Patents by Inventor Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur

Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur 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: 9519077
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user's head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to user hair color and smudges on the proximity sensor can be accommodated by using an electrical sensing mechanism in addition to the light sensing mechanism. The proximity sensor may include a pair of capacitive electrodes for generating an electric field in the vicinity of the device. The presence of a user's head can sufficiently disturb the electric field so as to produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur, Anant Rai, David Lukofsky
  • Publication number: 20150276976
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user's head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to user hair color and smudges on the proximity sensor can be accommodated by using an electrical sensing mechanism in addition to the light sensing mechanism. The proximity sensor may include a pair of capacitive electrodes for generating an electric field in the vicinity of the device. The presence of a user's head can sufficiently disturb the electric field so as to produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur, Anant Rai, David Lukofsky
  • Patent number: 9098124
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor attached underneath a display layer. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user's head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to smudges on the proximity sensor can be detected by providing the proximity sensor with an additional light source. The additional light source may be used to inject light into the display layer. The injected light may be guided within the display layer by total internal reflection. In the presence of smudge, the internally reflecting light may deviate from its normal propagation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur
  • Patent number: 9088282
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user's head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to user hair color and smudges on the proximity sensor can be accommodated by using an electrical sensing mechanism in addition to the light sensing mechanism. The proximity sensor may include a pair of capacitive electrodes for generating an electric field in the vicinity of the device. The presence of a user's head can sufficiently disturb the electric field so as to produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur, Anant Rai, David Lukofsky
  • Patent number: 9024530
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided that has a display. The display may produce light using a backlight unit or using an array of light-emitting display pixels. An ambient light sensor may be mounted under an active area of the display to measure ambient light that is transmitted through the display. The display may be periodically disabled to prevent the display from producing light that interferes with the ambient light sensor. Display pixels may be coupled to a common cathode switch that can be periodically opened or the backlight in a display with a backlight can be periodically turned off. Control circuitry for periodically disabling the display while enabling the ambient light sensor may be implemented using a display driver integrated circuit mounted to a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian R. Land, Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur, Terry Gilton, Paul S. Drzaic, Wei H. Yao
  • Publication number: 20140213323
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user's head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to user hair color and smudges on the proximity sensor can be accommodated by using an electrical sensing mechanism in addition to the light sensing mechanism. The proximity sensor may include a pair of capacitive electrodes for generating an electric field in the vicinity of the device. The presence of a user's head can sufficiently disturb the electric field so as to produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur, Anant Rai, David Lukofsky
  • Publication number: 20140191110
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a touch screen display that is controlled based on information from a proximity sensor attached underneath a display layer. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits infrared light and a light detector that detects reflected infrared light. When the electronic device is in the vicinity of a user's head, the proximity sensor may produce data indicative of the presence of the user's head. Variations in proximity sensor output due to smudges on the proximity sensor can be detected by providing the proximity sensor with an additional light source. The additional light source may be used to inject light into the display layer. The injected light may be guided within the display layer by total internal reflection. In the presence of smudge, the internally reflecting light may deviate from its normal propagation path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur
  • Publication number: 20140132158
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided that has a display. The display may produce light using a backlight unit or using an array of light-emitting display pixels. An ambient light sensor may be mounted under an active area of the display to measure ambient light that is transmitted through the display. The display may be periodically disabled to prevent the display from producing light that interferes with the ambient light sensor. Display pixels may be coupled to a common cathode switch that can be periodically opened or the backlight in a display with a backlight can be periodically turned off. Control circuitry for periodically disabling the display while enabling the ambient light sensor may be implemented using a display driver integrated circuit mounted to a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian R. Land, Prashanth S. S. Holenarsipur, Terry Gilton, Paul S. Drzaic, Wei H. Yao