Patents Examined by Keith Crawley
  • Patent number: 9207850
    Abstract: An application-executing method using fingerprint recognition includes obtaining an image of a first fingerprint through a fingerprint sensor and recognizing the first fingerprint, executing a first application corresponding to the first fingerprint in a first screen when the first fingerprint is recognized, obtaining an image of a second fingerprint through the fingerprint sensor and recognizing the second fingerprint, determining whether the second fingerprint is recognized within a predetermined time after the first application is executed, and, based on a determination result, when it is determined that the second fingerprint is recognized within the predetermined time after the first application is executed, generating a second screen by splitting the first screen, and executing the first application on one of the second screen, and a second application corresponding to the second fingerprint on the other of the second screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: CRUCIALTEC CO., LTD., CRUCIALSOFT COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Chul Seo, Jung Je Park, Hyo Min Joo, Jae Han Kim, Jun Woo Park, Chae Woong Lim
  • Patent number: 9189107
    Abstract: An eraser is usable in a display system having a display surface. The eraser includes one or more optical detection elements for determining the coordinates of the eraser relative to the display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Wilson, James D. Watson, Peter W. Hildebrandt
  • Patent number: 9190020
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes a first obtaining unit, a specifying unit, a first calculator, a second obtaining unit, and a selector. The first obtaining unit obtains a first parallax number representing a parallax image that is actually observed. The specifying unit specifies a panel parameter candidate. The first calculator calculates a second parallax number which represents a parallax image to be observed from the viewpoint position when the panel parameter is changed from the first panel parameter to the panel parameter candidate. The second obtaining unit obtains a third parallax number calculated when a first panel parameter candidate is specified, and the third parallax number is smaller than an error between the second parallax number calculated when a second panel parameter candidate is specified, and the third parallax number, the selector selects the first panel parameter candidate as the panel parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Nao Mishima, Takeshi Mita
  • Patent number: 9182846
    Abstract: A touch input control method comprising steps is provided: displaying an interface comprising at least one object; gathering signals as to actual touches for calibration purposes. In use, calculating coordinates of the touch; determining whether the coordinates of the actual touch match the predetermined touch coordinates of the object; creating an adjustment signal if the coordinates of the touch is not the same as the predetermined touch coordinates of any object; determining which finger used for touch input, and retrieving a touch offset direction and a touch offset distance of the determined finger of the user from a calibration database; and applying compensation to the coordinates of the touch, so as to determine the touched object. An electronic device using the touch input control method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Li-Xia Peng, Zhang-Yong Zheng, Fei Wang, Xue-Shun Liu, Xin Lu, Huan-Huan Zhang
  • Patent number: 9153181
    Abstract: An object is to improve visibility without causing increases in device size and cost. Another object is to improve visibility and reduce the burden on a user without blocking external light when reflection of external light is high. An electronic book includes a display panel having an electrophoretic display element controllable by a pixel circuit of each pixel, and an illuminance sensor, and a display control portion having a circuit configured to correct an image signal for the electrophoretic display element to display a grayscale image in accordance with illuminance that is detected by the illuminance sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Miyaguchi
  • Patent number: 9134851
    Abstract: A light sensitive display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adiel Abileah, Willem den Boer
  • Patent number: 9128495
    Abstract: A plumbing fixture is operated by a user interface that has an enclosure with a faceplate from which a pedestal seamlessly projects outward. An alphanumeric display is visible through the faceplate and a plurality of switches respond to the user pressing different portions of the faceplate. A selector includes a selector ring that has a plurality of permanent magnets and which is positioned to rotate around the pedestal. A Hall effect sensor of the selector is located adjacent the selector ring and produces an electrical signal in response to motion of the permanent magnets. The user interface also enables the selection of a plurality of predefined operating configurations for the plumbing fixture. An optional wireless remote control may be provided by which the user can activate and deactivate the plumbing fixture and select from among the predefined operating configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Donald P. Freier, Rafael A. Rexach
  • Patent number: 9110542
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus includes: a sensor substrate having a detection region in which position detecting electrodes are formed and a wiring line region in which wiring lines led out from the position detecting electrodes are disposed; a processing circuit connected to the wiring lines of the sensor substrate and configured to carry out a predetermined signal process based on a signal from the sensor substrate; and a housing having the sensor substrate placed thereon and having the processing circuit provided therein; the sensor substrate placed on the housing having a through-hole provided therein in the proximity of the detection region for allowing the wiring lines to be threaded therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Yokota, Hiroshi Munakata, Yuta Sato, Takenori Kaneda, Takaaki Nakata
  • Patent number: 9105243
    Abstract: A liquid crystal driving circuit controls operations of display areas in a liquid crystal display panel based on a plural pieces of divided image data which are prepared by dividing image data for a single screen in accordance with the display areas in the liquid crystal display panel. In response to an luminance signal corresponding to an LED resolution generated by an LED resolution signal generating circuit based on image data for a single screen which is not divided, the LED driving circuit controls operations of LEDs provided in a backlight unit. With the configuration of at least one embodiment, according to a liquid crystal display device including a backlight, in a case where display image data for a single screen is divided into a plural pieces of divided image data for a plurality of areas of a display screen and images to be displayed in the plurality of areas are controlled based on the plural pieces of divided image data, display quality in a border area of the plurality of areas can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Shiomi
  • Patent number: 9093985
    Abstract: A portable control apparatus includes a driver, a baseband controller, and a crystal oscillator. The driver includes an oscillating circuit that generates a feedback signal. The baseband controller coupled to the driver receives the feedback signal, and outputs a calibrating signal to the driver according to the feedback signal. The crystal oscillator coupled to the baseband controller generates an accurate output frequency for operating the baseband controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Huimin Tsai, Chi Kang Liu
