Patents by Inventor James J. Dudley
James J. Dudley 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).
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Publication number: 20230366672Abstract: An optical proximity sensor includes a first vertical cavity surface-emitting laser configured for self-mixing interferometry to determine distance to and/or velocity of an object. The optical proximity sensor also includes a second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser configured for self-mixing interferometry to determine whether any variation in a fixed distance has occurred. The optical proximity sensor leverages output from the second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser to calibrate output from the second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser to eliminate and/or mitigate environmental effects, such as temperature changes.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventors: Mengshu Huang, James J. Dudley
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Patent number: 11740071Abstract: An optical proximity sensor includes a first vertical cavity surface-emitting laser configured for self-mixing interferometry to determine distance to and/or velocity of an object. The optical proximity sensor also includes a second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser configured for self-mixing interferometry to determine whether any variation in a fixed distance has occurred. The optical proximity sensor leverages output from the second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser to calibrate output from the second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser to eliminate and/or mitigate environmental effects, such as temperature changes.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Mengshu Huang, James J. Dudley
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Patent number: 10788308Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to particulate matter sensors for electronic devices. A particulate matter sensor may include three lasers, three total-internal-reflection lenses, and three detectors for detecting changes in the operation of the three lasers due to the principles of self-mixing interferometry. The three total-internal-reflection lenses may use internally reflective surfaces to tilt the three beams into three corresponding directions that form an orthogonal basis in the three dimensional space, so that a gas flow speed can be determined while maintaining a small, modular form factor for implementation of the sensor in portable electronic devices.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Mehmet Mutlu, James J. Dudley, Mark T. Winkler, Wenrui Cai
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Publication number: 20200200522Abstract: An optical proximity sensor includes a first vertical cavity surface-emitting laser configured for self-mixing interferometry to determine distance to and/or velocity of an object. The optical proximity sensor also includes a second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser configured for self-mixing interferometry to determine whether any variation in a fixed distance has occurred. The optical proximity sensor leverages output from the second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser to calibrate output from the second vertical cavity surface-emitting laser to eliminate and/or mitigate environmental effects, such as temperature changes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2018Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Mengshu Huang, James J. Dudley
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Publication number: 20200096310Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to particulate matter sensors for electronic devices. A particulate matter sensor may include three lasers, three total-internal-reflection lenses, and three detectors for detecting changes in the operation of the three lasers due to the principles of self-mixing interferometry. The three total-internal-reflection lenses may use internally reflective surfaces to tilt the three beams into three corresponding directions that form an orthogonal basis in the three dimensional space, so that a gas flow speed can be determined while maintaining a small, modular form factor for implementation of the sensor in portable electronic devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Mehmet MUTLU, James j. DUDLEY, Mark T. WINKLER, Wenrui CAI
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Patent number: 10094708Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with light sensors. The electronic device may have an electronic device housing in which a display is mounted. The display may have a transparent layer such as a transparent display cover layer, a thin-film transistor layer, or a color filter layer. An opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink may be used to cover an inner surface of the transparent layer in an inactive area of the display. Sensor window openings may be formed in the black ink layer. A layer of ink may be formed in each sensor window opening. Each layer of ink may have a diffuse reflectivity that is matched to that of the black ink. A diffuser layer such as a polymer coating layer with light-scattering particles may be coated on the inner surface of the layer of ink in a sensor window opening.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2017Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Zhang Jia, Christopher S. Erickson, James J. Dudley, Kenichi Nakajima, Chunji Li
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Patent number: 9804441Abstract: An electronic device display may have an active area with an array of pixels and an inactive area. A light-transmitting window may be formed in the inactive area. A light-sensing component such as an ambient light sensor may be mounted within the housing in alignment with the window. Opaque masking material may be provided on one or more layers of the display in the inactive area and may have an opening for the window. Backlight structures in the display may generate backlight illumination for pixels in the active area. Stray portions of the backlight illumination may be blocked using a stray light absorption layer on one of the layers of the display such as a layer other than the layer on which the opaque masking material is formed. The stray light absorption layer may have an opening aligned with the window.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Zhang Jia, James J. Dudley, Katherine J. Spriggs, William A. Tashman
