Patents by Inventor Bruce Lessard

Bruce Lessard 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: 10908597
    Abstract: Touch sensing circuit arrangements include a touch sensor and a controller board. The touch sensor includes one or more sensing elements to generate touch-related signals responsive to a touch input to the sensor, and a memory device storing computer-executable firmware instructions for determining touch positions based on the touch-related signals. The controller board includes query logic executable by the controller board to cause the controller board to query for the computer-executable firmware instructions stored on the memory device of the touch sensor, and a processor circuit to determine touch positions by executing the firmware instructions loaded onto the generic controller board in response to the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Rodrigo S. Gomes, Richard A. Peterson, Jr., Bruce A. Lessard, Gordon F. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20190121332
    Abstract: Touch sensing circuit arrangements include a touch sensor and a controller board. The touch sensor includes one or more sensing elements to generate touch-related signals responsive to a touch input to the sensor, and a memory device storing computer-executable firmware instructions for determining touch positions based on the touch-related signals. The controller board includes query logic executable by the controller board to cause the controller board to query for the computer-executable firmware instructions stored on the memory device of the touch sensor, and a processor circuit to determine touch positions by executing the firmware instructions loaded onto the generic controller board in response to the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Rodrigo S. Gomes, Richard A. Peterson, JR., Bruce A. Lessard, Gordon F. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10197994
    Abstract: Touch sensing circuit arrangements include a touch sensor and a controller board. The touch sensor includes one or more sensing elements to generate touch-related signals responsive to a touch input to the sensor, and a memory device storing computer-executable firmware instructions for determining touch positions based on the touch-related signals. The controller board includes query logic executable by the controller board to cause the controller board to query for the computer-executable firmware instructions stored on the memory device of the touch sensor, and a processor circuit to determine touch positions by executing the firmware instructions loaded onto the generic controller board in response to the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Rodrigo S. Gomes, Richard A. Peterson, Jr., Bruce A. Lessard, Gordon F. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20170060123
    Abstract: Touch sensing circuit arrangements include a touch sensor and a controller board. The touch sensor includes one or more sensing elements to generate touch-related signals responsive to a touch input to the sensor, and a memory device storing computer-executable firmware instructions for determining touch positions based on the touch-related signals. The controller board includes query logic executable by the controller board to cause the controller board to query for the computer-executable firmware instructions stored on the memory device of the touch sensor, and a processor circuit to determine touch positions by executing the firmware instructions loaded onto the generic controller board in response to the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Rodrigo S. Gomes, Richard A. Peterson, JR., Bruce A. Lessard, Gordon F. Taylor
  • Patent number: 9535533
    Abstract: Touch sensing circuit arrangements include a touch sensor and a controller board. The touch sensor includes one or more sensing elements to generate touch-related signals responsive to a touch input to the sensor, and a memory device storing computer-executable firmware instructions for determining touch positions based on the touch-related signals. The controller board includes query logic executable by the controller board to cause the controller board to query for the computer-executable firmware instructions stored on the memory device of the touch sensor, and a processor circuit to determine touch positions by executing the firmware instructions loaded onto the generic controller board in response to the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Rodrigo S. Gomes, Richard A. Peterson, Jr., Bruce A. Lessard, Gordon F. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20100097336
    Abstract: Touch sensing circuit arrangements include a touch sensor and a controller board. The touch sensor includes one or more sensing elements to generate touch-related signals responsive to a touch input to the sensor, and a memory device storing computer-executable firmware instructions for determining touch positions based on the touch-related signals. The controller board includes query logic executable by the controller board to cause the controller board to query for the computer-executable firmware instructions stored on the memory device of the touch sensor, and a processor circuit to determine touch positions by executing the firmware instructions loaded onto the generic controller board in response to the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Rodrigo S. GOMES, Richard A. Peterson, JR., Bruce A. Lessard, Gordon F. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7567240
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for detecting stray capacitance in capacitive touch sensors. The existence of stray capacitance can lead to errors in touch detection and touch position determination. Such errors can be avoided or corrected when the stray capacitance is detected. Detecting stray capacitance includes analyzing signals for features characteristic of stray capacitance noise events. Such features can include spatial features such as the location of a test touch position determined from signals caused by stray capacitance, as well as temporal features such as the rate of change of the detected signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Peterson, Jr., Bulent Bulat, Bruce A. Lessard, Gordon F. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20070034423
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing susceptibility of touch screens to RF interference, thereby reducing susceptibility to touch position errors due to RF interference. In touch screen systems having touch sensors that lack a rear shield, the rear shield drive of the controller electronics can be capacitively connected individually to the touch signal drives, thereby placing a capacitive load on the touch signal drives that simulates the capacitive load that would otherwise be provided by a rear shield. This capacitive load compensates for the RF interference, which would otherwise tend to erroneously offset touch position determinations toward the center of the touch screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Rebeschi, Bruce Lessard, Richard Peterson, Gordon Taylor
  • Publication number: 20060267953
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for detecting stray capacitance in capacitive touch sensors. The existence of stray capacitance can lead to errors in touch detection and touch position determination. Such errors can be avoided or corrected when the stray capacitance is detected. Detecting stray capacitance includes analyzing signals for features characteristic of stray capacitance noise events. Such features can include spatial features such as the location of a test touch position determined from signals caused by stray capacitance, as well as temporal features such as the rate of change of the detected signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Richard Peterson, Bulent Bulat, Bruce Lessard, Gordon Taylor
  • Publication number: 20060227114
    Abstract: Touch location determination is enhanced by correcting for errors that arise due to touch panel movement. A touch sensitive device includes a capacitive touch sensor configured to generate signals indicative of a location of a capacitively coupled touch on a touch surface. An error correction sensor generates a signal associated with movement of the capacitive touch sensor. Touch location is determined using the touch location signals and the error signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventors: Bernard Geaghan, Bruce Lessard