Patents by Inventor David H. C. SHIH

David H. C. SHIH 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: 10289251
    Abstract: A touch controller is disclosed. In some examples, the touch controller can include sense circuitry configured to be coupled to a first touch pixel and a second touch pixel on a touch sensor panel. In some examples, the sense circuitry can be configured to drive and sense the first touch pixel during a first time period while coupling the second touch pixel to a reference voltage. In some examples, the sense circuitry can be configured to drive and sense the second touch pixel during a second time period while coupling the first touch pixel to the reference voltage. In some examples, the reference voltage can be a system ground of the touch controller. In some examples, the sense circuitry can be configured to drive and sense pluralities of touch pixels in a similar manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David H. C. Shih, Albert Lin
  • Patent number: 10203803
    Abstract: Touch scan modes for touch sensitive devices during device charge is disclosed. To prevent adverse effects to the touch sensor panel due to inductive noise while the device is charging, the touch controller can switch to a touch scan mode (i.e., power charging touch mode) that can cancel or reduce noise from the touch scan or touch image. Power charging touch modes can include low noise frequency selection, increased number of touch samples employed to calculate an average, and simultaneous sampling. In some examples, a power charging touch mode can be different from a normal touch scan mode (i.e., a touch scan mode when the device is not charging). With the one or more power charging touch modes, false touch readings, erroneous touch location identification, and/or undetected touches can be eliminated or reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley W. Zuber, David H. C. Shih, Louis W. Bokma
  • Patent number: 10203783
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing an acquired touch image for characteristics associated with the occurrence of an ESD event is provided. An acquired touch image is analyzed for characteristics that differentiate it from a touch image generated by a user input and are correlated with an expected touch image generated by an ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David H. C. Shih, Albert Lin, Sean E. O'Connor, Ari Y. Benbasat, Wayne Carl Westerman
  • Patent number: 9703422
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing one or more ESD sensors located in various locations on the touch sensitive device is provided. A touch controller can scan touch nodes on the touch sensitive device while simultaneously scanning one or more ESD sensors to detect if a possible ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of a touch image. If an ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of touch data, the touch controller can act to either ignore the data, or compensate the data to account for effects on the touch data caused by the ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: David H. C. Shih, Albert Lin, Jacob L. Matlick
  • Publication number: 20160378264
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing one or more ESD sensors located in various locations on the touch sensitive device is provided. A touch controller can scan touch nodes on the touch sensitive device while simultaneously scanning one or more ESD sensors to detect if a possible ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of a touch image. If an ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of touch data, the touch controller can act to either ignore the data, or compensate the data to account for effects on the touch data caused by the ESD event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: David H. C. SHIH, Albert LIN, Jacob L. MATLICK
  • Patent number: 9442597
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing one or more ESD sensors located in various locations on the touch sensitive device is provided. A touch controller can scan touch nodes on the touch sensitive device while simultaneously scanning one or more ESD sensors to detect if a possible ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of a touch image. If an ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of touch data, the touch controller can act to either ignore the data, or compensate the data to account for effects on the touch data caused by the ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David H. C. Shih, Albert Lin, Jacob L. Matlick
  • Patent number: 9280251
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel. In some examples, a first touch pixel can be coupled to a first sense connection, and a second touch pixel can be coupled to a second sense connection. In some examples, a first portion of the first sense connection can be disposed in a first region of the touch sensor panel, a second portion of the second sense connection can be disposed in the first region, and a third portion of the second sense connection can be disposed in a second region of the touch sensor panel. In some examples, a width of the third portion of the second sense connection can be larger than a width of the second portion of the second sense connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: David H. C. Shih
  • Publication number: 20160062499
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel is disclosed. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a first touch pixel electrode formed in a first layer, the first touch pixel electrode comprising a plurality of electrically coupled touch pixel segments separated by one or more touch pixel gaps. In some examples, the touch sensor panel comprises a sense connection formed in the first layer and coupled to the first touch pixel electrode, the sense connection configured to couple the first touch pixel electrode to sense circuitry. In some examples, the touch pixel segments and the touch pixel gaps are configured to provide optical uniformity on the touch sensor panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: James Edward Alexander PEDDER, David H.C. SHIH, Martin Paul GRUNTHANER, Steven P. HOTELLING
  • Publication number: 20160062494
