Patents by Inventor Kevin M. Froese

Kevin M. Froese 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: 11955696
    Abstract: A device includes a display and a housing. The housing surrounds the display and has four corners defining portions of an exterior surface of the device. The housing includes a first housing segment defining at least part of a first corner of the four corners and configured to operate as an antenna; a second housing segment defining at least part of a second corner of the four corners; and a third housing segment defining at least part of a third corner of the four corners. The third corner forms part of the housing diagonally opposite the second corner. The housing further includes a non-conductive housing component that structurally couples the first housing segment to another portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Froese, Paul U. Leutheuser, Martin J. Auclair, Christopher J. Durning, Jun Ham, Lucy E. Browning, Sawyer I. Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Donald J. Parr
  • Publication number: 20240079784
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with an antenna having a resonating element and a light source module mounted to a flexible printed circuit and a metal cowling. The module may emit light through a rear housing wall. The printed circuit may be interposed between the metal cowling and a conductive support plate in the rear housing wall. The printed circuit may include a ground trace coupled to the resonating element. A dimpled pad may couple the ground trace to the support plate. Compressive foam may be used to exert a force against the flexible printed circuit that presses the dimpled pad against the conductive support plate. The ground trace and the dimpled pad may form a return path to ground for the resonating element. The dimpled pad may occupy less height within the device than other structures such as metal springs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Han Wang, Victor C. Lee, Jingni Zhong, Ming Chen, Bhaskara R. Rupakula, Yiren Wang, Yuan Tao, Christopher Q. Ma, Zhiheng Zhou, Sherry Cao, Kevin M. Froese, Hao Xu, Hongfei Hu, Mattia Pascolini
  • Publication number: 20230239610
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having microphones. An electronic device may include a microphone and a resonator for the microphone. The resonator may be formed in a device structure that is spatially separated from the microphone. The resonator may be formed in an interior wall of a housing of the electronic device, or in a support structure within an enclosure of the electronic device. A resonator and/or one or more damping features, may reduce a resonance effect, on the microphone, of a resonant cavity within the enclosure of the electronic device and adjacent the microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Justin D. Crosby, Kevin M. FROESE, Tzu Hung Huang
  • Publication number: 20230239611
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices having microphones. An electronic device may include a microphone and a resonator for the microphone. The resonator may be formed in a device structure that is spatially separated from the microphone. The resonator may be formed in an interior wall of a housing of the electronic device, or in a support structure within an enclosure of the electronic device. A resonator and/or one or more damping features, may reduce a resonance effect, on the microphone, of a resonant cavity within the enclosure of the electronic device and adjacent the microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Justin D. Crosby, Kevin M. FROESE, Tzu Hung Huang
  • Publication number: 20230224393
    Abstract: A portable electronic device may include an enclosure including a housing component defining a side exterior surface of the portable electronic device, and a front cover assembly coupled to the housing component and defining a front exterior surface of the portable electronic device. The front cover assembly may include a cover defining a notch. The portable electronic device may include a speaker assembly positioned below the front cover assembly and coupled to an audio passage configured to transmit audio output from the speaker assembly, an end portion of the audio passage including a void defined between the housing component and the notch of the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin M. Froese, Brittany Barbara, Matthew D. Hill, James A. Bertin, Alan Wu, Justin D. Crosby, Sawyer I. Cohen
  • Patent number: 11637919
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing member defining a first portion of an exterior front surface of the portable electronic device, a first portion of an exterior rear surface of the portable electronic device, at least a portion of an exterior side surface of the portable electronic device, a recess along an interior side of the housing member, and a ledge feature along the interior side of the housing member. The device also includes a top module coupled to the housing member and including a front cover defining a second portion of the exterior front surface of the portable electronic device, a display stack attached to the front cover, and a frame member extending at least partially around a periphery of the display stack and set apart from a surface of the recess by a gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: John J. Baker, Eric W. Bates, Lucy E. Browning, Kodiak Burke, Benjamin S. Bustle, Trent Canales, Tyler B. Cater, Sawyer I. Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Michael Firka, Kevin M. Froese, Jun Sik Ham, Matthew D. Hill, Hugh J. Jay, Benjamin J. Kallman, Paul U. Leutheuser, Matthew W. Miller, Michael K. Mondry, Donald J. Parr, Benjamin J. Pope, Matthew P. Rao, Griffin Schmitt, Allegra Shum, Christopher R. Xydis, Luman Zhang, Yaocheng Zhang, Zhipeng Zhang, Xiao Ying Zhao
  • Patent number: 11632448
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing member. The portable electronic device also includes a front cover coupled to the housing member and defining a top surface defining a portion of an exterior front surface of the portable electronic device, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a peripheral side surface, and a chamfered edge extending from the bottom surface to the peripheral side surface. The portable electronic device further includes a display stack attached to the bottom surface of the front cover, an opaque coating positioned on at least a portion of each of the peripheral side surface, the chamfered edge, and the bottom surface and configured to absorb light emitted by the display stack, and a rear cover coupled to the housing member and defining a second portion of the exterior rear surface of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: John J. Baker, Yaocheng Zhang, Paul U. Leutheuser, Kevin M. Froese, Tushar Deshpande, Kai Wu, Marta M. Giachino, Sean Suri, Matthew D. Hill, Tyler B. Cater, Benjamin J. Pope, Jun Sik Ham
  • Publication number: 20220059928
    Abstract: A device includes a display and a housing. The housing at least partially surrounds the display. The housing includes a first housing segment defining at least a first portion of an exterior surface of the device and a first interlock feature having an interlock surface that is offset with respect to an end surface of the first housing segment. The first interlock feature has a first opening formed in the interlock surface. The housing further includes a second housing segment defining at least a second portion of the exterior surface of the device and a second interlock feature having a second opening aligned with the first opening, and a non-conductive housing component defining a third portion of the exterior surface of the device and extending into the first opening and the second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Paul U. Leutheuser, Martin J. Auclair, Kevin M. Froese, Christopher J. Durning, Jun Ham, Lucy E. Browning, Sawyer I. Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Donald J. Parr
  • Patent number: 11258163
    Abstract: A device includes a display and a housing. The housing surrounds the display and has four corners defining portions of an exterior surface of the device. The housing includes a first housing segment defining at least part of a first corner of the four corners and configured to operate as an antenna; a second housing segment defining at least part of a second corner of the four corners; and a third housing segment defining at least part of a third corner of the four corners. The third corner forms part of the housing diagonally opposite the second corner. The housing further includes a non-conductive housing component that structurally couples the first housing segment to another portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Froese, Paul U. Leutheuser, Martin J. Auclair, Christopher J. Durning, Jun Ham, Lucy E. Browning, Sawyer I. Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Donald J. Parr
  • Publication number: 20220006176
    Abstract: A device includes a display and a housing. The housing surrounds the display and has four corners defining portions of an exterior surface of the device. The housing includes a first housing segment defining at least part of a first corner of the four corners and configured to operate as an antenna; a second housing segment defining at least part of a second corner of the four corners; and a third housing segment defining at least part of a third corner of the four corners. The third corner forms part of the housing diagonally opposite the second corner. The housing further includes a non-conductive housing component that structurally couples the first housing segment to another portion of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin M. Froese, Paul U. Leutheuser, Martin J. Auclair, Christopher J. Durning, Jun Ham, Lucy E. Browning, Sawyer I. Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Donald J. Parr
  • Patent number: 11205834
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a conductive housing and an antenna. The antenna may include an arm formed from a first segment of the housing. A gap may separate the first segment from a second segment. The antenna may include a feed coupled to a transmission line having a signal conductor. The feed may include first and second positive terminals on the first segment and a third positive terminal on the second segment. An adjustable component may be coupled between the first and third terminals. The signal conductor may be coupled to the first terminal. A wide conductive trace may be coupled between the signal conductor and the second terminal. A switch may be interposed on the signal conductor. The second terminal may cover a cellular low band when the switch is open. The first terminal may cover the cellular low band and higher bands when the switch is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Enrique Ayala Vazquez, Hongfei Hu, Mattia Pascolini, Nanbo Jin, Kevin M. Froese, Erica J. Tong, Xu Han
  • Patent number: 11189909
    Abstract: A device includes a display and a housing. The housing at least partially surrounds the display. The housing includes a first housing segment defining at least a first portion of an exterior surface of the device and a first interlock feature having an interlock surface that is offset with respect to an end surface of the first housing segment. The first interlock feature has a first opening formed in the interlock surface. The housing further includes a second housing segment defining at least a second portion of the exterior surface of the device and a second interlock feature having a second opening aligned with the first opening, and a non-conductive housing component defining a third portion of the exterior surface of the device and extending into the first opening and the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul U. Leutheuser, Martin J. Auclair, Kevin M. Froese, Christopher J. Durning, Jun Ham, Lucy E. Browning, Sawyer I. Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Donald J. Parr
  • Publication number: 20210168231
