Patents by Inventor Alan Thomas Pullins

Alan Thomas Pullins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Haptic based user interface for an electronic device
    Patent number: 8576188
    Abstract: An electronics device including a haptic-based user interface, including a touch screen; an actuator coupled to the touch screen for selectively vibrating the touch screen responsive to the touch screen being depressed; and a visual display panel. The user interface further includes a plurality of suspension members disposed between the touch screen and the display panel and a plurality of seal members disposed between the suspension members such that the suspension members and the seal members define a volume between the touch panel and the visual display panel. The suspension and seal members may be formed from compressible material, such as foam materials. By separating the visual display panel from the touch panel with the suspension members in this way, vibrations from the actuator that are experienced by the visual display panel are reduced, thereby extending the useful life of the visual display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew David Miles, Alan Thomas Pullins, Adam Randal Wiedemann, Hrishikesh Pramod Gogate
  • Haptic Based User Interface for an Electronic Device
    Publication number: 20120092272
    Abstract: An electronics device including a haptic-based user interface, including a touch screen; an actuator coupled to the touch screen for selectively vibrating the touch screen responsive to the touch screen being depressed; and a visual display panel. The user interface further includes a plurality of suspension members disposed between the touch screen and the display panel and a plurality of seal members disposed between the suspension members such that the suspension members and the seal members define a volume between the touch panel and the visual display panel. The suspension and seal members may be formed from compressible material, such as foam materials. By separating the visual display panel from the touch panel with the suspension members in this way, vibrations from the actuator that are experienced by the visual display panel are reduced, thereby extending the useful life of the visual display panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Matthew David Miles, Alan Thomas Pullins, Adam Randal Wiedemann, Hrishikesh Pramod Gogate