Patents by Inventor Chris Bower

Chris Bower 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: 20170239927
    Abstract: A thin film manipulator comprising: a porous thin film manipulator interface with a chamber surface and an opposing thin film surface, the porous thin film manipulator interface having a through-thickness porosity to allow a fluid to be used to develop a pressure difference between the chamber surface and the opposing thin film surface; and a plurality of chambers positioned laterally across the chamber surface of the porous thin film manipulator interface, the plurality of chambers configured to allow: progressive removal of fluid laterally across the interface to provide a lateral pressure gradient which progressively decreases the pressure laterally across the thin film surface to progressively hold a thin film at the thin film surface and/or progressive application of fluid laterally across the interface to provide a lateral pressure gradient which progressively increases the pressure laterally across the thin film surface to progressively release an adhered thin film from the thin film surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Richard White, Chris Bower, Joe Bottomley, Yinglin Liu, Zoran Radivojevic
  • Patent number: 9733706
    Abstract: An apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to provide a first state or a second state for an electrode, wherein in the first state, the electrode is configured for use in the detection of touch input, and in the second state, the electrode is configured for use in the provision of haptic feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Paul Beecher, Chris Bower, Zoran Radivojevic, Piers Andrew, Darryl Cotton, Samiul Haque, Tapani Ryhanen
  • Publication number: 20170220827
    Abstract: An apparatus and method and electronic device, the apparatus comprising: a memory element configured to store information; a switching element coupled to the memory element; wherein the switching element is configured to be switched from a first state to a second state in response to an input signal provided by a capacitive touch screen and wherein when the switching element is in the second state the information can be read from the memory element by the capacitive touch screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Mark ALLEN, Chris BOWER, Darryl COTTON, Yinglin LIU
  • Publication number: 20170156650
    Abstract: An apparatus and method, the apparatus comprising; a light collector configured to collect ambient light and provide the collected light to a portion of skin of a user; a photodetector configured to enable a biometric parameter to be monitored by detecting changes in the light absorbed by the portion of skin; and an amplifier configured to amplify an output signal provided by the photodetector; wherein the light collector is configured to filter the collected ambient light to increase the proportion of light within a selected range of wavelengths which is provided to the portion of skin of the user relative to the collected ambient light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Chris Bower, Michael Astley, Piers Andrew
  • Publication number: 20170109512
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided securing information. In some example embodiments, there is provided a method, which may include receiving, at a user equipment, biometric data from a user of the user equipment; receiving, at the user equipment, sensitive data to be encoded and/or decoded; encoding, based on at least one feature detected in the biometric data, the sensitive data, when the user equipment is in a storage mode; and decoding, based on at least the at least one feature detected in the biometric data, the sensitive data, when the user equipment is in a read mode. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Chris Bower, Troels Roennow, Andrew Matthews, Joachim Wabnig
  • Patent number: 9583257
    Abstract: In some example embodiments, there may be provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include a chamber including a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the chamber further includes a first fluid suspended in a second fluid; a first electrode adjacent to the first cavity; a second electrode adjacent to the second cavity; a third electrode configured to provide a common electrode to the first electrode and the second electrode; and at least one coil adjacent to at least one of the first cavity or the second cavity, wherein an inductance value of the coil is varied by at least applying a driving signal between the common electrode and the first electrode and/or the second electrode. Related methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Kim Blomqvist, Pekka Korpinen, Helena Pohjonen, Markku Rouvala, Chris Bower
  • Patent number: 9579690
    Abstract: Apparatus including: a face including a first surface electrode and a second insulated surface electrode; and a controller configured to apply a time varying potential difference between the first surface electrode and the second insulated surface electrode and configured to control at least the time variation in the potential difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Paul Beecher, Chris Bower, Piers Andrew, Zoran Radivojevic
  • Patent number: 9495010
    Abstract: An apparatus including a processor and a memory including computer program code. The memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to, for an array of capacitive touch sensors with a proximally positioned electrotactile layer, compare the capacitance associated with a capacitive touch sensor of the array against a respective detection threshold to determine whether or not a touch input has occurred at the capacitive touch sensor by a stylus in capacitive coupling proximity to the capacitive touch sensor. The detection threshold of one or more capacitive touch sensors of the array is set to be sufficient to inhibit the erroneous generation of a touch input signal at the one or more respective capacitive touch sensors caused by capacitive cross-coupling, via the electrotactile layer, to the capacitive touch sensor which is in capacitive coupling proximity to the stylus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Zoran Radivojevic, Paul Beecher, Chris Bower, Piers Andrew, Darryl Cotton, Samiul Haque
  • Publication number: 20160291783
    Abstract: An apparatus including a flexible laminate structure including a first layer and a second layer and including perforations that extend through the first layer but not through the second layer, wherein the first layer is a functional layer used to enable user input to or output from the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Darryl COTTON, Chris BOWER, Piers ANDREW
  • Patent number: 9380979
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of forming an apparatus wherein the apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode arranged to form a parallel plate capacitor; a compressible, transparent dielectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode wherein the dielectric layer has a nanostructure and the dimensions of the nanostructure are such that the dielectric layer is optically transparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Richard White, Chris Bower
  • Patent number: 9329386
    Abstract: A display protector for use with a heat source, the display protector including one or more transparent fluid incident regions and one or more fluid driver regions, wherein the display protector is configured to guide a fluid incident upon one or more of the transparent fluid incident regions away to one or more of the fluid driver regions to facilitate driving of the fluid from the one or more fluid driver regions by heat supplied by the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Chris Bower, Mark Allen, Paul Beecher, Ilkka Niemela, Zoran Radivojevic, Piers Andrew
  • Patent number: 9290389
    Abstract: A method including providing graphene on a growth substrate; providing a target substrate on the graphene to form a first composite including the target substrate and graphene; and removing at least a portion of the first composite from the growth substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Samiul Md Haque, Richard White, Chris Bower
  • Publication number: 20160020017
    Abstract: In some example embodiments, there may be provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include a chamber including a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the chamber further includes a first fluid suspended in a second fluid; a first electrode adjacent to the first cavity; a second electrode adjacent to the second cavity; a third electrode configured to provide a common electrode to the first electrode and the second electrode; and at least one coil adjacent to at least one of the first cavity or the second cavity, wherein an inductance value of the coil is varied by at least applying a driving signal between the common electrode and the first electrode and/or the second electrode. Related methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Kim Blomqvist, Pekka Korpinen, Helena Pohjonen, Markku Rouvala, Chris Bower
  • Patent number: 9202639
    Abstract: An apparatus including a layer of electrically conductive material with an open interconnected wall structure of electrically conductive material formed thereon, the open interconnected wall structure having a gyroid structure including one or more open pores into which an active material for use in generating and/or storing electrical charge can be deposited, wherein the layer of electrically conductive material and the open interconnected wall structure together form a charge collector which provides an electrical path from the active material for the generated and/or stored electrical charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Di Wei, Yinglin Liu, Piers Andrew, Markku Rouvala, Chris Bower, Teuvo Tapani Ryhanen
  • Patent number: 9195350
    Abstract: An apparatus including a first sensor configured to couple capacitively to a stylus when said stylus is in proximity to the first sensor, capacitive coupling between the first sensor and the stylus configured to generate a first touch input signal to enable detection of a first touch input; and a layer configured to couple capacitively to the stylus when said stylus is in proximity to the layer, capacitive coupling between the layer and the stylus configured to provide haptic feedback, wherein the layer is positioned adjacent the first sensor, the positioning resulting in capacitive cross-coupling between the first sensor and the layer, and wherein the layer includes a first aperture configured to reduce the capacitive cross-coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Zoran Radivojevic, Paul Beecher, Chris Bower, Piers Andrew, Darryl Cotton, Samiul Haque
  • Patent number: 9167684
    Abstract: A substrate including a fluid reservoir and a connected fluid channel, the fluid reservoir positioned away from a component region of the substrate, the fluid channel configured to extend from the fluid reservoir to guide an electrically conductive fluid from the fluid reservoir at a reservoir end of the fluid channel through the fluid channel to a component end of the fluid channel, the component end extending to the component region of the substrate to enable the formation of an electrical connection to a connector of an electronic component appropriately positioned in the component region, formation of the electrical connection allowing the electronic component to be interconnected to other electronic components using one or more of the fluid reservoir and fluid channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Mark Lee Allen, Chris Bower, Darryl Cotton
  • Patent number: 9162806
    Abstract: The system and method discloses a cleanable connector system for a Bag-In-Box (“BIB”) type package having a valve arrangement that prevents the mixing of product within the bag and in the line. Various embodiments provide a connector system including a valve arrangement having a line-side valve and a bag-side valve, wherein the valve arrangement allows connection to a bag and to a line-side connector while preventing the product within the bag and in the line from mixing. The system improves the user experience by only requiring a relatively weak connection force between the line-side valve and the bag-side valve. The system and method improves the shelf life of products within the bag and reduces the risk of contamination of the bag, the line, and the product within the bag by minimizing the risk of introducing biological and other foreign material into the system when connecting the bag and the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Michael Fishel, Ian Darby, Chris Bowers
  • Patent number: 9110507
    Abstract: Apparatus including a first surface electrode and an arrangement of second insulated surface electrodes; a display configured to display an image; and a controller configured to apply a potential difference between the first surface electrode and the arrangement of second insulated surface electrodes and configured to control at least a variation in the applied potential difference in dependence upon the displayed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Zoran Radivojevic, Chris Bower, Paul Beecher, Piers Andrew
  • Patent number: 9110545
    Abstract: An apparatus including a plurality of adjacent repeated base units, each base unit formed from an active electrode of first, second and third touch sensor arrays, the first, second and third touch sensor arrays each including a plurality of active electrodes connected to a respective common terminal of the touch sensor array, wherein each base unit includes an active electrode of the second touch sensor array interlaced between an active electrode of the first touch sensor array and an active electrode of the third touch sensor array such that a swipe touch gesture applied to two or more adjacent active electrodes of the apparatus generates signalling at the respective common terminals of the corresponding touch sensor arrays which allows the direction of the swipe touch gesture to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Zoran Radivojevic, Paul Beecher, Chris Bower, Piers Andrew, Darryl Cotton, Samiul Haque, Michael Astley, Markus Ahonen
  • Patent number: 9085399
    Abstract: A system and method for connecting a fluid within a product container such as a bag to a product dispenser. The system and method, more particularly, discloses a cleanable connector system for a Bag-In-Box (“BIB”) type package having a valve arrangement that prevents the mixing of product within the bag and in the line. Various embodiments provide a connector system including a valve arrangement having a line-side valve and a bag-side valve, wherein the valve arrangement allows connection to a bag and to a line-side connector while preventing the product within the bag and in the line from mixing. The system and method improves the shelf life of products contained within the bag and reduces the risk of contamination of the bag, the line, and the product contained within the bag by minimizing the risk of introducing biological and other foreign material into the system when connecting the bag and the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Michael Fishel, Ian Darby, Chris Bowers