Patents Examined by Jason Olson
  • Patent number: 10209881
    Abstract: The user taps with free fingers on a surface, the finger-taps are organized in groups of simultaneously occurring taps called combinations of concurrent finger-taps. Successions of combinations of one or more concurrent finger-taps are executed. To distinguish between two successive combinations of simultaneous finger-taps, the user produces them separated by short time intervals. A sensing device detects finger-taps; their location and time of occurrence are acquired. The fingers producing the taps are identified. Combinations of fingers producing concurrent taps are associated to linguistic primitives like phonemes or morphemes. Series of linguistic primitives are converted to vocal speech; this method is called Finger Taps Language Technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventor: Ibrahim Farid Cherradi El Fadili
  • Patent number: 9952677
    Abstract: To distinguish a region (e.g. hand) within a data set (e.g. digital image), data elements (e.g. pixels) representing a transition (e.g. hand outline) are identified. The direction toward the region is determined, for example using weighted direction matrices yielding a numerical maximum when aligned inward. A test element displaced one or more steps inward from the boundary element is tested against a standard for identifying the region. If the tested element meets the standard, that element is identified as part of the region. By examining data elements away from the transition, noise in the transition itself is avoided without altering the transition (e.g. by smoothing) while still only examining a linear data set (i.e. a contour or trace of the feature rather than a flooded interior thereof). The direction to the exterior of the region, an exterior contour, other features, and/or the transition also may be identified/followed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventors: Mohamed Nabil Hajj Chehade, Allen Yang Yang
  • Patent number: 9946355
    Abstract: A mobile device responsive to hand gestures or hand motions detected by a camera. The mobile device comprises: i) transmit path circuitry and receive path circuitry configured to communicate with a wireless network; ii) a memory configured to store a plurality of application programs; iii) a digital camera configured to record an image and to generate a live video stream; and iv) processing circuitry configured to analyze the live video stream and to detect therein a gesture made by a person in the recorded image. In response to detection of the gesture, the processing circuitry performs an operation associated with the detected gesture, such as taking a picture of the image or playing music.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sejin Choi
  • Patent number: 9906212
    Abstract: A comparator circuit includes a differential circuit unit which detects a difference between two input signals, a current supply unit which supplies a current to the differential circuit unit, and a control unit which detects an operation timing of the differential circuit unit and controls the current supplied to the differential circuit unit by the current supply unit according to a detection result thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Sugiyama, Ken Kitamura, Masaki Yoshioka, Ken Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9904410
    Abstract: A touch-sensitive depressible button with multiple depression thresholds is provided. When the button is depressed to a first depression threshold, the touch sensor can be switched from a low-power, non-sensing state to a sensing state. When the button is depressed to a second depression threshold, the touch sensor can sense the touch context and input can be generated based on the depression and the touch context. In this way, the touch-sensitive depressible button with multiple depression thresholds can facilitate timely switching of the touch sensor to a sensing state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Louis W. Bokma, Joseph R. Fisher, Jr., Saket Vora
  • Patent number: 9874952
    Abstract: According to one or more aspects, a system for vehicle user interface (UI) management includes an interface component, an operation component, a presentation logic, and a rendering component. The interface component may include a display portion located at a first position and an input portion located at a second position different than the first position. The input portion may receive one or more user inputs and include a touch sensitive portion, a first button, and a second button. The operation component may select one or more modes for a UI based on one or more of the user inputs. The presentation logic may generate one or more objects based on a selected mode and presence information associated with one or more of the user inputs. The rendering component may render one or more of the objects to form a composite image at the display portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ross Cameron Miller, Matthew Conway, Richard Alan Ewing, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9877043
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for encoding and decoding video using derived block vectors as predictors in intra block copy mode. In an exemplary encoding method, an encoder identifies at least a first candidate block vector for the prediction of an input video block, where the first candidate block vector points to a first candidate block. The encoder then identifies a first predictive vector (e.g. a block vector or a motion vector) that was used to encode the first candidate block. From the first candidate block vector and the first predictive vector, the encoder generates a derived predictive vector from the first candidate block vector and the first predictive vector. The encoder then encodes the video block in the bit stream using the derived predictive vector for the prediction of the input video block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Vid Scale Inc.
    Inventors: Yuwen He, Yan Ye, Xiaoyu Xiu
  • Patent number: 9870029
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rollable display apparatus including: a flexible display panel that includes a pixel array; a roller part having a surface for winding the display panel; a first housing receiving the roller part and having a first opening through which a portion of the display panel passes; a rotational controller coupled between the roller part and the first housing, the rotational controller configured to: in a first state, enable the roller part to rotate in a first direction to unwind the display panel from the roller part but prevent rotation of the roller part in a second direction opposite the first direction, in a second state, enable the roller part to rotate in the second direction to wind the display panel onto the roller part, and switch from the first state to the second state responsive to receiving a triggering operation from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Hee Kim, Jun Jae Lee, Su Chan Kwon, Da Eun Min
  • Patent number: 9865195
    Abstract: A display device comprising a plurality of pixels, each of which is configurable into both a light emitting mode and a reflective mode. Each pixel may be realized via a stacking of display technologies or a merger of display technologies. The display device may be driven by display driver circuitry operable to select which mode the pixels of the device operate in at any given time. The display driver circuitry may in turn be driven by a software driver which issues commands to the display driver circuitry and which may determine which mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: James Duane Bennett
  • Patent number: 9857912
    Abstract: A portable input device is described. The portable input device can wirelessly send control signals to an external circuit. The control signals can derive from touch or gestures applied to a touch sensitive surface. The control signals can also include a mouse click equivalent control signal generated by mechanical manipulation of the portable input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Erik A. Uttermann, Rico Zorkendorfer, Andrew Lauder, Sean S. Corbin
  • Patent number: 9846499
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a touch panel having an electrode array. The electrode array includes first electrodes arranged on a first layer, each first electrode patterned to include a plurality of sequentially connected first electrode elements that are generally shaped as elongated polygons, and second electrodes arranged on a second layer, each second electrode patterned to include a plurality of sequentially connected second electrode elements that are generally shaped as elongated polygons, wherein the first electrodes on the first layer and the second electrodes on the second layer are arranged over one another so as to form an interlocking pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Yexin Chen, Wei Hou, Haiqing Zhang, Tao Shui, Yonghua Song
  • Patent number: 9846489
    Abstract: A keyboard with key rows in a traversing linear row arrangement that intermesh with the linear row immediately above and/or below, with alternating inverted tapering offset keys. This allows keys to be kept in order while giving each key a less narrow and more broad profile to allow a wider area for the fingers to strike, while not decreasing the number of keys on a line or widening the keyboard and allowing for a more elongated height keyboard over all. This is to make the keyboard more suited to and targetable by human fingers and better use of the finite surface area of the keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: Peter John Butlin
  • Patent number: 9842612
    Abstract: The presently disclosed technology teaches integrating disc drive electronics into a transducer head. Decreased electrical transit times and data processing times can be achieved by placing the electronics on or within the transducer head because electrical connections may be made physically shorter than in conventional systems. The electronics may include one or more of a control system circuit, a write driver, and/or a data buffer. The control system circuit generates a modified clock signal that has a fixed relation to phase and frequency of a bit-detected reference signal that corresponds to positions of patterned bits on the disc. The write driver writes outgoing data bits received from an external connection to off-head electronics directly to the writer synchronized with the modified clock signal. The data buffer stores and converts digital data bits sent from the off-head electronics to an analog signal that is synchronized with the modified clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Gubbins, Robert William Lamberton, Robert Edward Weinstein, James Joseph Touchton
  • Patent number: 9836200
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and a method for interacting with electronic devices using a single-point gesture. A single point is selected in an image provided by a display associated with an electronic device. The selected point is continuously moved to generate a trajectory. A bending of the trajectory is monitored while moving the selected point. In response to the monitoring of the bending, the electronic device is operable to perform, based at least on the bending of the trajectory, a designated action. For example, the image is moved along the trajectory and while being moved the image is zoomed in when the trajectory bends clockwise and the image is zoomed out when trajectory bends counterclockwise. The scale of zooming is determined based on an area between a segment trajectory and a chord of trajectory found in a pre-determined time period or a pre-determined travel distance along the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Evgene Fainstain
  • Patent number: 9836192
    Abstract: The present invention is a computer-implemented system and method that lets users access, navigate, and control a computer desktop and applications, windows, menus, icons, text entry fields, buttons, check-boxes, drop-down lists and HTML links and all other objects on the computer desktop, including those that are normally inaccessible to accessibility programs on a graphical user interface in a windowed computing environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Evan Glenn Katsuranis
  • Patent number: 9829578
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining ranges to a target disposed behind a transparent surface are described. A target acquisition system receives a plurality of lidar returns, at least some of which are from a target and at least some of which are from a transparent surface. The lidar returns correspond to a portion of a lidar signal generated by a lidar, directed toward the target, and reflected back to the lidar from either the target or the transparent surface. A range measurement for each of the plurality of lidar returns is determined. The target acquisition system generates a histogram of the range measurements. The histogram includes an array including a plurality of range bins. Each range bin defines a unique portion of a predetermined distance out from the lidar. The histogram further includes a count associated with each respective range bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Digital Signal Corporation
    Inventors: Humayun Chaudhry, Christopher Thompson
  • Patent number: 9829982
    Abstract: Electronic devices may use touch pads that have touch sensor arrays, force sensors, and actuators for providing tactile feedback. A touch pad may be mounted in a computer housing. The touch pad may have a rectangular planar touch pad member that has a glass layer covered with ink and contains a capacitive touch sensor array. Force sensors may be mounted under each of the four corners of the rectangular planar touch pad member. The force sensors may be used to measure how much force is applied to the surface of the planar touch pad member by a user. Processed force sensor signals may indicate the presence of button activity such as press and release events. In response to detected button activity or other activity in the device, actuator drive signals may be generated for controlling the actuator. The user may supply settings to adjust signal processing and tactile feedback parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Avi Cieplinski, Brett W. Degner, Duncan Kerr, Patrick Kessler, Paul Puskarich, Marcelo H. Coelho, Aleksandar Pance
  • Patent number: 9817530
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a touchscreen having sensing capacitors, and readout circuitry. The readout circuitry may be configured to accumulate a sample set from each sensing capacitor, divide the sample set into sample subsets, remove a given sample subset when the given sample subset exceeds a threshold, and process remaining sample subsets for touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Kusuma Adi Ningrat, Lokesh Kumar Korapati, Jerry Kim
  • Patent number: 9818379
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed relating to a method of driving a display panel. In one embodiment, the method includes sending a stream of pixels from a display engine to a first pixel interface and a second pixel interface, transmitting a first subset of the stream of pixels from the first pixel interface to the display panel, and transmitting a second subset of the stream of pixels from the second pixel interface to the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Van Nostrand, Sirish Kumar Muthyala, Seshi Prasad Veerapally, Kamala Ramachandruni Venkata
  • Patent number: 9805646
    Abstract: A display device includes a display panel, a plurality of readout circuits, and a deviation corrector. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels. The readout integrated circuits perform a readout operation of detected values including degradation information of the pixels, via readout lines connected to the pixels, when a degradation detecting operation is performed. The deviation corrector calculates weighted values to correct operating deviation of the readout integrated circuits based on an average of initial values. The deviation corrector generates corrected image data to correct input image data based on the weighted values. The initial values correspond to the detected values output from the readout integrated circuits when the display panel is in an initial state in which the pixels are non-degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji-Eun Park