Patents by Inventor Steven P. Cardinali
Steven P. Cardinali 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).
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Publication number: 20240045383Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall having a through-hole and a crown assembly including an actuation member. The actuation member may include a crown shaft extending through the through-hole and having an exterior portion defining an input surface and a crown ring coupled to the exterior portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may further include an optical encoder component attached to the actuation member and defining a group of optical features. The electronic watch may further include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting motion of the group of optical features and an electrocardiograph sensor comprising a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuation member via a conductive path at least partially defined by the crown shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Inventors: Steven C. Roach, Sameer Pandya, Erik G. de Jong, Erik L. Wang, Peter J. Kardassakis, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 11796968Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall having a through-hole and a crown assembly including an actuation member. The actuation member may include a crown shaft extending through the through-hole and having an exterior portion defining an input surface and a crown ring coupled to the exterior portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may further include an optical encoder component attached to the actuation member and defining a group of optical features. The electronic watch may further include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting motion of the group of optical features and an electrocardiograph sensor comprising a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuation member via a conductive path at least partially defined by the crown shaft.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steven C. Roach, Sameer Pandya, Erik G. de Jong, Erik L. Wang, Peter J. Kardassakis, Steven P. Cardinali
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Publication number: 20230210461Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2023Publication date: July 6, 2023Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 11640144Abstract: A watch can include a user input component that employs an optical sensor to receive input from a user. The input components provide an ability for a user to interact with the watch in a manner similar to how a user would interact with a crown that is rotatable and/or translatable. The user can provide motions and gestures near the input component that the input component can detect and interpret and user inputs to control an aspect of the watch. The motions and gestures provided by the user can be directly detected with optical systems of the input component, so that the number of moving parts are reduced and space within the watch is more efficiently utilized. While providing these benefits, the input component provides a user experience that simulates user interactions with a crown that is rotatable and/or translatable.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2021Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Sameer Pandya, Steven P. Cardinali
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Publication number: 20230098960Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 11432766Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
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Publication number: 20220075327Abstract: A watch can include a user input component that employs an optical sensor to receive input from a user. The input components provide an ability for a user to interact with the watch in a manner similar to how a user would interact with a crown that is rotatable and/or translatable. The user can provide motions and gestures near the input component that the input component can detect and interpret and user inputs to control an aspect of the watch. The motions and gestures provided by the user can be directly detected with optical systems of the input component, so that the number of moving parts are reduced and space within the watch is more efficiently utilized. While providing these benefits, the input component provides a user experience that simulates user interactions with a crown that is rotatable and/or translatable.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Tyler S. BUSHNELL, Sameer PANDYA, Steven P. CARDINALI
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Publication number: 20220043402Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall having a through-hole and a crown assembly including an actuation member. The actuation member may include a crown shaft extending through the through-hole and having an exterior portion defining an input surface and a crown ring coupled to the exterior portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may further include an optical encoder component attached to the actuation member and defining a group of optical features. The electronic watch may further include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting motion of the group of optical features and an electrocardiograph sensor comprising a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuation member via a conductive path at least partially defined by the crown shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Inventors: Steven C. Roach, Sameer Pandya, Erik G. de Jong, Erik L. Wang, Peter J. Kardassakis, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 11209783Abstract: A watch can include a user input component that employs an optical sensor to receive input from a user. The input components provide an ability for a user to interact with the watch in a manner similar to how a user would interact with a crown that is rotatable and/or translatable. The user can provide motions and gestures near the input component that the input component can detect and interpret and user inputs to control an aspect of the watch. The motions and gestures provided by the user can be directly detected with optical systems of the input component, so that the number of moving parts are reduced and space within the watch is more efficiently utilized. While providing these benefits, the input component provides a user experience that simulates user interactions with a crown that is rotatable and/or translatable.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Sameer Pandya, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 11194298Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall having a through-hole and a crown assembly including an actuation member. The actuation member may include a crown shaft extending through the through-hole and having an exterior portion defining an input surface and a crown ring coupled to the exterior portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may further include an optical encoder component attached to the actuation member and defining a group of optical features. The electronic watch may further include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting motion of the group of optical features and an electrocardiograph sensor comprising a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuation member via a conductive path at least partially defined by the crown shaft.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2018Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Steven C. Roach, Sameer Pandya, Erik G. de Jong, Erik L. Wang, Peter J. Kardassakis, Steven P. Cardinali
