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).

  • Patent number: 8552998
    Abstract: Multi-touch touch-sensing devices and methods are described herein. The touch sensing devices can include multiple sense points, each located at a crossing of a drive line and a sense line. In some embodiments, multiple drive lines may be simultaneously or nearly simultaneously stimulated with drive signals having unique characteristics, such as phase or frequency. A sense signal can occur on each sense line that can be related to the drive signals by an amount of touch present at sense points corresponding to the stimulated drive lines and the sense line. By using processing techniques based on the unique drive signals, an amount of touch corresponding to each sense point can be extracted from the sense signal. The touch sensing methods and devices can be incorporated into interfaces for a variety of electronic devices such as a desktop, tablet, notebook, and handheld computers, personal digital assistants, media players, and mobile telephones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, John Greer Elias, Kapil Vinod Sakariya
  • Publication number: 20130241847
    Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing gestures with sensing devices are disclosed. More particularly, methods and systems related to gesturing with multipoint sensing devices are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Joshua H. Shaffer, Steven P. Hotelling, Myra Haggerty, Nima Parivar, Duncan Robert Kerr, Wayne Westerman
  • Publication number: 20130221988
    Abstract: Methods and devices for testing flex cable shielding of a consumer electronic device are provided. In one example, a method may include applying a signal across a first portion of the flex cable shielding and a second portion of the flex cable shielding. The method may also include detecting a parameter associated with the signal. The method may include determining a health of the flex cable shielding based at least partially on the detected parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Martin P. Grunthaner, Jean-Marie Bussat, Benjamin B. Lyon, Steven P. Hotelling, Albert Lin
  • Publication number: 20130154998
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a housing in which components such as a display are mounted. A strain gauge may be mounted on a layer of the display such as a cover layer or may be mounted on a portion of the housing or other support structure. The layer of material on which the strain gauge is mounted may be configured to flex in response to pressure applied by a finger of a user. The strain gauge may serve as a button for the electronic device or may form part of other input circuitry. A differential amplifier and analog-to-digital converter circuit may be used to gather and process strain gauge signals. The strain gauge may be formed form variable resistor structures that make up part of a bridge circuit that is coupled to the differential amplifier. The bridge circuit may be configured to reduce the impact of capacitively coupled noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Bingrui Yang, Martin P. Grunthaner, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 8456450
    Abstract: An AC-to-DC adapter may be provided in order to increase the sensitivity of a touch-sensitive surface. Such an AC-to-DC adapter may include a rectifying circuit to rectify incoming AC signals. The rectifying circuit may take the form of a diode bridge network that includes four diode branches. Stabilization circuits may be provided in parallel with each diode branch in order to decrease the impedance of the diode bridge network during particular periods of operation. The stabilization circuits may be configured such that the impedance of the diode bridge network is substantially constant during all periods of operation. As a result, the impedance of the AC-to-DC adapter may be relatively constant during all periods of operation. In turn, the sensitivity of a touch-sensitive surface of a device being powered by such an AC-to-DC adapter may increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Land, Steven P. Hotelling, Gus Pabon, Benjamin B. Lyon
  • Publication number: 20130106813
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with a brightness that is adjusted based on ambient light data from one or more ambient light sensors. An ambient light sensor may be formed from a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate. Sensor structures may be formed in the silicon substrate. Conductive vias or other conductive paths may be used to interconnect sensor structures on a frontside surface of the ambient light sensor to contacts on a backside surface of the ambient light sensor. The ambient light sensor may be mounted on a substrate layer in the electronic device. The substrate layer may be a planar layer of glass or plastic such as a transparent display layer. The contacts of the ambient light sensor may be mounted to corresponding contacts on the surface of the substrate layer. The substrate layer may be a thin-film transistor layer in a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Dong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20130021289
    Abstract: Displays such as organic light-emitting diode displays may be provided with touch sensing capabilities. A touch sensor may be formed from electrodes located on a thin-film encapsulation layer or one or more sides of a polarizer. A single-sided or double-sided touch sensor panel may be attached to the upper or lower surface of a polarizer. Control circuitry may be used to provide control signals to light-emitting diodes in the display using a grid of control lines. The control lines and transparent electrode structures such as indium tin oxide structures formed on a thin-film encapsulation layer or polarizer may be used as electrodes for a touch sensor. Displays may have active regions and inactive peripheral portions. The displays may have edge portions that are bent along a bend axis that is within the active region to form a borderless display. Virtual buttons may be formed on the bent edge portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Steven P. Hotelling, John Z. Zhong, Shih-Chang Chang, Stephen S. Poon
  • Patent number: 8279180
    Abstract: A multipoint touch surface controller is disclosed herein. The controller includes an integrated circuit including output circuitry for driving a capacitive multi-touch sensor and input circuitry for reading the sensor. Also disclosed herein are various noise rejection and dynamic range enhancement techniques that permit the controller to be used with various sensors in various conditions without reconfiguring hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Christoph H. Krah, Brian Quentin Huppi
  • Publication number: 20120113009
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. Palm rest areas are formed by a touchpad disposed on the surface of the base assembly. In an alternative embodiment, a touchpad disposed on the base assembly has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas of the base assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Chris Ligtenberg, Duncan Kerr, Bartley K. Andre, Joshua A. Strickon, Brian Q. Huppi, Imran Chaudhri, Greg Christle, Bas Ording
  • Patent number: 8098233
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. Palm rest areas are formed by a touchpad disposed on the surface of the base assembly. In an alternative embodiment, a touchpad disposed on the base assembly has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas of the base assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Chris Ligtenberg, Duncan Kerr, Bartley K. Andre, Joshua A. Strickon, Brian Q. Huppi, Imran Chaudhri, Greg Christie, Bas Ording
  • Patent number: 8049736
    Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly provides a two layer capacitive trackpad sensor in which an EMI ground grid is interposed among the sensor's capacitive elements on each of its layers. The EMI grid on each of the two layers is electrically coupled via, typically, vias. The described arrangement of sensor elements (capacitor plates) and EMI ground grid traces may be incorporated into a PCB having additional layers (e.g., a four, six or eight layer PCB). If used in this manner, additional vias are provided on the PCB which permit electrical coupling between these “additional layers” and which are electrically isolated from, and shielded by, the EMI ground grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Lyon, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 8023262
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. An input device disposed on the base assembly senses a contact with a portion of the display assembly to detect the display assembly in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Ligtenberg, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20110201381
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity of an object and operate a proximity sensor of a portable device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving an ambient light sensor (ALS) output, and altering, based on the ALS output, an effect of a proximity sensor output on control of a proximity determination. The ALS sensor and the proximity sensor may be located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device. In some cases, the proximity determination may be a proximity of an object to the proximity sensor, and altering the effect may include changing the proximity of the object from a proximity greater than a first threshold to a proximity less than the first threshold. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Scott M. Herz, Roberto G. Yepez, Wayne C. Westerman, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 7957762
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity of an object and operate a proximity sensor of a portable device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving an ambient light sensor (ALS) output, and altering, based on the ALS output, an effect of a proximity sensor output on control of a proximity determination. The ALS sensor and the proximity sensor may be located adjacent to an earpiece of a portable device. In some cases, the proximity determination may be a proximity of an object to the proximity sensor, and altering the effect may include changing the proximity of the object from a proximity greater than a first threshold to a proximity less than the first threshold. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Herz, Roberto G. Yepez, Wayne C. Westerman, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 7874021
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a glove system for operating an electronic device. The glove system may include an inner liner and an outer shell. The liner may be formed from any suitable material, including a material that is thin, electrically conductive, has low thermal conductivity, and/or has an “anti-sticky” finish. The outer shell may include at least one aperture through which the inner liner may extend to operate the input mechanism of an electronic device (e.g., on at least one finger tip). In some embodiments, the aperture may be at a finger tip of the outer shell. In some embodiments, a closing mechanism may be used to maintain the aperture closed when the user is not operating the electronic device. For example, an elastic ring may surround the aperture such that, in its non-deformed state, the aperture is substantially closed. The user may elastically deform the ring to allow the liner to pass through the outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ashwin Sunder, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 7834855
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. Palm rest areas are formed by a touchpad disposed on the surface of the base assembly. In an alternative embodiment, a touchpad disposed on the base assembly has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas of the base assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Chris Ligtenberg, Duncan Kerr, Bartley K. Andre, Joshua A. Strickon, Brian Q. Huppi, Imran Chaudhri, Greg Christie, Bas Ording
  • Patent number: 7812827
    Abstract: Multi-touch touch-sensing devices and methods are described herein. The touch sensing devices can include multiple sense points, each located at a crossing of a drive line and a sense line. In some embodiments, multiple drive lines may be simultaneously or nearly simultaneously stimulated with drive signals having unique characteristics, such as phase or frequency. A sense signal can occur on each sense line that can be related to the drive signals by an amount of touch present at sense points corresponding to the stimulated drive lines and the sense line. By using processing techniques based on the unique drive signals, an amount of touch corresponding to each sense point can be extracted from the sense signal. The touch sensing methods and devices can be incorporated into interfaces for a variety of electronic devices such as a desktop, tablet, notebook, and handheld computers, personal digital assistants, media players, and mobile telephones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, John Greer Elias, Kapil Vinod Sakariya
  • Patent number: 7719522
    Abstract: An input device and system are described that acquires (measures) raw track pad sensor data and transmits this data to a host computer where it is analyzed by an application executing on one or more host computer central processing units. The resulting input processing architecture provides a track pad input device that is both lower in cost to manufacture and more flexible than prior art track pad input devices. Lower costs may be realized by eliminating the prior art's dedicated track pad hardware for processing sensor data (e.g., a processor and associated firmware memory). Increased flexibility may be realized by providing feature set functionality via software that executes on the host computer. In this architecture, track pad functionality may be modified, updated and enhanced through software upgrade procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Lyon, Stephanie Cinereski, Chad Bronstein, Steven P. Hotelling
  • Patent number: 7656393
    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: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nick King, Duncan Kerr, Paul Herbst, Steven P Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20090315851
    Abstract: A multipoint touch surface controller is disclosed herein. The controller includes an integrated circuit including output circuitry for driving a capacitive multi-touch sensor and input circuitry for reading the sensor. Also disclosed herein are various noise rejection and dynamic range enhancement techniques that permit the controller to be used with various sensors in various conditions without reconfiguring hardware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Steven P. Hotelling, Christoph H. Krah, Brian Quentin Huppi