Apple Inc.

Sundberg-ferar, Inc.

Michael D Hillman

Michael D McBroom

Daniel Lynn McBroom

Brian Thomas Sudderth

Bartley K Andre

Christopher J Stringer

Frank Tsai

Gregory L Tice

Anwyl M McDonald

Jonathan P Ive

Steve P Jobs

Joel Frederic Jensen

Arturo Meuniot

Russell C Mead, Jr

Robert Burton Brownell, Jr

Arthur Stanley Brigham

Daniel J Riccio

Jesus Beltran

Sung Hoon Kim

Bradley Landon Spare

Sung Hwan Kim

David I Simon

Jean Ling Lee

Vijay M Iyer

Sean A Bailey

Richard Lidio Blanco

Shin Nishibori

Brett W Degner

John Patrick Ternus

Brett C Bilbrey

Sean S Corbin

Aleksandar Pance

Amy A Han

Clifford T Jue

Eric Andrew Knopf

Perry Q Anderson

Peter M Arnold

William Sauway Law

Ann Laurent Torres

Phillip Lee Mort

Efrain Alcorta

Cliff Jue

Chris A Ligtenberg

Douglas Lea Heirich

Jay S Nigen

Bryan Thomas White

Rickson Sun

Robert L Coish

Cheng Ping Tan

Ronald Jack Smith

Con Phan

Steven Lee Owen

Chad C Schmidt

Theo Mann

Daniele De Iuliis

Roger R Schmidt

Theodore Gerard Van Kessel

Supratik Guha

Yves Corfield Martin

Prabjit Singh

James Rolfe Yurchenco

David L Edwards

Larry Cheng

Evan T Ward

Paul Bernhardt Specht

Jesse Arnold Fourt

Amir Salehi

Jonathan Neal Urquhart

Steven P Jobs

Daniel L Mcbroom

Opher Yom-Tov

Danielle De Iuliis

Oscar Woo

Sung J Kim

Danielle Deluliis

Clayton R Anderson

Robert B Brownell

James M Crowder

Jeffrey J Van Norden

Ben Tarbell

Tony Lawson

Jon Kaplan

Theodore W Barber

Don Westwood

Russell C Mead

Michael D Mcbroom

Anwyl M Mcdonald

The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a portable and cost-effective fuel cell system for a portable computing device. This fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack which converts fuel into electrical power. It also includes a fuel source for the fuel cell stack and a controller which controls operation of the fuel cell system. The fuel system also includes an interface to the portable computing device, wherein the interface comprises a power link that provides power to the portable computing device, and a bidirectional communication link that provides bidirectional communication between the portable computing device and the controller for the fuel cell system.

Portable computing device for external fuel cell control

A display system with a distributed LED backlight includes: providing a plurality of tile LED light sources, each tile LED light source having a tile and a plurality of similar LED light sources on each tile connected for emitting light therefrom; orienting the plurality of tile LED light sources for illuminating a display from the back of the display; and integrating the plurality of tile LED light sources into a thermally and mechanically structurally integrated distributed LED tile matrix backlight light source.

Display system with distributed LED backlight

Fuel cell system to power a portable computing device

Security devices and methods of securely coupling electronic devices and peripherals are provided. In one embodiment, a peripheral has a first coded magnet on a first surface of a first device. The first coded magnet has at least two different polarity regions on the first surface. A second coded magnet on a second surface of a second device is also provided. The first coded magnet is configured to securely provide data to a device associated with the second coded magnet, if the first and second coded magnets' patterns are keyed to one another.

Magnetically-implemented security devices

A portable electronic device having an outer housing, a component, and a shock-absorption assembly is disclosed. A shock-absorption assembly located within the outer housing and coupled to the component can include one or more elements adapted to dampen a mechanical shock to the component. The shock-absorption assembly elements can be mounted to corners and/or edges of the component. Shock-absorption assembly elements can include a first portion comprising protrusions that provide initial damping of the mechanical shock and a second portion comprising an elastic block that provides final damping of the mechanical shock.

Mounting structure for component of electronic device

Connectors and methods of coupling electronic devices and cables are provided. In one embodiment, a connector has a first coded magnet on a first surface of a first device. The first coded magnet has at least two different polarity regions on the first surface. A second coded magnet on a second surface of a second device is also provided. The second coded magnet is configured to provide identifying information regarding the device on which it is located.

Programmable magnetic connectors

An apparatus for a flat panel is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a flat panel assembly and a hinge mechanism coupled to the flat panel assembly. The hinge mechanism is adaptable to an industry standard mount and a non-industry standard mount. A system and method in accordance with the present invention allows for the replacement of a non-VESA standard compatible display mount with a display mount that is compatible with the VESA standard. Utilizing the system and method in accordance with the present invention, such a replacement can be accomplished with minimal effort, and in an efficient manner.

Flat panel display including a hinge assembly

A plug or connector including a coded magnet and an electrical contact. As the plug approaches a corresponding port, the coded magnet interacts with a magnet within the port. The interaction between the plug coded magnet and the port coded magnet provides a force to connect and/or align the plug with the port. Once the plug is received within the port, if a process is completed, the coded magnets polarities are altered to eject the plug from the port.

Alignment and connection for devices

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for distributing a thermal interface material. The system includes: an integrated circuit chip; a heat sink; and a compliant thermal interface material (TIM) between the integrated circuit chip and the heat sink. During assembly of the system, a mating surface of the heat sink and a mating surface of the integrated circuit chip are shaped to distribute the TIM in the predetermined pattern as the TIM is pressed between the mating surface of heat sink and a corresponding mating surface of the integrated circuit chip.

Coupling heat sink to integrated circuit chip with thermal interface material

Portable computer battery structures are provided. The portable computer battery structures may include a battery with a metal enclosure and a battery cable with a floating end. The battery may have six cells. Three pairs of parallel-connected cells may be connected together in series. The six cells may be substantially planar in shape. The battery may have a connector with at least five conductive pins and six recesses. The battery cable may have a cable with at least five conductive pins that mate with the five pins of the battery's connector and with six support pins that slide into the six recesses of the battery's connector. The batter connector may be formed on a printed circuit board substrate that folds over on itself.

Portable computer battery structures

A portable computing device having an outer housing, and internal hard disk drive and a shock damping mounting assembly is disclosed. Multiple outer dimensions of the portable computing device can be less than the width of the hard drive due to a diagonal arrangement of the hard drive within the overall device. The hard drive can comply with a standardized form factor, such as a 3.5 inch form factor. A mounting assembly located within the outer housing and coupled to the hard drive can include one or more components adapted to damp a mechanical shock to the hard drive, which components can be mounted to corners and/or edges of the hard drive. Mounting assembly components can includes a first stage spring comprising a finger geometry that provides initial damping of the mechanical shock and a second stage spring comprising an elastic block that provides final damping of the mechanical shock.

Portable hard drive and mounting structure for same

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Michael D Hillman