Patents Assigned to Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20150226578
    Abstract: A method, a filtering module, and a computer-readable medium are configured to filter measurements acquired in a sensor reference system. Filtered measurements of motion sensors and a magnetometer attached to the device may then be used to determine orientation of a device in a non-inertial reference system. The measurements are filtered in a reference system, whose position relative to the sensor system can be calculated, and in which gravity and Earth's magnetic field have substantially constant direction and magnitude during the filtering window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: HILLCREST LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan A. COOK, Yun LI, Matthew G. LIBERTY
  • Patent number: 9100716
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to exemplary embodiments provide systems and methods for augmenting the capabilities of a client device. The client device can be augmented by a device which has additional processing and memory capability to perform additional functions such as, for example, the translation of desired media into a format usable by the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: HILLCREST LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Charles W. K. Gritton, Frank A. Hunleth, Stephen Scheirey
  • Patent number: 9063580
    Abstract: Keyboardless text entry methods and systems are described. Various display tools are used in conjunction with, for example, pointing, scrolling and/or clicking actions to enter text into an interface. One display tool is a pie widget shape, another display tool uses a box like shape containing other box like shapes which are scaled according to a proportionate chance of containing the desirable selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: HILLCREST LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Frank A. Hunleth, Frank A. Wroblewski, Daniel Simpkins
  • Patent number: 9043369
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for supplying rich multimedia metadata usable to generate, e.g., sophisticated entertainment user interfaces in the home. These methods and systems can be implemented as a server-based software application that feeds multiple, diverse clients. The server functionality could be distributed, even co-located physically with one or more clients, or centralized. The server aggregates, filters, validates, augments and links metadata from disparate sources. The server transforms the metadata into a more manageable and extensible internal format. The server communicates with client devices using a schema-independent protocol, providing metadata in the appropriate format that suites the clients needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HILLCREST LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bruce Israel, Charles W. K. Gritton, Frank A. Hunleth, Stephen Scheirey, Daniel S. Simpkins, Ryan Stoner, Yizhong Wang
  • Patent number: 9007396
    Abstract: Devices, computer readable medium, and methods for selecting an object displayed on a screen and providing information about that object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Gritton, Daniel Simpkins, Tom Morgan
  • Patent number: 8994657
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing a handheld device, e.g., a 3D pointing device, which uses hand tremor as an input. One or more sensors within the handheld device detect a user's hand tremor and identify the user based on the detected tremor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew G. Liberty, Christopher D. Roller, Daniel S. Simpkins, Charles W. K. Gritton
  • Patent number: 8937594
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention describe 3D pointing devices which enhance usability by transforming sensed motion data from a first frame of reference (e.g., the body of the 3D pointing device) into a second frame of reference (e.g., a user's frame of reference). One exemplary embodiment of the present invention removes effects associated with a tilt orientation in which the 3D pointing device is held by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew G. Liberty
  • Patent number: 8935630
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing a structure for navigating in a GUI with a handheld device, e.g., a 3D pointing device, which incorporates buttons and a scroll wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank J. Wroblewski
  • Patent number: 8924889
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for allowing a user to interface with a system. More particularly, in one exemplary embodiment, a zoomable user interface (ZUI) generated by a processor includes a collection of scenes displayable on the ZUI including a first scene and a second scene, each of the scenes being implemented using software written in a programming language. The ZUI also includes an event capture mechanism for identifying user inputs to the ZUI, including a user input for requesting a change from the first scene to the second scene; and a transition between the first scene and the second scene in the collection of scenes, the transition conveying a spatial relationship between the first scene and the second scene within the ZUI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank A. Hunleth, Stephen Scheirey, Charles W. K. Gritton
  • Patent number: 8922578
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for merging a plurality of video inputs resulting in a single coherent output. More specifically, in one exemplary embodiment, a device embeds alpha red green blue (ARGB) data in an RGB stream which allows for preservation of the alpha channel over the video interface link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank A. Hunleth
  • Patent number: 8907892
    Abstract: A 3D pointing device for use with a content delivery system is provided. The pointing device can operate in one of at least one of two modes: a first 3D or scrolling mode, and a second non-3D mode that can also be referred to as an up-down-left-right (UDLR) mode. The pointing device can include one or more directional sensors, to provide orientation and movement information. For either of the at least two modes, an optical finger navigation module is provided that can detect movement of a user's finger or object across its screen, and provides a predetermined threshold that must be exceeded before movement information is generated from the OFN module. The pointing device can generate scroll and UDLR commands based on the information from the orientation and movement sensors, as well as the OFN module, or can provide the information from the orientation and movement sensors to a user interface that can generate the appropriate scrolling or UDLR commands for use by the content delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel S. Simpkins, Joseph Tanen
  • Publication number: 20140295961
    Abstract: A gaming system comprises a handheld user input device, a processor for receiving input data from the handheld user input device and a gaming application for receiving data from the processor based on the received input data from the handheld user input device. The handheld user input device emulates one of a plurality of different devices associated with the gaming application. Each of the plurality of different devices have a set of input commands associated therewith. The set of input commands associated with the one of a plurality of different devices includes a command based on one of motion and orientation of the handheld device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Arno PENZIAS, Matthew G. LIBERTY
  • Patent number: 8850478
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a user interface including an electronic program guide and scrollable visual directories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Negar Moshiri, Frank J. Wroblewski, Charles W. K. Gritton
  • Publication number: 20140267036
    Abstract: A bias value associated with a sensor, e.g., a time-varying, non-zero value which is output from a sensor when it is motionless, is estimated using at least two, different bias estimating techniques. A resultant combined or selected bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua SHENG, Matthew G. LIBERTY, Christopher D. ROLLER, Charles W.K. GRITTON
  • Publication number: 20140222361
    Abstract: A bias value associated with a sensor, e.g., a time-varying, non-zero value which is output from a sensor when it is motionless, is estimated using a ZRO-tracking filter which is a combination of a moving-average filter and a Kalman filter having at least one constraint enforced against at least one operating parameter of the Kalman filter. It achieves faster convergence on an estimated bias value and produces less estimate error after convergence. A resultant bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua SHENG, Bryan C. COOK, Matthew G. LIBERTY
  • Patent number: 8795079
    Abstract: A gaming system comprises a handheld user input device, a processor for receiving input data from the handheld user input device and a gaming application for receiving data from the processor based on the received input data from the handheld user input device. The handheld user input device emulates one of a plurality of different devices associated with the gaming application. Each of the plurality of different devices have a set of input commands associated therewith. The set of input commands associated with the one of a plurality of different devices includes a command based on one of motion and orientation of the handheld device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Arno Penzias, III
  • Patent number: 8766917
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing a handheld device, e.g., a 3D device, which uses at least one sensor to detect motion of the handheld device. The detected motion can then be mapped into a desired output, e.g., cursor movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew G. Liberty, Daniel S. Simpkins, Charles W. K. Gritton, Mark Turner, Frank A. Hunleth
  • Publication number: 20140157208
    Abstract: A method for navigating a pointer on a graphical user interface (GUI) includes the steps of: scrolling an input device to locate the pointer corresponding to the input device on a point of interest within the GUI, depressing an actuating button associated with the input device on the point of interest, obtaining a detailed view of the point of interest while centering the point of interest on the GUI and maintaining a position of the pointer on the point of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank A. HUNLETH, Daniel S. SIMPKINS
  • Publication number: 20140129956
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items including graphical user interfaces coupled with an optional free space control device for collection of the basic control primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from large or small collections. The remote control maps natural hand movements and gestures into relevant commands while the graphical display uses images, zooming for increased/decreased levels of detail and continuity of GUI objects to provide easy organization, selection and navigation among the media items by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank A. HUNLETH, Daniel S. SIMPKINS, Charles W.K. GRITTON
  • Patent number: D734743
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: HILLCREST LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Friedrich G. Geck, Steven Francz