Patents by Inventor Scott Wallace Miller

Scott Wallace Miller 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).

  • Increasing sensitivity of a probe sensor for lens position
    Patent number: 11910088
    Abstract: Increases to the sensitivity of a probe magnet sensor are implemented for a camera lens. Probe magnet sensors may be located on carrier of a surface of an actuator coil to reduce the distance between the probe magnet sensor and a probe magnet mounted on an optics component that includes the camera lens. A probe magnet may be located within the camera so that the flux region of the probe magnet does not overlap with a flux region of a drive magnet for an actuator of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott Wallace Miller
  • Increasing Sensitivity of a Probe Sensor for Lens Position
    Publication number: 20220021811
    Abstract: Increases to the sensitivity of a probe magnet sensor are implemented for a camera lens. Probe magnet sensors may be located on carrier of a surface of an actuator coil to reduce the distance between the probe magnet sensor and a probe magnet mounted on an optics component that includes the camera lens. A probe magnet may be located within the camera so that the flux region of the probe magnet does not overlap with a flux region of a drive magnet for an actuator of the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott Wallace Miller
  • Increasing sensitivity of a probe sensor for lens position
    Patent number: 11140321
    Abstract: Increases to the sensitivity of a probe magnet sensor are implemented for a camera lens. Probe magnet sensors may be located on carrier of a surface of an actuator coil to reduce the distance between the probe magnet sensor and a probe magnet mounted on an optics component that includes the camera lens. A probe magnet may be located within the camera so that the flux region of the probe magnet does not overlap with a flux region of a drive magnet for an actuator of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott Wallace Miller
  • Blunting optical suspension springs for particle reduction
    Patent number: 11019266
    Abstract: A suspension spring may suspend an optical component for a camera or other device that implements the optical component to focus light being captured by an image sensor. The suspension spring may move along with the optical component that it suspends as a result of manual or automated focus changes that change the position of the optical component along an optical axis. The suspension spring may make contact with surfaces of other components or materials in the cameras or other systems. Those surfaces of the suspension spring that can make contact may be blunted to prevent the generation of loose particles that can interfere with the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary W. Birnbaum, Scott Wallace Miller
  • INCREASING SENSITIVITY OF A PROBE SENSOR FOR LENS POSITION
    Publication number: 20200106962
    Abstract: Increases to the sensitivity of a probe magnet sensor are implemented for a camera lens. Probe magnet sensors may be located on carrier of a surface of an actuator coil to reduce the distance between the probe magnet sensor and a probe magnet mounted on an optics component that includes the camera lens. A probe magnet may be located within the camera so that the flux region of the probe magnet does not overlap with a flux region of a drive magnet for an actuator of the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott Wallace Miller