Patents by Inventor Roderick D. Bacon

Roderick D. Bacon 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).

  • Corrosion mitigation for an external connector of an electronic device
    Patent number: 11095119
    Abstract: A voltage of a first pin that is one of several pins of an external connector of a system is measured, while the first pin is un-driven except for being pulled to ground through a first resistance, and a second pin of the external connector is being used as a power supply rail of the system. The measured voltage is compared to a short circuit threshold and in response to that threshold being exceeded, the power supply voltage on the second pin is reduced. In such an embodiment, no test stimulus needs to be applied to any of the pins of the external connector. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Roderick D. Bacon, Nagendra Bage Jayaraj, Derek J. DiCarlo, Chi Kin Ho, Xingqun Li, Jahan C. Minoo, Surya Musunuri, Tony Chi Wang Ng, Carlos Ribas, Ching Yu John Tam, Evan J. Thompson, Daniel C. Wagman, Di Zhao, Robert D. Zupke
  • CORROSION MITIGATION FOR AN EXTERNAL CONNECTOR OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE
    Publication number: 20190173276
    Abstract: A voltage of a first pin that is one of several pins of an external connector of a system is measured, while the first pin is un-driven except for being pulled to ground through a first resistance, and a second pin of the external connector is being used as a power supply rail of the system. The measured voltage is compared to a short circuit threshold and in response to that threshold being exceeded, the power supply voltage on the second pin is reduced. In such an embodiment, no test stimulus needs to be applied to any of the pins of the external connector. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Roderick D. Bacon, Nagendra Bage Jayaraj, Derek J. DiCarlo, Chi Kin Ho, Xingqun Li, Jahan C. Minoo, Surya Musunuri, Tony Chi Wang Ng, Carlos Ribas, Ching Yu John Tam, Evan J. Thompson, Daniel C. Wagman, Di Zhao, Robert D. Zupke
  • Corrosion mitigation for an external connector of an electronic device
    Patent number: 10236683
    Abstract: A voltage of a first pin that is one of several pins of an external connector of a system is measured, while the first pin is un-driven except for being pulled to ground through a first resistance, and a second pin of the external connector is being used as a power supply rail of the system. The measured voltage is compared to a short circuit threshold and in response to that threshold being exceeded, the power supply voltage on the second pin is reduced. In such an embodiment, no test stimulus needs to be applied to any of the pins of the external connector. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Roderick D. Bacon, Nagendra Bage Jayaraj, Derek J. DiCarlo, Chi Kin Ho, Xingqun Li, Jahan C. Minoo, Surya Musunuri, Tony Chi Wang Ng, Carlos Ribas, Ching Yu John Tam, Evan J. Thompson, Daniel C. Wagman, Di Zhao, Robert D. Zupke
  • Corrosion Mitigation for an External Connector of an Electronic Device
    Publication number: 20170358922
    Abstract: A voltage of a first pin that is one of several pins of an external connector of a system is measured, while the first pin is un-driven except for being pulled to ground through a first resistance, and a second pin of the external connector is being used as a power supply rail of the system. The measured voltage is compared to a short circuit threshold and in response to that threshold being exceeded, the power supply voltage on the second pin is reduced. In such an embodiment, no test stimulus needs to be applied to any of the pins of the external connector. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Roderick D. Bacon, Nagendra Bage Jayaraj, Derek J. DiCarlo, Chi Kin Ho, Xingqun Li, Jahan C. Minoo, Surya Musunuri, Tony Chi Wang Ng, Carlos Ribas, Ching Yu John Tam, Evan J. Thompson, Daniel C. Wagman, Di Zhao, Robert D. Zupke