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing member. The portable electronic device also includes a front cover coupled to the housing member and defining a top surface defining a portion of an exterior front surface of the portable electronic device, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a peripheral side surface, and a chamfered edge extending from the bottom surface to the peripheral side surface. The portable electronic device further includes a display stack attached to the bottom surface of the front cover, an opaque coating positioned on at least a portion of each of the peripheral side surface, the chamfered edge, and the bottom surface and configured to absorb light emitted by the display stack, and a rear cover coupled to the housing member and defining a second portion of the exterior rear surface of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: John J. Baker, Yaocheng Zhang, Paul U. Leutheuser, Kevin M. Froese, Tushar Deshpande, Kai Wu, Marta M. Giachino, Sean Suri, Matthew D. Hill, Tyler B. Cater, Benjamin J. Pope, Jun Sik Ham
  • Publication number: 20210168230
    Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing member defining a first portion of an exterior front surface of the portable electronic device, a first portion of an exterior rear surface of the portable electronic device, at least a portion of an exterior side surface of the portable electronic device, a recess along an interior side of the housing member, and a ledge feature along the interior side of the housing member. The device also includes a top module coupled to the housing member and including a front cover defining a second portion of the exterior front surface of the portable electronic device, a display stack attached to the front cover, and a frame member extending at least partially around a periphery of the display stack and set apart from a surface of the recess by a gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: John J. Baker, Eric W. Bates, Lucy E. Browning, Kodiak Burke, Benjamin S. Bustle, Trent Canales, Tyler B. Cater, Sawyer I. Cohen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Michael Firka, Kevin M. Froese, Jun Sik Ham, Matthew D. Hill, Hugh J. Jay, Benjamin J. Kallman, Paul U. Leutheuser, Matthew W. Miller, Michael K. Mondry, Donald J. Parr, Benjamin J. Pope, Matthew P. Rao, Griffin Schmitt, Allegra Shum, Christopher R. Xydis, Luman Zhang, Yaocheng Zhang, Zhipeng Zhang, Xiao Ying Zhao
  • Patent number: 10833410
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a conductive housing and an antenna. The antenna may include an arm formed from a first segment of the housing. A gap may separate the first segment from a second segment. Respective first and second slots may separate an antenna ground from the first and second segments. The antenna may have a first positive antenna feed terminal on the first segment and a second positive antenna feed terminal on the second segment. A transmission line may include a signal conductor having a first branch coupled to the first positive antenna feed terminal and a second branch coupled to the second positive antenna feed terminal. A switch may be interposed on the second branch for switching the antenna between a first mode in which the second slot is directly fed and a second mode in which the second segment is indirectly fed by the first segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Inventors: Enrique Ayala Vazquez, Hongfei Hu, Nanbo Jin, Xu Gao, Erica J. Tong, Erdinc Irci, Han Wang, Mattia Pascolini, Kevin M. Froese
  • Patent number: 10701845
    Abstract: A shield assembly can enclose an electronic component in a chamber of a mobile communication device. The shield assembly can include a chassis having a slot and a conductive rail adjacent to the slot. A covering can be mounted over the electronic component and coupled to the chassis via a spring contact disposed in the slot. The covering can include a shield element configured to cover a chamber enclosing the electronic component. The covering can further include a first tab connected to the shield element, and a second tab connected to the shield element and spaced apart from the first tab by a gap. A spring contact can be disposed in the gap and electrically connected to the shield element via at least one of the first tab and the second tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Griffin L. Schmitt, Benjamin S. Bustle, Kevin M. Froese, Lucy E. Browning, Zhipeng Zhang, Jaden A. Barney, Nan Li
  • Patent number: 10645808
    Abstract: Dielectric such as polyether ether ketone may be used in forming radio-frequency flexible printed circuits. Filler may be incorporated into the dielectric to adjust the coefficient of thermal expansion of the flexible printed circuit. One or more layers of the flexible printed circuit may be unfilled and one or more layers of the flexible printed circuit may be filled. Antennas may be formed from metal traces on the flexible printed circuit, metal electronic device housing structures, or other conductive structures. A transmission line on the flexible printed circuit may couple radio-frequency transceiver circuitry in an electronic device to an antenna. A flexible printed circuit may have a portion with enhanced bendability in a location that overlaps a bend region. The enhanced bendability region may have less filler than other portions of the flexible printed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Froese, Qian Zhang, Paul Choiniere, Derek C. Krass
  • Patent number: D933072
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Lucy E. Browning, Markus Diebel, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Christopher J. Durning, Kevin M. Froese, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Paul U. Leutheuser, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Mikael Silvanto, Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer
  • Patent number: D938428
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Abidur Rahman Chowdhury, Clara Geneviève Marine Courtaigne, Markus Diebel, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Kevin M. Froese, Jonathan Gomez Garcia, M. Evans Hankey, Matthew David Hill, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer
  • Patent number: D988327
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Abidur Rahman Chowdhury, Clara Geneviève Marine Courtaigne, Markus Diebel, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Kevin M. Froese, Jonathan Gomez Garcia, M. Evans Hankey, Matthew David Hill, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Rico Zörkendörfer