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).

  • Patent number: 8380130
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
  • Publication number: 20110319019
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
  • Patent number: 8036595
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
  • Publication number: 20100265107
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher Andrew Whitman, Robert D. Young, Christopher M. Dreher, Amar S. Vattakandy, Alain L. Michaud
  • Patent number: 7684754
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta
  • Patent number: 7436300
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: 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
  • Publication number: 20040248513
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Andrew C. Glass, Christopher M. Dreher, Ellick H. Sung, Randall E. Aull, Doron J. Holan, Craig S. Ranta