Patents Examined by Almis R. Jankus
  • Patent number: 6366295
    Abstract: Various commands and data are input to an image display device via an input block. Part or whole of basic image data formed of a dot matrix is stored in a basic image data storage device of the image display device. A portion of the basic image data in a display range is converted to display image data to display the display image data on the display screen, in response to a corresponding one of the various commands input by the input. From the input block, there are input a start command for starting an automatic scroll process for automatically continuously shifting the display range in a scrolling manner in a predetermined one of upward, downward, leftward and rightward directions on the basic image data, and a proportion change command for changing a proportion between the size of the display image data and the size of the basic image data, at or before the start of the automatic scroll process or during the automatic scroll process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 6362807
    Abstract: An image forming sheet is constituted by a sheet-shaped image forming layer for forming thereon a visible image by being applied by any one of an electric field and a magnetic field, and a pair of flexible films for supporting the image forming layer from both surface sides thereof without having an electrode, one of an electric resistance and a magnetic resistance of one flexible file is smaller than that of the other flexible film. As a result, the image formed on this image forming sheet can be confirmed without using a transparent electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomo Baba, Daisuke Tsuda
  • Patent number: 6359610
    Abstract: A wireless interface system comprising a set of input ports for keyboard, pointing device, and joystick signals, a data encoding circuit, a transmission unit, a receiving unit, a data decoding circuit, a keyboard data multiplexer unit, a pointing device data multiplexer unit, a joystick signal multiplexer unit, and a set of output interfaces for connecting to the corresponding computer ports. This system allows for the user to have a keyboard, pointing device, and joystick remotely located from the computer, and each input device shares a single wireless communication link to send its data to the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Pragmatic Communications Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Prasanna M. Shah, Robert L. Taber, Herbert J. Kniess
  • Patent number: 6356273
    Abstract: A method and system for processing textures for a graphical image on a display is disclosed. The graphical image includes a plurality of polygons. Each of the plurality of polygons includes at least one fragment. The fragment includes at least one texture and a w-value for the fragment. Each polygon has a plurality of vertices, a display area, and a texture space area. Each of the vertices has a vertex w-value. The at least one texture is associated with at least one MIP map. The MIP map includes a plurality of MIP map levels. The method and system include determining a selection value for each fragment of a polygon of the plurality of polygons. The selection value includes ½ multiplied by the base two logarithm of the texture area divided by the display area and divided by the product of the vertex w-values for each of the plurality of vertices. The selection value also includes 3/2 multiplied by the base two logarithm of the w-value for each of the at least one fragment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Shannon Posniewski, Vadim Kochubievski, Glenn Nissen, Aleksandr Movshovich, Michael C. Lewis
  • Patent number: 6356272
    Abstract: The present method represents a three-dimensional shape model by polygons according to a plurality of object images information picked up by rotating a real object for every arbitrary angle to assign texture information on each polygon from object image information having the largest projection area of the relevant polygon. In order to improve the color continuity between adjacent polygons, the object image information having correspondence between a polygon of interest and an adjacent polygon thereof is selected so as to be the object image information approximating the shooting position and the shooting direction. An alternative method divides an object image into a plurality of regions, obtains difference between an object image and a background image in region level, outputs a mean value of the absolute value of difference in the region level, and detects the region having the mean value of absolute values of difference equal to or greater than a threshold value as the object portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinori Matsumoto, Hajime Terasaki, Kazuhide Sugimoto, Tsutomu Arakawa
  • Patent number: 6356252
    Abstract: An apparatus for supplying a gray level compensating voltage in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention minimizes the pad margin of a liquid crystal panel and the size of a liquid crystal display device. The apparatus is provided with a main gamma compensating signal line, which is defined on the liquid crystal panel mounted with a plurality of column driving integrated circuits, for receiving a main gamma compensating voltage. A plurality of conductive patterns is connected to the main gamma compensating signal line. The conductive patterns are arranged to be adjacent to the column driving integrated circuits. Each conductive pattern divides the main gamma compensating voltage from the main gamma compensating signal line into a plurality of divided voltages and applies the divided voltages to the corresponding column driving integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jae Hong Park
  • Patent number: 6356278
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for utilizing an increased number of samples of image data, coupled with the separately controllable nature of RGB pixel sub-components, to generate images with increased resolution on a display device. such as a liquid crystal display. The methods include scaling, hinting, and scan conversion operations. The scaling operation involves scaling the image data by factors of one in the directions perpendicular and parallel to the RGB striping of the display device. Hinting includes placing the scaled image data on a grid that has grid points defined by the positions of the pixels of the display device, and rounding key points to the nearest full pixel boundary in the direction parallel to the striping and to the nearest fractional increment in the direction perpendicular to the striping. Scan conversion includes scaling the hinted image data by an overscaling factor in the direction perpendicular to the striping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Beat Stamm, Gregory C. Hitchcock, Claude Betrisey
  • Patent number: 6356279
    Abstract: To process the layout of graphical objects, elastics data structures are established for the graphical objects to define minimum and preferred sizes, stretch properties and compression properties. Composite graphical objects include elastics properties computed from their components through add and max operations which are dependent on relative elasticities of the components. The positions of origins within graphical objects are defined by pairs of elastics in each of two dimensions. One application of elastics is with respect to text blocks where preferred width and compressibility of each text block is a function of the amount of text in the text block. The elastics and dimensions of graphical objects are processed in a three pass layout negotiation. In the first pass, preferred sizes and elasticities of the graphical objects are computed along a first dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Curl Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Halstead, Jr., David E. Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 6353441
    Abstract: A computer-implemented graphics program performs visual annotative clipping, wherein the graphics objects in a document that include one or more clear zones are identified and collected into a clear zone list, and then all graphics objects in the document are compared to the identified graphics objects in the clear zone list to determine what elements of the compared graphics objects should be clipped because they extend into the clear zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Bou, Jack M. Bayt
  • Patent number: 6351252
    Abstract: The present invention provides a head-mounted picture display device including a picture display system, a housing body, left and right supporting frames, and joint members. The picture display system includes picture display elements for producing pictures represented by a supplied video signal, and prisms for introducing beams transmitting the pictures produced by the picture display elements to the observer's eyes. The housing body accommodates the picture display system while the left and right supporting frames are adapted to be worn are on the observer's left and right ears for supporting the housing body in an observable position. The joint members link the housing body and the left and right supporting frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Atsumi, Yoshihiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 6351257
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pointing device which uses an image picture to generate pointing signals. The pointing device comprises a housing, a line-shaped contact image sensor installed on an upper side of the housing for inputting a line-shaped image and generating a corresponding line image signal, and an image processing circuit installed in the housing and connected to the image sensor for receiving and processing the line image signal generated by the image sensor. A user can move an image picture across the image sensor in a direction perpendicular to the line direction of the image sensor to sequentially generate a series of line image signals, and the image processing circuit saves the series of line image signals in a bit map format which contains the image of the image picture in it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Hsiung Liu
  • Patent number: 6348921
    Abstract: A data structure provides a framework for relating the levels of detail (LOD) of an object having multiple LODs. A designer is provided the flexibility to display different portions of an object in multiple LODs. An object is stored in different LODs. Each LOD includes one or more polygons, with each polygon representing a portion of the object. An example tree data structure includes nodes which correspond to portions of the object. All nodes at a particular level together represent an object at a corresponding LOD. A function is provided for each edge of a geometrical entity in each node. The functions are weighted according to several factors/attributes. The functions are evaluated dynamically to determine whether to replace a polygon with polygons at a finer LOD. By a proper choice of the functions in different nodes, different portions of the object may be displayed at different LODs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventors: Ze Hong Zhao, Michael T. Jones, Lee Robert Willis
  • Patent number: 6348910
    Abstract: A display control apparatus and a display apparatus respectively include control units for controlling themselves. The display control apparatus reads or writes data in a memory that can be accessed by the control unit in the display apparatus. Accesses from the display control apparatus to the memory in the display apparatus are made via a bus arranged in addition to a display image data transfer bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yamamoto, Atsushi Mizutome, Akio Yoshida, Hideo Mori, Kazuhiko Murayama, Tomoyuki Ohno
  • Patent number: 6346943
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, for implementing a relative polar angle snap tool. The relative polar angle snap tool allows the user to define lines and shapes that are at pre-settable angles relative to existing lines and shapes, and at pre-settable lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Thoemmes, Brett K. Bloomquist
  • Patent number: 6344841
    Abstract: A plasma display panel driving apparatus is disclosed. In the apparatus, a number of cells are formed by a plurality of electrode lines defined on a substrate in a matrix pattern. The electrode lines is provided with scanning and sustaining electrodes for selectively scanning and sustaining the cells for each line. An electrode driver divides the scanning and sustaining electrodes into at least two to drive them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seong Hak Moon
  • Patent number: 6344846
    Abstract: An optical retroreflective remote control used in combination with electronic apparatus, such as a VCR or television set is disclosed. The controlled apparatus includes a light or radiation source and a retroreflected light detector as well as means for detecting any modulation of the light emitted as a control signal for the electronic apparatus. The remote control includes a portable housing with a window for receiving light from the electronic apparatus and for retroreflecting modulated light return by the remote controller. Manual controls or push buttons on the housing operate to block or modulate certain portions, i.e., wavelengths of the incident light enter in the window before the light reaches a retroreflector. Returned light or radiation from the controller as modified constitutes a control signal for the electronic apparatus. The remote control requires no power supplies or light or radiation sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Inventor: Stephen P. Hines
  • Patent number: 6344848
    Abstract: A stylus assembly adapted to enter data into an electronic device and provide a user with a tool to access the electronic device to maintain and/or repair the electronic device. The stylus assembly includes a stylus body and a stylus point coupled to the stylus body. The stylus point further includes a first end for entering data into and electronic device, such as a personal data assistant, and a second end coupled to the stylus body. A tool is then detachably coupled to one of the stylus body and the second end of the stylus point. When the tool is not accessing the electronic device and the stylus body and the stylus point are coupled together the tool is disposed within the other of the stylus point and the stylus body to which it is not attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Palm, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Rowe, Kulbir Sandhu
  • Patent number: 6344847
    Abstract: A coordinate detection device includes a coordinate input panel which generates coordinate data based on voltages obtained when the coordinate input panel is touched, a first unit which determines whether a touch operation on the coordinate input panel satisfies a predetermined condition, and a second unit which outputs switch information based on a result of a determination executed by the first unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoyuki Nagao
  • Patent number: 6342890
    Abstract: Techniques for accessing oversampled sub-pixels, also referred to as “source sub-pixels”, such that the blocks of source sub-pixels to be accessed are shifted to account for a left side bearing remainder in the final display of the character. The source sub-pixels are accessed, efficiently, in blocks (or chunks) corresponding to the over-sampling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Martin T. Shetter
  • Patent number: 6342877
    Abstract: A method moves a cursor on a display screen. The motion of a pointing device is determined. The motion has direction and magnitude components. A determination is made to see if the direction lies within angular limits specified for a reference direction. The reference direction being either horizontal or vertical. If the direction of the pointing device lies within the limits, then the magnitude of the motion of the pointer is multiplied by the angle to determine the motion of the cursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Jacob S. Nikom