Patents by Inventor Dinesh C. Mathew
Dinesh C. Mathew 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: 20210335560Abstract: Keyboards and other input devices are provided with at least one flexible layer that extends over or under the keycaps. The flexible layer spans interkey spaces and provides finger support and key definition as the user feels the top surface of the keycaps and flexible layer. The flexible layer therefore smooths the top surface of the keyboard, supports fingers during key travel, prevents ingress of contaminants, fluids, or debris into the keyboard, and provides a surface that can be used as a touch interface that coincides with the keyboard.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2021Publication date: October 28, 2021Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren
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Patent number: 11139129Abstract: Keyboards and other input devices are provided with at least one flexible layer that extends over or under the keycaps. The flexible layer spans interkey spaces and lies between inner and outer keycaps. The flexible layer prevents intrusion of invasive material to the keyboard mechanisms and simplifies the appearance of the keyboard area. Some flexible layers help align keycaps by connecting inner and outer keycaps or by providing a mechanical connection interface for the keycaps. Some membranes used in the flexible layer have a layered or composite construction that increases durability and tear resistance by attaching or infusing a mesh material or other tough material to a less durable, elastic material.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Abidur R. Chowdhury, Bart K. Andre, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren
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Publication number: 20210294391Abstract: Cable assemblies for providing electrical communication between hinged sections of an electronic device are described. The cable assemblies can include a cover that covers one or more cables that run through a hinge region of the electronic device. The cable and cover can be drawn over a mandrel of the hinge region. The cover and the portions of the mandrel can be visible to a user at the hinge region of the electronic device. The cover can be sufficiently rigid to guide a path of the cable and protect the cable from bending beyond a prescribed angle during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region. The cover can also be sufficiently rigid to prevent ceasing or folding of the cover and the cable during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2021Publication date: September 23, 2021Inventors: Mikael M. SILVANTO, Bartley K. ANDRE, Adam T. GARELLI, Simon Regis Louis LANCASTER-LAROCQUE, Robert Y. CAO, Dinesh C. MATHEW, Jacob S. KONONIUK, Robert J. LOCKWOOD, Bryan W. POSNER, Kevin M. KEELER, Bruce E. BERG, Yi-Chen KUO, Kevin M. ROBINSON, Houtan R. FARAHANI
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Publication number: 20210289645Abstract: Low-profile computer supports include features to reduce the thickness and improve the portability or storage capability of a computer system while it is disassembled, packaged, shipped, or moved. Some computer systems have a computing device and a dock device that can be stored and moved separately or that can store or support accessories associated with the computer system. Some computer systems have a movable stand configured to transition between a collapsed state and a deployed or standing state. Some stands include handles or grips for moving the computer systems while collapsed. Other computer systems include handles or grips to provide areas to more easily carry the computer systems. The handles or grips can have features such as a flexible material to hide or mask their appearance on the computer system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2020Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Abidur R. Chowdhury, Adam T. Garelli, Bart K. Andre, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren
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Patent number: 11112827Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 1, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Paul X. Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
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Patent number: 11099649Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20210247856Abstract: Computing systems and input devices can include a chassis with a computing device and an input tool with a sensor, such as a pen- or rod-like input tool, that can be positioned relative to the chassis in multiple configurations. In one configuration, the tool can be spaced away from the chassis and its sensor output can cause a first output signal in response to input provided to the sensor. In another configuration, the tool can be contacting the chassis and its sensor output can cause a second output signal in response to input provided to the sensor. For example, an input tool can be stowed in a recess of a keyboard housing or device chassis, and the input tool can produce a first output when it is in the recess and a second input when it has been removed from the chassis.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2020Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Dinesh C. Mathew, John S. Camp
