Patents by Inventor Thomas David Hughes

Thomas David Hughes 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: 8711110
    Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for detecting an interaction, such as physical contact, with a touch-sensitive screen. The screen comprises a plurality of cells each associated with a signal value, such as a capacitance, that is modified based on the proximity of an object to the screen. During a first time interval, a first signal value associated with a cell is captured and during a second time interval a second signal value associated with the cell is captured. A difference is computed by subtracting the second signal value from the first signal value. The difference is used to classify the proximity of the object to the screen. For example, the object is classified as approaching the screen if the difference is positive and non-zero or the object is classified as moving away from the screen if the difference is negative and non-zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence Scott Barras, Kenneth James Albanowski, Thomas David Hughes
  • Publication number: 20110059778
    Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for detecting an interaction, such as physical contact, with a touch-sensitive screen. The screen comprises a plurality of cells each associated with a signal value, such as a capacitance, that is modified based on the proximity of an object to the screen. During a first time interval, a first signal value associated with a cell is captured and during a second time interval a second signal value associated with the cell is captured. A difference is computed by subtracting the second signal value from the first signal value. The difference is used to classify the proximity of the object to the screen. For example, the object is classified as approaching the screen if the difference is positive and non-zero or the object is classified as moving away from the screen if the difference is negative and non-zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: PALM, INC.
    Inventors: Lawrence Scott Barras, Kenneth James Albanowski, Thomas David Hughes