  • Patent number: 9083809
    Abstract: A mobile communication terminal and method for running an application therein. When a user inputs a variable in an idle state, variable-related applications are displayed. When the user selects a predetermined application, the input variable is input as an input value of a predetermined input field of the selected application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jong-Hee Jung, Sang-Kyung Oh, Kyoung-Taek Kim
  • Patent number: 9070325
    Abstract: This invention relates to a display device, a method, a computer program and a system including a display device, wherein said display device includes at least one light transmissive area configured to be coupled to a light source in order to be provided with backlight, at least one light reflective area, at least one light transmission control element associated with said at least one light reflective area, wherein said display device is configured to be switched into a reflective blocking state when said at least one light transmissive area is provided with backlight, and wherein in said reflective blocking state said at least one light transmission control element causes light-blocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Ilkka Hyytiainen
  • Patent number: 9048842
    Abstract: A sensor element device for a capacitive proximity switch of an operating device, where the sensor element device has an upper side for contacting the underside of an operating panel of the operating device and a block-like illuminated display with a lighting direction towards the underside of the operating panel. The sensor element device is electrically conductive on its side or an upper side facing the operating panel, thereby forming a sensor element. The illuminated display is mounted on a component carrier by a voluminous, spatial-shape-variable, elastic and electrically conductive material, where this material layer provides the required variable distance and electrical connection from the upper side to the underside as electrical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Dombrowski, Thorsten Fix
  • Patent number: 8994697
    Abstract: A method for determining a displacement of a touch point is applied to a touch panel to reduce noise interfering with determination of the displacement. The method includes obtaining a displacement according to a movement of a touch point on the touch panel; checking whether the displacement is within a predetermined range; and determining that the movement is valid when the displacement is within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsung-Fu Lin, Chao-Cheng Wen
  • Patent number: 8982015
    Abstract: A shift register includes cascade-connected stages, each of which includes a data latch and an output stage. In at least one embodiment, the latch has a single data input which, in use, receives a date signal from a preceding or succeeding stage. The output stage includes a first switch, which passes a clock signal to the stage output when the output stage is activated by the latch. The output stage also comprises a second switch, which passes the lower supply voltage to the stage output when the output stage is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gareth John, Patrick Zebedee
  • Patent number: 8982068
    Abstract: A device includes a housing, a processor that is coupled to the housing, the processor is configured to process a software program stored in a memory. A touch screen is coupled to the housing and configured to display graphical objects, wherein a sensor signal associated with a user's interaction with the touch screen is provided to the processor. A first actuator is coupled to the touch screen and positioned within the housing. The first actuator is configured to output a first haptic effect to the touch screen upon receiving a first activating signal from the processor. A second actuator is coupled to the housing and configured to output a second haptic effect to the housing upon receiving a second activating signal from the processor. The first activating signal is associated with a foreground event and the second activating signal is associated with a background event occurring in the software program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Danny A. Grant, Robert W. Heubel
  • Patent number: 8982041
    Abstract: A display device and a method for driving the display device is disclosed. The display device comprises drive circuitry (35) and a plurality of pixels (PIX1, PIX2, PIX3, PIX4, PIX5, PIX6) having movable charged particles (116). The drive circuitry is configured to apply control signals to the pixels to move the charged particles between first (110) and second (112) regions of each pixel in order to alter the optical appearance of each pixel. The method for each pixel comprises a pre-addressing stage (PRA) of moving the charged particles towards the boundary (114) between the first and second regions, and then an addressing stage (ADD) of moving the particles to one side or the other side of the boundary, in dependence on the desired optical appearance of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Johnson, Franciscus Paulus Maria Budzelaar, Murray Fulton Gillies
  • Patent number: 8970496
    Abstract: A device connectable to a computer is disclosed. The device comprises a selector defining a pathway and a plurality of positions along the pathway, the selector having a terminal displaceable along the pathway and positionable at one of the plurality of positions, the pathway being substantially straight, each of the plurality of positions having a process associated therewith. The device further comprises a sensor being operable for generating instruction signals. More specifically, the instruction signals are communicable to the computing device for executing thereon the process associated with one of the plurality of positions along the pathway whereat the terminal is positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Chern Ann Ng
  • Patent number: 8963894
    Abstract: An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes an improved alarm clock function and a BEDTIME mode that is initiated by execution of a BEDTIME mode routine. The alarm clock function enables an alarm to be edited very easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Kalu Onuka Kalu
  • Patent number: 8952880
    Abstract: A display panel drive circuit includes a shift register constructed of unit circuits connected in stages. The unit circuits generate signal line selection signals, respectively, which signal line selection signals are made active for a respective certain period of time to form a respective pulse, and the pulses are outputted successively from respective unit circuits in order of ordinal number starting from a first stage until an end stage. In at least one embodiment, each of the unit circuits receive (i) clock signals generated based on a sync signal received from outside of the display panel drive circuit, (ii) a start pulse signal generated based on the sync signal, or a signal line selection signal generated in a stage different from its own stage, and (iii) a clear signal. The clear signal is made active in a case where anomalousness is included in the sync signal, and no pulse is outputted from the shift register until a subsequent vertical scanning period starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Mizunaga, Hideki Morii, Akihisa Iwamoto, Masahiro Hirokane, Yuuki Ohta