Patents by Inventor Jonah A. Harley

Jonah A. Harley 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: 10069392
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may take the form of an electromagnetic actuator that produces a haptic output during operation. Generally, an electromagnetic coil is wrapped around a central magnet array. A shaft passes through the central magnet array, such that the central array may move along the shaft when the proper force is applied. When a current passes through the electromagnetic coil, the coil generates a magnetic field. The coil is stationary with respect to a housing of the actuator, while the central magnet array may move along the shaft within the housing. Thus, excitation of the coil exerts a force on the central magnet array, which moves in response to that force. The direction of the current through the coil determines the direction of the magnetic field and thus the motion of the central magnet array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Bradley J. Hamel, David H. Narajowski, Jonah A. Harley, Michael E. Leclerc, Patrick Kessler, Samuel Bruce Weiss, Storrs T. Hoen
  • Patent number: 9983696
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to a stylus for use with a portable electronic device. The stylus includes a force sensing device to measure three dimensional force components exerted by the stylus on the portable electronic device. The output of the portable electronic device is adjusted based upon the force components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Shingo Yoneoka, Brenton A. Baugh, Aidan N. Zimmerman, Jonah A. Harley, Storrs T. Hoen
  • Patent number: 9966825
    Abstract: A haptic actuator may include a housing having a top and a bottom, and first and second permanent magnets carried by the top and bottom, respectively, of the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a field member carried by the housing. The field member may include a coil between the first and second permanent magnets, first and second ends, and a first mass between the first end and the coil, and a second mass between the second end and the coil. A first shaft may slidably couple the first mass to the housing, and a second shaft may slidably couple the second mass to the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a first set of biasing members between the first end of the field member and the housing and a second set of biasing members between the second end of the field member and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Jonah A. Harley
  • Publication number: 20180120940
    Abstract: A haptic electromagnetic actuator for track pad is provided. The actuator includes an array of electromagnets with alternating South and North poles on a first end, each magnet comprising a metal core and an electrical wire around the metal core. The array of magnets is coupled to a base plate on a second end opposite to the first end. The actuator also includes an attraction plate at a distance from the first end of the array of the magnets such that the attraction plate moves toward the magnets when an electrical current flows through the electrical wire around the metal core and moves away from the magnets when the current becomes zero. The array of magnets is configured to form a uniform gap from the attraction plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick Kessler, Dhaval Chandrakant Patel, Jonah A. Harley, Brett W. Degner, Nicholas Alan Rundle, Peteris K. Augenbergs, Nicholaus Lubinski, Kenneth L. Staton, Omar Sze Leung
  • Patent number: 9939901
    Abstract: A haptic feedback assembly includes interconnections for mechanically and electrically securing a haptic actuator in a track pad assembly so as to securely and efficiently provide haptic feedback to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dhaval Chandrakant Patel, Jonah A. Harley, Peteris K. Augenbergs, Derryk C. Davis, Scott J. McEuen, John M. Brock
  • Patent number: 9928950
    Abstract: A polarized electromagnetic actuator includes a movable armature, a stator, and at least one coil wrapped around the stator. At least one permanent magnet is disposed over the stator. When a current is applied to the at least one coil, the at least one coil is configured to reduce a magnetic flux of at least one permanent magnet in one direction and increase a magnetic flux of at least one permanent magnet in another direction. The movable armature moves in the direction of the increased magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus Ian Lubinski, James E. Wright, Jonah A. Harley, John M. Brock, Keith J. Hendren, Storrs T. Hoen
  • Patent number: 9921684
    Abstract: An intelligent stylus is disclosed. The stylus can provide a stylus condition in addition to a touch input. The stylus architecture can include multiple sensors to sense information indicative of the stylus condition, a microcontroller to determine the stylus condition based on the sensed information, and a transmitter to transmit the determined condition to a corresponding touch sensitive device so as to cause some action based on the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Falkenburg, David I. Simon, Jonah A. Harley, Andrea Mucignat, Brian R. Land, Christopher Tenzin Mullens, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20180075715
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a haptic actuator or a device having a haptic actuator that is capable of producing short, sharp and crisp pulses in a short amount of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: John B. Morrell, Jonah A. Harley, Storrs T. Hoen, Brett W. Degner, Camille Moussette, Anthnoy Guetta, Samuel B. Weiss, Douglas A. Scott
  • Patent number: 9880626
    Abstract: A haptic actuator may include a housing, at least one coil carried by the housing, a field member movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil, and at least one mechanical limit stop between the housing and the field member. The haptic actuator may also include circuitry capable of generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) waveform for the at least one coil to move the field member from an initial at-rest position and without contacting the at least one mechanical limit stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Shingo Yoneoka, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9850957
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a housing and at least one coil carried by the housing. The electronic device may include a field member that includes a magnetic body having a shaft-receiving passageway therein, and at least one bearing within the shaft-receiving passageway. A shaft extends through the at least one bearing and coupled to the housing to permit reciprocal movement of the field member along the shaft and within the housing responsive to the at least one coil. A controller may be capable of powering the at least one coil to move the field member after a threshold period of non-movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: SungChang Lee, Xuefeng Wang, Mi Hye Shin, Wei Guang Wu, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9830782
