Patents by Inventor Christopher M Dreher
Christopher M Dreher 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).
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Patent number: 8380130Abstract: Various embodiments relate to systems and methods that facilitate wireless device communications and configuration. A detection component identifies N devices that are coupled together via a biological medium, N being an integer, wherein the medium includes direct or indirect touching to a device or devices. After biological contact, a configuration component initiates a configuration between a subset of the devices.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
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Publication number: 20110319019Abstract: Various embodiments relate to systems and methods that facilitate wireless device communications and configuration. A detection component identifies N devices that are coupled together via a biological medium, N being an integer, wherein the medium includes direct or indirect touching to a device or devices. After biological contact, a configuration component initiates a configuration between a subset of the devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2011Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
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Patent number: 8036595Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate wireless device communications and configuration. A detection component identifies N devices that are coupled together via a biological medium, N being an integer, wherein the medium includes direct or indirect touching to a device or devices. After biological contact, a configuration component initiates a configuration between a subset of the devices. Although configurations and/or other communications can be conducted through a medium such as the human body, the present invention can employ an initial touch to identify respective devices whereby other electronic configuration sequences commence without further device contact. Other aspects include chain touching between users and/or devices to facilitate contact between the devices.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2006Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
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Publication number: 20100265107Abstract: Methods and systems for self-description of an adaptive input device to a host computing device are herein provided. One exemplary adaptive keyboard includes one or more depressible keys and one or more touch regions, where each touch region is configured to positionally recognize a touch directed to that touch region. The adaptive keyboard may also include an adaptive imager to dynamically change a visual appearance of the one or more depressible keys and the one or more touch regions. Further, the adaptive keyboard may include firmware holding an adaptive descriptor to self-describe to the host computing device a renderable location of each of the one or more depressible keys and each of the one or more touch regions. The adaptive keyboard may further include a data link for communicating the adaptive descriptor to the host computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2009Publication date: October 21, 2010Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher Andrew Whitman, Robert D. Young, Christopher M. Dreher, Amar S. Vattakandy, Alain L. Michaud
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Patent number: 7684754Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate wireless device communications and configuration. A detection component identifies N devices that are coupled together via a biological medium, N being an integer, wherein the medium includes direct or indirect touching to a device or devices. After biological contact, a configuration component initiates a configuration between a subset of the devices. Although configurations and/or other communications can be conducted through a medium such as the human body, the present invention can employ an initial touch to identify respective devices whereby other electronic configuration sequences commence without further device contact. Other aspects include chain touching between users and/or devices to facilitate contact between the devices.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2003Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
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Patent number: 7436300Abstract: Disclosed are a unique system and method that facilitate establishing and maintaining a secure connection between at least one wireless input component and a host (e.g., PC). The system and method involve the wireless input component broadcasting a message that can be “heard” by any potential host located within a given distance from the wireless input component. The message can indicate that the input component is available for use or pairing with a PC. PCs in the area can respond to the message by notifying the user that a wireless input component is available and by generating a random PIN. The PIN can be displayed to the user on the respective PC. The user can be prompted to enter the PIN using the wireless device. When a match between the user's response and the corresponding PC is determined, the two can be securely linked. In addition the invention provides support of wireless input devices at boot or start up.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2004Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew C Glass, Bernard J Thompson, Bradley L Fosdick, Chih Jen Wen, Christopher M Dreher, Doron J Holan, Firdosh K Bhesania, Gary M Rensberger, Peter E. H. Hauser, Randall E Aull
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Publication number: 20040248513Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate wireless device communications and configuration. A detection component identifies N devices that are coupled together via a biological medium, N being an integer, wherein the medium includes direct or indirect touching to a device or devices. After biological contact, a configuration component initiates a configuration between a subset of the devices. Although configurations and/or other communications can be conducted through a medium such as the human body, the present invention can employ an initial touch to identify respective devices whereby other electronic configuration sequences commence without further device contact. Other aspects include chain touching between users and/or devices to facilitate contact between the devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2003Publication date: December 9, 2004Inventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta