Patents by Inventor Nicholas P. Allec

Nicholas P. Allec 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: 20250076502
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are electronic devices, detectors, systems, and methods for estimating a distance to an exterior object. Light pulses from an emitter on the electronic device or detector are received by at least one pair of light detectors positioned at different distances from the emitter. One or more ratios of strengths of signals of the light detectors are used to determine the object's distance. The ratios may be compared to a proximity curve to obtain the object's distance. If the ratio exceeds a critical distance value, a determination may be made that the exterior object has been separated from the electronic device. Wearable electronic devices, such as smart watches, may use the detectors, systems, and methods to determine if a user is wearing the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Xiyu Duan, Nicholas P. Allec, Ueyn L. Block
  • Patent number: 12204289
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a device body having a back surface, a band configured to fasten the device body to a user with the back surface facing a body part of the user, an optical sensor system, and a device removal detector. The optical sensor system has a first optical measurement path and a second optical measurement path. The first optical measurement path has a first optical path length that differs from a second optical path length of the second optical measurement path. The device removal detector is configured to generate a device removal indication responsive to either of, a first set of object proximity measurements received from the optical sensor system for the first optical measurement path, or a second set of object proximity measurements received from the optical sensor system for the second optical measurement path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Allec, Ueyn L. Block, Xiyu Duan
  • Publication number: 20240419239
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for monitoring a user of a head-wearable electronic device with multiple light-sensing assemblies. For instance, methods and/or related systems or computer readable media programmed to perform the methods, directed to the selection of light sensing assemblies and/or light sensor data based on the detected saturation of the light-sensing assemblies and/or components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Joel S. ARMSTRONG-MUNTNER, Nicholas P. ALLEC, James E. STARK
  • Patent number: 12164027
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are electronic devices, detectors, systems, and methods for estimating a distance to an exterior object. Light pulses from an emitter on the electronic device or detector are received by at least one pair of light detectors positioned at different distances from the emitter. One or more ratios of strengths of signals of the light detectors are used to determine the object's distance. The ratios may be compared to a proximity curve to obtain the object's distance. If the ratio exceeds a critical distance value, a determination may be made that the exterior object has been separated from the electronic device. Wearable electronic devices, such as smart watches, may use the detectors, systems, and methods to determine if a user is wearing the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Xiyu Duan, Nicholas P. Allec, Ueyn L. Block
  • Patent number: 12086304
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for monitoring a user of a head-wearable electronic device with multiple light-sensing assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, Nicholas P. Allec, James E. Stark
  • Patent number: 12042255
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a housing; a wrist band attached to the housing; first and second emitters positioned within the housing and configured to respectively emit, through a back of the housing, a first beam of electromagnetic radiation having a first infrared (IR) wavelength and a second beam of electromagnetic radiation having a second IR wavelength. The second IR wavelength is different from the first IR wavelength. The wearable device also includes a photodetector positioned within the housing and filtered to detect a set of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths including the first IR wavelength and the second IR wavelength; and a matter differentiation circuit configured to indicate, at least partly in response to signals indicating amounts of the first IR wavelength and the second IR wavelength received by the photodetector, whether the back of the housing is likely proximate to human tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Allec, Albert E. Cerussi, Maximillian C. Bruggeman, Xiyu Duan, Ueyn L. Block
  • Publication number: 20240000337
    Abstract: A head mounted device includes a housing and a set of one or more SMI sensors. The set of one or more SMI sensors are disposed in the housing. The set of one or more SMI sensors are configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward an anatomical structure adjacent a nasal passageway of a user and generate one or more SMI signals including information about movement of the anatomical structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Tong Chen, Ahmet Fatih Cihan, Adrian Z. Harb, Nicholas P. Allec, Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, James E. Stark
  • Patent number: 11857298
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a housing; a wrist band attached to the housing; first and second emitters positioned within the housing and configured to respectively emit, through a back of the housing, a first beam of electromagnetic radiation having a first infrared (IR) wavelength and a second beam of electromagnetic radiation having a second IR wavelength. The second IR wavelength is different from the first IR wavelength. The wearable device also includes a photodetector positioned within the housing and filtered to detect a set of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths including the first IR wavelength and the second IR wavelength; and a matter differentiation circuit configured to indicate, at least partly in response to signals indicating amounts of the first IR wavelength and the second IR wavelength received by the photodetector, whether the back of the housing is likely proximate to human tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Allec, Albert E. Cerussi, Maximillian C. Bruggeman, Xiyu Duan, Ueyn L. Block
  • Publication number: 20230404419
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a housing; a wrist band attached to the housing; first and second emitters positioned within the housing and configured to respectively emit, through a back of the housing, a first beam of electromagnetic radiation having a first infrared (IR) wavelength and a second beam of electromagnetic radiation having a second IR wavelength. The second IR wavelength is different from the first IR wavelength. The wearable device also includes a photodetector positioned within the housing and filtered to detect a set of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths including the first IR wavelength and the second IR wavelength; and a matter differentiation circuit configured to indicate, at least partly in response to signals indicating amounts of the first IR wavelength and the second IR wavelength received by the photodetector, whether the back of the housing is likely proximate to human tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Allec, Albert E. Cerussi, Maximillian C. Bruggeman, Xiyu Duan, Ueyn L. Block
  • Publication number: 20230297163
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for monitoring a user of a head-wearable electronic device with multiple light-sensing assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Joel S. ARMSTRONG-MUNTNER, Nicholas P. ALLEC, James E. STARK
  • Publication number: 20220225006
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device such as an earbud, wristwatch, or other device may be provided with a skin sensor. The skin sensor may use optical measurements to detect the presence of skin adjacent to the electronic device. The sensor may have first and second light-emitting devices such as infrared devices that emit light at respective first and second infrared light wavelengths. Reflected light is monitored by a photodetector. Control circuitry can initiate or pause audio playback or take other actions in response to determining from the reflected light measurements that skin is present. The sensor may have a thin-film interference filter or other optical structure that overlaps the first and second light-emitting devices to narrow the angular spread of light emitted from the skin sensor. This reduces tilt sensitivity and helps enhance skin sensor accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Allec, Yuta Kuboyama, Xiaoyang Zhang, Xi Chen, Ryan M. Buck, Praveesh Chandran, Yifei Wang, Tingjun Xu
  • Publication number: 20210034145
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for monitoring a user of a head-wearable electronic device with multiple light-sensing assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, Nicholas P. Allec, James E. Stark
  • Patent number: 10809796
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for monitoring a user of a head-wearable electronic device with multiple light-sensing assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, Nicholas P. Allec, James E. Stark
  • Publication number: 20190101977
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for monitoring a user of a head-wearable electronic device with multiple light-sensing assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, Nicholas P. Allec, James E. Stark