Patents by Inventor Scott Mitchel Mail

Scott Mitchel Mail 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: 9013405
    Abstract: In embodiments of a touch-scrolling pad for computer input devices, a touch sensor strip detects touch contacts on a touch-scrolling pad that is implemented for vertical scrolling input and horizontal scrolling input. A selectable button positioned proximate below the touch sensor strip can be selected by an actuation depress input to the touch-scrolling pad. The touch-scrolling pad includes programmed instructions in firmware implemented to determine that a touch contact is one of a vertical scrolling input, a horizontal scrolling input, or the actuation depress input to actuate the selectable button. The touch-scrolling pad also includes a haptic system that generates haptic feedback responsive to either of the vertical scrolling input or the horizontal scrolling input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher H. Kujawski, Anthony A. Torrence, Yuan-Chou Chung, Carl E. Picciotto, Michael R. Schweers, Matthew G. Pedersen, Niño Aldrin L. Sarmiento, Martyn S. Jackson, Scott Mitchel Mail
  • Publication number: 20140020484
    Abstract: Input device configurations are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a sensor substrate having one or more conductors and a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate. The flexible contact layer is configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device. The flexible contact layer includes a force concentrator pad that is configured to cause pressure to be channeled through the force concentrator pad to cause the flexible contact layer to contact the sensor substrate to initiate the input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Timothy C. Shaw, Flavio Protasio Ribeiro, Glenn Covington, Chris Gadke, Jones Wu, Brad Martin, Francie Zant, Scott Mitchel Mail, James Charles Marshall
  • Publication number: 20130228023
    Abstract: A pressure sensitive keyboard includes multiple pressure sensors associated with the keys of the keyboard. In response to pressure applied to one or more keys of the keyboard, a determination is made as to whether the pressure applied is a key strike (a user selection of a key). Various different factors can be used in determining whether the pressure applied is a key strike, such as the amount of the pressure applied, a rate at which the pressure is applied, a number of keys to which pressure is applied, when the pressure is applied relative to previous key strikes, and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Sharon Drasnin, Scott Mitchel Mail, Jim Tom Belesiu, Timothy C. Shaw, Moshe R. Lutz, Paul Henry Dietz
  • Publication number: 20130169424
    Abstract: In embodiments of a touch-scrolling pad for computer input devices, a touch sensor strip detects touch contacts on a touch-scrolling pad that is implemented for vertical scrolling input and horizontal scrolling input. A selectable button positioned proximate below the touch sensor strip can be selected by an actuation depress input to the touch-scrolling pad. The touch-scrolling pad includes programmed instructions in firmware implemented to determine that a touch contact is one of a vertical scrolling input, a horizontal scrolling input, or the actuation depress input to actuate the selectable button. The touch-scrolling pad also includes a haptic system that generates haptic feedback responsive to either of the vertical scrolling input or the horizontal scrolling input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher H. Kujawski, Anthony A. Torrence, Yuan-Chou Chung, Carl E. Picciotto, Michael R. Schweers, Matthew G. Pedersen, Niño Aldrin L. Sarmiento, Martyn S. Jackson, Scott Mitchel Mail
  • Publication number: 20080115081
    Abstract: An enhanced windows management feature provides computing device users with the ability to view open windows simultaneously and unobscured on the computing device display. User satisfaction is increased when a user can cause all windows open on a computing device display to be exhibited simultaneously and unobscured with quick and easy user actions. The enhanced windows management feature allows a user to work within the display of all open windows to, e.g., minimize, maximize or close open windows, or change the z-order of the open windows when normally exhibited on the computing device display. The enhanced windows management feature also allows a user to view and work within, at the same time, two or more live, i.e., active, windows that are displayed simultaneously and unobscured on the computing device display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Srinivasa M. Sankaravadivelu, Scott Mitchel Mail, Jianying Wang, Sarah Fuelling