Patents by Inventor Nicholas Paul Joseph ALLEC
Nicholas Paul Joseph 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).
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Patent number: 11914772Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Publication number: 20220334640Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2022Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Patent number: 11397469Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2021Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Publication number: 20210255705Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyl Mu
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Patent number: 11076771Abstract: This relates to systems and methods for determining one or more physiological signals of a user using ambient light. The systems and methods can include one or more light sensors configured to measure light that has interacted with a user and one or more light sensors configured to measure ambient light. The gain of the one or more light sensors can be adjusted based on the levels of measured ambient light. For example, the gain of the one or more light sensors can be increased when ambient light levels are low (e.g., a low light environment), or the gain of the one or more light sensors can be decreased when ambient light levels are high (e.g., a bright light environment). In some examples, the systems can include a variable opacity element whose transmission properties (e.g., opacity and/or selected one or more wavelengths to pass through) can be varied.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, Chau V. H. Nguyen
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Patent number: 11023043Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Patent number: 10874348Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to wearable devices and methods for measuring a photoplethysmographic signal. The wearable devices and methods may include a force sensor that provides input used for motion-noise filtering to obtain improved PPG signals. Feedback from the force sensor may also be used to indicate whether the amount of pressure exerted by the device should be adjusted, or whether the device should be switched to a locked state.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2016Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Chin San Han, Vivek Venugopal, Ueyn L. Block, Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec
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Patent number: 10687718Abstract: This relates to systems and methods for determining one or more of a user's physiological signals. The one or more of the user's physiological signals can be determined by measuring pulsatile blood volume changes. Motion artifacts included in the signals can be canceled or reduced by measuring non-pulsatile blood volume changes and adjusting the signal to account for the non-pulsatile blood information. Non-pulsatile blood volume changes can be measured using at least one set of light emitter-light sensor. The light emitter can be located in close proximity (e.g., less than or equal to 1 mm away) to the light sensor, thereby limiting light emitted by the light emitter to blood volume without interacting with one or more blood vessels and/or arterioles. In some examples, the systems can further include an accelerometer configured to measure the user's acceleration, and the acceleration signal can be additionally be used for compensating for motion artifacts.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Rui Peterson, Ueyn L. Block, Vivek Venugopal
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Publication number: 20200117272Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Patent number: 10503254Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Publication number: 20180196514Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph ALLEC, Xiaoyi MU
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Patent number: 9939899Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Publication number: 20180078151Abstract: This relates to systems and methods for determining one or more physiological signals of a user using ambient light. The systems and methods can include one or more light sensors configured to measure light that has interacted with a user and one or more light sensors configured to measure ambient light. The gain of the one or more light sensors can be adjusted based on the levels of measured ambient light. For example, the gain of the one or more light sensors can be increased when ambient light levels are low (e.g., a low light environment), or the gain of the one or more light sensors can be decreased when ambient light levels are high (e.g., a bright light environment). In some examples, the systems can include a variable opacity element whose transmission properties (e.g., opacity and/or selected one or more wavelengths to pass through) can be varied.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph ALLEC, Joel S. ARMSTRONG-MUNTNER, Chau V. H. NGUYEN
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Patent number: 9858948Abstract: An electronic device may include one or more microphones that monitor ambient noise and generate ambient noise data. The electronic device may include processing circuitry that receives the ambient noise data and compares the ambient noise data to a baseline ambient noise profile to detect changes in the ambient noise. Changes in the ambient noise may be caused by user gestures. The electronic device may compare the changes in the ambient noise to characteristic changes in ambient noise that are associated with user gestures to determine the user gesture made by a user. The processing circuitry may modify the operation of the electronic device based on the user gesture. An ambient noise input device may include surface features or movable components that cause the characteristic changes in the ambient noise. Ambient noise input devices may provide feedback to guide a user to provide input using ambient noise sensing.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu
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Publication number: 20170325698Abstract: This relates to systems and methods for determining one or more of a user's physiological signals. The one or more of the user's physiological signals can be determined by measuring pulsatile blood volume changes. Motion artifacts included in the signals can be canceled or reduced by measuring non-pulsatile blood volume changes and adjusting the signal to account for the non-pulsatile blood information. Non-pulsatile blood volume changes can be measured using at least one set of light emitter-light sensor. The light emitter can be located in close proximity (e.g., less than or equal to 1 mm away) to the light sensor, thereby limiting light emitted by the light emitter to blood volume without interacting with one or more blood vessels and/or arterioles. In some examples, the systems can further include an accelerometer configured to measure the user's acceleration, and the acceleration signal can be additionally be used for compensating for motion artifacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph ALLEC, Rui PETERSON, Ueyn L. BLOCK, Vivek VENUGOPAL
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Publication number: 20170325744Abstract: The relates to a back surface of the device including one or more protrusions configured to create the localized pressure. In some examples, the protrusion(s) can be located between the optical components and one or more edges of the back plate. In some examples, the protrusion(s) can include a surface that can be raised relative to the back plate of the device. In some examples, one or more protrusions can include one or more recessed regions. In some examples, the cover structure disposed over each of the openings may itself be a protrusion that can apply local regions of higher pressure. The protrusion(s) can be capable of applying localized pressure to multiple spatially separated regions of the skin. Additionally or alternatively, the protrusion(s) can be capable of applying different amounts of localized pressure. Examples of the disclosure can include the Fresnel lens(es) and/or optical isolation optically coupled to the protrusion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph ALLEC, Paul D. MANNHEIMER, Tobias J. HARRISON-NOONAN, Ueyn L. BLOCK, Vivek VENUGOPAL
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Publication number: 20170090567Abstract: This disclosure relates to detecting hand gesture input using an electronic device, such as a wearable device strapped to a wrist. The device can have multiple photodiodes, each sensing light at a different position on a surface of the device that faces skin of a user. Examples of the disclosure detect hand gestures by recognizing patterns in sensor data that are characteristic of each hand gesture, as the tissue expands and contracts and anatomical features in the tissue move during the gesture.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Nicholas Paul Joseph ALLEC, Xiaoyi MU
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Publication number: 20170090865Abstract: An electronic device may include one or more microphones that monitor ambient noise and generate ambient noise data. The electronic device may include processing circuitry that receives the ambient noise data and compares the ambient noise data to a baseline ambient noise profile to detect changes in the ambient noise. Changes in the ambient noise may be caused by user gestures. The electronic device may compare the changes in the ambient noise to characteristic changes in ambient noise that are associated with user gestures to determine the user gesture made by a user. The processing circuitry may modify the operation of the electronic device based on the user gesture. An ambient noise input device may include surface features or movable components that cause the characteristic changes in the ambient noise. Ambient noise input devices may provide feedback to guide a user to provide input using ambient noise sensing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Joel S. Armstrong-Muntner, Nicholas Paul Joseph Allec, Xiaoyi Mu