Patents Examined by Prabodh Dharia
  • Patent number: 6956541
    Abstract: An electronic display is disclosed for displaying a visual presentation. One described electronic display includes a plurality of digital playback devices. Each digital playback device includes a display device comprising a portion of a display area of the electronic display. Each digital playback device further includes a processor, persistent memory, video data representing a video presentation stored within the persistent memory, and control logic for controlling playback of the video presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: ImageArray, Ltd.
    Inventor: Dale Thomas McClintock
  • Patent number: 6954192
    Abstract: A source driver output circuit of a thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) includes first through n-th voltage generators, first through n-th switching portions, first through n-th sub switching portions, and a voltage-generating portion. The voltage generators receive first through n-th corresponding input voltages and generate first through n-th sub input voltages. The switching portions generate the sub input voltages as first through n-th corresponding output voltages when activated, or cut off the sub input voltages when deactivated. The sub switching portions connect predetermined share lines to the output voltages when activated, or cut off the predetermined share lines when deactivated. The voltage-generating portion receives predetermined first and second voltages and applies predetermined precharge voltages to the share lines. Therefore, the slew rate of a signal input to the panel from the source driver can be improved, and current consumption in the source driver can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-joon Kim
  • Patent number: 6954197
    Abstract: A touch system includes a touch surface and at least two cameras associated with the touch surface. The at least two cameras acquire images of the touch surface from different locations and having overlapping fields of view. A digital signal processor is associated with each camera. The digital signal processors process pixel data acquired by selected pixel subsets of the at least two digital cameras to generate pointer characteristic data when a pointer exists in the acquired images. The pointer characteristic data identifies edges of the pointer. A master digital signal processor triangulates the edge information in the pointer characteristic data to determine a bounding area that represents a pointer perimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Smart Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Morrison, Trevor Akitt, Scott Su
  • Patent number: 6943786
    Abstract: A dual voltage switch enables the generation of a pulse which toggles between user-provided first and second voltages (V1 and V2), for which the positive and/or negative slew rates are programmable by means of a user-provided capacitance. A first switch conducts a current I1 between V1 and a common output node in response to a first control voltage, and a second switch conducts a current I2 between V2 and the common output node in response to a second control voltage. A capacitance C is connected to the common output node. A control circuit alternately provides the first and second control voltages such that the common output node is pulled up to V1 at a transfer rate of I1/C when the first control voltage is provided, and pulled down to V2 at a transfer rate of ?I2/C when the second control voltage is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian S. Birk, A. Paul Brokaw
  • Patent number: 6940481
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus which is adapted to divide one frame period into a preset writing period, a first writing period, a first holding period, a second writing period, and a second holding period, to be driven in this sequence. The first and second writing periods have reverse writing voltage polarities and the second writing period is set to be about ½ of the first writing period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akitoyo Konno, Makoto Tsumura, Tsunenori Yamamoto, Ikuo Hiyama, Yoshinori Aono
  • Patent number: 6940500
    Abstract: A potential of a data signal line S during a scanning period is charged to a substantially intermediate potential of a data signal at a corresponding frame. Thus, extremely large dispersion does not occur in a potential of each pixel capacitor with respect to a potential of the data signal line S, so that it is possible to restrict dispersion of a leak current flowing via an active element of each pixel. Thus, potential variation of a pixel PIX is reduced, so that it is possible to improve display quality during a non-scanning period. That is, in an active-matrix-type liquid crystal display, when a frame frequency is reduced by setting the non-scanning period to be sufficiently larger than a scanning period while a standby image is being displayed so as to realize low power consumption, the display quality is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Washio, Yasuyoshi Kaise, Kazuhiro Maeda, Yasushi Kubota
  • Patent number: 6937256
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for displaying an image having high frequency components. The image is displayed on a display device that includes a plurality of display elements arranged in both horizontal and vertical directions. The display elements represent colors, such as red, green and blue. A pixel data generator generates for each display element first pixel data corresponding to the luminance levels of red, green and blue colors in the image. A smoothing filter eliminates false colors in the image by applying weighting coefficients to the first pixel data to modify the luminance levels of the first pixel data, thereby producing second pixel data having second color element data corresponding to luminance levels of the respective colors. Each display element of the display is driven in accordance with the second color element data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Okuno, Jun Someya, Kazuya Maeshima
  • Patent number: 6937220
    Abstract: An active matrix display panel has (1) a plurality of row electrode lines; (2) a plurality of column electrode lines; (3) a first MOS transistor for each pixel; and (4) a second MOS transistor for each pixel. The first MOS transistor has (a) a first terminal connected to each of the column electrode line, (b) a second terminal connected to a liquid crystal, (c) a control terminal connected to each of the row electrode line, wherein an ON potential is higher than a signal potential supplied to the row electrode line. The second MOS transistor has (a) a first terminal connected to each of the row electrode line, (b) a second terminal connected to the electro-optic element, and (c) a control terminal connected to the column electrode line, wherein an ON potential is higher than a signal potential supplied to the column electrode line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitaura, Hajime Washio
  • Patent number: 6927759
    Abstract: An optical mouse includes a bottom casing, a top cover mounted to the bottom casing to define an interior space. A circuit board and a lens set are located in the interior space. The bottom casing has an opening. A detecting device is mounted to the circuit board. A receiving portion and a light emitting diode (LED) are mounted to a bottom side of the detecting device in alignment with a slot in the circuit board. A solder pad to which an electrical conductor is connected has a central bore and is positioned on a circumferential margin of a light projection surface of the LED to allow light projected from the light projection surface to transmit through the central bore. The lens set is located between the circuit board and the bottom casing, and includes a reflection member and a lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Unity Opto Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Chang, Hsien-yeh Hung
  • Patent number: 6927752
    Abstract: An electric field shielding wiring is provided in the gap between the pixel electrodes adjacent in parallel to the signal line, to minimize the inter-electrode parasitic capacity generated in the gap between the pixel electrodes, which is caused by the change in the pixel potential of the pixel electrode when the polarity of the signal line potential is changed, and prevent an increase in the pixel potential of the pixel electrode of the previous stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hisaaki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6922189
    Abstract: An image-signal driving circuit inputs serial sequences of image data DA, DB, and DC for key or primary colors, converts the image data into parallel data for displaying one line on a display, and supplies the parallel data to the display. The image-signal driving circuit comprises a register that inputs sequences of image data for the number of primary colors, stores the image data in order, and outputs the image data as parallel data; a latch that latches the sequences of image data for the number of primary colors output from the register as the parallel data; and a selector that selects one sequence of image data from the sequences of image data for the number of primary colors latched by the latch in predetermined order, and supplies the image data to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsumi Fujiyoshi
  • Patent number: 6919883
    Abstract: A charge characteristic compensating circuit for a liquid crystal display panel for maintaining a charge characteristic of the liquid crystal display panel independently of ambient temperature change to prevent deterioration of images displayed. A plurality of liquid crystal cells control light transmission in response to data signals from the data lines. A plurality of thin film transistors switch the data signals from the data lines to the liquid crystal cells in response to signals on the gate lines. A voltage supply generates a gate voltage required for the gate lines. A gate line driver applies the gate voltage from the voltage supply to the gate lines to drive the gate lines. A gate line controller responds to a change in the ambient temperature to vary a controlling signal applied to the gate line driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: LG Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moo Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 6917354
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a fluorescent lamp and a driving circuit as a back light. A closed container, a discharge gas sealed in the closed container, first discharge electrodes, and second discharge electrodes are included in the fluorescent lamp. The driving circuit repeats a first step of causing electric discharge in first discharge areas by applying a voltage having a negative polarity to the first discharge electrodes and a voltage having a positive polarity to the second discharge electrodes, and a second step of causing electric discharge in second discharge areas which are different from the first discharge areas by applying a voltage having a positive polarity to the first discharge electrodes and a voltage having a negative polarity to the second discharge electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fumihiko Fujishiro, Masatake Baba, Syuuki Yamamori
  • Patent number: 6917349
