Patents by Inventor Sumant Ranganathan

Sumant Ranganathan 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: 11677255
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter can include a coil, an inverter coupled to the coil, and control circuitry coupled to the inverter that, responsive to receiving a burst request pulse from a wireless power receiver, initiates inverter operation, driving the coil and powering the receiver. The control circuitry can operate inverter switches so bandwidth of the wireless power transfer signal falls within a specified range by: (a) extending a minimum on time of the switches, (b) modifying pulse width modulation (PWM) drive signals supplied to the switches to shape a coil current burst envelope, and/or (c) modifying PWM signal amplitude supplied to the switches. Modifying the PWM drive signals can include using a symmetrical PWM scheme in which the positive and negative pulses are symmetrical in width on a cycle-by-cycle basis or using a complementary PWM scheme in which the positive and negative pulse widths are complementary on a cycle-by-cycle basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ye Li, Antoin J. Russell, Stephen C. Terry, Adam L. Schwartz, Sumant Ranganathan, Gianpaolo Lisi
  • Publication number: 20230170717
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter can include a coil, an inverter coupled to the coil, and control circuitry coupled to the inverter that, responsive to receiving a burst request pulse from a wireless power receiver, initiates inverter operation, driving the coil and powering the receiver. The control circuitry can operate inverter switches so bandwidth of the wireless power transfer signal falls within a specified range by: (a) extending a minimum on time of the switches, (b) modifying pulse width modulation (PWM) drive signals supplied to the switches to shape a coil current burst envelope, and/or (c) modifying PWM signal amplitude supplied to the switches. Modifying the PWM drive signals can include using a symmetrical PWM scheme in which the positive and negative pulses are symmetrical in width on a cycle-by-cycle basis or using a complementary PWM scheme in which the positive and negative pulse widths are complementary on a cycle-by-cycle basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Ye Li, Antoin J. Russell, Stephen C. Terry, Adam L. Schwartz, Sumant Ranganathan, Gianpaolo Lisi
  • Patent number: 11614788
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can sense touch on its touch screen while in a sleep state in a manner that allows the electronic device to respond to certain touch inputs, while consuming less power due to touch sensing than while in an awake state. For example, sensing touch during the sleep state can allow the electronic device to wake (e.g., transition from the sleep state to the awake state) in response to detecting a certain touch input (e.g., a tap or other touch input) on its touch screen while in the sleep state. Various ways for the electronic device to sense touch during the sleep state are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taif A. Syed, Bingrui Yang, Christopher Tenzin Mullens, Sumant Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 11561647
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel is disclosed. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a plurality of touch node electrodes. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a touch controller configured to drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a fully bootstrapped configuration to obtain a fully bootstrapped touch image, drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a second configuration, different from the fully bootstrapped configuration, to obtain a second touch image, the second touch image including an effect of water on the touch sensor panel, and determine a final touch image based on the fully bootstrapped touch image and the second touch image, the final touch image not including the effect of the water on the touch sensor panel. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a mutual capacitance configuration. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a partially bootstrapped configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yingxuan Li, Weijun Yao, Vivek Pant, Martin Paul Grunthaner, Marduke Yousefpor, Sumant Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20220336143
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to wireless power systems that include a ferromagnetic core formed of nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite. The wireless power systems can have reduced saturation and/or lossiness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Zelin Xu, Sumant Ranganathan, Matthew J. Chabalko, Nan Liu, Eric X. Zhou
  • Publication number: 20220137693
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can sense touch on its touch screen while in a sleep state in a manner that allows the electronic device to respond to certain touch inputs, while consuming less power due to touch sensing than while in an awake state. For example, sensing touch during the sleep state can allow the electronic device to wake (e.g., transition from the sleep state to the awake state) in response to detecting a certain touch input (e.g., a tap or other touch input) on its touch screen while in the sleep state. Various ways for the electronic device to sense touch during the sleep state are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Taif A. SYED, Bingrui YANG, Christopher Tenzin MULLENS, Sumant RANGANATHAN
  • Patent number: 11226668
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can sense touch on its touch screen while in a sleep state in a manner that allows the electronic device to respond to certain touch inputs, while consuming less power due to touch sensing than while in an awake state. For example, sensing touch during the sleep state can allow the electronic device to wake (e.g., transition from the sleep state to the awake state) in response to detecting a certain touch input (e.g., a tap or other touch input) on its touch screen while in the sleep state. Various ways for the electronic device to sense touch during the sleep state are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taif A. Syed, Bingrui Yang, Christopher Tenzin Mullens, Sumant Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 11159054
