Apple Inc.

Bradford J Zercoe

Craig C Leong

Dinesh C Mathew

Robert Y Cao

Keith J Hendren

Bruce E Berg

Zheng Gao

Paul Xiaopeng Wang

Victor H Yin

Jun Qi

Matthew Phillip Casebolt

John M Brock

Rong Liu

Ryan P Brooks

Eric Andrew Knopf

Thai Quoc La

Mahesh Krishnamurthi

Matthew Emanuel Last

Alex Joseph Lehmann

Malcolm J Northcott

Irene Perali

Arthur Yasheng Zhang

James J Niu

Matthew William Blum

Jack E Graves

Nicholas Isaac Reid

Athena Yeh Huang

Samuel E Vinci

Arjun N Venkatesh

Aaron W Julin

An electronic device includes a first portion, a joint, a second portion adjustably connected to the first portion at the joint, a cable extending from the first portion to the second portion through the joint, and a processor electrically connected to the cable and a memory component storing electronic instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure to the electronic device to transmit data through the cable, the data having a bit error rate, and determine a position of the first portion relative to the second portion based on the bit error rate.

Position sensor

A light-emitting assembly positioned within a switch housing of a keyboard assembly for an electronic device is disclosed. The light-emitting assembly may include a phosphor structure, a transparent material positioned on opposing side surfaces of the phosphor structure, and an epoxy layer formed over an entire back surface of the phosphor structure and the transparent material. The light-emitting assembly may also include a mask layer formed over an entire top surface of: the phosphor structure, the transparent material, and the epoxy layer. The light-emitting assembly may further include a light source positioned within the phosphor structure for emitting a light.

Light-emitting assembly for keyboard

An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.

Keyboard for electronic device

A system such as a vehicle system, building, or electrical equipment may be provided with one or more optical components. The optical components may include a near-infrared camera or other components that operate at near-infrared wavelengths. A visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer may overlap the optical component. The visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer may have an infrared-transparent substrate. A polymer layer may be formed on the substrate and may contain plasmonic nanoparticles that reflect white light. Colorant may be incorporated into the polymer layer or into an additional polymer coating to impart a desired color to the reflected white light and thereby provide the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer with a desired appearance.

Systems with colored infrared-transparent layers

A key mechanism for an electronic device includes a switch housing and a hinged structure. As one example, the hinged structure can be a butterfly hinge. The switch housing includes switch pin retaining mechanisms on opposing sides of the switch housing. The hinged structure includes two separate wings that are positioned adjacent to each other such that a cavity is formed between the two wings. The two wings are coupled together by coupling elements. The wings of the hinged structure can include switch housing pins on each arm of the wing that extend into the cavity and couple to the switch pin retaining mechanisms in the switch housing. Various configurations of switch pin retaining mechanisms and switch housing pins can be used to attach the hinged structure to the switch housing.

Illuminated low-travel key mechanism for a keyboard

A system such as a vehicle system, building, or electrical equipment may be provided with one or more optical components. The optical components may include a near-infrared camera or other components that operate at near-infrared wavelengths. A visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer may overlap the optical component. This overlapping layer may have first and second index-matched layers and an interposed textured layer. The textured layer may be a thin-film interference filter or other coating that is configured to reflect visible light while transmitting infrared light. The transmitted infrared light may pass to the optical component with minimal wavefront distortion due to the index matching of the first and second layers. The texture of the textured layer may cause visible light to reflect diffusely and thereby provide the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer with a matte appearance.

Systems with matte infrared-transparent layers

Keyboard assemblies having reduced thicknesses and methods of forming the same. A keyboard assembly may include a printed circuit board (PCB) and a single membrane sheet adhered directly to the PCB. The single membrane sheet may substantially cover the PCB. The keyboard assembly may also include a group of dome switches coupled directly to the single membrane sheet. Another keyboard assembly may include a group of conductive pads and a group of membrane pads. Each of the group of membrane pads may be adhered directly to a corresponding one of the group of conductive pads. The keyboard assembly may also include a group of dome switches coupled directly to the membrane pads. Each of the group of dome switches may be coupled directly to a corresponding one of the group of membrane pads.

Keyboard assemblies having reduced thickness and method of forming keyboard assemblies

Described is an illumination structure for a key of a keyboard. The illumination structure is used to uniformly illuminate the key and any glyphs that are present on the key. The illumination structure includes a light guide having various features that increase total internal reflection and also illuminate the glyphs of the key.

Illumination structure for uniform illumination of keys

A venting system for a keyboard assembly is disclosed. A keyboard assembly including a printed circuit board defining a set of apertures, and a group of switch housings coupled to the printed circuit board. Each switch housing of the group of switch housings may define a switch opening positioned above one of the set of apertures of the printed circuit board. The keyboard assembly may also include a shield defining at least one channel of a venting system formed below the printed circuit board. The at least one channel may be in fluid communication with at least one aperture, and at least one of the switch openings positioned above the at least one aperture.

Venting system and shield for keyboard

A key and a switch housing for a keyboard assembly is disclosed. A switch housing for the keyboard assembly may include a body having a switch opening and a light source recess formed adjacent the switch opening. The switch opening may house or receive a dome switch for the keyboard assembly and the light source recess may house or receive a light source assembly configured to illuminate a keycap of the keyboard assembly. The switch housing also can include a top panel integrally formed and molded to a portion of the body. The top panel covers the switch opening formed in the body and the top panel is a light guide.

Key and switch housing for keyboard assembly

Keyboard assemblies having reduced thicknesses and method of forming keyboard assemblies

Low-travel key mechanism for an input device

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Bradford J Zercoe