Patents by Inventor Giovanni Gozzini

Giovanni Gozzini 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).

  • Patent number: 10768751
    Abstract: An electronic device may include an optical image sensor that includes optical image sensing circuitry and metallization layers above the optical image sensing circuitry. Each layer may have at least one light transmissive collimation opening therein aligned with the optical image sensing circuitry. The electronic device may also include a light source layer above the optical image sensor and a transparent cover layer above the light source layer defining a finger placement surface configured to receive a finger adjacent thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Giovanni Gozzini
  • Patent number: 10739855
    Abstract: An input device can be integrated within an electronic device and/or operably connected to an electronic device through a wired or wireless connection. The input device can include one or more force sensors positioned below a cover element of the input device or an input surface of the electronic device. The input device can include other components and/or functionality, such as a biometric sensor and/or a switch element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sora Kim, Martin P. Grunthaner, Rui Jin, Michael B. Wittenberg, Michael K. McCord, Henric Larsson, Giovanni Gozzini, Lucy Browning, Scott A. Myers
  • Publication number: 20200105851
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for sensing ambient light with a display assembly are provided. A display assembly may include at least one light-generating component and at least one light-detecting component, each of which may be positioned underneath a single opening in an electronic device housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Giovanni Gozzini, Volodymyr Borshch
  • Publication number: 20200097695
    Abstract: Systems and methods for through-display imaging. An optical imaging sensor is positioned at least partially behind a display and is configured to emit shortwave infrared light at least partially through the display to illuminate an object, such as a fingerprint, in contact with an outer surface of the display. Surface reflections from the object are received and an image of the object can be assembled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Giovanni Gozzini
  • Patent number: 10599247
    Abstract: Thermal compensation can be applied to force measurements of a force-sensitive button. A temperature differential between an object and the force-sensitive button can result in changes in the reconstructed force by the force sensor due to thermal effects rather than actual user force, which in turn can result in degraded performance of the force sensor (e.g., false positive or inconsistent activation force). In some examples, a force-sensitive button can include a force sensor configured to measure an amount of force applied to the force-sensitive button, and a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature associated with the force sensor. The measured temperature can be used to compensate the amount of force measured by the force sensor based on the temperature associated with the force sensor. In some examples, the thermal compensation can be applied when an object is detected contacting the force-sensitive button (i.e., when rapid temperature differentials can occur).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Winokur, Robert Leo Sheridan, Leah M. Gum, Sora Kim, Giovanni Gozzini
  • Patent number: 10509940
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a dielectric cover layer defining a finger sensing surface and at least one optical image sensor below the dielectric cover layer. The electronic device may also include at least one optical element associated with the at least one optical image sensor. Light sources may be below the dielectric layer and may be selectively operable in subsets of light sources. A controller may be configured to sequentially operate respective adjacent subsets of light sources while acquiring biometric image data from the at least one optical image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Giovanni Gozzini, Dale R. Setlak
  • Publication number: 20190362120
    Abstract: An electronic device may include an optical image sensor that includes an array of optical image sensing pixels and a pin hole array mask layer above the optical image sensor and that includes spaced apart pin holes therein defining spaced apart image areas on the optical image sensor. The electronic device also includes a display layer above the pin hole array mask layer that includes spaced apart display pixels. The electronic device may also include processing circuitry coupled to the optical image sensor and capable of sensing images from spaced apart sub-arrays of the array of optical image sensing pixels aligned with the spaced apart image areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad YEKE YAZDANDOOST, Giovanni GOZZINI
  • Patent number: 10474860
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display and a biometric image sensor configured for biometric image sensing. The electronic device may also include a display driver coupled to the display. The display driver may include first and second memories and a processor configured to alternatingly read respective illumination pattern data from the first and second memories to drive the display during biometric image sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Yafei Bi, Kingsuk Brahma, Giovanni Gozzini, Mohammad Jangda
  • Patent number: 10474867
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate and a dielectric cover layer above the substrate. The electronic device may also include light emitting diodes (LEDs) carried by the substrate to direct light to the dielectric cover layer and optical image sensors carried by the substrate below the dielectric cover layer and adjacent the plurality of LEDs. Each optical image sensor may include at least one photodetector, a mask having at least one opening therein above the at least one photodetector, and an optical element above the mask and cooperating therewith to collimate light reflected from the dielectric cover layer to the at least one photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Giovanni Gozzini
  • Publication number: 20190317639
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are electronic devices having touch input surfaces. A user's touch input or press on the touch input surface is detected using a set of lasers, such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that emit beams of light toward the touch input surface. The user's touch causes changes in the self-mixing interference within the VCSEL of the emitted light with reflected light, such as from the touch input surface. Deflection and movement (e.g., drag motion) of the user's touch is determined from detected changes in the VCSELs' operation due to the self-mixing interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Mark T. Winkler, Mehmet Mutlu, Omid Momtahan, Tong Chen, Wenrui Cai, Chau H. Nguyen, Giovanni Gozzini, Michael K. McCord, Orit A. Shamir, Prashanth S. Holenarsipur
  • Publication number: 20190310724
    Abstract: Systems and methods for through-display imaging. A display includes an imaging aperture defined through an opaque backing. An optical imaging array is aligned with the aperture. Above the aperture, the display is arranged and/or configured for increased optical transmittance. For example, a region of the display above, or adjacent to, the imaging aperture can be formed with a lower pixel density than other regions of the display, thereby increasing inter-pixel distance (e.g., pitch) and increasing an area through which light can traverse the display to reach the optical imaging array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Giovanni Gozzini
