Patents by Inventor Bernard O'Connor

Bernard O'Connor 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).

  • Publication number: 20150220167
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods of using a stylus that houses optics and a detector capable of receiving optical signals that are combined with a displayed image. Stylus position determination is made by analyzing received optical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 9081448
    Abstract: A digitizer system utilizing two location measurement techniques that operate in cooperation to improve the operation of the digitizer. The first location measurement technique provides a first, or coarse, stylus location. The second location measurement technique provides a second, or fine, stylus location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Publication number: 20150193025
    Abstract: A pen configured for use with a touch sensor includes a pen tip that is configured to make contact with the touch sensor. The pen body includes an electrically conductive receiver portion and an electrically conductive emitter portion that is electrically insulated and electrostatically shielded from the receiver portion. The pen includes circuitry configured to receive a touch sensor drive signal applied to a drive electrode of the touch sensor through the receiver portion of the pen body. In response to the received signal, the pen circuitry generates a pen drive signal that is phase additive with the touch sensor drive signal and emits the pen drive signal through the emitter portion of the pen body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas J. Rebeschi, Craig A. Cordeiro, Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 9068845
    Abstract: A digitizer system including a substrate having a position-unique photoluminescent indicia pattern. A stylus component receives optical signals indicative of the indicia pattern and determines therefrom the position of the stylus relative to the substrate. Methods of disposing indicia on the substrate, and styli suitable for sensing photoluminescent indicia are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Bernard O. Geaghan, Michael Benton Free, Edward S. Hagermoser, Rachael P. Marino, Pradnya V. Nagarkar, Martin B. Wolk
  • Patent number: 9035912
    Abstract: A multi-display system that uses back lights and light guides of an electronically addressable display to provide position-unique signals that both uniquely identify positions on a given display, but also uniquely identify displays within a multi-display system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Gordon F. Taylor, Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 9035911
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods of using a stylus that houses optics and a detector capable of receiving optical signals that are combined with a displayed image. Stylus position determination is made by analyzing received optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 9017781
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a matting and/or frosting additive concentrate for polymers or polymer blends, said additive comprising to 75% by weight of hollow glass microspheres and 20 to 95% by weight of a liquid or waxy carrier material and optionally up to 75% by weight of additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Holland Colours N.V.
    Inventors: Antony Bernard O'Brien, Kimberly Marie Chaplin, Emily Louise Fisher, Lora Sue Phillips
  • Patent number: 9019209
    Abstract: Touch location determination approaches involving a plurality of touch location techniques are described. Each touch location technique is capable of independently determining a location of a touch within a touch area of the touch sensitive device. The touch location determination made by at least one touch location technique is enhanced using touch location information associated with the touch acquired from one or more other touch location techniques. One touch location technique may use a different type of sensor, signal, and/or algorithm from the one or more other touch location techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Publication number: 20140204059
    Abstract: Touch location determination approaches involving a plurality of touch location techniques are described. Each touch location technique is capable of independently determining a location of a touch within a touch area of the touch sensitive device. The touch location determination made by at least one touch location technique is enhanced using touch location information associated with the touch acquired from one or more other touch location techniques. One touch location technique may use a different type of sensor, signal, and/or algorithm from the one or more other touch location techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Publication number: 20140168089
    Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating a photoluminescent indicia-based digitizer system with a display, the photoluminescent indicia uniquely identifying local areas of a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Bernard O. GEAGHAN
  • Publication number: 20140145066
    Abstract: A digitizer system includes a substrate with indicia that uniquely define local areas of the substrate. A multi-mode sensor device, such as a stylus, may sense radiation emitted from the features, and selectively switch to a mode of operation that can sense the indicia and determine therefrom the location of the stylus relative to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Bernard O. GEAGHAN, Michael W. DOLEZAL
  • Patent number: 8726497
    Abstract: A method of making a component for use in a touch sensor includes modifying a substrate having disposed on it a plurality of electrically isolated conductors. Subsets of the conductors are electrically coupled to form composite electrodes. The component can be used as a set of electrodes in a customized touch sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Publication number: 20130209710
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a matting and/or frosting additive concentrate for polymers or polymer blends, said additive comprising to 75% by weight of hollow glass microspheres and 20 to 95% by weight of a liquid or waxy carrier material and optionally up to 75% by weight of additives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: Holland Colours N.V.
    Inventors: Antony Bernard O'Brien, Kimberly Marie Chaplin, Emily Louise Fisher, Lora Sue Phillips
  • Patent number: 8508680
    Abstract: A touch screen sensor with a conductive micropattern includes one or more features to obscure or reduce the visibility of the conductive micropattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Bernard O. Geaghan, Edward S. Hagermoser
  • Patent number: 8493355
    Abstract: Matrix-based touch input systems assess touch locations of two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs by forming valid x-y coordinate pairs from independently determined x- and y-coordinates. Valid x-y pairs are formed based on comparing one or more signal parameters such as signal magnitude, signal strength, signal width, and signal rates of change. In matrix capacitive systems where capacitance-to-ground signals are used to determine the x- and y-coordinates, the determined coordinates may be formed into valid x-y pairs using mutual capacitance measurements. When resolving more than two temporally overlapping touches, information gained by resolving a valid x-y coordinate pair of at least one of the touches may be used to resolve the remaining touches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Bernard O. Geaghan, Craig A. Cordeiro
  • Publication number: 20130113762
    Abstract: A digitizer system utilizing two location measurement techniques that operate in cooperation to improve the operation of the digitizer. The first location measurement technique provides a first, or coarse, stylus location. The second location measurement technique provides a second, or fine, stylus location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventor: Bernard O. GEAGHAN
  • Patent number: 8410794
    Abstract: An operator identifying apparatus, operator identifying method, and a vehicle-mounted apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Tasuku Nakayama, Craig A. Cordeiro, Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 8405633
    Abstract: A matrix touch panel having upper and lower electrodes, the upper electrodes being composite electrodes made of a plurality of spaced micro-wires, and allowing, for example, an electric field from lower electrodes to pass between the micro-wires and thereby capacitively couple with a touching object, such as a finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 8363031
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a parameter related to the capacitance between a drive electrode and a receive electrode of a touch sensitive device. The apparatus includes an accumulator capacitor coupled at one end to a voltage measurement circuit and at the other end to the receive electrode, and control circuitry configured and arranged, during each cycle of a measurement sequence, to connect a reference voltage to a first node that electrically connects the accumulator capacitor to the voltage measurement circuit. The apparatus further includes a resistive circuit configured and arranged to draw current from a second node electrically connected to the accumulator capacitor and to the receive electrode during the measurement sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Publication number: 20130016072
    Abstract: A multi-display system that uses back lights and light guides of an electronically addressable display to provide position-unique signals that both uniquely identify positions on a given display, but also uniquely identify displays within a multi-display system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Gordon F. Taylor, Bernard O. Geaghan