    Abstract: A power system has a wireless power transmitting device and a wireless power receiving device. Coils in the transmitting device may include a circular coil overlapped by first and second rectangular coils at a charging surface. The rectangular coils each include straight segments extending over a central region of the circular coil. Control circuitry can activate the circular coil to transmit wireless power to a first type of wireless power receiving coil using vertical components of the magnetic field generated by the circular coil. The control circuitry can activate the rectangular coils to transmit wireless power to a second type of wireless power receiving coil using horizontal components of the magnetic field generated by the rectangular coils. The circular and rectangular coils wirelessly charge the power receiving device while located at the same position on the charging surface, regardless of the type of wireless power receiving coil that is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Pinciuc, Dmitry Berdnikov, Jukka-pekka J. Sjoeroos, Sumant Ranganathan, Weihong Qiu, Zaki Moussaoui
  • Patent number: 11137858
    Abstract: Location-based swing compensation for touch sensor panels can improve touch sensing performance. Due to differences in impedance characteristics of touch nodes at different locations in a touch sensor panel (due to differences in routing to touch nodes and due to differences in impedance with respect to ground (loading effects) of touch nodes), touch nodes can have non-uniform bandwidth characteristics which can manifest as non-uniform signal and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) across the touch sensor panel. Additionally, the non-uniform signal can reduce the effectiveness of bootstrapping. Swing compensated stimulation signals can be applied to various touch nodes based on location and/or impedance characteristics of the various touch nodes. For example, the stimulation voltage can be increased for touch nodes with longer and/or thinner routing traces so that the signal at the touch node can be uniform with other touch nodes whose routing may be shorter and/or thicker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Lin, Shwetabh Verma, Sumant Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20210173466
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can sense touch on its touch screen while in a sleep state in a manner that allows the electronic device to respond to certain touch inputs, while consuming less power due to touch sensing than while in an awake state. For example, sensing touch during the sleep state can allow the electronic device to wake (e.g., transition from the sleep state to the awake state) in response to detecting a certain touch input (e.g., a tap or other touch input) on its touch screen while in the sleep state. Various ways for the electronic device to sense touch during the sleep state are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Taif A. SYED, Bingrui YANG, Christopher Tenzin MULLENS, Sumant RANGANATHAN
  • Patent number: 10928881
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can sense touch on its touch screen while in a sleep state in a manner that allows the electronic device to respond to certain touch inputs, while consuming less power due to touch sensing than while in an awake state. For example, sensing touch during the sleep state can allow the electronic device to wake (e.g., transition from the sleep state to the awake state) in response to detecting a certain touch input (e.g., a tap or other touch input) on its touch screen while in the sleep state. Various ways for the electronic device to sense touch during the sleep state are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taif A. Syed, Bingrui Yang, Christopher Tenzin Mullens, Sumant Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20200341585
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel is disclosed. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a plurality of touch node electrodes. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a touch controller configured to drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a fully bootstrapped configuration to obtain a fully bootstrapped touch image, drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a second configuration, different from the fully bootstrapped configuration, to obtain a second touch image, the second touch image including an effect of water on the touch sensor panel, and determine a final touch image based on the fully bootstrapped touch image and the second touch image, the final touch image not including the effect of the water on the touch sensor panel. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a mutual capacitance configuration. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a partially bootstrapped configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Yingxuan LI, Weijun YAO, Vivek PANT, Martin Paul GRUNTHANER, Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Sumant RANGANATHAN
  • Patent number: 10768746
    Abstract: Improved sensing can include modified sampling and/or processing to improve performance against noise due to environmental variations and interference. In some examples, improved interference rejection can be achieved by sampling a sensor multiple times during settled periods. In some examples, the excitation signal and sampling window can be dynamically adjusted to satisfy drift and/or interference specifications based on various operating conditions or the operating environment. In some examples, drift performance can be traded off to improve interference performance. In some examples, improved immunity to environmental variations can be achieved by equalizing sensor outputs in accordance with characterization of the sensing system. In some examples, improved performance can be achieved by sampling the sensor continuously and using an optimized window function to improve performance against noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Pant, Sumant Ranganathan, Moshe Malkin
  • Patent number: 10712867
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel is disclosed. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a plurality of touch node electrodes. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a touch controller configured to drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a fully bootstrapped configuration to obtain a fully bootstrapped touch image, drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a second configuration, different from the fully bootstrapped configuration, to obtain a second touch image, the second touch image including an effect of water on the touch sensor panel, and determine a final touch image based on the fully bootstrapped touch image and the second touch image, the final touch image not including the effect of the water on the touch sensor panel. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a mutual capacitance configuration. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a partially bootstrapped configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yingxuan Li, Weijun Yao, Vivek Pant, Martin Paul Grunthaner, Marduke Yousefpor, Sumant Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20200036229
    Abstract: A power system has a wireless power transmitting device and a wireless power receiving device. Coils in the transmitting device may include a circular coil overlapped by first and second rectangular coils at a charging surface. The rectangular coils each include straight segments extending over a central region of the circular coil. Control circuitry can activate the circular coil to transmit wireless power to a first type of wireless power receiving coil using vertical components of the magnetic field generated by the circular coil. The control circuitry can activate the rectangular coils to transmit wireless power to a second type of wireless power receiving coil using horizontal components of the magnetic field generated by the rectangular coils. The circular and rectangular coils wirelessly charge the power receiving device while located at the same position on the charging surface, regardless of the type of wireless power receiving coil that is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher M. Pinciuc, Dmitry Berdnikov, Jukka-pekka J. Sjoeroos, Sumant Ranganathan, Weihong Qiu, Zaki Moussaoui
  • 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: 10310667
    Abstract: Electrode configurations for reducing wobble error for a stylus translating on a surface of a touch sensor panel is disclosed. Electrodes associated with a more linear signal profile can correlate to lower wobble error. In some examples, electrodes can be configured such that the signal profile associated with each electrode is spread to be wider, and thus, more linear. In some configurations, electrodes can include two or more bars extending along the length of the electrode with each bar electrically connected to one another at one or both ends. Bars can be of non-uniform width or spacing. Some configurations can include a “split bar,” which can divide a bar lengthwise in order to improve optical uniformity. In some examples, electrodes can include projections which can interleave with corresponding projections in adjacent electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandre Gourevitch, Albert Lin, Isaac Chan, Martin Paul Grunthaner, Prathit Bugnait, Seyed Mohammad Navidpour, Sumant Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20190095006
    Abstract: Power consumption of touch sensing operations for touch sensitive devices can be reduced by implementing a coarse scan (e.g., banked common mode scan) to coarsely detect the presence or absence of an object touching or proximate to a touch sensor panel and the results of the coarse scan can be used to dynamically adjust the operation of the touch sensitive device to perform or not perform a fine scan (e.g., targeted active mode scan). In some examples, the results of the coarse scan can be used to program a touch controller for the next touch sensing frame to idle when no touch event is detected or to perform a fine scan when one or more touch events are detected. In some examples, the results of the coarse scan can be used to abort a scheduled fine scan during the current touch sensing frame when no touch event is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Shahrooz SHAHPARNIA, Christopher Tenzin MULLENS, Martin Paul GRUNTHANER, Adam GEBOFF, Vivek PANT, Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Christoph H. KRAH, Shwetabh VERMA, Sumant RANGANATHAN
  • Publication number: 20180275824
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel is disclosed. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a plurality of touch node electrodes. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a touch controller configured to drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a fully bootstrapped configuration to obtain a fully bootstrapped touch image, drive and sense the plurality of touch node electrodes in a second configuration, different from the fully bootstrapped configuration, to obtain a second touch image, the second touch image including an effect of water on the touch sensor panel, and determine a final touch image based on the fully bootstrapped touch image and the second touch image, the final touch image not including the effect of the water on the touch sensor panel. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a mutual capacitance configuration. In some examples, the second configuration comprises a partially bootstrapped configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Yingxuan LI, Weijun YAO, Vivek PANT, Martin Paul GRUNTHANER, Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Sumant RANGANATHAN
  • Patent number: 10067618
    Abstract: Power consumption of touch sensing operations for touch sensitive devices can be reduced by implementing one or more coarse scans to coarsely detect the presence or absence of an object touching or proximate to a touch sensor panel and dynamically adjusting the operation of the touch sensitive device to perform or not perform one or more steps of a fine scan based on the results of the one or more coarse scans. In some examples, the fine scan can be scheduled, and one or more steps of the fine scan can be aborted when no touch is detected at touch sensors scanned during the one or more steps. Sense channels unused due to the aborted fine scan steps can be powered down during aborted fine scan steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shwetabh Verma, Shahrooz Shahparnia, Sumant Ranganathan, Vivek Pant