Patents by Inventor Eric S. Jol

Eric S. Jol 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: 20210035708
    Abstract: A cable can include a cable core surrounded by an outer sleeve having a uniform thickness and further having a first longitudinal section having a first stiffness (e.g., corresponding to a flexible cable), a second longitudinal section having a second stiffness (e.g., corresponding to a rigid cable), and a third longitudinal section between the first and second longitudinal sections, where the second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness and where a stiffness of the third longitudinal section varies between the first stiffness and the second stiffness. The second longitudinal section can provide strain relief for the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron A. Oro, Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol, Karl Ruben F. Larsson, Timothy J. Rasmussen, Paul J. Thompson, Joseph I. Briskey
  • Patent number: 10897148
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a wireless charging device including: a housing having an outer perimeter and a charging surface within the outer perimeter, the housing including a first wall and a second wall that define an interior cavity; and a transmitter coil arrangement disposed within the interior cavity and below the planar charging surface. The transmitter coil arrangement includes: a plurality of transmitter coils arranged in different layers, each transmitter coil having a first termination end, a second termination end, and a coil of wire that winds from an inner diameter to an outer diameter between the first and second termination ends; where the first termination end of each transmitter coil is disposed within the inner diameter of its respective coil of wire and the second termination end of each transmitter coil is disposed outside the outer diameter of its respective coil of wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Graham, Demetrios B. Karanikos, Eric S. Jol, Karl Ruben F. Larsson, Stefan A. Kowalski
  • Patent number: 10886769
    Abstract: An electronic device and methods for inductively charging an electronic device using another external electronic device. The electronic device may include an enclosure, a battery positioned within the enclosure, and an inductive coil coupled to the battery. The inductive coil may have two or more operational modes, including a power receiving operational mode for wirelessly receiving power and a power transmitting operational mode for wirelessly transmitting power. The electronic device may also have a controller coupled to the inductive coil for selecting one of the operational modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Darshan R. Kasar, Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol
  • Patent number: 10886771
    Abstract: An electronic device and methods for inductively charging an electronic device using another external electronic device. The electronic device may include an enclosure, a battery positioned within the enclosure, and an inductive coil coupled to the battery. The inductive coil may have two or more operational modes, including a power receiving operational mode for wirelessly receiving power and a power transmitting operational mode for wirelessly transmitting power. The electronic device may also have a controller coupled to the inductive coil for selecting one of the operational modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Darshan R. Kasar, Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol
  • Patent number: 10879745
    Abstract: Various techniques for temperature management during inductive energy transfer are disclosed. A transmitter device and/or a receiver device can be turned off during energy transfer based on the temperature of the transmitter device and/or of the receiver device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Amaury J. Heresztyn, Keith Cox, Eric S. Jol, Jeffrey M. Alves, Jim C. Hwang, Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, John M. Ananny, Nagarajan Kalyanasundaram, Robert S. Parnell, Steven G. Herbst, Todd K. Moyer, Albert J. Golko, Frank Liang
  • Patent number: 10838461
    Abstract: A case for an electronic device is disclosed. The case includes a body defining an interior volume configured to receive the electronic device therein. The body includes a user input region formed from a deformable material having an electrical resistance that decreases in response to a touch force on the deformable material, and an electrode pair in contact with the deformable material and configured to be operatively coupled to a sensing circuit configured to detect a change to the electrical resistance of the deformable material due to the touch force. The body also includes a connector configured to operatively couple the electrode pair to the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Kallman, Eric S. Jol, Timothy J. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 10790699
    Abstract: A wireless transmitter device is configurable and operable to transfer energy to multiple receiver devices at the same time. The transmitter device is configured to enable one or more sections of a charging surface to transfer energy by selectively choosing one or more conductive traces in the transmitter device based on the position of the receiver device on the charging surface. The size and shape of each section of the charging surface that is used to transfer energy to a receiver device can change dynamically based on each receiver device. Additionally, the process of transferring energy to each receiver device may be adjusted during energy transfer based on conditions specific to each receiver device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Pinciuc, Brandon R. Garbus, Steven G. Herbst, Todd K. Moyer, Chad A. Bossetti, Eric S. Jol, Christopher S. Graham
