Patents by Inventor Kyle J. NEKIMKEN
Kyle J. NEKIMKEN 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: 11961688Abstract: A keycap includes a keycap body with a top surface and a top periphery region extending around the top surface. A recessed area extends across the top surface inward of the top periphery region, with the top periphery region being elevated relative to the recessed area. The keycap also includes a set of grooves extending from the recessed area and across at least a portion of the top periphery region.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Samuel O. Schneider, Kyle J. Nekimken
-
Patent number: 11914780Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Paul X Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
-
Publication number: 20240062971Abstract: A keycap includes a keycap body with a top surface and a top periphery region extending around the top surface. A recessed area extends across the top surface inward of the top periphery region, with the top periphery region being elevated relative to the recessed area. The keycap also includes a set of grooves extending from the recessed area and across at least a portion of the top periphery region.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2022Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Samuel O. Schneider, Kyle J. Nekimken
-
Publication number: 20230229246Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that determine whether to provide a response based on the characteristic associated with the use of an input sensor (e.g., a keyboard). For example, an example process may include obtaining sensor data from a first sensor of the one or more other sensors, wherein the first sensor is separate from the input sensor, and the sensor data is associated with use of the input sensor by a user, assessing a characteristic associated with the use of the input sensor based on the sensor data, and determining whether to provide a response based on the characteristic associated with the use of the input sensor, the response updating the input sensor with a personalized setting or providing personalized content (e.g., feedback or autocomplete) to the user regarding input sensor use.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Holly Gerhard, Grant H. Mulliken, Ian M. Bullock, Jae Hyun Cho, John A. Porcella, Kyle J. Nekimken
-
Publication number: 20220382376Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
-
Patent number: 11416076Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
-
Patent number: 11402669Abstract: A glass component of an electronic device housing may define a textured surface having micro-scale tactile friction features that provide a specified friction between a user's finger and the glass component. More specifically, the tactile friction features may reduce a contact surface area that is in contact with the user's finger in order to produce a reduced or specified coefficient of friction.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Joseph C. Poole, Christopher D. Prest, Kyle J. Nekimken, Samuel O. Schneider
-
Patent number: 11180873Abstract: An item such as a fabric-based item or other item may have one or more actuators. An actuator may have a conductive strand of material. A control circuit may supply a current to the conductive strand that induces a length change in the conductive strand due to ohmic heating and associated thermal expansion effects. The control circuit may be used to activate the actuator in response to user input that is supplied to an associated input device such as a switch, capacitive sensor, force sensor, light-based sensor, or other input component. The fabric-based item may include fabric such as woven fabric or knit fabric. Strands of conductive material may serve as signals paths for supplying current to conductive strands in actuators. Magnetic-field-based actuators may be formed by coiling conductive strands around tubular support structures such as piping in fabric-based items.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: John S. Camp, Robert L. Coish, Kyle J. Nekimken, John A. Porcella, Michael A. Damianakis
-
Publication number: 20210055799Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
-
Patent number: 10838499Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
-
Publication number: 20200248346Abstract: An item such as a fabric-based item or other item may have one or more actuators. An actuator may have a conductive strand of material. A control circuit may supply a current to the conductive strand that induces a length change in the conductive strand due to ohmic heating and associated thermal expansion effects. The control circuit may be used to activate the actuator in response to user input that is supplied to an associated input device such as a switch, capacitive sensor, force sensor, light-based sensor, or other input component. The fabric-based item may include fabric such as woven fabric or knit fabric. Strands of conductive material may serve as signals paths for supplying current to conductive strands in actuators. Magnetic-field-based actuators may be formed by coiling conductive strands around tubular support structures such as piping in fabric-based items.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: John S. Camp, Robert L. Coish, Kyle J. Nekimken, John A. Porcella, Michael A. Damianakis
-
Patent number: 10649529Abstract: A feedback or a user-perceived feedback of an input device is modified using one or more output devices. The output devices include one or more speakers and/or one or more actuators. The output (e.g., acoustic and/or haptic) produced using the output device may enhance, amplify, mask, obscure, or cancel an inherent sound or tactile feedback produced by the input device.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2016Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kyle J. Nekimken, John A. Porcella, John S. Camp, Michael A. Damianakis, Robert L. Coish
-
