Patents by Inventor Phillip Michael Hobson

Phillip 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).

  • Publication number: 20140069782
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing input component assemblies with anti-rotational buttons in electronic devices are provided. The input component assembly includes a switch, a button positioned over the switch, where the button is operative to close at least one circuit of the switch when the button is depressed towards the switch, and at least one pin positioned underneath the button, where the at least one pin is operative to engage with a surface to assist in preventing rotation of the button, when the button is depressed towards the switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Colin M. Ely, Phillip Michael Hobson
  • Publication number: 20140071081
    Abstract: Systems and methods for routing cables in an electronic device are provided. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a touch sensor having a number of traces, a display component, and a mechanical button, each of which may be coupled to a circuit board via a single flexible circuit cable. This may save valuable space within the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Christopher M. Werner, Colin M. Ely, Fletcher R. Rothkopf, Ming Leong, Phillip Michael Hobson
  • Publication number: 20130343595
    Abstract: Headsets with non-occluding earbuds are disclosed. The earbud includes a non-occluding housing having a directional sound port offset with respect to a center axis of the earbud. The housing can have an asymmetric shape amenable to in-the-ear retention. Additionally, the housing can have a seamless or nearly seamless construction even though two or more parts are joined together to form the housing. Front and back volumes can exist for a driver of the earbud, and embodiments of this invention use mid-mold and rear-mold structures to achieve desired performance from the earbud. For example, the mid-mold structure can be used to tune the front volume while the rear-mold structure can be used to tune the back volume. Apertures may also be included in the housing to further improve the performance of the earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Rico Zorkendorfer, Julian Hoenig, Jonathan Aase, Kurt Stiehl, Phillip Michael Hobson, Eric Wang, Ian Davison
  • Patent number: 8570729
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using an insert molding process to form a tactilely seamless overall part from component parts that are made from different materials are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing includes a first part formed from a first material and a second part formed from a second material that is of a different type than the first material. The first part includes a first external surface and a first bonding surface, and the second part includes a second external surface and a second bonding surface. The second bonding surface can be integrally bonded to the first bonding surface so that the first external surface and the second external surface form a gap-free overall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Prest, Eric Wang, Bradley J. Hamel, Phillip Michael Hobson
  • Publication number: 20130214659
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using an insert molding process to form a tactilely seamless overall part from component parts that are made from different materials are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing includes a first part formed from a first material and a second part formed from a second material that is of a different type than the first material. The first part includes a first external surface and a first bonding surface, and the second part includes a second external surface and a second bonding surface. The second bonding surface can be integrally bonded to the first bonding surface so that the first external surface and the second external surface form a gap-free overall surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Prest, Erik Wang, Bradley Hamel, Phillip Michael Hobson
  • Patent number: 8346183
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using an insert molding process to form a tactilely seamless overall part from component parts that are made from different materials are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing includes a first part formed from a first material and a second part formed from a second material that is of a different type than the first material. The first part includes a first external surface and a first bonding surface, and the second part includes a second external surface and a second bonding surface. The second bonding surface can be integrally bonded to the first bonding surface so that the first external surface and the second external surface form a gap-free overall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Prest, Erik Wang, Bradley Hamel, Phillip Michael Hobson
  • Patent number: 8203094
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Phillip Michael Hobson, Kenneth A. Jenks
  • Patent number: 7880106
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Duckworth Middleman, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Phillip Michael Hobson, Kenneth A. Jenks
  • Publication number: 20100277877
    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: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Phillip Michael Hobson
  • Publication number: 20100048257
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using an insert molding process to form a tactilely seamless overall part from component parts that are made from different materials are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing includes a first part formed from a first material and a second part formed from a second material that is of a different type than the first material. The first part includes a first external surface and a first bonding surface, and the second part includes a second external surface and a second bonding surface. The second bonding surface can be integrally bonded to the first bonding surface so that the first external surface and the second external surface form a gap-free overall surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Christopher Prest, Erik Wang, Bradley Hamel, Phillip Michael Hobson
  • Publication number: 20090040703
    Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with a protective housing having one or more housing components. A housing component can be formed from a single sheet of material to appear as if the housing component had been formed from a hollowed out solid block of material. The sheet of material may be deep drawn, forged, and machined to form the housing component. One or more holes may be formed through a portion of the housing component to provide an I/O interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Todd F. Gotham, Andrew David Lauder, Tang Yew Tan, Erik L. Wang, Phillip Michael Hobson, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Christopher Stringer, Richard Howarth, John Ternus, Rico Zorkendorfer
  • Patent number: D454869
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Telespree Communications
    Inventors: Jonah Avram Becker, Sung-Ho Joe Tan, Edna Segal, Phillip Michael Hobson, Scott Croyle, Chase T. Thompson, Michael J. Strasser