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Patent number: 11086069Abstract: An electronic device may have electrical components mounted in an interior region of the electronic device. A housing may surround the interior region and may separate the interior region from an exterior region that surrounds the electronic device. Arrays of recesses may be formed on opposing inner and outer sides of the housing. The arrays may be laterally offset from each other along the housing. The recesses on the inner and outer sides of the housing may meet at passageways within the housing. During operation of the electronic device, air may flow through the inner recesses, the passageways, and the outer recesses to cool electrical components within the interior region. Lighting may be provided for the housing. Light-emitting devices such as light-emitting diodes may be received within cavities in the housing. Light guiding structures, diffusers, reflectors, and other structures may be used to help adjust illumination from the light-emitting devices.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Bart K. Andre, Bryan W. Posner, Daniele G. De Iuliis, Dinesh C. Mathew, Kamal H. Habboub, Sung-Ho Tan, Joshua A. Spechler
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Patent number: 11087937Abstract: Keyboards and other input devices are provided with at least one flexible layer that extends over or under the keycaps. The flexible layer spans interkey spaces and provides finger support and key definition as the user feels the top surface of the keycaps and flexible layer. The flexible layer therefore smooths the top surface of the keyboard, supports fingers during key travel, prevents ingress of contaminants, fluids, or debris into the keyboard, and provides a surface that can be used as a touch interface that coincides with the keyboard.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren
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Patent number: 11073954Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 9, 2016Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20210223822Abstract: An electronic device housing may have upper and lower portions that are attached with a hinge. At least one portion of the housing may have a rear planar surface and peripheral sidewalls having edges. A display module may be mounted in the housing. The display module may have glass layers such as a color filter glass layer and a thin-film transistor substrate. The color filter glass layer may serve as the outermost glass layer in the display module. The edges of the display module may be aligned with the edges of the peripheral housing sidewalls to create the appearance of a borderless display for the electronic device. The display module may be provided with an opening that allows a camera or other electronic components to receive light. Traces may be provided on the underside of the thin-film transistor substrate to serve as signal paths for the electrical components.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, JR., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs
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Publication number: 20210176547Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2020Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventors: 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
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Patent number: 11029735Abstract: Cable assemblies for providing electrical communication between hinged sections of an electronic device are described. The cable assemblies can include a cover that covers one or more cables that run through a hinge region of the electronic device. The cable and cover can be drawn over a mandrel of the hinge region. The cover and the portions of the mandrel can be visible to a user at the hinge region of the electronic device. The cover can be sufficiently rigid to guide a path of the cable and protect the cable from bending beyond a prescribed angle during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region. The cover can also be sufficiently rigid to prevent ceasing or folding of the cover and the cable during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2020Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Mikael M. Silvanto, Bartley K. Andre, Adam T. Garelli, Simon Regis Louis Lancaster-Larocque, Robert Y. Cao, Dinesh C. Mathew, Jacob S. Kononiuk, Robert J. Lockwood, Bryan W. Posner, Kevin M. Keeler, Bruce E. Berg, Yi-Chen Kuo, Kevin M. Robinson, Houtan R. Farahani
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Patent number: 11023081Abstract: Multi-functional keyboard assemblies include an array of keys formed from stacked component layers. A top portion of the key may be capable of travelling vertically with respect to a base of the key. The top portion can include a keycap and a circuitry module coupled to the keycap. The keys may be capable of receive at least two distinct types of inputs and/or receiving at least one type of input and providing at least one type of output. Such output may include use of one or more light sources, displays, and/or haptic feedback devices.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Craig C. Leong, James J. Niu, John M. Brock, Keith J. Hendren, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Bartley K. Andre, Mikael Silvanto, Dinesh C. Mathew
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Publication number: 20210149458Abstract: An electronic device includes an enclosure formed of a plurality of layers cooperating to define an interior volume. The enclosure includes a first layer formed of a first material and defining a user input surface of the enclosure and a first portion of a side surface of the enclosure. The enclosure also includes a second layer, formed of a second material different from the first material, positioned below the first layer and defining a second portion of the side surface of the enclosure. The enclosure also includes a third layer, formed of a third material different from the first and second materials, positioned below the second layer and defining a bottom surface of the enclosure and a third portion of the side surface of the enclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2021Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Mikael M. Silvanto, Simon J. Trivett, Matthew S. Theobald, Dinesh C. Mathew, Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque, Robert Y. Cao, Ari P. Miller, Kevin M. Robinson, Houtan R. Farahani, Francesco Ferretti, John Raff, Robert J. Lockwood, Genie Kim, Karan Bir, Keith J. Hendren, Gurshan Deol, Antonio Clarke, Prabhu Sathyamurthy, William A. Counts
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Publication number: 20210149445Abstract: An electronic device may have an elongated sensing strip. Control circuitry may use the sensing strip to gather air gesture input from the fingers or other body part of a user. The electronic device may have a housing. The housing may have portions such as upper and lower portions that rotate relative to each other about an axis. A hinge may be used to couple the upper and lower portions together. The sensing strip may extend parallel to the axis and may be located on the lower portion between keys on the lower portion and the axis or on the upper portion between the edge of a display in the upper portion and the axis. The sensing strip may have a one-dimensional array of sensor elements such as capacitive sensor elements, optical sensor elements, ultrasonic sensor elements, or radio-frequency sensor elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2021Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Adam T. Garelli, Dinesh C. Mathew, Senem E. Emgin
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Patent number: 11003208Abstract: An electronic device such as a laptop computer or other device may have a housing. A display may be coupled to the housing. The display may have a pixel array configured to display an image. Backlight illumination for the pixel array may be provide by a backlight unit. The backlight unit may have a light guide layer. A light source may provide light to an edge of the light guide layer. The light guide layer may scatter the light outwardly to serve as the backlight illumination for the pixel array. The backlight unit may have optical films interposed between the light guide layer and the pixel array. The optical films may include flexible polymer layers such as diffuser layers and prism films. The optical films may each have a bent alignment portion that bends back on itself while wrapping around an edge of the light guide layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Keith J. Hendren, Adam T. Garelli, Bryan W. Posner, Dinesh C. Mathew, Mengyang Liang, Eric Benson, Victor Yin, Jun Qi
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Patent number: 11003213Abstract: An electronic device housing may have upper and lower portions that are attached with a hinge. At least one portion of the housing may have a rear planar surface and peripheral sidewalls having edges. A display module may be mounted in the housing. The display module may have glass layers such as a color filter glass layer and a thin-film transistor substrate. The color filter glass layer may serve as the outermost glass layer in the display module. The edges of the display module may be aligned with the edges of the peripheral housing sidewalls to create the appearance of a borderless display for the electronic device. The display module may be provided with an opening that allows a camera or other electronic components to receive light. Traces may be provided on the underside of the thin-film transistor substrate to serve as signal paths for the electrical components.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs
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Patent number: 10990127Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing in which a display is mounted. A gasket may be mounted in a groove between the display and housing. The gasket may contain an embedded stiffener. Corner brackets may be installed in the corners of the housing. The housing may have inner and outer concentric ribs. Recesses in the housing may be configured to receive the corner brackets. The recesses may be formed between the inner and outer concentric ribs. Gap filling structures such as a foam layer may be interposed between a rear housing wall and a display backlight unit. Display color variations may be corrected by using a backlight unit having an array of light-emitting diodes of different colors. An electrostatic discharge protection layer may be grounded to a housing using conductive tape. Black edge coatings and adhesive-based structures may block stray light. Camera window regions may be supported using adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Bryan W. Posner, Keith J. Hendren, Adam T. Garelli, Joss Nathan Giddings, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Jun Qi, Paul Xiaopeng Wang
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Patent number: 10983390Abstract: An electronic device display may have a color filter layer and a thin film transistor layer. A layer of liquid crystal material may be interposed between the color filter layer and the thin film transistor layer. A layer of polarizer may be laminated onto the surface of the color filter layer. Laser trimming may ensure that the edges of the polarizer are even with the edges of the color filter layer. The thin film transistor layer may have an array of thin film transistors that control pixels of the liquid crystal material in the display. Driver circuitry may be used to control the array. The driver circuitry may be encapsulated in a planarized encapsulant on the thin film transistor layer or may be mounted to the underside of the color filter layer. Conductive structures may connect driver circuitry on the color filter layer to the thin film transistor layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Victor H. Yin, Bryan W. Posner, Chris Ligtenberg, Brett W. Degner, Peteris K. Augenbergs, John Z. Zhong, Steve Hotelling, Lynn Youngs, Kuo-Hua Sung