Patents by Inventor Douglas A. Collins

Douglas A. Collins 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: 8949743
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and apparatus, including computer program products, for inputting text. A user interface element is presented on a touch-sensitive display of a device. The user interface element is associated with a plurality of characters, at least a subset of which is associated with respective gestures. A user input performing a gesture with respect to the user interface element is received. The character from the subset that is associated with the gesture performed with respect to the user interface element is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo Kida, Deborah Eileen Goldsmith, Elizabeth Caroline Furches, Leland Douglas Collins, Jr., Ken Kocienda, Bas Ording, Toshiyuki Masui, Yosuke Kurita, Shin Nishibori, Takumi Takano, Hongwei Guo, Maria Celia Vigil
  • Patent number: 8908973
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for inputting text. A handwriting area is presented on a touch-sensitive display of a device. A handwritten input is received in the handwriting area. One or more candidates are identified for the handwritten input and presented. An input selecting one of the candidates is received. The selected candidate is presented as a current input in a text input area of the touch sensitive display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Deborah Eileen Goldsmith, Leland Douglas Collins, Jr., Elizabeth Caroline Furches, Ken Kocienda
  • Publication number: 20140173494
    Abstract: Text input is corrected on a touch-sensitive display by presenting a list of candidate words in the interface which can be selected by touch input. The candidate list can include candidate words having two or more character types (e.g., Roman, kana, kanji). In one aspect, the candidate list can be scrolled using a finger gesture. When a user's finger traverses a candidate word and the touch is released, the candidate word is inserted into a document being edited. In another aspect, characters can be erased by touching a key (e.g., a backspace or delete key) and making a sliding, swiping, or other finger gesture. A number of characters proportional to a distance (e.g., a linear distance) of the finger gesture across the display are erased. If there are characters in a text input area, those characters are erased first, followed by characters in the document being edited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Deborah Eileen Goldsmith, Takumi Takano, Toshiyuki Masui, Leland Douglas Collins, Jr., Yasuo Kida, Kenneth L. Kocienda
  • Patent number: 8661340
    Abstract: Text input is corrected on a touch-sensitive display by presenting a list of candidate words in the interface which can be selected by touch input. The candidate list can include candidate words having two or more character types (e.g., Roman, kana, kanji). In one aspect, the candidate list can be scrolled using a finger gesture. When a user's finger traverses a candidate word and the touch is released, the candidate word is inserted into a document being edited. In another aspect, characters can be erased by touching a key (e.g., a backspace or delete key) and making a sliding, swiping, or other finger gesture. A number of characters proportional to a distance (e.g., a linear distance) of the finger gesture across the display are erased. If there are characters in a text input area, those characters are erased first, followed by characters in the document being edited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Deborah Eileen Goldsmith, Takumi Takano, Toshiyuki Masui, Leland Douglas Collins, Yasuo Kida, Ken Kocienda
  • Publication number: 20130094531
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate having a surface including an active semiconductor device including one of a laser and a photodiode; and a visual indicator disposed on the semiconductor body and at least adjacent to a portion of said active semiconductor device, the indicator having a state that shows if damage to the active semiconductor device may have occurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Richard Carson, Elaine Taylor, Douglas Collins
  • Patent number: 8357556
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for protecting a semiconductor device from damage. The method may include the steps of providing an active semiconductor device on a surface of a semiconductor substrate where the active device is surrounded by an inactive semiconductor area, and providing a soft metallic guard element in the inactive semiconductor area around at least a portion of the periphery of the active device wherein the metallic guard element is connected to ground potential and not to the active device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Emcore Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Carson, Elaine Taylor, Douglas Collins
  • Publication number: 20120310626
    Abstract: Various techniques for autocorrecting virtual keyboard input for various languages (e.g., Japanese, Chinese) are disclosed. In one aspect, a system or process receives a sequence of keyboard events representing keystrokes on a virtual keyboard. A hierarchical data structure is traversed according to the sequence of keyboard events to determine candidate words for the sequence of keyboard events. A word lattice is constructed using a language model, including deriving weights or paths in the word lattice based on candidate word statistics and data from a keyboard error model. The word lattice is searched to determine one or more candidate sentences comprising candidate words based on the path weights. Paths through the word lattice can be pruned (e.g., discarded) to reduce the size and search time of the word lattice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Yasuo Kida, Leland Douglas Collins, JR.
