Apple Inc.

Stephen N Sweet

Dong Zheng

Colin M Ely

Tyler S Bushnell

Christopher Matthew Werner

Adam Thomas Clavelle

Prashanth S Holenarsipur

Sriram Moorthy

Huan Peng

Tong Chen

Mark T Winkler

David D Dashevsky

Richard A Ruh

Anand K Chamakura

Wenrui Cai

Chin Han Lin

Xingxing Cai

Tsu-Hui Lin

Mieczyslaw M Dabrowski

An input component for an electronic device configured to detect rotational and/or translational movement of a surface. In an implementation, the input component includes a movable input member with a shaft with a pattern disposed on its surface. A light-emitting element is positioned to direct light towards this pattern, a portion of which is thereafter reflected back. An imaging system is situated to capture the reflected light. The imaging system includes an array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) operating in Geiger mode. This array is coupled with a counter circuit, which increments one or more values based on the SPAD array output. These values and corresponding SPAD locations within the array can be correlated to the spatial phase of the reflected light, which in turn can be converted to rotational or axial displacement of the movable input member.

Single photon avalanche diodes for rotational and translational input detection

A method of operating a laser includes generating a first signal having a first frequency, and generating a second signal having a second frequency. The first frequency varies in accord with an amplitude of a drive current provided to a laser. The method further includes incrementing or decrementing a count responsive to a relationship between the first frequency and the second frequency; determining the count satisfies a threshold count; and modifying operation of the laser when the count satisfies the threshold count.

Laser safety circuit providing frequency-based average current monitoring

A compact crown for an electronic device such as an electronic watch, including a set of wipers capable of determining a rotation angle, rotation direction, or rotation speed, is disclosed. The set of wipers is in contact with at least one resistance member at different angular positions around a rotation axis. The crown may have a group of ground taps disposed along the resistance member and a measured signal may vary based on the position of each wiper as it contacts the at least one resistance member. A compact crown may also include capacitive members and capacitive sensors in order to similarly determine rotation angle, rotation direction, or rotation speed.

Rotatable crown for an electronic device

An optical sensing system includes a transmitter side and a receiver side, and is configured to be positioned below a display of an electronic device. The transmitter side includes a light emitter, a temperature sensor, and a photodiode. The receiver side includes a photodiode and a temperature sensor. The optical sensing system includes an application-specific integrated circuit that leverages the temperature sensors, the photodiodes, and one or more signal filters such as a high-pass filter to perform multiple field calibrations of the optical sensing system, thereby improving accuracy and precision thereof.

Self-calibrating optical transceiver system with reduced crosstalk sensitivity for through-display proximity sensing

A wearable device is disclosed. The wearable device can comprise a housing; a crown; a proximity sensor; and a processor. The crown can be configured to receive input from a user. The proximity sensor can be configured to generate a field of view encompassing a first area adjacent to the housing and further configured to generate an output signal corresponding to whether an object is present within the field of view. The processor can be configured to determine, based on the output signal, whether the input corresponds to an intentional input or an unintentional input.

System and method for unintentional input rejection

An electronic device is disclosed. In some examples, the electronic device comprises a housing and an input mechanism cooperatively engaged with the housing and configured to rotate in a first direction about a rotation axis. In some examples, the electronic device comprises an input sensor configured to sense an input at the input mechanism based on rotation of the input mechanism. In some examples, the electronic device comprises an actuator coupled to the housing and configured to displace the input mechanism. In some examples, the electronic device comprises a force sensor coupled to the input mechanism and configured to sense an input at the input mechanism based on a force applied to the input mechanism along the second axis.

Input mechanism with force and rotation inputs and haptic feedback

An electronic device includes an input device having a moveable shaft, a reflective surface, an optical energy transmitter, and optical energy receivers that receive optical energy transmitted by the optical energy transmitter and reflected by the reflective surface. Movement of the moveable shaft changes the optical energy received by the optical energy receivers. The movement or position of the shaft may be determined by analyzing the optical energy received. Detectable movement may include rotation, rotation speed, rotation direction, translation, tilt, displacement, and so on. The optical energy receivers may be configured in concentric rings.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Stephen N Sweet