    Abstract: A way of displaying information on a passive storage medium for an active storing device. The passive storage medium comprises a storage unit to store information. The passive storage medium further comprises a display to display status information relating to the information stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Steven B. McGowan, Robert C. Brown
  • Patent number: 6914586
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for an effective way to customize the display driver software of any type of LCD-display and any type of LCD-driver chip used in an LCD display system is achieved. This is important in a multiple sourcing environment where LCD driver chips and LCD modules from different vendors are used in LCD display systems. This is accomplished through identification and registration of the information relevant for the said software customization by storing said information in an LCD module identification register. A microprocessor controlling the LCD display system is reading this identification register and providing the software customization elements specific to the LCD-driver chip and to the LCD-module during an initialization step of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Burkhardt
  • Patent number: 6867755
    Abstract: The EL device driving device comprising a plurality of EL devices having two electrodes, a first EL driving IC having a plurality of output terminals connected to one electrodes of the plurality of EL devices and an input terminal, a second EL driving IC having a plurality of output terminals connected to the other electrodes of the plurality of EL devices and an input terminal, a first AC power supply for supplying an AC voltage of sinusoidal waveform, with one electrode being connected to the input terminal of the first EL driving IC, and a second AC power supply for supplying an AC voltage of sinusoidal waveform having the same waveform as the AC voltage supplied from the first AC supply, and shifted in phase 180 degrees, with one electrode being connected to the input terminal of the second EL driving IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Shouzou Ashizawa, Wataru Oishi
  • Patent number: 6825825
    Abstract: A smoothing method selectively outputs one of an extracted window pattern which is obtained by extracting a region having a predetermined size with a target pixel formed by each pixel of an input image data and an inverted window pattern which is obtained by inverting a polarity of each pixel of the extracted window pattern, collates an output window pattern which is output with a plurality of collating templates, and outputs corrected dot data corresponding to one of the collating templates matching the output window pattern, and selectively outputs one of the corrected dot data and an inverted corrected dot data which is obtained by inverting a polarity of each dot of the corrected dot data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaru Iida
  • Patent number: 6803900
    Abstract: Radiation from a collimated linear source (7, 8) is directed partly into a light guide structure (6) and partly glancing over the surface of the light guide structure (6). The radiation (15, 20) travelling inside the light guide is coupled out by micro-optical structures to illuminate the underlying reflective or superlying transmissive LCD. Radiation (17A, 17B) travelling across the surface outside the light guide (6) is directed towards an array of light sensitive detectors. Interruption of this radiation by a pen (21) or a finger (21) is detected and the position of the interruption is deduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Bruce I. Berkoff, Hugo John Cornelissen
  • Patent number: 6771239
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal device, spherical-shaped semiconductor devices are mounted in a dispersive fashion on a wiring pattern extending toward a liquid crystal sealing region from input terminals connected to a flexible board. Each spherical-shaped semiconductor device is produced by forming a semiconductor device element on the surface of a spherical-shaped semiconductor material. In production of an electro-optical panel, MIS transistors are first produced in the form of spherical-shaped semiconductor devices, and then one spherical-shaped semiconductor device is installed in each pixel on an active matrix substrate, thereby allowing the MIS transistors to be produced at an optimum temperature without restriction caused by heat resistance of the substrate. When the active matrix substrate is adhesively bonded to an opposite substrate, the spherical-shaped semiconductor devices serve as spacers which allow the substrates to be precisely spaced a desired distance apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 6765550
    Abstract: The display of a notebook computer includes a privacy filter extending over the display screen to limit the viewing angle within which the image on the screen can be discerned. To allow for normal viewing when the privacy feature is not required, the privacy filter is movable from the screen by sliding into a cavity extending from one side of the screen to be rolled onto a roller or to be stored partly behind the screen. Alternately, a privacy filter is provided that is electrically switchable between a mode in which the viewing angle is limited and a mode in which normal viewing is permitted. The movable privacy filter includes closely spaced louvers surrounded by clear plastic or, alternately, a polarizer. The switchable privacy filter includes a liquid crystal device and a polarizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Michael Janick, Howard Jeffrey Locker, Russell Alan Resnick