Patents by Inventor Dustin A. Hatfield
Dustin A. Hatfield 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: 20240069596Abstract: A head-mounted device may include a main housing portion and displays in the main housing portion that provide images to eye boxes. A light seal may be coupled to the main housing portion and may at least partially surround the eye boxes. The head-mounted device may include sweat mitigation structures such as moisture-guiding channels in the light seal to guide sweat and other moisture away from the eye boxes. The moisture-guiding channels may be formed from grooves or moisture-wicking fabric. Control circuitry may adjust a fan based on humidity, temperature, or fog detected by a sensor. The light seal may include a directional pattern of grooves through which moisture is guided away from the eye boxes. A moisture barrier layer may be interposed between an inner foam layer and an outer light-blocking fabric to prevent sweat from penetrating into the foam.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Adam Y Kollgaard, Kristine S Atom, Vedant A Dhandhania, Ian A Guy, Dustin A Hatfield, Shannon Pomeroy, Paul X Wang
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Publication number: 20240004459Abstract: A head-mountable device and/or another electronic device can provide guidance for optimal placement of the head-mountable device. The head-mountable device and/or another electronic device can be operated to guide a user to position the head-mountable device in a manner that will achieve proper alignment of components with respect to the user and maximize user comfort. For example, the head-mountable device and/or another device can include sensors for detecting features of the user's face, forces distributed on the face when worn, and/or alignment with the face (e.g., eyes). By further example, the head-mountable device and/or another device can detect changes in adjustment and infer user discomfort based on the frequency and/or magnitude of such changes. By further example, the head-mountable device and/or another device can detect changes in features of the user's face before, during, and/or after use of the head-mountable device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventors: Paul X. WANG, Dustin A. HATFIELD
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Publication number: 20230375843Abstract: A facial interface for a head-mounted display, which is to be worn on a head of a user, includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion engages an upper facial region above eyes of the user. The lower portion that engages a lower facial region below the eyes of the user. The lower portion has a lower shear compliance in that is greater than an upper shear compliance of the upper portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Kristi E. Bauerly
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Publication number: 20230350214Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a display unit and a facial interface. The display unit displays graphical content to the user. The facial interface is removably coupleable to the display unit and engages a facial engagement region of a face of the user whereby the display unit is supported on the face of the user. The facial interface includes a physiological sensor for sensing a physiological condition of the user in the facial engagement region.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Inventors: Daniel M. Strongwater, Kristi E. Bauerly, Dustin A. Hatfield
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Publication number: 20230345162Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
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Publication number: 20230333595Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a display unit and a facial interface. The display unit includes a display for displaying graphical content to a user. The facial interface is coupled to the display unit and configured to engage a face of the user to support the display unit thereon. The facial interface includes an upper portion that engages a forehead of the user and side portions that engage temple regions of the user. The facial interface converts forward force applied to the upper portion by the forehead into inward force applied by side portions to the temple regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Daniel M. Strongwater, Kristi E. Bauerly
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Patent number: 11782480Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a display unit, a head support, and a balancing mass. The display unit displays graphical content to a user. The head support is coupled to the display to support the display unit on a head of the user for displaying the graphical content thereto. The balancing mass is movable relative to the display unit to offset changes in torque induced by the display unit when tilting the head-mounted display.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Daniel M. Strongwater, Kristi E. Bauerly
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Patent number: 11762421Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a display unit and a facial interface. The display unit includes a display for displaying graphical content to a user. The facial interface is coupled to the display unit and configured to engage a face of the user to support the display unit thereon. The facial interface includes an upper portion that engages a forehead of the user and side portions that engage temple regions of the user. The facial interface converts forward force applied to the upper portion by the forehead into inward force applied by side portions to the temple regions.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Daniel M. Strongwater, Kristi E. Bauerly
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Patent number: 11762206Abstract: A facial interface for a head-mounted display, which is to be worn on a head of a user, includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion engages an upper facial region above eyes of the user. The lower portion that engages a lower facial region below the eyes of the user. The lower portion has a lower shear compliance in that is greater than an upper shear compliance of the upper portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Kristi E. Bauerly