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Publication number: 20170211973Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with light sensors. The electronic device may have an electronic device housing in which a display is mounted. The display may have a transparent layer such as a transparent display cover layer, a thin-film transistor layer, or a color filter layer. An opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink may be used to cover an inner surface of the transparent layer in an inactive area of the display. Sensor window openings may be formed in the black ink layer. A layer of ink may be formed in each sensor window opening. Each layer of ink may have a diffuse reflectivity that is matched to that of the black ink. A diffuser layer such as a polymer coating layer with light-scattering particles may be coated on the inner surface of the layer of ink in a sensor window opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2017Publication date: July 27, 2017Inventors: Zhang Jia, Christopher S. Erickson, James J. Dudley, Kenichi Nakajima, Chunji Li
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Publication number: 20170176787Abstract: An electronic device display may have an active area with an array of pixels and an inactive area. A light-transmitting window may be formed in the inactive area. A light-sensing component such as an ambient light sensor may be mounted within the housing in alignment with the window. Opaque masking material may be provided on one or more layers of the display in the inactive area and may have an opening for the window. Backlight structures in the display may generate backlight illumination for pixels in the active area. Stray portions of the backlight illumination may be blocked using a stray light absorption layer on one of the layers of the display such as a layer other than the layer on which the opaque masking material is formed. The stray light absorption layer may have an opening aligned with the window.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Zhang Jia, James J. Dudley, Katherine J. Spriggs, William A. Tashman
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Patent number: 9645008Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with light sensors. The electronic device may have an electronic device housing in which a display is mounted. The display may have a transparent layer such as a transparent display cover layer, a thin-film transistor layer, or a color filter layer. An opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink may be used to cover an inner surface of the transparent layer in an inactive area of the display. Sensor window openings may be formed in the black ink layer. A layer of ink may be formed in each sensor window opening. Each layer of ink may have a diffuse reflectivity that is matched to that of the black ink. A diffuser layer such as a polymer coating layer with light-scattering particles may be coated on the inner surface of the layer of ink in a sensor window opening.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2014Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Zhang Jia, Christopher S. Erickson, James J. Dudley, Kenichi Nakajima, Chunji Li
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Publication number: 20160054175Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with light sensors. The electronic device may have an electronic device housing in which a display is mounted. The display may have a transparent layer such as a transparent display cover layer, a thin-film transistor layer, or a color filter layer. An opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink may be used to cover an inner surface of the transparent layer in an inactive area of the display. Sensor window openings may be formed in the black ink layer. A layer of ink may be formed in each sensor window opening. Each layer of ink may have a diffuse reflectivity that is matched to that of the black ink. A diffuser layer such as a polymer coating layer with light-scattering particles may be coated on the inner surface of the layer of ink in a sensor window opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2014Publication date: February 25, 2016Inventors: Zhang Jia, Christopher S. Erickson, James J. Dudley, Kenichi Nakajima, Chunji Li
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Patent number: 8976250Abstract: A lens testing system may have a test pattern source that generates a test pattern of light. A lens may have a lens surface that reflects the test pattern of light. A digital camera system may capture an image of the reflected test pattern of light. Computing equipment may perform image processing operations to evaluate the captured image of the reflected test pattern. The test pattern may contain a known pattern of test elements such as a rectangular array of spots or test elements of other configurations. During image processing operations, the computing equipment may analyze the reflected version of the spots or other test elements to measure characteristics of the lens such as radius of curvature, whether the lens contains flat regions, pits, or bumps, lens placement in a support structure, and other lens performance data. The computing equipment may compare the measured lens data to predetermined criteria.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2012Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, James J. Dudley, Richard Ruh, Anant Rai
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Patent number: 8915596Abstract: A concealing structure to at least partially conceal a sensor, light emitter or other component by at least partially preventing reflection of external light by an underlying structure. In some examples, this function is performed by a two-component masking assembly, the masking assembly including a linear polarizer to cause linear polarization of light which passes from the exterior of the device to an underlying component, and a wave plate to shift the axis of any reflected polarized light. In many cases, a high density optical fluid will further be included within the masking assembly to minimize reflections from the other components of the assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2013Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: David Thomas Amm, James J. Dudley, Peter Henry Mahowald
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Publication number: 20140173746Abstract: Methods of providing an application repository based on an age level of a user to create an age-appropriate experience for younger users of an electronic device are disclosed. Certain applications can be associated with the application repository. The content of any application associated with the repository can then be based on the associated age level. For example, if an educational application is associated with an application repository, then the educational elements of the application can be targeted to the specific age level associated with the repository.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joel S. ARMSTRONG-MUNTNER, James J. DUDLEY
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Publication number: 20140055856Abstract: A concealing structure to at least partially conceal a sensor, light emitter or other component by at least partially preventing reflection of external light by an underlying structure. In some examples, this function is performed by a two-component masking assembly, the masking assembly including a linear polarizer to cause linear polarization of light which passes from the exterior of the device to an underlying component, and a wave plate to shift the axis of any reflected polarized light. In many cases, a high density optical fluid will further be included within the masking assembly to minimize reflections from the other components of the assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2013Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: David Thomas Amm, James J. Dudley, Peter Henry Mahowald
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Publication number: 20130293726Abstract: A lens testing system may have a test pattern source that generates a test pattern of light. A lens may have a lens surface that reflects the test pattern of light. A digital camera system may capture an image of the reflected test pattern of light. Computing equipment may perform image processing operations to evaluate the captured image of the reflected test pattern. The test pattern may contain a known pattern of test elements such as a rectangular array of spots or test elements of other configurations. During image processing operations, the computing equipment may analyze the reflected version of the spots or other test elements to measure characteristics of the lens such as radius of curvature, whether the lens contains flat regions, pits, or bumps, lens placement in a support structure, and other lens performance data. The computing equipment may compare the measured lens data to predetermined criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2012Publication date: November 7, 2013Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, James J. Dudley, Richard Ruh, Anant Rai
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Patent number: 8567955Abstract: A concealing structure to at least partially conceal a sensor, light emitter or other component by at least partially preventing reflection of external light by an underlying structure. In some examples, this function is performed by a two-component masking assembly, the masking assembly including a linear polarizer to cause linear polarization of light which passes from the exterior of the device to an underlying component, and a wave plate to shift the axis of any reflected polarized light. In many cases, a high density optical fluid will further be included within the masking assembly to minimize reflections from the other components of the assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2011Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: David Thomas Amm, James J. Dudley, Peter Henry Mahowald
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Publication number: 20120243091Abstract: A concealing structure to at least partially conceal a sensor, light emitter or other component by at least partially preventing reflection of external light by an underlying structure. In some examples, this function is performed by a two-component masking assembly, the masking assembly including a linear polarizer to cause linear polarization of light which passes from the exterior of the device to an underlying component, and a wave plate to shift the axis of any reflected polarized light. In many cases, a high density optical fluid will further be included within the masking assembly to minimize reflections from the other components of the assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2011Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: David Thomas Amm, James J. Dudley, Peter Henry Mahowald
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Patent number: 7195404Abstract: A fiber optic module and method for making the module uses an electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorbing material, which is positioned within an interior region defined by a housing of the module. The EMI absorbing material has electrical properties to absorb electromagnetic radiation to reduce EMI emissions of the module.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventor: James J. Dudley
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Patent number: 6526076Abstract: For each channel in a parallel channel optical array, a diffractive optical arrangement (DOA) includes an input region that is configured to pass a first portion of an input beam to an output region for data transmissions and to diffract and direct a second portion to a detection region for monitoring. The input region includes the diffractive features of a computer generated hologram (CGH) or a grating for diffracting. Alternatively, the input region is coupled to the CGH or grating. Moreover, the DOA includes at least one reflective region for redirecting the second portion. In one embodiment, the DOA includes a separate active surface for each channel of the array. Alternatively, the DOA has a singular active surface that is positioned to interact with all the channels. Optical power output from the second portion is monitored to generate feedback signals for adjusting the input current to each laser. Additionally, optical power output from sensed temperature is monitored to generate feedback signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2000Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kit M. Cham, Myunghee Lee, James J. Dudley, Stefano G. Therisod, Craig T. Cummings, Yu-Chun Chang, Ye Christine Chen, Christopher L. Coleman, Ronald Kaneshiro