Patents Examined by Nathan Brittingham
  • Patent number: 9013516
    Abstract: An image display device expresses multiple colors including intermediate colors and an electrophoretic particle making up the image display device includes n-kinds of (n>2) charged particles each having colors and threshold value voltages each being different from one another. A specified period during which a voltage is applied includes a resetting period for applying a resetting voltage, a first, . . . , kth, . . . , nth voltage applying periods and a voltage to be applied includes a resetting voltage, 0V, first voltage (absolute value) to be applied within the first voltage applying period, 0V, kth voltage (absolute value) to be applied within kth voltage applying period, and 0V voltage, nth voltage (absolute value) to be applied within an nth voltage applying period. Relationships: |first applied voltage|>|kth applied voltage|>|nth voltage| and |first applied voltage|<|kth voltage|<|nth voltage| are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Koji Shigemura, Setsuo Kaneko, Tetsushi Sato, Kenichi Takatori
  • Patent number: 8994672
    Abstract: The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for transferring content between electronic devices via skin input. An exemplary method includes detecting, by an interface device, an input received on a user's skin, wherein the interface device is in electronic communication with at least one of the first device or the second device; in response to detecting the input, determining the type of input; and at least one of: in response to determining the type of input is a first type of input, initiating transmission of content from the first device to the second device; or in response to determining the type of input is a second type of input, initiating reception of content at the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Ola Thörn, Henrik Bengtsson, Håkan Jonsson, Linus Mårtensson, Pär-Anders Aronsson
  • Patent number: 8988373
    Abstract: The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for determining an input instruction based on a touch associated with a tactile tag. An exemplary method includes detecting, by a device in contact with a user's body, a touch on the user's skin by a tactile tag. The tactile tag comprises a three-dimensional pattern, and the three-dimensional pattern causes a vibration in the user's body when a surface of the tactile tag touches the user's skin. The method additionally includes determining at least one characteristic associated with the touch; and determining an input instruction based at least partially on the at least one characteristic associated with the touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications AB
    Inventor: Ola Thörn
  • Patent number: 8982040
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an array substrate includes a plurality of gate lines extending in a column direction. A lighting device includes a first lighting unit, a second lighting unit, and a lighting driver to light on and light off the first and second lighting units independently. The first lighting unit includes a first light source arranged on a scanning starting side of the gate lines. The second lighting unit includes a second light source arranged on a scanning terminating side of the gate lines. The lighting driver lights on the second lighting unit after lighting on the first lighting unit, and lights off the second lighting unit after lighting off the first lighting unit in a period between a starting time to write a first signal and a finishing time to write a second signal in the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Nakao, Toshiyuki Higano, Jun Hanari
  • Patent number: 8963874
    Abstract: A touch-screen display apparatus, the apparatus may include first and second sheets having opposed major surfaces and a size and shape defined by a periphery. The periphery may be defined by opposed ends and opposed edges. The first and second sheets may each have a conductive pattern including a pair of opposed busbars and a plurality of traces electrically coupled to, and extending between, corresponding pairs of opposed busbars. The transparent force sensing (TFS) sheet may have opposed major surfaces and a variable resistance which is related to a force exerted upon one or more of its major surfaces. The TFS sheet may be situated between the first and second sheets. The apparatus may also include one or more separation portions situated between the TFS sheet and the first or second sheet to bias the TFS sheet apart from the first or second sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao Li, Yi Wei, Steven Young
  • Patent number: 8963903
    Abstract: An image display device is provided which suppresses discomfort “flickering” in a process of renewing a screen to realize multiple gray level displaying including an intermediate color. Electrophoretic particles are made up of n-kinds of charged particles C1, . . . , Ck, . . . , Cn having colors different from one another and threshold voltages to initiate an electrophoresis. Each of charged particles C1, . . . , Ck, . . . , Cn satisfies a relationship characteristic of threshold value voltage of charged particles> . . . >threshold value voltage of charged particle Ck> . . . >threshold value voltage of charged particle Cn. A voltage applying unit, at time of renewing a screen, renews a screen to a next screen having a desired density by a transition of a relative color density of each charged particle to a relative color density of a corresponding intermediate state in order of charged particle C1> . . . >Ck, . . . , Cn for a voltage driving waveform of each charged particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Koji Shigemura, Setsuo Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8952892
    Abstract: One or more input location correction tables are used to compensate for interference introduced into input panels and generate a corrected location based on a sensed location of the input panel. The one or more input location correction tables can include a coarse table and a fine table that stores mappings of intermediate locations mapped to by the coarse table having an accuracy that fails to satisfy a threshold coordinate accuracy. Different environments in which computing device can be situated can result in different interference being introduced, and the one or more input location correction tables can be updated based on the current environment to compensate for the interference introduced in the current environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Min Chin Chai
  • Patent number: 8947403
    Abstract: An image sensing module utilizes an image sensor to sense objects and a mirror image of the objects in a mirror through a plurality of first light filtering components with a first transmission spectrum and a plurality of second light filtering components with a second transmission spectrum for generating an image. A light filtering module substantially having the first transmission spectrum is disposed in front of the mirror. The image includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a first sub data and a second sub data. The image sensing module utilizes an image sensing controller to detect real images corresponding to the objects and virtual images correspond to the mirror image of the objects from the image according to the first sub data and the second sub data of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Han Yao, Chih-Hung Lu, Tzung-Min Su, Chih-Hsin Lin, Shu-Sian Yang
  • Patent number: 8913053
    Abstract: The degree of an influence from wiring crosstalk between signal lines of a data signal transmission line (video signal line) is decided on the basis of an input signal generated in display controlling unit (a timing controller) at a predetermined timing (at each frame period, at each clock pulse period, or at each horizontal period) and, based on a result of the decision, the voltage amplitude of a data signal is adjusted so that it may exceed an input amplitude specification value for data line driving circuits (data drivers) by a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouichi Ooga
  • Patent number: 8890817
    Abstract: Centralized processing of touch information obtained by multiple touch sensing controllers connected to a touch sensing surface is provided. Each touch controller can obtain touch information of sense signals from different sense lines of the touch sensing surface and can store the touch information in a corresponding memory of the controller. The touch information of one or more of the touch sensing controllers can be transmitted as results data to a processor that processes all of the touch information. In some cases, prior to transfer of the results data, a determination of the validity of a sense channel can be made, and invalid channels can be excluded from the transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas James Wilson, Richard James Reeve
  • Patent number: 8884888
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to an electronic apparatus including a processor, a touch-sensitive display, and an accelerometer. An exemplary method includes receiving in the processor an acceleration value outputted by the accelerometer in response to a user touching a position on the touch-sensitive display with a given velocity. The method includes associating the acceleration value with a function, such as the output of a musical note, indicated by a touched location on the touch-sensitive display. The method includes modifying the function, such as audible volume of the musical note, in accordance with the acceleration value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Michael Chin
  • Patent number: 8847936
    Abstract: A method and system for managing a display of a terminal device comprises supporting communication of the terminal device with one or more first controllers of a first vehicle via a first data bus. A user level is determined of a user of the first vehicle based on an identity of the user as verified by an authentication process. The identity and user level of a corresponding user is stored in the terminal device. Permission data is retrieved on first enabled features and first disabled features for the first vehicle from the one or more first controllers based on the determined user level. The first enabled features are displayed on a display associated with the terminal device consistent with the retrieved permission data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Kirk J. Chervenka, Fangfang Xia
  • Patent number: 8836643
    Abstract: An adaptive user interface device capable of implementing multiple modes of input and configuration may adapt to current user inputs, and may include configuration changes. In an aspect, an adaptive user interface device may be configured for a finger sensing in a touchpad mode, and configured for stylus sensing in a digital tablet mode. In another aspect, surface features of the adaptive user interface device may change shape, such as by raising buttons in response to entering a keyboard or keypad mode. Various mechanisms may be used for raising buttons, and may enable presenting buttons in a variety of shapes and locations on the interface. The configuration of the adaptive user interface device may depend upon the user actions and user identity. Configuration modes may be organized according to many levels enabling a single user interface to support a large number of input options functionality within a limited surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Maria Romera Joliff, Brian Momeyer, Babak Forutanpour, Devender Yamakawa, Samuel J. Horodezky, Jonathan Kies, James P. Mason, Jadine N. Yee