    Abstract: Touch scan modes for touch sensitive devices during device charge is disclosed. To prevent adverse effects to the touch sensor panel due to inductive noise while the device is charging, the touch controller can switch to a touch scan mode (i.e., power charging touch mode) that can cancel or reduce noise from the touch scan or touch image. Power charging touch modes can include low noise frequency selection, increased number of touch samples employed to calculate an average, and simultaneous sampling. In some examples, a power charging touch mode can be different from a normal touch scan mode (i.e., a touch scan mode when the device is not charging). With the one or more power charging touch modes, false touch readings, erroneous touch location identification, and/or undetected touches can be eliminated or reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Wesley W. ZUBER, David H.C. SHIH, Louis W. BOKMA
  • Publication number: 20160011702
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel. In some examples, a first touch pixel can be coupled to a first sense connection, and a second touch pixel can be coupled to a second sense connection. In some examples, a first portion of the first sense connection can be disposed in a first region of the touch sensor panel, a second portion of the second sense connection can be disposed in the first region, and a third portion of the second sense connection can be disposed in a second region of the touch sensor panel. In some examples, a width of the third portion of the second sense connection can be larger than a width of the second portion of the second sense connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventor: David H.C. SHIH
  • Publication number: 20150378465
    Abstract: A touch controller is disclosed. In some examples, the touch controller can include sense circuitry configured to be coupled to a first touch pixel and a second touch pixel on a touch sensor panel. In some examples, the sense circuitry can be configured to drive and sense the first touch pixel during a first time period while coupling the second touch pixel to a reference voltage. In some examples, the sense circuitry can be configured to drive and sense the second touch pixel during a second time period while coupling the first touch pixel to the reference voltage. In some examples, the reference voltage can be a system ground of the touch controller. In some examples, the sense circuitry can be configured to drive and sense pluralities of touch pixels in a similar manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: David H.C. SHIH, Albert LIN
  • Publication number: 20150309608
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing an acquired touch image for characteristics associated with the occurrence of an ESD event is provided. An acquired touch image is analyzed for characteristics that differentiate it from a touch image generated by a user input and are correlated with an expected touch image generated by an ESD event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: David H. C. SHIH, Albert LIN, Sean E. O'CONNOR, Ari Y. BENBASAT, Wayne Carl WESTERMAN
  • Patent number: 9116572
    Abstract: A touch input device configured to detect a touch input event and determine if the touch input event is caused by a floating object is provided. The touch input device includes one or more electrodes that scanned with a set of stimulation signals to first detect the presence of a touch event and then scanned with subsequent sets of stimulation signals in order to determine if the touch event is from a grounded object, a poorly grounded object, or a floating object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Lin, David H. C. Shih, Martin Paul Grunthaner
  • Patent number: 9075481
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing an acquired touch image for characteristics associated with the occurrence of an ESD event is provided. An acquired touch image is analyzed for characteristics that differentiate it from a touch image generated by a user input and are correlated with an expected touch image generated by an ESD event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David H. C. Shih, Albert Lin, Sean Erik O'Connor, Ari Y. Benbasat, Wayne Carl Westerman
  • Publication number: 20140306924
    Abstract: A touch input device configured to detect a touch input event and determine if the touch input event is caused by a floating object is provided. The touch input device includes one or more electrodes that scanned with a set of stimulation signals to first detect the presence of a touch event and then scanned with subsequent sets of stimulation signals in order to determine if the touch event is from a grounded object, a poorly grounded object, or a floating object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Albert LIN, David H.C. SHIH, Martin Paul GRUNTHANER
  • Publication number: 20140111465
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing one or more ESD sensors located in various locations on the touch sensitive device is provided. A touch controller can scan touch nodes on the touch sensitive device while simultaneously scanning one or more ESD sensors to detect if a possible ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of a touch image. If an ESD event has occurred during the acquisition of touch data, the touch controller can act to either ignore the data, or compensate the data to account for effects on the touch data caused by the ESD event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David H. C. SHIH, Albert Lin, Jacob L. Matlick
  • Publication number: 20140071092
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device that detects the occurrence of an electrostatic discharge event on the device by analyzing an acquired touch image for characteristics associated with the occurrence of an ESD event is provided. An acquired touch image is analyzed for characteristics that differentiate it from a touch image generated by a user input and are correlated with an expected touch image generated by an ESD event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David H. C. SHIH, Albert LIN, Sean Erik O'CONNOR, Ari Y. BENBASAT, Wayne Carl WESTERMAN