Patents Examined by Yong H Sim
  • Patent number: 8537106
    Abstract: An operation panel structure for an image forming apparatus, said operation panel structure having an operation panel protruding from a front side of the image forming apparatus. The operation panel structure has a first support unit for supporting the operation panel such that the operation panel is capable of pivoting in a first direction along a vertical direction and a second support unit for supporting the operation panel such that the operation panel is capable of pivoting in a second direction along a horizontal direction. A lock claw is capable of selectively engaging with a plural number of lock holes so that the operation panel can be locked in the plural number of locked positions while the operation panel is pivoting in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Sawada, Akihiro Nishida
  • Patent number: 8531490
    Abstract: A display drive apparatus drives a display panel, including display pixels, to carry out gradation display in accordance with display data. First gradation data with a first number of bits corresponding to the display data is supplied to the display drive apparatus, which generates second gradation data from the first gradation data with a second number of bits less than the first number of bits, third gradation data in which the second gradation data are eliminated from the first gradation data, and fourth gradation data corresponding to a gradation different from a gradation of the second gradation data. And, in each frame period, the display drive apparatus selectively outputs one of the second gradation data and the fourth gradation data to each of the display pixels based on the third gradation data, so as to display an intermediate gradation between the second gradation data and the fourth gradation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Harada
  • Patent number: 8531381
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for performing white balance operations for an LED display backlight. Some aspects related to an iterative process wherein display backlight luminance and color are sampled at an intermediate resolution between the resolution of the LED backlight and the resolution of the LCD display. Some aspects relate to a process wherein r, g and b driving value differences are determined using a deconvolution technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiao-fan Feng
  • Patent number: 8519983
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, an input device may be utilized in conjunction with a scanned beam display or the like, or may be based on the scanning platform as used in a scanned beam display such as a MEMS based scanner. An input event such as illumination of a photodetector or reflection of a scanned beam off of a retroreflector may be correlated with a timing event of the scanning platform such as a refresh signal, or a horizontal and vertical sync signals. The correlation of the timing event may be representative of an X-Y location, and in some embodiments of a Z location, that may be utilized to provide input data back to a host device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall B. Sprague, Christian Dean DeJong, Gregory T. Gibson
  • Patent number: 8502804
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide virtual hover zones. When a user lowers a hovering stylus while remaining within a hover zone, cursor control is modified to be more easily controllable by the user. If the user pauses the stylus in mid-air before lowering the stylus, and if the stylus remains within the hover zone, then upon touchdown the cursor may be moved to the projection of the location where the stylus was paused. Any action that may be taken in response to the touch down may be sent to the projection location as well. Also provided are cursor control zones. A dampening zone may be used to provide dampened cursor movement feedback in response to movement input provided by a pointing device. Also, a dead zone may be used to prohibit cursor movement in response to movement input provided by the pointing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Emily K. Rimas-Ribikauskas, Philip Ti-Fei Su, Reed L. Townsend, Robert J. Jarrett, Steven P. Dodge
  • Patent number: 8493348
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor apparatus comprises a first sensing element and a second sensing element. The first sensing element has a length oriented along a first axis of a contactable capacitive sensing reference surface; has a substantially constant width along its length; and is configured to have varying capacitive coupling, along the first axis, to an object proximate to the contactable capacitive sensing reference surface. The second sensing element has a length oriented along the first axis; has substantially constant width along its length; and is configured to have varying capacitive coupling, along the first axis, to the object proximate to the contactable capacitive sensing reference surface. The first sensing and second sensing elements are conductive and are configured to provide information corresponding to a spatial location of the object relative to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventor: Bob Lee Mackey
  • Patent number: 8487841
    Abstract: Brightness irregularities that develop in a light emitting device due to is persion among pixels in the threshold values of TFTs used for supplying electric current to light emitting devices become obstacles to improved image quality of the light emitting device. As an image signal input to a pixel from a source signal line, a desired electric potential is applied to a gate electrode of a TFT for supplying electric current to an EL device, through a TFT having its gate and drain connected to each other. A voltage equal to the TFT threshold value is produced between the source and the drain of the TFT 105. An electric potential in which the image signal is offset by the amount of the threshold value is therefore applied to the gate electrode of the TFT. Further, TFTs are disposed in close proximity to each other within the pixel, so that dispersions in the TFT characteristics do not easily develop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kimura, Yoshifumi Tanada
  • Patent number: 8482533
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Carl Westerman, John Greer Elias
  • Patent number: 8482506
    Abstract: Methods and systems for displaying videos with high contrast using fast transient response of liquid crystal materials are disclosed. The system comprises a liquid crystal material treated with a chiral dopant, which is aligned between two substrates with conductive layer on each substrate. The system can be operated in an active or passive matrix mode display. The active matrix display can be a thin film transistor (TFT) or MOS transistor, whereas no transistors are used for the passive matrix mode display. A full color display, with high contrast, can be achieved by illuminating the transient liquid crystal material with a pulsed backlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hoi Sing Kwok, Yuet Wing Li
  • Patent number: 8471822
    Abstract: A system including a capacitive array element capable of sensing touch from either side is described. A connected processor unit, either in the device or the host system, may be adapted to interpret signals from the capacitive array element as a cursor or view movement with six degrees of freedom. The track pad device may include a display element and the capacitive array element may be translucent. The display element and the array element may be configured with respect to each other, where different configurations can be associated with different operating modes. For example, when the array element lies over the display screen so that the display screen is viewable through the array element, the array element can function as a touch screen. In another configuration, the array element may generate signals indicating a user's touch from one or the other or both sides of the array element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Chris Lightenberg
  • Patent number: 8466881
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Carl Westerman, John Greer Elias
  • Patent number: 8462117
    Abstract: A system and method are provided in which a processor executes an application program such as an enterprise resources planning application. A primary display displays at least one user interface screen from that application program. A keyboard associated with the processor and the primary display screen is provided having a plurality of data entry keys, and at least one secondary display. The one or more secondary displays may be a part of the keyboard itself or an extension of the keyboard. The one or more secondary displays may be display screen(s) and/or input panel(s). The input panel(s) includes at least one data entry key which effects an action recognized by the processor when activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Andreas Frank
  • Patent number: 8441434
    Abstract: A user operable device for control of or communication with an electric appliance, in particular a user operable pointing device such as a mouse, including electrical components and circuits including sensor elements, processing elements and wireless communication elements for detecting movements including at least rotational movements of the device, producing data related to the movements and transmitting the data to the electric appliance, is characterized in that the device (1) is essentially a ball (2) including outer surface (2?) for free rolling and for receiving influences of physical effects on the surface and the device, and that the electrical components and circuits (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) are inside the ball (2) in integrated relationship with the ball. The invention concerns also a user interface including the user operable device of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ball-IT Oy
    Inventors: Johannes Väänänen, Juha Rytky
  • Patent number: 8441453
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Carl Westerman, John Greer Elias
  • Patent number: 8436792
    Abstract: A counter 102 counts the accumulated lighting time or the accumulated lighting time and the intensity of lighting of each pixel by a first image signal 101A and stores them in a volatile memory 103 or a nonvolatile memory 104. A correction circuit 105 corrects the first image signal based on the correction data stored previously in a correction data storage section 106 in accordance with the degree of the degradation of each spontaneous light emitting element by the use of the accumulated lighting time or the accumulated lighting time and the intensity of lighting, and produces a second mage signal 101B. By the second image signal 101B, a display unit 107 can provide a uniform screen having no variation in luminance even if the light emitting elements in a part of the pixels are degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 8427445
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for a touchscreen display is disclosed. The method includes presenting graphical information on the touchscreen display. The method further includes detecting a touch over the touchscreen display. The method also includes expanding an area of the touch screen display proximate the location of the touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8427411
    Abstract: A color conversion circuit converts a three-primary-color signal PS0 to a 5-color signal PS5, and includes (i) a color component extraction module that generates, by performing isochromatic conversion, a 7-color signal PS2 made up of 7 color components equivalent in terms of color to color components d1 through d5 of the 5-color signal PS5, and (ii) a matrix operation module that generates color components of the 5-color signal by performing linear combination of the color components of the 7-color signal. With this, it is possible to realize a color conversion circuit by which colors represented by a signal after conversion can be adjusted using intuitively-understandable parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunari Tomizawa, Kozo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8410998
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for driving a plasma display panel having a plurality of cells arranged in rows and columns, said device comprising row address means for selectively addressing the display cell rows and creating, where required, in cooperation with means for selectively applying data voltages to the display columns, an electrical discharge inside the cell disposed at the intersection of the row and column selected during an address phase, and sustain means (I3, I4, I5, I6) for sustaining the electrical discharges inside said cell during a sustain phase immediately following the address phase. According to the invention, the row address means and/or the sustain means are capable of allowing a bi-directional current to flow in the display cells during the address and/or sustain phases. The capacitive and light-emission currents appearing during these phases can thus flow freely and do not create electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Jean-Raphael Bezal, Gérard Rilly, Philippe Zorzan
  • Patent number: 8390546
    Abstract: A display device comprising a light guide (12), a front plate (14), and an intermediate electromechanically operable foil (16). Two electrode layers (22, 23) are arranged on either side of the foil (16) to induce electrostatic forces on the foil (16) and to bring selected portions of the foil into contact with the light guide (12), thereby extracting light from the light guide (12). The second electrode layer (22) is arranged on the opposite side of the light guide (12) with reference to the foil (16), and separated from the light guide (12) by means of a refractive layer (28). As no electrode layer is required on the light guide itself, the light path of rays extracted from the light guide is cleaner, and the absorption of light is reduced. The light guide can have a thickness such that the light extracted from the light guide per unit length is sufficient to allow for line-at-a-time addressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Ramon Pascal Van Gorkom, Peter Alexander Duine, Volker Schoellmann, Ruediger Johannes Lange, Siebe Tjerk De Zwark
  • Patent number: 8379063
    Abstract: Techniques and devices use panels or screens with pixels for display or illumination applications to achieve dithered pixel brightness beyond pixel brightness levels set by a digital to analog conversion (DAC) circuit module with a preset DAC resolution between two adjacent DAC levels. In one implementation, when a pixel is to be dictated by a digital pixel signal to operate within an unstable brightness region, a control mechanism is provided to control the DAC circuit module to operate the pixel in the block at a DAC level below the unstable brightness region or at a different DAC level above the respective unstable brightness region, to achieve a perceived brightness level within the respective unstable brightness region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Prysm, Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Budni, Donald A. Krall