Apple Inc.

Ching Yu John Tam

Ryan Jeffrey Du Bois

Nagendra Bage Jayaraj

Richard Hung Minh Dinh

Adam Duckworth Mittleman

Ming Xu

Daniel William Jarvis

Brian Quentin Huppi

Jahan C Minoo

Daniel C Wagman

Christopher Tenzin Mullens

Xingqun Li

Robert D Zupke

Di Zhao

Derek J DiCarlo

Tony Chi Wang Ng

Carlos Ribas

Evan J Thompson

Chi Kin Ho

Roderick D Bacon

Craig C Birrell

Chanh-Duy Nguyen Tran

Surya Musunuri

Eric Steven Jol

Jason S Sloey

Parin Patel

Stanley Rabu

Samuel B Schaevitz

Bridget Bin Wu

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

An electronic device comprising a connector including a plurality of contacts and a liquid detection module coupled to at least one contact in the plurality of contacts. The liquid detection module can be configured to generate and apply a time varying voltage or current to the at least one contact over a range of frequencies, measure complex impedance including phase and magnitude at the at least one contact, and determine whether liquid intrusion has occurred on the contacts based on previously measured signatures of phase and magnitude versus frequency.

Method and system for detecting moisture on a connector contact

One embodiment relates to testing and verifying vibrator motor operation during manufacturing of a device and during in-the-field use. The test relies on an integrated motion sensor or other mechanical measurement circuitry, such as, for example, an accelerometer. In one embodiment, a speed determination for a vibrator motor performance during initial manufacture of the device. Subsequently, when vibration is detected during the in-the-field use, the vibration may be sampled using the integrated mechanical measurement circuitry. Once sampled, a speed may be determined based on a resonance of the sampled signal. Over time, the various speed determinations for the vibrator motor may be analyzed to determine an overall health of the vibrator motor. A threshold for detecting when the overall health of the vibration motor over time has degraded may be predetermined. A notification of a degradation of vibrator motor performance is sent to either a manufacturer or user of the mobile communications device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Vibrator motor speed determination in a mobile communications device

Portable electronic devices are provided. A device may include cover glass with a light mask. The light mask may be microperforated to allow light to pass through the light mask. The microperforations may allow light to pass through the light mask. The devices may include sensors and light emitters that receive and transmit light through the microperforations. The devices may include a variable cantilever spring as part of a button assembly. The spring may be flattened against itself without exceeding its elastic limit. The devices may include display modules. The display module may include structures that block light from leaking out of the module. The structures may include opaque tapes, opaque enclosures for the display module, and other suitable structures.

Portable electronic device

A battery includes a battery cell having a pair of cell electrodes that are encased in a laminated pouch. The laminated pouch has a conductive moisture barrier layer that is sandwiched between respective electrically insulating layers. Several terminals are integrated with the pouch, including a first terminal and a second terminal that are directly connected to the first and second cell electrodes, respectively, and a third terminal that is directly connected to the conductive moister barrier layer. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Battery cell with an integrated pouch metal foil terminal

An electronic device having one or more sensors is provided. The sensors may include any suitable type of sensor that emits or receives radiation (e.g., light waves) from the environment. The electronic device may include openings through which radiation may reach the sensors while keeping the sensors hidden from view. In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed underneath an opening used for an audio receiver such that radiation is piped to the sensors using a light path or a chamfered surface along the opening. In some embodiments, the sensors may be embedded in a screen such that the radiation emitted by the sensors exits the screen instead of being reflected on the screen. In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed along the periphery of the display, such that access to the sensors is provided via discontinuities in a gasket used to couple the display to the electronic device.

Hidden sensors in an electronic device

A radiation passing layer has a top surface and a bottom surface below which a proximity sensor is positioned. A visible light opaque layer covers the bottom surface of the radiation passing layer except for an opening therein that allows radiation from the emitter to pass, and scattered radiation to pass to the detector. A radiation shield is between the emitter and the detector, and extends to the bottom of the radiation passing layer. A cold mirror is between the shield and the bottom surface of the radiation passing layer, covering the opening in the opaque layer. A radiation absorber being a separate piece and a different material than the shield provides a radiation seal between the top surface of the shield and the bottom surface of the cold mirror. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Proximity sensor arrangement having a cold mirror in a mobile device

Methods and apparatus for processing user events are provided. In particular, one or more sensor modules and processor modules are provided that can be operated to detect user events, such as the pressing of an otherwise mechanical switch. In many electronic devices, touch display screens are provided to the user for interfacing with the device. These displays often must also include one or more mechanical switches to provide necessary functionality. The functionality, however, comes at the cost of reduced aesthetics, and potentially increased manufacturing costs related to fabricating one or more holes in the display substrate. The sensor module disclosed herein can be configured such that collected pressure data can be focused, such as linear expansion data or deflection data. By collecting two different types of focused data, the apparatus can more accurately determine whether a user event has occurred. Additional types of sensors may also be utilized to provide even more reliable results.

Method and apparatus for receiving user inputs

A switching power supply circuit has a controller, a power switch, and an inductor circuit that is coupled to a power node of the power switch and to a capacitor. The inductor circuit has several discrete component conductors that are connected to each other in parallel and laid out side-by-side and wired such that each of the inductors is oriented with opposite polarity relative to another adjacent one of the inductors. Each inductor has associated first and second traces that are used to wire it to the power node and the capacitor. These traces for one inductor have matched characteristics with those of an adjacent inductor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Switching power supply opposite polarity inductor arrangement

A speaker enclosure includes a gas cavity and an air cavity separated by a flexible membrane. A diaphragm is located roughly in an opening of the enclosure surrounding the gas cavity and attached to the enclosure by an outer suspension member. The enclosure, the flexible membrane, the diaphragm, and the outer suspension member are gas and air impermeable. The enclosure surrounding the air cavity has a vent hole to allow air to travel into and out of the air cavity for barometric pressure equalization of the gas cavity. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Gas filled speaker volume

A radiation passing layer has a top surface and a bottom surface below which a proximity sensor is positioned. A radiation shield is between the emitter and the detector, and extends to the bottom of the radiation passing layer. A radiation absorber being a separate piece and of a different material than the shield is positioned to provide a radiation seal between the top surface of the shield and the bottom surface of the radiation passing layer. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Proximity sensor arrangement in a mobile device

An improved system and method for testing a sensor of a portable electronic device based on expected sensor data and not timing information. The system and method for testing a sensor of a portable electronic device retrieves sensed data from the portable electronic device (i.e. device under test) after the device has traversed a series of test areas or zones. The sensed data is compared against a set of expected sensor data patterns to determine which components of the sensed data correspond to each test area or zone. The sensor of the portable electronic device may be tested based on an association of the test areas or zones with segments of the sensed data.

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Ching Yu John Tam