Patents by Inventor Steven P. Hotelling

Steven P. Hotelling 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: 20190369779
    Abstract: A device configured to determine the location and magnitude of a touch on a surface of the device. The device includes a transparent touch sensor that is configured to detect a location of a touch on the transparent touch sensor. The device also includes a force-sensing structure disposed at the periphery of the transparent touch sensor. The force sensor includes an upper capacitive plate and a compressible element disposed on one side of the upper capacitive plate. The force sensor also includes a lower capacitive plate disposed on a side of the compressible element that is opposite the upper capacitive plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Jonah A. Harley, Peter W. Richards, Brian Q. Huppi, Omar Sze Leung, Dhaval N. Shah, Martin P. Grunthaner, Steven P. Hotelling, Miguel C. Christophy, Vivek Katiyar, Tang Yew Tan, Christopher J. Butler, Erik G. De Jong, Ming Sartee, Rui Qiao, Steven J. Martisauskas, Storrs T. Hoen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Lee E. Hooton, Ian A. Spraggs, Sawyer I. Cohen, David A. Pakula
  • Patent number: 10488980
    Abstract: Reduction of the effects of differences in parasitic capacitances in touch screens is provided. A touch screen can include multiple display pixels with stackups that each include a first element and a second element. For example, the first element can be a common electrode, and the second element can be a data line. The display pixels can include a first display pixel including a third element connected to the first element, and the third element can contribute to a first parasitic capacitance between the first and second elements of the first display pixel, for example, by overlapping with the second element. The touch screen can also include a second display pixel lacking the third element. The second display pixel can include a second parasitic capacitance between the first and second elements of the second display pixel. The first and second parasitic capacitances can be substantially equal, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Chang Chang, Steven P. Hotelling, Cheng-Ho Yu
  • Patent number: 10474287
    Abstract: A multi-touch capacitive touch sensor panel can be created using a substrate with column and row traces formed on either side of the substrate. To shield the column (sense) traces from the effects of capacitive coupling from a modulated Vcom layer in an adjacent liquid crystal display (LCD) or any source of capacitive coupling, the row traces can be widened to shield the column traces, and the row traces can be placed closer to the LCD. In particular, the rows can be widened so that there is spacing of about 30 microns between adjacent row traces. In this manner, the row traces can serve the dual functions of driving the touch sensor panel, and also the function of shielding the more sensitive column (sense) traces from the effects of capacitive coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Brian Richards Land
  • Patent number: 10474251
    Abstract: An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Brian Q. Huppi
  • Patent number: 10444918
    Abstract: Touch sensor configurations for reducing electrostatic discharge events in the border area of a touch sensor panel is disclosed. Touch sensors (e.g., electrodes formed on the cover material and/or the opaque mask) can be susceptible to certain events such as arcing and discharge/joule heating, which may negatively affect touch sensor performance. Examples of the disclosure can include increasing the trace width, spacing, and/or thickness in the border area relative to the trace width, spacing, and/or thickness in the visible/active area along one or more sides of the touch sensor panel. In some examples, touch electrodes can be located exclusively in the visible/active areas along one or more sides of the touch sensor panel, while dummy sections can be included in both the border and visible/active areas. Additionally or alternatively, one or more gaps between adjacent touch electrodes in the border area or serpentine routing can be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wencong Zhu, Albert Lin, Alexander A. Penn, Ashray Vinayak Gogte, Chun-Hao Tung, Hao Zhang, Hui Zhou, John Z. Zhong, Steven P. Hotelling, Sudip Mondal, Sumant Ranganathan, Sunggu Kang, Ramachandran Chundru, Viswa B. Pilla
  • Patent number: 10386980
    Abstract: An electronic device has a display and has a touch sensitive bezel surrounding the display. Areas on the bezel are designated for controls used to operate the electronic device. Visual guides corresponding to the controls are displayed on the display adjacent the areas of the bezel designated for the controls. Touch data is generated by the bezel when a user touches an area of the bezel. The device determines which of the controls has been selected based on which designated area is associated with the touch data from the bezel. The device then initiates the determined control. The device can have a sensor for determining the orientation of the device. Based on the orientation, the device can alter the areas designated on the bezel for the controls and can alter the location of the visual guides for the display so that they match the altered areas on the bezel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas King, Duncan Robert Kerr, Paul Herbst, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 10386970
