Patents Assigned to SENTONS INC.
  • Patent number: 10061453
    Abstract: Determining a touch contact location is disclosed. A signal that has been disturbed by a touch input on a surface is received. The received signal is transformed to determine a spatial domain signal. The spatial domain signal is compared with an expected signal associated with a potential location of a source of a disturbance caused by the touch input. The touch contact location of the touch input is determined based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Shirish A. Altekar, Shih-Ming Shih
  • Patent number: 10055066
    Abstract: Controlling an audio volume is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with an audio volume control. The audio volume is controlled based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10048811
    Abstract: A touch input provided by a touch input indicator device is received on a propagating medium of a receiving device. The touch input indicator device includes a transmitter that transmits a signal to the propagating medium when the touch input indicator device contacts the propagating medium. The signal encodes a digital binary data identifying the signal. The signal that has been propagated through the propagating medium is received at a receiver of the receiving device. The receiver is coupled to the propagating medium. The digital binary data is detected in the received signal. Based at least in part on the detection of the digital binary data, the touch input provided by the touch input indicator device is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Mark Hamblin, Lapoe E. Lynn
  • Patent number: 9990070
    Abstract: Providing a virtual keyboard interaction is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with a virtual keyboard. A virtual keyboard interaction is provided based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9983718
    Abstract: A signal to be used to propagate a freely propagating signal through a propagating medium with a touch input surface is sent. The freely propagating signal has been allowed to freely propagate through the propagating medium in a plurality directions to a plurality of receivers on multiple axes of the propagating medium. A received signal detected due to a touch input object contacting the touch input surface is received. The received signal includes the freely propagating signal that has been disturbed by the touch input object. At least a portion of the received signal is compared with one or more reference signals of one or more touch input object types. Based at least in part on the comparison a location of the touch input object contacting the surface is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 9880671
    Abstract: A touch input detector is disclosed. The touch input detector includes an acoustic transmitter for transmitting an acoustic wave across a touch input medium. The touch input detector also includes an acoustic receiver for receiving the transmitted acoustic wave, wherein the timing of the incidence of the acoustic wave on the acoustic receiver indicates at least a portion of a touch input location on a surface of the touch input medium. The touch input detector further includes an acoustic dampening material coupled to the touch input medium to dampen reflections of the transmitted acoustic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Yenyu Hsieh, Michael L. Khitrov, Allan Boerner, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih
  • Patent number: 9823760
    Abstract: A source audio signal to be rendered by a touch input medium is received. A transmitted signal to be propagated through the touch input medium is sent. The transmitted signal includes the source audio signal and a touch location detection signal. An event is indicated, where the touch input medium has been contacted at a location on the touch input medium by a touch contact such that rendering of the source audio signal by the touch input medium is affected by the touch contact. The location of the touch contact on the touch input medium is determined by analyzing a disturbance by the touch contact on the rendered touch location detection signal. At least a portion of the source audio signal is modified based on an expected effect of the contact on the touch input medium determined using the indication of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Lapoe E. Lynn
  • Patent number: 9639213
    Abstract: Detecting a location of a touch input is disclosed. Each of a plurality of transmitters coupled to a propagating medium emits a signal that is distinguishable from other signals emitted from other transmitters. The signals from the transmitters are received from at least one receiver coupled to the propagating medium to detect the location of the touch input on a surface of the propagating medium as indicated by an effect of the touch input on each of the distinguishable signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 9594450
    Abstract: Controlling an audio volume is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with an audio volume control. The audio volume is controlled based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9588552
    Abstract: A touch input device is disclosed. The touch input device includes a touch input medium configured to receive a touch input. The touch input device includes a conductive trace coupled to the touch input medium. The touch input device also includes a transducer electrically coupled to the conductive trace and coupled to the touch input medium via a non-conductive adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Yenyu Hsieh, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Robert G. Nelson
  • Patent number: 9524063
    Abstract: Determining touch contact locations is disclosed. A signal that has been disturbed by touch contacts of a touch input on a surface is received. The received signal is transformed to determine a spatial domain signal. The spatial domain signal is compared with an expected signal associated with potential locations of sources of disturbances caused by the touch contacts. The locations of the touch contacts of the touch input are determined based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 9513727
    Abstract: Processing an audio signal is disclosed. The audio signal is received from a sensor coupled to a touch input medium. An indication of an event where the touch input medium has been contacted at a location on the touch input medium is received. The event has been captured as an audio signal component of the received audio signal. At least a portion of the audio signal component is reduced from the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Lapoe E. Lynn
  • Patent number: 9477350
    Abstract: A system for determining a user indication is disclosed. The system includes a communication interface configured to send a signal to be used to propagate a freely propagating signal through a propagating medium with a surface and receive the freely propagating signal that has been disturbed by a disturbance on the surface. The system also includes a processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to process the received signal to determine a user indication associated with the disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9459715
    Abstract: Detecting a location of a touch input on a surface of a propagating medium is disclosed. A transmitter coupled to the propagating medium emits a signal. The signal is received using a receiver coupled to the propagating medium. The receiver is configured to receive the signal from the transmitter to at least in part detect the location of the touch input as indicated by an effect of the touch input on the signal. Spectral control of the signal is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 9449476
    Abstract: A haptic feedback system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of remote transmitters that are remote from a location of interest on a surface of the system. The system includes a signal generator that generates a signal for each of the remote transmitters. The remote transmitters propagate the signals through a medium of the surface and the signals interfere at the location of interest such that a localized disturbance is generated at the location of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9348468
    Abstract: Determining a touch contact location is disclosed. A signal that has been disturbed by a touch input on a surface is received. The received signal is transformed to determine a spatial domain signal. The spatial domain signal is compared with an expected signal associated with a potential location of a source of a disturbance caused by the touch input. The touch contact location of the touch input is determined based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Shirish A. Altekar, Shih-Ming Shih
  • Patent number: 9189109
    Abstract: Determining a touch contact object type is disclosed. A signal detected due to a touch input object contacting a touch input surface is received. At least a portion of the received signal is compared with one or more signatures of one or more touch input object types. A type of the touch input object contacting the surface is determined based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 9099971
    Abstract: Providing a virtual keyboard interaction is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with a virtual keyboard. A virtual keyboard interaction is provided based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9078066
    Abstract: Processing an audio signal is disclosed. A source audio signal to be rendered by a touch input medium is received. An indication of an event where the touch input medium has been contacted at a location on the touch input medium such that rendering of the source audio signal by the touch input medium is affected by the contact is received. At least a portion of the source audio signal is modified based on an expected effect of the contact on the touch input medium determined using the indication of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Lapoe E. Lynn
  • Publication number: 20140362055
    Abstract: Determining a touch contact location is disclosed. A signal that has been disturbed by a touch input on a surface is received. The received signal is transformed to determine a spatial domain signal. The spatial domain signal is compared with an expected signal associated with a potential location of a source of a disturbance caused by the touch input. The touch contact location of the touch input is determined based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Shirish A. Altekar, Shih-Ming Shih