  • Publication number: 20190278973
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display layer including light transmissive portions and non-transmissive portions. The electronic device may also include a palm biometric image sensor layer beneath the display layer and configured to sense an image of a user's palm positioned above the display layer based upon light reflected from the user's palm passing through the light transmissive portions of the display layer. The electronic device may further include a controller configured to capture image data from the user's palm in cooperation with the palm biometric image sensor layer and determine a surface distortion of the user's palm based upon the image data. The controller may also be configured to perform a biometric authentication of the user's palm based upon the image data and the surface distortion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Dale R. SETLAK, Giovanni GOZZINI, Mohammad YEKE YAZDANDOOST
  • Publication number: 20190236257
    Abstract: A hardware security token in contact with a user's body can send a signal via interbody communication to one or more electronic devices associated with a system of electronic devices having unified access controls such that a user can access each of the electronic devices using the same credentials. The signal sent by the hardware security token can be deputized by a user in possession of credentials to the system as a temporary proxy for that user's identity. In other examples, the signal sent by the portable security token can be deputized by a user in possession of credentials to the system as a temporary proxy for another user's identity. In some embodiments, the proxy can expire after a period of time or after a particular event occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Matthew E. Last, Giovanni Gozzini, Henry H. Yang
  • Patent number: 10360431
    Abstract: An electronic device may include an optical image sensor and a pin hole array mask layer above the optical image sensor. The electronic device may also include a display layer above the pin hole array mask layer that includes spaced apart display pixels, and a transparent cover layer above the display layer defining a finger placement surface capable of receiving a finger adjacent thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Inventors: Giovanni Gozzini, Gennadiy A. Agranov, Brian M. King, Gershon Rosenblum, Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost
  • Patent number: 10325136
    Abstract: An acoustic imaging system includes multiple acoustic transducers disposed to circumscribe a portion of imaging surface. An acoustic imaging system also includes a controller and an image resolver. The acoustic transducers convert electrical signals into mechanical energy and/or mechanical energy into electrical signals. The controller is adapted to apply an electrical signal to the acoustic transducers which, in response, induce a mechanical wave, such as a surface wave, into the circumscribed portion. The controller is also adapted to receive electrical signals from the acoustic transducers. The image resolver uses the electrical signals received by the controller in order to construct an image of an object in physical contact with the imaging surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Marduke Yousefpor, Brian Michael King, Ehsan Khajeh, Marcus Yip, Giovanni Gozzini, Aaron Tucker
  • Publication number: 20190147213
    Abstract: An electronic device may include an optical image sensor and a pin hole array mask layer above the optical image sensor. The electronic device may also include a display layer above the pin hole array mask layer that includes spaced apart display pixels, and at least one light source laterally adjacent the optical image sensor and capable of directing light into a user's finger when adjacent the optical image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad YEKE YAZDANDOOST, Giovanni GOZZINI
  • Patent number: 10255422
    Abstract: A hardware security token in contact with a user's body can send a signal via interbody communication to one or more electronic devices associated with a system of electronic devices having unified access controls such that a user can access each of the electronic devices using the same credentials. The signal sent by the hardware security token can be deputized by a user in possession of credentials to the system as a temporary proxy for that user's identity. In other examples, the signal sent by the portable security token can be deputized by a user in possession of credentials to the system as a temporary proxy for another user's identity. In some embodiments, the proxy can expire after a period of time or after a particular event occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew E. Last, Giovanni Gozzini, Henry H. Yang
  • Publication number: 20190102599
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display and a biometric image sensor configured for biometric image sensing. The electronic device may also include a display driver coupled to the display. The display driver may include first and second memories and a processor configured to alternatingly read respective illumination pattern data from the first and second memories to drive the display during biometric image sensing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Yafei Bi, Kingsuk Brahma, Giovanni Gozzini, Mohammad Jangda
  • Publication number: 20190095602
    Abstract: A method of authenticating a user of a wearable electronic device includes emitting light into a dorsal side of a forearm near a wrist of the user; receiving, using a light field camera, remissions of the light from the dorsal side of the forearm near the wrist of the user; generating a light field image from the remissions of the light; performing a synthetic focusing operation on the light field image to construct at least one image of at least one layer of the forearm near the wrist; extracting a set of features from the at least one image; determining whether the set of features matches a reference set of features; and authenticating the user based on the matching. In some embodiments, the method may further include compensating for a tilt of the light field camera prior to or while performing the synthetic focusing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Dale Setlak, Giovanni Gozzini, Manohar B. Srikanth, Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost
  • Publication number: 20190095672
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate and a dielectric cover layer above the substrate. The electronic device may also include light emitting diodes (LEDs) carried by the substrate to direct light to the dielectric cover layer and optical image sensors carried by the substrate below the dielectric cover layer and adjacent the plurality of LEDs. Each optical image sensor may include at least one photodetector, a mask having at least one opening therein above the at least one photodetector, and an optical element above the mask and cooperating therewith to collimate light reflected from the dielectric cover layer to the at least one photodetector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost, Giovanni Gozzini