Apple Inc.

Chi Kin Ho

Jahan C Minoo

Daniel C Wagman

Ching Yu John Tam

Xingqun Li

Robert D Zupke

Di Zhao

Derek J DiCarlo

Tony Chi Wang Ng

Evan J Thompson

Carlos Ribas

Nagendra Bage Jayaraj

Roderick D Bacon

Surya Musunuri

Parin Patel

Darya Amin-Shahidi

Stephen Christopher Terry

Denis G Chen

Shingo Yoneoka

Yongxuan Hu

Weiyun Chen

Tristan R Hudson

Adriane S Niehaus

Jonathan A Gordon

Matthew Thomas Metzler

Norah E Nakibuuka

Eric M Innis

Michael S Weinstein

Matthew N Weege

A software defined button includes a force sensor and a haptic output element. The button further includes an immutable logic core and a mutable logic core. The mutable logic core is configured to define one or more thresholds against which input received from the force sensor can be compared to determine whether a user input has been provided. The immutable logic core is configured to verify actual force input has been received when the mutable logic core signals that user input has been received. In response to receiving a verified force input, the haptic output element can be caused to be driven by one of the mutable or immutable logic cores to provide a haptic output to a user.

Secure integrated circuit for smart haptics

A voltage of a first pin that is one of several pins of an external connector of a system is measured, while the first pin is un-driven except for being pulled to ground through a first resistance, and a second pin of the external connector is being used as a power supply rail of the system. The measured voltage is compared to a short circuit threshold and in response to that threshold being exceeded, the power supply voltage on the second pin is reduced. In such an embodiment, no test stimulus needs to be applied to any of the pins of the external connector. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Corrosion mitigation for an external connector of an electronic device

This disclosure describes a system and a method to limit (i.e., regulate) the input power of a power converter as a function of the voltage and/or loading condition of a power-limited source such as a battery. In some embodiments, the power converter may comprise a transconductance amplifier that may produce a sink current to a current mirror, which in turn that may provide an adjusted current limit threshold to the power converter. The power converter may utilize the current limit threshold to perform cycle-by-cycle current limiting, thus regulating the input power drawn from the battery.

Input power limited switching regulator

Growing community of inventors

Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Chi Kin Ho