  • Publication number: 20120124775
    Abstract: A hinge for coupling two parts to allow one part to be positioned at an arbitrary angle and to maintain said angle by providing a high static torque that resists rotation between the parts. The hinge includes a plurality of identical clips having a flat polygonal shape and a closed opening a receiving a cylindrical shaft. The clips are stacked to form a central opening having a polygonal shape and the shaft extends through the central opening to form an interference fit with the clips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Victor A. CECI, Raymond F. Augustine, JR., Douglas Collins
  • Patent number: 7791591
    Abstract: An optical mouse for controlling a cursor on a display. The mouse emits a light beam that interacts with a target surface and receives reflected light therefrom to detect movement of the mouse. The mouse includes a housing, a single-mode VCSEL disposed within the housing for emitting the light beam through a surface of the housing, the emitted light interacting with the target surface, a photodetector disposed within the housing that receives the light reflected from the target surface and that provides an electrical output and a processor that receives the electrical output and calculates a value that is indicative of the amount and direction of movement of the optical mouse relative to the target surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Emcore Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas Collins, Neinyi Li
  • Publication number: 20100164196
    Abstract: A telescoping vehicle step comprised of at least two slide beams and a step. The first slide beam is shaped to slide within a receiver, or a similarly shaped structure, mounted to the vehicle. The second slide beam is inserted into the first slide beam. A step is attached to the outermost slide beam. The slide beams and step form a telescoping vehicle step which can be used to facilitate entry into the cargo bed of a vehicle. During use, the beams form a telescopic extension member which positions the step beyond the outer perimeter of the vehicle. When not being used, the beams form a collapsed configuration which holds the step near the opening of the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventor: Douglas A. Collins
  • Publication number: 20100051633
    Abstract: Beverage holders adapted to attach to the upwardly extending arms of the handle assembly of a wheeled piece of luggage are described herein. The holders are adapted to twist and pivot when holding a cup with a beverage contained therein to maintain the axis of the beverage cup in a position generally orthogonal with a flat ground surface. The mechanism permitting the pivoting typically comprises a pair of opposing suspension arms that are fabricated of an elastomeric polymer that has sufficient tensile strength to support a beverage cup filled with a beverage but also has a sufficiently low flexural modulus to permit the cup to pivot when the angle of the handle assembly relative to the ground is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: FLI, LLC
    Inventors: Karen Porte, Douglas Collins, Kenneth House
  • Patent number: 7635247
    Abstract: A telescoping vehicle step comprised of three slide beams and a step. The first slide beam is shaped to slide within the hitch receiver of a vehicle. The second slide beam is inserted into the first slide beam. The third slide beam is inserted into the second slide beam. A step is attached to the third slide beam. The slide beams and step form a telescoping vehicle step which can be used to facilitate entry into the cargo bed of a vehicle. During use, the beams form a telescopic extension member which positions the step beyond the outer perimeter of a lowered tailgate. When not being used, the beams form a collapsed configuration which holds the step near the opening of the hitch receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Inventor: Douglas A. Collins
  • Publication number: 20090295737
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and apparatus, including computer program products, for identifying candidates for text entry. One or more inputs entering one or more characters are received. One or more first candidate characters are identified and presented for the inputs using a first dictionary. One or more second candidate characters related to a respective first candidate character are identified and presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Deborah Eileen Goldsmith, Leland Douglas Collins, Jr., Chia-Chi Chou, Maria Celia Vigil
  • Publication number: 20090265669
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and apparatus, including computer program products, for inputting text. A user interface element is presented on a touch-sensitive display of a device. The user interface element is associated with a plurality of characters, at least a subset of which is associated with respective gestures. A user input performing a gesture with respect to the user interface element is received. The character from the subset that is associated with the gesture performed with respect to the user interface element is inputted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Yasuo Kida, Deborah Eileen Goldsmith, Elizabeth Caroline Furches, Leland Douglas Collins, JR., Ken Kocienda, Bas Ording, Toshiyuki Masui, Yosuke Kurita, Shin Nishibori, Takumi Takano, Hongwei Guo, Maria Celia Vigil
  • Publication number: 20090238232
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for protecting a semiconductor device from damage. The method may include the steps of providing an active semiconductor device on a surface of a semiconductor substrate where the active device is surrounded by an inactive semiconductor area, and providing a soft metallic guard element in the inactive semiconductor area around at least a portion of the periphery of the active device wherein the metallic guard element is connected to ground potential and not to the active device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: EMCORE Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Carson, Elaine Taylor, Douglas Collins
  • Patent number: 7591995
    Abstract: The invention provides detectably labeled cobalamin derivatives which are useful for medical treatment and diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignees: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Douglas A. Collins, Henricus P. C. Hogenkamp
  • Publication number: 20090226091
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for inputting text. A handwriting area is presented on a touch-sensitive display of a device. A handwritten input is received in the handwriting area. One or more candidates are identified for the handwritten input and presented. An input selecting one of the candidates is received. The selected candidate is presented as a current input in a text input area of the touch sensitive display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Deborah Eileen Goldsmith, Leland Douglas Collins, JR., Elizabeth Caroline Furches, Ken Kocienda
  • Publication number: 20090162281
    Abstract: A compound useful for in vivo imaging of organs and tumors is provided of formula: wherein is a cobalamin, is derived from a corrin carboxylic acid group of said cobalamin, Y is a linking group and X is a chelating group, optionally comprising a detectable radionuclide or a paramagnetic metal ion, and n is 1-3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Douglas A. Collins, Henricus P. C. Hogenkamp
  • Patent number: D626955
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Brusca, Walter Slagle, Douglas Collins, Cara Oleksa, Angel Cordero, Marie Lee Marchesseault, Gadi Amit, Michael Massucco, Barbara Brattain
  • Patent number: D635563
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Stuart Brusca, Walter Slagle, Douglas Collins, Cara Oleksa, Angel Cordero, Marie Lee Marchesseault, Gadi Amit, Michael Massucco, Barbara Brattain