Patents by Inventor James S. Rutledge

James S. Rutledge 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: 10649540
    Abstract: Devices, methods and products are described that provide information handling devices with touch-based reflective display. One aspect provides an information handling device including one or more processors; a display device; and a touchable control area having one or more configurable areas, said one or more configurable areas providing both reflective display and accepting touch-based input; wherein said touchable control area is disposed in place of at least a portion of a standard component of said information handling device, other than said display device, and provides functionality equivalent thereto in one or more configurations. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Stewart, James S. Rutledge, Adam M. Smith, Jeffrey E. Skinner, Thomas J. Sluchak, Jason P. Parrish
  • Patent number: 10048805
    Abstract: An apparatus can include a left optical trackpad that, responsive to object sensing, outputs a left optical trackpad signal; a right optical trackpad that, responsive to object sensing, outputs a right optical trackpad signal; assignment circuitry that assigns a status to the optical trackpads that is a right hand dominant status or a left hand dominant status; and control circuitry that outputs one or more commands based at least in part on the status and at least one of the right optical trackpad signal and the left optical trackpad signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Julie Anne Gordon, James S. Rutledge, Bradley Park Strazisar, Aaron Michael Stewart, Jay Wesley Johnson
  • Patent number: 9360986
    Abstract: Arrangements for managing displays of ultra-mobile devices (UMD's). Automatically or manually, a small-mode interface on a UMD screen, wherein one application window is visible, is switched to a large-mode interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: James J. Thrasher, Justin T. Dubs, Steven R. Perrin, James S. Rutledge, Michael T. Vanover, Jennifer G. Zawacki
  • Patent number: 9354942
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products directed toward coordinating power states in a hybrid information handling device are described herein. One aspect includes a method including: providing a primary operating environment and a secondary operating environment in an information handling device; ascertaining a trigger event for switching between the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment; providing power state transitioning responsive to the trigger event; and placing one of the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment in a working state while one of the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment is in a sleeping state. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: James S. Rutledge, Aaron M. Stewart, Steven R. Perrin, Scott E. Kelso, Seiichi Kawano, Mitsuhiro Yamazaki, Karen R. Kluttz, Matthew P. Roper
  • Patent number: 9317455
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products directed toward switching device components between multiple operating environments available on an information handling device. One aspect includes switching operation of an information handling device between at least two operating environments responsive to a trigger event, the at least two operating environments comprising a primary and a secondary operating environment; and switching one or more device components from one of the at least two operating environments to the other of the at least two operating environments via a virtual switch operation facilitated by one or more embedded controllers disposed within the information handling device responsive to switching between the at least two operating environments. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: James S. Rutledge, Seiichi Kawanao, Steven R. Perrin, Scott E. Kelso
  • Publication number: 20150370362
    Abstract: An apparatus can include a left optical trackpad that, responsive to object sensing, outputs a left optical trackpad signal; a right optical trackpad that, responsive to object sensing, outputs a right optical trackpad signal; assignment circuitry that assigns a status to the optical trackpads that is a right hand dominant status or a left hand dominant status; and control circuitry that outputs one or more commands based at least in part on the status and at least one of the right optical trackpad signal and the left optical trackpad signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Julie Anne Morris, James S. Rutledge, Bradley Park Strazisar, Aaron Michael Stewart, Jay Wesley Johnson
  • Patent number: 9122323
    Abstract: An apparatus includes sensors configured to sense optical information, assignment circuitry configured to assign a dominant status to one of the sensors and a nondominant status to another one of the sensors and control circuitry configured to output one or more commands based on sensed optical information and status. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Julie Anne Morris, James S. Rutledge, Bradley Park Strazisar, Aaron Michael Stewart, Jay Wesley Johnson
  • Publication number: 20150220160
    Abstract: Devices, methods and products are described that provide information handling devices with touch-based reflective display. One aspect provides an information handling device including one or more processors; a display device; and a touchable control area having one or more configurable areas, said one or more configurable areas providing both reflective display and accepting touch-based input; wherein said touchable control area is disposed in place of at least a portion of a standard component of said information handling device, other than said display device, and provides functionality equivalent thereto in one or more configurations. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Aaron M. Stewart, James S. Rutledge, Adam M. Smith, Jeffrey E. Skinner, Thomas J. Sluchak, Jason P. Parrish
  • Patent number: 9007297
    Abstract: Devices, methods and products are described that provide information handling devices with touch-based reflective display. One aspect provides an information handling device including one or more processors; a display device; and a touchable control area having one or more configurable areas, said one or more configurable areas providing both reflective display and accepting touch-based input; wherein said touchable control area is disposed in place of at least a portion of a standard component of said information handling device, other than said display device, and provides functionality equivalent thereto in one or more configurations. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Stewart, James S. Rutledge, Adam M. Smith, Jeffrey E. Skinner, Thomas J. Sluchak, Jason P. Parrish
  • Patent number: 8847920
    Abstract: An apparatus includes timing circuitry configured to initiate a timing window in response to input sensed by an optical sensor, association circuitry configured to associate the input with additional input sensed by a different optical sensor if the additional input commences during the timing window and filter circuitry configured to filter out additional input sensed by a different optical sensor if the additional input commences after expiration of the timing window and prior to a subsequent initiation of the timing window. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Aaron Michael Stewart, Julie Anne Morris, James S. Rutledge
  • Patent number: 8797274
    Abstract: The invention includes a method, apparatus, and program storage device for providing a combined tap sequence and camera based user interface. The invention provides, among other features, an apparatus comprising: an accelerometer; a laser light generating module; wherein the laser light generating module provides a plane of laser light over a surface coupled to the accelerometer; at least one camera; at least one processor; and a memory; wherein the memory stores instructions, executable by the at least one processor, enabling the apparatus to ascertain an occurrence of an input event utilizing inputs from the accelerometer and a location of the input event utilizing inputs from the at least one camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: David C. Challener, James S. Rutledge, Jinping Yang
  • Patent number: 8707327
    Abstract: Arrangements for permitting incoming mail to be transferred from a WAN Drive to a notebook computer hard drive under conditions that are not stressful to the hard drive. Preferably, a WAN card is configured to wake a notebook when mail capacity is full or close to full. Mail is then preferably moved from the flash drive to the hard drive, subject to verification that this will not overly stress the hard drive. In a variant embodiment, the WAN card may preferably be configured to wake a notebook when mail is received at all. Again, mail is then preferably moved from the flash drive to the hard drive, subject to verification that this will not overly stress the hard drive. Once mail is moved to the hard drive, the system preferably runs an embedded email program that allows the user to employ an existing VPN infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Howard Locker, David Challener, Daryl Cromer, James S. Rutledge, Randall Scott Springfield, James J. Thrasher, Michael Vanover
  • Patent number: 8544082
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products directed toward providing security in hybrid information handling device environments are described herein. One aspect an information handling device comprising: one or more processors; and one or memories storing program instructions accessible by the one or more processors; wherein, responsive to execution of program instructions stored in the one or more memories, the one or more processors are configured to: ascertain a resume request for resuming to a secondary operating environment; and prior to resuming the information handling device to the secondary operating environment, initiate a primary operating environment security application. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jennifer Zawacki, Steven R. Perrin, Scott E. Kelso, James S. Rutledge, Matthew P. Roper, Jian Li, Yi Zhou
  • Patent number: 8525776
    Abstract: A technique for controlling operation of a device with a virtual touchscreen includes defining an area of a surface, associated with the device, as the virtual touchscreen. An operation within the device is then initiated based on activity within the virtual touchscreen. An overlay may be provided, on a display screen of the device, to indicate a location of the virtual touchscreen with respect to, for example, a keyboard of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. Ltd
    Inventors: David C. Challener, James S. Rutledge, Jinping Yang
  • Publication number: 20130179611
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products directed toward switching device components between multiple operating environments available on an information handling device. One aspect includes switching operation of an information handling device between at least two operating environments responsive to a trigger event, the at least two operating environments comprising a primary and a secondary operating environment; and switching one or more device components from one of the at least two operating environments to the other of the at least two operating environments via a virtual switch operation facilitated by one or more embedded controllers disposed within the information handling device responsive to switching between the at least two operating environments. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
    Inventors: James S. Rutledge, Seiichi Kawanao, Steven R. Perrin, Scott E. Kelso
  • Publication number: 20130179964
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products directed toward providing security in hybrid information handling device environments are described herein. One aspect an information handling device comprising: one or more processors; and one or memories storing program instructions accessible by the one or more processors; wherein, responsive to execution of program instructions stored in the one or more memories, the one or more processors are configured to: ascertain a resume request for resuming to a secondary operating environment; and prior to resuming the information handling device to the secondary operating environment, initiate a primary operating environment security application. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.,
    Inventors: Jennifer Zawacki, Steven R. Perrin, Scott E. Kelso, James S. Rutledge, Matthew P. Roper, Jian Li, Yi Zhou
  • Publication number: 20130179903
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products directed toward coordinating power states in a hybrid information handling device are described herein. One aspect includes a method including: providing a primary operating environment and a secondary operating environment in an information handling device; ascertaining a trigger event for switching between the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment; providing power state transitioning responsive to the trigger event; and placing one of the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment in a working state while one of the primary operating environment and the secondary operating environment is in a sleeping state. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: James S. Rutledge, Aaron M. Stewart, Steven R. Perrin, Scott E. Kelso, Seiichi Kawano, Mitsuhiro Yamazaki, Karen R. Kluttz, Matthew P. Roper
  • Publication number: 20130178172
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products directed toward tuning a wireless antenna of an information handling device are disclosed herein. One aspect includes tuning one or more wireless antennas connected to an information handling device via one or more antenna tuning pins arranged within a system bus slot; wherein the one or more antenna tuning pins are configured to tune the one or more wireless antennas to operate within a frequency band based on one or more connections with one or more wireless communication pins of a device interface module arranged to interface with the system bus slot. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: James S. Rutledge, Steven R. Perrin, Kazuo Fujii, Mitsuhiro Yamazaki, Takayuki Katoh
  • Patent number: 8446389
    Abstract: A technique for creating a virtual touchscreen includes capturing, with a first infrared camera, a first reflection from an object that is at a known position adjacent a surface associated with a device. A second reflection from the object (at the known position) is captured with a second infrared camera. The first and second reflections are correlated with the known position to provide a two-dimensional position for the object that is calibrated with respect to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. Ltd
    Inventors: David C. Challener, James S. Rutledge, Jinping Yang
  • Publication number: 20130050090
    Abstract: Devices, methods and products are described that provide information handling devices with touch-based reflective display. One aspect provides an information handling device including one or more processors; a display device; and a touchable control area having one or more configurable areas, said one or more configurable areas providing both reflective display and accepting touch-based input; wherein said touchable control area is disposed in place of at least a portion of a standard component of said information handling device, other than said display device, and provides functionality equivalent thereto in one or more configurations. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Aaron M. Stewart, James S. Rutledge, Adam M. Smith, Jeffrey E. Skinner, Thomas J. Sluchak, Jason P. Parrish