Patents by Inventor Cynthia S. Bell

Cynthia S. Bell 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: 10209520
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling an amount of ambient light transmitted to the eye of a wearer through an NED device. A passive component such as a photochromic coating may be applied to a visor of the NED device to block light. An active component may be included to augment the light dimming capabilities of the passive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Patent number: 10147235
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for use in a virtual reality environment including a head mounted display device and a processing unit. In examples, the processing unit adjusts an amount by which left and right displayed images overlap each other at a given distance, such as the focal distance, from the head mounted display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Drew Steedly, Yarn Chee Poon, Joachim Pehserl
  • Publication number: 20180314066
    Abstract: A near-eye-display system generates a dimming mask to enhance contrast between a computer-generated image and a real-world view. The system monitors eye tracking data to determine physical characteristics of the user's eye. Then, based on these physical characteristics, the system may generate and locate a dimming mask with relation to the CG image to decrease user perceived brightness of a real-world view at a location where the CG image is displayed. Specifically, the dimming mask affects an amount of light transmitted from a real-world object that is permitted to enter the user's eyes. The system uses the dimming mask to effectively “turn down” the brightness of the real-world view at specific regions of a composite view corresponding to the CG image. A size and transmittance level of the dimming mask may vary based upon the pupil size. A location of the dimming mask may vary based upon the gaze direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Cynthia S. BELL, Joshua O. MILLER, Sihui HE
  • Publication number: 20180188538
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling an amount of ambient light transmitted to the eye of a wearer through an NED device. A passive component such as a photochromic coating may be applied to a visor of the NED device to block light. An active component may be included to augment the light dimming capabilities of the passive component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Publication number: 20180188536
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling an amount of ambient light transmitted to the eye of a wearer through an NED device. A passive component such as a photochromic coating may be applied to a visor of the NED device to block light. An active component may be included to augment the light dimming capabilities of the passive component. The active component may comprise a bi-layer monochromatic dimming panel assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Andreas Nowatzyk
  • Patent number: 9940902
    Abstract: An automatic brightness adjustment for devices with displays includes the capability to assess ambient light. The assessment may be made using circuitry, such as a light meter circuit, by exploiting exposure control circuitry, or using other approaches. The ambient light value is sent to a brightness adjustment driver, which may employ a look-up table to keep track of brightness adjustments for particular ambient conditions. The look-up table may include distinct adjustment values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Publication number: 20170171538
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for use in a virtual reality environment including a head mounted display device and a processing unit. In examples, the processing unit adjusts an amount by which left and right displayed images overlap each other at a given distance, such as the focal distance, from the head mounted display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Drew Steedly, Yarn Chee Poon, Joachim Pehserl
  • Publication number: 20170069295
    Abstract: An automatic brightness adjustment for devices with displays includes the capability to assess ambient light. The assessment may be made using circuitry, such as a light meter circuit, by exploiting exposure control circuitry, or using other approaches. The ambient light value is sent to a brightness adjustment driver, which may employ a look-up table to keep track of brightness adjustments for particular ambient conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Publication number: 20160203791
    Abstract: An automatic brightness adjustment for devices with displays includes the capability to assess ambient light. The assessment may be made using circuitry, such as a light meter circuit, by exploiting exposure control circuitry, or using other approaches. The ambient light value is sent to a brightness adjustment driver, which may employ a look-up table to keep track of brightness adjustments for particular ambient conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Patent number: 9129549
    Abstract: An automatic brightness adjustment for devices with displays includes the capability to assess ambient light. The assessment may be made using circuitry, such as a light meter circuit, by exploiting exposure control circuitry, or using other approaches. The ambient light value is sent to a brightness adjustment driver, which may employ a look-up table to keep track of brightness adjustments for particular ambient conditions. The look-up table may include distinct adjustment values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Patent number: 9049177
    Abstract: A first processor-based device (PBD), such as a personal computer functioning as a host and containing digital media files, may share a selected file with a second PBD. Media file-sharing may be facilitated by an automated technique including graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In one embodiment, when a device user wishes to transfer a file to another device, the user hovers the file over a particular desktop icon and drops it, causing it to be automatically transmitted to a corresponding destination. Optionally, in response to hovering, a software program automatically generates a GUI indicating potential destinations. The user then selects a destination, and the system automatically transfers the file to that destination. In another embodiment, media sharing can be initiated from a digital appliance, such as a digital picture frame, and a file can be sent to another PBD, such as another digital picture frame via an intermediary PBD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Nathan Y. Smith
  • Patent number: 9049178
