Patents by Inventor Christopher W. Heatherly

Christopher W. Heatherly 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: 20120062490
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for communicating with a first peripheral device, of a plurality of peripheral devices, using a touch-sensitive system that has a processor and a touch surface. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method includes detecting, using the processor, a plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method further includes identifying, using the processor, the first peripheral device based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method additionally includes communicating data, using the processor, to a receptive circuit of the first peripheral device in response to the identifying of the first peripheral device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Heatherly, Armen Mkrtchyan, Jonathan Backer, Brian White
  • Publication number: 20120007817
    Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for facilitating an interaction with a first peripheral device using a touch-sensitive system having a processor and a touch surface. An example method includes detecting, using the processor, the first peripheral device touching the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system, identifying, using the processor, the first peripheral device touching the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system, and determining, using the processor, that the first peripheral device has an accessory attached thereto. A method may include determining, using the processor, transformation of the first peripheral device. Another method may include determining, using the processor, a position of the first peripheral device with respect to digital elements displayed on the touch surface, and interacting with the first peripheral device based on the position of the first peripheral device with respect to the digital elements displayed on the touch surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Heatherly, Kenlip Ong, Armen Mkrtchyan, Jonathan Backer, Brian White
  • Publication number: 20120007808
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for facilitating an interaction using first and second peripheral devices and related structures. Each of the first and second peripheral devices have a plurality of touch points for touching a touch surface of a touch-sensitive system. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method comprises detecting a plurality of contemporaneous touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system. One of the first and second peripheral devices is identified based on the plurality of contemporaneous touches as compared to the plurality of touch points of one of the first and second peripheral devices. In some embodiments, orientation of the one of the first and second peripheral devices can be determined based on the plurality of contemporaneous touches as compared to the plurality of touch points of the one of the first and second peripheral devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Heatherly, Kenlip Ong, Armen Mkrtchyan, Jonathan Backer, Brian White
  • Publication number: 20110028219
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for playsets using tracked objects and corresponding virtual worlds. There is provided an object for use with a physical environment and connectable to a virtual world corresponding to the physical environment, the object including a processor and a plurality of sensors including a position sensor. The processor is configured to establish a first connection with the virtual world, wherein the virtual world contains a virtual object corresponding to the object, determine a position of the object using the position sensor, and send the position of the object using the first connection. There is also provided a physical environment having similar capabilities as the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher W. Heatherly, Christopher K. Shin, Natasha Berling, Robert Saygan, Leonard J. Mazzocco, Tara Cortner Hefter