Patents by Inventor Bernard O. Geaghan

Bernard O. Geaghan 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: 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
  • 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: 20130016071
    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: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    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
  • Publication number: 20120313880
    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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Bernard O. GEAGHAN, Edward S. HAGERMOSER
  • Publication number: 20120313893
    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: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventor: Bernard O. GEAGHAN
  • Patent number: 8284332
    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: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Bernard O. Geaghan, Edward S. Hagermoser
  • Patent number: 8279187
    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: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Publication number: 20120162122
    Abstract: A force sensitive device comprises a force sensor and a control system. The control system applies drive signals to the force sensor and measures receive signals that are responsive to forces associated with contacts made to the force sensitive device. The control system determines location and force information of one or more contacts on the force sensor based upon the receive signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 8207944
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of measuring a plate capacitance, which include accumulating a first signal representative of charge over a plurality of switch-controlled plate charging cycles and accumulating a second signal representative of charge over another plurality of switch-controlled plate discharging cycles. The accumulated first and second signals can then be used to determine the capacitance on the plate. Such systems and methods can be useful in capacitive touch sensing devices such as capacitive buttons and capacitive touch panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 8183875
    Abstract: Systems and methods determine the position of a touch on a surface of a device, such as a touch-sensitive device, by using passively-induced position-dependent electrical charges. In such a method, the position of a touching implement is determined on the sensing surface of a device. The method includes charging the sensing surface during a first time period by connecting all four corners of the sensing surface to a reference voltage, and over a second time period discharging two adjacent corners of the sensing surface into an integrator capacitor while connecting the two opposite corners to ground. The first and second time periods together form a charge/discharge cycle that is repeated a plurality of times, after which an output of the integrator capacitor is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Craig A. Cordeiro, Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 8174273
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems that measure capacitance are disclosed. Typically, an accumulator circuit couples to the capacitance and includes an accumulator and switch(es) that charge the accumulator over a series of switch-controlled charging or discharging cycles governed by a first control signal. The accumulator circuit provides an accumulator signal based on the charge on the first accumulator. A discharge circuit couples to the accumulator circuit and includes an optional variable current device, the discharge circuit partially discharging the accumulator based on a second control signal. A control circuit, which couples to the accumulator circuit and the discharge circuit, dynamically adjusts the first and/or second control signals to keep the accumulator signal in a desired range. The dynamically adjusted control signal can be used as a measure of the capacitance. Such methods and systems may be used in capacitive touch sensing devices such as capacitive buttons and capacitive touch panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 8159472
    Abstract: A data processor for an occupant identification system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Bernard O. Geaghan
  • Patent number: 8089474
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide for adaptive drive signal adjustment to improve reception of a stylus signal at a location sensor. A location sensing system includes an untethered stylus comprising circuitry configured to receive a drive signal and transmit a stylus signal. The circuitry is configured to be energized by the received drive signal and includes frequency-sensitive circuitry. A location sensor includes a controller and a sensing array. The location sensor is configured to generate the drive signal and receive the stylus signal. The controller is configured to adjust a parameter of the drive signal that improves receptivity of the stylus signal by the location sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Bernard O. Geaghan, Albert H. Libbey