    Abstract: A first processor-based device (PBD), such as a personal computer functioning as a host and containing digital media files, may share a selected file with a second PBD. Media file-sharing may be facilitated by an automated technique including graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In one embodiment, when a device user wishes to transfer a file to another device, the user hovers the file over a particular desktop icon and drops it, causing it to be automatically transmitted to a corresponding destination. Optionally, in response to hovering, a software program automatically generates a GUI indicating potential destinations. The user then selects a destination, and the system automatically transfers the file to that destination. In another embodiment, media sharing can be initiated from a digital appliance, such as a digital picture frame, and a file can be sent to another PBD, such as another digital picture frame via an intermediary PBD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Nathan Y. Smith
  • Patent number: 8767091
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a final exposure setting, including, (a) selecting one of a number of predetermined exposure settings as a current exposure setting for a solid state camera having a camera imager, (b) generating a captured scene by the camera imager using the current exposure setting, (c) selecting according to an automated search methodology another one of the exposure settings to be the current setting in response to the captured scene being underexposed or overexposed, and, (d) repeating (b) and (c) until the captured scene is neither underexposed or overexposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Edward P. Tomaszewski, Amy E. Hansen, Kannan Raj
  • Publication number: 20130257835
    Abstract: An automatic brightness adjustment for devices with displays includes the capability to assess ambient light. The assessment may be made using circuitry, such as a light meter circuit, by exploiting exposure control circuitry, or using other approaches. The ambient light value is sent to a brightness adjustment driver, which may employ a look-up table to keep track of brightness adjustments for particular ambient conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Patent number: 8466907
    Abstract: An automatic brightness adjustment for devices with displays includes the capability to assess ambient light. The assessment may be made using circuitry, such as a light meter circuit, by exploiting exposure control circuitry, or using other approaches. The ambient light value is sent to a brightness adjustment driver, which may employ a look-up table to keep track of brightness adjustments for particular ambient conditions. The look-up table may include distinct adjustment values based upon the type of display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Cynthia S. Bell
  • Publication number: 20120096379
    Abstract: A first processor-based device (PBD), such as a personal computer functioning as a host and containing digital media files, may share a selected file with a second PBD. Media file-sharing may be facilitated by an automated technique including graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In one embodiment, when a device user wishes to transfer a file to another device, the user hovers the file over a particular desktop icon and drops it, causing it to be automatically transmitted to a corresponding destination. Optionally, in response to hovering, a software program automatically generates a GUI indicating potential destinations. The user then selects a destination, and the system automatically transfers the file to that destination. In another embodiment, media sharing can be initiated from a digital appliance, such as a digital picture frame, and a file can be sent to another PBD, such as another digital picture frame via an intermediary PBD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Nathan Y. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120096370
    Abstract: A first processor-based device (PBD), such as a personal computer functioning as a host and containing digital media files, may share a selected file with a second PBD. Media file-sharing may be facilitated by an automated technique including graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In one embodiment, when a device user wishes to transfer a file to another device, the user hovers the file over a particular desktop icon and drops it, causing it to be automatically transmitted to a corresponding destination. Optionally, in response to hovering, a software program automatically generates a GUI indicating potential destinations. The user then selects a destination, and the system automatically transfers the file to that destination. In another embodiment, media sharing can be initiated from a digital appliance, such as a digital picture frame, and a file can be sent to another PBD, such as another digital picture frame via an intermediary PBD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Nathan Y. Smith
  • Patent number: 8150911
    Abstract: A first processor-based device (PBD), such as a personal computer functioning as a host and containing digital media files, may share a selected file with a second PBD. Media file-sharing may be facilitated by an automated technique including graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In one embodiment, when a device user wishes to transfer a file to another device, the user hovers the file over a particular desktop icon and drops it, causing it to be automatically transmitted to a corresponding destination. Optionally, in response to hovering, a software program automatically generates a GUI indicating potential destinations. The user then selects a destination, and the system automatically transfers the file to that destination. In another embodiment, media sharing can be initiated from a digital appliance, such as a digital picture frame, and a file can be sent to another PBD, such as another digital picture frame via an intermediary PBD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Nathan Y. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120013762
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a final exposure setting, including, (a) selecting one of a number of predetermined exposure settings as a current exposure setting for a solid state camera having a camera imager, (b) generating a captured scene by the camera imager using the current exposure setting, (c) selecting according to an automated search methodology another one of the exposure settings to be the current setting in response to the captured scene being underexposed or overexposed, and, (d) repeating (b) and (c) until the captured scene is neither underexposed or overexposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Edward P. Tomaszewski, Amy E. Hansen, Kannan Raj
  • Patent number: 8031262
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a final exposure setting, including, (a) selecting one of a number of predetermined exposure settings as a current exposure setting for a solid state camera having a camera imager, (b) generating a captured scene by the camera imager using the current exposure setting, (c) selecting according to an automated search methodology another one of the exposure settings to be the current setting in response to the captured scene being underexposed or overexposed, and, (d) repeating (b) and (c) until the captured scene is neither underexposed or overexposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cynthia S. Bell, Edward P. Tomaszewski, Amy E. Hansen, Kannan Raj