Apple Inc.

Nuvolta Technologies (hefei) Co., Ltd.

Zhengyu Li

Ming Gao

Qiliang Xu

Chia Chi Wu

Zheng Gao

Zeng Li

Elvis Mwenda Kibiti

Zhijun Luo

Kaiyong Cui

Chen Zhang

Min Yang

Paul Xiaopeng Wang

Joel N Ruscher

Taylor Harrison Gilbert

Fuchun Zhan

Siddhartha Hegde

Thomas R Matzinger

Wenhao Wang

Junhe Zhang

Christopher T Lebedeff

Charles A Bates, Iii

Jaime G Chavez Ruiz Garza

Johan E Lyon

Yuanzhen Fan

Kristine S Tom

Shih-Hsiang Hsiao

Cheong Kun

Penghao Zeng

An electronic device such as a speaker device may have a curved housing characterized by a vertical longitudinal axis. A layer of fabric may cover the curved housing. A touch sensor may be used to detect touch input on the layer of fabric. The touch sensor may include capacitive touch sensor electrodes including drive lines and sense lines. In some arrangements, the touch sensor is formed from conductive strands in the layer of fabric. In other arrangements, the touch sensor is formed from conductive traces on a substrate. The substrate may be formed from portions of the curved housing or may be formed from a layer that is separate from the housing. Light-emitting components and/or fabric with different visual characteristics may be used to mark where the touch-sensitive regions of the fabric are located. The touch-sensitive regions may be shaped as media control symbols.

Fabric-covered electronic device with touch sensor

An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker may have an array of strain gauges and light-emitting diodes. The light-emitting diodes may be configured to display dynamically adjustable button icons overlapping the strain gauges. Force measurements from the strain gauges may be used to adjust speaker output and other device operations.

Electronic devices with strain gauges and light sources

An apparatus includes a controller configured to control switches of a rectifier circuit, wherein the rectifier circuit is coupled to two terminals of a receiver coil configured to be magnetically coupled to a transmitter coil of a wireless power transfer system, and wherein in response to a high system gain of the wireless power transfer system, the controller configures the rectifier circuit as a half-bridge rectifier, and in response to a low system gain of the wireless power transfer system, the controller configures the rectifier circuit as a full-bridge rectifier.

Rectifier in low gain wireless power transfer system

An apparatus includes a receiver coil configured to be magnetically coupled to a transmitter coil, and a rectifier circuit coupled to two terminals of the receiver coil, wherein in response to a high system gain of the apparatus, the rectifier circuit is configured as a half-bridge rectifier, and in response to a low system gain of the apparatus, the rectifier circuit is configured as a full-bridge rectifier.

An apparatus includes a controller configured to control switches of a receiver, the receiver comprising a first receiver coil configured to be magnetically coupled to a transmitter coil of a wireless power transfer system, a rectifier circuit coupled to two terminals of the first receiver coil, a second receiver coil and a first auxiliary switch, wherein the second receiver coil is connected in series with the first auxiliary switch, and the second receiver coil is configured to be magnetically coupled to the transmitter coil, and wherein in response to a low power mode of the apparatus, the controller is configured to turn on the first auxiliary switch such that the first receiver coil and the second receiver coil are connected in series to boost a gain of the wireless power transfer system.

Low gain wireless power transfer system and method

An apparatus includes a first receiver coil configured to be magnetically coupled to a transmitter coil, a rectifier circuit coupled to two terminals of the first receiver coil, a second receiver coil and a first auxiliary switch connected in series, wherein the second receiver coil is configured to be magnetically coupled to the transmitter coil, and in response to a low power mode of the apparatus, the first auxiliary switch is configured to be turned on such that the first receiver coil and the second receiver coil are connected in series to boost a gain of the apparatus.

Watch bands described herein include electrochromic features that provide adjustable color control based on an applied voltage to offer a variety of colors and color combinations to be displayed by a single band. The user or a control system can control, select, and/or adjust one or more colors of the watch band for visual display. Accordingly, a variety of colors can be displayed at different times without requiring different watch bands for each color or color combination. The color changing features can be used as a visual output of information from the watch to the user.

Watch band with adjustable color

An output terminal of one phase switched capacitor converter is connected to a first output terminal, and an output terminal of the other phase switched capacitor converter is connected to the first output terminal via a second switch, such that the power conversion structure can operate in a mode of two phase switched-capacitor converters in parallel, and a current formed by the operating of only one phase switched capacitor converter flows through the second switch, thus greatly reducing a value of current flowing through the second switch, greatly reducing the on-state loss of the second switch, and improving the efficiency of the power conversion structure, and because the second switch has lower on-state loss and less heat, there is a larger selectivity of the second switch and a reduction of the cost of power conversion structure.

Power conversion structure, power conversion method, electronic device including power conversion structure, and chip unit

Accessory units for electronic devices are described. The accessory units can include a panel that has a flexible substrate with a network of structural elements that are arranged to fold the panel into different forms and shapes similar to origami. For example, the panel can be bent along one or more fold lines that are defined by adjacent structural elements. In some cases, the panels are configured to fold at preferred fold lines, sometimes in non-parallel orientations with respect to each other. In one case, the accessory can be unfolded into a flat configuration and serve as a cover for the electronic device. In some cases, the accessory units can be brought behind and support an electronic device at different angles with respect to a support surface. The accessory units can also include features such as keyboards, touch pads, or other input devices for the electronic devices.

Multi-angle support cover for electronic devices

An accessory device for an electronic device is described. The accessory device may include a cover section and a keyboard section. The cover section may include a receiving surface that engages the electronic device. The cover section may include electrical contacts designed to electrically couple with contacts on the electronic device. The cover section may include several magnets designed to magnetically couple with magnets within the electronic device. The keyboard section may include a keyboard and one or more channels designed to receive and position the electronic device in a usable configuration with the keyboard. Several magnets may surround each channel, and may magnetically couple with magnets within (and along an edge of) the electronic device. The magnetic circuits formed between the channel magnets and the device magnets may counter, or offset, forces that otherwise remove the electronic device from the channel in an undesired manner.

Keyboard accessory for a portable electronic device

An item such as a fabric-based item may have a layer of fabric with openings that are illuminated by a light source. The openings may form symbols or other shapes and may serve as labels for keyboard keys or other components. The fabric may be formed from transparent strands of material that are coated with opaque material or may be formed from opaque strands of material in which openings are formed by laser drilling. The openings may be covered with a transparent coating layer such as a translucent polymer coating. Translucent material on the fabric may be patterned to form parts of the labels or other shapes created by the illuminated openings.

Illumination systems within fabric-based devices

Methods for assembling low-profile, singulated keyboards by prefabricating key assemblies onto a chassis strip that is divided into individual key assemblies only after the substrate is affixed to a feature plate of keyboard. For example, a row of key assemblies is fabricated onto a chassis strip. The row corresponds to a partial or complete row of keys of the keyboard. The chassis strip is thereafter affixed to a feature plate in a specific location, thereby aligning each prefabricated key assembly to a precise location on the feature plate. While connected, each prefabricated key assembly is independently affixed to the feature plate. Thereafter, interconnecting portions of the chassis strip between the prefabricated key assemblies are removed, thereby singulating each key assembly.

Singulated keyboard assemblies and methods for assembling a keyboard

Connectors that may provide illumination at an opening in order to facilitate the mating to a corresponding connector by a user. The illumination may be generated on a tongue of a connector insert or in a connector receptacle. For connector receptacles, illumination may be guided to illuminate an opening of the connector receptacle, it may be guided out of a front edge of a tongue in the connector receptacle, or it may be guided in other directions. For connector inserts, illumination may be out of a front edge or sides of a tongue in the connector insert, or it may be guided in other directions. The illumination may be colored or patterned to convey information to a user. Other examples may include a connector system having a connector insert with a light guide to provide illumination from a connector receptacle to an opening in the connector insert where it may be viewed by a user. In other examples, other types of data, such as authentication or identification data, may be optically transmitted either to or through a connector insert inserted in the connector receptacle.

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Shanghai, China

Zhengyu Li