Patents by Inventor Nicholas Merz

Nicholas Merz 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: 11835382
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 11783629
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: 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
  • Publication number: 20230105418
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Patent number: 11528821
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Publication number: 20220329678
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    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
  • Publication number: 20220284214
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    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
  • Publication number: 20220283024
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    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
  • Publication number: 20220286539
    Abstract: A portable electronic device may include a housing having a wall defining an opening in the housing and at least a portion of four side surfaces of the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device may further include a display at least partially within the housing, a front cover positioned in the opening in the housing and over the display, the front cover defining a front surface, a peripheral side surface extending from the front surface and at least partially surrounded by the wall of the housing, and a notch that, together with a portion of the wall of the housing, defines an acoustic port of the portable electronic device. The electronic device may further include an acoustic port cover positioned at least partially in the acoustic port and a speaker at least partially within the housing and configured to direct sound through the acoustic port cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Ethan R. Stobbe, Cameron Bauer, Samuel J. Pliska, Macey E. Dade, Baris Ozgen, Lee E. Hooton, Benjamin S. Bustle, Jason M. Gillier, Stoyan P. Hristov, Anthony B. Sinclair, Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis, Ian A. Spraggs, Mitchell T. Hoertz, Michael D. Quinones, David A. Pakula, Brandon R. Collins-Smoot, Matthew R. McGuire, Richard H. Koch, Simon C. Helmore, Gareth L. Rose, Marwan Rammah, Zachary S. Scott, Jonathan M. Lee, Melissa A. Wah, Jacob Barton, Laura M. Burke, Jesse P. Harris, Samruddhi A. Deshpande, Ekaterina Pease, David J. Dunsmoor, Nawaf Al-Baghly
  • Publication number: 20220286540
    Abstract: A portable electronic device may include a touch-sensitive display, a housing at least partially enclosing the touch-sensitive display, the housing defining an audio port along a side of the housing, the audio port defining a partially enclosed volume, and an acoustic module positioned within the housing and including an audio enclosure defining a first passage and a second passage, a microphone operably coupled to the partially enclosed volume of the audio port by the first passage, a pressure sensor operably coupled to the partially enclosed volume of the audio port by the second passage, and an acoustic mesh positioned between an end of the second passage and the audio port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Jason M. Gillier, Jiachen Xu, Yi Xu, Griffin L. Schmitt, Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis, Marwan Rammah
  • Publication number: 20220286545
    Abstract: A portable electronic device may include a housing member, a rear cover coupled to the housing member, and a top module coupled to the housing member and including a front cover defining an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite to the exterior surface, a display stack attached to the interior surface of the front cover and comprising a flexible circuit element extending from a side of the display stack, a frame member attached to the interior surface of the front cover and extending at least partially around a periphery of the display stack, and an encapsulating structure positioned between the frame member and the display stack and at least partially encapsulating a portion of a peripheral side of the display stack and the flexible circuit element. The encapsulating structure may cover at least a portion of a bottom side of the display stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Richard H. Koch, Jonathan M. Lee, Laura M. Burke, Ekaterina Pease, Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis, Ian A. Spraggs, Lee E. Hooton, Kodiak D. Burke, David A. Pakula, Marwan Rammah
  • Publication number: 20220286543
    Abstract: A mobile phone may include a housing, a battery at least partially within the housing, and a circuit board assembly at least partially within the housing and positioned along a side of the battery. The circuit board assembly may include a first circuit board defining a first hole, a second circuit board defining a second hole, a wall structure between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and attached to an inner surface of the first circuit board and an inner surface of the second circuit board, and a fastener assembly configured to retain the first circuit board to the second circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Owen D. Hale, Dale T. Morgan, Andrew U. Leopold, Yifan Zhao, Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis, James B. Smith, Macey E. Dade, Samuel J. Pliska, Ethan R. Stobbe, Cameron Bauer, Ian A. Spraggs, Marwan Rammah, Bryan D. Keen, David A. Pakula
  • Publication number: 20210298187
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Patent number: 11039544
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Publication number: 20200015378
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Patent number: 10433442
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Patent number: 10051095
    Abstract: A low Z linear vibrator is described well suited for use in small form factor portable devices such as a smartphone. The low Z vibrator can be configured to include a beam structure that can be attached to a vibratory mass and a low profile actuator. The low profile actuator can cause the vibratory mass to oscillate in a well-defined and predictable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Sawyer Cohen, Ashutosh Yugesh Shukla, Andriy Pletenetskyy, Nicholas Merz, Timothy Michael Johnson, Yehonatan Perez
  • Publication number: 20180168058
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Patent number: 9894787
    Abstract: This is directed to systems and methods for coupling sections of an electronic device together. Sections of an electronic device can be coupled together via “knuckles.” The particular shape and structure of the knuckles can be based on various design considerations. For example, in some embodiments each section can function as an individual antenna. In this case, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide electrical isolation between the sections, thus allowing proper operation of the antennas. For example, the knuckles can be formed from a dielectric material, etc. As another design example, the knuckles can be designed in order to provide increased strength in areas of high strain, and/or to counteract torsional twisting in areas of high impact. As yet another design example, the knuckle can be designed in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing or which otherwise meets cosmetic requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Merz, Daniel Jarvis
  • Patent number: 9414141
    Abstract: A portable electronic device that provides compact configurations for audio elements are disclosed. The audio elements can be drivers (e.g., speakers) or receivers (e.g., microphones). According to one aspect, mesh structures, such as mesh barriers, are formed to facilitate improved acoustic sealing in a space efficient manner. In one embodiment, a mesh barrier for an audio port can be reliably acoustically sealed (or coupled) with an audio chamber and/or outer device housing in a space efficient manner. A mesh barrier can serve to block undesired foreign substances from entry or further entry into an audio port and/or serve as a cosmetic barrier which obscures vision into an audio port. In one embodiment, a portion of a mesh structure can be provided with a substantially planar surface that facilitates improved acoustic sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Sawyer I. Cohen, Jared M. Kole, Michael B. Wittenberg, Nicholas Merz
  • Patent number: 9282630
    Abstract: Systems and methods for shielding circuitry from interference with conformal coating are disclosed. Systems having conformal EMI shields according to embodiments are provided by applying insulating and conductive layers to areas of a printed circuit board (PCB). This produces systems that may be thinner and also smaller in surface area, and that may be suitable as part of electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas Merz