Patents by Inventor Thomas James Wilson
Thomas James Wilson 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).
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Patent number: 9036650Abstract: Automatic low noise frequency selection for a touch sensitive device is disclosed. A low noise stimulation frequency can be automatically selected by device logic without intervention of the device processor to stimulate the device to sense a touch event at the device. The device logic can automatically select a set of low noise frequencies from among various frequencies based on the amount of noise introduced by the device at the various frequencies, where the frequencies with the lower noise amounts can be selected. The device logic can also automatically select a low noise frequency from among the selected set as the low noise stimulation frequency. The device logic can be implemented partially or entirely in hardware.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas James Wilson, Christoph Horst Krah
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Publication number: 20150134994Abstract: Power management system or a touch controller can include a transmit section for transmitting stimulation signals to an associated touch sensor panel to drive the panel, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the transmit section to reduce power during the transmission. The touch controller can also include a receive section for receiving touch signals resulting from the driving of the panel, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the receive section to reduce power during the receipt of the touch signals. The touch controller can also include a demodulation section for demodulating the received touch signals to obtain touch event results, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the demodulation section to reduce power during the demodulation of the touch signals. The touch controller can also selectively reduce power below present low levels during idle periods. The touch controller can be incorporated into a touch sensitive device.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2015Publication date: May 14, 2015Inventors: Christoph H. KRAH, Thomas James WILSON
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Patent number: 9007326Abstract: This relates to an architecture of a receive channel circuit used during both a spectrum analysis phase and a touch panel detection phase. Various components of the receive channel can be used during both the spectrum analysis phase and the touch panel detection phase. For example, a plurality of digital signal mixers used in the receive channel circuit can be used to demodulate signals during both a spectrum analysis phase and a touch sensor panel detection phase. In addition, the number of digital mixers needed in the receive channel can be reduced by dividing groups of signals to be demodulated into multiple sets of signals and demodulating each set at different times.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2013Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Thomas James Wilson
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Patent number: 8970506Abstract: A power management system for a touch controller can include a transmit section for transmitting stimulation signals to an associated touch sensor panel to drive the panel, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the transmit section to reduce power during the transmission. The touch controller can also include a receive section for receiving touch signals resulting from the driving of the panel, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the receive section to reduce power during the receipt of the touch signals. The touch controller can also include a demodulation section for demodulating the received touch signals to obtain touch event results, where the touch controller can selectively adjust the demodulation section to reduce power during the demodulation of the touch signals. The touch controller can also selectively reduce power below present low levels during idle periods. The touch controller can be incorporated into a touch sensitive device.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christoph Horst Krah, Thomas James Wilson
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Publication number: 20140347306Abstract: A system and method for autonomously scanning a sensor panel device is disclosed. A sensor panel processor can be disabled after a first predetermined amount of time has elapsed without the sensor panel device sensing any events. One or more system clocks can also be disabled to conserve power. While the processor and one or more system clocks are disabled, the sensor panel device can periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel for touch activity. If one or more results from the autonomous scans exceed a threshold, the sensor panel device re-enables the processor and one or more clocks to actively scan the sensor panel. If the threshold is not exceeded, the sensor panel device continues to periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel without intervention from the processor. The sensor panel device can periodically perform calibration functions to account for any drift that may be present in the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Inventors: Christoph H. KRAH, Minh-Dieu Thi Vu, Thomas James Wilson
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Publication number: 20140340345Abstract: A device that can autonomously scan a sensor panel is disclosed. Autonomous scanning can be performed by implementing channel scan logic. In one embodiment, channel scan logic carries out many of the functions that a processor would normally undertake, including generating timing sequences and obtaining result data; comparing scan result data against a threshold value (e.g., in an auto-scan mode); generating row count; selecting one or more scanning frequency bands; power management control; and performing an auto-scan routine in a low power mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventors: Minh-Dieu Thi VU, Thomas James Wilson, Christoph H. Krah
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Patent number: 8890817Abstract: Centralized processing of touch information obtained by multiple touch sensing controllers connected to a touch sensing surface is provided. Each touch controller can obtain touch information of sense signals from different sense lines of the touch sensing surface and can store the touch information in a corresponding memory of the controller. The touch information of one or more of the touch sensing controllers can be transmitted as results data to a processor that processes all of the touch information. In some cases, prior to transfer of the results data, a determination of the validity of a sense channel can be made, and invalid channels can be excluded from the transfer.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2010Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas James Wilson, Richard James Reeve
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Publication number: 20140333559Abstract: Touch sensing can be accomplished using master/slave touch controllers that transmit drive signals to a touch surface and process sense signals including superpositions resulting from master/slave drive signals. The master/slave can drive and sense different sets of lines, respectively, of the touch surface. A communication link between master/slave can be established by transmitting a clock signal between master/slave, transmitting a command including sequence information to the slave, and initiating a communication sequence from the clock signal and sequence information. The slave can receive/transmit communications from/to the master during first/second portions of the communication sequence, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Thomas James WILSON, Richard James Reeve
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Patent number: 8836656Abstract: A device that can autonomously scan a sensor panel is disclosed. Autonomous scanning can be performed by implementing channel scan logic. In one embodiment, channel scan logic carries out many of the functions that a processor would normally undertake, including generating timing sequences and obtaining result data; comparing scan result data against a threshold value (e.g., in an auto-scan mode); generating row count; selecting one or more scanning frequency bands; power management control; and performing an auto-scan routine in a low power mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2012Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Minh-Dieu Thi Vu, Thomas James Wilson, Christoph Horst Krah
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Patent number: 8823657Abstract: Touch sensing can be accomplished using master/slave touch controllers that transmit drive signals to a touch surface and process sense signals including superpositions resulting from master/slave drive signals. The master/slave can drive and sense different sets of lines, respectively, of the touch surface. A communication link between master/slave can be established by transmitting a clock signal between master/slave, transmitting a command including sequence information to the slave, and initiating a communication sequence from the clock signal and sequence information. The slave can receive/transmit communications from/to the master during first/second portions of the communication sequence, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2010Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas James Wilson, Richard James Reeve
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Patent number: 8823660Abstract: A system and method for autonomously scanning a sensor panel device is disclosed. A sensor panel processor can be disabled after a first predetermined amount of time has elapsed without the sensor panel device sensing any events. One or more system clocks can also be disabled to conserve power. While the processor and one or more system clocks are disabled, the sensor panel device can periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel for touch activity. If one or more results from the autonomous scans exceed a threshold, the sensor panel device re-enables the processor and one or more clocks to actively scan the sensor panel. If the threshold is not exceeded, the sensor panel device continues to periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel without intervention from the processor. The sensor panel device can periodically perform calibration functions to account for any drift that may be present in the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christoph Horst Krah, Minh-Dieu Thi Vu, Thomas James Wilson
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Publication number: 20140092066Abstract: This relates to an architecture of a receive channel circuit used during both a spectrum analysis phase and a touch panel detection phase. Various components of the receive channel can be used during both the spectrum analysis phase and the touch panel detection phase. For example, a plurality of digital signal mixers used in the receive channel circuit can be used to demodulate signals during both a spectrum analysis phase and a touch sensor panel detection phase. In addition, the number of digital mixers needed in the receive channel can be reduced by dividing groups of signals to be demodulated into multiple sets of signals and demodulating each set at different times. Furthermore, the size of a sine look-up table (LUT) used to generate sine waveforms can be reduced by taking advantage of the symmetry of the sine waveform. For example, a quarter of a sine waveform can be saved in the LUT and the remaining quadrants of the waveform can be derived based on the symmetry of the sine wave.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventor: Thomas James Wilson
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Patent number: 8664548Abstract: A touch controller with improved diagnostics calibration and communication support includes a data capture register configured to sample data from one or a plurality of touch panel sense channels at an output of an analog to digital (A/D) converter. The sampled data is bit packed, and a demodulation waveform is captured, correlated with the sampled data. The contents of the data capture register, including the sampled data and the demodulation waveform, are transferred to a memory configured to create one or more records from the transferred contents. A processor can be used to extract the one or more records captured in the memory to display to a user for diagnostics or calibration.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas James Wilson, Christoph Horst Krah
