Patents by Inventor Ian M. Bullock

Ian M. Bullock 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: 11914780
    Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
  • Publication number: 20230229246
    Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that determine whether to provide a response based on the characteristic associated with the use of an input sensor (e.g., a keyboard). For example, an example process may include obtaining sensor data from a first sensor of the one or more other sensors, wherein the first sensor is separate from the input sensor, and the sensor data is associated with use of the input sensor by a user, assessing a characteristic associated with the use of the input sensor based on the sensor data, and determining whether to provide a response based on the characteristic associated with the use of the input sensor, the response updating the input sensor with a personalized setting or providing personalized content (e.g., feedback or autocomplete) to the user regarding input sensor use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Holly Gerhard, Grant H. Mulliken, Ian M. Bullock, Jae Hyun Cho, John A. Porcella, Kyle J. Nekimken
  • Publication number: 20220382376
    Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
  • Patent number: 11416076
    Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
  • Publication number: 20210055799
    Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
  • Patent number: 10838499
    Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
  • Patent number: 10768747
    Abstract: A touch-sensitive display of an electronic device is operated in conjunction with a notification system configured to provide haptic, acoustic, and/or visual output to cue a user to align and/or maintain the user's finger positioning relative to one or more virtual input regions, such as virtual keys of a virtual keyboard, presented on the touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Ian M. Bullock
  • Publication number: 20190064997
    Abstract: A touch-sensitive display of an electronic device is operated in conjunction with a notification system configured to provide haptic, acoustic, and/or visual output to cue a user to align and/or maintain the user's finger positioning relative to one or more virtual input regions, such as virtual keys of a virtual keyboard, presented on the touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Ian M. Bullock
  • Publication number: 20190004604
    Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston