Patents by Inventor Fletcher R. Rothkopf

Fletcher R. Rothkopf 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: 20240143103
    Abstract: Display layers and touch sensor layers may be overlapped by enclosure walls in an electronic device. The electronic device may have a front wall and opposing rear wall and curved sidewalls. The front wall and the curved sidewalls may be formed from a glass layer or other transparent member. A touch sensor layer and display layer may extend under the glass layer with curved sidewalls. A touch sensor layer may also extend under the opposing rear wall. A foldable electronic device may have a flexible transparent wall portion that joins planar transparent walls. Components may be interposed between the transparent planar walls and opaque walls. Display and touch layers may be overlapped by the transparent walls and the transparent flexible wall portion. Touch sensor structures may also be overlapped by the opaque walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Isaac W. Chan, Chun-Hao Tung, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Sunggu Kang, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 11924055
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display system and control circuitry. The user's environment may be presented on the display system. The environment on the display system may be a captured image of the environment, may be the actual real world viewed through an optical combiner, or may be a completely virtual image representing the environment. The control circuitry may gather information about external electronic devices in the user's environment, including determining a type and location of each external electronic device and a status of wireless communications links between external electronic devices. The display system may overlay computer-generated display elements onto the user's environment to indicate the status of wireless communications links between the external electronic devices. In response to touch or gesture input, the control circuitry may send control signals to the external electronic devices to establish or break wireless communications links between external electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Colin M. Ely, Erik G. de Jong, Stephen Brian Lynch, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Patent number: 11914141
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted device may have gaze tracking sensors and other circuits that include packaged light-emitting devices. The packaged light-emitting devices may each include a light-emitting component such as a light-emitting diode or laser that emits infrared light or light of other wavelengths. The packaged light-emitting devices may have protection circuitry. The protection circuitry of each device may include one or more sensors such as a package integrity sensor, a proximity sensor, a photodetector for measuring emitted light intensity, a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature associated with the light-emitting component, and a current sensor. A control circuit such as an integrated circuit containing a comparator or other analog circuitry and/or a digital control circuit may gather information from one or more of the sensors and may control the light-emitting component based on the sensor information to prevent elevated light emission intensities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fletcher R. Rothkopf, James W. Vandyke
  • Patent number: 11914158
    Abstract: A head-mounted display to be worn by a user includes a housing, and an eye chamber to be positioned adjacent to eyes of the user. A support assembly includes a headband and an adjustment mechanism that is operable to change fit of the headband relative to the head of the user in response to a control signal, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a feedback component, and the control signal is generated based on output from the feedback component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Killian J. Poore, Marinus Meursing, Jeffrey C. Olson, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Jason C. Sauers
  • Patent number: 11907465
    Abstract: Display layers and touch sensor layers may be overlapped by enclosure walls in an electronic device. The electronic device may have a front wall and opposing rear wall and curved sidewalls. The front wall and the curved sidewalls may be formed from a glass layer or other transparent member. A touch sensor layer and display layer may extend under the glass layer with curved sidewalls. A touch sensor layer may also extend under the opposing rear wall. A foldable electronic device may have a flexible transparent wall portion that joins planar transparent walls. Components may be interposed between the transparent planar walls and opaque walls. Display and touch layers may be overlapped by the transparent walls and the transparent flexible wall portion. Touch sensor structures may also be overlapped by the opaque walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Isaac W. Chan, Chun-Hao Tung, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Sunggu Kang, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 11908086
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an exemplary process for initializing members of a shared enhanced reality setting is described. In accordance with some embodiments, an exemplary process for forming a private sub-space and example features of the private sub-space is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Grant H. Mulliken, James Williams Charles Vandyke
  • Publication number: 20240029661
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted device may have displays. The display may have regions of lower and higher resolution to reduce data bandwidth and power consumption for the display while preserving satisfactory image quality. Data lines may be shared by lower and higher resolution portions of a display or different portions of a display with different resolutions may be supplied with different numbers of data lines. Data line length may be varied in transition regions between lower resolution and higher resolution portions of a display to reduce visible discontinuities between the lower and higher resolution portions. The lower and higher resolution portions of the display may be dynamically adjusted using dynamically adjustable gate driver circuitry and dynamically adjustable data line driver circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Jason C. Sauers, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, David W. Lum, Chun-Yao Huang, Enkhamgalan Dorjgotov, Graham B. Myhre, Bennett S. Wilburn, Paolo Sacchetto, Shih Chang Chang, Wonjae Choi, Cheuk Chi Lo
