication system of the electronic device may include an antenna element within a display assembly. The antenna element within the display assembly may be operatively coupled to a conductive upper portion of the housing. The housing may define a slot between the conductive upper portion and a conductive lower portion of the housing, and a dielectric material may be positioned within the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael R. Parker, Devon K. Copeland, Jody C. Fu, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell, Trent Canales
  • Publication number: 20250068130
    Abstract: An electronic watch can include a housing sidewall defining an internal volume. The electronic watch can include a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the internal volume. The electronic watch can include an electrically conductive connector contacting the PCB. The electronic watch can include an elongate conductive member disposed along a portion of a perimeter of the housing sidewall. The elongate conductive member can include a first contact feature electrically coupling the elongate conductive member and the electrically conductive connector at a first position along a length of the elongate conductive member. The first contact feature can include a bulge. The elongate conductive member can include a second contact feature electrically coupling the elongate conductive member and the housing sidewall at a second location along the length of the elongate conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: Nathanial E. Verdonk, Daniela M. Deschamps, Devon K. Copeland, Nicholas L. Qu
  • Patent number: 12193183
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing sidewall defining an opening and a display component, such as a display cover, disposed in the opening to form a gap between the housing sidewall and the display component. In at least one example, the cavity is defined by the sidewall and the display cover with the cavity in fluid communication with an external environment through the gap. In at least one example, an epoxy component at least partially defines the cavity and can be in direct contact with the housing sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael R. Parker, Daniel T. McDonald, Devon K. Copeland, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell, Christopher M. Werner, Michael A. Fisher, Natalie Y. Homsi, Alexandros J. Petrakis, Trent J. Canales
  • Publication number: 20240264569
    Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall, a display, a front cover positioned over the display, and an input system configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input. The input system may include a switch element positioned within the housing and defining a first opening along a top of the switch element, a crown including a knob external to the housing, and a shaft assembly coupled to the knob and extending through a second opening in the side wall of the housing and through the first opening in the switch element, the shaft assembly defining an actuation feature configured to actuate the switch element in response to the translational input, and a rotation sensing system configured to detect the rotational input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Richard A. Davis, Devon K. Copeland
  • Patent number: 11992116
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device includes a watch body including a touch-sensitive display configured to receive a first input and a first wireless circuit configured to receive a wireless input signal. The wearable electronic device further includes a band coupled to the watch body and configured to attach the watch body to a user and a wireless module coupled to the band and including an input device configured to receive a second input and a second wireless circuit configured to transmit the wireless input signal to the first wireless circuit in response to receiving the second input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Perkins, Devon K. Copeland, Erik G. de Jong
  • Publication number: 20230238683
    Abstract: A portable electronic device can include a housing defining an internal volume and an opening. The device can also include a rear cover disposed in the opening, with an inner surface of the rear cover defining the internal volume, and a conductive antenna component embedded within the rear cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Steven C. Roach, Eric T. Chiang, YoungHoon Kim, Maegan K. Spencer, Michael R. Parker, Christopher M. Werner, Ryan C. Perkins, Bora Inci, Sherry Tang, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell, Daniela Deschamps, Colin M. Ely, Devon K. Copeland, Ming Kun Shi
  • Publication number: 20230232560
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing sidewall defining an opening and a display component, such as a display cover, disposed in the opening to form a gap between the housing sidewall and the display component. In at least one example, the cavity is defined by the sidewall and the display cover with the cavity in fluid communication with an external environment through the gap. In at least one example, an epoxy component at least partially defines the cavity and can be in direct contact with the housing sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Michael R. Parker, Daniel T. McDonald, Devon K. Copeland, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell, Christopher M. Werner, Michael A. Fisher, Natalie Y. Homsi, Alexandros J. Petrakis, Trent J. Canales
  • Publication number: 20230232547
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing sidewall defining an opening and a display component, such as a display cover, disposed in the opening to form a gap between the housing sidewall and the display component. In at least one example, the cavity is defined by the sidewall and the display cover with the cavity in fluid communication with an external environment through the gap. In at least one example, an epoxy component at least partially defines the cavity and can be in direct contact with the housing sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Trent J. Canales, Devon K. Copeland, YoungHoon Kim, Michael R. Parker, Dimitrios Papantonis, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell
  • Patent number: 11635786
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing that includes an optically transparent component. First and second light emitters can be positioned in the internal volume defined by the housing. A light detector can be positioned in the internal volume and can be optically isolated from the first and second light emitters within the internal volume. An opaque material can be disposed on the optically transparent component and can be positioned to inhibit light emitted from the second light emitter from reaching the light detector and to allow light emitted from the first light emitter to reach the light detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ueyn L. Block, Devon K. Copeland, Guocheng Shao, Vivek Venugopal
  • Publication number: 20230091853
    Abstract: Housings for electronic devices are disclosed, as well as electronic devices including the housings. A wireless communication system of the electronic device may include an antenna element within a display assembly. The antenna element within the display assembly may be operatively coupled to a conductive upper portion of the housing. The housing may define a slot between the conductive upper portion and a conductive lower portion of the housing, and a dielectric material may be positioned within the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Michael R. Parker, Devon K. Copeland, Jody C. Fu, Tyler S. Atura Bushnell, Trent Canales
  • Publication number: 20220006892
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device includes a watch body including a touch-sensitive display configured to receive a first input and a first wireless circuit configured to receive a wireless input signal. The wearable electronic device further includes a band coupled to the watch body and configured to attach the watch body to a user and a wireless module coupled to the band and including an input device configured to receive a second input and a second wireless circuit configured to transmit the wireless input signal to the first wireless circuit in response to receiving the second input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan C. Perkins, Devon K. Copeland, Erik G. de Jong
  • Publication number: 20210389798
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing that includes an optically transparent component. First and second light emitters can be positioned in the internal volume defined by the housing. A light detector can be positioned in the internal volume and can be optically isolated from the first and second light emitters within the internal volume. An opaque material can be disposed on the optically transparent component and can be positioned to inhibit light emitted from the second light emitter from reaching the light detector and to allow light emitted from the first light emitter to reach the light detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Ueyn L. Block, Devon K. Copeland, Guocheng Shao, Vivek Venugopal