Patents by Inventor Peter W. Richards
Peter W. Richards 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: 10966643Abstract: Systems and devices of the present disclosure provide automated detection and tracking of carbon monoxide inhalation through non-invasive optical spectroscopy. A wearable device includes a light source coupled to the base and directing light towards a subject and a photodetector coupled to the base to receive light emitted by the light source through or reflected the subject. The light source emits light at a wavelength spectrum corresponding to a carboxyhemoglobin absorption spectrum and an oxyhemoglobin absorption spectrum. Biometric circuitry is coupled to the photodetector to receive a signal from the photodetector and process the signal to determine an intensity of the wavelengths present in the light received at the photodetector. The intensity of the wavelengths is indicative of a level of carbon monoxide inhalation associated with the subject.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Hamed Vavadi, Lindsey Michelle Sunden, Peter W. Richards, Chris Hanrahan Sarantos
-
Patent number: 10965285Abstract: A capacitive sensing device can include multiple capacitive sensors. A first device controller is operatively connected to a portion of the capacitive sensors, while a second device controller is operatively connected to another portion of capacitive sensors. A common node or shield can be connected between the first device controller and the second device controller. Charging and discharging events of selected drive lines in the capacitive sensing device and/or of the common node or shield can be synchronized to reduce undesirable effects such as noise and/or to prevent the charging events and the discharging events from overlapping with each other. One or more reference capacitive sensors can be shared by the multiple device controllers.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2019Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christian M. Sauer, Peter W. Richards
-
Patent number: 10918289Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ring-shaped wearable device for detecting biometrics with a light source and a photodetector directed towards a digit wearing the ring-shaped device. The ring can thus detect oxygen saturation of a wearer based on light transmitted through the wearer's finger. The ring can include power saving measures to extend the battery life. A motion sensor can help determine opportune moments for data collection such as when the wearer is still. The motion sensor can be used to remove noise from the data caused by motion. After data is collected or during data collection, the ring can wirelessly communicate the data to another portable electronic device such as a phone or watch.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: FITBIT, INC.Inventors: Jaclyn Leverett Wasson, Peter W. Richards, Lindsey Michelle Sunden, Corey Stephen O'Connor, Conor Joseph Heneghan, Xi Zhang, Hamed Vavadi, Chris Hanrahan Sarantos, Peter Colin Dess
-
Patent number: 10874345Abstract: Approaches to determining a sleep fitness score for a user are provided, such as may be based upon monitored breathing disturbances of a user. The system receives user state data generated over a time period by a combination of sensors provided via a wearable tracker associated with the user. A system can use this information to calculate a sleep fitness score, breathing disturbance score, or other such value. The system can classify every minute within the time period as either normal or atypical, for example, and may provide such information for presentation to the user.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Suraj Gowda, Conor Joseph Heneghan, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Anjian Wu, Daniel Joel Freschl, Peter W. Richards, Chris H. Sarantos, Jonathan Wonwook Kim
-
Patent number: 10817096Abstract: A force-sensitive device for electronic device. The force inputs may be detected by measuring changes in capacitance, as measured by surface flex of a device having a flexible touchable surface, causing flex at a compressible gap within the device. A capacitive sensor responsive to changes in distance across the compressible gap. The sensor can be positioned above or below, or within, a display element, and above or below, or within, a backlight unit. The device can respond to bending, twisting, or other deformation, to adjust those zero force measurements. The device can use measure of surface flux that appear at positions on the surface not directly the subject of applied force, such as when the user presses on a part of the frame or a surface without capacitive sensors.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Charley T. Ogata, Martin P. Grunthaner, Michael B. Wittenberg, Peter W. Richards, Romain A. Teil, Steven P. Hotelling
-
Patent number: 10806362Abstract: Multiple circuits in a computing device can share one or more conductive elements. The use of the conductive element can vary by circuit, such as an antenna radiator for a radio frequency (RF) circuit or an electrode for an electrocardiography (ECG) circuit. The circuitry sharing a conductive element can utilize signals obtained over different frequency ranges. Those ranges can be used to select decoupling circuitry, or elements, that can enable the respective circuits to obtain signals over a respective frequency range, excluding signals over one or more other frequency ranges corresponding to other circuitry sharing the circuit. Such an approach allows for concurrent independent operation of the circuitry sharing a conductive element.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Yonghua Wei, Faton Tefiku, Kevin Li, Man-Chi Liu, Lindsey Michelle Sunden, Peter W. Richards, Dennis Jacob McCray, Christos Kinezos Ioannou, Kyung Nim Noh
-
Publication number: 20200138309Abstract: In one embodiment, a data processing method comprises obtaining one or more first photoplethysmography (PPG) signals based on one or more first light sources that are configured to emit light having a first light wavelength corresponding to a green light wavelength; obtaining one or more second PPG signals based on one or more second light sources that are configured to emit light having a second light wavelength corresponding to a red light wavelength, one or more of the first light sources and one or more of the second light sources being co-located; generating an estimated heart rate value based on one or more of the first PPG signals and the second PPG signals; and causing the estimated heart rate value to be displayed via a user interface on a client device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2019Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Kevin Pu Weekly, Subramaniam Venkatraman, Andrew Larsen Axley, Daniel J. Freschl, Peter W. Richards, Chris H. Sarantos
-
Patent number: 10624542Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a device, method, and/or computer-readable medium storing processor-executable process steps to remove a component of a signal corresponding to ambient light in a photoplethysmographic sensor device, including capturing a first detected light signal representing an ambient light at a first time, causing a light emitter to generate a source light signal driven at a first level, capturing a second detected light signal representing the source light signal after interacting with a user's tissue plus the first detected light signal, generating a first output signal based on the second detected light signal adjusted by the first detected light signal, causing the light emitter to generate a source light signal driven at a second level, capturing a third detected light signal representing the source light signal driven at the second level after interacting with the user's skin plus the first detected light signal, and generating a second output signal based on the third detected light sigType: GrantFiled: August 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventor: Peter W. Richards
-
Publication number: 20200110505Abstract: A capacitive sensing device can include multiple capacitive sensors. A first device controller is operatively connected to a portion of the capacitive sensors, while a second device controller is operatively connected to another portion of capacitive sensors. A common node or shield can be connected between the first device controller and the second device controller. Charging and discharging events of selected drive lines in the capacitive sensing device and/or of the common node or shield can be synchronized to reduce undesirable effects such as noise and/or to prevent the charging events and the discharging events from overlapping with each other. One or more reference capacitive sensors can be shared by the multiple device controllers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2019Publication date: April 9, 2020Inventors: Christian M. Sauer, Peter W. Richards
-
Patent number: 10568525Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for creating a blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) value, the method comprises receiving one or more photoplethysmography (PPG) signals for SpO2 detection from one or more PPG sensors; receiving one or more PPG signals for characterizing a heart rate from the one or more PPG sensors; using the one or more PPG signals for SpO2 detection, forming one or more SpO2 datasets wherein the SpO2 datasets respectively comprise one or more noise components; removing the one or more noise components from the one or more SpO2 datasets that are inconsistent with a feature of the one or more PPG signals characterizing the heart rate to produce one or more filtered SpO2 datasets; and using the one or more filtered SpO2 datasets, creating and storing the SpO2.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Anjian Wu, Chris H. Sarantos, Peter W. Richards, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen
-
Patent number: 10540036Abstract: A capacitive sensing device can include multiple capacitive sensors. A first device controller is operatively connected to a portion of the capacitive sensors, while a second device controller is operatively connected to another portion of capacitive sensors. A common node or shield can be connected between the first device controller and the second device controller. Charging and discharging events of selected drive lines in the capacitive sensing device and/or of the common node or shield can be synchronized to reduce undesirable effects such as noise and/or to prevent the charging events and the discharging events from overlapping with each other. One or more reference capacitive sensors can be shared by the multiple device controllers.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christian M. Sauer, Peter W. Richards
-
Publication number: 20200015701Abstract: Multiple circuits in a computing device can share one or more conductive elements. The use of the conductive element can vary by circuit, such as an antenna radiator for a radio frequency (RF) circuit or an electrode for an electrocardiography (ECG) circuit. The circuitry sharing a conductive element can utilize signals obtained over different frequency ranges. Those ranges can be used to select decoupling circuitry, or elements, that can enable the respective circuits to obtain signals over a respective frequency range, excluding signals over one or more other frequency ranges corresponding to other circuitry sharing the circuit. Such an approach allows for concurrent independent operation of the circuitry sharing a conductive element.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Inventors: Yonghua WEI, Faton TEFIKU, Kevin LI, Man-Chi LIU, Lindsey Michelle SUNDEN, Peter W. RICHARDS, Dennis Jacob McCRAY, Christos Kinezos IOANNOU, Kyung Nim NOH
-
Patent number: 10512407Abstract: One innovative aspect is directed to heart rate data collection. In some implementations, a circuit includes a light detector for generating a first electrical signal based on received light. The circuit includes a switching circuit, having a first and a second configuration, configured to receive a first voltage signal based on the first electrical signal and to switch among the first and the second configurations. The circuit includes first and second sampling circuits for sampling a value of the first voltage signal when the switching circuit is in the first configuration and second configurations, respectively. The circuit includes an ambient light cancellation circuit for generating a current signal to counter a first component of the first electrical signal when the first switching circuit is in the first configuration.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Peter W. Richards, Thomas Samuel Elliot, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen
-
Publication number: 20190369779Abstract: A device configured to determine the location and magnitude of a touch on a surface of the device. The device includes a transparent touch sensor that is configured to detect a location of a touch on the transparent touch sensor. The device also includes a force-sensing structure disposed at the periphery of the transparent touch sensor. The force sensor includes an upper capacitive plate and a compressible element disposed on one side of the upper capacitive plate. The force sensor also includes a lower capacitive plate disposed on a side of the compressible element that is opposite the upper capacitive plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Jonah A. Harley, Peter W. Richards, Brian Q. Huppi, Omar Sze Leung, Dhaval N. Shah, Martin P. Grunthaner, Steven P. Hotelling, Miguel C. Christophy, Vivek Katiyar, Tang Yew Tan, Christopher J. Butler, Erik G. De Jong, Ming Sartee, Rui Qiao, Steven J. Martisauskas, Storrs T. Hoen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Lee E. Hooton, Ian A. Spraggs, Sawyer I. Cohen, David A. Pakula
-
Patent number: 10433739Abstract: In one embodiment, a data processing method comprises obtaining one or more first photoplethysmography (PPG) signals based on one or more first light sources that are configured to emit light having a first light wavelength corresponding to a green light wavelength; obtaining one or more second PPG signals based on one or more second light sources that are configured to emit light having a second light wavelength corresponding to a red light wavelength, one or more of the first light sources and one or more of the second light sources being co-located; generating an estimated heart rate value based on one or more of the first PPG signals and the second PPG signals; and causing the estimated heart rate value to be displayed via a user interface on a client device.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Pu Weekly, Subramaniam Venkatraman, Andrew Larsen Axley, Daniel J. Freschl, Peter W. Richards, Chris H. Sarantos
-
Publication number: 20190282159Abstract: Approaches to determining a sleep fitness score for a user are provided, such as may be based upon monitored breathing disturbances of a user. The system receives user state data generated over a time period by a combination of sensors provided via a wearable tracker associated with the user. A system can use this information to calculate a sleep fitness score, breathing disturbance score, or other such value. The system can classify every minute within the time period as either normal or atypical, for example, and may provide such information for presentation to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Suraj Gowda, Conor Joseph Heneghan, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Anjian Wu, Daniel Joel Freschl, Peter W. Richards, Chris H. Sarantos, Jonathan Wonwook Kim
-
Patent number: 10386970Abstract: A device configured to determine the location and magnitude of a touch on a surface of the device. The device includes a transparent touch sensor that is configured to detect a location of a touch on the transparent touch sensor. The device also includes a force-sensing structure disposed at the periphery of the transparent touch sensor. The force sensor includes an upper capacitive plate and a compressible element disposed on one side of the upper capacitive plate. The force sensor also includes a lower capacitive plate disposed on a side of the compressible element that is opposite the upper capacitive plate.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2014Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jonah A. Harley, Peter W. Richards, Brian Q. Huppi, Omar Sze Leung, Dhaval N. Shah, Martin P. Grunthaner, Steven P. Hotelling, Miguel C Christophy, Vivek Katiyar, Tang Yew Tan, Christopher J. Butler, Erik G. de Jong, Ming Sartee, Rui Qiao, Steven J. Martisauskas, Storrs T. Hoen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Lee E. Hooton, Ian A. Spraggs, Sawyer I. Cohen, David A. Pakula
-
Publication number: 20190155419Abstract: Touch pad structures are provided that gather touch sensor data. The data may be used to control a computer or other electronic device. The touch pad structures may be integrated into a computer or other computing equipment or may be provided as a stand-alone accessory. The touch pad structures may include a touch sensor array. The touch sensor array may include rows and columns of touch sensor electrodes, interconnect lines, and other conductive structures. The conductive structures on the touch sensor array may be formed from patterned layers of ink. Interconnect line segments in different layer of ink may be connected in rectangular contact regions. The touch sensor array may have a tail. A layer of insulator may be removed from the substrate across a tip portion of the tail to allow the line segments to be connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2019Publication date: May 23, 2019Inventors: Jay Kevin Osborn, Peter W. Richards
-
Patent number: 10282014Abstract: A system can include a display, a first device, and a second device all operatively connected to a controller. The first and second devices each use or share at least a portion of the display area. The controller is adapted to transmit during a pixel refresh time period of the display a first signal that is received by the first device. The first sync signal indicates a first time period in which a first operation can be performed in the first device. The controller is also adapted to transmit a second sync signal that is received by the second device indicating a second time period in which a second operation can be performed in the second device. The second time period can be during the pixel refresh time period or outside of the pixel refresh time period.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Butler, Peter W. Richards, Christian M. Sauer, Manu Agarwal
-
Publication number: 20190099093Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure pertains to a blood pressure measurement device and methods of controlling an inflation rate in a blood pressure measurement. An inflatable bladder of the blood pressure measurement device defines, at least in part, a pressurizable volume. The inflatable bladder may be inflated to pressurize a user's appendage and temporarily occlude blood flow in the user's appendage. A pressure sensor of the blood pressure measurement device is configured to obtain blood pressure measurements, and a pump of the blood pressure measurement device is configured to inflate the inflatable bladder and control an inflation rate by controlling at least one of a duty cycle, a voltage, or a drive frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2017Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Dan Stefan Tudose, Xi Zhang, Keith Adam Wong, Andrew Larsen Axley, Peter W. Richards, Conor Joseph Heneghan, Radu Dobroiu, Alexandru-Mihai Solot