Patents Examined by Dennis-Doon Chow
  • Patent number: 7170489
    Abstract: A computer system comprises a keyboard (11), a display screen (13), a first pair of position-sensing electrodes (18.1, 18.2), a second pair of position-sensing electrodes (20.1, 20.2), a signal injection electrode (22), and an oscillator (27). The oscillator injects a signal via the signal injection electrode and the operator's left hand (L) into the operator's body, and this creates a field around the operator's right hand (R). The position-sensing electrodes are arranged underneath the keyboard and sense the strength of the field. This enables the position of the operator's right hand (R) in an X-Y plane above the keyboard to be determined. To this end the position-sensitive electrodes are connected via synchronous detectors (34, 44) and an analogue-to-digital converter (36) to a microprocessor (46), which operates to control the position of a cursor on the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Ethertouch Limited
    Inventor: Hans Rudolf Sterling
  • Patent number: 7170478
    Abstract: Degradations in light emitting elements occur with the passage of time. The invention provides a method of driving a light-emitting device provided with a plurality of pixels, which includes a light-emitting means with a first and a second electrodes, a drive means for supplying the light-emitting means with a current in response to an analog video signal, and a setting means for setting a sustaining period and an off time period within a frame period. The method of driving a light-emitting device is characterized by including the steps of: supplying the light-emitting means with the current in response to the analog video signal during the sustaining period; and turning the drive means off thereby to make the light-emitting means nonluminous or making the first and the second electrodes identical in potential thereby to make the light-emitting means nonluminous during the off time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Osame, Aya Anzai, Yu Yamazaki, Tomoyuki Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 7167141
    Abstract: A display device used in a miniaturized portable equipment is capable of driving two display panels, consisting of main and sub-display panels. The display device includes a main display panel, a sub-display panel and a drive circuit. The drive circuit can simultaneously drive the main display panel and the sub-display panel. Output terminals are provided to the main display panel, and signals are transmitted to the sub-display panel from the output terminals. Further, the drive circuit includes a power source circuit which is capable of outputting proper common voltages to the main display panel and the sub-display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Hitachi Device Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Goto, Yuichi Numata, Masato Sawahata, Yoshinori Aoki, Youichi Ooki
  • Patent number: 7167161
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for calculating a movement value of an optical mouse and an optical mouse using it. The method comprises the steps of: adjusting a reference frame update speed based on a movement speed of the optical mouse and updating the reference frame, calculating a first movement value, wherein the step of calculating the first movement value sets a reference area in the updated reference frame, and finds a correlation between a current input frame and the reference area of the reference frame to calculate the movement value, and resetting a reference area, wherein the step of resetting a reference area sets a new reference frame to which the reference area of the reference frame is moved by considering the calculated movement value according to the adjusted reference frame update speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Atlab Inc.
    Inventor: Jung-Hong Ahn
  • Patent number: 7164410
    Abstract: A user interface for manipulating objects of various types in a consistent manner. Each on-screen object is surrounded by a control region including a number of zones for performing various control operations on the object. Multiple input modes are available for interacting with the zones, allowing object manipulation commands to be initiated in several different ways, such as via stroke input, pressing a mouse button, double-clicking, menu selection, voice input, and the like. The user interface is operable using any of several different types of input devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Inventor: Sig G. Kupka
  • Patent number: 7161565
    Abstract: A plasma display panel sustain-discharge circuit. First and second signal lines for supplying first and second voltages and at least one inductor coupled between one end of the panel capacitor and a third voltage are formed. Energy is stored in the inductor through a path formed between the third voltage and the first signal line in a state where a voltage of one end of the panel capacitor is substantially fixed to the first voltage. The voltage of one end of the panel capacitor substantially decreases to the second voltage using resonance current generated between the inductor and the panel capacitor and the stored energy. Energy is stored in the inductor through a path formed between the third voltage and the second line in a state where a voltage of one end of the panel capacitor is substantially fixed to the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo-Yul Lee, Kyoung-Ho Kang, Hee-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 7161575
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for driving a liquid crystal display device for enhancing a picture quality. More specifically, in the method and apparatus, source data are modulated based on registered data previously provided. The modulated data derived from the source data are applied to a liquid crystal panel at the initial period of one frame interval. A black voltage as black data is supplied to the liquid crystal panel at least for a portion of the rest of the frame. The black voltage as the black data enables a black picture to be displayed on the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong Sung Ham
  • Patent number: 7161564
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving a plasma display panel includes a first driver and a second driver and a first power supplier and a second power supplier for generating sustain discharge pulses having no negative (?) level. The first driver includes a first capacitor charged to a first voltage and is coupled to a power source for supplying a voltage Vs and a ground voltage. The first driver, coupled to one terminal of a panel capacitor, operates to alternately apply double the voltage Vs formed by the power source and the first capacitor and the ground voltage to the one terminal of the panel capacitor. The second power supplier, coupled to the power source and the ground voltage, includes a second capacitor charged to Vs. The second driver coupled to the other terminal of the panel capacitor operates to alternately apply double the voltage Vs formed by the power source and the second capacitor and the ground voltage to the other terminal of the panel capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-Young Lee, Dae-Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 7161562
    Abstract: A control of gobos defend by records in the gobo. The gobos are formed by menued shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Production Resource Group, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mark A. Hunt
  • Patent number: 7158096
    Abstract: A compact, lightweight, head-mountable display device is provided for transmitting an image to a user's eye. The device includes a projection system including a display attached at one end to a head-mountable support fixture. An eyepiece assembly is attached to a second end of the support fixture. The support fixture maintains the projection system and the eyepiece assembly in alignment along an optical path through free space between the projection system and the eyepiece assembly, with the projection system disposed to transmit the image on the optical path and the eyepiece assembly disposed to receive the image from the projection system and to direct the image to the user's eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: The Microoptical Corporation
    Inventor: Mark B. Spitzer
  • Patent number: 7158120
    Abstract: A hand-held electronic device with a keyboard, thumbwheel, display and associated software is optimized for use of the device with the thumbs. The associated software has a plurality of features to optimize efficient use of the limited keyboard space and encourage the use of the device by thumb-based data entry through the thumbwheel and/or through a combination of minimal number of keystrokes. Software features include international character scrolling, and auto-capitalization. The keys on the device keyboard are optimally shaped and configured for thumb-based input. In addition, the thumbwheel is inclined between the front and a side edge of the device so as to be reachable by either the thumb or index finger of the user's hand at the side edge of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Jason T. Griffin, John A. Holmes, Mihal Lazaridis, Herb A. Little, Harry R. Major, Craig Dunk, Michael Brown, Jérôme Lang
  • Patent number: 7158113
    Abstract: An integrated digital platform includes a digital display unit adapted to display visual images, with a broadband device at the top side thereof, two glass whiteboards arranged at left and right sides of the digital display unit, an electron beam track extended along the digital display unit and the glass whiteboards at the top side, an electron beam set in the electron beam track, a concealable inner layer provided at an inner side of one the glass whiteboard and accommodating an audio video input/output device and a data processing/storage device, and a multi-channel speaker mounted on the integrated digital platform and the lecture environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: Hsin-Tung Tseng
  • Patent number: 7158098
    Abstract: To provide a portable information processing system with which downsizing and increase in display capacity may be realized. The portable information processing system according to the present invention displays, on an HMD (head mount display) worn by a user on his or her head, an image displayed on a display portion of a portable information terminal. The system employs wireless information transmitting/receiving means such as infrarer-ray data communication or data communication by radio wave to transmit and receive information between the portable information terminal and the HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Keisuke Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7154457
    Abstract: The invention provides an image display apparatus and an image display method of excellent image quality, by correcting the voltage drop retsulting from the electrical resistance of the wirings with a simple configuration. There are provided adjustment data calculation means for calculating, for input image data, adjustmnent data for correcting the influence of the voltage drop resulting from the electrical resistance of the row wirings and gray scale number converting means for converting the number of gradation levels of the adjustmnent data. Modulation means outputs a signal modulated in the voltage amplitude to each column wiring, based on the adjustment data outputted by and subjected to the conversion of gradation levels by the gray scale number converting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Sagano, Naoto Abe, Hiroshi Saito
  • Patent number: 7154495
    Abstract: Structures and methods are provided for generating a digital display signal from an analog signal that is limited to 2N discrete analog levels and from a synchronization signal that defines spatial order for the digital display signal. These structures and methods accurately synchronize digitizers to the analog signal and they follow from a recognition that enhanced digitizer resolution will generate code patterns which easily distinguish between correct and incorrect sampling of the analog signals. Accordingly, the digitizers quantize the analog samples into an M-bit digital display signal wherein M exceeds N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Willard Kraig Bucklen
  • Patent number: 7148862
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a stereoscopic image display apparatus for which an image display unit can be freely selected, and in which crosstalk is suppressed even if a transmissive image display unit is used. The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to the present invention includes an image display unit in which pixel groups including pixels that display images corresponding to observation positions respectively are arranged cyclically; a lenticular array which substantially condenses light rays from the respective pixels at the predetermined observation positions and which is constituted by a plurality of horizontal lens lines arranged vertically, each of which is formed by a plurality of cylindrical lenses horizontally arranged at a predetermined cycle. And the apparatus includes a limiting member that limits light rays so that rays from a predetermined horizontal pixel lines may reach only the horizontal lens line having the same horizontal positions of cylindrical lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Morishima, Naosato Taniguchi, Toshiyuki Sudo, Hiroshi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 7145540
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display has a plurality of buffers 46 controlling a plurality of column lines. The buffers have a bias current control input 47 which is controlled, in the example by timing circuitry 50, to current during the row period for writing to each row of pixels. In particular, the row period may be divided between a drive period with a high buffer bias current and a voltage maintenance period with a lower buffer bias current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N. V.
    Inventors: Jason R. Hector, Alan G. Knapp
  • Patent number: 7145526
    Abstract: A driving circuit of a plasma display panel is provided in which a display cell including a first electrode and a second electrode is selected to light up, for applying a first voltage Vs1 to the first electrode and a second voltage Vs2 to the second electrode adjacent to the first electrode to cause a sustain discharge between the first and second electrodes. The driving circuit generates a sustain discharge voltage such that, during the sustain discharge between the first and second electrodes, an applied voltage Vc to a third electrode adjacent to the first electrode opposite to the second electrode falls within a range Vs2?Vc<Vs1, and, in this case, when a display cell including the third electrode is selected to light up, the polarity of a wall charge formed on the third electrode becomes positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display Limited
    Inventors: Akihiro Takagi, Takashi Shiizaki, Takayuki Shimizu, Noriaki Setoguchi, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Tomokatsu Kishi
  • Patent number: 7133007
    Abstract: A full color three electrode surface discharge type plasma display device that has fine image elements and is large and has a bright display. The three primary color luminescent areas are arranged in the extending direction of the display electrode pairs in a successive manner and an image element is composed by the three unit luminescent areas defined by these three luminescent areas and address electrodes intersecting these three luminescent areas. Further, phosphors are coated not only on a substrate but also on the side walls of the barriers and on address electrodes. The manufacturing processes and operation methods of the above constructions are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutae Shinoda, Shinji Kanagu, Tatsutoshi Kanae, Masayuki Wakitani, Toshiyuki Nanto
  • Patent number: 7132612
    Abstract: A sensing device for generating orientation data when positioned or moved relative to a surface, the orientation data being indicative of an orientation of the sensing device relative to the surface, the surface having coded data disposed upon it, the coded data being indicative, when sensed by the sensing device, of the orientation, the sensing device including: a housing; orientation sensing means configured to generate the orientation data using at least some of the coded data; and communications means configured to communicate the orientation data to a computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook