Patents by Inventor Anatol WARD

Anatol WARD 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).

  • Patent number: 11409435
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Publication number: 20210405869
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Anatol WARD, Kouichiro TAKASHIMA
  • Patent number: 11137906
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Publication number: 20200042173
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Anatol WARD, Kouichiro TAKASHIMA
  • Patent number: 10481793
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Patent number: 10474302
    Abstract: A touch panel device that detects a touch input at a touch panel including a plurality of electrodes arrayed in X and Y directions, calculates a width corresponding an object approaching the touch panel based on an output distribution of capacitance values from the touch panel, and determines whether an input operation corresponding to the object is valid based on the calculated width of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichiro Takashima, Anatol Ward
  • Publication number: 20180300057
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Patent number: 10007427
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Publication number: 20180101263
    Abstract: A touch panel device that detects a touch input at a touch panel including a plurality of electrodes arrayed in X and Y directions, calculates a width corresponding an object approaching the touch panel based on an output distribution of capacitance values from the touch panel, and determines whether an input operation corresponding to the object is valid based on the calculated width of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Kouichiro Takashima, Anatol Ward
  • Publication number: 20170308295
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Anatol WARD, Kouichiro TAKASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9747027
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communcations Inc.
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Publication number: 20170075569
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicants: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC., SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anatol WARD, Kouichiro TAKASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9535552
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Patent number: 9182860
    Abstract: A touch panel device including a touch panel unit having transparent electrodes arranged in an X and Y direction; an electrical potential detection unit configured to scan the electrodes and detect electrostatic capacitance values in the X and Y direction; an object type detection unit configured to detect a type of object that has come within proximity to the surface of the touch panel unit on the basis of a distribution shape of the electrostatic capacitance values detected by the electrical potential detection unit; and an operation position detection unit configured to, based on the detected type of object, change a data extraction threshold value used to calculate a touch position of the object, and detect coordinates of a position at which the object has come within proximity to or come into contact with the surface of the touch panel unit based on the changed data extraction threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Kouichiro Takashima, Anatol Ward
  • Publication number: 20150138156
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state. By operating in the low power state while waiting to observe a predetermined pattern before unlocking the user interface, the device does not waste power on false positive detections, and allows for convenient wakeup and accessibility by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicants: Sony Mobile Communications Inc., Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Patent number: 8988386
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Anatol Ward, Kouichiro Takashima
  • Publication number: 20130194223
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product provide a simplified method for unlocking an electronic device that uses soft keys, such as capacitive touch keys, or proximity detection areas and patterns. The keys may be implemented in the form of areas of a sensor, and a processing circuit observes a touch pattern (or proximity pattern, or characteristic pattern such as a capacitance pattern of a user's finger) and compares the same with the registered pattern to determine if there is a likeness. In doing so, the electronic device is operated at a low power state, and in that low power state observes whether a predetermined pattern is observed and when it is, unlocks the electronic device for interaction with a user at a fully operational state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Anatol WARD, Kouichiro TAKASHIMA