Patents by Inventor Erin A. McAuliffe

Erin A. McAuliffe 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: 20240016255
    Abstract: Active footwear can include a system to automatically detect a presence or absence of a foot. In an example, various threshold conditions can be used together with sensor data to determine whether a foot is present. In an example, the system can be configured to sample values of a foot presence sensor signal from a foot presence sensor, identify an ambulatory status of the article of footwear using the sampled values of the sensor signal, and conditionally update a sensor signal threshold in response to identifying the ambulatory status. The updated sensor signal threshold and subsequent sensor signal values can be used to determine foot ingress, egress, or presence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Phillip Meneau, Erin McAuliffe
  • Publication number: 20240019277
    Abstract: Active footwear can include a system to automatically detect a presence or absence of a foot. In an example, the system can be configured to provide information about a liquid saturation level that can affect a sensitivity or performance of the foot presence sensor. The system can use time-multiplexed signals to excite respective different electrodes in a foot presence sensor, and the electrodes can generate respective electric fields inside the footwear. Interruptions in the fields can be detected and used to determine foot presence or absence or a liquid saturation level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Phillip Meneau, Erin McAuliffe
  • Publication number: 20220193490
    Abstract: A gesture recognition device configured to detect a gesture performed by a user to actuate a motor of a closure mechanism of an article of footwear. The gesture recognition device may include a sensor unit with an accelerometer sensor, and an analysis unit in operative communication with the sensor unit. The analysis unit may be configured to execute a gesture confirmation algorithm to confirm or reject possible gesture event data received from the sensor unit as a true gesture event. If the gesture confirmation algorithm confirms the possible gesture event data as a true gesture event, the analysis unit may output a signal to actuate the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Shane Ghiotto, Erin McAuliffe, Marielle Morris, Adam K. Tilton, John B. Waldt, JR.
  • Patent number: 10784572
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a speaker mounted in a housing. The housing may have a top face and a longitudinal axis that passes through the top face. A printed circuit may lie parallel to the top face. Input-output circuitry such as a touch sensor and other components may be mounted on the top face overlapping the printed circuit. First and second antennas may be formed on the printed circuit. A speaker may be mounted in the housing facing along the longitudinal axis. A metal layer on a movable portion of the speaker may be patterned to form a slot antenna isolation element or other antenna isolation element. The antenna isolation element may be configured to exhibit a resonance at a frequency of operation of the first and second antennas and may therefore enhance isolation between the first and second antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Joel D. Barrera, Jerzy S. Guterman, Mattia Pascolini
  • Patent number: 10284942
    Abstract: An accessory such as a wireless earbud may have an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. A housing for the earbud may have a main body portion and an extended portion that forms a stalk protruding from the main body portion. The earbud may have a speaker aligned with a speaker port in the main body portion. The antenna may have an elongated shape and may extend along the stalk. The stalk may have a plastic housing wall portion. The antenna may be formed from first and second metal traces on opposing sides of a printed circuit substrate. The first metal trace may form an antenna resonating element arm and may lie between the substrate and the plastic housing wall portion. The second metal trace may be a ground trace. A feed for the antenna may be located at a juncture between the main body portion and the stalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Carlo Di Nallo, Huan-Chu Huang, Joel D. Barrera, Mattia Pascolini, Jerzy S. Guterman, Arun Chawan, Benjamin Cousins, Lee M. Panecki
  • Patent number: 10237657
    Abstract: An accessory such as a wireless headset may have an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. First and second earbuds may be coupled to different ends of a housing for the accessory. A rigid flex printed circuit board in the housing may include a rigid printed circuit portion. The rigid printed circuit portion may include first and second rigid printed circuit layers. A first portion of a flexible printed circuit may be interposed between the first and second rigid layers. A second portion of the flexible printed circuit may extend from an end of the rigid layers and may be wrapped around the first rigid layer. Planar inverted-F antenna resonating element, antenna shorting, and antenna feeding traces may be formed on the second portion of the flexible printed circuit. The efficiency of the antenna may be undisturbed by the presence of a user's body adjacent to the accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Jerzy S. Guterman, Mattia Pascolini
  • Publication number: 20180351244
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a speaker mounted in a housing. The housing may have a top face and a longitudinal axis that passes through the top face. A printed circuit may lie parallel to the top face. Input-output circuitry such as a touch sensor and other components may be mounted on the top face overlapping the printed circuit. First and second antennas may be formed on the printed circuit. A speaker may be mounted in the housing facing along the longitudinal axis. A metal layer on a movable portion of the speaker may be patterned to form a slot antenna isolation element or other antenna isolation element. The antenna isolation element may be configured to exhibit a resonance at a frequency of operation of the first and second antennas and may therefore enhance isolation between the first and second antennas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Joel D. Barrera, Jerzy S. Guterman, Mattia Pascolini
  • Patent number: 9966653
    Abstract: An electronic device may have wireless circuitry with antennas. The electronic device may have a dielectric housing. A printed circuit board with electrical components may be mounted in the dielectric housing. Heat spreader structures may be used to dissipate heat from the electrical components. The heat spreader structures be configured to form antenna cavities. The antennas in the electronic device may be formed from the antenna cavities and may have antenna resonating elements formed on the printed circuit. An electrical component such as a light-emitting diode may be mounted in one of the antenna cavities. Each antenna element may be an inverted-F antenna resonating element with short and long arms. The short arm of each antenna resonating element may be formed from edge plated metal traces on an edge of the printed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, James W. Jervis, Andrea Ruaro, Mattia Pascolini, Jerzy S. Guterman
  • Publication number: 20180103312
    Abstract: An accessory such as a wireless earbud may have an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. A housing for the earbud may have a main body portion and an extended portion that forms a stalk protruding from the main body portion. The earbud may have a speaker aligned with a speaker port in the main body portion. The antenna may have an elongated shape and may extend along the stalk. The stalk may have a plastic housing wall portion. The antenna may be formed from first and second metal traces on opposing sides of a printed circuit substrate. The first metal trace may form an antenna resonating element arm and may lie between the substrate and the plastic housing wall portion. The second metal trace may be a ground trace. A feed for the antenna may be located at a juncture between the main body portion and the stalk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Carlo Di Nallo, Huan-Chu Huang, Joel D. Barrera, Mattia Pascolini, Jerzy S. Guterman, Arun Chawan, Benjamin Cousins, Lee M. Panecki
  • Publication number: 20180070179
    Abstract: An accessory such as a wireless headset may have an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. First and second earbuds may be coupled to different ends of a housing for the accessory. A rigid flex printed circuit board in the housing may include a rigid printed circuit portion. The rigid printed circuit portion may include first and second rigid printed circuit layers. A first portion of a flexible printed circuit may be interposed between the first and second rigid layers. A second portion of the flexible printed circuit may extend from an end of the rigid layers and may be wrapped around the first rigid layer. Planar inverted-F antenna resonating element, antenna shorting, and antenna feeding traces may be formed on the second portion of the flexible printed circuit. The efficiency of the antenna may be undisturbed by the presence of a user's body adjacent to the accessory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Jerzy S. Guterman, Mattia Pascolini
  • Patent number: 9866945
    Abstract: An accessory such as a wireless earbud may have an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. A housing for the earbud may have a main body portion and an extended portion that forms a stalk protruding from the main body portion. The earbud may have a speaker aligned with a speaker port in the main body portion. The antenna may have an elongated shape and may extend along the stalk. The stalk may have a plastic housing wall portion. The antenna may be formed from first and second metal traces on opposing sides of a printed circuit substrate. The first metal trace may form an antenna resonating element arm and may lie between the substrate and the plastic housing wall portion. The second metal trace may be a ground trace. A feed for the antenna may be located at a juncture between the main body portion and the stalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Carlo Di Nallo, Huan-Chu Huang, Joel D. Barrera, Mattia Pascolini, Jerzy S. Guterman, Arun Chawan, Benjamin Cousins, Lee M. Panecki
  • Publication number: 20170201821
    Abstract: An accessory such as a wireless earbud may have an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. A housing for the earbud may have a main body portion and an extended portion that forms a stalk protruding from the main body portion. The earbud may have a speaker aligned with a speaker port in the main body portion. The antenna may have an elongated shape and may extend along the stalk. The stalk may have a plastic housing wall portion. The antenna may be formed from first and second metal traces on opposing sides of a printed circuit substrate. The first metal trace may form an antenna resonating element arm and may lie between the substrate and the plastic housing wall portion. The second metal trace may be a ground trace. A feed for the antenna may be located at a juncture between the main body portion and the stalk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, Carlo Di Nallo, Huan-Chu Huang, Joel D. Barrera, Mattia Pascolini, Jerzy S. Guterman, Arun Chawan, Benjamin Cousins, Lee M. Panecki
  • Publication number: 20170062906
    Abstract: An electronic device may have wireless circuitry with antennas. The electronic device may have a dielectric housing. A printed circuit board with electrical components may be mounted in the dielectric housing. Heat spreader structures may be used to dissipate heat from the electrical components. The heat spreader structures be configured to form antenna cavities. The antennas in the electronic device may be formed from the antenna cavities and may have antenna resonating elements formed on the printed circuit. An electrical component such as a light-emitting diode may be mounted in one of the antenna cavities. Each antenna element may be an inverted-F antenna resonating element with short and long arms. The short arm of each antenna resonating element may be formed from edge plated metal traces on an edge of the printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Erin A. McAuliffe, James W. Jervis, Andrea Ruaro, Mattia Pascolini, Jerzy S. Guterman