    Abstract: A device configured to determine the location and magnitude of a touch on a surface of the device. The device includes a transparent touch sensor that is configured to detect a location of a touch on the transparent touch sensor. The device also includes a force-sensing structure disposed at the periphery of the transparent touch sensor. The force sensor includes an upper capacitive plate and a compressible element disposed on one side of the upper capacitive plate. The force sensor also includes a lower capacitive plate disposed on a side of the compressible element that is opposite the upper capacitive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonah A. Harley, Peter W. Richards, Brian Q. Huppi, Omar Sze Leung, Dhaval N. Shah, Martin P. Grunthaner, Steven P. Hotelling, Miguel C Christophy, Vivek Katiyar, Tang Yew Tan, Christopher J. Butler, Erik G. de Jong, Ming Sartee, Rui Qiao, Steven J. Martisauskas, Storrs T. Hoen, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Lee E. Hooton, Ian A. Spraggs, Sawyer I. Cohen, David A. Pakula
  • Patent number: 10359813
    Abstract: A touch sensing device is disclosed. The touch sensing device includes one or more multifunctional nodes each of which represents a single touch pixel. Each multifunctional node includes a touch sensor with one or more integrated I/O mechanisms. The touch sensor and integrated I/0 mechanisms share the same communication lines and I/O pins of a controller during operation of the touch sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 10359884
    Abstract: Ground detection of a touch sensitive device is disclosed. The device can detect its grounded state so that poor grounding can be selectively compensated for in touch signals outputted by the device. The device can include one or more components to monitor certain conditions of the device. The device can analyze the monitored conditions to determine the grounding condition of the device. The device can apply a function to compensate its touch signal outputs if the device determines that it is poorly grounded. Conversely, the device can omit the function if the device determines that it is well grounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, David Amm, Michael Lammers, John T. Orchard, Brian Michael King, Omar S. Leung, Deniz Teoman
  • Publication number: 20190213377
    Abstract: Input members with capacitive sensors are disclosed. In one embodiment of an electronic button, a first circuit is configured to capture a fingerprint of a user's finger placed on the electronic button, and a second circuit is configured to sense a force applied to the electronic button by the user's finger. The first circuit is further configured to provide temperature information to compensate for temperature sensitivities of the second circuit, and the second circuit is further configured to provide force information to the first circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Thayne M. Miller, Jean-Marie Bussat, Steven P. Hotelling, Sawyer I. Cohen, Tyler B. Cater
  • Patent number: 10282026
    Abstract: Measuring an effect of body capacitance in a touch sensitive device is disclosed. This effect can be caused by poor grounding of a user or other objects touching the device or of the device itself. The device can operate in a stray capacitance mode to measure a body capacitance effect and in a normal mode to detect a touch on the device. During the stray capacitance mode, the device can obtain a body capacitance measurement from the device. During the normal mode, the device can obtain a touch measurement from the device. The device can calculate a body capacitance factor based on a ratio between the body capacitance measurement and the touch measurement and use the body capacitance factor to compensate for erroneous or distorted touch output values from the device. Various components of the device can be switchably configured according to the particular mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph H. Krah, Steven P. Hotelling, Marduke Yousefpor
  • Patent number: 10262179
    Abstract: Input members with capacitive sensors are disclosed. In one embodiment of an electronic button, a first circuit is configured to capture a fingerprint of a user's finger placed on the electronic button, and a second circuit is configured to sense a force applied to the electronic button by the user's finger. The first circuit is further configured to provide temperature information to compensate for temperature sensitivities of the second circuit, and the second circuit is further configured to provide force information to the first circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thayne M. Miller, Jean-Marie Bussat, Steven P. Hotelling, Sawyer I. Cohen, Tyler B. Cater
  • Publication number: 20190044723
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to biometric authentication, e.g., facial recognition. In some embodiments, a device is configured to verify that image data from a camera unit exhibits a pseudo-random sequence of image capture modes and/or a probing pattern of illumination points (e.g., from lasers in a depth capture mode) before authenticating a user based on recognizing a face in the image data. In some embodiments, a secure circuit may control verification of the sequence and/or the probing pattern. In some embodiments, the secure circuit may verify frame numbers, signatures, and/or nonce values for captured image information. In some embodiments, a device may implement one or more lockout procedures in response to biometric authentication failures. The disclosed techniques may reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of spoofing and/or replay attacks, in some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Deepti S. Prakash, Lucia E. Ballard, Jerrold V. Hauck, Feng Tang, Etai Littwin, Pavan Kumar Ansosalu Vasu, Gideon Littwin, Thorsten Gernoth, Lucie Kucerova, Petr Kostka, Steven P. Hotelling, Eitan Hirsh, Tal Kaitz, Jonathan Pokrass, Andrei Kolin, Moshe Laifenfeld, Matthew C. Waldon, Thomas P. Mensch, Lynn R. Youngs, Christopher G. Zeleznik, Michael R. Malone, Ziv Hendel, Ivan Krstic, Anup K. Sharma
  • Publication number: 20190042718
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to biometric authentication, e.g., facial recognition. In some embodiments, a device is configured to verify that image data from a camera unit exhibits a pseudo-random sequence of image capture modes and/or a probing pattern of illumination points (e.g., from lasers in a depth capture mode) before authenticating a user based on recognizing a face in the image data. In some embodiments, a secure circuit may control verification of the sequence and/or the probing pattern. In some embodiments, the secure circuit may verify frame numbers, signatures, and/or nonce values for captured image information. In some embodiments, a device may implement one or more lockout procedures in response to biometric authentication failures. The disclosed techniques may reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of spoofing and/or replay attacks, in some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Deepti S. Prakash, Lucia E. Ballard, Jerrold V. Hauck, Feng Tang, Etai Littwin, Pavan Kumar Ansosalu Vasu, Gideon Littwin, Thorsten Gernoth, Lucie Kucerova, Petr Kostka, Steven P. Hotelling, Eitan Hirsh, Tal Kaitz, Jonathan Pokrass, Andrei Kolin, Moshe Laifenfeld, Matthew C. Waldon, Thomas P. Mensch, Lynn R. Youngs, Christopher G. Zeleznik, Michael R. Malone, Ziv Hendel, Ivan Krstic, Anup K. Sharma, Kelsey Y. Ho
  • Publication number: 20190035356
    Abstract: An electronic device may have components that experience performance variations as the device changes orientation relative to a user. Changes in the orientation of the device relative to the user can be monitored using a motion sensor. A camera may be used to periodically capture images of a user's eyes. By processing the images to produce accurate orientation information reflecting the position of the user's eyes relative to the device, the orientation of the device tracked by the motion sensor can be periodically updated. The components may include audio components such as microphones and speakers and may include a display with an array of pixels for displaying images. Control circuitry in the electronic device may modify pixel values for the pixels in the array to compensate for angle-of-view-dependent pixel appearance variations based on based on the orientation information from the motion sensor and the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Jiaying Wu, Cheng Chen, Hung A. Pham, Lu Zhang, Paul V. Johnson, See-Ho Tsang, Steven P. Hotelling, Wesley S. Smith
  • Patent number: 10185443
    Abstract: Error compensation of a touch sensing signal is provided. A touch screen can include a drive region that can be driven by a drive signal, and a sense region that can output a sense signal that includes information of a first amount of touch on or near the touch screen and information of a first amount of error. The first amount of touch can be based on the drive signal. The touch screen can include a compensation sensor that can output a compensation signal that includes information of a second amount of error, and an error compensator that can compensate for the first amount of error in the sense signal based on the second amount of error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 10168814
    Abstract: A force sensing device for electronic device. The force inputs may be detected by measuring changes in capacitance, as measured by surface flex of a device having a flexible touchable surface, causing flex at a compressible gap within the device. A capacitive sensor responsive to changes in distance across the compressible gap. The sensor can be positioned above or below, or within, a display element, and above or below, or within, a backlight unit. The device can respond to bending, twisting, or other deformation, to adjust those zero force measurements. The device can use measure of surface flux that appear at positions on the surface not directly the subject of applied force, such as when the user presses on a part of the frame or a surface without capacitive sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Martin P. Grunthaner, Peter W. Richards, Romain A. Teil, Charley T. Ogata, Michael B. Wittenberg
  • Patent number: 10162444
    Abstract: A force-sensitive device for electronic device. The force inputs may be detected by measuring changes in capacitance, as measured by surface flex of a device having a flexible touchable surface, causing flex at a compressible gap within the device. A capacitive sensor responsive to changes in distance across the compressible gap. The sensor can be positioned above or below, or within, a display element, and above or below, or within, a backlight unit. The device can respond to bending, twisting, or other deformation, to adjust those zero force measurements. The device can use measure of surface flux that appear at positions on the surface not directly the subject of applied force, such as when the user presses on a part of the frame or a surface without capacitive sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Charley T. Ogata, Martin P. Grunthaner, Michael B. Wittenberg, Peter W. Richards, Romain A. Teil, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 10156914
    Abstract: An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Brian Q. Huppi
  • Patent number: 10139870
    Abstract: A touch sensing device is disclosed. The touch sensing device includes one or more multifunctional nodes each of which represents a single touch pixel. Each multifunctional node includes a touch sensor with one or more integrated I/O mechanisms. The touch sensor and integrated I/O mechanisms share the same communication lines and I/O pins of a controller during operation of the touch sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Steven P. Hotelling