Patents by Inventor Nahid Harjee
Nahid Harjee 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: 20240155281Abstract: An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2024Publication date: May 9, 2024Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian R. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas
-
Publication number: 20240147127Abstract: An earphone includes a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an input surface; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to allow the flexible circuit to move with respect to the stem; a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit; and a controller operable to determine an input to the earphone using a change in capacitance detected using the force sensor electrode, the change in capacitance corresponding to a non-binary amount of a force applied to the input surface. In some examples, the earphone further includes a touch sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2024Publication date: May 2, 2024Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brain R. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas, Aonan Li, Travis N. Owens, Kyle J. Campiotti
-
Patent number: 11917354Abstract: An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian R. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas
-
Patent number: 11917355Abstract: An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian R. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas
-
Patent number: 11910149Abstract: An earphone includes a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an input surface; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to allow the flexible circuit to move with respect to the stem; a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit; and a controller operable to determine an input to the earphone using a change in capacitance detected using the force sensor electrode, the change in capacitance corresponding to a non-binary amount of a force applied to the input surface. In some examples, the earphone further includes a touch sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian R. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas, Aonan Li, Travis N. Owens, Kyle J. Campiotti
-
Publication number: 20230345166Abstract: An earphone includes a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an input surface; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to allow the flexible circuit to move with respect to the stem; a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit; and a controller operable to determine an input to the earphone using a change in capacitance detected using the force sensor electrode, the change in capacitance corresponding to a non-binary amount of a force applied to the input surface. In some examples, the earphone further includes a touch sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian R. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas, Aonan Li, Travis N. Owens, Kyle J. Campiotti
-
Publication number: 20230320184Abstract: An ink printing process employs per-nozzle droplet volume measurement and processing software that plans droplet combinations to reach specific aggregate ink fills per target region, guaranteeing compliance with minimum and maximum ink fills set by specification. In various embodiments, different droplet combinations are produced through different print head/substrate scan offsets, offsets between print heads, the use of different nozzle drive waveforms, and/or other techniques. Optionally, patterns of fill variation can be introduced so as to mitigate observable line effects in a finished display device. The disclosed techniques have many other possible applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2023Publication date: October 5, 2023Applicant: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Lucas D. Barkley, Christopher R. Hauf, Eliyahu Vronsky, Conor F. Madigan
-
Patent number: 11755128Abstract: A stylus input device can allow a user to interface with an external electronic device. The stylus can provide an additional or alternative input to the external electronic device in response to a user applying a compressive force to the device housing. The stylus can include multiple sensors to provide a signal in response to the compressive force applied to the stylus.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alex J. Lehmann, Qiliang Xu, Blake R. Marshall, Nathaniel M. Parnell, Wesley W. Zuber, Henry N. Tsao, Xiaofan Niu, Pavan Gupta, Nahid Harjee, Paul X. Wang, Brenton A. Baugh
-
Publication number: 20230234087Abstract: A repeatable manufacturing process uses a printer to deposits liquid for each product carried by a substrate to form respective thin films. The liquid is dried, cured or otherwise processed to form from the liquid a permanent layer of each respective product. To perform printing, each newly-introduced substrate is roughly mechanically aligned, with an optical system detecting sub-millimeter misalignment, and with software correcting for misalignment. Rendering of adjusted data is performed such that nozzles are variously assigned dependent on misalignment to deposit droplets in a regulated manner, to ensure precise deposition of liquid for each given area of the substrate. For example, applied to the manufacture of flat panel displays, software ensures that exactly the right amount of liquid is deposited for each “pixel” of the display, to minimize likelihood of visible discrepancies in the resultant display.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2023Publication date: July 27, 2023Applicant: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Michael Baker, Nahid Harjee, Douglas Bacon
-
Patent number: 11678561Abstract: An ink printing process employs per-nozzle droplet volume measurement and processing software that plans droplet combinations to reach specific aggregate ink fills per target region, guaranteeing compliance with minimum and maximum ink fills set by specification. In various embodiments, different droplet combinations are produced through different print head/substrate scan offsets, offsets between print heads, the use of different nozzle drive waveforms, and/or other techniques. Optionally, patterns of fill variation can be introduced so as to mitigate observable line effects in a finished display device. The disclosed techniques have many other possible applications.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2022Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Lucas D. Barkley, Christopher R. Hauf, Eliyahu Vronsky, Conor F. Madigan
-
Patent number: 11673155Abstract: A repeatable manufacturing process uses a printer to deposits liquid for each product carried by a substrate to form respective thin films. The liquid is dried, cured or otherwise processed to form from the liquid a permanent layer of each respective product. To perform printing, each newly-introduced substrate is roughly mechanically aligned, with an optical system detecting sub-millimeter misalignment, and with software correcting for misalignment. Rendering of adjusted data is performed such that nozzles are variously assigned dependent on misalignment to deposit droplets in a regulated manner, to ensure precise deposition of liquid for each given area of the substrate. For example, applied to the manufacture of flat panel displays, software ensures that exactly the right amount of liquid is deposited for each “pixel” of the display, to minimize likelihood of visible discrepancies in the resultant display.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Michael Baker, Nahid Harjee, Douglas Bacon
-
Publication number: 20230147887Abstract: An ink jet process is used to deposit a material layer to a desired thickness. Layout data is converted to per-cell grayscale values, each representing ink volume to be locally delivered. The grayscale values are used to generate a halftone pattern to deliver variable ink volume (and thickness) to the substrate. The halftoning provides for a relatively continuous layer (e.g., without unintended gaps or holes) while providing for variable volume and, thus, contributes to variable ink/material buildup to achieve desired thickness. The ink is jetted as liquid or aerosol that suspends material used to form the material layer, for example, an organic material used to form an encapsulation layer for a flat panel device. The deposited layer is then cured or otherwise finished to complete the process.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2022Publication date: May 11, 2023Applicant: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Eliyahu Vronsky, Nahid Harjee
-
Publication number: 20230092946Abstract: A capacitive gap force sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a first layer of dielectric material positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a second layer of conductive material positioned between the first layer and the second electrode. The first layer has a first compression resistance less than a second compression resistance of the second layer. An effective capacitive sensing gap is defined between the first electrode and the second layer. The first layer is configured to compress or deform and alter the effective capacitive sensing gap when a force is received at the first electrode or the second electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Daniel J. Bechstein, Nahid Harjee, Travis N. Owens
-
Patent number: 11592946Abstract: A capacitive gap force sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a first layer of dielectric material positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a second layer of conductive material positioned between the first layer and the second electrode. The first layer has a first compression resistance less than a second compression resistance of the second layer. An effective capacitive sensing gap is defined between the first electrode and the second layer. The first layer is configured to compress or deform and alter the effective capacitive sensing gap when a force is received at the first electrode or the second electrode.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel J. Bechstein, Nahid Harjee, Travis N. Owens
-
Patent number: 11551982Abstract: An ink jet process is used to deposit a material layer to a desired thickness. Layout data is converted to per-cell grayscale values, each representing ink volume to be locally delivered. The grayscale values are used to generate a halftone pattern to deliver variable ink volume (and thickness) to the substrate. The halftoning provides for a relatively continuous layer (e.g., without unintended gaps or holes) while providing for variable volume and, thus, contributes to variable ink/material buildup to achieve desired thickness. The ink is jetted as liquid or aerosol that suspends material used to form the material layer, for example, an organic material used to form an encapsulation layer for a flat panel device. The deposited layer is then cured or otherwise finished to complete the process.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Eliyahu Vronsky, Nahid Harjee
-
Publication number: 20220417641Abstract: An earphone includes a speaker housing; a speaker positioned in the speaker housing; a stem extending from the speaker housing, the stem defining an input surface; a conductive object disposed within the stem; a flexible circuit positioned between the stem and the conductive object; a member positioned between the flexible circuit and the conductive object operable to allow the flexible circuit to move with respect to the stem; a force sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit; and a controller operable to determine an input to the earphone using a change in capacitance detected using the force sensor electrode, the change in capacitance corresponding to a non-binary amount of a force applied to the input surface. In some examples, the earphone further includes a touch sensor electrode disposed within the flexible circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian H. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas, Aonan Li, Travis N. Owens, Kyle J. Campiotti
-
Publication number: 20220417642Abstract: An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian H. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas
-
Publication number: 20220417643Abstract: An earphone includes a housing that defines a force input surface opposite a touch input surface. A spring member in the housing includes a first arm that biases a touch sensor toward the touch input surface. The spring member also includes a second arm that biases a first force electrode toward the housing and allows the first force electrode to move toward a second force electrode when a force is applied to the force input surface. A non-binary amount of the force is determinable using a change in a mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode. The mutual capacitance between the first force electrode and the second force electrode may be measured upon detecting a touch using the touch sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Brian H. Twehues, Teera Songatikamas
-
Publication number: 20220399499Abstract: A method for providing a substrate coating comprises transferring a substrate to an enclosed ink jet printing system; printing organic material in a deposition region of the substrate using the enclosed ink jet printing system, the deposition region comprising at least a portion of an active region of a light-emitting device on the substrate; loading the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon to an enclosed curing module; supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, the supporting the substrate comprising floating the substrate on a gas cushion established by a floatation support apparatus; and while supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, curing the organic material deposited on the substrate to form an organic film layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2022Publication date: December 15, 2022Applicant: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Alexander Sou-Kang Ko, Justin Mauck, Eliyahu Vronsky, Conor F. Madigan, Eugene Rabinovich, Nahid Harjee, Christopher Buchner, Gregory Lewis
-
Techniques for print ink droplet measurement and control to deposit fluids within precise tolerances
Patent number: 11489146Abstract: An ink printing process employs per-nozzle droplet volume measurement and processing software that plans droplet combinations to reach specific aggregate ink fills per target region, guaranteeing compliance with minimum and maximum ink fills set by specification. In various embodiments, different droplet combinations are produced through different printhead/substrate scan offsets, offsets between printheads, the use of different nozzle drive waveforms, and/or other techniques. These combinations can be based on repeated, rapid droplet measurements that develop understandings for each nozzle of means and spreads for expected droplet volume, velocity and trajectory, with combinations of droplets being planned based on these statistical parameters. Optionally, random fill variation can be introduced so as to mitigate Mura effects in a finished display device. The disclosed techniques have many possible applications.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.Inventors: Nahid Harjee, Lucas D. Barkley, Christopher R. Hauf, Eliyahu Vronsky, Conor F. Madigan, Gregory Lewis, Alexander Sou-Kang Ko, Valerie Gassend