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Patent number: 11740475Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a display unit and a facial interface. The display unit displays graphical content to the user. The facial interface is removably coupleable to the display unit and engages a facial engagement region of a face of the user whereby the display unit is supported on the face of the user. The facial interface includes a physiological sensor for sensing a physiological condition of the user in the facial engagement region.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Daniel M. Strongwater, Kristi E. Bauerly, Dustin A. Hatfield
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Patent number: 11736847Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
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Patent number: 11726523Abstract: A head-mountable device can include a head securement element that provides limited flexibility while also providing adequate stiffness to reduce the effects of sagging components under their own weight. Such stiffness can help the forces be distributed evenly across the face. For example, rather than allowing excessive forces to weigh on the cheeks and/or nose of the user, certain types of stiffness about the head-mountable device can help distribute forces along the forehead of the user and/or other regions.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Geng Luo
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Patent number: 11720145Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a display unit and a facial interface. The display unit includes a display for displaying graphical content to a user. The facial interface is coupled to the display unit and configured to engage a face of the user to support the display unit thereon. The facial interface includes an upper portion that engages a forehead of the user and side portions that engage temple regions of the user. The facial interface converts forward force applied to the upper portion by the forehead into inward force applied by side portions to the temple regions.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Daniel M. Strongwater, Kristi E. Bauerly
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Publication number: 20230229010Abstract: While head-mountable devices can provide immersive experiences, a user wearing a head-mountable device can also benefit from activities that include body motion and promote the user's health. Because such activities may not be intrinsically necessary to the operation of head-mountable devices, it can be beneficial to provide additional or modified operations that allow a user to continue operation of a head-mountable device while performing the desired body motions. The head-mountable device can detect movement and/or stasis of the user and determine whether motion would be recommended. Upon determining that motion, an additional motion, or a different motion would be beneficial, the head-mountable device can provide an output to the user that promote such motions. The output can include a notification to the user and/or a modification of the user interface that encourages the user to move in a particular way.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Dustin A. HATFIELD, Kam Mui C. SIU, Angela M. AVERA
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Patent number: 11689842Abstract: A personal audio device (e.g., headphones, earphones) can have an earpiece (e.g., an ear cup or earbud) with a removable cushioning member (e.g., headphone cushions or ear tips for earbuds). The cushioning member can include an identification tag that encodes identification data for the cushioning member. When the cushioning member is attached to the earpiece, the identification tag is brought into proximity with a tag sensor in the earpiece and the earpiece can read the identification tag to determine identification data for the cushioning member. The identification data can be used to modify a behavior of the earpiece and/or of a host device communicably coupled to the earpiece.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, Kathleen A. Bergeron, Ali N. Ergun, Dustin A. Hatfield, Ethan L. Huwe, Todd P. Marco, Jason Joseph LeBlanc, Robert D. Zupke, Michael B. Minerbi, Prathamesh R. Bhagwat, Daniel R. Bloom
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Publication number: 20220408171Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
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Patent number: 11523205Abstract: Embodiments describe an eartip including an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, and including an inner eartip body and an outer eartip body. The inner eartip body has a sidewall that extends between the interfacing end and the attachment end, and includes a groove formed in an outer surface of the sidewall. The outer eartip body is sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extends from the interfacing end toward the attachment end of the eartip.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2021Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Shota Aoyagi, Timothy E. Emmott, Ethan L. Huwe, Mitchell R. Lerner, Sean T. McIntosh, Yi-Fang D. Tsai, Jason C. Della Rosa, Patrick W. Sheppard, Samuel G. Parker, David J. Feathers, Brian R. Twehues, Daniel Strongwater
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Publication number: 20220369015Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that include earpad assemblies that improve acoustic isolation are discussed. User convenience features that include automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom, Lee M. Panecki, Phillip Qian, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene A. Whang, David H. Narajowski, Scott Y. Oshita, Dustin A. Hatfield, Zachary G. Segraves, Sean J. Docherty
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Patent number: 11477558Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that include earpad assemblies that improve acoustic isolation are discussed. User convenience features that include automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom, Lee M. Panecki, Phillip Qian, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene A. Whang, David H. Narajowski, Scott Y. Oshita, Dustin A. Hatfield, Zachary G. Segraves, Sean J. Docherty
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Patent number: 11457300Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom