Patents by Inventor Scott C. Grinker

Scott C. Grinker 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: 12114127
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber and a sound output port to an ambient environment; a transducer positioned within the interior chamber and dividing the interior chamber into a front volume chamber coupling a first side of the transducer to the sound output port and a back volume chamber coupled to a second side of the transducer; and an electromechanical valve comprising a number of flaps operable to open and close a vent to the interior chamber, the front volume chamber or the back volume chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gokhan Hatipoglu, Peter C. Hrudey, Scott C. Grinker, Ankur Jain, Patrick B. Wright
  • Patent number: 12081934
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber and an opening to an environment surrounding the enclosure wall; and a valve comprising a number of sliding actuators operable to open and close the opening to the environment surrounding the enclosure wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gokhan Hatipoglu, Peter C. Hrudey, Scott C. Grinker, Ankur Jain, Patrick B. Wright
  • Publication number: 20240292139
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber containing a transducer and a valve operable to open or close a vent to the interior chamber; and a particle removal mechanism coupled to the valve that is operable to drive particles away from the valve upon application of a current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Scott C. Grinker, Gokhan Hatipoglu, Peter C. Hrudey
  • Publication number: 20240171891
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2024
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Patent number: 11930313
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20230379609
    Abstract: Implementations of the subject technology provide for a microphone in the front volume of a speaker. The speaker and the microphone may be provided in a single speaker assembly. The microphone may be implemented as an error microphone or a feedback microphone. The microphone may be mounted to a speaker frame of the speaker, with a sound-sensitive element of the microphone in the front volume of the speaker on a first side of the speaker frame, and with conductive contacts for the microphone disposed on an opposing second side of the speaker frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Scott C. GRINKER, Ali N. ERGUN, Anthony D. MINERVINI, Claudio NOTARANGELO, Matthew A. DONARSKI
  • Publication number: 20230379637
    Abstract: An in-ear electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that defines an interior chamber surrounding a transducer and an opening from the interior chamber to an ambient environment surrounding the enclosure; and an acoustic valve comprising a driven member coupled to a driving member having a lever and a shape memory alloy operable to cause the driven member to open and close the opening upon application of a current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Richard J. Topliss, Thomas M. Gregory, Scott C. Grinker, Christopher J. Walton, Julia C. Canning, Michael B. Nussbaum
  • Publication number: 20230269507
    Abstract: A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) package comprising: a MEMS package comprising a substrate and a lid coupled to the substrate; a piezoelectric valve coupled to the substrate and comprising a number of movable members operable to be deformed in opposite directions upon application of a voltage to modify an acoustic resistance of an acoustic port; and a first stopper defined by the substrate and a second stopper defined by the lid, the first stopper and the second stopper being aligned with the number of movable members and operable to prevent an undesirable defection of the number of movable members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Guo-Lun LUO, Gokhan HATIPOGLU, Peter C. HRUDEY, Scott C. GRINKER
  • Publication number: 20230171532
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that defines a first chamber, a second chamber and an acoustic opening from the first chamber or the second chamber; and an electroosmotic flow valve operable to open and close the acoustic opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Wilk, Scott C. Grinker, Esge B. Andersen, Onur I. Ilkorur, Peter C. Hrudey, Gokhan Hatipoglu
  • Patent number: 11659317
    Abstract: A user content audio signal is converted into sound that is delivered into an ear canal of a wearer of an in-ear speaker, while the in-ear speaker is sealing off the ear canal against ambient sound leakage. An acoustic or venting valve in the in-ear speaker is automatically signaled to open, so that sound inside the ear canal is allowed to travel out into an ambient environment through the valve, while activating conversion of an ambient content audio signal into sound for delivery into the ear canal. Both user content and ambient content are heard by the wearer. The ambient content audio signal is digitally processed so that certain frequency components have been gain adjusted, based on an equalization profile, so as to compensate for some of the insertion loss that is due to the in-ear speaker blocking the ear canal. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Scott C. Grinker
  • Publication number: 20230086021
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber and an opening to an environment surrounding the enclosure wall; and a valve comprising a number of sliding actuators operable to open and close the opening to the environment surrounding the enclosure wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Gokhan Hatipoglu, Peter C. Hrudey, Scott C. Grinker, Ankur Jain, Patrick B. Wright
  • Publication number: 20230093626
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprising: an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber and a sound output port to an ambient environment; a transducer positioned within the interior chamber and dividing the interior chamber into a front volume chamber coupling a first side of the transducer to the sound output port and a back volume chamber coupled to a second side of the transducer; and an electromechanical valve comprising a number of flaps operable to open and close a vent to the interior chamber, the front volume chamber or the back volume chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Gokhan Hatipoglu, Peter C. Hrudey, Scott C. Grinker, Ankur Jain, Patrick B. Wright