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a haptic actuator or a device having a haptic actuator that is capable of producing short, sharp and crisp pulses in a short amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Morrell, Jonah A. Harley, Storrs T. Hoen, Brett W. Degner, Camille Moussette, Anthony Guetta, Samuel B Weiss, Douglas A. Scott
  • Publication number: 20170337804
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for providing an output for an electronic device. In certain embodiments, an alert is output in accordance with a current alert mode, which are selected based on one or more environmental conditions. The environmental conditions may be detected using one or more environmental sensors. The alert can optionally include one or more of: an audio component, a haptic component and a visual component. One or more of alert components correspond to an aspect of the environmental condition detected by the one or more environmental sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Lawrence Yang, Jonathan R. Dascola, Camille Moussette, Hugo D. Verweij, Jonah A. Harley, John B. Morrell
  • Patent number: 9772688
    Abstract: A haptic feedback assembly includes interconnections for mechanically and electrically securing a haptic actuator in a track pad assembly so as to securely and efficiently provide haptic feedback to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dhaval Chandrakant Patel, Jonah A. Harley, Peteris K. Augenbergs, Derryk C. Davis, Scott J. McEuen, John M. Brock
  • Patent number: 9680672
    Abstract: A haptic actuator may include a housing, at least one permanent magnet carried by the housing, a field member movable within the housing and comprising at least one coil cooperating with the at least one permanent magnet, and at least one mechanical limit stop between the housing and the field member. The haptic actuator may also include circuitry capable of generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) waveform for the at least one coil to move the field member from an initial at-rest position and without contacting the at least one mechanical limit stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Shingo Yoneoka, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9659487
    Abstract: Utilizing remote control profile information for configuration of a remote control device. A media processing device may store a remote control profile, locally or on a server accessible via a wide area network, which may include information for configuring a remote control device to utilize one or more wireless remote control commands for controlling the media processing device. The media processing device may also detect one or more wireless remote control commands for controlling one or more other electronic devices and update the remote control profile to include information for configuring a remote control device to utilize those commands. It may be determined to configure a remote control device according to the remote control profile based at least in part on proximity of the remote control device to the media processing device. The remote control device may then be configured according to the remote control profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Liquan Tan, Daniel R. Fletcher, Wing Kong Low, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9659482
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for providing an output for an electronic device. In certain embodiments, an alert is output in accordance with a current alert mode, which are selected based on one or more environmental conditions. The environmental conditions may be detected using one or more environmental sensors. The alert can optionally include one or more of: an audio component, a haptic component and a visual component. One or more of alert components correspond to an aspect of the environmental condition detected by the one or more environmental sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Yang, Jonathan R. Dascola, Camille Moussette, Hugo D. Verweij, Jonah A. Harley, John B. Morrell
  • Patent number: 9652090
    Abstract: A computing device configured to communicate with an input device. The computing device includes a processor, a touch interface, such as a touch screen, and a receiving unit. The touch interface is configured to detect an input signal corresponding to an object approaching or contacting a surface. The receiving unit is configured to receive, through the touch interface, at least one input signal from the input device, and the receiving unit amplifies the at least one input signal creating at least one amplified input signal. Additionally, at least one of the processor or the receiving unit analyzes the at least one amplified input signal and creates at least one output digital signal corresponding to the at least one input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Liquan Tan, Jonah A. Harley, Feiqiao Brian Yu
  • Patent number: 9652088
    Abstract: Fabrication of a touch sensor panel using laser ablation is disclosed. The fabricated touch sensor panel can have its touch sensors formed from conductive layers disposed on a surface such as an undersurface of the panel's cover substrate. A fabrication method can include ablating a first conductive layer to define the first part of the touch sensors and then ablating a second conductive layer proximate to the first conductive layer to define the second part of the touch sensors. The touch sensor panel can be incorporated into a mobile telephone, a digital media player, or a personal computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9619031
    Abstract: A haptic actuator may include a housing having a top and a bottom, and first and second coils carried by the top and bottom, respectively, of the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a field member carried by the housing. The field member may include a permanent magnet between the first and second coils, first and second ends, and a first mass between the first end and the permanent magnet, and a second mass between the second end and the permanent magnet. A first shaft may slidably couple the first mass to the housing, and a second shaft may slidably couple the second mass to the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a first set of biasing members between the first end of the field member and the housing and a second set of biasing members between the second end of the field member and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9622357
    Abstract: Systems and methods for positioning a component on a surface or substrate including the steps of applying a coating to a selected deposit area of the surface, each deposit area defining at least a portion of a perimeter of an alignment area, depositing an fluid on the coating, and depositing, dropping, or otherwise positioning the component above the alignment area are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Jonah A. Harley, Stephen B. Lynch, Stephen P. Zadesky