Patent number: 10640895Abstract: An item such as a fabric-based item or other item may have one or more actuators. An actuator may have a conductive strand of material. A control circuit may supply a current to the conductive strand that induces a length change in the conductive strand due to ohmic heating and associated thermal expansion effects. The control circuit may be used to activate the actuator in response to user input that is supplied to an associated input device such as a switch, capacitive sensor, force sensor, light-based sensor, or other input component. The fabric-based item may include fabric such as woven fabric or knit fabric. Strands of conductive material may serve as signals paths for supplying current to conductive strands in actuators. Magnetic-field-based actuators may be formed by coiling conductive strands around tubular support structures such as piping in fabric-based items.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: John S. Camp, Robert L. Coish, Kyle J. Nekimken, John A. Porcella, Michael A. Damianakis
-
Patent number: 10585494Abstract: A device with an enhanced keyboard is disclosed. One embodiment may take the form of a laptop computer with an auxiliary display embedded within a lower portion of the computer. A further embodiment of the auxiliary display renders contextual information based on information on a main computer display and inputs received from an input device such as a set of keys, mouse, or trackpad.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2016Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: John A. Porcella, Kyle J. Nekimken
-
Publication number: 20190331940Abstract: A glass component of an electronic device housing may define a textured surface having micro-scale tactile friction features that provide a specified friction between a user's finger and the glass component. More specifically, the tactile friction features may reduce a contact surface area that is in contact with the user's finger in order to produce a reduced or specified coefficient of friction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2019Publication date: October 31, 2019Inventors: Joseph C. Poole, Christopher D. Prest, Kyle J. Nekimken, Samuel O. Schneider
-
Patent number: 10310686Abstract: A laminated stack, such as a trackpad, is assembled by coupling components using an adhesive system. Assembly of the laminated stack includes forming an adhesive-spacing component on a first substrate, forming an adhesive-alignment-holding component on the first substrate in a perimeter around the adhesive-spacing component, forming a bonding component by filling an area within the perimeter with liquid adhesive, and bonding the first substrate to a second substrate by curing the bonding component. The first substrate and the second substrate may each be one of a touch-sensing component and a cover component. The adhesive-spacing component maintains a space between the first substrate and the second substrate while the bonding component cures. The adhesive-alignment-holding component maintains alignment of the first substrate and the second substrate while the bonding component cures.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2017Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Kyle J. Nekimken, Scott J. McEuen, Forrest W. Liau, Joonas I. Ponkala, Sanjay C. Sheth, Alex J. Lehmann, Nathan N. Ng, Matthew B. Frazer
-
Publication number: 20190004604Abstract: A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user's fingernail. The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user's finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2018Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Michael J. Rockwell, Michael Y. Cheung, Ray L. Chang, Hongcheng Sun, Ian M. Bullock, Kyle J. Nekimken, Madeleine S. Cordier, Seung Wook Kim, David H. Bloom, Scott G. Johnston
-
Publication number: 20180011565Abstract: A laminated stack, such as a trackpad, is assembled by coupling components using an adhesive system. Assembly of the laminated stack includes forming an adhesive-spacing component on a first substrate, forming an adhesive-alignment-holding component on the first substrate in a perimeter around the adhesive-spacing component, forming a bonding component by filling an area within the perimeter with liquid adhesive, and bonding the first substrate to a second substrate by curing the bonding component. The first substrate and the second substrate may each be one of a touch-sensing component and a cover component. The adhesive-spacing component maintains a space between the first substrate and the second substrate while the bonding component cures. The adhesive-alignment-holding component maintains alignment of the first substrate and the second substrate while the bonding component cures.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Inventors: Kyle J. Nekimken, Scott J. McEuen, Forrest W. Liau, Joonas I. Ponkala, Sanjay C. Sheth, Alex J. Lehmann, Nathan N. Ng, Matthew B. Frazer
-
Patent number: 9672702Abstract: This application relates to computing devices that can incorporate thermal haptic feedback devices for providing feedback in the form of a temperature change. The thermal haptic feedback device can be incorporated into a watch, and a portion of the watch can change temperature when a notification is to be provided to a user. The thermal haptic feedback device can also be incorporated into a surface of a mobile phone and allow a user to receive notifications regarding incoming calls and messages using a temperature change of the surface. The thermal haptic feedback device can also change temperature based on information received from external computing devices.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2016Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Robert L. Coish, John A. Porcella, John S. Camp, Kyle J. Nekimken, Michael A. Damianakis
-
Publication number: 20170084137Abstract: This application relates to computing devices that can incorporate thermal haptic feedback devices for providing feedback in the form of a temperature change. The thermal haptic feedback device can be incorporated into a watch, and a portion of the watch can change temperature when a notification is to be provided to a user. The thermal haptic feedback device can also be incorporated into a surface of a mobile phone and allow a user to receive notifications regarding incoming calls and messages using a temperature change of the surface. The thermal haptic feedback device can also change temperature based on information received from external computing devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Inventors: Robert L. COISH, John A. PORCELLA, John S. CAMP, Kyle J. NEKIMKEN, Michael A. DAMIANAKIS