  • Publication number: 20200221843
    Abstract: A case a portable listening device. The case includes a housing having an interior space to receive the portable listening device; a lid attached to the housing; a rechargeable battery and first and second wireless power receiving elements configured to receive electric charge from a wireless power transmitter during a charging event. The case further includes switching circuitry that is configured to disable one of the first or second wireless power receiving elements during a charging event when the disabled element is receiving power less efficiently than the other element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Makiko K. Brzezinski, Christopher J. Walton, Christopher S. Graham, Daniel C. Wagman, Eric S. Jol
  • Patent number: 10714951
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a wireless charging device including: a housing having a charging surface and first and second walls that define an interior cavity; a transmitter coil arrangement disposed within the interior cavity, an interconnection structure positioned within the interior cavity below the transmitter coil arrangement, the interconnection structure including a plurality of packaged electrical components mounted on the interconnection structure and configured to operate the plurality of transmitter coils during wireless power transfer, where the plurality of packaged electrical components is located below the transmitter coil arrangement; and a frame comprising a plurality of openings positioned corresponding to the plurality of packaged electrical components, each opening providing space within which a respective packaged electrical device is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Graham, Demetrios B. Karanikos, Darshan R. Kasar, Paul J. Thompson, Eric S. Jol, Grant S. Haug, Karl Ruben F. Larsson
  • Patent number: 10707627
    Abstract: Hybrid connectors that may transfer power and data with a variety of electronic devices having different types of connector interfaces, may consume a minimal amount of surface area, depth, and volume in an electronic device, and may be readily manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Reza Nasiri Mahalati, Blake R. Marshall, Liquan Tan, Florence W. Ow, Alex C. Yeung, John Raff, Robert Scritzky, Wei-Hsuan Chen, Eric S. Jol, Madhusudanan Keezhveedi Sampath, Nan Liu, Gianpaolo Lisi, YiBo Liu
  • Patent number: 10699842
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an electronic device includes an electronic component that is at least partially encapsulated by an adhesive doped with soft magnetic material that functions as an EMI shield for the electronic component. In various embodiments, an electronic device includes a first magnetic component separated from a second magnetic component by a gap within which is positioned an adhesive doped with soft magnetic material. The doped adhesive is positioned in a magnetic path between the first and second magnetic components and aids in magnetically coupling the first and second magnetic components and/or guides magnetic flux between the first and second magnetic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Graham, Karl Ruben K. Larsson, Paul J. Thompson, Eric S. Jol, John S. Mosy, Albert J. Golko, Stephen E. Yao, Makiko K. Brzezinski
  • Patent number: 10693308
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a wireless charging device including: a housing having a charging surface, the housing including first and second walls defining an interior cavity; a transmitter coil arrangement disposed within the interior cavity; a plurality of cowlings for confining the plurality of planar transmitter coils in their respective positions; an interconnection structure positioned within the interior cavity between the transmitter coil arrangement and the second wall, the interconnection structure including a plurality of packaged electrical components mounted onto the interconnection structure; and a plurality of standoffs coupled to the interconnection structure and configured to electrically couple the transmitter coil arrangement to the plurality of packaged electrical components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Jol, Christopher S. Graham, Darshan R. Kasar, Demetrios B. Karanikos
  • Patent number: 10651685
    Abstract: A wireless transmitter device is configurable and operable to transfer energy to multiple receiver devices at the same time. The transmitter device includes at least one layer of discrete transmitter coils. The wireless transmitter device is configured to enable one or more sections of a charging surface to transfer energy by selectively choosing one or more discrete transmitter coils in the wireless transmitter device based on the position of the receiver device on the charging surface. The size and shape of each section of the charging surface that is used to transfer energy to a receiver device can change dynamically based on each receiver device. Additionally, the process of transferring energy to each receiver device may be adjusted during energy transfer based on conditions specific to each receiver device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Steven G. Herbst, Todd K. Moyer, Eric S. Jol, Christopher S. Graham, Christopher M. Pinciuc, Brandon R. Garbus
  • Patent number: 10644754
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the inductive charging of portable electronic devices. In particular, a charging assembly is disclosed that allows a portable electronic device to be charged in multiple orientations with respect to a charging device. The charging assembly includes two or more separate inductive receiving coils. The inductive receiving coils can be arranged orthogonally with respect to one another by wrapping one or more secondary receiving coils around a ferritic core having two legs extending in different directions from a joint region. By orienting the receiving coils orthogonally with respect to one another, the likelihood of at least one of the receiving coils being aligned with a charging field emitted by a charging device increases substantially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Weihong Qiu, Stefan A. Kowalski, Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol, Zaki Moussaoui, Nan Liu
  • Patent number: 10631609
    Abstract: A case a portable listening device. The case includes a housing having an interior space to receive the portable listening device; a lid attached to the housing; a rechargeable battery and first and second wireless power receiving elements configured to receive electric charge from a wireless power transmitter during a charging event. The case further includes switching circuitry that is configured to disable one of the first or second wireless power receiving elements during a charging event when the disabled element is receiving power less efficiently than the other element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Makiko K. Brzezinski, Christopher J. Walton, Christopher S. Graham, Daniel C. Wagman, Eric S. Jol
  • Patent number: 10637192
    Abstract: A dual orientation connector having a connector tab with first and second major opposing sides and a plurality of electrical contacts carried by the connector tab. The plurality of contacts includes a first set of external contacts formed at the first major side and a second set of external contacts formed at the second major side. The first plurality of contacts are symmetrically spaced with the second plurality of contacts and the connector tab is shaped to have 180 degree symmetry so that it can be inserted and operatively coupled to a corresponding receptacle connector in either of two insertion orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Albert J. Golko, Mathias W. Schmidt, Eric S. Jol, Jahan Minoo, Ian Spraggs, Cameron Frazier, Fletcher Rothkopf, Jonathan Aase, Wendell Sander, Jeffrey J. Terlizzi
  • Patent number: 10622820
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a wireless charging transmitter coil includes: a support structure having an outer perimeter surrounding a contact housing and having first and second channels extending from the outer perimeter to the contact housing; first and second contacts positioned within the contact housing; and a wire wound around the outer perimeter of the support structure, the wire having a first end that extends through the first channel and a second end that extends through the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Jol, Christopher S. Graham, Demetrios B. Karanikos
  • Publication number: 20200112195
    Abstract: An electronic device and methods for inductively charging an electronic device using another external electronic device. The electronic device may include an enclosure, a battery positioned within the enclosure, and an inductive coil coupled to the battery. The inductive coil may have two or more operational modes, including a power receiving operational mode for wirelessly receiving power and a power transmitting operational mode for wirelessly transmitting power. The electronic device may also have a controller coupled to the inductive coil for selecting one of the operational modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Darshan R. Kasar, Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol
  • Publication number: 20200099166
    Abstract: Connectors having contacts that can be highly corrosion resistant, can conserve precious materials, and can be readily manufactured. Examples can provide connector contacts that are highly corrosion resistant. These contacts can be formed of a precious metal or a precious-metal alloy. The precious-metal alloy can be a high-entropy alloy. To conserve the precious materials, a contact can be formed by a stamping a structure that becomes the contact, instead of stamping the contact from a structure. The structure can be a rod. To conserve the precious materials, only contacts that convey high voltages, such as power supplies, might be formed of the precious materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hani Esmaeili, Holly M. Ubellacker, Daniel C. Wagman, Jason S. Sloey, Eric S. Jol
  • Patent number: 10601468
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the inductive charging of portable electronic devices. In particular, a charging assembly is disclosed that allows a portable electronic device to be charged in multiple orientations with respect to a charging device. The charging assembly includes two or more separate inductive receiving coils. The inductive receiving coils can be arranged orthogonally with respect to one another by wrapping one or more secondary receiving coils around a primary receiving coil. By orienting the receiving coils orthogonally with respect to one another, the likelihood of at least one of the receiving coils being aligned with a charging field emitted by a charging device increases substantially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan A. Kowalski, Christopher S. Graham, Eric S. Jol