Patents by Inventor Howard J. Locker

Howard J. Locker 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).

  • Patent number: 9542097
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer program product are disclosed to provide a virtual touchpad for a touch device. A placement module places a virtual touchpad at a dynamic location within a touch sensitive area of a touch device. A touch input module positions a pointer on a screen of the touch device in response to a touch input on the virtual touchpad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Harriss C. Ganey, Jay W. Johnson, Howard J. Locker, Aaron M. Stewart
  • Patent number: 9520957
    Abstract: A system can include storage for identification data for individuals; an interface configured to receive image data; recognition circuitry configured to recognize individuals using received image data and stored identification data; grouping circuitry configured to define groups based on recognized individuals; assignment circuitry configured to assign media consumption preferences to defined groups; and output circuitry configured to output preferred media information based on assigned media consumption preferences of a defined group of recognized individuals. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Axel Ramirez Flores, Mark Charles Davis, Bradley Park Strazisar, Scott Edwards Kelso, Steven Richard Perrin, Yi Zhou, Howard J. Locker, Jian Li, Jianbang Zhang, Jennifer Greenwood Zawacki
  • Patent number: 9369658
    Abstract: A method can include determining characteristics of a surface; determining a point of view for an object with respect to the surface; and projecting an adjusted image onto the surface, the adjusted image being adjusted based at least in part on the characteristics of the surface and the point of view for the object with respect to the surface. Various other methods, apparatuses, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Aaron Michael Stewart, Howard J. Locker, John Weldon Nicholson, Michaela Rose Case
  • Patent number: 9235275
    Abstract: An apparatus can include a processor; memory operatively coupled to the processor; a touchscreen display operatively coupled to the processor; a stylus that includes a first axial end, a second axial end and an axially translatable grip; and a housing that includes a stylus socket for docking the stylus. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel Jordan Schantz, Karen Ruth Kluttz, Christopher Miles Osborne, Scott Edwards Kelso, Michaela Rose Case, Howard J. Locker
  • Patent number: 9201458
    Abstract: A device can include a processor; a display operatively coupled to the processor; a battery having a battery length; a chassis that includes a bay having a bay length, the bay length being of sufficient length to allow translation of the battery along the bay length; a translation mechanism to translate the battery in the bay; and communication circuitry operatively coupled to the processor and the translation mechanism. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John Miles Hunt, John Weldon Nicholson, Jennifer Greenwood Zawacki, Howard J. Locker
  • Patent number: 9176965
    Abstract: An apparatus for associated search terms with a downloaded file includes a storage device storing machine-readable code and a processor executing the machine-readable code. The machine-readable code includes a reference module that references one or more search terms for a file selected for download. The file is retrieved by a search engine searching with the one or more search terms. The machine-readable code includes an embedding module that embeds the one or more search terms into data associated with a file copy. The file copy includes a copy of the file for saving on a storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Howard J. Locker, Yang Jinping, Shao Xiang
  • Patent number: 9152195
    Abstract: A method can include receiving a request to access a specified resource associated with a user account; and, in response to the request, transmitting, to a network address associated with the user account, instructions for waking a system or device from a sleep state and for accessing the specified resource. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard W. Cheston, Howard J. Locker, Randall S. Springfield, Goran H. Wibran
  • Publication number: 20150228235
    Abstract: A device includes a controller configured to receive information for display, an LCD display coupled to the controller, the LCD display comprising an array of pixel elements, and a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) coupled to the controller and to the LCD display to receive data for each pixel element and provide that data to the pixel elements for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark Charles Davis, Howard J. Locker, Scott Edwards Kelso, Steven Richard Perrin
  • Patent number: 9100197
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods and program products by which the user of a computer system is notified of the desirability or urgency of initiating an interval during which the user leaves the system idle to permit some communication or update from a network with which the system is in communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Howard J. Locker, Richard W. Cheston, Daryl C. Cromer, Deepak Advani
  • Patent number: 9094532
    Abstract: A method includes sensing a local environmental condition, receiving an electronic communication message, sensing a local microphone signal level associated with the communication message, and issuing a notification if the local microphone signal level exceeds a threshold associated with the local environmental condition. In such a method, an electronic communication may be a telephone call, a video call, a text message, a message communicated via a short message service, a message communicated via a multimedia message service or other type of message. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jennifer Greenwood Zawacki, Axel Ramirez Flores, Bradley Park Strazisar, Howard J. Locker, James Stephen Rutledge, Julie Anne Morris, Matthew Price Roper, Michael Thano Matthews, Scott Edwards Kelso, Steven Richard Perrin, Yi Zhou
  • Publication number: 20150208019
