Patents by Inventor Michael B. Minerbi

Michael B. Minerbi 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).

  • Publication number: 20240074572
    Abstract: Cleaning kits for wearable devices that are simple to use, are less likely to damage wearable devices, and are effective at cleaning wearable devices. An example can include a cleaning cloth, a softening solution, a brush, and a soft gel. The cleaning cloth can be a lint-free cloth. The softening solution can be a protein emulsifier. The softening solution can be provided in an ampule or other sealed container. The brush can be formed of an elastomer, such as silicone, to reduce the chance of damage to a wearable device. The brush can have a snowball pattern to further reduce the chance of damage. The soft gel can be a hydrogel solution. The soft gel can be biodegradable and can be provided in a pouch having a tear notch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Seohui Jung, Jacob D. Dennis, Michael B. Minerbi, Arun D. Chawan
  • Publication number: 20230345162
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Patent number: 11785372
    Abstract: An earphone comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity within the device housing; an acoustic port formed through a wall of the device housing and having an opening at an exterior surface of the device housing; an audio driver disposed within the device housing and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic port; and a mesh disposed within the acoustic port and having an outer periphery spaced apart from the device housing wall, wherein the mesh forms a portion of an exterior surface of the earphone that is recessed from the opening at the exterior surface of the device housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Michael B. Minerbi, Sean T. McIntosh
  • Patent number: 11736847
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Patent number: 11689842
    Abstract: A personal audio device (e.g., headphones, earphones) can have an earpiece (e.g., an ear cup or earbud) with a removable cushioning member (e.g., headphone cushions or ear tips for earbuds). The cushioning member can include an identification tag that encodes identification data for the cushioning member. When the cushioning member is attached to the earpiece, the identification tag is brought into proximity with a tag sensor in the earpiece and the earpiece can read the identification tag to determine identification data for the cushioning member. The identification data can be used to modify a behavior of the earpiece and/or of a host device communicably coupled to the earpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, Kathleen A. Bergeron, Ali N. Ergun, Dustin A. Hatfield, Ethan L. Huwe, Todd P. Marco, Jason Joseph LeBlanc, Robert D. Zupke, Michael B. Minerbi, Prathamesh R. Bhagwat, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Patent number: 11589150
    Abstract: A portable acoustic device comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity, the device housing comprising a speaker housing portion and a stem portion extending away from the speaker housing portion; a first acoustic port formed through a wall of the speaker housing; an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing portion and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic first port; a battery disposed within the speaker housing portion and positioned an opposite side of the audio driver than the acoustic port; an antenna disposed in the stem; a user input region disposed along the stem; and a system in a chip disposed in the stem, the system in a chip comprising: a processor that controls operation of the portable wireless acoustic device, charging circuitry, an accelerometer, a wireless communication controller, support components for the antenna and support components for the user input region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Arun D. Chawan, Julia C. Canning, Michael B. Minerbi, Pengchuan Wang, Kyle Tse, Brian R. Twehues, Sean T. Bong, Eric X. Zhou, Ethan L. Huwe, Scott C. Grinker, Haochuan Sang, Martin Kuster, Sean J. Docherty, Ryan Buck, Yuta Kuboyama
  • Publication number: 20220408171
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Patent number: 11503399
    Abstract: A wireless earphone comprising a housing that defines an interior cavity having an inner surface and an outer surface; an opening extending through the housing from the inner surface to the outer surface; and a mesh assembly disposed over the opening and comprising a permanent assembly coupled to the housing and a replaceable assembly removably coupled to the permanent assembly and comprising a mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Mei Zhang, Benjamin A. Cousins, Mohammad Soroush Ghahri Sarabi, Phillip Qian, Sean T. McIntosh, Michael B. Minerbi, Lee M. Panecki
  • Patent number: 11457300
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Publication number: 20220217463
    Abstract: An earphone comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity within the device housing; an acoustic port formed through a wall of the device housing and having an opening at an exterior surface of the device housing; an audio driver disposed within the device housing and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic port; and a mesh disposed within the acoustic port and having an outer periphery spaced apart from the device housing wall, wherein the mesh forms a portion of an exterior surface of the earphone that is recessed from the opening at the exterior surface of the device housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Michael B. Minerbi, Sean T. McIntosh
  • Publication number: 20220217462