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Patent number: 8659556Abstract: This relates to an architecture of a receive channel circuit used during both a spectrum analysis phase and a touch panel detection phase. Various components of the receive channel can be used during both the spectrum analysis phase and the touch panel detection phase. For example, a plurality of digital signal mixers used in the receive channel circuit can be used to demodulate signals during both a spectrum analysis phase and a touch sensor panel detection phase. In addition, the number of digital mixers needed in the receive channel can be reduced by dividing groups of signals to be demodulated into multiple sets of signals and demodulating each set at different times.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2008Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Thomas James Wilson
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Publication number: 20140049497Abstract: A touch controller with improved diagnostics calibration and communication support includes a data capture register configured to sample data from one or a plurality of touch panel sense channels at an output of an analog to digital (A/D) converter. The sampled data is bit packed, and a demodulation waveform is captured, correlated with the sampled data. The contents of the data capture register, including the sampled data and the demodulation waveform, are transferred to a memory configured to create one or more records from the transferred contents. A processor can be used to extract the one or more records captured in the memory to display to a user for diagnostics or calibration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2013Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christoph Horst Krah, Thomas James Wilson
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Publication number: 20140043293Abstract: A multi-stimulus controller for a multi-touch sensor is formed on a single integrated circuit (single-chip). The multi-stimulus controller includes a transmit oscillator, a transmit signal section that generates a plurality of drive signals based on a frequency of the transmit oscillator, a plurality of transmit channels that transmit the drive signals simultaneously to drive the multi-touch sensor, a receive channel that receives a sense signal resulting from the driving of the multi-touch sensor, a receive oscillator, and a demodulation section that demodulates the received sense signal based on a frequency of the receive oscillator to obtain sensing results, the demodulation section including a demodulator and a vector operator.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2013Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: APPLE INC.Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Christoph Horst KRAH, Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Thomas James WILSON
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Patent number: 8592697Abstract: A multi-stimulus controller for a multi-touch sensor is formed on a single integrated circuit (single-chip). The multi-stimulus controller includes a transmit oscillator, a transmit signal section that generates a plurality of drive signals based on a frequency of the transmit oscillator, a plurality of transmit channels that transmit the drive signals simultaneously to drive the multi-touch sensor, a receive channel that receives a sense signal resulting from the driving of the multi-touch sensor, a receive oscillator, and a demodulation section that demodulates the received sense signal based on a frequency of the receive oscillator to obtain sensing results, the demodulation section including a demodulator and a vector operator.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2008Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Christoph Horst Krah, Marduke Yousefpor, Thomas James Wilson
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Patent number: 8593423Abstract: A multi-stimulus controller for a multi-touch sensor is formed on a single integrated circuit (single-chip). The multi-stimulus controller includes a transmit oscillator, a transmit signal section that generates a plurality of drive signals based on a frequency of the transmit oscillator, a plurality of transmit channels that transmit the drive signals simultaneously to drive the multi-touch sensor, a receive channel that receives a sense signal resulting from the driving of the multi-touch sensor, a receive oscillator, and a demodulation section that demodulates the received sense signal based on a frequency of the receive oscillator to obtain sensing results, the demodulation section including a demodulator and a vector operator.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Christoph Horst Krah, Marduke Yousefpor, Thomas James Wilson
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Patent number: 8542208Abstract: A system and method for autonomously scanning a sensor panel device is disclosed. A sensor panel processor can be disabled after a first predetermined amount of time has elapsed without the sensor panel device sensing any events. One or more system clocks can also be disabled to conserve power. While the processor and one or more system clocks are disabled, the sensor panel device can periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel for touch activity. If one or more results from the autonomous scans exceed a threshold, the sensor panel device re-enables the processor and one or more clocks to actively scan the sensor panel. If the threshold is not exceeded, the sensor panel device continues to periodically autonomously scan the sensor panel without intervention from the processor. The sensor panel device can periodically perform calibration functions to account for any drift that may be present in the system.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2012Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Christoph Horst Krah, Minh-Dieu Thi Vu, Thomas James Wilson
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Patent number: 8510481Abstract: A method and system for accessing a computer system memory without processor intervention is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes initiating a predetermined communication protocol between a first device and a second device, the first device including a first processor, a first memory and a first communication interface, the second device including a second processor, a second memory and a second communication interface. The predetermined communication protocol enables an access operation to be performed on the first or second memory without intervention by the first or second processor. In one embodiment, the predetermined communication protocol utilizes a plurality of predefined packet types which are identified by a packet header decoder.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2007Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas James Wilson, Yutaka Hori