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).
-
Patent number: 11602062Abstract: 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: June 16, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael B. Wittenberg, Owen D. Hale, Tatsuya Sano
-
Publication number: 20230068455Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2022Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Riley E. Brandt, Richard H. Koch, Zhipeng Zhang, John C. DiFonzo, Michael B. Wittenberg
-
Patent number: 11581629Abstract: 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: December 20, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Matthew D. Hill, Michael B. Wittenberg, Shane Bustle, Duy P. Le
-
Patent number: 11561342Abstract: An electronic device may have a display overlapped by an image transport layer such as a coherent fiber bundle or layer of Anderson localization material. The image transport layer may have an input surface that receives an image from the display and a corresponding output surface to which the image is transported. The input surface and output surface may have different shapes. During fabrication of the image transport layer, a peripheral portion of the image transport layer may be laterally indented to form a peripheral recess. Electrical components such as optical and radio-frequency components may be mounted in the recess and may be overlapped by peripheral portions of the image transport layer and/or may be mounted under the display.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2020Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Sameer Pandya
-
Patent number: 11556095Abstract: A modular sensing assembly may be used to detect user inputs at an electronic device. Example user inputs include touch inputs, fingerprint inputs, translational inputs, audio inputs, biometric inputs, and the like. Inputs received using the modular sensing assembly may be used to control a graphical output of a display of the electronic device. A modular sensing assembly may be configured, for example, as a power button, a key of a keyboard, a control button (e.g., volume control), a home button, a watch crown, and so on.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Hiemstra, Erik G. de Jong, Kevin F. Holz, Michael B. Wittenberg, Timothy D. Koch
-
Patent number: 11527372Abstract: 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: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Riley E. Brandt, Richard H. Koch, Zhipeng Zhang, John C. DiFonzo, Michael B. Wittenberg
-
Publication number: 20220393714Abstract: An electronic device housing may include a display cover layer that overlaps an array of pixels. The cover layer or other portion of the housing may have an opening that forms an optical and audio port. Optical and audio components may be coupled to the port. A port cover may cover some or all of the port. The port cover may include one or more layers of mesh or other materials that allow light and sound to pass while blocking environmental contaminants. The optical components may include an ambient light sensor or other devices that receive light and/or may include devices that emit light. The audio components may include a microphone and/or a speaker. The optical component may emit or receive light that passes through the audio component. A structure in the interior of the housing may form a passageway coupled to the port through which sound and light passes.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Daniel P. Kumar, Michael B. Wittenberg, Aditya B. Nayak
-
Patent number: 11516908Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with pixels configured to display an image. The pixels may be overlapped by a cover layer. An image transport layer may be formed from a coherent fiber bundle or Anderson localization material. The image transport layer may overlap the pixels and may have an input surface that receives the image from the pixels and a corresponding output surface on which the received image is viewable through the cover layer. Circuitry may be embedded within the image transport layer. The circuitry that is embedded within the image transport layer may include capacitive touch sensor circuitry, antenna resonating element structures, input-output components, signal lines, and other circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: 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
-
Patent number: 11476883Abstract: An electronic device housing may include a display cover layer that overlaps an array of pixels. The cover layer or other portion of the housing may have an opening that forms an optical and audio port. Optical and audio components may be coupled to the port. A port cover may cover some or all of the port. The port cover may include one or more layers of mesh or other materials that allow light and sound to pass while blocking environmental contaminants. The optical components may include an ambient light sensor or other devices that receive light and/or may include devices that emit light. The audio components may include a microphone and/or a speaker. The optical component may emit or receive light that passes through the audio component. A structure in the interior of the housing may form a passageway coupled to the port through which sound and light passes.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel P. Kumar, Michael B. Wittenberg, Aditya B. Nayak
-
Publication number: 20220329678Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2021Publication date: October 13, 2022Inventors: 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
-
Publication number: 20220309980Abstract: 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: June 15, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Ying-Chih Wang, Michael J. Brown, Michael B. Wittenberg, Paul C. Kelley, Rasamy Phouthavong, Tyler R. Kakuda, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Marwan Rammah
-
Publication number: 20220304175Abstract: A component for an electronic device can include a pre-formed substrate comprising a first metal and an additively manufactured portion bonded to the pre-formed substrate. The additively manufactured portion can include a first portion comprising a second metal and defining a volume, the first portion having a first value of a material property, and a second portion disposed in the volume, the second portion having a second value of the material property that is different from the first value.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: Eric W. Hamann, Abhijeet Misra, Anthony D. Prescenzi, Brian M. Gable, Christopher D. Prest, Hoishun Li, James A. Yurko, Lee E. Hooton, Michael B. Wittenberg, Richard H. Dinh, Jennifer D. Schuler
-
Publication number: 20220283024Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2021Publication date: September 8, 2022Inventors: 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
-
Publication number: 20220284214Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2021Publication date: September 8, 2022Inventors: 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
-
Patent number: 11436964Abstract: 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 8, 2021Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: 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
-
Patent number: 11432766Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
-
Patent number: 11435520Abstract: An electronic device may have a display that displays an image and a display cover layer that overlaps the display. The display cover layer may have an image transport layer with an input surface that receives the image and a corresponding output surface to which the image is transported. The image transport layer may be formed from a coherent fiber bundle layer or a layer of Anderson localization material. The display cover layer may have a protective layer such as a protective glass layer that overlaps the image transport layer. A ring-shaped region of the display cover layer may have one or more structures with locally modified properties for arresting crack propagation across the display cover layer. The ring-shaped region may have one or more structures with locally reduced elasticity values or other structures that help arrest cracks.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Erik G. de Jong, Christopher C. Bartlow, Christopher D. Jones, Michael B. Wittenberg
-
Publication number: 20220225523Abstract: 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: November 30, 2021Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Que Anh S. Nguyen, Michael B. Wittenberg
-
Patent number: 11353652Abstract: 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. An image transport layer formed from a coherent fiber bundle or a layer of Anderson localization material configured to exhibit two-dimensional transverse Anderson localization of light may have an input surface that receives an image from adjacent display pixels and an output surface on which the image is displayed. The output surface may have a curved profile and may exhibit compound curvature. The input surface may have a profile with curved portions or other shapes. Image transport layers can be used to cover gaps between sets of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2019Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael B. Wittenberg, Jean-Pierre S. Guillou, Tyler R. Kakuda, Christopher D. Prest, Marwan Rammah, Rasamy Phouthavong, Richard H. Dinh, Steven P. Hotelling, Yi Qiao, Michael J. Brown, Hao Dong, David A. Pakula
-
Publication number: 20220115770Abstract: 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: December 20, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Matthew D. Hill, Michael B. Wittenberg, Shane Bustle, Duy P. Le