Patents by Inventor Bryan D. Scott

Bryan D. Scott 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: 11275497
    Abstract: Methods of controlling the display and use of a UI element are disclosed. In an embodiment, the UI element may configured so that it initially maintains a topmost position but eventually allows other applications to assume the topmost position. In an embodiment, the display of the element may be adjusted in response to an input so that the UI element is not visible on the display. In an embodiment, the use of the UI element may allow for seamless dragging of the UI element even if the user inadvertently fails to make consistent contact with the touch-sensitive display while dragging the UI element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov
  • Patent number: 10817080
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Publication number: 20180239450
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. TOWNSEND, Alexander J. KOLMYKOV-ZOTOV, Steven P. DODGE, Bryan D. SCOTT
  • Patent number: 10019080
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Patent number: 9996176
    Abstract: A tablet PC having an interactive display, which is touchscreen enabled, may be enhanced to provide a user with superior usability and efficiency. A touchscreen device may be configured to receive multiple concurrent touchscreen contacts. The attributes of the multiple concurrent touchscreen contracts may be mapped to operations performed on the computing device. As a result, a user can trigger the execution of the toggle accessibility aid operation and the screen rotation operation with greater convenience. Moreover, the tablet PC may be configured to map an operation to a hand gesture or input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander J. Zotov, Bryan D. Scott, Reed L. Townsend, Steven P. Dodge
  • Patent number: 9952718
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Patent number: 9946370
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Publication number: 20180032168
    Abstract: A tablet PC having an interactive display, which is touchscreen enabled, may be enhanced to provide a user with superior usability and efficiency. A touchscreen device may be configured to receive multiple concurrent touchscreen contacts. The attributes of the multiple concurrent touchscreen contracts may be mapped to operations performed on the computing device. As a result, a user can trigger the execution of the toggle accessibility aid operation and the screen rotation operation with greater convenience. Moreover, the tablet PC may be configured to map an operation to a hand gesture or input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Alexander J. ZOTOV, Bryan D. SCOTT, Reed L. TOWNSEND, Steven P. DODGE
  • Publication number: 20170336940
    Abstract: Methods of controlling the display and use of a UI element are disclosed. In an embodiment, the UI element may configured so that it initially maintains a topmost position but eventually allows other applications to assume the topmost position. In an embodiment, the display of the element may be adjusted in response to an input so that the UI element is not visible on the display. In an embodiment, the use of the UI element may allow for seamless dragging of the UI element even if the user inadvertently fails to make consistent contact with the touch-sensitive display while dragging the UI element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov
  • Patent number: 9811186
    Abstract: A tablet PC having an interactive display, which is touchscreen enabled, may be enhanced to provide a user with superior usability and efficiency. A touchscreen device may be configured to receive multiple concurrent touchscreen contacts. The attributes of the multiple concurrent touchscreen contracts may be mapped to operations performed on the computing device. As a result, a user can trigger the execution of the toggle accessibility aid operation and the screen rotation operation with greater convenience. Moreover, the tablet PC may be configured to map an operation to a hand gesture or input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander J. Zotov, Bryan D. Scott, Reed L. Townsend, Steven P. Dodge
  • Patent number: 9690470
    Abstract: Methods of controlling the display and use of a UI element are disclosed. In an embodiment, the UI element may configured so that it initially maintains a topmost position but eventually allows other applications to assume the topmost position. In an embodiment, the display of the element may be adjusted in response to an input so that the UI element is not visible on the display. In an embodiment, the use of the UI element may allow for seamless dragging of the UI element even if the user inadvertently fails to make consistent contact with the touch-sensitive display while dragging the UI element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov
  • Publication number: 20170177100
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Publication number: 20170177101
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Publication number: 20170147148
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Patent number: 9594457
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Publication number: 20160110024
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Patent number: 9268483
    Abstract: This document describes tools having or interacting with a touch-sensitive device with one or more contact detectors that detect a tactile input from a user making contact with the contact detectors and an input/output module that persistently identifies contact data representing the detected tactile input. This identification is unique, thereby differentiating one or more tactile inputs from other current tactile inputs represented in the contact data. Using this unique identification, the input/output module can initiate an application to provide a function, such as data entry or a mapped function, associated with the detected tactile input. These data or mapped functions may, in many instances, provide a greater depth or breadth of functions by which users may interact with applications and computer systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen V. Dennis, Xiao Tu, Bryan D. Scott, Reed L. Townsend, Todd A. Torset
  • Patent number: 9261964
    Abstract: A method for rejecting an unintentional palm touch is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a touch is detected by a touch-sensitive surface associated with a display. Characteristics of the touch may be used to generate a set of parameters related to the touch. In an embodiment, firmware is used to determine a reliability value for the touch. The reliability value and the location of the touch is provided to a software module. The software module uses the reliability value and an activity context to determine a confidence level of the touch. In an embodiment, the confidence level may include an evaluation of changes in the reliability value over time. If the confidence level for the touch is too low, it may be rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Reed L. Townsend, Alexander J. Kolmykov-Zotov, Steven P. Dodge, Bryan D. Scott
  • Publication number: 20150286305
    Abstract: A tablet PC having an interactive display, which is touchscreen enabled, may be enhanced to provide a user with superior usability and efficiency. A touchscreen device may be configured to receive multiple concurrent touchscreen contacts. The attributes of the multiple concurrent touchscreen contracts may be mapped to operations performed on the computing device. As a result, a user can trigger the execution of the toggle accessibility aid operation and the screen rotation operation with greater convenience. Moreover, the tablet PC may be configured to map an operation to a hand gesture or input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Alexander J. Zotov, Bryan D. Scott, Reed L. Townsend, Steven P. Dodge
  • Patent number: 9063647
    Abstract: A tablet PC having an interactive display, which is touchscreen enabled, may be enhanced to provide a user with superior usability and efficiency. A touchscreen device may be configured to receive multiple concurrent touchscreen contacts. The attributes of the multiple concurrent touchscreen contracts may be mapped to operations performed on the computing device. As a result, a user can trigger the execution of the toggle accessibility aid operation and the screen rotation operation with greater convenience. Moreover, the tablet PC may be configured to map an operation to a hand gesture or input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander J. Zotov, Bryan D. Scott, Reed L. Townsend, Steven P. Dodge