  • Patent number: 11589150
    Abstract: A portable acoustic device comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity, the device housing comprising a speaker housing portion and a stem portion extending away from the speaker housing portion; a first acoustic port formed through a wall of the speaker housing; an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing portion and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic first port; a battery disposed within the speaker housing portion and positioned an opposite side of the audio driver than the acoustic port; an antenna disposed in the stem; a user input region disposed along the stem; and a system in a chip disposed in the stem, the system in a chip comprising: a processor that controls operation of the portable wireless acoustic device, charging circuitry, an accelerometer, a wireless communication controller, support components for the antenna and support components for the user input region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Arun D. Chawan, Julia C. Canning, Michael B. Minerbi, Pengchuan Wang, Kyle Tse, Brian R. Twehues, Sean T. Bong, Eric X. Zhou, Ethan L. Huwe, Scott C. Grinker, Haochuan Sang, Martin Kuster, Sean J. Docherty, Ryan Buck, Yuta Kuboyama
  • Patent number: 11589152
    Abstract: An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Craig M. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20220386016
    Abstract: A user content audio signal is converted into sound that is delivered into an ear canal of a wearer of an in-ear speaker, while the in-ear speaker is sealing off the ear canal against ambient sound leakage. An acoustic or venting valve in the in-ear speaker is automatically signaled to open, so that sound inside the ear canal is allowed to travel out into an ambient environment through the valve, while activating conversion of an ambient content audio signal into sound for delivery into the ear canal. Both user content and ambient content are heard by the wearer. The ambient content audio signal is digitally processed so that certain frequency components have been gain adjusted, based on an equalization profile, so as to compensate for some of the insertion loss that is due to the in-ear speaker blocking the ear canal. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventor: Scott C. Grinker
  • Patent number: 11445290
    Abstract: A method performed by an in-ear headphone that includes a speaker and an internal microphone. The method receives a microphone signal from the internal microphone that indicates a current sound pressure level (SPL) in an ear canal of a user. The current SPL is a result of a control leak from the in-ear headphone into an ambient environment that reduces a SPL in the ear canal between 2 dB and 25 dB at a frequency within a frequency range than if otherwise not present. The method determines an active noise cancellation (ANC) filter based on the microphone signal and generates an anti-noise signal using the ANC filter. The method drives the speaker using the anti-noise signal to reduce the current SPL in the ear canal of the user as much as 25 dB at a frequency within the frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Scott C. Grinker, Vladan Bajic, Brian D. Clark, Tom-Davy W. Saux, Hanchi Chen
  • Publication number: 20220217460
    Abstract: An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Craig M. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20220217462
    Abstract: A portable acoustic device comprising: a device housing that defines an internal cavity, the device housing comprising a speaker housing portion and a stem portion extending away from the speaker housing portion; a first acoustic port formed through a wall of the speaker housing; an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing portion and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic first port; a battery disposed within the speaker housing portion and positioned an opposite side of the audio driver than the acoustic port; an antenna disposed in the stem; a user input region disposed along the stem; and a system in a chip disposed in the stem, the system in a chip comprising: a processor that controls operation of the portable wireless acoustic device, charging circuitry, an accelerometer, a wireless communication controller, support components for the antenna and support components for the user input region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Lee M. Panecki, Arun D. Chawan, Julia C. Canning, Michael B. Minerbi, Pengchuan Wang, Kyle Tse, Brian R. Twehues, Sean T. Bong, Eric X. Zhou, Ethan L. Huwe, Scott C. Grinker, Haochuan Sang, Martin Kuster, Sean J. Docherty, Ryan Buck, Yuta Kuboyama
  • Patent number: 11336986
    Abstract: A user content audio signal is converted into sound that is delivered into an ear canal of a wearer of an in-ear speaker, while the in-ear speaker is sealing off the ear canal against ambient sound leakage. An acoustic or venting valve in the in-ear speaker is automatically signaled to open, so that sound inside the ear canal is allowed to travel out into an ambient environment through the valve, while activating conversion of an ambient content audio signal into sound for delivery into the ear canal. Both user content and ambient content are heard by the wearer. The ambient content audio signal is digitally processed so that certain frequency components have been gain adjusted, based on an equalization profile, so as to compensate for some of the insertion loss that is due to the in-ear speaker blocking the ear canal. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Scott C. Grinker
  • Publication number: 20220141566
    Abstract: A low-profile earbud is disclosed that sits securely within an ear of a user. The earbud includes a protruding portion that passes through a channel defined by the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can take the form of a cable configured to supply power and transfer data to the earbud. In some embodiments, the protruding portion can provide additional space for electrical components and sensors supporting the earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Glenn K. Trainer, Scott C. Grinker, Ethan L. Huwe, Craig M. Stanley