Patents by Inventor Brian D. Bitz
Brian D. Bitz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20230088731Abstract: This patent relates to hinged devices, such as computing devices. One example includes a first portion and a second portion. A dynamic fulcrum hinge includes a flexible material extending between the first portion and the second portion and configured to begin rotation proximate to the first portion and finish rotation proximate to the second portion when the first portion is rotated toward the second portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2021Publication date: March 23, 2023Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Brian D. BITZ, Whitney Anne REED, Bernard T. SELTING, Michael Gordon OLDANI, Le CHANG, Joseph B. GAULT
-
Patent number: 11061442Abstract: Conventional laptop computers may utilize a door-hinge style or in a bezel-behind-base style hinge to connect a display with a keyboard of the laptop computer. Typically, these hinges present a discontinuous visual impression to the user. Presenting a more continuous visual impression of the hinge to the user suggests a higher overall quality of the computing device to the user and is thus desirable to the user. The disclosed virtual pivot hinge pivots about a pivot axis running between the display and the keyboard. The hardware of the hinge is located away from the pivot axis, which creates a virtual pivoting action about the axis that maintains a consistent front gap distance (or no front gap) between the display and the keyboard. The resulting visual impression to the user is that the display is floating above keyboard at the same or similar distance regardless of the display angle.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Joseph Benjamin Gault, Brian D. Bitz
-
Patent number: 10921863Abstract: Conventional laptop computers may utilize a door-hinge style or in a bezel-behind-base style hinge to connect a display with a keyboard of the laptop computer. Typically, these hinges present a discontinuous visual impression to the user. Presenting a more continuous visual impression of the hinge to the user suggests a higher overall quality of the computing device to the user and is thus desirable to the user. The disclosed virtual pivot hinge pivots about a pivot axis running between the display and the keyboard. The hardware of the hinge is located away from the pivot axis, which creates a virtual pivoting action about the axis that maintains a consistent front gap distance (or no front gap) between the display and the keyboard. The resulting visual impression to the user is that the display is floating above keyboard at the same or similar distance regardless of the display angle.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Joseph Benjamin Gault, Brian D. Bitz
-
Patent number: 10802550Abstract: Conventional laptop computers may utilize a door-hinge style or in a bezel-behind-base style hinge to connect a display with a keyboard of the laptop computer. Typically, these hinges present a discontinuous visual impression to the user. Presenting a more continuous visual impression of the hinge to the user suggests a higher overall quality of the computing device to the user and is thus desirable to the user. The disclosed virtual pivot hinge pivots about a pivot axis running between the display and the keyboard. The hardware of the hinge is located away from the pivot axis, which creates a virtual pivoting action about the axis that maintains a consistent front gap distance (or no front gap) between the display and the keyboard. The resulting visual impression to the user is that the display is floating above keyboard at the same or similar distance regardless of the display angle.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Joseph Benjamin Gault, Brian D. Bitz
-
Publication number: 20200133351Abstract: Conventional laptop computers may utilize a door-hinge style or in a bezel-behind-base style hinge to connect a display with a keyboard of the laptop computer. Typically, these hinges present a discontinuous visual impression to the user. Presenting a more continuous visual impression of the hinge to the user suggests a higher overall quality of the computing device to the user and is thus desirable to the user. The disclosed virtual pivot hinge pivots about a pivot axis running between the display and the keyboard. The hardware of the hinge is located away from the pivot axis, which creates a virtual pivoting action about the axis that maintains a consistent front gap distance (or no front gap) between the display and the keyboard. The resulting visual impression to the user is that the display is floating above keyboard at the same or similar distance regardless of the display angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: Joseph Benjamin GAULT, Brian D. BITZ
-
Publication number: 20200133350Abstract: Conventional laptop computers may utilize a door-hinge style or in a bezel-behind-base style hinge to connect a display with a keyboard of the laptop computer. Typically, these hinges present a discontinuous visual impression to the user. Presenting a more continuous visual impression of the hinge to the user suggests a higher overall quality of the computing device to the user and is thus desirable to the user. The disclosed virtual pivot hinge pivots about a pivot axis running between the display and the keyboard. The hardware of the hinge is located away from the pivot axis, which creates a virtual pivoting action about the axis that maintains a consistent front gap distance (or no front gap) between the display and the keyboard. The resulting visual impression to the user is that the display is floating above keyboard at the same or similar distance regardless of the display angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: Joseph Benjamin GAULT, Brian D. BITZ
-
Patent number: 8083327Abstract: A print head pump assembly has a piezo element plate having an array of piezoelectric elements, a channel plate having an array of channel regions corresponding to the array of piezoelectric elements, and a valve plate having an array of reed valve pairs corresponding to the array of channel regions. A print head assembly has at least one ink reservoir, an upper routing plate to receive ink from the ink reservoir, a lower routing plate to direct ink out of the print head, and a pump assembly to draw ink from the upper routing plate and deliver ink to the lower routing plate using piezoelectric diaphragms. A method of delivering ink to a print substrate includes providing ink to a low-pressure reservoir of a print head, drawing ink out of the low-pressure reservoir through an upper routing plate using a pump assembly internal to the print head, and pumping ink out of the print head through a lower routing plate using the pump assembly, such that the drawing and pumping processes continuously alternate.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2007Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Roger G. Leighton, Gerald A. Domoto, Brian D. Bitz, Kirk S. Edwards
-
Publication number: 20090027458Abstract: A print head pump assembly has a piezo element plate having an array of piezoelectric elements, a channel plate having an array of channel regions corresponding to the array of piezoelectric elements, and a valve plate having an array of reed valve pairs corresponding to the array of channel regions. A print head assembly has at least one ink reservoir, an upper routing plate to receive ink from the ink reservoir, a lower routing plate to direct ink out of the print head, and a pump assembly to draw ink from the upper routing plate and deliver ink to the lower routing plate using piezoelectric diaphragms. A method of delivering ink to a print substrate includes providing ink to a low-pressure reservoir of a print head, drawing ink out of the low-pressure reservoir through an upper routing plate using a pump assembly internal to the print head, and pumping ink out of the print head through a lower routing plate using the pump assembly, such that the drawing and pumping processes continuously alternate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Roger G. Leighton, Gerald A. Domoto, Brian D. Bitz, Kirk S. Edwards