Patents by Inventor Michael B. Wittenberg
Michael B. Wittenberg 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).
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Publication number: 20240372245Abstract: A housing for an electronic device is disclosed. The housing comprises a first component and a second component separated from the first component by a gap. The housing also includes a first molded element disposed at least partially within the gap and defining at least a portion of an interlock feature, and a second molded element disposed at least partially within the gap and mechanically engaging the interlock feature. The first component, the second component, and the second molded element form a portion of an exterior surface of the housing. A method of forming the housing is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2024Publication date: November 7, 2024Inventors: Matthew D. Hill, Michael B. Wittenberg, Shane Bustle, Duy P. Le
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Patent number: 12114453Abstract: A composite housing of an electronic device can include a metal shell including a first material having a first set of material properties and a surface at least partially defining an exterior surface of the electronic device. The composite housing can also include an interior portion including a second material having a second set of material properties independent of the first set of material properties and at least partially defining a feature. The interior portion can be bonded to the shell and disposed interior to the surface of the shell.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2019Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: William A. Counts, Andrew W. Meschke, Lei Gao, Abhijeet Misra, Alexander W. Williams, Hoishun Li, Lee E. Hooton, Michael B. Wittenberg, James A. Yurko
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Publication number: 20240324131Abstract: A foldable display may have a display cover layer and a flexible display panel. The foldable display may bend around a bend axis. The display panel may have an array of pixels configured to display an image through the display cover layer. The display cover layer may be formed from a layer of glass. A recess may be formed in the layer of glass that extends along the bend axis. The recess may form a flexible locally thinned portion in the layer of glass that allows the glass layer to bend about the bend axis. To ensure that the display cover layer exhibits satisfactory impact resistance during drop events, corner portions of the display cover layer and other edge portions of the display cover layer may be provided with greater thickness relative to other portions of the display cover layer outside of the locally thinned portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2024Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventors: Que Anh S. Nguyen, Michael B. Wittenberg
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Patent number: 12093359Abstract: A portable electronic device may include a housing member defining a side surface of the portable electronic device, a portion of the housing member defining a side wall of a hole extending through the housing member, a button member positioned along the side surface and defining a chassis portion and a hollow post extending into the hole defined through the housing member, and a first waterproof seal defined between the hollow post and the side wall of the hole. The portable electronic device may also include a biometric sensing component coupled to the chassis portion, a flexible circuit element extending through the hollow post and conductively coupling the biometric sensing component to a component within the housing, and a second waterproof seal defined within the hollow post.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2021Date of Patent: September 17, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Timothy D. Koch, Dylan L. Magida, Michael B. Wittenberg, Henry H. Yang, Alvin T. Chang, Steven C. Roach, Jared P. Ostdiek
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Publication number: 20240304128Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with pixels configured to display an image. The pixels may be overlapped by a cover layer. The display may have peripheral edges with curved cross-sectional profiles. An inactive area in the display may be formed along a peripheral edge of the display or may be surrounded by the pixels. Electrical components such as optical components may be located in the inactive area. An image transport layer may be formed from a coherent fiber bundle or Anderson localization material. The image transport layer may overlap the pixels, may have an opening that overlaps portions of the inactive area, may have an output surface that overlap portions of the inactive area, and/or may convey light associated with optical components in the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2024Publication date: September 12, 2024Inventors: Ying-Chih Wang, Michael J. Brown, Michael B. Wittenberg, Paul C. Kelley, Rasamy Phouthavong, Tyler R. Kakuda, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Marwan Rammah
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Patent number: 12088748Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing, a sensor array including a first camera module having a first field of view, a second camera module having a second field of view different from the first field of view, and a light source, and a rear cover formed from a glass material and defining a raised sensor array region positioned over the sensor array. The raised sensor array region defines a first hole extending through the rear cover and positioned proximate a first corner region of the raised sensor array region, and a second hole extending through the rear cover and positioned proximate a second corner region diagonal from the first corner region. The first camera module includes a first camera housing defining a recess at a corner of the first camera housing, and the second camera module includes a second camera housing extending into the recess.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2021Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Xuyang Zhang, Jason P. Shannon, Jon F. Housour, Robert F. Meyer, Owen D. Hale, Dale T. Morgan, Daniel Jarvis, Nicholas Merz, Benjamin Morse, Rasamy Phouthavong, Michael B. Wittenberg, David A. Pakula, Simon C. Helmore, Gareth L. Rose, Marwan Rammah, Melissa A. Wah, Jacob Barton, Ian A. Spraggs
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Patent number: 12074363Abstract: A housing for an electronic device is disclosed. The housing comprises a first component and a second component separated from the first component by a gap. The housing also includes a first molded element disposed at least partially within the gap and defining at least a portion of an interlock feature, and a second molded element disposed at least partially within the gap and mechanically engaging the interlock feature. The first component, the second component, and the second molded element form a portion of an exterior surface of the housing. A method of forming the housing is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2023Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Matthew D. Hill, Michael B. Wittenberg, Shane Bustle, Duy P. Le