  • Publication number: 20240012257
    Abstract: A head-mounted device may be provided with displays. The displays and lenses through which images on the displays are viewed may be mounted in optical modules. Lens positioners may be used to move the optical modules toward and away from eye boxes to adjust eye relief distance. Control circuitry may gather sensor data such as motion sensor data from a motion sensor indicating whether the head-mounted device is in free fall and/or image sensor data from a front-facing camera indicating whether the head-mounted device is headed toward a collision with an external surface. The control circuitry may use the lens positioners to automatically increase the eye relief distance in response to sensor data if a collision is predicted. The lens positioners may include solenoids or other actuators. The positions of the lenses may be adjusted without necessarily adjusting a distance between the lens and the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Paul X Wang, Fletcher R Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20240015999
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided with a display and a light sensor that receives light that passes through the display. The display includes features that increase the amount of light that passes through the display. The features may be translucency enhancement features that allow light to pass directly through the display onto a light sensor mounted behind the display or may include a light-guiding layer that guides light through the display onto a light sensor mounted along an edge of the display. The translucency enhancement features may be formed in a reflector layer or an electrode layer for the display. The translucency enhancement features may include microperforations in a reflector layer of the display, a light-filtering reflector layer of the display, or a reflector layer of the display that passes a portion of the light and reflects an additional portion of the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Paul S. Drzaic, Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20230400697
    Abstract: A head-mounted display includes a housing. A support member is connected to the housing. A sensor is located on a front surface of the support member and is configured to measure a characteristic of a user. A compressible material is configured to be compressed against the front surface of the support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Jason C. Sauers, Phil M. Hobson, Edward S. Huo, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20230384824
    Abstract: Electronic devices may be provided having internal components mounted to a structural glass support member. The structural glass support member may have a planar front surface that forms a front surface of the device. The structural glass support member may have bent portions that form sidewall surfaces of the device. Portions of the structural glass support member may form a transparent display cover layer. A rigid or flexible display may be mounted to the structural glass support member. Additional internal device components may be mounted to the display. A thin enclosure for enclosing the internal components in the device may be mounted to the structural glass support member. The thin enclosure may be mounted to the structural glass support member using a peripheral member. The thin enclosure may be free from attachments to internal components or may be adhesively bonded to one or more internal components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Jeremy C. Franklin, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, John P. Ternus, Kevin D. Gibbs
  • Publication number: 20230377536
    Abstract: A head-mounted device may have a left display and a right display that provide respective left and right images. Left and right optical combiner systems may be configured to pass real-world light to left and right eye boxes while directing the left and right images respectively to the left and right eye boxes. Misalignment of the left and right images with respect to the left and right eye boxes may be detected using gaze tracking systems, using cameras such as front-facing cameras in conjunction with a database of known real-world object properties, using visual inertial odometry systems formed from cameras and inertial measurement units, or using one or more sensors in a portable head-mounted device case or other item with a receptacle configured to receive a head-mounted device. Compensating adjustments may be made to the images based on the measured misalignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: David A. Kalinowski, Brian S. Lau, Cameron A. Harder, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20230367405
    Abstract: A device including a mechanical input and a touch-sensitive surface for detecting one or more touch inputs and an input from the mechanical input. The touch-sensitive surface can include a first portion for detecting at least the touch inputs, and a second portion for detecting at least the mechanical input. The touch-sensitive surface can include a first portion for detecting at least the touch inputs and the mechanical input. The mechanical input can comprise an electrically conductive material, and the mechanical input can be detected based on capacitance measurements between the mechanical input and the touch-sensitive surface. The device can include a sensing element, the mechanical input can comprise an electrically insulating material, and the mechanical input can be detected based on capacitance measurements between the touch-sensitive surface and the sensing element. The device can include logic to differentiate between the touch inputs and the mechanical input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina SHEDLETSKY, Christopher WERNER, Colin M. ELY, Fletcher R. ROTHKOPF
  • Publication number: 20230368626
