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).

  • Patent number: 10691251
    Abstract: A system and method for distinguishing between sources of simultaneous touch events on a touch sensitive device are disclosed. The touch sensitive device includes row conductors and column conductors, the path of each of the row conductors crossing the path of each of the column conductors. Orthogonal row signals are generated on the row conductors and orthogonal column signals are generated on the column conductors. In an embodiment, an amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal row signals present on each of the plurality of row conductors is detected, an amount of each of the plurality of orthogonal column signals present on each of the plurality of column conductors is detected, and at least one of such amounts is used to associate each of the plurality of simultaneous touch events with a discrete source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders
  • Publication number: 20200192505
    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: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Alack, JR., Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Adam Landa
  • Publication number: 20200142516
    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: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Robert Alack, JR., Clifton Forlines, Adam Landa
  • Publication number: 20200142517
    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: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Robert Alack, JR., Clifton Forlines, Adam Landa
  • Patent number: 10620737
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 10620746
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a touch sensitive device includes a touch interface having rows and columns and a signal generator for generating unique orthogonal signals on a plurality of the rows, respectively. A touch processor identifies touch on the touch interface by processing touch signals present on the columns, and outputting a stream of touch events. A decimator receives the stream of touch events, selectively identifies one or more of the touch events in the stream and assembles information concerning one or more touch events in the stream, and outputs both the selectively identified touch events and the assembled information for use by the touch sensitive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Clifton Forlines, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders, Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo
  • Patent number: 10592050
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for using a touch sensing system capable of sensing location of a finger or object above a touch surface to inform a touch response system in an electronic device of a predicted future user input event or motion data in advance of an actual touch event. Current user input is sensed via the touch sensing system and data reflecting hover information is created. A model of user interaction with a touch surface is applied to the data representative of the user input to create data reflecting a prediction of a future user input event. In an embodiment, prior to occurrence of the predicted user input event, a predicted location and a predicted time at which the predicted future user input event will occur are provided to a touch response system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Daniel Wigdor, Karan Singh, Haijun Xia
  • Patent number: 10592049
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for using a touch sensing system capable of sensing location of a finger or object above a touch surface to inform a touch response system in an electronic device of a predicted future user input event or motion data in advance of an actual touch event. Current user input is sensed via the touch sensing system and data reflecting hover information is created. A model of user interaction with a touch surface is applied to the data representative of the user input to create data reflecting a prediction of a future user input event. In an embodiment, prior to occurrence of the predicted user input event, a predicted location and a predicted time at which the predicted future user input event will occur are provided to a touch response system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Daniel Wigdor, Karan Singh, Haijun Xia
  • Patent number: 10572088
    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: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Alack, Jr., Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Adam Landa
  • Patent number: 10572036
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh
  • Patent number: 10558293
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a touch sensitive device includes touch interface having rows and columns and a signal generator for generating unique orthogonal signals on a plurality of the rows, respectively. A touch processor identifies touch on the touch interface by processing touch signals present on the columns, and outputting a stream of touch events. A decimator receives the stream of touch events including information as to a pressure of the touch event or the contact area of the touch event, selectively identifies one or more of the touch events in the stream, and outputs a modified stream of touch events for use by the touch sensitive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Daniel Wigdor, Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 10551985
    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: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Clifton Forlines, Darren Leigh, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders
  • Publication number: 20200012946
    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: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa, Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 10528201
    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: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Braon Moseley, Robert Alack, Jr., Clifton Forlines, Adam Landa
  • Publication number: 20190384448
    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: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo, Clifton Forlines, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa
  • Publication number: 20190317615
    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: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventor: Clifton Forlines
  • Publication number: 20190294258
    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: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: 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: 10423273
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines
  • Patent number: 10402009
    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: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Bruno Rodrigues De Araujo, Clifton Forlines, Ricardo Jorge Jota Costa
  • Publication number: 20190250744
    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: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Tactual Labs Co.
    Inventors: Darren Leigh, Clifton Forlines, Daniel Wigdor, Steven Leonard Sanders