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Publication number: 20240284624Abstract: A composite housing of an electronic device can include a metal shell including a first material having a first set of material properties and a surface at least partially defining an exterior surface of the electronic device. The composite housing can also include an interior portion including a second material having a second set of material properties independent of the first set of material properties and at least partially defining a feature. The interior portion can be bonded to the shell and disposed interior to the surface of the shell.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2024Publication date: August 22, 2024Inventors: William A. Counts, Andrew W. Meschke, Lei Gao, Abhijeet Misra, Alexander W. Williams, Hoishun Li, Lee E. Hooton, Michael B. Wittenberg, James A. Yurko
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Patent number: 12041738Abstract: A foldable display may have a display cover layer and a flexible display panel. The foldable display may bend around a bend axis. The display panel may have an array of pixels configured to display an image through the display cover layer. The display cover layer may be formed from a layer of glass. A recess may be formed in the layer of glass that extends along the bend axis. The recess may form a flexible locally thinned portion in the layer of glass that allows the glass layer to bend about the bend axis. To ensure that the display cover layer exhibits satisfactory impact resistance during drop events, corner portions of the display cover layer and other edge portions of the display cover layer may be provided with greater thickness relative to other portions of the display cover layer outside of the locally thinned portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2021Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Que Anh S. Nguyen, Michael B. Wittenberg
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Patent number: 12020603Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with pixels configured to display an image. The pixels may be overlapped by a cover layer. The display may have peripheral edges with curved cross-sectional profiles. An inactive area in the display may be formed along a peripheral edge of the display or may be surrounded by the pixels. Electrical components such as optical components may be located in the inactive area. An image transport layer may be formed from a coherent fiber bundle or Anderson localization material. The image transport layer may overlap the pixels, may have an opening that overlaps portions of the inactive area, may have an output surface that overlap portions of the inactive area, and/or may convey light associated with optical components in the electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2023Date of Patent: June 25, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ying-Chih Wang, Michael J. Brown, Michael B. Wittenberg, Paul C. Kelley, Rasamy Phouthavong, Tyler R. Kakuda, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Marwan Rammah
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Patent number: 12009162Abstract: An electronic device includes an enclosure and a keyboard positioned within the enclosure. The keyboard includes a substrate and a key mechanism. The key mechanism includes a keycap support mechanism, a keycap supported by the keycap support mechanism and movable relative to the substrate, a ferromagnetic component attached to the keycap support mechanism, and a selectively magnetizable magnet. The selectively magnetizable magnet system may include a magnetizable material and a coil configured to selectively magnetize and demagnetize the magnetizable material. The key mechanism may include a collapsible dome biasing the keycap toward the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2022Date of Patent: June 11, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Riley E. Brandt, Richard H. Koch, Zhipeng Zhang, John C. DiFonzo, Michael B. Wittenberg
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Patent number: 11963425Abstract: An electronic device may have a display overlapped by a cover layer. Portions of the surface of the display and cover layer may have curved profiles. The display may include a flexible substrate and may have bent edge portions protruding from a central region. Gaps may be formed between regions of pixels on a common substrate or between separate display panels. Gap-overlapping structures may overlap the gaps to hide internal components from view or to blend the appearance of gaps with the appearance of adjoining portions of a display layer. The gap-overlapping structures may include light sources such as crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes. The diodes may emit light through light diffusing structures. Protruding display layer fingers and other structures may be used to accommodate display cover layer surfaces with curved profiles such as corner surfaces of compound curvature.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael B. Wittenberg, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Tyler R. Kakuda, Christopher D. Prest, Marwan Rammah, Rasamy Phouthavong, Richard H. Dinh, David A. Pakula
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Publication number: 20240112494Abstract: An elongated biometric device provides a slim solution for capturing biometric data, and may be placed on a portion of an electronic device having limited space, such as a side of the electronic device. The elongated biometric device may include a force sensor, which may be positioned within a housing of the electronic device and actuated through posts extending from the elongated biometric device through the housing to transfer an applied force to the force sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Daniel B. Sargent, Dale Setlak, Giovanni Gozzini, John Raff, Michael B. Wittenberg, Richard H. Koch, Ron A. Hopkinson
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Publication number: 20240098913Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing with portions that slide relative to each other. A display may be supported on a surface of the housing such as on a front face of the housing. The housing portions may slide between an unexpanded state in which the display has an unexpanded viewable area on the front face and an expanded state in which the display has an expanded viewable area on the front face that is greater than the unexpanded viewable area. The housing portions may have interior regions that contain electrical components. The display may be formed from a flexible display substrate. A portion of a flexible display may be stored in an interior region of the housing when the housing is in the unexpanded state. In the unexpanded state, the flexible display may have one or more bends and may double back on itself one or more times.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Inventors: Michael B. Wittenberg, Owen D. Hale, Tatsuya Sano
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Patent number: 11889642Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing with portions that slide relative to each other. A display may be supported on a surface of the housing such as on a front face of the housing. The housing portions may slide between an unexpanded state in which the display has an unexpanded viewable area on the front face and an expanded state in which the display has an expanded viewable area on the front face that is greater than the unexpanded viewable area. The housing portions may have interior regions that contain electrical components. The display may be formed from a flexible display substrate. A portion of a flexible display may be stored in an interior region of the housing when the housing is in the unexpanded state. In the unexpanded state, the flexible display may have one or more bends and may double back on itself one or more times.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2023Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael B. Wittenberg, Owen D. Hale, Tatsuya Sano
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Patent number: 11875592Abstract: An elongated biometric device provides a slim solution for capturing biometric data, and may be placed on a portion of an electronic device having limited space, such as a side of the electronic device. The elongated biometric device may include a force sensor, which may be positioned within a housing of the electronic device and actuated through posts extending from the elongated biometric device through the housing to transfer an applied force to the force sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel B. Sargent, Dale Setlak, Giovanni Gozzini, John Raff, Michael B Wittenberg, Richard H. Koch, Ron A. Hopkinson
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Patent number: 11835382Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a housing, a front cover defining a front side of the portable electronic device, a display stack below the front cover and comprising a plurality of display layers configured to produce a graphical output in a display region of the display stack, the graphical output visible through the front cover, and a light sensor module positioned at least partially within the housing and coupled to the display stack in the display region. The light sensor module may be configured to receive ambient light passing through the front cover and through the plurality of display layers and, while a blanking interval is positioned over the light sensor module, produce an output corresponding to the received ambient light, the portable electronic device configured to determine an ambient light value based at least in part on the output from the light sensor module.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2021Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Jason B. Neevel, Christopher S. Tomasetta, Jonathan M. Lee, Ekaterina Pease, Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis, Michael B. Wittenberg, Jared P. Ostdiek, Rasamy Phouthavong, David A. Pakula, Richard H. Koch, Marwan Rammah, Ian A. Spraggs, Laura M. Burke
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Patent number: 11817025Abstract: An electronic device may have pixels. The pixels may form one or more displays. The displays may be flexible organic light-emitting diode displays or other displays. The electronic device may have first and second display layers that face away from each other and display images in different directions. Image transport layers may overlap the display layers and may have curved edges that overlap a sidewall portion of the electronic device. Image transport layers receive images at input surfaces and transport the received images to corresponding output surfaces. Image transport layers may be provided with hemispherical shapes and other shapes having output surfaces of compound curvature. A folding device may have first and second displays that are overlapped by respective first and second image transport layers that join over a hinge to block the hinge from view. A wristwatch device may have links or other structures with an image transport layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ying-Chih Wang, Michael J. Brown, Michael B. Wittenberg, Paul C. Kelley, Rasamy Phouthavong, Tyler R. Kakuda, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Marwan Rammah, Richard H. Dinh
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Publication number: 20230345655Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing, an expandable display mounted to the housing, and a frame for supporting the expandable display. The housing, display, and frame may be operable in expanded and retracted states. In the retracted state, an exposed portion of the display is viewable on the outside of the device, while a retractable portion of the display is enclosed within the housing and hidden behind the exposed portion of the display. As the device transitions from the retracted state to the expanded state, the retractable portion of the display may roll around an axis onto the front of the device to increase the size of the viewable display area. The frame may have a rigid portion that is mostly solid metal supporting the exposed portion of the display and a flexible portion formed from parallel strips of metal supporting the retractable portion of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventors: Tatsuya Sano, Michael B. Wittenberg, Hoon Sik Kim
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Patent number: 11783629Abstract: A portable electronic device may include a housing, a display at least partially within the housing, a front cover coupled to the housing and positioned over the display, and a biometric sensor module configured to illuminate an object and capture an image of the object through the front cover. The biometric sensor module may include a first lens positioned below the front cover, a first light source positioned below the first lens and configured to project, through the first lens, a dot pattern on the object, a second light source positioned below the first lens and configured to illuminate, through the first lens, the object with a flood of light, a second lens positioned below the front cover, and a light sensor positioned below the second lens and configured to capture an image of the object.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2021Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christopher S. Tomasetta, Jason B. Neevel, Sara E. Salmon, Richard H. Koch, Jonathan M. Lee, Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis, Jared P. Ostdiek, Michael B. Wittenberg, Rasamy Phouthavong, David A. Pakula, Ian A. Spraggs, Marwan Rammah