Patents by Inventor Paul Mercer

Paul Mercer 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: 20240108968
    Abstract: Card-handling devices may include a card-shuffling apparatus, a card output portion, and/or a card input portion. The card input portion may include a card rotation device. The card rotation device may be configured to receive and rotate cards about a minor axis of the cards. The card-handling device may include a card-shuffling apparatus including a carousel having at least one hundred compartments each configured to hold between one and ten cards and arranged radially about the carousel. The card-handling device may be positioned at a gaming structure with a playing surface. The card-handling device may include a card output portion for receiving shuffled cards from the card-shuffling apparatus. The card output portion may be configured to receive the cards where major faces of the playing cards are oriented in a plane substantially transverse to the playing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Paul K. Scheper, Ronald R. Swanson, James B. Stasson, James P. Helgesen, Haven A. Mercer, Troy D. Nelson, Jamal Hani Kotifani, Feraidoon Bourbour, Peter Krenn
  • Publication number: 20240094873
    Abstract: A mobile computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo DUARTE, Daniel Marc Gatan SHIPLACOFF, Jeremy Godfrey LYON, Paul MERCER, Ralph THOMAS
  • Patent number: 11880551
    Abstract: A mobile computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Publication number: 20230236709
    Abstract: A mobile computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo DUARTE, Daniel Marc Gatan SHIPLACOFF, Jeremy Godfrey LYON, Paul MERCER, Ralph THOMAS
  • Patent number: 11650715
    Abstract: A mobile computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Publication number: 20220129122
    Abstract: A mobile computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Patent number: 11262889
    Abstract: A mobile computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Publication number: 20210144244
    Abstract: A user of a mobile computing device may provide a first user preference for a first type of event and a second user preference for a second type of event, and the mobile computing device may detect an event comprising reception of the first type of event or the second type of event. The mobile computing device may present, along an edge of a touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device, a banner alert in response to detecting the first type of event, and may present, on the touch-sensitive display, a pop-up notification in response to detecting the second type of event. The mobile device may dismiss the banner alert based on a user swiping the banner alert off the touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Richard R. Dellinger
  • Publication number: 20210041995
    Abstract: A mobile computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Patent number: 10891027
    Abstract: A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Publication number: 20200264740
    Abstract: A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Patent number: 10678403
    Abstract: A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Publication number: 20200028959
    Abstract: A user of a mobile computing device may provide a first user preference for a first type of event and a second user preference for a second type of event, and the mobile computing device may detect an event comprising reception of the first type of event or the second type of event. The mobile computing device may present, along an edge of a touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device, a banner alert in response to detecting the first type of event, and may present, on the touch-sensitive display, a pop-up notification in response to detecting the second type of event. The mobile device may dismiss the banner alert based on a user swiping the banner alert off the touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Matias Duarte, Daniel Shiplacoff, Jeremy Lyon, Paul Mercer, Richard R. Dellinger
  • Patent number: 10462279
    Abstract: A user of a mobile computing device may provide a first user preference for a first type of event and a second user preference for a second type of event, and the mobile computing device may detect an event comprising reception of the first type of event or the second type of event. The mobile computing device may present, along an edge of a touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device, a banner alert in response to detecting the first type of event, and may present, on the touch-sensitive display, a pop-up notification in response to detecting the second type of event. The mobile device may dismiss the banner alert based on a user swiping the banner alert off the touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Duarte, Daniel Shiplacoff, Jeremy Lyon, Paul Mercer, Richard R. Dellinger
  • Patent number: 10375223
    Abstract: In a computing device, event notifications take the form of alerts that can be presented in different ways. The particular form of each event notification depends on the nature of the event, the user task being performed at the time the event occurs, the user's preferences, or any combination thereof. In one aspect, the present invention presents event notifications in the form of banner alerts. Obtrusiveness is minimized by presenting the notification at a location near the edge of the screen (such as a bottom edge), and slightly shrinking the active display area to make room for the event notification. In this manner, event notifications can be presented without obscuring any part of the active display area. In addition, the user can obtain more information about the event by activating the notification (for example by tapping on it). In another aspect, the present invention provides a summary of pending event notifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Duarte, Daniel Shiplacoff, Jeremy Lyon, Paul Mercer, Richard R. Dellinger
  • Publication number: 20180364876
    Abstract: A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170272564
    Abstract: A user of a mobile computing device may provide a first user preference for a first type of event and a second user preference for a second type of event, and the mobile computing device may detect an event comprising reception of the first type of event or the second type of event. The mobile computing device may present, along an edge of a touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device, a banner alert in response to detecting the first type of event, and may present, on the touch-sensitive display, a pop-up notification in response to detecting the second type of event. The mobile device may dismiss the banner alert based on a user swiping the banner alert off the touch-sensitive display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Matias Duarte, Daniel Shiplacoff, Jeremy Lyon, Paul Mercer, Richard R. Dellinger
  • Patent number: 9489107
    Abstract: A computing device runs multiple activities concurrently and provides at least two modes for interacting with the activities. The user may toggle between the modes as desired. In a full-screen mode, one activity occupies substantially an entire display screen. In a windowed mode, the activity is visible within a window, and a portion of at least one other window is also visible. In the windowed mode, the user can cause windows to move, thereby changing focus from one activity to another. For example, the window having focus can be moved off the screen, to be replaced by a new window that is then given focus. The windows are ordered in a sequence and move in concert with one another; pushing one window off one edge of the screen causes a new window to appear at the opposite edge. A persistent positional relationship can be established among windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Matias Gonzalo Duarte, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff, Jeremy Godfrey Lyon, Paul Mercer, Ralph Thomas
  • Patent number: 9304658
    Abstract: Menu items are displayed on a screen, for example in the form of user-activatable on-screen buttons. A root menu is displayed, including a “more” button that allows the user to navigate to one or more sub-menus. Each menu can contain function buttons, menu buttons, or any combination thereof. Function buttons provide direct access to functions. Menu buttons provide access to sub-menus, which may be provided in a hierarchical arrangement. In some sub-menus, a menu title button replaces the “more” button and provides access to a previously displayed menu. The user can activate a displayed function button in any menu or sub-menu to perform an action associated with the function button. In one aspect, all menus are displayed in the same area of the screen. When a menu is to be displayed, it replaces the previously displayed menu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul Mercer
  • Publication number: 20160080310
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for presenting static and dynamic data corresponding to an entity within an application on a mobile device. An entity object is created as part of a data model within the application such that the entity object has a plurality of fields with the plurality of fields having static data corresponding to the entity. Based on the static data corresponding to the entity, dynamic data corresponding to the entity is received into the entity object from at least one of a plurality of applications executable within the mobile device. The static and dynamic data from the entity object corresponding to the entity is displayed simultaneously within a user interface of the application in a single presentation view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Paul MERCER, Ralph THOMAS, Srikiran PRASAD