Patents by Inventor Stephen Schaefer

Stephen Schaefer 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: 20230215961
    Abstract: Contacts for solar cells and other optoelectronic devices are provided. Embodiments described herein take advantage of the surface Fermi level pinning effect to build an electrical field inside of a semiconductor to extract or inject carriers for solar cells, photodetectors, and light-emitting device applications. For example, n-type or p-type two-dimensional (2D) materials can be used in contact with an n-type semiconductor to form a “p-region” so that a p-n junction, or an i-n or n-n+ junction can be constructed. Similarly, n-type or p-type 2D materials can be used in contact with a p-type semiconductor to form an “n-region” so that an n-p junction, or an i-p or p-p+ junction can be constructed. These structures can provide sufficiently high electrical field inside the semiconductor to extract photogenerated carriers in solar cells and photodetectors or inject minority carriers for light-emitting devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yong-Hang ZHANG, Xin QI, Zheng JU, Jia DING, Tyler MCCARTHY, Stephen SCHAEFER
  • Patent number: 11695819
    Abstract: A system for preventing private image data captured at an endpoint from being shared during a videoconference is provided. A user can select three-dimensional regions which will not be seen during a videoconference while areas in front of the designated regions remain viewable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Kui Zhang, Varun Ajay Kulkarni, Raghavendra Balavalikar Krishnamurthy, Rajen Bhatt, Stephen Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20230171300
    Abstract: A system for preventing private image data captured at an endpoint from being shared during a videoconference is provided. A user can select three-dimensional regions which will not be seen during a videoconference while areas in front of the designated regions remain viewable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: PLANTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: KUI ZHANG, VARUN AJAY KULKARNI, RAGHAVENDRA BALAVALIKAR KRISHNAMURTHY, RAJEN BHATT, STEPHEN SCHAEFER
  • Patent number: 11513678
    Abstract: A presentation system capable of detecting one or more gestures and contacts on a touch sensitive display. The presentation system can displaying indicia of such contacts, such as when a user writes with a fingertip, and can remove or alter such indicia responsive to other gestures and contacts. The system can accurately distinguish between types of gestures detected, such as between a writing gesture and an erasing gesture, on both large and small touch sensitive displays, thereby obviating the need for a user to make additional selective inputs to transition from one type of gesture to another. The system can determine how long to keep user annotations displayed during a presentation, based on the nature of the gesture used to make the annotations and the context in which they are made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: POLYCOM, INC.
    Inventors: Alain Nimri, Shu Gao, Stephen Schaefer, Robert Murphy, Daniel Palmer
  • Patent number: 11178196
    Abstract: Systems and methods for collaboratively controlling the display of information across multiple displays is disclosed. A plurality of electronic devices linked to a plurality of co-located display devices are accessed. At least one of the plurality of electronic devices is a master electronic device. Different users can select and transfer content elements from the set displayed on the master display device to the remainder of display devices, such that the selected and transferred content elements advance in order across the remainder of display devices. Users can select individual content elements from a device under their control for display by one or more display devices without the need to transfer an entire document or file from which the content element is taken. Once a content element is so displayed, other currently displayed content elements are advanced in a logical manner, or removed from display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Junqing Shao, Shu Gao, Rob Murphy, Stephen Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20210055210
    Abstract: A method for determining a characteristic of a direct-gap semiconductor comprises measuring at least one optical constant of a first sample of a direct-gap semiconductor with an optical spectrometer, calculating an estimated value of an optical parameter of the first sample of the direct-gap semiconductor based on fitting the model ?g(ln(1+e(h?-Eg)/(pEu))/ln(2))p to an optical absorption curve based on the at least one optical constant, obtaining at least one second value of the optical parameter, and calculating an estimated characteristic of the direct-gap semiconductor from the estimated value of the optical parameter and the obtained second value of the optical parameter. A method for determining a temperature of a direct-gap semiconductor and a system for determining a characteristic of a direct-gap semiconductor are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
    Inventors: Shane Johnson, Stephen Schaefer, Shang Gao
  • Publication number: 20200404030
    Abstract: Systems and methods for collaboratively controlling the display of information across multiple displays is disclosed. A plurality of electronic devices linked to a plurality of co-located display devices are accessed. At least one of the plurality of electronic devices is a master electronic device. Different users can select and transfer content elements from the set displayed on the master display device to the remainder of display devices, such that the selected and transferred content elements advance in order across the remainder of display devices. Users can select individual content elements from a device under their control for display by one or more display devices without the need to transfer an entire document or file from which the content element is taken. Once a content element is so displayed, other currently displayed content elements are advanced in a logical manner, or removed from display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Junqing Shao, Shu Gao, Rob Murphy, Stephen Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10798137
    Abstract: Systems and methods for collaboratively controlling the display of information across multiple displays is disclosed. A plurality of electronic devices linked to a plurality of co-located display devices are accessed. At least one of the plurality of electronic devices is a master electronic device. Different users can select and transfer content elements from the set displayed on the master display device to the remainder of display devices, such that the selected and transferred content elements advance in order across the remainder of display devices. Users can select individual content elements from a device under their control for display by one or more display devices without the need to transfer an entire document or file from which the content element is taken. Once a content element is so displayed, other currently displayed content elements are advanced in a logical manner, or removed from display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Junqing Shao, Shu Gao, Rob Murphy, Stephen Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10609330
    Abstract: Systems for videoconferencing are designed for where people are seated around a video conferencing system. The systems include a camera so the far site can see the local participants and the systems include displays that show the far site. The displays are properly aligned with the cameras so that when people at the far site view the displayed images of the near site, it looks like they have eye contact with the near site. Obtaining the alignments of the camera and the displays to provide this apparent eye contact result requires meeting a series of different constraints relating to the various sizes and angles of the components and the locations of the participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Martin Duys, Alain Nimri, Stephen Schaefer, Shu Gao, Glenn G. George, Alvin Okunami
  • Patent number: 10474412
    Abstract: A digital storyboard system that uses multiple displays and related methods are disclosed. The systems and methods may be used to present graphical content such as slides of a slide shows or boards of a storyboard sequence simultaneously on multiple screens at each of a plurality of locations. One or more users of the system may, through their interface device, update or edit the content on any of the screens, resulting in real-time updates to those designated screens at all locations and on any interface devices on which those screens appear. Portable devices may be used to interface with the storyboard system to choose content, place content on display areas, edit and annotate content. Concurrent editing and/or annotating of content by multiple users is supported. The systems and methods may also partition screens at a plurality of locations into display areas to display different content, such that all content is visible at all locations, regardless of the number of available screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Junqing Shao, Shu Gao, Rob Murphy, Stephen Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20190158782
    Abstract: Systems for videoconferencing are designed for where people are seated around a video conferencing system. The systems include a camera so the far site can see the local participants and the systems include displays that show the far site. The displays are properly aligned with the cameras so that when people at the far site view the displayed images of the near site, it looks like they have eye contact with the near site. Obtaining the alignments of the camera and the displays to provide this apparent eye contact result requires meeting a series of different constraints relating to the various sizes and angles of the components and the locations of the participants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Anthony Martin Duys, Alain Nimri, Stephen Schaefer, Shu Gao, Glenn G. George, Alvin Okunami
  • Patent number: 10264193
    Abstract: Apparatuses, computer readable media, and methods are disclosed for providing composite images and/or videos having a high dynamic range. The apparatus includes a video capture module for capturing video images of a scene at a differing exposure levels. The apparatus further includes a region identification module for identifying regions in the captured video images of the scene that may benefit from being individually optimally-exposed. The apparatus further includes a region adjustment module for updating the positions of the various identified regions within the scene and a region exposure adjustment module for determining optimal exposure settings for the various identified regions of the scene. A video subsystem composites and encodes the various optimally-exposed regions of the scene onto a video image of a static portion of the scene having a high dynamic range that was, e.g., captured at a different moment in time than the various optimally-exposed regions of the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10182208
    Abstract: An automatic process for producing professional, directed, production crew quality, video for videoconferencing is described. Rule based logic is integrated into an automatic process for producing director quality video for videoconferencing. An automatic process can include a method for composing a display for use in a video system having an active talker video stream and a panoramic view video stream having more than one person in video. The method can include determining a region of interest in a panoramic view video using motion detection and presence sensors, and preparing the panoramic view video by centering the region of interest and by zooming towards the region of interest, based upon the location of persons in the panoramic view video. The method includes determining placement of panoramic view video on a composite display to prevent the panoramic view video overlaying display of an active talker on the active talker video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Shu Gao, Stephen Schaefer, Robert Murphy
  • Publication number: 20180349015
    Abstract: A presentation system capable of detecting one or more gestures and contacts on a touch sensitive display. The presentation system can displaying indicia of such contacts, such as when a user writes with a fingertip, and can remove or alter such indicia responsive to other gestures and contacts. The system can accurately distinguish between types of gestures detected, such as between a writing gesture and an erasing gesture, on both large and small touch sensitive displays, thereby obviating the need for a user to make additional selective inputs to transition from one type of gesture to another. The system can determine how long to keep user annotations displayed during a presentation, based on the nature of the gesture used to make the annotations and the context in which they are made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Alain Nimri, Shu Gao, Stephen Schaefer, Robert Murphy, Daniel Palmer
  • Patent number: 10148913
    Abstract: An automatic process for producing professional, directed, production crew quality, video for videoconferencing is described. Rule based logic is integrated into an automatic process for producing director quality video for videoconferencing. The automatic process uses sensor data to process video streams for video conferencing. A method and system for automatically processing sensor data on room activity into general room analytics for further processing by application of rules based logic to produce production quality video for videoconferencing is described. Sensory devices and equipment, for example motion, infrared, audio, sound source localization (SSL) and video are used to detect room activity or room stimulus. The room activity is analyzed (for example, to determine whether individuals are in the subject room, speaker identification and movement within the room) and processed to produce room analytics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Shu Gao, Stephen Schaefer, Robert Murphy
  • Patent number: 10027924
    Abstract: Systems for videoconferencing are designed for where people are seated around a video conferencing system. The systems include a camera so the far site can see the local participants and the systems include displays that show the far site. The displays are properly aligned with the cameras so that when people at the far site view the displayed images of the near site, it looks like they have eye contact with the near site. Obtaining the alignments of the camera and the displays to provide this apparent eye contact result requires meeting a series of different constraints relating to the various sizes and angles of the components and the locations of the participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Martin Duys, Alain Nimri, Stephen Schaefer, Shu Gao, Glenn G. George, Alvin Okunami
  • Patent number: 10015446
    Abstract: An automatic process for producing professional, directed, production crew quality, video for videoconferencing is described. The process includes a method for positioning a 360 degree panoramic strip view of a room. The method includes receiving motion detection data, accepting presence sensor data, receiving video data from cameras related to a room view, and centering individuals in a room view, based on the received motion detection data, the accepted presence sensor data and received video data. The method also includes zooming onto the centered individuals in the room view, obtaining sound source localization data and active talker information, and determining how to arrange the display of individuals in a logical manner that is visually pleasing and aides understanding. Rule based logic is applied to assist with the automatic processing of video into director quality video production. Various video sources may be used as video stream sources for the automated system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Shu Gao, Stephen Schaefer, Robert Murphy
  • Publication number: 20180167584
    Abstract: An automatic process for producing professional, directed, production crew quality, video for videoconferencing is described. Rule based logic is integrated into an automatic process for producing director quality video for videoconferencing. An automatic process can include a method for composing a display for use in a video system having an active talker video stream and a panoramic view video stream having more than one person in video. The method can include determining a region of interest in a panoramic view video using motion detection and presence sensors, and preparing the panoramic view video by centering the region of interest and by zooming towards the region of interest, based upon the location of persons in the panoramic view video. The method includes determining placement of panoramic view video on a composite display to prevent the panoramic view video overlaying display of an active talker on the active talker video stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Shu Gao, Stephen Schaefer, Robert Murphy
  • Publication number: 20180160051
    Abstract: Apparatuses, computer readable media, and methods are disclosed for providing composite images and/or videos having a high dynamic range. The apparatus includes a video capture module for capturing video images of a scene at a differing exposure levels. The apparatus further includes a region identification module for identifying regions in the captured video images of the scene that may benefit from being individually optimally-exposed. The apparatus further includes a region adjustment module for updating the positions of the various identified regions within the scene and a region exposure adjustment module for determining optimal exposure settings for the various identified regions of the scene. A video subsystem composites and encodes the various optimally-exposed regions of the scene onto a video image of a static portion of the scene having a high dynamic range that was, e.g., captured at a different moment in time than the various optimally-exposed regions of the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventor: Stephen Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20180095709
    Abstract: A digital storyboard system that uses multiple displays and related methods are disclosed. The systems and methods may be used to present graphical content such as slides of a slide shows or boards of a storyboard sequence simultaneously on multiple screens at each of a plurality of locations. One or more users of the system may, through their interface device, update or edit the content on any of the screens, resulting in real-time updates to those designated screens at all locations and on any interface devices on which those screens appear. Portable devices may be used to interface with the storyboard system to choose content, place content on display areas, edit and annotate content. Concurrent editing and/or annotating of content by multiple users is supported. The systems and methods may also partition screens at a plurality of locations into display areas to display different content, such that all content is visible at all locations, regardless of the number of available screens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Alain Elon Nimri, Junqing Shao, Shu Gao, Rob Murphy, Stephen Schaefer