Patents Examined by Robert M Stone
  • Patent number: 10983650
    Abstract: A dynamic input surface for an electronic device and a method of reconfiguring the same is disclosed. The input surface has a partially-flexible metal contact portion defining an input area, and a group of indicators. The indicators may be group of holes extending through the contact portion. The group of holes may be selectively illuminated based on a gesture performed on the contact portion. A size of the input area may be dynamically varied based on the gesture. Additionally, the group of indicators indicates a boundary of the input area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Daniel D. Sunshine, Ron A. Hopkinson, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, William F. Leggett, Patrick Kessler
  • Patent number: 10963117
    Abstract: A configurable, force-sensitive input structure for an electronic device is disclosed. The input structure has a metal contact layer, a sense layer positioned below the metal contact layer, and a drive layer capacitively coupled to the sense layer. The input structure may also have a compliant layer positioned between and coupled to the sense layer and the drive layer, a rigid base layer positioned below the drive layer, and a set of supports positioned between the metal contact layer and the rigid base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Morrell, Ron A. Hopkinson, Peter M. Arnold, Mikael M. Silvanto, William F. Leggett
  • Patent number: 10923036
    Abstract: A display panel and an electroluminescence display using the same are discussed. The display panel includes pixels in which data lines and gate lines are crossed and which are arranged in a matrix form, and a gate driver configured to supply a gate pulse to the gate lines. Each pixel circuit of the pixels includes one or more n-type transistors and two or more p-type transistors. A gate driver of the display panel includes a first gate driving circuit configured to supply a first gate signal to an n-type transistor of the pixel circuit using a plurality of n-type transistors, a second gate driving circuit configured to supply a second gate signal to one of the p-type transistors of the pixel circuit using a plurality of p-type transistors, and a third gate driving circuit configured to supply a third gate signal to the other one of the p-type transistors of the pixel circuit using a plurality of n-type transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youngjang Lee
  • Patent number: 10909953
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a display device includes a display panel including sub-pixels of three primary colors, and pixels having a high-luminance color having higher luminance than that of the primary colors. The three primary colors include a first primary color, a second primary color, and a third primary color. The number of the sub-pixels is smaller than twice the number of the pixels, sub-pixels of the same color are arranged at even intervals in a row direction and at even intervals in a column direction, and the sub-pixels of the same color are arranged in a staggered manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Hayashi, Takayuki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 10896652
    Abstract: An image data output unit includes first and second line buffers that store image data for one line in image data of first and second systems and a timing controller that alternately outputs image data for one line, which are read out from the first line buffer and the second line buffer, to a driver unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kimihiko Masuda, Yushi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10896654
    Abstract: Disclosed are a GOA circuit and a liquid crystal display device. The GOA circuit includes multiple stages of GOA sub-circuits connected in cascade. In a pull-down unit of a GOA sub-circuit, a first thin film transistor and a second thin film transistor are connected in series. Leakage current at Q point in the GOA circuit can be reduced, stability of the GOA circuit can be improved in harsh environments, and reliability of a liquid crystal panel can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wenying Li
  • Patent number: 10877609
    Abstract: [Object] To make information processing based on a given application program operable by contactless operations. [Solution] A display unit forming a capacitive touch panel is provided. Changes in the capacitance values of respective capacitive sensors in the display unit are detected during a contactless operation, and on the basis of such changes in capacitance values, a contactless operation mode (gesture) of the contactless operation and two-dimensional coordinate information corresponding to the contactless operation mode are detected. Then, execution of information processing corresponding to the detected contactless operation mode and two-dimensional coordinate information from among respective information processing in the currently activated application program is controlled. Thus, information processing in a given application program can be made operable by a contactless operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Tokutake
  • Patent number: 10852818
    Abstract: An information provision device and an information provision method. Each of the information provision device and information provision method includes projecting an image light to a light transmission member so as to display a for-driver information image, sensing a relative distance of an object to be detected existing around the mobile object in the direction of travel, detecting a location of a viewpoint of the driver, and changing a position at which an object image indicating the object to be detected is displayed according to a result of the detecting so as to change a perception distance of the driver influenced by a motion parallax of the object image according to the relative distance of the object to be detected in the direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichiroh Saisho
  • Patent number: 10845902
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel including a plurality of sub-pixels, a touch sensor electrode made of a conductive and opaque material that is located directly on the display panel and overlaps a portion of the display panel in between a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels, a feedline that is made of the conductive and opaque material and connected to the touch sensor electrode, overlaps a portion of the display panel in between a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels that is not overlapped by the touch sensor electrode, and routes the touch sensor electrode to a touch sensor controller, and a feedline extension that is made of the conductive and opaque material, extends from the feedline and overlaps a portion of the display panel in between a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels that is not overlapped by the touch sensor electrode and the feedline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nick Clark, Tim Michael Smeeton
  • Patent number: 10831292
    Abstract: An example force sensitive touch panel device can include a device body; a touch surface for receiving a touch force; a sensor for sensing touch force that is arranged between the device body and the touch surface; and a membrane configured to mechanically isolate the device body and the touch surface. Additionally, the membrane can apply a preload force to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: NextInput, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Douglas Campbell, Ryan Matthew Diestelhorst
  • Patent number: 10818253
    Abstract: A display device comprises a display panel, a drive circuit configured to drive the display panel, a timing controller configured to control the drive circuit, and a power supply configured to output a supply voltage to the display panel. The timing controller is configured to output a vertical synchronization signal having an image display period and a blanking interval. The power supply is configured to vary a level of the supply voltage during the blanking interval of the vertical synchronization signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nojin Park, Jeonga Lee, Jiwoong Park
  • Patent number: 10802630
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses an array substrate, a method for fabricating the same, a display panel, and a display device, and the array substrate includes: a base substrate, a pressure-sensitive component, a plurality of dual-gate transistors, and a plurality of pixel transistors, where the pressure-sensitive component includes a first electrode layer, a pressure-sensitive layer, and a second electrode layer which are arranged on the base substrate in that order, and the second electrode layer includes a plurality of second electrodes arranged corresponding to the respective dual-gate transistors in a one-to-one manner; and the dual-gate transistors and the pixel transistors are arranged above the second electrode layer, and each of the plurality of second electrodes is electrically connected with a bottom-gate electrode in a corresponding dual-gate transistor, so that a pressure can be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yuzhen Guo, Xue Dong, Haisheng Wang, Chun-wei Wu, Xueyou Cao, Yingming Liu, Xiaoliang Ding, Chih-Jen Cheng
  • Patent number: 10803829
    Abstract: A display device includes: a first controller that outputs an output image signal having the same resolution as that of pixels to an image display panel; and a second controller that transmits an input image signal to the first controller, generates second luminance distribution data divided into regions at a second density lower than a first density equal to the resolution, and transmits the second luminance distribution data to the first controller. The second controller generates first luminance distribution data divided into regions at a third density lower than the second density, controls an illuminator based on the first luminance distribution data, and generates the second luminance distribution data by applying a polynomial interpolation to the first luminance distribution data. The first controller generates third luminance distribution data having the resolution, and generates the output image signal by adjusting the input image signal based on the third luminance distribution data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Harada, Kazuhiko Sako
  • Patent number: 10795451
    Abstract: A configurable, force-sensitive input structure for an electronic device is disclosed. The input structure has a metal contact layer, a sense layer positioned below the metal contact layer, and a drive layer capacitively coupled to the sense layer. The input structure may also have a compliant layer positioned between and coupled to the sense layer and the drive layer, a rigid base layer positioned below the drive layer, and a set of supports positioned between the metal contact layer and the rigid base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Morrell, Ron A. Hopkinson, Peter M. Arnold, Mikael M. Silvanto, William F. Leggett
  • Patent number: 10782807
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to realize a flexible display device with a touch sensor that flexibility is maintained in a normal operation as a display; however, rigidity is added to the display device when the touch sensor is used. The representative structure of the invention is, a display device comprising: a touch sensor and a display panel, wherein a laminated body of a first actuator and a second actuator is adhered to the rear surface of the display panel, the first actuator itself can bend when voltage is applied, the second actuator itself can bend when voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Tohru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10777116
    Abstract: An electronic display includes a timing controller configured to distribute emission periods throughout an active area of the display over time by generating a plurality of emission clock phases. The electronic display also includes multiple row drivers configured to cause rows of pixels to emit at multiple different emission periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad B. Vahid Far, Tore Nauta, Hopil Bae, Yafei Bi
  • Patent number: 10747005
    Abstract: A head-mounted-display adjustment apparatus may include a strap that includes (1) a proximal section coupled to a proximal area of a head-mounted display and (2) a distal section coupled to a distal area of the head-mounted display in a manner that holds the head-mounted display, when being worn by a user, against the user's face. The apparatus may also include a spring that couples the proximal section of the strap to the proximal area of the head-mounted display. In addition, the apparatus may include an adjustment mechanism connected to the spring such that (1) actuation of the adjustment mechanism adjusts the spring and (2) adjusting the spring changes an amount of force that the head-mounted display, when being worn by the user, applies to the user's face. Various other head-mounted-display adjustment devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Patrick Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10747362
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to the identification and suppression of inadvertent touches on a touch device, such as a touchpad or a touch screen. A suppression region is monitored on the touch device, and received touches are classified as intended or inadvertent based on the touches inside or outside of the suppression region. The suppression region is continually monitored, even while touches determined to be intended are being captured. Inadvertent touches are suppressed, and intended touches are allowed to be displayed or otherwise processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Robbie Edgar, Yi-Min Huang, Nathan Ukrainetz
  • Patent number: 10732758
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a display stack, a touch sensor, and a touch sensor controller. The display stack includes one or more layers. The touch sensor is disposed, at least in part, on a layer from among the one or more layers. The touch sensor controller has first and second portions. The first portion is coupled to a driver and is disposed, at least in part, on a layer from among the one or more layers. The second portion is coupled to a current sensor. The current sensor and the driver are coupled to a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: NeodrĂ³n Limited
    Inventor: Einar Fredriksen
  • Patent number: 10734089
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which an increase in the degree of wiring congestion due to an increase in the number of output terminals of a driver IC can be reduced is provided. In a shift register of the driver IC, pulse signals are sequentially output in different directions. For example, pulse signal output circuits are provided so as to sequentially output pulse signals in ascending order from right to left and then sequentially output pulse signals in ascending order from left to right. With such a structure, output signals of the driver IC can be output not only from a side opposite to a side along which an input terminal is provided, but also from a side along which the input terminal is provided; thus, the number of output terminals can be increased without an increase in the degree of wiring congestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetomo Kobayashi, Kei Takahashi