Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Other

Scott Douglas Bowers

Joseph Benjamin Gault

Yazan Aldehayyat

Anthony Ernest Hillyerd

John S Campbell

Karsten Aagaard

Brian David Bitz

Eric Paul Witt

Justin Carl Lind

Duane Martin Evans

Thomas Joseph Longo

David John Huston

Ivan Andrew McCracken

Andrew William Hill

David Michael Lane

Eugene Lee

Aseem Singla

Han Li

Edward Giaimo

Gregory Scott Yoder

Zhicong Yao

James Hao-An Chen Lin

Joe Gault

Craig Daniel Owen

Massood Nikkhah

Eric Steven Volk

Brooks Hallin

Harold Franklin Talbot-Mantooth

Craig Crandall Schoof

Nelson Lin

John Stephen Campbell

Craig D Owen

A method of manufacturing an electronic device housing includes obtaining a monolithic body of RF transparent material and plating a surface of the monolithic body with a nanograin coating to increase the structural rigidity of the monolithic body. A portion of the nanograin coating is thereafter removed to create an RF window.

Systems and methods for manufacturing electronic device housings

The present description relates to devices that include portions that are moveable relative to one another. One example device includes a leaf spring positioned to receive forces between a first portion and a second portion. The leaf spring can extend from a first end to a second end and can define a perimeter where the first end and the second end are contained within the perimeter and the first end and the second end are not secured to either the first portion or the second portion.

Compact leaf spring assemblies

The description relates to devices, such as user-serviceable dimensionally-constrained devices. One example can include a first portion and a corresponding second portion. The example can also include a gap reduction assembly positioned along edges of the first portion and the second portion that biases the first and second portions toward one another. The example can also include an alignment assembly that laterally aligns corners of the first portion and the second portion and a locking assembly that locks the aligned corners of the first portion and the second portion against one another.

User-serviceable dimensionally-constrained device

A system for electrically de-bonding a battery from an electronic device includes an electro-adhesive layer within a coupling between the battery and the electronic device. When a current a of predetermined magnitude is directed through the electro-adhesive between a first electrode and a second electrode, the electro-adhesive initiates a chemical reaction that weakens a bond between the battery and the electronic device.

Electrical battery de-bonding

A haptic feedback device includes a mechanical ground and a haptic surface. A plurality of connection points is connected to the mechanical ground and a plurality of connection points is connected to the haptic surface. An electroreactive wire extends around the plurality of connection point connected to the mechanical ground and the plurality of connection points connected to the haptic surface.

Haptic actuator using force multiplying spring and smart alloy wire

A computing device is described. The computing device includes a first portion with a protrusion and a second portion separably connected to the first portion. The second portion has a receptacle. An undocking assist mechanism is configured to separate the first portion from the second portion when the protrusion is at least partially inserted into the receptacle. An actuator is configured to actuate the undocking assist mechanism. Methods of use are also described.

Undocking assist mechanisms and methods of use

A lock for actively locking an electronic device includes an engagement member that is movable by an actuator. The actuator moves the engagement member to the locked position with a first amount of power from the power source and from the locked position to an unlocked position with a second amount of power from the power source. The engagement member will passively remain in the unlocked position or the locked position.

Indexed sequential lock

Locking mechanisms and electronic devices having locking mechanisms are described herein. In one example, a locking mechanism includes a latch configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein a component of the electronic device is secured in the locked position and removable in the unlocked position. The locking mechanism further includes a memory wire in communication with the latch, wherein the memory wire is configured to contract in length to move the latch between the locked position and the unlocked position to release the component of the electronic device.

Locking mechanisms in electronic devices

In some embodiments, an apparatus for locking a computing device includes an actuator, a locking protrusion connected to a first portion of the computing device, a locking receptacle connected to a second portion of the computing device, a shape memory material (SMM) wire, and a force conditioner. The SMM wire has a first state and a second state and is movable between states by the actuator. The first state and the second state have first and second lengths, respectively. Moving from the first state to the second state applies a contraction force along a longitudinal direction of the SMM wire. The force conditioner is configured to apply a return force to the SMM wire that opposes the contraction face. The return force returns the SMM wire toward the first state while moving a maximum available force of the SMM wire to the second state of the SMM wire.

Method of optimizing memory wire actuator energy output

Typical electronic device feet are adhered to a bottom surface of an electronic device housing. However, adhered feet are not generally readily removable and replaceable without also removing and replacing the adhesive, which may be messy and time consuming. Implementations described and claimed herein provide an electronic device with a device housing including an aperture therein, a retaining ring oriented within a seat, the retainer ring and the seat concentric with the aperture, and a device foot oriented within and protruding outward from the aperture. The device foot has a concentric extraction surface and the retaining ring compresses against the concentric extraction surface and secures the device foot in place against the device housing.

Removable feet for electronic devices

A computing device is described. The computing device may include a first portion and a second portion separably connected to the first portion. A locking mechanism may be configured to lock the first portion to the second portion. The locking mechanism may include a locking receptacle connected to the first portion and a locking protrusion connected to the second portion. The locking receptacle may include a rotating lock and may have an aperture through which the locking protrusion is insertable. The computing device may include an actuator mechanically coupled to the locking mechanism and configured to unlock the first portion from the second portion.

Locking mechanism

Aspects described herein generally relate to a haptic feedback mechanism including a shape memory alloy (SMA) material coupled to a mass and a surface, where contraction of the SMA material causes the mass to move from a first position to a second position causing one of compression or decompression of a spring element coupled to the mass, and where loosening of the SMA material causes the mass the move from the second position toward the first position by the other one of compression or decompression of the spring element. The haptic feedback mechanism also includes a heat source configured to selectively apply heat to, and remove heat from, the SMA material to achieve a modulation of contracting and loosening of the SMA material to cause a vibration of the mass.

Shape memory alloy actuated haptic feedback

An apparatus for locking an electronic device includes an actuator, a return mechanism, and an arm. The actuator includes an actuator SMM wire that is configured to apply a contraction force. The return mechanism includes a return SMM wire that is configured to apply a return force opposite the contraction force. The arm is movable toward an unlocked position by the actuator and movable toward a locked position by the return force. The arm has at least one equilibrium position with less than 1 Newton of force on the arm from the actuator and less than 1 Newton of force on the arm from the return mechanism.

Growing community of inventors

Woodinville, WA, United States of America

Scott Douglas Bowers