    Abstract: A portable acoustic device comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity, the device housing comprising a speaker housing portion and a stem portion extending away from the speaker housing portion; a first acoustic port formed through a wall of the speaker housing; an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing portion and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic first port; a battery disposed within the speaker housing portion and positioned an opposite side of the audio driver than the acoustic port; an antenna disposed in the stem; a user input region disposed along the stem; and a system in a chip disposed in the stem, the system in a chip comprising: a processor that controls operation of the portable wireless acoustic device, charging circuitry, an accelerometer, a wireless communication controller, support components for the antenna and support components for the user input region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Arun D. Chawan, Julia C. Canning, Michael B. Minerbi, Pengchuan Wang, Kyle Tse, Brian R. Twehues, Sean T. Bong, Eric X. Zhou, Ethan L. Huwe, Scott C. Grinker, Haochuan Sang, Martin Kuster, Sean J. Docherty, Ryan Buck, Yuta Kuboyama
  • Publication number: 20220116697
    Abstract: A personal audio device (e.g., headphones, earphones) can have an earpiece (e.g., an ear cup or earbud) with a removable cushioning member (e.g., headphone cushions or ear tips for earbuds). The cushioning member can include an identification tag that encodes identification data for the cushioning member. When the cushioning member is attached to the earpiece, the identification tag is brought into proximity with a tag sensor in the earpiece and the earpiece can read the identification tag to determine identification data for the cushioning member. The identification data can be used to modify a behavior of the earpiece and/or of a host device communicably coupled to the earpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, Kathleen A. Bergeron, Ali N. Ergun, Dustin A. Hatfield, Ethan L. Huwe, Todd P. Marco, Jason Joseph LeBlanc, Robert D. Zupke, Michael B. Minerbi, Prathamesh R. Bhagwat, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Publication number: 20220103930
    Abstract: A wireless earphone comprising a housing that defines an interior cavity having an inner surface and an outer surface; an opening extending through the housing from the inner surface to the outer surface; and a mesh assembly disposed over the opening and comprising a permanent assembly coupled to the housing and a replaceable assembly removably coupled to the permanent assembly and comprising a mesh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Mei Zhang, Benjamin A. Cousins, Mohammad Soroush Ghahri Sarabi, Phillip Qian, Sean T. McIntosh, Michael B. Minerbi, Lee M. Panecki
  • Publication number: 20220086549
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin A. Hatfield, Michael B. Minerbi, Eugene Antony Whang, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Publication number: 20220086550
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael B. Minerbi, Prathamesh R. Bhagwat
  • Publication number: 20220086551
    Abstract: A headphone earcup including a frame defining a cavity dimensioned to surround an ear of a user; a damping component coupled to the frame and encircling the cavity; a wrap component that covers the damping component and defines a continuous acoustic opening around the cavity to acoustically connect the cavity to the damping component; and a cosmetic component that covers the wrap component and the continuous acoustic opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Jarrett B. Lagler, Michael B. Minerbi, Miikka O. Tikander, Lee M. Panecki, Trang Fisher, Esge Andersen, Eugene Whang, Ben Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom, Kitty Yung, Tyler A. Green, Krithika Elangovan, Sarah Gysbers, Michael Burello, Matthew Zaverl, Christopher A. Sandieson, Casey L. Baran
  • Patent number: 11277679
    Abstract: A headphone earcup including a frame defining a cavity dimensioned to surround an ear of a user; a damping component coupled to the frame and encircling the cavity; a wrap component that covers the damping component and defines a continuous acoustic opening around the cavity to acoustically connect the cavity to the damping component; and a cosmetic component that covers the wrap component and the continuous acoustic opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jarrett B. Lagler, Michael B. Minerbi, Miikka O. Tikander, Lee M. Panecki, Trang Fisher, Esge Andersen, Eugene Whang, Ben Shaffer, Edward Siahaan, Daniel R. Bloom, Kitty Yung, Tyler A. Green, Krithika Elangovan, Sarah Gysbers, Michael Burello, Matthew Zaverl, Christopher A. Sandieson, Casey L. Baran
  • Patent number: 11272280
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael B. Minerbi, Prathamesh R. Bhagwat
  • Patent number: 11240585
    Abstract: A personal audio device (e.g., headphones, earphones) can have an earpiece (e.g., an ear cup or earbud) with a removable cushioning member (e.g., headphone cushions or ear tips for earbuds). The cushioning member can include an identification tag that encodes identification data for the cushioning member. When the cushioning member is attached to the earpiece, the identification tag is brought into proximity with a tag sensor in the earpiece and the earpiece can read the identification tag to determine identification data for the cushioning member. The identification data can be used to modify a behavior of the earpiece and/or of a host device communicably coupled to the earpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, Kathleen A. Bergeron, Ali N. Ergun, Dustin A. Hatfield, Ethan L. Huwe, Todd P. Marco, Jason Joseph LeBlanc, Robert D. Zupke, Michael B. Minerbi, Prathamesh R. Bhagwat, Daniel R. Bloom
  • Patent number: 11190878
    Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Axit H. Patel, Edwin J. Corona Aparicio, Daniel R. Bloom, Tsu-Hui Lin, Yuta Kuboyama, Michael B. Minerbi