Patents by Inventor Paul X. Wang

Paul X. Wang 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: 12222514
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device includes a head-mounted display (HMD) and a retention band connected to the HMD. The retention band can include a display assembly positioned within the retention band for displaying visual information on an exterior of the retention band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ivan S. Maric, Paul X. Wang
  • Publication number: 20250044880
    Abstract: A system may include an electronic device such as a head-mounted device and a handheld input device for controlling the electronic device. A lanyard may be removably attached to the handheld input device or a non-electronic object. The lanyard may include visual markers, such as infrared light-emitting diodes and/or fiducials, that can be detected by an external camera and used to track a location of the lanyard. For example, the lanyard may be fabric, and the visual markers may be incorporated into the fabric or attached to the fabric. The lanyard may also include motion sensors, visual-inertial odometry cameras, or other sensors to determine the location of the lanyard. The lanyard may be electrically coupled to the handheld input device, such as to transfer power and/or data. Alternatively, the lanyard may be coupled to a non-electronic object and may include a battery and/or a haptic output component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventor: Paul X Wang
  • Publication number: 20250044833
    Abstract: A cartridge including a housing, a processor positioned within the housing to provide video output to a display unit of a head-mounted display (HMD), and an attachment interface configured to removably attach the cartridge to the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Jeremy C. Franklin
  • Publication number: 20250030420
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an input device having adjustable input mechanisms. The input mechanisms of the input device may be dynamically adjusted based on one or more input characteristics associated with a user. Accordingly, the input device may be customized to fit a user's input preferences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, John C. DiFonzo, Dayu Qu, Zheng Gao, Chang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20250020936
    Abstract: A head-mounted device may have a head-mounted housing containing rear-facing displays that display images for a user when the head-mounted housing is worn by the user. The head-mounted housing may be coupled to the user's head using an upper headband and a lower headband that are attached to a support member. The upper headband and/or the lower headband may rotate relative to the support member to adjust the position of the headband on the user's head. The adjustable headband may rotate about a friction hinge, in a recess of the support member, or about a rotating member of the support member. Additionally or alternatively, the adjustable headband may be coupled to an attachment on the support member that can slide along a portion of the support member. The adjustable headband may be further moved on the user's head by sliding the attachment on the support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventor: Paul X Wang
  • Patent number: 12197258
    Abstract: A computing device can be reconfigurable to include one or more electrical devices in various configurations. The computing device can include a base forming an input surface configured to receive user input. The base can receive one or more input devices, such as, displays or keyboards. The base can include a hinge rotatably attached to the base and configured to removably retain an electronic device, such as, a display. The computing device can include a coupling mechanism having a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion rotatably coupled to an intermediate portion. The first and second retaining portions can be configured to removably retain electrical devices to the coupling mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Keith J. Hendren, Nicholas L. Qu, Dinesh C. Mathew, Adam T. Garelli
  • Patent number: 12197246
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a glass housing member that includes an upper portion defining a display area, a lower portion defining an input area, and a transition portion joining the upper portion and the lower portion and defining a continuous, curved surface between the upper portion and the lower portion. The electronic device may include a display coupled to the glass housing member and configured to provide a visual output at the display area. The electronic device may include an input device coupled to the glass housing member and configured to detect inputs at the input area. The electronic device may include a support structure coupled to the glass housing member and configured to support the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Keith J Hendren, Paul X Wang, Adam T. Garelli, Brett W. Degner, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Publication number: 20250013057
    Abstract: A head-mounted device may have a housing containing displays that display images for a user when the head-mounted device is worn. The head-mounted device may include a nosepiece coupled to the housing and configured to rest on a nasal region of the user. The nosepiece may include an adjustable portion to change a curvature of the nosepiece and conform to the user's nose. The adjustable portion may be formed from a central portion of the nosepiece that can be loosened and tightened with respect to a peripheral portion of the nosepiece, a service loop that extends across the nosepiece, shape memory material that changes shape in response to heat, a deformable stiffener that runs across a nose bridge of the nosepiece, and/or a cavity that can be filled with material to change the curvature of the nosepiece. The nosepiece may be removably coupled to the housing, such as with magnets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Michael Y. Cheung
  • Publication number: 20250004545
    Abstract: A head-mounted device may have a head-mounted support structure, a gaze tracker in the head-mounted support structure, and one or more displays in the head-mounted support structure. For example, two displays may display images to two eye boxes. The display may display a virtual keyboard and may display a text input in response to a gaze location that is determined by the gaze tracker. The gaze tracker may additionally determine a gaze swipe input, or a camera in the support structure may determine a hand swipe input, and the swipe input may be used with the gaze location to determine the text input. In particular, the swipe input may create a swipe input curve that is fit to the text input to determine the text input. A user's hand may be used as a secondary input to indicate the start or end of a text input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2024
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Ashwin Kumar Asoka Kumar Shenoi, Shuxin Yu, Benjamin R. Blachnitzky, Jie Gu, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
  • Publication number: 20240412669
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device can include optical assemblies for providing visual output to a user. The optical assemblies can include a central display as well as a light track that surrounds at least a portion of the central display. Primary information and images can be provided at the central display to be received at a center region of a user's vision. Supplemental content and/or information can be provided by operation of the light track, which can be operated with relatively simple controls. The supplemental content and/or information can be received at a peripheral region of the user's vision. Accordingly. the inner and outer images produced by the separate mechanisms of the optical assembly can provide a single continuous image for observation by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Ivan S. MARIC, Darshan R. KASAR, Junhan REN, Paul X. WANG, Forrest C. WANG
  • Publication number: 20240414462
    Abstract: A speaker includes a flexible layer, a sensor configured to detect a curvature of the flexible layer, and a transducer configured to vibrate the flexible layer. The vibrations of the flexible layer generate sound waves and output generated by the transducer is based on a curvature of the flexible layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng
  • Publication number: 20240402760
    Abstract: A head-mounted device may have a head-mounted housing containing rear-facing displays that display images for a user when the head-mounted housing is worn by the user. The head-mounted device housing may have housing structures such as elongated housing members with protruding posts. Multiple headbands may be removably coupled to the head-mounted device housing at the protruding posts. A first headband may have a strap with openings configured to receive the posts. Releasable latches may be provided to allow selective engagement and disengagement between the headband and the housing. A second headband may be coupled to the posts between the housing members and the first headband. Alternatively, the first headband may surround the post, and the second headband may be coupled to the post through the opening in the first headband. One or more hair guards and/or one or more keeper loops may be incorporated between the headbands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Ryan M David, Yuhao Pan, Evan A Cernokus, Erin M Bosch, Benjamin A Stevenson, Paul J Biestek, Paul X Wang, Katherine E Christensen, Michael Wu, James T Smith, Jered Singleton, Venkata Narayana Murthy Arelekatti, Chad J Miller
  • Patent number: 12158778
    Abstract: An accessory device for a tablet computing device may include a base portion having one or more input devices (e.g., keyboards, trackpads, touchscreen displays, and the like) for providing inputs to the tablet computing device. The accessory device may include a coupling mechanism for releasably coupling the base portion of the accessory device to a tablet computing device in multiple different installation modes. The coupling mechanism may include an auxiliary display for providing a graphical output along a surface of the coupling mechanism. Additionally or alternatively, the coupling mechanism may include a recess for receiving a stylus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Nicholas L. Qu
  • Patent number: 12147053
    Abstract: A removable facial interface for a head-mountable device (HMD) is disclosed. In an example, an HMD includes a display; a facial interface frame at least partially surrounding the display; a removable facial interface attached to the facial interface frame; a first attachment mechanism attached to one of the facial interface frame or the removable facial interface; and a second attachment mechanism attached to the other of the facial interface frame or the removable facial interface, the removable facial interface being attached to the facial interface frame by the first attachment mechanism and the second attachment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Erin M. Bosch, Darshan R. Kasar, Timon A. Wright, Nicholas R. Trincia, Jonathan M. Anderson, Liam R. Martinez, Ian A. Guy, Paul X. Wang, Samuel G. Smith, Jeffrey A. Griffis, Andrew Gallaher
  • Publication number: 20240377638
    Abstract: A head-mountable device can include adaptable components, which move to comfortably engage the face of the user and to exclude light from an external environment. A head-mountable device can include a light seal that includes discrete portions that bend and/or pivot as needed to conform to a face of the user. Such mobility allows the portions to be oriented with respect to corresponding regions of the face, so that an engagement surface of each portion directly engages the corresponding region of the face to maximize the surface area of contact. Such a configuration can be provided while also providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance by providing one or more covers that form continuous, breathable surfaces with the desired opacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: PAUL X. WANG, Benjamin A. SHAFFER, Adam Y. KOLLGAARD, Liam R. MARTINEZ, Rex T. EHMAN, Samuel G. SMITH, Timon A. WRIGHT, Evan A. CERNOKUS
  • Patent number: 12142074
    Abstract: This application relates to a laptop computer. The laptop computer includes a base portion pivotally coupled to a lid portion is described. The laptop computer includes a display assembly carried by the lid portion, where the display assembly includes a light-transmissive cover, a display layer overlaid by the light-transmissive cover, a display stack electrically coupled to and overlaid by the display layer, and a light pattern recognition module adjacent to the display stack and overlaid by the display layer. The light pattern recognition module includes (i) a light pattern projector that projects a light pattern directly through the display layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Keith J. Hendren, Adam T. Garelli, Antonio Clarke, Joshua L. Daigle, Dinesh C. Mathew
  • Publication number: 20240370061
    Abstract: A device may include a display portion that includes a display housing and a display at least partially within the display housing. The device may also include a base portion pivotally coupled to the display portion and including a bottom case, a top case coupled to the bottom case and defining an array of raised key regions, and a sensing system below the top case and configured to detect an input applied to a raised key region of the array of raised key regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Alex J. Lehmann, Zheng Gao
  • Publication number: 20240361829
    Abstract: A head-mountable device and/or another electronic device can provide guidance for optimal placement of the head-mountable device. The head-mountable device and/or another electronic device can be operated to guide a user to position the head-mountable device in a manner that will achieve proper alignment of components with respect to the user and maximize user comfort. For example, the head-mountable device and/or another device can include sensors for detecting features of the user's face, forces distributed on the face when worn, and/or alignment with the face (e.g., eyes). By further example, the head-mountable device and/or another device can detect changes in adjustment and infer user discomfort based on the frequency and/or magnitude of such changes. By further example, the head-mountable device and/or another device can detect changes in features of the user's face before, during, and/or after use of the head-mountable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Paul X. WANG, Dustin A. HATFIELD
  • Patent number: 12130666
    Abstract: An electronic device may have input-output devices such as sensors, displays, wireless circuitry, and other electronic components mounted within a housing. The housing may have opposing front and rear walls. A display may be formed on a front side of the device and may be overlapped by a front housing wall such as a glass layer. Sensors and other components may be formed on a rear side of the device and may be overlapped by a rear housing wall. The rear housing wall may have a glass portion or other transparent structure through which projectors project images onto nearby surfaces and through which image sensors and other optical sensors receive light. The housing may be supported by a stand. An electrical component in the stand may interact with an electronic device on the stand. Wireless circuitry in an external item may wirelessly couple to wireless circuitry within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X Wang, Joshua P. Song
  • Patent number: 12130972
    Abstract: A system may include an electronic device such as a head-mounted device and a handheld input device for controlling the electronic device. A tracking device may be removably coupled to the handheld input device to increase the precision with which the head-mounted device tracks the handheld input device. The tracking device may have larger dimensions than the handheld input device and/or may have an expandable housing that expands and retracts. Visual markers on the tracking device may include infrared light-emitting diodes, geometric surface features, or other optical tracking features. The tracking device may serve as a secondary input device for the head-mounted device when the tracking device is decoupled from the input device. The tracking device may have a recess for receiving a shaft of the input device and may have magnets or other attachment structures for attaching the tracking device to the input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Paul X Wang