Patents Examined by Jeffrey Parker
  • Patent number: 8477122
    Abstract: The display apparatus is provided with: a display that displays a raw image and an identification image by which an electronic document is identifiable within a screen including at least two areas, the raw image representing a content of the electronic document, the identification image being smaller than the raw image; a detection unit that detects a moving operation of the raw image displayed in a first area to a second area that is different from the first area; and a controller that controls the display to display the identification image in the second area in response to the detection by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohito Takagi
  • Patent number: 8446349
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling deformable micromirror devices are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a display system includes multiple deformable micromirror devices, a buffer, and a controller. Each deformable micromirror device includes a plurality of micromirrors. The buffer is communicatively coupled, at a first interface speed, to each deformable micromirror device. The buffer is operable to communicate in parallel with the deformable micromirror devices. The controller is communicatively coupled, at a second interface speed, to the buffer. The controller is operable to receive a display input and, in response, generate a plurality signals each corresponding to an optical characteristic of the display input. The controller is further operable to sequentially communicate each of the plurality of signals through the buffer to a corresponding one of the deformable micromirror devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sue Hui, Larry D. Dickinson, Gregory R. Basile, James A. Strain, Patrick C. Neil
  • Patent number: 8237656
    Abstract: Motion-based control of an electronic device uses an array of at least three reference elements forming a triangle. An image sensor (e.g., a video camera), which may be located on a user-manipulated device, captures an image of the array. The array image has a pattern formed by a nonparallel projection of the reference triangle onto the image sensor. The pattern carries information of the relative position between the image sensor and the reference element array, and changes as the relative position changes. The pattern is identified and used for generating position information, which may express a multidimensional position of the user-manipulated device with respect to three axes describing a translational position, and three rotational axes describing pitch, roll and yaw motions. The control system and method are particularly suitable for videogames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Feng-Hsiung Hsu, Rui Gao
  • Patent number: 8217889
    Abstract: A pulse-width modulated backlight control for a video display restarts the pulse-width modulated pulse train on occurrence of a video refresh pulse. In order to prevent an undesirable momentary increase in brightness in the event that the last pulse of the pre-refresh pulse train occurs too close to the first pulse of the post-refresh pulse train relative to the normal pulse interval, the width of the first pulse following refresh may be reduced from a first value determined by the desired brightness to a second value that bears the same proportion to the first value that the interval between the beginning of the previous pulse and the occurrence of the refresh pulse bore to the normal pulse interval. In that way, the duty cycle during the shortened pulse interval is the same as during a normal pulse interval, avoiding or minimizing perceptible increase in backlight brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ulrich Barnhoefer, Wei Yao, Taesung Kim
  • Patent number: 8203544
    Abstract: An input device is provided. The input device includes a first input unit configured to provide at least two directional signals, a second input unit located in the first input unit, the second input unit including a housing and a rotatable member located therein, the second input unit being configured to provide at least two directional signals different from the at least two directional signals of the first input unit, and a circuitry supporting substrate configured to receive a signal that is input through the first input unit and the second input unit. A mobile communication device having the input device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jee-Young Cheon, Kyung Ik Lee
  • Patent number: 8188953
    Abstract: A semiconductor device receives differential input signals, performs predetermined signal processing, and outputs differential output signals. Plural rear surface electrodes, disposed in an m-row, n-column (m and n being integers) matrix form, on a rear surface of the semiconductor device, are formed. The rear surface electrodes for the differential input signals or differential output signals are disposed in rows, 1, 2, m?1, and m, or in columns, 1, 2, n?1, and n, of a matrix. Furthermore, a pair of rear surface electrodes for differential input signals that for a pair, and a pair of rear surface electrodes PAD for differential output signals that form a pair, are respectively disposed so as to be adjacent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirotoshi Usui
  • Patent number: 8169425
    Abstract: A source driver and a driving method thereof are provided. The source driver is adapted to a display panel. The source driver includes an output buffer and a regulating unit. The output buffer has an input terminal and an output terminal. The input terminal of the output buffer receives a pixel signal. The output terminal of the output buffer is coupled to the display panel for outputting an output signal. The regulating unit is coupled to the output terminal of the output buffer, for providing a charging current or a discharging current to the output terminal of the output buffer according to a polarity of the pixel signal. Thereby, a slew rate of the output signal is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Da-Rong Huang
  • Patent number: 8169388
    Abstract: A display system provides a display assembly having a display screen. LEDs are presorted into a plurality of groups, each group of LEDs having substantially the same color that is different than the color of another group. LEDs are selected from one of the groups. The selected LEDs are mounted in the display assembly to illuminate the display screen. A non-electronic color adjuster is mounted in the light path from the selected LEDs to shift the light color to a predetermined color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Walter J. Galbraith, Jr., Wei Chen, John Zhong, Victor Yin
  • Patent number: 8169387
    Abstract: An LED driver includes an embedded non-volatile memory (NVM) capable of being programmed and storing control data for setting a variety of features of the LED driver, such as the maximum current for driving the LEDs, analog parameters such as the resistance of the internal resistor for setting the reference current for the LEDs, and the operation modes of the charge pump of the LED driver. This enables implementation of multiple LED driver product options without the need for different metallization steps during the fabrication process for the LED driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventors: Rohit Mittal, Donato Montanari
  • Patent number: 8164561
    Abstract: A driving method for driving a display panel is provided. The display panel includes a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of pixel units electrically connected to the scan lines and the data lines. The driving method comprises enabling the pixel units controlled by the scan lines through different scanning sequences and inputs image data to the pixel units via the data lines in several consecutive frame times, wherein capacitance coupling effects between the pixel units are varied depending on the scanning sequences. Accordingly, the line mura caused by the capacitance coupling effect is restrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tsang-Hong Wang, Fang-Lin Chang, Yun-Chung Lin
  • Patent number: 8159427
    Abstract: An image display is provided with a display area including pixels, each including illuminating means. A control circuit turns the illuminating means of the pixels on and off. A capacitance is provided having a first node connected to an input terminal of the control circuit. A display signal voltage generation circuit generates display signal voltages for the pixels, while a pixel drive voltage generation circuit generates pixel drive voltages for the pixels. In addition, a connector is provided for connecting either one of the display signal voltages or the pixel drive voltages to a second node of the capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Akimoto, Shigeyuki Nishitani, Shinichi Komura, Toshihiro Sato, Hiroshi Kageyama, Yoshiteru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8139001
    Abstract: A display device with high-definition, in which display unevenness due to a voltage drop in a wiring or display unevenness due to a variation in characteristics of TFTs are suppressed. The display device of the invention comprises a first wiring for transmitting a video signal and a second wiring for supplying a current to a light emitting element. The first wiring and the second wiring extend parallel to each other, and are formed so as to overlap with each other at least partly with an insulating layer interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakakura, Ritsuko Nagao, Mitsuaki Osame, Aya Anzai, Yu Yamazaki, Yoshifumi Tanada
  • Patent number: 8120581
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for efficiently controlling source computers connected to a display system. A control computer, source computers, and a video processor are connected over a control network. Input signals such as keyboard and mouse input signals are provided to the video processor and the source computers through the control network. The source computers are also connected to the video processor through a video interface, such as multiple Digital Video Interface (DVI) lines. The use of a hybrid system allows flexibility in configuring and using the control network while providing high throughput and low latency for video sent to the video processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: RGB Spectrum
    Inventors: Don Day, Konstantin Timokhin
  • Patent number: 8102377
    Abstract: A system for providing a portable touch system comprises a bezel having a first and a second end, and a housing that is adapted to receive the first and second end of the bezel such that a display area is bounded by the housing and the bezel. At least one camera system is coupled to the housing and is operable to capture within at least a portion of the display area images of an object located within a field of view of the at least one camera system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: SMART Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Robert Sirotich, Joe Wright
  • Patent number: 8094092
    Abstract: A method of driving a PDP apparatus to sufficiently suppress the background light emission and improve the dark room contrast, in which first electrodes and second electrodes are arranged adjacently, a first display line is formed between one side of the second electrode and the first electrode adjacent thereto, a second display line is formed between the other side of the second electrode and the first electrode adjacent thereto, and the interlaced display that displays the first display line and the second display line alternately in different fields is performed, has been disclosed, wherein the reset voltage that directly relates to the intensity of the background light emission is varied according to the number of times of sustain discharges, the display conditions, and so on, in each subfield and the reset discharge is caused to occur with the minimum voltage in each subfield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display Limited
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Kanazawa, Shigeharu Asao
  • Patent number: 8085219
    Abstract: A plasma display device and a driving method thereof which can prevent address discharging from low discharging. The driving method of the plasma display device includes a plasma display panel having first to third electrodes divided into a plurality of groups including a first group and a second group, and a frame divided into a plurality of sub-fields, each sub-field divided into a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period, the method includes during an address period: sequentially supplying the first group with a scan pulse, supplying a sub scan pulse to the second group, and sequentially supplying the second group with the scan pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keunyoung Song, Chanyoung Han
  • Patent number: 8077127
    Abstract: An LCD device includes an LCD panel and a power supply section. The LCD panel includes a first substrate having a storage electrode and a pixel electrode, a second substrate having a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates. The LCD panel has an alignment interval during which liquid crystal molecules are transitioned from a splay state to a bend state and a normal operating interval during which an image is displayed in the bend state. The power supply section supplies a first alignment voltage that is higher than the data voltage to the common electrode and supplies a second alignment voltage that is lower than the data voltage to the storage electrode, during the alignment interval. Thus, a transition speed from a transient splay state into a bend state is enhanced, so that an alignment interval may be decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hyun Cho, Jin-Ho Park, Jung-Hwan Cho
  • Patent number: 8072403
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes sub-pixels each having a first display field and a second display field that both operate in a transmissive mode or both operate in a reflective mode. The first and second display fields of a sub-pixel are driven by a same driving device. The first and second display fields of a sub-pixel have different characteristics that cause liquid crystal layers in the first and second display fields to have different transmittances, the difference in transmittances of the first and second display fields being larger than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Cheng Hsieh, Yung-Yu Tsai
  • Patent number: 8059080
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor storage unit that has a simple structure requiring only a small number of processes to produce, and is provided with a gate insulating film having a memory function. The semiconductor storage unit has a semiconductor layer, two diffusion layer regions forming a source region and a drain region, which are formed on the semiconductor layer, a channel region fixed between the two diffusion layer regions, a gate insulating film that is formed on the channel region, and made of a silicon oxide film containing carbon atoms of 0.1 to 5.0 atomic percent, and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwata, Akihide Shibata, Kohichiro Adachi, Masayuki Nakano
  • Patent number: 8059103
    Abstract: Systems and methods determine the position of a touch on a surface of a device, such as a touch-sensitive device, by using position-dependent electrical charges. In such a method, the position of a touching implement is determined on the sensing surface of a device. The method includes generating signals on the surface of the device to create a position-dependent electrical charge on the touching implement; and measuring the position-dependent electrical charge to indicate a coordinate on the sensing surface for establishing the position of the touching implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan