Patents by Inventor Paul S. Drzaic

Paul S. Drzaic 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: 11967561
    Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric layers and other layers of material. An array of electrical components may be mounted in the fabric-based item. The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh shape formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings. The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material in the fabric-based item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, Paul S. Drzaic, Daniel A. Podhajny, David M. Kindlon, Hoon Sik Kim, Kathryn P. Crews, Yung-Yu Hsu
  • Patent number: 11961946
    Abstract: A foldable electronic device may have a foldable housing. The foldable housing may be configured to bend about a bend axis. First and second portions of the housing that rotate relative to each other may be coupled by a hinge that is aligned with the bend axis. A foldable display may be coupled to the foldable housing and may be configured to bend along the bend axis as the foldable housing is folded. The display may have an array of pixels supported by a metal layer. The pixels may be interposed between a display cover layer and the metal layer. The foldable housing may have a support layer. To help support the display for bending about the bend axis while preventing damage to the display when the display is contacted by an external object, a spring layer may be interposed between the metal layer and the support layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chang-Chia Huang, Hoon Sik Kim, Paul S. Drzaic, Terry C. Lam, Yasmin F. Afsar, Zhichun Shao
  • Patent number: 11940848
    Abstract: An electronic device display may have pixels formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies, organic light-emitting diodes, or other pixel structures. The pixels may be formed on a display panel substrate. A display panel may extend continuously across the display or multiple display panels may be tiled in two dimensions to cover a larger display area. Interconnect substrates may have outwardly facing contacts that are electrically shorted to corresponding inwardly facing contacts such as inwardly facing metal pillars associated with the display panels. The interconnect substrates may be supported by glass layers. Integrated circuits may be embedded in the display panels and/or in the interconnect substrates. A display may have an active area with pixels that includes non-spline pixels in a non-spline display portion located above a straight edge of the display and spline pixel in a spline display portion located above a curved edge of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Elmar Gehlen, Zhen Zhang, Francois R. Jacob, Paul S. Drzaic, Han-Chieh Chang, Abbas Jamshidi Roudbari, Anshi Liang, Hopil Bae, Mahdi Farrokh Baroughi, Marc J. DeVincentis, Paolo Sacchetto, Tiffany T. Moy, Warren S. Rieutort-Louis, Yong Sun, Jonathan P. Mar, Zuoqian Wang, Ian D. Tracy, Sunggu Kang, Jaein Choi, Steven E. Molesa, Sandeep Chalasani, Jui-Chih Liao, Xin Zhao, Izhar Z. Ahmed
  • Patent number: 11908846
    Abstract: A display may include light-emitting components such as light-emitting diodes on a transparent substrate. Conductive signal paths between the light-emitting components, driver integrated circuits for controlling the light-emitting components, and the light-emitting components themselves may be opaque. To mitigate diffraction artifacts caused by the opaque components, the opaque footprint of the display may be selected to include non-periodic portions. The non-periodic portions increase randomness and reduce periodicity within the opaque footprint, which mitigates perceptible diffraction artifacts when viewing the display. One or both of the component mounting portions and interconnect portions of the opaque footprint may be non-periodic. The component mounting portions may have random shapes. The interconnect portions may follow random paths between the component mounting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yung-Yu Hsu, Chaohao Wang, Jonathan C. Moisant-Thompson, Kuan H. Lu, Mingjing Ha, Paul S. Drzaic, Yang Li, Yi-Pai Huang, Nathaniel T. Lawrence
  • Publication number: 20240040909
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display such as an organic light-emitting diode display. The organic light-emitting diode display may have an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels that each have organic light-emitting diode layers interposed between a cathode and an anode. To improve off-axis luminance and luminance uniformity, the display may include green pixels with emission spectra having a narrow full width at half maximum, the display may include a reflective layer that is formed separately from a transparent anode, and/or the display may include a diffusive layer. The diffusive layer may be embedded in one or more encapsulation layers for the display. The diffusive layer may be a diffusive color filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Yifan Zhang, Amin Salehi, Chieh-Wei Chen, Hoyeon Kim, Paul S. Drzaic, Yun Liu
  • Publication number: 20240015999
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided with a display and a light sensor that receives light that passes through the display. The display includes features that increase the amount of light that passes through the display. The features may be translucency enhancement features that allow light to pass directly through the display onto a light sensor mounted behind the display or may include a light-guiding layer that guides light through the display onto a light sensor mounted along an edge of the display. The translucency enhancement features may be formed in a reflector layer or an electrode layer for the display. The translucency enhancement features may include microperforations in a reflector layer of the display, a light-filtering reflector layer of the display, or a reflector layer of the display that passes a portion of the light and reflects an additional portion of the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Paul S. Drzaic, Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20230409082
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display overlapped by a display cover layer. Portions of the surface of the display and cover layer may have curved profiles. For example, a display cover layer may have transparent sidewall portions with curved surface profiles. The transparent sidewall portions of the display cover layer may include rounded corners having areas of compound curvature. A flexible display panel may be pressed over a mold to impart desired curvature (such as compound curvature) to the flexible display panel. To mitigate wrinkling in a flexible display panel molded to have compound curvature, a film may be included that absorbs force in the display panel. The film may have a coefficient of thermal expansion that is different than that of the display panel. Instead or in addition, the film may have portions with different Young's modulus magnitudes or different thickness magnitudes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Bulong Wu, Zhen Zhang, Paul S. Drzaic, Yong Sun, Izhar Z. Ahmed, Kuan H. Lu, Han-Chieh Chang, Mingjing Ha, Yung-Yu Hsu
  • Patent number: 11846984
    Abstract: Protective cover layers for electronic devices are described. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a display panel and a protective cover layer over the display panel. The protective cover layer includes a transparent support substrate and a hardcoat layer covering an exterior facing surface of the transparent support substrate. The display panel may be a flexible display panel and the protective cover layer may flex with the flexible display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hoon Sik Kim, Chang-Chia Huang, Christopher D. Jones, Masato Kuwabara, Nikhil D. Kalyankar, Terry C. Shyu, Yasmin F. Afsar, Paul S. Drzaic
  • Patent number: 11817065
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods to control brightness or color in foldable displays. An electronic device may include a foldable electronic display and processing circuitry. The foldable electronic display may have a first part and a second part that are foldable at a folding angle with respect to one another. The processing circuitry may provide image data to the foldable electronic display that varies based at least in part on the folding angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Xingfeng He, Byoungsuk Kim, Yifan Zhang, Hoon Sik Kim, Yun Liu, Hao Chen, Paul S Drzaic, Mahdi Farrokh Baroughi
  • Publication number: 20230352497
    Abstract: A display may have one or more bent portions. To increase the magnitude of curvature in a display and/or to allow for compound curvature in the display, a display panel may be partially formed in a planar state. The partial display panel is then bent to have desired curvature. After the partial display panel is bent, additional display components that are susceptible to damage during the bending process may be added to complete the display panel. A flexible printed circuit may be formed directly on the display panel using precise deposition of conductive material. By forming the flexible printed circuit layer-by-layer directly on the display panel, no substantive pressure needs to be applied to the display panel. Electrical connections may therefore be made to the display panel in regions of the display with high levels of curvature and/or with compound curvature without causing front-of-screen artifacts for the display panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Meng-Tse Chen, Anshi Liang, Arnoldus A Barlian, Bayu A Thedjoisworo, Boris A Russ, Chun-Hsien Lee, Chun-Lan Wu, Han-Chieh Chang, Jiming Yu, Marc J DeVincentis, Nathan K Gupta, Paolo Sacchetto, Paul S Drzaic, Zhen Zhang, Ziyang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20230343914
    Abstract: Conductive traces may be conformally wrapped around the side of a display panel that includes an array of display pixels. The conductive traces may electrically connect contacts on an upper surface of the display panel to corresponding contacts on a flexible printed circuit that is attached to a lower surface of the display panel. The side-wrapped conductive traces may be interposed between first and second insulating layers. The flexible printed circuit may have a multi-step interface that is electrically connected to the side-wrapped conductive traces. A system-in-package including a display driver integrated circuit may be mounted to the flexible printed circuit. The system-in-package may include a plurality of redistribution layers that electrically connect contacts on the display driver integrated circuit to contacts on the flexible printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Han-Chieh Chang, Anshi Liang, Arnoldus A Barlian, Bayu A Thedjoisworo, Boris A Russ, Chun-Lan Wu, Ken Hsuan Liao, Marc J DeVincentis, Meng-Tse Chen, Nathan K Gupta, Paolo Sacchetto, Paul S Drzaic, Po-Jui Chen, Ying-Chih Wang, Yong Sun, Zhen Zhang, Ziyang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11800746
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided with a display and a light sensor that receives light that passes through the display. The display includes features that increase the amount of light that passes through the display. The features may be translucency enhancement features that allow light to pass directly through the display onto a light sensor mounted behind the display or may include a light-guiding layer that guides light through the display onto a light sensor mounted along an edge of the display. The translucency enhancement features may be formed in a reflector layer or an electrode layer for the display. The translucency enhancement features may include microperforations in a reflector layer of the display, a light-filtering reflector layer of the display, or a reflector layer of the display that passes a portion of the light and reflects an additional portion of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Paul S. Drzaic, Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20230324689
    Abstract: An electronic device may provide image light to an eye box. The display may include a light source panel that emits the image light. A waveguide may direct the image light towards the eye box. An input coupler may couple the image light into the waveguide and an output coupler may couple the image light out of the waveguide. A color filter may be optically interposed between the light source panel and the output coupler. The color filter may filter the image light using a steep cutoff characteristic. The color filter may allow the image light to exhibit a desired color point while also allowing the light source panel to use light emitters having peak emission wavelengths that maximize the efficiency of the light emitters and thus the power efficiency of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Dmitry S. Sizov, Xiaobin Xin, Hyungryul Choi, Vikrant Bhakta, Fang Ou, Lina He, Sergei Y. Yakovenko, Ranojoy Bose, Paul S. Drzaic
  • Publication number: 20230317626
    Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric layers and other layers of material. An array of electrical components may be mounted in the fabric-based item. The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh shape formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings. The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material in the fabric-based item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, Paul S. Drzaic, Daniel A. Podhajny, David M. Kindlon, Hoon Sik Kim, Kathryn P. Crews, Yung-Yu Hsu
  • Publication number: 20230240093
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a hinge that allows the device to be flexed about a bend axis. A display may span the bend axis. To facilitate bending about the bend axis without damage, the display may include a display cover layer with a flexible portion. The flexible portion of the display cover layer may be interposed between first and second rigid portions of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may also include a layer with self-healing properties. The layer of self-healing material may be formed across the entire display cover layer or may be formed only in the flexible region of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may include a layer of elastomer in the flexible region of the display cover layer for increased flexibility. Self-healing may be initiated or expedited by externally applied heat, light, electric current, or other type of external stimulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Hoon Sik Kim, Terry C. Lam, Chang-Chia Huang, Paul S. Drzaic, Yasmin F. Afsar, Young Cheol Yang, Leiming Wang
  • Publication number: 20230239602
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing characterized by a vertical longitudinal axis. A flexible substrate such as a flexible mesh substrate with component support regions coupled by flexible segments may be wrapped around the housing and the vertical axis. The housing may have surface regions with compound curvature. The flexible substrate may conform to the regions with compound curvature. A fabric spacer layer may be interposed between the flexible substrate and the housing. Electrical components such as input-output devices may be mounted to the component support regions. A display may be formed from an array of light-emitting devices that are mounted on respective component support regions. Light from the light-emitting devices may pass through the fabric spacer layer toward the housing and back out away from the housing. An outer fabric layer may cover the mesh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, Kathryn P. Crews, Tirshathah A. Hunter, Kathleen A. Bergeron, Mingjing Ha, Shubham A. Gandhi, Paul S. Drzaic, Yung-Yu Hsu, David W. Lum
  • Patent number: 11710703
    Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric layers and other layers of material. An array of electrical components may be mounted in the fabric-based item. The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh shape formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings. The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material in the fabric-based item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, Paul S. Drzaic, Daniel A. Podhajny, David M. Kindlon, Hoon Sik Kim, Kathryn P. Crews, Yung-Yu Hsu
  • Patent number: 11653128
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing characterized by a vertical longitudinal axis. A flexible substrate such as a flexible mesh substrate with component support regions coupled by flexible segments may be wrapped around the housing and the vertical axis. The housing may have surface regions with compound curvature. The flexible substrate may conform to the regions with compound curvature. A fabric spacer layer may be interposed between the flexible substrate and the housing. Electrical components such as input-output devices may be mounted to the component support regions. A display may be formed from an array of light-emitting devices that are mounted on respective component support regions. Light from the light-emitting devices may pass through the fabric spacer layer toward the housing and back out away from the housing. An outer fabric layer may cover the mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, Kathryn P. Crews, Tirshathah A. Hunter, Kathleen A. Bergeron, Mingjing Ha, Shubham A. Gandhi, Paul S. Drzaic, Yung-Yu Hsu, David W. Lum
  • Patent number: 11647648
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a hinge that allows the device to be flexed about a bend axis. A display may span the bend axis. To facilitate bending about the bend axis without damage, the display may include a display cover layer with a flexible portion. The flexible portion of the display cover layer may be interposed between first and second rigid portions of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may also include a layer with self-healing properties. The layer of self-healing material may be formed across the entire display cover layer or may be formed only in the flexible region of the display cover layer. The display cover layer may include a layer of elastomer in the flexible region of the display cover layer for increased flexibility. Self-healing may be initiated or expedited by externally applied heat, light, electric current, or other type of external stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hoon Sik Kim, Terry C. Lam, Chang-Chia Huang, Paul S. Drzaic, Yasmin F. Afsar, Young Cheol Yang, Leiming Wang
  • Patent number: 11599145
    Abstract: An electronic device display may have pixels formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies, organic light-emitting diodes, or other pixel structures. The pixels may be formed in a display panel having a single substrate or an array of display panel tiles. The display panel has inwardly facing display panel contacts that mate with corresponding outwardly facing interconnect substrate contacts on an interconnect substrate. The interconnect substrate may have areas with compound curvature that are overlapped by the display panel. To enhance flexibility of the interconnect substrate, the interconnect substrate may have flexibility enhancement openings and/or may be formed from a material with a low elastic modulus such as silicone or other elastomeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mingjing Ha, Kuan H. Lu, Paul S. Drzaic, Yung-Yu Hsu, Yong Sun, Zhen Zhang, Bulong Wu, Marc J. DeVincentis, Paolo Sacchetto, Han-Chieh Chang, Anshi Liang