  • Patent number: 8836673
    Abstract: A photo-sensor type input apparatus includes an upper substrate, a bottom substrate, at least one first photo sensing device, and at least one second photo sensing device. The bottom substrate is correspondingly disposed below the upper substrate. The first photo sensing device is disposed on the bottom substrate and arranged to detect a received first type input event. The second photo sensing device is disposed on the bottom substrate and arranged to detect a received second type input event. A light sensing ability of the first photo sensing device is different from a light sensing ability of the second photo sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Yueh-Hung Chung, Ya-Ling Hsu, Hsueh-Ying Huang
  • Patent number: 8836676
    Abstract: A sensing circuit includes a sensor array, a first controller and a second controller. The sensor array is charged by a sensing signal corresponding to an external light in response to a driving signal during a first time period and discharged in response to a switching signal during a second time period. The first controller provides the driving signal to the sensor array. The second controller provides the switching signal to the sensor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jaehyun Cho
  • Patent number: 8823657
    Abstract: Touch sensing can be accomplished using master/slave touch controllers that transmit drive signals to a touch surface and process sense signals including superpositions resulting from master/slave drive signals. The master/slave can drive and sense different sets of lines, respectively, of the touch surface. A communication link between master/slave can be established by transmitting a clock signal between master/slave, transmitting a command including sequence information to the slave, and initiating a communication sequence from the clock signal and sequence information. The slave can receive/transmit communications from/to the master during first/second portions of the communication sequence, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas James Wilson, Richard James Reeve
  • Patent number: 8825017
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to connect telephone calls, such as international phone calls, using both the data network and telephone network of a mobile communication device such as a cellular phone. These systems initially route a call to the destination phone number through a non-international temporary phone number, thereby saving the cost of an international phone call on the mobile phone's service plan. An application on the mobile phone uses the data network to automatically request and receive the substitute termination number, and automatically sets up a call on the telephone network to the substitute termination number, which routes the call to the desired international telephone number. These systems reduce the cost of an international call, permit mobile phone users without international calling plans to make international calls, and automatically connect to an international number through a temporary non-international number using dual networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Net2Phone, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Skelton, Binyamin Bauman
  • Patent number: 8818354
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and an article of manufacture for performing a validation test of a model of a mobile station for operability of the mobile station to communicate via a wireless communication network are shown and described. After receiving one or more call parameters at a mobile station, the mobile station automatically executes a test call an indicated number of times according the received call parameters. One or more test parameters are recorded during the testing. The recorded results can be displayed on the mobile station, for example, at the end of the test procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Cellco Partnership
    Inventor: Carlton L. Bennett
  • Patent number: 8811945
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide individual and payment information to a service server by recognizing whether the service server is to be trusted when individual identification information provided by a user is received from the service server. So, the invention provides an authentication method of the service server and a payment method by using the same, which can prevent the individual identification information and payment from being accessed by a distrusted server in wireless Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: SK Telecom Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-Won Choi, Joo-Mun Lee, Sang-Yun Lee, Myung-Sung Lee, Jae-Boo Chung
  • Patent number: 8805391
    Abstract: A method of improving semi-persistent scheduling, abbreviated to SPS, resources reconfiguration for a user equipment in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a radio resource control, abbreviated to RRC, connection reconfiguration message corresponding to an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure; and forbidding performing SPS resources reconfiguration when the RRC connection reconfiguration procedure is not a handover procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Hsiang Wu