Patents by Inventor Clifton Forlines

Clifton Forlines 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: 20230176692
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for dynamic assignment of possible channels in a touch sensitive device having rows and columns. In an embodiment, a method determines a first signal space in which to generate signals for use in the touch sensor. Signals are then generated in the first signal space on separate ones of the rows and a column signal is sensed on a column. The first signal space is replaced with a second signal space, and a second plurality of signals is generated for use in the touch sensor in the second frequency space. The second plurality of signals is sensed to identify a touch event in the touch sensitive device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders
  • Patent number: 11520450
    Abstract: A low-latency touch sensitive device provides a method for determining a location of a touch event thereon. The touch sensitive device row conductors and column conductors, the path of each of the row conductors crossing the path of each of the column conductors. Each of a set of orthogonal row signals are simultaneously transmitted on a respective one of at least some of the row conductors and an amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals present on each of the plurality of column conductors is detected. A set of orthogonal column signals are simultaneously transmitted on a respective one of at least some of the column conductors. An amount of each of the orthogonal column signals present on each of the plurality of row conductors is detected. The detected amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals and the detected amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal column signals is used to determine the location of a touch event on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders
  • Patent number: 11460951
    Abstract: A system and method for determining location of a touch event on or in proximity to a touch sensitive device is disclosed. Sampling of data is performed during different frames. The frames are processed to determine touch events and information related to the touch events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh
  • Publication number: 20220253185
    Abstract: A system for processing user input includes an input device, an input processing unit, a high-latency subsystem, a low-latency subsystem, input processing unit software for generating signals in response to user inputs, and an output device. The low-latency subsystem processes signals corresponding to at least some events and generates corresponding programmable low-latency output, the programmable output being based, at least in part, on state information being maintained by the high-latency subsystem. The high-latency subsystem processes signals corresponding to at least some events, and generates corresponding output, the output of the high-latency subsystem being higher latency than the output of the low-latency subsystem with respect to a given event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 11328211
    Abstract: A method for classifying a gesture made in proximity to a touch interface. A system receives data related to the position and/or movement of hand. The data is delimited by identifying a variable length window of touch frames. The variable length window of touch frames is selected to include touch frames indicative of feature data. The variable length window of touch frames is classified based upon classifications learned by the classifying module to identify gestures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 11112905
    Abstract: A sensor for use with vehicular components. The sensors may comprise transmitting and receiving antennas that can be interleaved or placed within the various materials throughout the vehicle so that interaction with the materials will provide information related to the use. Sensors may also infuse signal into an occupant within the vehicle via the material which can provide enhanced interactions with various vehicle features and components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Alack, Jr., Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Adam Landa
  • Patent number: 11068105
    Abstract: Disclosed are touch sensitive devices and methods of responding to hits in touch sensitive devices that include a graphical user interface having interface elements, each associated with a program element. A hit test map updater is used to process graphical user interface information into a hit test map in connection with the rendering of the graphical user interface, such that the hit test map associates properties with interface elements appearing on the graphical user interface. An input processor is used to receive a location corresponding to an input in connection with an input event, search the hit test map in which values are associated with interface elements appearing in the graphical user interface, and identify a property of the interface element from the values. In an embodiment, the identified property is proved to a central processing system and a user interface event is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo, Jonathan Deber, Clifton Forlines, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Daniel Wigdor
  • Patent number: 11068068
    Abstract: A plurality of sensors for application to a steering wheel or other generally toroidal objects is disclosed. In an embodiment, the sensor comprises interleaving transmit and receive conductors. In an embodiment, the sensor comprises crossing transmit and receive conductors. In an embodiment, sensor conductors are first provided on a flat substrate, which sensors placed on the flat substrate in a configuration that will permit expansion application of the substrate to the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Robert Alack, Jr., Clifton Forlines, Adam Landa
  • Patent number: 11029843
    Abstract: A touch sensitive keyboard is disclosed. In one embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard is provided that has a touchpad area separate from the keyboard keys. The keyboard is configured to disabled touchpad sensitivity when certain touch signals are received. In another embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard is used as a controller. In a controller mode, keys on a touch sensitive keyboard are adapted to output a signal strength corresponding to a distance between the key and a finger operating as a control. In an embodiment, a touch sensitive keyboard includes a processor adapted to output a keystroke in response to one of the plurality of touch sensitive keys being pressed, and to output one or more touch points determined by interpolating signal strength for each of the plurality of touch sensitive keys on the keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, David Holman, Stephen Dennis, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Steven Leonard Sanders, David Clark Wilkinson, Braon Moseley, Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo
  • Patent number: 11009994
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for decreasing latency between an acquisition of touch data and processing of an associated rendering task in a touch sensitive device having a touch sensing system capable of producing touch data at a touch sampling rate and having a display system that displays frames at a refresh rate. In an embodiment, the system estimates at least one of (a) a period of time for sampling touch data from the touch sensing system, (b) a period of time for computing touch event data from sampled touch data, and (c) a period of time for rendering of a frame to a frame buffer. The system determines a period of time Tc for (a) sampling touch data from the touch sensing system, (b) computing touch event data from sampled touch data, and (c) rendering of a frame to a frame buffer, based at least in part on the estimate. The system determines a point in time Tr at which the display system will be refreshed from the frame buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo, Clifton Forlines, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa
  • Patent number: 10969875
    Abstract: A plurality of sensors for application to a steering wheel or other generally toroidal objects is disclosed. In an embodiment, the sensor comprises interleaving transmit and receive conductors. In an embodiment, the sensor comprises crossing transmit and receive conductors. In an embodiment, sensor conductors are first provided on a flat substrate, which sensors placed on the flat substrate in a configuration that will permit expansion application of the substrate to the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Robert Alack, Jr., Clifton Forlines, Adam Landa
  • Publication number: 20210026465
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device is adapted to be used with a stylus. The stylus is able to transmit signals that are measurable by the touch sensitive device. A signal infused by the stylus into a user is able to be used by the touch sensitive device to distinguish a free hand from a stylus hand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventor: Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 10871855
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a touch surface, such as a GUI is graphically divided into two or more input regions, and based on this division, input event paths from a single sensor can be integrated within an operating system to provide application developers with the ability to easily and effectively filter there-between. The graphical division allows an application developer to specify which elements of a given GUI take one path, versus another. In an embodiment, low-latency and high-latency event paths are provided; an algorithm takes into consideration input regions and, based on those regions, handles the low- and high-latency input event paths in a computer system, directing the appropriate inputs through the appropriate processing, and directing the output to the appropriate process or queue without creating constraints on the low-latency event processing due to the presence of higher-latency event paths for a given sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Clifton Forlines, Steven Leonard Sanders
  • Publication number: 20200371612
    Abstract: A system and method for determining location of a touch event on or in proximity to a touch sensitive device is disclosed. The touch sensitive device includes row conductors and column conductors that each only transmit or receive signals during a given frame. Each of the orthogonal row signals is transmitted on a respective one of at least some of the row conductors. Signals are received on each of the column conductors an amount of each of the row signals present on each of the plurality of column conductors is detected. Orthogonal column signals are transmitted on the column conductors. Signals are received on each of the row conductors and an amount of each of the orthogonal column signals present on each of the row conductors is detected. The detected amount of each of the orthogonal row signals and the detected amount of each of the orthogonal column signals is used to determine a location of a touch event on or in proximity to the touch sensitive device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh
  • Patent number: 10845897
    Abstract: A touch display has conductors that are able to determine measurements of signals received due to touch events with a user's hand. The touch display is also able to determine measurements of signals received due to interaction with a stylus. Additionally the touch display is able to discriminate interactions between the hand holding the stylus and the free hand. Interactions with the touch display between all three may be measured and discriminated simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventor: Clifton Forlines
  • Publication number: 20200319737
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for dynamic assignment of possible channels in a touch sensitive device having rows and columns. In an embodiment, a method determines a first signal space in which to generate signals for use in the touch sensor. Signals are then generated in the first signal space on separate ones of the rows and a column signal is sensed on a column. The first signal space is replaced with a second signal space, and a second plurality of signals is generated for use in the touch sensor in the second frequency space. The second plurality of signals is sensed to identify a touch event in the touch sensitive device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders
  • Publication number: 20200285332
    Abstract: A low-latency touch sensitive device provides a method for determining a location of a touch event thereon. The touch sensitive device row conductors and column conductors, the path of each of the row conductors crossing the path of each of the column conductors. Each of a set of orthogonal row signals are simultaneously transmitted on a respective one of at least some of the row conductors and an amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals present on each of the plurality of column conductors is detected. A set of orthogonal column signals are simultaneously transmitted on a respective one of at least some of the column conductors. An amount of each of the orthogonal column signals present on each of the plurality of row conductors is detected. The detected amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals and the detected amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal column signals is used to determine the location of a touch event on the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders
  • Publication number: 20200241688
    Abstract: Differential transmission is provided in a capacitive sensor for reducing cross-talk between rows and columns. A capacitive touch sensitive device as disclosed herein includes row conductors and column conductors, a first row signal generator for transmitting a first row signal on a first row conductor, a second row signal generator for transmitting a second row signal on a second row conductor, and a touch processor for identifying a touch event on the touch interface by processing signals present on at least one of the column conductors. The first and second row signals together form a differential row group of signals that cancel each other out or at least substantially mitigate each other so as to reduce cross-talk interference in the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 10712880
    Abstract: An infusion system including two infusors is operatively connected to a source of infusion signals. In an embodiment, the infusors being adapted for attachment to different parts of the same hand of a user. In an embodiment, the infusors are embedded in a glove or other wearable component. In an embodiment, a choke is used to mitigate infusion signals in other parts of a body. The infusion signal source is configured to transmit differing, orthogonal signals to the two infusors. In an embodiment, each of the differing signals is made up of at least a high frequency signal and a low frequency signal. In an embodiment, the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal are at least one octave apart and orthogonal to each other. In an embodiment, the infusion system includes a steering wheel sensor made from a plurality of conductors attached to a receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines, Braon Moseley, Robert Alack, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10691279
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for dynamic assignment of possible channels in a touch sensitive device having rows and columns. In an embodiment, a method determines a first signal space in which to generate signals for use in the touch sensor. Signals are then generated in the first signal space on separate ones of the rows and a column signal is sensed on a column. The first signal space is replaced with a second signal space, and a second plurality of signals is generated for use in the touch sensor in the second frequency space. The second plurality of signals is sensed to identify a touch event in the touch sensitive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders