The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 51 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we briefly cover Fabric Actuators, Gas Detecting Sensors and an AirPower charging mat with Sinusoidal Pulse-Width Modulation. And as always, we wrap up this week's granted patent report with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.

Devices with Fabric Actuators

Apple was granted patent #11,194,396 covering a fabric item having control circuitry and input-output devices. The item may form a cover or other enclosure, may have fabric that forms a housing wall, may be a wearable item with fabric, or may be another fabric-based item.

A fabric haptic output device may be formed in the fabric item. The fabric haptic output device may be based on an electromagnetic fabric actuator, a piezoelectric fabric actuator, or other actuator formed from fabric.

In an illustrative configuration, the fabric actuator has a permanent magnet portion and an electromagnet portion. During operation, control circuitry supplies signals to a coil in the electromagnet portion to create a magnetic field that moves the permanent magnet portion. This provides a user with haptic output.

Fabric support structures may be used to support the electromagnet and/or permanent magnet portions. Fabric springs may be coupled between the fabric support structures and an electromagnet or permanent magnet. In some arrangements, electromagnets and/or permanent magnets may be formed within fabric support structures (e.g., by embedding coils and/or magnetic material into the fabric support structures). The fabric of the support structures, magnetic structures, and springs may be incorporated into a wearable fabric structure, part of a cover or case for a device, a housing structure such as a housing wall, or other device with fabric.

Apple's patent FIG. 6 below is a perspective view of an illustrative fabric-based cover for a portable device; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an illustrative voice-controlled speaker (HomePod mini); FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative finger (ring or part of glove); FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an illustrative charging mat (future AirPower); FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an iMac; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of illustrative seat (chair, sofa, vehicle) having a fabric housing.

For details, review Apple's granted patent here.

iPhone Compact Particulate Material Sensor

Apple has been granted patent #11,193,876 titled "Compact Particulate Material Sensor." Apple states that many mobile electronic devices are equipped with sensors and transducers that enable the device to perform far more functionalities than communications. Media playing, photography, location detection, online shopping, social media, online banking, calendar, health applications such as heart beat, blood pressure and blood oxygen level measurement are among the numerous applications that a smart mobile communication device can facilitate. Gas sensors can help the mobile electronic device to detect various environmental gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the like.

Apple's patent FIG. 9 below is a block diagram illustrating an example wireless communication device, within which one or more environmental sensors of the subject technology can be integrated; FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a compact particulate material sensor device integrated with an iPhone.

For more details, review Apple's granted patent here.

AirPower with Sinusoidal Pulse-Width Modulation

Late last month Patently Apple posted a report titled "A Rumor Report from Mark Gurman claims that Apple is continuing to work on a Wireless Charging Pad, Reverse Charging and more." To stay on top of this, Apple was granted patent #11,196,298 today that covers an AirPower charging mat with Sinusoidal Pulse-Width Modulation.

The wireless power transmitting device has wireless power transmitting circuitry that includes a resonant circuit, an inverter for driving the resonant circuit, and pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal generator that outputs a periodic control signal to the inverter at a selected duty cycle. The resonant circuit may include a wireless power transmitting coil and a capacitor coupled to the wireless power transmitting coil. The inverter may include a first switch, a second switch coupled in series with the first switch, and a capacitor that is coupled in parallel with the first switch and that is configured to filter out undesired high-frequency components.

The PWM signal generator may include a comparator having a first (negative) input that receives a first periodic signal, a second (positive) input that receives a second periodic signal, and an output at which the control signal is provided. The first periodic signal may have a first frequency, whereas the second periodic signal may have a second frequency that is greater than the first frequency (e.g., the second frequency may be at least 10 times the first frequency). The first periodic signal may be a sinusoidal waveform. The second periodic signal may be a periodic ramp signal such as a triangular waveform or a sawtooth waveform.

For more details, review Apple's granted patent here.

The Remaining Patents Granted to Apple Today