    Abstract: A connectible component is connected to a housing. A sensor of the housing is utilized to detect an identity element of the at connectible component. The connectible component is identified utilizing the at least one sensor. In some implementations, identification of the connectible component may identify whether or not a connectible component is connected to the housing. In other implementations, identification of the connectible component may identify the type of connectible component that is connected. In such implementations, the housing may house an electronic device and the electronic device may be configured based on the type of connectible component that is connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Trevor J. Ness
  • Publication number: 20230359037
    Abstract: A display system includes a controller and a head-mounted display. The head-mounted display includes a display, a head support coupled to the display for supporting the display on a head of a user to be viewed by the user, and sensors coupled to the head support for sensing an environment from the head-mounted display unit in low light. The sensors include one or more of an infrared sensor for sensing the environment with infrared electromagnetic radiation, or a depth sensor for sensing distances to objects of the environment, and also include an ultrasonic sensor for sensing the environment with ultrasonic sound waves. The controller determines graphical content according to the sensing of the environment with the one or more of the infrared sensor or the depth sensor and with the ultrasonic sensor, and operates the display to provide the graphical content concurrent with the sensing of the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Killian J. Poore, Trevor J. Ness, Stephen E. Dey, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Patent number: 11810516
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted device may have displays. The display may have regions of lower and higher resolution to reduce data bandwidth and power consumption for the display while preserving satisfactory image quality. Data lines may be shared by lower and higher resolution portions of a display or different portions of a display with different resolutions may be supplied with different numbers of data lines. Data line length may be varied in transition regions between lower resolution and higher resolution portions of a display to reduce visible discontinuities between the lower and higher resolution portions. The lower and higher resolution portions of the display may be dynamically adjusted using dynamically adjustable gate driver circuitry and dynamically adjustable data line driver circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng Chen, Jason C. Sauers, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, David W. Lum, Chun-Yao Huang, Enkhamgalan Dorjgotov, Graham B. Myhre, Bennett S. Wilburn, Paolo Sacchetto, Shih Chang Chang, Wonjae Choi, Cheuk Chi Lo
  • Publication number: 20230341819
    Abstract: An input mechanism, such as a crown, detects amounts of applied force. In various examples, an assembly including an input mechanism has an enclosure; a stem coupled to the enclosure such that the stem is rotatable, translatable, and transversely moveable with respect to the enclosure; a sensor, coupled between the stem and the housing, to which force is transferred when the stem moves with respect to the housing; and a processing unit coupled to the sensor. The processing unit is operable to determine a measurement of the force, based on a signal from the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Colin M. Ely, Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Patent number: 11800746
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided with a display and a light sensor that receives light that passes through the display. The display includes features that increase the amount of light that passes through the display. The features may be translucency enhancement features that allow light to pass directly through the display onto a light sensor mounted behind the display or may include a light-guiding layer that guides light through the display onto a light sensor mounted along an edge of the display. The translucency enhancement features may be formed in a reflector layer or an electrode layer for the display. The translucency enhancement features may include microperforations in a reflector layer of the display, a light-filtering reflector layer of the display, or a reflector layer of the display that passes a portion of the light and reflects an additional portion of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Paul S. Drzaic, Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20230333377
    Abstract: A display system includes a head-mounted display unit and a wake control system. The head-mounted display unit provides content to a user and is operable in a low-power state and a high-power state that consumes more power to provide the content to the user than the low-power state. The wake control system determines when to operate in the high-power state. The wake control system may assess a first wake criterion with low power, assess a second wake criterion with higher power than the first wake criterion upon satisfaction of the first wake criterion, and cause the head-mounted display unit to operate in the high-power state upon satisfaction of the second wake criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Fletcher R. Rothkopf, David A. Kalinowski, Jae Hwang Lee, Avi Bar-Zeev, Grant H. Mulliken, Paul Meade, Nathanael D. Parkhill, Ray L. Chang, Arthur Y. Zhang
  • Publication number: 20230327476
    Abstract: A battery management system for minimizing battery degradation. The system including an electronic device with a primary battery, an auxiliary battery configured to power the electronic device, a processor in communication with the electronic device and operable to monitor a state of charge of the primary battery and a state of charge of the auxiliary battery, a charging station in communication with the processor and operable to modulate a charge based on at least one of the state of charge of the primary battery, the state of charge of the auxiliary battery, or a usage of the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventor: Fletcher R. Rothkopf