Patents by Inventor Joshua A. Hoover

Joshua A. Hoover 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: 11716560
    Abstract: An accessory for wireless earbuds can include a first receiving portion defining a first cavity sized to receive and retain a first earbud and a second receiving portion defining a second cavity sized to receive and retain a second earbud. Each receiving portion can include a charging component to electrically couple with the respective earbud. The accessory can include a flexible portion connected to the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion, the flexible portion at least partially defining an internal volume, and a battery disposed in the internal volume and electrically coupled with the charging components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kristen L. Cretella, Chad J. Miller, Daniel A. Podhajny, Joshua A. Hoover, Nicholas R. Trincia, Seul Bi Kim, William Leith, Yi Zou, Yue Chen
  • Patent number: 11716567
    Abstract: A wearable device can provide an audio module that is operable to provide audio output from a distance away from the ears of the user. For example, the wearable device can be worn on clothing of the user and direct audio waves to the ears of the user. Such audio waves can be focused by a parametric array of speakers that limit audibility by others. Thus, the privacy of the audio directed to the user can be maintained without requiring the user to wear audio headsets on, over, or in the ears of the user. The wearable device can further include microphones and/or connections to other devices that facilitate calibration of the audio module of the wearable device. The wearable device can further include user sensors that are configured to detect, measure, and/or track one or more properties of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Podhajny, Joshua A. Hoover, Nicholas R. Trincia, Yue Chen, Seul Bi Kim, Chad J. Miller, Kristen L. Cretella, Yi Zou, William Leith
  • Publication number: 20220240016
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device may be formed from a layer of fabric having opposing first and second ends. The ends may have first and second respective ear openings that receive a user's ears and may have speakers for playing audio. A soft central portion of the fabric between the ends may overlap the user's eyes. The wearable electronic device may have control circuitry that receives power from a power source. Sensors may be used to gather sensor information such as biometric sensor information. The sensors, control circuitry, and power source may be mounted in a stiff edge portion of the fabric. The stiff edge portion of the fabric may have an elongated strip shape and may extend along an upper edge of the central and the electronic device. Stiffener structures sandwiched between inner and outer layers of the fabric may be used to support speakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Andrea L. Blakemore, Amit S. Barve, Donald L. Olmstead, Joshua A. Hoover, Samuel G. Smith, Seulbi Kim
  • Patent number: 11290818
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device may be formed from a layer of fabric having opposing first and second ends. The ends may have first and second respective ear openings that receive a user's ears and may have speakers for playing audio. A soft central portion of the fabric between the ends may overlap the user's eyes. The wearable electronic device may have control circuitry that receives power from a power source. Sensors may be used to gather sensor information such as biometric sensor information. The sensors, control circuitry, and power source may be mounted in a stiff edge portion of the fabric. The stiff edge portion of the fabric may have an elongated strip shape and may extend along an upper edge of the central and the electronic device. Stiffener structures sandwiched between inner and outer layers of the fabric may be used to support speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea L. Blakemore, Amit S. Barve, Donald L. Olmstead, Joshua A. Hoover, Samuel G. Smith, Seulbi Kim
  • Publication number: 20220095049
    Abstract: A wearable device can provide an audio module that is operable to provide audio output from a distance away from the ears of the user. For example, the wearable device can be worn on clothing of the user and direct audio waves to the ears of the user. Such audio waves can be focused by a parametric array of speakers that limit audibility by others. Thus, the privacy of the audio directed to the user can be maintained without requiring the user to wear audio headsets on, over, or in the ears of the user. The wearable device can further include microphones and/or connections to other devices that facilitate calibration of the audio module of the wearable device. The wearable device can further include user sensors that are configured to detect, measure, and/or track one or more properties of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel A. PODHAJNY, Joshua A. HOOVER, Nicholas R. TRINCIA, Yue CHEN, Seul Bi KIM, Chad J. MILLER, Kristen L. CRETELLA, Yi ZOU, William LEITH
  • Publication number: 20220079521
    Abstract: A system may include an electronic device that communicates with one or more wearable tags. The wearable tags may be placed on different parts of a user's body or clothing and may be used for one or more health-related functions such as posture monitoring, sun exposure monitoring, physical therapy, running assistance, fall detection, and other functions. The wearable tag may have different types of sensors that gather different types of sensor data depending on the health-related function that the wearable tag is being used for. A user may configure, control, and receive data from the wearable tag using an electronic device. The electronic device may be used to determine the location of the wearable tag on the user's body and to determine the desired health-related function for the wearable tag based on user input or based on sensor data gathered from the wearable tag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Grena, Lauren D. Gerardi, Didio V. Gomes, Camille I. Henrot, Joshua A. Hoover, Jennifer N. Husted, Gregory Wilson Rice, Lia M. Uesato
  • Patent number: 11112915
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a portable electronic device may have display with a capacitive touch sensor. A cover may have a front portion and a rear portion that bend along a bend axis. The front portion may overlap the display when the cover is closed. Conductive structures such as a patterned conductive layer having elongated strips of conductive material separated by gaps or another predetermined pattern may be formed in the front portion of a cover or other portion of a cover that overlaps the display and capacitive touch sensor when the cover is closed. Control circuitry in the device can gather capacitance images with the touch sensor and can detect when the cover has transitioned from open to closed or from closed to open from whether the predetermined pattern becomes present or becomes absent in the capacitance images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen T. Schooley, Kendall L. Helbert, Ari Y. Benbasat, Clayton J. McCoy, Devon J. Rosner, Joshua A. Hoover, Sean M. Cole, Yufei Zhao, Zhao Liu, Judd Reed
  • Publication number: 20210087719
    Abstract: A stretchable fabric signal path may include a conductive strand located between first and second outer fabric layers. The outer fabric layers may be formed from intertwined strands of elastic material. The conductive strand may have a wavy shape to accommodate stretching of the stretchable fabric signal path. First and second inner fabric layers may be located between the outer stretchable fabric layers. The inner fabric layers may be formed from intertwined strands of non-elastic material. The inner fabric layers may have strands that are intertwined with the outer fabric layers to serve as anchor points for maintaining the shape of the conductive strand as the stretchable fabric signal path expands and contracts. The outer fabric layers and inner fabric layers may be woven. The conductive strand may convey electrical signals such as audio signals, power signals, data signals, or other suitable signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Grena, Didio V. Gomes, Joshua A. Hoover, Seul Bi Kim, David M. Kindlon, Kevin T. Pham, Daniel A. Podhajny, Robert J. Rose, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Miikka O. Tikander
  • Publication number: 20200319734
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a portable electronic device may have display with a capacitive touch sensor. A cover may have a front portion and a rear portion that bend along a bend axis. The front portion may overlap the display when the cover is closed. Conductive structures such as a patterned conductive layer having elongated strips of conductive material separated by gaps or another predetermined pattern may be formed in the front portion of a cover or other portion of a cover that overlaps the display and capacitive touch sensor when the cover is closed. Control circuitry in the device can gather capacitance images with the touch sensor and can detect when the cover has transitioned from open to closed or from closed to open from whether the predetermined pattern becomes present or becomes absent in the capacitance images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen T. Schooley, Kendall L. Helbert, Ari Y. Benbasat, Clayton J. McCoy, Devon J. Rosner, Joshua A. Hoover, Sean M. Cole, Yufei Zhao, Zhao Liu, Judd Reed
  • Patent number: 10725595
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a portable electronic device may have display with a capacitive touch sensor. A cover may have a front portion and a rear portion that bend along a bend axis. The front portion may overlap the display when the cover is closed. Conductive structures such as a patterned conductive layer having elongated strips of conductive material separated by gaps or another predetermined pattern may be formed in the front portion of a cover or other portion of a cover that overlaps the display and capacitive touch sensor when the cover is closed. Control circuitry in the device can gather capacitance images with the touch sensor and can detect when the cover has transitioned from open to closed or from closed to open from whether the predetermined pattern becomes present or becomes absent in the capacitance images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen T. Schooley, Kendall L. Helbert, Ari Y. Benbasat, Clayton J. McCoy, Devon J. Rosner, Joshua A. Hoover, Sean M. Cole, Yufei Zhao, Zhao Liu, Judd Reed
  • Publication number: 20190324574
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a portable electronic device may have display with a capacitive touch sensor. A cover may have a front portion and a rear portion that bend along a bend axis. The front portion may overlap the display when the cover is closed. Conductive structures such as a patterned conductive layer having elongated strips of conductive material separated by gaps or another predetermined pattern may be formed in the front portion of a cover or other portion of a cover that overlaps the display and capacitive touch sensor when the cover is closed. Control circuitry in the device can gather capacitance images with the touch sensor and can detect when the cover has transitioned from open to closed or from closed to open from whether the predetermined pattern becomes present or becomes absent in the capacitance images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Stephen T. Schooley, Kendall L. Helbert, Ari Y. Benbasat, Clayton J. McCoy, Devon J. Rosner, Joshua A. Hoover, Sean M. Cole, Yufei Zhao, Zhao Liu, Judd Reed
  • Patent number: 10299553
    Abstract: An accessory case that can be used for protecting a separate portable electronic device may include a structural shell configured to contain the electronic device, a camera opening to align with a camera on the electronic device, and a button cover that can be used for actuating a button on the electronic device. The structural shell can include an outer layer, an internal layer, and a microfiber lining. The camera opening can include a chamfered or angled edge that reduces the effects of camera flash on the camera. The button cover can include an outer button cover component that is coupled to the outer layer. The outer button cover component, which may be anodized aluminum, can be a different material than the outer layer, which may include leather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua A. Hoover, Jeremy C. Franklin, Chad J. Miller, Candace A. Marbury, Heidi Williamson, Kristine S. Tom, Michael B. Velez
  • Patent number: 10244839
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a case for a portable electronic device is described. The case can include a bottom wall and side walls that cooperate to define a cavity having a size and shape suitable for accommodating the portable electronic device. The side walls can include an edge that defines an opening that leads to the cavity and that allows passage of the portable electronic device into the cavity. At least one of the side walls has a protrusion that extends at an angle into the cavity, and where the protrusion (i) allows insertion of the portable electronic device through the opening and into the cavity, and (ii) hinders movements of the portable electronic device out of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Joshua A. Hoover
  • Patent number: 9629431
    Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for reinforcing fragile portions of a device case. In some embodiments, the device case can be reinforced by a reinforcing member made up of composite extrusions that are embedded within a top edge portion of the stiffening shell. The device shell can be utilized to define and maintain an overall shape of the device case. Composite fibers suitable for use in these embodiments can have high tensile strength and high tensile modulus. The device case can include a single length of embedded twisted composite fibers that extend continuously around the top edge or alternatively can include a number of discrete segments that reinforce particularly fragile portion of the top edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua A. Hoover, Aaron P. Beese, Ambert T. Yeung
  • Publication number: 20150327641
    Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for reinforcing fragile portions of a device case. In some embodiments, the device case can be reinforced by a reinforcing member made up of composite extrusions that are embedded within a top edge portion of the stiffening shell. The device shell can be utilized to define and maintain an overall shape of the device case. Composite fibers suitable for use in these embodiments can have high tensile strength and high tensile modulus. The device case can include a single length of embedded twisted composite fibers that extend continuously around the top edge or alternatively can include a number of discrete segments that reinforce particularly fragile portion of the top edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua A. Hoover, Aaron P. Beese, Ambert T. Yeung