Patents by Inventor Bernard J. Hermes

Bernard J. Hermes 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: 9372582
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes modifying an amount of charge of a capacitance of a touch sensor. The modified amount of charge resulting in a voltage at the capacitance being a first pre-determined voltage level. The method also includes applying a first pre-determined amount of charge to the capacitance. The application of the first pre-determined amount of charge to the capacitance modifying the voltage at the capacitance from the first pre-determined voltage level to a first charging voltage level. The method also includes determining a first difference between the first charging voltage level and a reference voltage level; and determining whether a touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the first difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel Brunet, Bernard J. Hermes, Trond Jarle Pedersen, Luben Hristov Hristov, Shahrooz Shahparnia, Vivek Pant
  • Patent number: 9354734
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes substantially simultaneously applying a pre-determined voltage to a conductive layer and to one or more electrodes of a touch sensor. The conductive layer is spatially separated from the electrodes by at least a thickness of a substrate. The method also includes determining a difference between a measurement current of one or more of the electrodes and a reference value; and determining whether a proximity or touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based at least in part on the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard J. Hermes
  • Patent number: 9342182
    Abstract: A system includes a controller situated on a circuit board and a touch sensor coupled to the controller. The touch sensor includes a plurality of electrodes configured to capacitively coupled to a surface. The system also includes a drive element that is coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to send a drive signal to the drive element and, after sending the drive signal to the drive element, receive a set of sense signals from the touch sensor. The controller is further configured to determine whether an object that is not contact with the surface is in a vicinity of the surface the set of sense signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard J. Hermes
  • Publication number: 20150253881
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes substantially simultaneously applying a pre-determined voltage to a conductive layer and to one or more electrodes of a touch sensor. The conductive layer is spatially separated from the electrodes by at least a thickness of a substrate. The method also includes determining a difference between a measurement current of one or more of the electrodes and a reference value; and determining whether a proximity or touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based at least in part on the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventor: Bernard J. Hermes
  • Publication number: 20140285444
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a touch sensitive device includes a cover panel, a plurality of drive electrodes positioned below the cover panel, a plurality of sense electrodes positioned below the cover panel, and a controller. The controller includes a signal generator operable to supply a drive signal to a particular drive electrode of the plurality of drive electrodes. The controller further includes measurement circuits associated with each of the plurality of sense electrodes, each measurement circuit being operable to generate a signal corresponding to the charge transfer between the particular drive electrode and a corresponding sense electrode. The drive signal supplied by the signal generator has a frequency that reduces the charge transfer caused by a fluid layer located on the cover panel to an amount falling below a threshold corresponding to the point at which the controller determines that a touch is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Bernard J. Hermes, Shou Huang
  • Publication number: 20140240285
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes a controller situated on a circuit board and a touch sensor coupled to the controller. The touch sensor includes a plurality of electrodes configured to capacitively coupled to a surface. The system also includes a drive element that is coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to send a drive signal to the drive element and, after sending the drive signal to the drive element, receive a set of sense signals from the touch sensor. The controller is further configured to determine whether an object that is not contact with the surface is in a vicinity of the surface the set of sense signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventor: Bernard J. Hermes
  • Patent number: 8717325
    Abstract: A system includes a controller situated on a circuit board and a touch sensor coupled to the controller. The touch sensor includes a plurality of electrodes configured to capacitively coupled to a surface. The system also includes a drive element that is coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to send a drive signal to the drive element and, after sending the drive signal to the drive element, receive a set of sense signals from the touch sensor. The controller is further configured to determine whether an object that is not contact with the surface is in a vicinity of the surface the set of sense signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard J. Hermes
  • Publication number: 20130278538
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes modifying an amount of charge of a capacitance of a touch sensor. The modified amount of charge resulting in a voltage at the capacitance being a first pre-determined voltage level. The method also includes applying a first pre-determined amount of charge to the capacitance. The application of the first pre-determined amount of charge to the capacitance modifying the voltage at the capacitance from the first pre-determined voltage level to a first charging voltage level. The method also includes determining a first difference between the first charging voltage level and a reference voltage level; and determining whether a touch input to the touch sensor has occurred based on the first difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Samuel Brunet, Bernard J. Hermes, Trond Jarle Pedersen, Luben Hristov Hristov, Shahrooz Shahparnia, Vivek Pant