Apple Inc.

Roberto M Ribeiro

Richard Yeh

David MacNeil

Savas Gider

Miaolei Yan

Majid Khan

Henry Hung Yang

William E Mickelson

Gregory B Arndt

William Scott Lee

Michael K Brown

Ashwin Balasubramanian

Hyuk J Choi

Brentley M Wiles

Paulo S Motta

Aspects of the subject disclosure include a pressure-sensing device consisting of a housing including a membrane and one or more piezoresistive elements disposed on the membrane to sense a displacement due to a deflection of the membrane. A first set of electrodes is disposed over the membrane, and a second set of electrodes is disposed on a permeable port of the device at a distance from the membrane. The first and second sets of electrodes form an electrostatic actuator to exert a repulsive force onto the membrane to reduce the deflection of the membrane.

Multifunction magnetic and piezoresistive MEMS pressure sensor

Aspects of the subject technology relate to an apparatus including a housing, one or more piezoresistive elements and a magnetic actuator. The housing includes a membrane, and the piezoresistive elements are disposed on the membrane to sense a displacement due to a deflection of the membrane. The magnetic actuator is disposed inside a cavity of the housing. The magnetic actuator exerts a repulsive force onto the membrane to reduce the deflection of the membrane.

According to some aspects of the subject technology, an apparatus includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a dielectric membrane disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode include a number of pores within a region of an input port of the apparatus. The first electrode, the second electrode and the dielectric membrane form a capacitor that is configured to enable detection of occlusion of the input port by water.

Stand-alone water detector

A gas-sensing apparatus with gas convection capability includes a gas sensor mounted inside a container, a substrate forming a bottom plate of the container and an actuator. The gas sensor is mounted over a first surface of the substrate internal to the container. The actuator is coupled to a second surface of the substrate external to the container. The actuator can cause convection of a gas within the container by enabling movements of the substrate in response to an activation signal.

Pumping mechanism for gas sensors

A portable communication device includes one or more miniature sensors to sense one or more environmental gases. A processor is coupled to the miniature sensors and is configured to enhance location detection by determining a sensor signal transition. The sensor signal transition is caused by subsequent exposures of at least one of the miniature sensors to environmental gases of a first air composition and a second air composition. The first air composition and the second air composition are respectively associated with a first location and a second location.

Enhanced location detection using sensors integrated in electronic devices

Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices with pressure sensors. A pressure sensor in a portable electronic device may include an integrated heater or may be co-operated with an external heater for the pressure sensor. The heater may be operated to heat some or all of the pressure sensor for pressure sensor testing, calibration, or temperature-controlled pressure sensing operations.

Electronic devices having pressure sensors with heaters

A portable communication device may include a gas sensor enclosed in an enclosure, a port to allow flow of air into and out of the enclosure, and a light source disposed on an internal surface of the enclosure. The light source is operable to facilitate generation of ozone gas within the enclosure. The enclosure may contain a heating element that allows baseline calibration of the gas sensor by thermally decomposing ozone gas molecules. The gas sensor includes a miniature gas sensor such as a metal-oxide (MOX) gas sensor.

In-sensor span calibration for MEMS ozone sensor

Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices with intelligent barometric vents. An intelligent barometric vent may provide a moisture-resistant opening between an environment external to a housing of the device and an internal cavity within the housing. The moisture-resistant opening may include a moisture-resistant cover over the opening, the cover having a cover-integrated sensor to detect occlusions of the opening. The device may also include occlusion mitigation components within the housing that operate, responsive to a detected occlusion, to at least partially remove the occlusion.

Intelligent vents for electronic devices

A miniature gas sensing device includes a silicon-based substrate including an opening. A first membrane is formed over the silicon-based substrate and a first portion of the first membrane covers the opening. A gas sensing layer is formed over a number of electrodes disposed over a first surface of the first portion of the first membrane and one or more heating elements. A permeable enclosure encapsulating the gas sensing layer can maintain thermal energy density over the gas sensing layer at a level sufficient to destroy a target gas to allow measuring a zero baseline.

Low heat transfer encapsulation for high sensitivity and low power environmental sensing applications

An electronic device may have input-output devices such as sensors. The sensors may include environmental sensors that make measurements on the environment surrounding the electronic device. The environmental sensors may make measurements such as temperature measurements, humidity measurements, gas composition measurements, and particulate level measurements. A sensor may communicate with external air through a sensor port in an electronic device housing. An electronic device may have a movable member. The movable member may be moved in response to motion of the electronic device when handled by user or motion of a button or other movable member that is actuated by the user. As the movable member moves, the movable member may create enhanced airflow through the sensor port. This may refresh the air adjacent to an environmental sensor and enhance sensor response time.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Roberto M Ribeiro