Patents by Inventor Philip Michael Hobson

Philip Michael Hobson 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: 8989824
    Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with housings that can have smoother profiles and with switch assembly input components with knobs that can move along tracks in directions at least partially offset from the directions of anticipated resistive forces. The housings can include switch assembly input components with knobs that may move along linear tracks and switch assembly input components with knobs that may move along curved tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erik L. Wang, Tang Yew Tan, Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Philip Michael Hobson, Andrew Lewis Johnston
  • Patent number: 8760866
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring. The bezel is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints. The portable electronic device may include a personal media device, a mobile telephone, or any other suitable device or combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Philip Michael Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Patent number: 8532722
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, a support panel that is integrated with the frame, and a flexible circuit that is disposed adjacent to the support panel such that the support panel provides support for the flexible circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Tang Yew Tan, Erik Wang, Philip Michael Hobson
  • Publication number: 20110120850
    Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with switch assembly input components that can have adhesives adhered to the side and/or bottom surfaces of support plates for retaining switches between the adhesives and the tops of the support plates. The switch assembly input components can include buttons with one or more absorption elements for receiving impact energy, reducing the impact energy, and transferring the reduced impact energy onto the switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Philip Michael Hobson, Kenneth A. Jenks
  • Patent number: 7756553
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, a support panel that is integrated with the frame, and a flexible circuit that is disposed adjacent to the support panel such that the support panel provides support for the flexible circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Philip Michael Hobson
  • Patent number: 7672142
    Abstract: Electronic devices may be provided with one or more electrical components that may be coupled to one or more circuit boards by flexible circuits that can have reduced ground lengths. Each flexible circuit can include at least one ground conductor that may run along its length and that may have at least one portion exposed for coupling to a grounding element that may also be coupled to a ground plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erik L. Wang, Philip Michael Hobson, Kenneth A. Jenks, Robert J. Hill, Robert W. Schlub
  • Publication number: 20090000931
    Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with switch assembly input components that can have adhesives adhered to the side and/or bottom surfaces of support plates for retaining switches between the adhesives and the tops of the support plates. The switch assembly input components can include buttons with one or more absorption elements for receiving impact energy, reducing the impact energy, and transferring the reduced impact energy onto the switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Philip Michael Hobson, Kenneth A. Jenks
  • Publication number: 20080167091
    Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with housings that can have smoother profiles and with switch assembly input components with knobs that can move along tracks in directions at least partially offset from the directions of anticipated resistive forces. The housings can include switch assembly input components with knobs that may move along linear tracks and switch assembly input components with knobs that may move along curved tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erik L. Wang, Tang Yew Tan, Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Philip Michael Hobson, Andrew Lewis Johnston
  • Publication number: 20080164055
    Abstract: Electronic devices may be provided with one or more electrical components that may be coupled to one or more circuit boards by flexible circuits that can have reduced ground lengths. Each flexible circuit can include at least one ground conductor that may run along its length and that may have at least one portion exposed for coupling to a grounding element that may also be coupled to a ground plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik L. Wang, Philip Michael Hobson, Kenneth A. Jenks, Robert J. Hill, Robert W. Schlub
  • Publication number: 20080167094
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, a support panel that is integrated with the frame, and a flexible circuit that is disposed adjacent to the support panel such that the support panel provides support for the flexible circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Philip Michael Hobson