Patents by Inventor Stephen N. SWEET

Stephen N. SWEET 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: 20220311211
    Abstract: A method of operating a laser includes generating a first signal having a first frequency, and generating a second signal having a second frequency. The first frequency varies in accord with an amplitude of a drive current provided to a laser. The method further includes incrementing or decrementing a count responsive to a relationship between the first frequency and the second frequency; determining the count satisfies a threshold count; and modifying operation of the laser when the count satisfies the threshold count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen N. Sweet, Dong Zheng
  • Patent number: 11150332
    Abstract: An optical sensing system includes a transmitter side and a receiver side, and is configured to be positioned below a display of an electronic device. The transmitter side includes a light emitter, a temperature sensor, and a photodiode. The receiver side includes a photodiode and a temperature sensor. The optical sensing system includes an application-specific integrated circuit that leverages the temperature sensors, the photodiodes, and one or more signal filters such as a high-pass filter to perform multiple field calibrations of the optical sensing system, thereby improving accuracy and precision thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tong Chen, Dong Zheng, Mark T. Winkler, Stephen N. Sweet, Tsu-Hui Lin, Wenrui Cai
  • Patent number: 10871836
    Abstract: A wearable device is disclosed. The wearable device can comprise a housing; a crown; a proximity sensor; and a processor. The crown can be configured to receive input from a user. The proximity sensor can be configured to generate a field of view encompassing a first area adjacent to the housing and further configured to generate an output signal corresponding to whether an object is present within the field of view. The processor can be configured to determine, based on the output signal, whether the input corresponds to an intentional input or an unintentional input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David D. Dashevsky, Prashanth Holenarsipur, Stephen N. Sweet
  • Publication number: 20200159172
    Abstract: A compact crown for an electronic device such as an electronic watch, including a set of wipers capable of determining a rotation angle, rotation direction, or rotation speed, is disclosed. The set of wipers is in contact with at least one resistance member at different angular positions around a rotation axis. The crown may have a group of ground taps disposed along the resistance member and a measured signal may vary based on the position of each wiper as it contacts the at least one resistance member. A compact crown may also include capacitive members and capacitive sensors in order to similarly determine rotation angle, rotation direction, or rotation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Adam T. Clavelle, Christopher M. Werner, Colin M. Ely, Stephen N. Sweet, Sriram Moorthy, Huan Peng
  • Patent number: 10551798
    Abstract: A compact crown for an electronic device such as an electronic watch, including a set of wipers capable of determining a rotation angle, rotation direction, or rotation speed, is disclosed. The set of wipers is in contact with at least one resistance member at different angular positions around a rotation axis. The crown may have a group of ground taps disposed along the resistance member and a measured signal may vary based on the position of each wiper as it contacts the at least one resistance member. A compact crown may also include capacitive members and capacitive sensors in order to similarly determine rotation angle, rotation direction, or rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Adam T. Clavelle, Christopher M. Werner, Colin M. Ely, Stephen N. Sweet, Sriram Moorthy, Huan Peng
  • Publication number: 20200012355
    Abstract: A wearable device is disclosed. The wearable device can comprise a housing; a crown; a proximity sensor; and a processor. The crown can be configured to receive input from a user. The proximity sensor can be configured to generate a field of view encompassing a first area adjacent to the housing and further configured to generate an output signal corresponding to whether an object is present within the field of view. The processor can be configured to determine, based on the output signal, whether the input corresponds to an intentional input or an unintentional input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: David D. DASHEVSKY, Prashanth HOLENARSIPUR, Stephen N. SWEET
  • Patent number: 10503258
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. In some examples, the electronic device comprises a housing and an input mechanism cooperatively engaged with the housing and configured to rotate in a first direction about a rotation axis. In some examples, the electronic device comprises an input sensor configured to sense an input at the input mechanism based on rotation of the input mechanism. In some examples, the electronic device comprises an actuator coupled to the housing and configured to displace the input mechanism. In some examples, the electronic device comprises a force sensor coupled to the input mechanism and configured to sense an input at the input mechanism based on a force applied to the input mechanism along the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Prashanth Holenarsipur, Xingxing Cai, Stephen N. Sweet, Richard Ruh
  • Patent number: 10203662
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an input device having a moveable shaft, a reflective surface, an optical energy transmitter, and optical energy receivers that receive optical energy transmitted by the optical energy transmitter and reflected by the reflective surface. Movement of the moveable shaft changes the optical energy received by the optical energy receivers. The movement or position of the shaft may be determined by analyzing the optical energy received. Detectable movement may include rotation, rotation speed, rotation direction, translation, tilt, displacement, and so on. The optical energy receivers may be configured in concentric rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chin Han Lin, Stephen N. Sweet
  • Publication number: 20170255266
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. In some examples, the electronic device comprises a housing and an input mechanism cooperatively engaged with the housing and configured to rotate in a first direction about a rotation axis. In some examples, the electronic device comprises an input sensor configured to sense an input at the input mechanism based on rotation of the input mechanism. In some examples, the electronic device comprises an actuator coupled to the housing and configured to displace the input mechanism. In some examples, the electronic device comprises a force sensor coupled to the input mechanism and configured to sense an input at the input mechanism based on a force applied to the input mechanism along the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Prashanth HOLENARSIPUR, Xingxing CAI, Stephen N. SWEET, Richard RUH