Patents by Inventor Nathan Hirt

Nathan Hirt 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: 11698563
    Abstract: A liquid crystal writing device is erased by a stylus. The liquid crystal writing device includes a liquid crystal layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material. A user applies pressure to a flexible substrate that changes reflectivity of the cholesteric liquid crystal material to form images on the liquid crystal writing device. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between electrically conductive layers. Writing device terminals are electrically conductive and connected to the electrically conductive layers. The stylus includes stylus electronics adapted to apply an erase voltage or erase voltage waveform to the writing device terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kent Displays, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Nathan Hirt, Bryan Owen, Clinton Braganza, Hunter Morris
  • Patent number: 11609470
    Abstract: A writing device includes a liquid crystal layer including reflective cholesteric liquid crystal material. There are electrically conductive layers between which the liquid crystal layer is disposed. At least one of the electrically conductive layers includes at least two conductive sections. There is a front substrate that is flexible and a back substrate between which the electrically conductive layers and the liquid crystal layer are disposed. Neither the front substrate nor the back substrate includes separated sections. Application of pressure to the front substrate changes a reflectivity of a portion of the cholesteric liquid crystal material to form an image. In one aspect, there is electronic erase circuitry including at least one actuator that independently applies an erase voltage waveform to each of at least two of the conductive sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Kent Displays, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Don Davis, Duane Marhefka, Nathan Hirt, Anthony Daniels, Clinton Braganza
  • Publication number: 20230027561
    Abstract: A liquid crystal writing device is erased by a stylus. The liquid crystal writing device includes a liquid crystal layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material. A user applies pressure to a flexible substrate that changes reflectivity of the cholesteric liquid crystal material to form images on the liquid crystal writing device. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between electrically conductive layers. Writing device terminals are electrically conductive and connected to the electrically conductive layers. The stylus includes stylus electronics adapted to apply an erase voltage or erase voltage waveform to the writing device terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Todd ERNST, Nathan HIRT, Bryan OWEN, Clinton BRAGANZA, Hunter MORRIS
  • Patent number: 11262635
    Abstract: A magnet erased writing device or eWriter includes cholesteric liquid crystal material, in which a written image is erased using magnetically activated electronic circuitry. By eliminating the mechanical erase button of Prior Art eWriters, the eWriter can be designed with a display footprint that can cover nearly the entire face of the eWriter. An erasing magnet can be used with the device, which can be handheld as, for example, by being part of a stylus. With the erasing magnet separated from the device and the mechanical erase button being omitted, the eWriter avoids unintentional erasures, a drawback of Prior Art eWriters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Kent Displays, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Daniels, Todd Ernst, Nathan Hirt