Patents by Inventor Thomas Eaton

Thomas Eaton 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: 20130201305
    Abstract: The described examples provide a method and system to divide a main screen on a wireless device into two or more logical screens or regions. Each region is capable of presenting its own multimedia data or content without user intervention. In one example, the audio signal for a desired multimedia data is sent via wireless connections, such as Bluetooth® or other wireless personal area networks (WPAN), to each user. The described examples enable multiple content viewing on a single wireless device. Also described are eyeglasses capable of selecting which audio stream to receive based on a user's gaze position to the display that has been divided into multiple regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Salvador SIBECAS, Eric Thomas EATON
  • Publication number: 20130169545
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device has two or more displays and sensors operative to indicate the handheld electronic device has been rotated, turned, or flipped so that a first display originally being viewed by a user is now facing away from a user. The processor changes displayed information of the newly displayed content on a second display based upon information displayed in the first display. When the handheld electronic device is returned to its original orientation, previously displayed content on the first display is restored or resumed, or is modified based on information entered in the second display just viewed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Thomas EATON, David Jeffery HAYES, Martin Earl HOLMAN, IV
  • Publication number: 20130134923
    Abstract: An apparatus, and an associated method, for providing charging energy to a portable power supply, sourced at the portable power supply of another portable electronic device. The portable electronic devices are arranged in a charging configuration in which the portable electronic device from which energy is to be sourced is coupled to the portable electronic device to which the charging energy is to be applied. A controller controls the charging operations to ensure that energy of a host portable power supply is not depleted beyond a minimum level, and the application of the charging energy is terminated when a recipient portable power supply is charged to a desired level or the host portable power supply is depleted to the minimum level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Gregory Smith, Michael Joseph DeLuca, James Abraham Keane, Ryan Alexander Geris, Scott Leonard Dill, Henry Yao-Tsu Chen, Eric Thomas Eaton, Jeffrey Charles Bos, Dusan Veselic
  • Publication number: 20130109443
    Abstract: A power management method with a portable electronic device (100) includes identifying, with a controller (202) of the portable electronic device, a power consumption event in the portable electronic device, the power consumption event having a power consumption requirement. The method further includes selecting (818), in response to the identifying, one of a collection of energy storage devices (304, 306, 308, 320) in an energy storage device farm (218) for the portable electronic device, the selecting being based at least on the power consumption requirement of the power consumption event and on one or more characteristics of the one of the plurality of energy storage devices. The portable electronic device executes the power consumption event using energy stored in the selected one of the plurality of energy storage devices. The portable electronic device (100) may be a mobile phone or other wireless communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Eric Thomas EATON, Dusan VESELIC, Jeffrey Charles BOS
  • Publication number: 20130106341
    Abstract: A power management method with a portable electronic device (100) includes identifying, with a controller (202) of the portable electronic device, a power consumption event in the portable electronic device, the power consumption event having a power consumption requirement. The method further includes selecting (818), in response to the identifying, one of a collection of energy storage devices (304, 306, 308, 320) in an energy storage device farm (218) for the portable electronic device, the selecting being based at least on the power consumption requirement of the power consumption event and on one or more characteristics of the one of the plurality of energy storage devices. The portable electronic device executes the power consumption event using energy stored in the selected one of the plurality of energy storage devices. The portable electronic device (100) may be a mobile phone or other wireless communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Eric Thomas EATON, Dusan VESELIC, Jeffrey Charles BOS
  • Publication number: 20130088192
    Abstract: A power source device and a power charge device interoperate according to a wireless charging protocol. The power source device inductively wirelessly transmits charging energy signal via an inductive wireless power transmitting circuit. The power charge device wirelessly receives the inductively wirelessly transmitted charging energy signal via an inductive wireless power receiving circuit. The power charge device transfers wirelessly received charging energy signal to a re-chargeable battery of the power charge device. In response to determining that the power source device and the power charge device are in a charging arrangement, the power source device controls user access to a lockable user interface based on receiving information from the power charge device and can display messages received by the power charge device from a wireless communication network. The power source device can include a personal computing system and the power charge device can include a mobile phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: Eric Thomas EATON
  • Publication number: 20130091225
    Abstract: A personal computing system and a mobile phone interoperate according to a wireless charging protocol while in a charging arrangement. The personal computing system can wirelessly charge a power source of the mobile phone. The personal computing system and the mobile phone are in a communication system. A server communicatively coupled to a first network and a wireless communication network can inhibit in the wireless communication network transmission of messages destined for reception by one of the personal computing system and the mobile phone, in response to determining that the personal computing system and the mobile phone are in a charging arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: Eric Thomas EATON
  • Publication number: 20120246294
    Abstract: The disclosure recites a system and method for selecting a client device for a server device managing communications for a wireless network. The method comprises: identifying a set of wireless devices that are communicating in the network; and identifying a set of client of devices in the set of wireless devices to communicate with the network through the server device by evaluating network communication characteristics of members in the set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Eric Thomas Eaton, Salvador Sibecas, Viral Rajnibhai Shah
  • Patent number: 7676583
    Abstract: An online communication system (10) includes a plurality of remote session clients (12) and one or more online servers (14). The online communication system (10) provides continuity of an online session (80) between a server (14) and one of the remote session clients (12). A first session client (18) participates in the online session (80), including receiving and accumulating a plurality of session information (182) for the online session (80). The first session client (18) initiates a transfer of the session information (182) to a second session client (20) to enable the second session client (20) to seamlessly continue the online session (80) in place of the first session client (18) after the transfer of the session information (182).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thomas Eaton, Von Alan Mock, David Jeffery Hayes
  • Patent number: 7236208
    Abstract: A technique is used for providing additional information about a broadcast presentation that allows a user interested in the additional information to acquire it easily, using a selective call device or a television remote control device to easily acquire an information address during the broadcast when a prompt is presented during the broadcast. An advertiser can send the additional information over a wide area radio selective call communication system or can post it at a universal resource locator of a computer network. The information address is used to acquire the additional information. The information address can be stored, selected and deleted in the selective call device or remote control device. The prompt can be disabled or enabled manually or based on location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thomas Eaton, Salvador Sibecas, James A. Lamb
  • Patent number: 7181689
    Abstract: A method for organizing and displaying multiple calendars (200, 300, 400, and 500) from multiple devices (102, 104, 106, and 108) to give an appearance of a single user calendar (1100 and 1200) on a user's device is disclosed. Each calendar event having associated user category such as time (210), self (204), family (206), and work (208), is organized based on a display preference selected by a user. Desired calendar events organized based on the display preference are displayed (1100, 1200) on a selected device. Calendar events displayed have different visual attributes based on the corresponding associated users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Von Alan Mock, Eric Thomas Eaton, David Jeffery Hayes
  • Patent number: 7016855
    Abstract: A method for managing a task list utilizes location-based filtering to generate a reminder to a user of a communication device to perform an outstanding task. The communication device is provided with information on an outstanding task associated with a particular site and at least one proximity parameter for triggering a reminder for performing the outstanding task at a particular site (420). The communication device obtains geographic location information for the particular site and obtains information on its current location (430, 440). The device determines whether it is located within an area in which the outstanding task can be completed, which area is defined by a boundary established based at least in part on the geographic location of the particular site, and on the proximity parameter specified (450).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thomas Eaton, Von Alan Mock, David Jeffery Hayes
  • Patent number: 6983370
    Abstract: A messaging communication system (10) includes a plurality of messaging clients (12). A first messaging client (14) establishes a first communication connection (16) operating using a plurality of client data (25). The first messaging client (14) transfers the plurality of client data (25) to a second messaging client (20). The second messaging client (20) establishes a second communication connection (22) operating using the plurality of client data (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thomas Eaton, David Jeffery Hayes, Von Alan Mock
  • Publication number: 20050136986
    Abstract: An alarm and safety system used for detecting if an intruder is trying to abduct or kidnap an occupant while the occupant is sleeping, or the like. The safety system upon detection of the situation automatically actuates the alarm but more importantly simultaneously notifies ONSTAR™”, “AMBER ALERT™”, and or dials 911, each of which in turn notify proper emergency personnel. Thereafter, emergency personnel immediately call the residence and if no reply they will physically investigate the situation and respond accordingly. For additional safety, the system includes optional features that may be incorporated. For example, temperature, breathing sensors, and/or detection and recording means are inherent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Cathy Santa Cruz, Richard Early, Thomas Eaton
  • Patent number: 6888811
    Abstract: A portable device (100) communicates with a short range wireless local area network (114) and a wide area communication system (116). The portable device (100) receives a location data from the short range wireless local area network (114). The portable device (100) generates a location sensitive information request to the wide area communication system (116) including the location data received from the short range wireless local area network (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thomas Eaton, Von Alan Mock
  • Publication number: 20050068162
    Abstract: A tamperproof occupant detection and alarm system for vehicles which when installed within any vehicle seat, and/or within a child's safety seat functions as a notification means to notify either the driver or passerby's that an occupant (such as a child or pet) still remains in the vehicle, including novel and unique safety features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventors: Cathy Santa Cruz, Richard Early, Thomas Eaton
  • Patent number: 6850285
    Abstract: A technique is used for providing additional information about a broadcast presentation that allows a user interested in the additional information to acquire it easily, using a selective call device or a television remote control device to easily acquire an information address during the broadcast when a prompt is presented during the broadcast. An advertiser can send the additional information over a wide area radio selective call communication system or can post it at a universal resource locator of a computer network. The information address is used to acquire the additional information. The information address can be stored, selected and deleted in the selective call device or remote control device. The prompt can be disabled or enabled manually or based on location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Thomas Eaton, Salvador Sibecas, James A. Lamb
  • Patent number: D585411
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Eaton
  • Patent number: D605160
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Eaton
  • Patent number: D605161
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Eaton