    Abstract: A method can include determining characteristics of a surface; determining a point of view for an object with respect to the surface; and projecting an adjusted image onto the surface, the adjusted image being adjusted based at least in part on the characteristics of the surface and the point of view for the object with respect to the surface. Various other methods, apparatuses, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Aaron Michael Stewart, Howard J. Locker, John Weldon Nicholson, Michaela Rose Case
  • Publication number: 20150186673
    Abstract: A method can include rendering pixel representations of information to a rectangular display; and rendering pixel representations of perspectival text to the rectangular display where the pixel representations of perspectival text overlay a portion of the pixel representations of information. Various other methods, apparatuses, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Aaron Michael Stewart, Howard J. Locker, John Weldon Nicholson, Michaela Rose Case
  • Publication number: 20150169048
    Abstract: In one aspect, a device includes a display, a processor, and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to receive at least one signal from at least one camera in communication with the device, determine that a user of the device is looking at a portion of the display at least partially based on the signal, and present information associated with an item presented on the portion in response to the determination that the user is looking at the portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Nathan J. Peterson, John Carl Mese, Russell Speight VanBlon, Arnold S. Weksler, Rod D. Waltermann, Xin Feng, Howard J. Locker
  • Patent number: 9058229
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining operability with a cloud computing environment. The apparatus includes a storage module and a local environment module. The storage module may store cloud computing data from a cloud computing environment onto a local storage device. The storage module may communicate with the cloud computing environment through a remote connection. The local environment module may operate a local cloud computing environment from the local storage device while the remote connection to the cloud computing environment is unavailable. The local cloud environment may replicate at least a portion of the cloud computing environment and may be operated from the stored cloud computing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Howard J. Locker, Richard Wayne Cheston, Rod D. Waltermann, Goran H. Wibran
  • Publication number: 20150161937
    Abstract: A method includes receiving information identifying overlap of multiple overlapping screens of display devices, determining a screen size corresponding to the overlapping screens, determining pixels to display on each overlapping display screen, and sending the determined pixels to each display screen to display images on the display screens corresponding to the determined screen size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Howard J. Locker, Elif Karakaya, Matthew Lloyd Hagenbuch, Matthew Price Roper
  • Patent number: 9052917
    Abstract: A method can include receiving operating system environment settings via a network; storing the received operating system environment settings to a storage device; establishing an operating system environment according to the stored operating system environment settings; receiving information via the network; instructing the established operating system environment according to the received information; and, in response to the instructing, transmitting via the network information generated at least in part by the established operating system environment. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Seethaler, Randall S. Springfield, Howard J. Locker, Richard W. Cheston
  • Patent number: 9052760
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for combining multiple displays on multiple portable electronic computer devices to form a larger display. For each device, a configuration module configures a first display to combine with one or more additional displays of one or more additional electronic computer devices to form the larger display. The first display may be configured to provide a portion of the larger display. A display orientation module determines an orientation of the first display with respect to the one or more additional displays to form the larger display. A detection module detects a presence of the one or more additional electronic computer devices and determines that the detected additional electronic computer devices are compatible with the first display to combine to form a larger display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Howard J. Locker, David William Critchley, III, Mika Majapuro
  • Patent number: 9047041
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for automatically combining multiple displays on multiple portable electronic computer devices to form a larger display matrix. For each device, a first display configured to combine with additional displays of additional electronic devices to form a larger display from a matrix of the first display and the additional displays. A display orientation module automatically determines an orientation of the first display with respect to the one or more additional displays that form the larger display matrix. The display orientation module determines a location of the first display in the larger display matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Howard J. Locker, David William Critchley, III, Mika Majapuro
  • Patent number: 9024958
    Abstract: A method can include buffering video data to a buffer that includes a buffer capacity that corresponds to a video time interval; sampling video data at a sampling rate of at least once per video time interval; processing the sampled video data for gesture evidence; and, responsive to gesture evidence in the sampled video data, processing the buffered video data for additional gesture evidence. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John Weldon Nicholson, Jennifer Greenwood Zawacki, Howard J. Locker, Daryl C. Cromer
  • Patent number: D761039
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Inventor: Howard J. Locker