Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100130249 | WIRELESS ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH MULTIMODE AUDIO AMPLIFIER - An electronic device such as a handheld electronic device may include wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include a radio-frequency receiver circuit or other circuitry that is sensitive to noise. Audio amplifier circuitry may be provided in the electronic device to amplify audio signals for a speaker. The audio amplifier circuitry may include class AB amplifier circuitry for operating in a low noise mode and class D amplifier circuitry for operating in a low power mode. The audio amplifier circuitry may include a control input path that receives control signals in real time. When it is determined that the wireless receiver or other sensitive circuit is active, the audio amplifier can be configured to operate in its low noise mode using the class AB amplifier. When it is determine that the wireless receiver is not being used, the class D circuitry may be switched into use to conserve power. | 05-27-2010 |
20100273530 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Portable electronic devices are provided. A device may include cover glass with a light mask. The light mask may be microperforated to allow light to pass through the light mask. The microperforations may allow light to pass through the light mask. The devices may include sensors and light emitters that receive and transmit light through the microperforations. The devices may include a variable cantilever spring as part of a button assembly. The spring may be flattened against itself without exceeding its elastic limit. The devices may include display modules. The display module may include structures that block light from leaking out of the module. The structures may include opaque tapes, opaque enclosures for the display module, and other suitable structures. | 10-28-2010 |
20100277128 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING AUTOMATIC LOW TEMPERATURE BATTERY CHARGING CAPABILITY - A controller detects the temperature of a portable electronic device as being below a battery charging threshold, and in response signals one or more of the electronic circuit components that make up the device to enter an increased power consumption state so as to generate more heat in the device for warming up the battery. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 11-04-2010 |
20100282953 | LIGHT SENSING DEVICE HAVING A COLOR SENSOR AND A CLEAR SENSOR FOR INFRARED REJECTION - A light sensing device has a first filter to block visible light in a light path. The light sensing device also has a first color sensor and a clear sensor, to detect light in the light path after the first filter. A light intensity calculator computes a measure of the intensity of visible light in the light path, based on a difference between (a) an output signal of the first color sensor, and (b) an output signal of the clear sensor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 11-11-2010 |
20110254511 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE POWER MANAGER WITH CURRENT LIMIT FEEDBACK CONTROL LOOP MODIFICATION FOR STABILIZING AN EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY - A portable electronic device has a battery to provide power to operate the device, a connector including a power supply pin to be coupled to an external power supply, and a power manager having a battery charger circuit that draws power through the power supply pin to charge the battery. The power manager has a current limit feedback control loop that limits the drawn current in accordance with a predetermined output current rating of the external power supply. The power manager automatically changes the behavior of its control loop to stabilize operation of the coupled external power supply. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 10-20-2011 |
20110298433 | SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY INDUCTOR ARRANGEMENT - A switching power supply circuit has a controller, a power switch, and an inductor circuit that is coupled to a power node of the power switch and to a capacitor. The inductor circuit has several discrete component conductors that are connected to each other in parallel and laid out side-by-side and wired such that each of the inductors is oriented with opposite polarity relative to another adjacent one of the inductors. Each inductor has associated first and second traces that are used to wire it to the power node and the capacitor. These traces for one inductor have matched characteristics with those of an adjacent inductor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 12-08-2011 |
20110298766 | LIGHT SENSING DEVICE HAVING A COLOR SENSOR AND A CLEAR SENSOR FOR INFRARED REJECTION - A light sensing device has a first filter to block visible light in a light path. The light sensing device also has a first color sensor and a clear sensor, to detect light in the light path after the first filter. A light intensity calculator computes a measure of the intensity of visible light in the light path, based on a difference between (a) an output signal of the first color sensor, and (b) an output signal of the clear sensor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 12-08-2011 |
20110301870 | VIBRATOR MOTOR SPEED DETERMINATION IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE - One embodiment relates to testing and verifying vibrator motor operation during manufacturing of a device and during in-the-field use. The test relies on an integrated motion sensor or other mechanical measurement circuitry, such as, for example, an accelerometer. In one embodiment, a speed determination for a vibrator motor performance during initial manufacture of the device. Subsequently, when vibration is detected during the in-the-field use, the vibration may be sampled using the integrated mechanical measurement circuitry. Once sampled, a speed may be determined based on a resonance of the sampled signal. Over time, the various speed determinations for the vibrator motor may be analyzed to determine an overall health of the vibrator motor. A threshold for detecting when the overall health of the vibration motor over time has degraded may be predetermined. A notification of a degradation of vibrator motor performance is sent to either a manufacturer or user of the mobile communications device. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 12-08-2011 |
20110301885 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TESTING A LIGHT SENSOR OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An improved system and method for testing a sensor of a portable electronic device based on expected sensor data and not timing information. The system and method for testing a sensor of a portable electronic device retrieves sensed data from the portable electronic device (i.e. device under test) after the device has traversed a series of test areas or zones. The sensed data is compared against a set of expected sensor data patterns to determine which components of the sensed data correspond to each test area or zone. The sensor of the portable electronic device may be tested based on an association of the test areas or zones with segments of the sensed data. | 12-08-2011 |
20120128190 | GAS FILLED SPEAKER VOLUME - A speaker enclosure includes a gas cavity and an air cavity separated by a flexible membrane. A diaphragm is located roughly in an opening of the enclosure surrounding the gas cavity and attached to the enclosure by an outer suspension member. The enclosure, the flexible membrane, the diaphragm, and the outer suspension member are gas and air impermeable. The enclosure surrounding the air cavity has a vent hole to allow air to travel into and out of the air cavity for barometric pressure equalization of the gas cavity. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 05-24-2012 |
20120129579 | PROXIMITY SENSOR ARRANGEMENT IN A MOBILE DEVICE - A radiation passing layer has a top surface and a bottom surface below which a proximity sensor is positioned. A radiation shield is between the emitter and the detector, and extends to the bottom of the radiation passing layer. A radiation absorber being a separate piece and of a different material than the shield is positioned to provide a radiation seal between the top surface of the shield and the bottom surface of the radiation passing layer. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 05-24-2012 |
20120129580 | PROXIMITY SENSOR ARRANGEMENT HAVING A COLD MIRROR IN A MOBILE DEVICE - A radiation passing layer has a top surface and a bottom surface below which a proximity sensor is positioned. A visible light opaque layer covers the bottom surface of the radiation passing layer except for an opening therein that allows radiation from the emitter to pass, and scattered radiation to pass to the detector. A radiation shield is between the emitter and the detector, and extends to the bottom of the radiation passing layer. A cold mirror is between the shield and the bottom surface of the radiation passing layer, covering the opening in the opaque layer. A radiation absorber being a separate piece and a different material than the shield provides a radiation seal between the top surface of the shield and the bottom surface of the cold mirror. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 05-24-2012 |
20120235029 | TESTING AN INFRARED PROXIMITY SENSOR - A system for testing an IR proximity sensor has an infrared reflector that receives radiation transmitted from the proximity sensor under test. An electronically modulated IR-transmissive device is positioned between the sensor and the reflector. A tester is coupled to control the IR-transmissive device for testing the sensor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 09-20-2012 |
20120299555 | BATTERY CELL WITH AN INTEGRATED POUCH METAL FOIL TERMINAL - A battery includes a battery cell having a pair of cell electrodes that are encased in a laminated pouch. The laminated pouch has a conductive moisture barrier layer that is sandwiched between respective electrically insulating layers. Several terminals are integrated with the pouch, including a first terminal and a second terminal that are directly connected to the first and second cell electrodes, respectively, and a third terminal that is directly connected to the conductive moister barrier layer. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 11-29-2012 |
20130034234 | HEARING AID DETECTION - A hearing aid compatible portable electronic audio device is configured to automatically determine whether or not the device is being used by a hearing impaired user who is wearing a hearing aid, and select a mode of operation based on this determination. The device includes a proximity sensor and a magnetic field sensor. The proximity sensor is used to detect a change in distance of the device to the user's ear. The magnetic field sensor is used to detect a change in magnetic field caused by the device moving relative to the hearing aid. The device selects between a normal audio mode of operation and a hearing aid compatible mode of operation based on both the change in detected distance and the change in detected magnetic field. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 02-07-2013 |
20130075613 | HIDDEN SENSORS IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device having one or more sensors is provided. The sensors may include any suitable type of sensor that emits or receives radiation (e.g., light waves) from the environment. The electronic device may include openings through which radiation may reach the sensors while keeping the sensors hidden from view. In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed underneath an opening used for an audio receiver such that radiation is piped to the sensors using a light path or a chamfered surface along the opening. In some embodiments, the sensors may be embedded in a screen such that the radiation emitted by the sensors exits the screen instead of being reflected on the screen. In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed along the periphery of the display, such that access to the sensors is provided via discontinuities in a gasket used to couple the display to the electronic device. | 03-28-2013 |
20130082979 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING USER INPUTS - Methods and apparatus for processing user events are provided. In particular, one or more sensor modules and processor modules are provided that can be operated to detect user events, such as the pressing of an otherwise mechanical switch. In many electronic devices, touch display screens are provided to the user for interfacing with the device. These displays often also include one or more mechanical switches to provide necessary functionality. The functionality, however, comes at the cost of reduced aesthetics, and potentially increased manufacturing costs related to fabricating holes in the display substrate. The sensor module disclosed herein can be configured such that collected pressure data can be focused, such as linear expansion data or deflection data. By collecting two different types of focused data, the apparatus can more accurately determine whether a user event has occurred. Additional types of sensors may also be utilized to provide even more reliable results. | 04-04-2013 |
20130141035 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE POWER MANAGER WITH CURRENT LIMIT FEEDBACK CONTROL LOOP MODIFICATION FOR STABILIZING AN EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY - A portable electronic device has a battery to provide power to operate the device, a connector including a power supply pin to be coupled to an external power supply, and a power manager having a battery charger circuit that draws power through the power supply pin to charge the battery. The power manager has a current limit feedback control loop that limits the drawn current in accordance with a predetermined output current rating of the external power supply. The power manager automatically changes the behavior of its control loop to stabilize operation of the coupled external power supply. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 06-06-2013 |
20140077094 | HIDDEN SENSORS IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device having one or more sensors is provided. The sensors may include any suitable type of sensor that emits or receives radiation (e.g., light waves) from the environment. The electronic device may include openings through which radiation may reach the sensors while keeping the sensors hidden from view. In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed underneath an opening used for an audio receiver such that radiation is piped to the sensors using a light path or a chamfered surface along the opening. In some embodiments, the sensors may be embedded in a screen such that the radiation emitted by the sensors exits the screen instead of being reflected on the screen. In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed along the periphery of the display, such that access to the sensors is provided via discontinuities in a gasket used to couple the display to the electronic device. | 03-20-2014 |
20140148217 | CONTROLLING VIBRATIONS FROM MULTIPLE VIBRATOR MOTORS IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE - A mobile device that includes a motion sensor, multiple vibrators, and a motor speed determinator module. The motion sensor senses and records vibrations of the mobile device while the multiple vibrators are simultaneously running. The sensed vibrations are transmitted to the motor speed determinator module, which transfers the sensed vibrations into the frequency domain. The vibrations caused by each of the multiple vibrators are represented by peaks in the frequency representation. In one embodiment, the motor speed determinator module drives each vibrator such that the rotational speed and phase of each vibrator are equal or essentially equal. This is represented in the spectral representation of the frequency domain as the overlapping of each peak into a single peak. | 05-29-2014 |
20140210503 | STARTUP BOOT CYCLE TESTING OF A MOBILE DEVICE AT DIMINISHED POWER SUPPLY CURRENT - A startup boot cycle test system for testing a mobile multi-function device under test (DUT) that has a power manager and a main system processor is described. The system includes an external power source and a tester device. The external power source provides an input current to the power manager, which in turn provides a boot current, drawn from the input current, to the main system processor. The tester device connects to a test point in the DUT using a contact test probe to draw a margin current from the boot current. The resulting diminished boot current is used by the processor to boot. The tester device detects whether the processor successfully boots using the diminished boot current using a data input connector connected between the DUT and tester device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 07-31-2014 |
20140247404 | Portable Electronic Device - Portable electronic devices are provided. A device may include cover glass with a light mask. The light mask may be microperforated to allow light to pass through the light mask. The microperforations may allow light to pass through the light mask. The devices may include sensors and light emitters that receive and transmit light through the microperforations. The devices may include a variable cantilever spring as part of a button assembly. The spring may be flattened against itself without exceeding its elastic limit. The devices may include display modules. The display module may include structures that block light from leaking out of the module. The structures may include opaque tapes, opaque enclosures for the display module, and other suitable structures. | 09-04-2014 |