Apple Inc.

Wesley William Zuber

Blake R Marshall

Henry N Tsao

Wing Kong Low

Thayne M Miller

Reza Nasiri Mahalati

Karan S Jain

Michael J Beyhs

Supratik Datta

Nandita Venugopal

Ashwin Kumar Asoka Kumar Shenoi

Izhar Bentov

Paul Xiaopeng Wang

Paul Stephen Drzaic

Eric Steven Jol

Brian Quentin Huppi

Marduke Yousefpor

Christopher S Graham

Mohammad Yeke Yazdandoost

Scott Peter Krueger

Alex Joseph Lehmann

Brian Michael King

Nahid Harjee

Paul J Thompson

Makiko K Brzezinski

Jae Hwang Lee

Qiliang Xu

Yung-Yu Hsu

Ehsan Khajeh

Brenton A Baugh

Todd K Moyer

Pavan Gupta

Marcus Yip

Christian M Sauer

Aaron Scott Tucker

Chun-Hao Tung

Albert Lin

Louis W Bokma

Jeffrey M Alves

Yehonatan Perez

Yuta Kuboyama

Jim C Hwang

Massoud Badaye

Mengshu Huang

George Ho Yin Mak

Jacob L Matlick

David H C Shih

Mingjing Ha

Anuranjini Pragada

Xiaofan Niu

Jinghong Chen

Julian Quintana

Kevin F Holz

Sudip Mondal

Priyank D Patel

Antonio Yamil Layon Halun

Zhiyuan Sun

Micah Lewis-Kraus

Victoria M Powell

Der-Song Lin

Nathaniel M Parnell

Miki Olivia Hansen

A watch can include a watch body and a band for securing the watch to the user. The watch body can detect an identification of the band or combination of band portions, which can serve as an input to initiate actions performed by the watch body. For example, a type, model, color, size, or other characteristic of a band can be determined and used to select a corresponding action performed by the watch body. Identification of the band can be performed by components of the watch body that also serve other purposes. The watch body can respond to the identification of a particular band by performing particular functions, such as changing an aspect of a user interface or altering settings of the watch body.

Identification of watch bands

Embodiments are disclosed for full body pose estimation using features extracted from multiple wearable devices. In an embodiment, a method comprises: obtaining point of view (POV) video data and inertial sensor data from multiple wearable devices worn at the same time by a user; obtaining depth data capturing the user's full body; extracting two-dimensional (2D) keypoints from the POV video data; reconstructing a full body 2D skeletal model from the 2D keypoints; generating a three-dimensional (3D) mesh model of the user's full body based on the depth data; merging nodes of the 3D mesh model with the inertial sensor data; aligning respective orientations of the 2D skeletal model and the 3D mesh model in a common reference frame; and predicting, using a machine learning model, classification types based on the aligned 2D skeletal model and 3D mesh model.

Full body pose estimation through feature extraction from multiple wearable devices

Range finding methods and apparatus that may be implemented by VR/MR systems that include a head-mounted display (HMD) and an accessory that the user holds or wears. Range finding sensors (e.g., ultrasonic transducers) may be included on the HMD and on the accessory and used to track distances to and relative position of walls, objects, and other obstacles within constrained physical environments such as rooms, gyms, yards, or fields, or in unconstrained physical environments. Range finding information from the sensors on the HMD and accessory can be used to generate a 3D map of the user's environment that can be used for various purposes in the VR/MR system. In addition to mapping the user's environment, the range finding methods and apparatus may also be used to track the relative position of the accessory with respect to the HMD.

Range finding and accessory tracking for head-mounted display systems

Touch-based input devices, such as a stylus, can receive tactile input from a user. The tactile input functions can be performed by a touch sensor, such as a capacitive sensing device. A touch sensor can be integrated into a stylus in a low profile form. Tactile input can be received at the user's natural grip location. Furthermore, the stylus can effectively distinguish between tactile inputs from a user and disregard sustained tactile inputs that are provided while the user simply holds the stylus at the user's natural grip location.

Touch-based input for stylus

A stylus input device can allow a user to interface with an external electronic device. The stylus can provide an additional or alternative input to the external electronic device in response to a user applying a compressive force to the device housing. The stylus can include multiple sensors to provide a signal in response to the compressive force applied to the stylus.

Stylus with compressive force sensor

Contact or movement gestures between a first body part and a second body part can be detected. Sense circuitry can be configured to sense a signal at the sense electrode (e.g., configured to contact the second body part) in response to a drive signal applied to the drive electrode (e.g., configured to contact the first body part). Processing circuitry can be configured to detect contact in accordance with a determination that one or more criteria are met (e.g., an amplitude criterion and a non-distortion criterion). Additionally or alternatively, processing circuitry can be configured to detect a movement gesture in accordance with a determination that one or more criteria are met (e.g., a contact criterion and a movement criterion).

Skin-to-skin contact detection

Touch sensitive mechanical keyboards and processes for detecting touch events and key depressions on the touch sensitive mechanical keyboard are provided. The touch sensitive mechanical keyboard can include a set of individually depressible mechanical keys having a touch sensitive surface. A touch sensor layer can be disposed on top of a key mechanism and flexible interconnections provided between key segments of the touch sensor layer can allow for depression of the key mechanism of individual keys. In some examples, the flexible interconnections can be formed by patterning a spring-like structure into the touch sensor layer. In some examples, the touch sensor layer can be transparent or include openings to allow a backlight to shine through. In some examples, addressable LED backlighting with buckling interconnects can also be provided to illuminate keycaps of the mechanical keyboard.

Touch sensitive keyboard with flexible interconnections

An apparatus is disclosed. In some examples, the apparatus comprises a cover substrate having a front surface, a first edge and a first cavity adjacent to the first edge. In some examples, the apparatus comprises a plurality of touch sensor electrodes disposed opposite the front surface of the cover substrate. In some examples, the apparatus comprises at least one touch sensor edge electrode disposed within the first cavity on a surface that is angled relative to the front surface of the cover substrate. In some examples, at least one touch sensor edge electrode is disposed on an outward facing curved surface of the first cavity. In some examples, the plurality of touch sensor electrodes are formed from a first conductive material and the at least one touch sensor edge electrode is formed from a second conductive material. In some examples, the first conductive material is transparent, and the second conductive material is non-transparent. In some examples, the second conductive material is formed on a black mask layer disposed around a perimeter of a bottom surface of the cover substrate.

Touch sensor pattern for edge input detection

An input device outfitted with one or more ultrasonic transducers can determine the location of one or more objects in contact with the input device. For example, the input device can include one or more transducers disposed in a ring around the circumference of the input device or in an array of rings along the length of the input device. The ultrasonic transducers can be used to detect the position of the one or more touching objects in at least one dimension, for example. In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic transducers can produce directional ultrasonic waves.

Ultrasonic touch detection on stylus

Domed input assemblies for controlling an electronic device and methods for using domed input assemblies for controlling electronic device are provided.

Domed orientationless input assembly for controlling an electronic device

Touch scan modes for touch sensitive devices during device charge is disclosed. To prevent adverse effects to the touch sensor panel due to inductive noise while the device is charging, the touch controller can switch to a touch scan mode (i.e., power charging touch mode) that can cancel or reduce noise from the touch scan or touch image. Power charging touch modes can include low noise frequency selection, increased number of touch samples employed to calculate an average, and simultaneous sampling. In some examples, a power charging touch mode can be different from a normal touch scan mode (i.e., a touch scan mode when the device is not charging). With the one or more power charging touch modes, false touch readings, erroneous touch location identification, and/or undetected touches can be eliminated or reduced.

Touch scan modes during device charging

A transmitter device for an inductive energy transfer system can include a DC-to-AC converter operably connected to a transmitter coil, a first capacitor connected between the transmitter coil and one output terminal of the DC-to-AC converter, and a second capacitor connected between the transmitter coil and another output terminal of the DC-to-AC converter. One or more capacitive shields can be positioned between the transmitter coil and an interface surface of the transmitter device. A receiver device can include a touch sensing device, an AC-to-DC converter operably connected to a receiver coil, a first capacitor connected between the receiver coil and one output terminal of the AC-to-DC converter, and a second capacitor connected between the receiver coil and another output terminal of the AC-to-DC converter. One or more capacitive shields can be positioned between the receiver coil and an interface surface of the receiver device.

Reducing the impact of an inductive energy transfer system on a touch sensing device

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Wesley William Zuber