Patents by Inventor Katherine E. Tong
Katherine E. Tong 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: 11930283Abstract: An electronic device may have a flexible housing formed from flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible materials. Cameras may be mounted on the housing. The housing may be bent into different configurations such as a configuration in which the housing has a convex surface facing an exterior region and a configuration in which the housing has a concave surface facing the exterior region. The cameras may have respective camera image capture directions. By reorienting the cameras by bending the housing, the cameras can be used to capture panoramic images or three-dimensional images.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Katherine E. Tong
-
Publication number: 20240061466Abstract: An electronic device display may have an inner layer with a pixel array for displaying images and an outer layer with an array of light modulator cells operable in transparent and light-blocking modes. Force sensor and touch sensor circuitry may be used to gather user input such as information on finger pressure or stylus input applied to a location on the display. A block of the cells may be placed into a transparent mode to form a transparent window based on information from the sensor circuitry. Images on the pixel array may be viewed through the window. In another mode of operation, images can be displayed by adjusting the cells of the light modulator layer and backlight illumination may be provided by the pixel array. A camera and a flash or other optical components may be overlapped by an adjustable shutter.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Harry K. Ng, Alvin K. Ng, Katherine E. Tong, Tyler S. Bushnell, Amin M. Younes, Benjamin S. Bustle, Christopher D. Jones, James R. Wilson
-
Publication number: 20220006964Abstract: An electronic device may have a flexible housing formed from flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible materials. Cameras may be mounted on the housing. The housing may be bent into different configurations such as a configuration in which the housing has a convex surface facing an exterior region and a configuration in which the housing has a concave surface facing the exterior region. The cameras may have respective camera image capture directions. By reorienting the cameras by bending the housing, the cameras can be used to capture panoramic images or three-dimensional images.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventor: Katherine E. Tong
-
Patent number: 11178342Abstract: An electronic device may have a flexible housing formed from flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible materials. Cameras may be mounted on the housing. The housing may be bent into different configurations such as a configuration in which the housing has a convex surface facing an exterior region and a configuration in which the housing has a concave surface facing the exterior region. The cameras may have respective camera image capture directions. By reorienting the cameras by bending the housing, the cameras can be used to capture panoramic images or three-dimensional images.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Katherine E. Tong
-
Publication number: 20210021768Abstract: An electronic device may have a flexible housing formed from flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible materials. Cameras may be mounted on the housing. The housing may be bent into different configurations such as a configuration in which the housing has a convex surface facing an exterior region and a configuration in which the housing has a concave surface facing the exterior region. The cameras may have respective camera image capture directions. By reorienting the cameras by bending the housing, the cameras can be used to capture panoramic images or three-dimensional images.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2019Publication date: January 21, 2021Inventor: Katherine E. Tong
-
Patent number: 10866615Abstract: An electronic device display may have an inner layer with a pixel array for displaying images and an outer layer with an array of light modulator cells operable in transparent and light-blocking modes. Force sensor and touch sensor circuitry may be used to gather user input such as information on finger pressure or stylus input applied to a location on the display. A block of the cells may be placed into a transparent mode to form a transparent window based on information from the sensor circuitry. Images on the pixel array may be viewed through the window. In another mode of operation, images can be displayed by adjusting the cells of the light modulator layer and backlight illumination may be provided by the pixel array. A camera and a flash or other optical components may be overlapped by an adjustable shutter.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2018Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Harry K. Ng, Alvin K. Ng, Katherine E. Tong, Tyler S. Bushnell, Amin M. Younes, Benjamin S. Bustle, Christopher D. Jones, James R. Wilson
-
Publication number: 20200196945Abstract: A wearable consumer electronic product includes at least a housing arranged to carry operational components comprising a processor and a band having a pliable band body and a securing means arranged to secure the band body to the housing. In one embodiment, the pliable band body has a size and shape suitable for wrapping around an individual appendage and that includes an opening that leads to a cavity within the band body suitable for accumulating an amount of water and a band sensor embedded within the band body in communication with the cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2020Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Steven P. CARDINALI, William C. LUKENS, Katherine E. TONG, Trevor J. NESS
-
Patent number: 10617358Abstract: A wearable consumer electronic product includes at least a housing arranged to carry operational components comprising a processor and a band having a pliable band body and a securing means arranged to secure the band body to the housing. In one embodiment, the pliable band body has a size and shape suitable for wrapping around an individual appendage and that includes an opening that leads to a cavity within the band body suitable for accumulating an amount of water and a band sensor embedded within the band body in communication with the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2016Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Steven P. Cardinali, William C. Lukens, Katherine E. Tong, Trevor J. Ness
-
Patent number: 10613666Abstract: Content can be using an input device without a touch-sensitive surface. In some examples, touch-down and lift-off on a non-touch-sensitive surface can be monitored by a force sensor of the input device. The position and/or motion of the input device can be tracked according to various methods including one or more of a motion and orientation sensor, a camera, or an electromagnetic- or sound-based triangulation scheme. The force data and position/motion data can be processed to generate content, including textual character input and three-dimensional objects. In some examples, the content can be generated based on tracking position and/or motion of the input device without requiring contact with a surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Steven Cardinali, Katherine E. Tong
-
Patent number: 10401800Abstract: A wearable electronic device includes a housing and a band attached to the housing. The band has an indicator with a variably and/or progressively illuminable portion. The indicator of the band conveys to a user an analog representation of the completion progress of an activity or task tracked by wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device also includes a processing unit within the housing, and a sensor operatively coupled to the processing unit. In some cases, the sensor is a motion sensor such as an accelerometer or a gyroscope. In other examples, the sensor is a health sensor or a biometric sensor. Sensor data is used to update the indicator.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Steven P. Cardinali, Katherine E. Tong, Trevor J. Ness, William C. Lukens
-
Publication number: 20190086875Abstract: A wearable electronic device includes a housing and a band attached to the housing. The band has an indicator with a variably and/or progressively illuminable portion. The indicator of the band conveys to a user an analog representation of the completion progress of an activity or task tracked by wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device also includes a processing unit within the housing, and a sensor operatively coupled to the processing unit. In some cases, the sensor is a motion sensor such as an accelerometer or a gyroscope. In other examples, the sensor is a health sensor or a biometric sensor. Sensor data is used to update the indicator.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Inventors: Steven P. CARDINALI, Katherine E. TONG, Trevor J. NESS, William C. LUKENS
-
Patent number: 10108151Abstract: A wearable electronic device includes a housing and a band attached to the housing. The band has an indicator with a variably and/or progressively illuminable portion. The indicator of the band conveys to a user an analog representation of the completion progress of an activity or task tracked by wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device also includes a processing unit within the housing, and a sensor operatively coupled to the processing unit. In some cases, the sensor is a motion sensor such as an accelerometer or a gyroscope. In other examples, the sensor is a health sensor or a biometric sensor. Sensor data is used to update the indicator.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Steven P. Cardinali, Katherine E. Tong, Trevor J. Ness, William C. Lukens
-
Publication number: 20180054077Abstract: An inductively charged portable electronic device has a charging receive coil that receives electromagnetic energy during a charge event. An electrically conductive shield is disposed within the portable electronic device and is disposed between the charging receive coil and an exterior housing of the portable electronic device to shield a touch sensitive user interface of the portable electronic device from noise generated during a charge event.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2016Publication date: February 22, 2018Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Makiko K. Brzezinski, Maegan K. Spencer, Christopher S. Graham, Katherine E. Tong
-
Publication number: 20180018057Abstract: Content can be using an input device without a touch-sensitive surface. In some examples, touch-down and lift-off on a non-touch-sensitive surface can be monitored by a force sensor of the input device. The position and/or motion of the input device can be tracked according to various methods including one or more of a motion and orientation sensor, a camera, or an electromagnetic- or sound-based triangulation scheme. The force data and position/motion data can be processed to generate content, including textual character input and three-dimensional objects. In some examples, the content can be generated based on tracking position and/or motion of the input device without requiring contact with a surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2017Publication date: January 18, 2018Inventors: Tyler S. BUSHNELL, Steven CARDINALI, Katherine E. TONG
-
Publication number: 20170359913Abstract: An electronic device having an enclosure and a cover is disclosed. The cover may be secured with the enclosure by a sealing element, or gasket. In response to using the sealing element to secure the cover with the enclosure, the sealing element may elastically deform. The elastic deformation may cause portions of the sealing element to extend into undercut regions of the cover and of the enclosure to form a first locking feature and a second locking feature, respectively. The first locking feature and the second locking feature may combine to provide a retaining force that retains the cover with the enclosure. Also, the first locking feature and the second locking feature may also provide a counterforce to a force applied to the electronic device (for example, dropping the electronic device) that prevents the cover from becoming unsecured from the enclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2016Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventors: Maegan K. SPENCER, Katherine E. TONG, Erik G. DE JONG
-
Patent number: 9844157Abstract: An electronic device having an enclosure and a cover is disclosed. The cover may be secured with the enclosure by a sealing element, or gasket. In response to using the sealing element to secure the cover with the enclosure, the sealing element may elastically deform. The elastic deformation may cause portions of the sealing element to extend into undercut regions of the cover and of the enclosure to form a first locking feature and a second locking feature, respectively. The first locking feature and the second locking feature may combine to provide a retaining force that retains the cover with the enclosure. Also, the first locking feature and the second locking feature may also provide a counterforce to a force applied to the electronic device (for example, dropping the electronic device) that prevents the cover from becoming unsecured from the enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Maegan K. Spencer, Katherine E. Tong, Erik G. De Jong
-
Patent number: 9774087Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing, electrical components, and other electronic device structures. A display may be mounted in the housing. The display may have a transparent display cover layer and a display layer such as an organic light-emitting diode display layer that is mounted to the underside of the transparent display cover layer. A flexible printed circuit with metal traces may be mounted under the organic light-emitting diode display layer. The metal traces may form coils for a near-field communications inductive loop antenna. A magnetic shielding layer may be interposed between the housing and the flexible printed circuit. The magnetic shielding layer may include a polymer magnetic shielding layer having magnetic material particles embedded in a polymer matrix. The magnetic shielding layer may also have a polymer-binder-free magnetic shielding layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2014Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alvin T. Chang, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Peter Kardassakis, Katherine E. Tong
-
Patent number: D800725Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Jeremy Bataillou, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Erik Geddes Pieter De Jong, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Peter Jon Kardassakis, Duncan Robert Kerr, Marc A. Newson, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Fletcher Rothkopf, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Mikael Silvanto, Christopher J. Stringer, Katherine E. Tong, Samuel Bruce Weiss, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer
-
Patent number: D900813Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Jeremy Bataillou, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Erik Geddes Pieter De Jong, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Peter Jon Kardassakis, Duncan Robert Kerr, Marc A. Newson, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Fletcher Rothkopf, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Mikael Silvanto, Christopher J. Stringer, Katherine E. Tong, Samuel Bruce Weiss, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer
-
Patent number: D928163Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Jeremy Bataillou, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Erik Geddes Pieter De Jong, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Peter Kardassakis, Duncan Robert Kerr, Marc A. Newson, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Fletcher Rothkopf, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Mikael Silvanto, Christopher J. Stringer, Katherine E. Tong, Samuel Bruce Weiss, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer