Patents Examined by Jennifer Zubajlo
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Patent number: 9195338Abstract: A touch panel control device includes a first identification portion that periodically identifies a plurality of pressed cells, a second identification portion that identifies at least one separation distance based on positions of a plurality of first pressed cells that are identified by the first identification portion at a first timing, a first invalidation portion that invalidates at least one pair of first cells among the plurality of first pressed cells identified at the first timing, a second invalidation portion that invalidates second cell among a plurality of second pressed cells identified by the first identification portion at a second timing, and a decision portion that decides, as a specified position, a position of at least one pressed cell from among a plurality of pressed cells included in at least one first valid pressed cell and at least one second valid pressed cell.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Junya Kawai, Yoshihiko Sugimura
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Patent number: 9197207Abstract: A touch sensor circuit and a touch device are provided. The touch sensor circuit includes a charging capacitor, a first current supplying unit, a second current supplying unit, and a switch unit. Wherein, the charging capacitor is serially connected between a detecting terminal and a reference voltage. The first current supplying unit is coupled to the detecting terminal, and receives a first bias voltage signal, and generates a first charging current at the detecting terminal according to the first bias voltage signal. A second current supplying unit is coupled to the detecting terminal, and receives a second bias voltage signal, and generates a second charging current at the detecting terminal according to the second bias voltage signal. The second terminal and the third terminal of the switch respectively supply the first and the second bias voltage signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2012Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: PRINCETON TECHNOLOGY CORP.Inventor: Chin-I Hsieh
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Patent number: 9176629Abstract: A pixel unit, method for sensing touch of an object, and a display apparatus incorporating the same are provided. The display apparatus includes a data line. The pixel unit includes a first switch circuit electrically connected to the data line and a sensing circuit electrically connected to the first switch circuit. The sensing circuit generates a signal in response to the touch of the object, while the signal is transmitted through the data line with the first switch circuit turned on. In addition, the display apparatus further includes a readout line. The pixel unit further includes a second switch circuit electrically connected to the readout line. The sensing circuit is electrically connected to the second switch circuit. In a first time period, the sensing circuit receives a reference voltage via the first switch circuit. Then the signal generated by the touch of the object is transmitted through the readout line via the second switch circuit in a second time period.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2008Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORP.Inventors: Chi-Wen Chen, Li-Wei Shih, Meng-Hsiang Chang, Chi-Mao Hung, Chien-Jen Chen, Kun-Hua Tsai
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Patent number: 9170650Abstract: A localized multimodal haptic system includes one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) transducers, each including an EMP layer, such as an electrostrictive polymer active layer. In some applications the EMP transducer may perform an actuator function or a sensor function, or both. The EMP polymer layer has a first surface and a second surface on which one or more electrodes are provided. The EMP layer of the EMP actuator may be 5 microns thick or less. The EMP transducers may provide local haptic response to a local a stimulus. In one application, a touch sensor may be associated with each EMP transducer, such that the haptic event at the touch sensor may be responded to by activating only the associated EMP transducer. Furthermore, the EMP transducer may act as its own touch sensor. A variety of haptic responses may be made available. The EMP transducers may be used in various other applications, such as providing complex surface morphology, keyboard, braille display, and audio speakers.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Novasentis, Inc.Inventors: Christophe Ramstein, Li Jiang, Brian C. Zellers, Shihai Zhang, Richard Ducharme, Stephen Davis, M. Fabrice Domingues Dos Santos
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Patent number: 9164616Abstract: A touch panel control device includes a first identification portion, a second identification portion, an extraction portion, and a decision portion. The first identification portion identifies a plurality of pressed cells. The plurality of pressed cells is a plurality of cells to which a pressing force is applied, among a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix manner on a panel surface of a touch panel. The second identification portion identifies a separation distance between the plurality of pressed cells. The extraction portion extracts, from a pair of the pressed cells indicating a separation distance that is largest among the separation distances identified by the second identification portion, one of the pressed cells. The decision portion decides, as a specified position, a position of the pressed cell extracted by the extraction portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Junya Kawai
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Patent number: 9158402Abstract: A method of detecting and interpreting a path of designated positions is disclosed. The method concurrently detects a plurality of designated positions on a touch panel, again detects the plurality of designated positions subsequent to a travel of the designated positions, determines the distances between each of the current designated positions and the respective immediately preceding designated positions, treats an immediately preceding designated position, closest to the current designated position of interest, as the immediately preceding designated position of the current designated position of interest, and acquires the path of each designated position, thereby recognizing the paths of the plurality of designated positions that move concurrently. A combination of the paths of the plurality of designated positions is interpreted to identify a designation input by a user, and an operation thus designated is executed.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masanori Wakai, Satomi Kayano
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Patent number: 9141207Abstract: A touch panel and a touch display device are disclosed, in which the touch panel includes a substrate, a touch component layer and a shielding-electrode film. The substrate has a surface. The touch component layer is disposed on the surface of the substrate and includes a metallic layer, an electrode layer, a protection layer and a hard coat layer. The protection layer is disposed between the metallic layer and the electrode layer. The hard coat layer at least covers the metallic layer and the electrode layer. The shielding-electrode film is disposed on the hard coat layer of the touch component layer, wherein the touch component layer is located between the substrate and the shielding-electrode film, and a resistance of the shielding-electrode film is greater than a resistance of the electrode layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2012Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: HannStar Display CorporationInventors: Hsu-Ho Wu, Sung-Chun Lin, Hsuan-Chen Liu, Yi-Chung Juan
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Patent number: 9110549Abstract: A driving frequency selection method is used in a capacitive multi-touch system. When the system operates in an idle mode, an active driving frequency is selected randomly from N candidates, and a self-capacitance driving and sensing is used to detect touch points. When there are touch points, the capacitive multi-touch system is switched to an active mode to acquire an image raw data for finding the positions of touch points. In the active mode, noise is calculated from the image raw data. When the noise exceeds a predetermined value, the system is switched back to the idle mode, and the self-capacitance driving and sensing is applied to N?1 active driving frequencies other than the previously selected active driving frequency to acquire N?1 self-capacitance image raw data. The method determines one with a minimum noise and selects the corresponding frequency as a currently active driving frequency.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: ORISE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventor: Hsin-Mao Huang
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Patent number: 9098113Abstract: The invention relates to a display device (100-300) that comprises an image display unit (IDU) for displaying a visual image in combination with an adjacent topology display unit (TDU) that can controllably change the topology on a tactile display surface (TDS). Hence both visual and tactile information can be represented and can be related to each other by a control unit (CU).Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventors: Dirk Brokken, Jacobus Maria Antonius Van Den Eerenbeemd, Floris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets, Martinus Hermanus Wilhelmus Maria Van Delden
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Patent number: 9081487Abstract: A method and system for receiving input from a touch-sensitive device for manipulating an image shown in a display area. The method and system involve receiving an initial input for initializing an image manipulation for generating a mirror image in a mirroring direction, the mirroring direction is defined by a start and an end, the initial input corresponds to an initial location within the display area; receiving a first subsequent input corresponding to a first location, the first location corresponds to the start of the mirroring direction; receiving a second subsequent input corresponding to a second location, the second location corresponds to the end of the mirroring direction, the first and second locations are positioned on opposite sides of the initial location; and in response to the second subsequent input, generating the mirror image by mirroring the image according to the mirroring direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Agfa HealthCare Inc.Inventor: Giovan Giuseppe Boccanfuso
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Patent number: 9063573Abstract: The present invention provides a system and computerized method for receiving image information and translating it to computer inputs. In an embodiment of the invention, image information is received for a predetermined action space to identify an active body part. From such image information, depth information is extracted to interpret the actions of the active body part. Predetermined gestures can then be identified to provide input to a computer. For example, gestures that can be interpreted to mimic computerized touchscreen operation. Also, touchpad or mouse operations can be mimicked.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2011Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior UniversityInventors: Christian Plagemann, Hendrik Dahlkamp, Hariraam Varun Ganapathi, Sebastian Thrun
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Patent number: 9052759Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is an optical navigation circuit. In particular, the optical navigation circuit may be part of an optical navigation device. The optical navigation circuit includes an image sensor, dynamic reconfiguration logic, and a digital signal processor. The image sensor includes a pixel array to generate a plurality of electrical signals corresponding to incident light at the pixel array. The dynamic reconfiguration logic is coupled to the image sensor. The dynamic reconfiguration logic is configured to receive the plurality of electrical signals from the pixel array and to generate a plurality of reconfigured electrical signals based on the plurality of electrical signals from the pixel array. The digital signal processor is coupled to the dynamic reconfiguration logic. The digital signal processor is configured to receive the plurality of reconfigured electrical signals from the dynamic reconfiguration logic.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2007Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Ramakrishna Kakarala, Annette C. Grot, David W. Dolfi
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Patent number: 9046973Abstract: A touch screen system has an electrically non-conductive substrate. At least one electrically conductive pad is disposed upon the substrate, and an electrically non-conductive cover is placed over the pad. The system further includes a controller having a touch switch interface and at least one output, the touch switch interface being electrically coupled to the pad. The controller generates an AC signal, the AC signal being electrically coupled from the controller to the pad through the touch switch interface, thereby generating an electrostatic field proximate the pad. The controller is also configured to detect at the touch switch interface a change in the electrostatic field resulting from an actuating member contacting the cover proximate the pad. The controller provides at the output a signal relating to the change in the electrostatic field.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2012Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: SCRIPTEL CORPORATIONInventor: Winston J. Powers
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Patent number: 9035860Abstract: A display device includes a display panel including a matrix of pixel regions, and a shutter panel including a matrix of optical shutter regions each of which state is selected from a light-transmitting state and a light-shielding state. In a first display state, the display panel performs display regarding one pixel region as a display element unit, and each of the plurality of optical shutter regions in the shutter panel is brought into a light-transmitting state or a light-shielding state. In a second display state, the display panel performs display regarding at least two pixel regions as the display element unit, and each of the plurality of optical shutter regions in the shutter panel is brought into a light-transmitting state or a light-shielding state. As a result, the range of distance with which 3D images can be displayed can differ between the first display state and the second display state.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2012Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama
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Patent number: 9035887Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for navigating an electronic document. In one implementation, a method includes executing a command associated with a region selected by a tap gesture. In another implementation, a method includes displaying a slider on a slide bar including an expanded part corresponding to a section of the electronic document. The expanded part is disproportionately larger than other parts of the slide bar corresponding to other sections of the electronic document. Methods and apparatuses are provided for activating an element of an electronic document. In one implementation, a method includes activating the element selected by a touch gesture. Methods and apparatuses are provided for controlling a perceived brightness of an electronic document. In one implementation, a method includes displaying a partially opaque graphical object in front of the electronic document. The perceived brightness of the electronic document being based on an opacity of the graphical object.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2009Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Lexcycle, IncInventors: Marc Prud'Hommeaux, Augustus A. White
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Patent number: 9035859Abstract: A display device includes a display panel and a shutter panel that is provided on the viewer side of the display panel and includes a first liquid crystal element and a second liquid crystal element adjacent to each other. In a first display state, a first light-shielding region and a first light-transmitting region are formed in the shutter panel by the first liquid crystal element, and light from the display panel is emitted through the first light-transmitting region. In a second display state, a second light-shielding region larger than the first light-shielding region and a second light-transmitting region smaller than the first light-transmitting region are formed in the shutter panel by the first liquid crystal element and the second liquid crystal element, and light from the display panel is emitted through the second light-transmitting region.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2012Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama
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Patent number: 9030507Abstract: A plurality of pixel circuits include liquid crystal elements which are arranged corresponding to each intersection of a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of signal lines, and display a gradation corresponding to a gradation signal of the signal line at the time of selecting the scanning line. A driving circuit sequentially selects the plurality of scanning lines as a selection unit in a first writing period of a right eye period, supplies a gradation signal corresponding to a specified gradation of a right eye image which corresponds to a specified scanning line in the selection unit to each pixel circuit, and sequentially selects a scanning line other than the specified scanning line, and supplies a gradation signal which corresponds to the specified gradation corresponding to the specified gradation to each pixel circuit, in a second writing period.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akihiko Ito
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Patent number: 9019247Abstract: One embodiment provides a method for modifying information stored in storage by modifying information on a hand writable physical medium with a digital pen, wherein the hand writable physical medium includes a predetermined field including one or more item field name and one or more first region for information entry associated with the one or more item field name. The information stored in the storage includes attribute values corresponding to each of the one or more item field name of the physical medium, and attribute values corresponding to information entered into each of the one or more first region. The method for modifying includes an apparatus communicable with the digital pen detecting that a modification symbol is added, by using the digital pen, to information which has been entered into any of the one or more first region in the predetermined field.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2012Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Satoshi Muto, Satoshi Yokoyama
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Patent number: 9007313Abstract: A touch sensing circuit includes an alternative current (AC) source, a voltage division circuit, and a processing circuit. The voltage division circuit receives an AC signal outputted from the AC source and includes a first branch and a second branch on a touch sensing glass, wherein the first and second branches are adjacent to each other. The processing circuit is connected to the voltage division circuit for determining position of a touch point according to the voltages of the first branch and the second branch. In a preferred embodiment, the first branch comprises a first capacitor and a first voltage division resistor connected to the first capacitor, and the second branch comprises a second capacitor and a second voltage division resistor connected to the second capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2012Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions Inc.Inventors: Yi-Kun Li, Jui-Jung Chiu
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Patent number: 8994638Abstract: The disclosed technology discloses a backlight scanning method for controlling a backlight of a liquid crystal display panel, the backlight comprising light groups on left and right sides. The method comprises steps of: determining a time period for turning on and off the light groups on the left and right sides in accordance with a control signal for pixels in the liquid crystal display panel; and in scanning, turning on and off the light groups on the left and right sides alternately in sets, and during the course of scanning one frame, turning on or off the light groups on the left and right sides at least two times.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2012Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.Inventor: Lilei Zhang