Patents by Inventor J. Stephen Smith

J. Stephen Smith 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: 11262797
    Abstract: A system may include a wearable electronic device that gathers force input. The device may transmit force measurement information and other input to external equipment such as a head-mounted device. The wearable electronic device may have a force sensor that gathers force measurements as the wearable electronic device is being worn. The force sensor may have a force sensor housing structure configured to form a fluid-filled channel and one or more collapsible force sensor elements such as collapsible fluid-filled domes or other protruding portions of the force sensor housing structure. A pressure sensor may monitor changes in pressure in a fluid that fills the channel and the fluid-filled domes. The monitored changes in pressure represent force measurements for force applied by a user's body part or other objects on the collapsible force sensor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Storrs T. Hoen, Kathryn P. Crews, J. Stephen Smith
  • Patent number: 10938252
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device. To detect foreign objects, the wireless power transmitting device has an array of temperature sensors. The array of temperature sensors may include temperature sensor components such as temperature sensitive thin-film resistors or other temperature sensitive components. A temperature sensor may have thin-film resistors formed on opposing sides of a substrate. The thin-film resistors may be formed from meandered metal traces to reduce eddy current formation during operation of the wireless power transmitting device. Signal paths coupling control circuitry on the wireless power transmitting device to the array of temperature sensors may be configured to extend along columns of the temperature sensors without running along each row of the temperature sensors, thereby reducing eddy currents from loops of signal routing lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: J. Stephen Smith, Siddharth Seth, Douglas J. Adams, Michael A. Cretella
  • Publication number: 20200266672
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device. To detect foreign objects, the wireless power transmitting device has an array of temperature sensors. The array of temperature sensors may include temperature sensor components such as temperature sensitive thin-film resistors or other temperature sensitive components. A temperature sensor may have thin-film resistors formed on opposing sides of a substrate. The thin-film resistors may be formed from meandered metal traces to reduce eddy current formation during operation of the wireless power transmitting device. Signal paths coupling control circuitry on the wireless power transmitting device to the array of temperature sensors may be configured to extend along columns of the temperature sensors without running along each row of the temperature sensors, thereby reducing eddy currents from loops of signal routing lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: J. Stephen Smith, Siddharth Seth, Douglas J. Adams, Michael A. Cretella
  • Patent number: 10658878
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power receiving device has a rectifier and a wireless power receiving coil that receives wireless power signals. The wireless power transmitting device uses a layer of coils to transmit the wireless power signals. A dielectric layer in the wireless power transmitting device defines a charging surface that receives the wireless power receiving device. A layer of temperature sensors is interposed between the layer of coils and the dielectric layer. Control circuitry in the wireless power transmitting device uses temperature information from the temperature sensors to determine whether a foreign object such as a coin is present on the charging surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: J. Stephen Smith, Behrooz Shahsavari, Jacob E. Mattingley, Joseph C. Doll, Steven P. Hotelling, Siddharth Seth, Douglas J. Adams, Michael A. Cretella
  • Publication number: 20200076244
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power receiving device has a rectifier and a wireless power receiving coil that receives wireless power signals. The wireless power transmitting device uses a layer of coils to transmit the wireless power signals. A dielectric layer in the wireless power transmitting device defines a charging surface that receives the wireless power receiving device. A layer of temperature sensors is interposed between the layer of coils and the dielectric layer. Control circuitry in the wireless power transmitting device uses temperature information from the temperature sensors to determine whether a foreign object such as a coin is present on the charging surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: J. Stephen Smith, Behrooz Shahsavari, Jacob E. Mattingley, Joseph C. Doll, Steven P. Hotelling, Siddharth Seth, Douglas J. Adams, Michael A. Cretella
  • Patent number: 10505403
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitting device transmits wireless power signals to a wireless power receiving device. To detect foreign objects, the wireless power transmitting device has an array of temperature sensors. The array of temperature sensors may include temperature sensor components such as temperature sensitive thin-film resistors or other temperature sensitive components. A temperature sensor may have thin-film resistors formed on opposing sides of a substrate. The thin-film resistors may be formed from meandered metal traces to reduce eddy current formation during operation of the wireless power transmitting device. Signal paths coupling control circuitry on the wireless power transmitting device to the array of temperature sensors may be configured to extend along columns of the temperature sensors without running along each row of the temperature sensors, thereby reducing eddy currents from loops of signal routing lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: J. Stephen Smith, Siddharth Seth, Douglas J. Adams, Michael A. Cretella