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Publication number: 20210255590Abstract: An input device includes a movable input surface protruding from an electronic device. The input device enables force inputs along three axes relative to the electronic device: first lateral movements, second lateral movements, and axial movements. The input device includes force or displacement sensors which can detect a direction and magnitude of input forces.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Colin M. Ely, Erik G. De Jong, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 11079812Abstract: A modular button assembly includes a button housing that may be disposed in an opening of an enclosure of an electronic device. The modular button assembly may include an input member that forms an exterior surface of the button housing and is configured to receive inputs, for example from a user of the electronic device. The modular button assembly may further include a sensor for detecting the received inputs and transmitting a signal to a processor of the electronic device. The modular button assembly may be configured such that disposing the button housing in the opening of the enclosure forms a seal that prevents contaminants from entering the button housing and the enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2017Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Colin M. Ely, Erik G. de Jong, Trevor J. Ness, James G. Horiuchi, Steven P. Cardinali
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Publication number: 20210204876Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2021Publication date: July 8, 2021Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 10987054Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2020Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 10962935Abstract: An input device includes a movable input surface protruding from an electronic device. The input device enables force inputs along three axes relative to the electronic device: first lateral movements, second lateral movements, and axial movements. The input device includes force or displacement sensors which can detect a direction and magnitude of input forces.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2018Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Colin M. Ely, Erik G. de Jong, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 10936071Abstract: One embodiment described herein takes the form of a watch, comprising: a housing; a crown comprising: a crown body outside the housing; and a shaft extending from the crown body into the housing; and an actuator coupled to the crown and configured to provide haptic output through the crown.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Erik G. de Jong, Colin M. Ely, Benjamin G. Jackson, Lei Ma, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 10831299Abstract: An input device for an electronic device includes one or more pressure sensors for detecting inputs. In one embodiment, a pressure sensor is operably coupled to a compression chamber and configured to detect changes in pressure in the compression chamber. The changes in pressure in the compression chamber may be registered as inputs by the electronic device. The pressure sensor may be located next to, instead of below, the input member, and therefore, the thickness of the button assembly can be reduced compared to conventional designs.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2017Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: William C. Lukens, Adam T. Clavelle, Steven P. Cardinali
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Publication number: 20200229761Abstract: An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventors: Sameer Pandya, Adam T. Clavelle, Erik G. de Jong, Michael B. Wittenberg, Tobias J. Harrison-Noonan, Martin Melcher, Zhipeng Zhang, Steven C. Roach, Steven P. Cardinali
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Patent number: 10707032Abstract: Electronic devices having input structures that are operative to translate a relatively small travel of an input surface to a larger travel elsewhere. For example, force exerted on an input surface of an input body may cause a corresponding input body to move a first distance. An arm, lever mechanism, or the like may have an end or other portion that moves a second distance in response to the input body's motion. The second distance may be greater than the first; in some embodiments, the second distance may be an order of magnitude or more than the first distance. The travel may close or open a switch in response to the force exerted on the input surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2017Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Colin M. Ely, Daniel William Jarvis, Benjamin J. Pope, Erik G. de Jong, Tyler S. Bushnell, Christopher T. Cheng, Trevor J. Ness, William C. Lukens, Steven P. Cardinali, Robert D. Turner
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Publication number: 20200196945Abstract: A wearable consumer electronic product includes at least a housing arranged to carry operational components comprising a processor and a band having a pliable band body and a securing means arranged to secure the band body to the housing. In one embodiment, the pliable band body has a size and shape suitable for wrapping around an individual appendage and that includes an opening that leads to a cavity within the band body suitable for accumulating an amount of water and a band sensor embedded within the band body in communication with the cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2020Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Steven P. CARDINALI, William C. LUKENS, Katherine E. TONG, Trevor J. NESS