Patents by Inventor Duncan R. Kerr

Duncan R. Kerr 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: 20090289571
    Abstract: A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Duncan R. KERR, Steve P. HOTELLING
  • Publication number: 20090284532
    Abstract: An electronic device for displaying a cursor with a trail is provided. The user may control electronic device operations by navigating the cursor on a display. To assist the user in identifying the current location of the cursor, the electronic device may define and display a trail indicating the prior positions of the cursor. For example, the electronic device may identify previous cursor positions and draw a curve, for example a spline, connecting the previous cursor positions and the current cursor position. The curve may have a varying width, thus forming a trail for which the wider portion is adjacent the cursor, and for which the narrower portion is adjacent the tip of the curve. The electronic device may instead or in addition modify the opacity of the curve, for example based on the instantaneous speed of the cursor. In some embodiments, other trail characteristics (e.g., size, color, opacity, path) may be modified based on prior cursor movements or cursor speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20090153475
    Abstract: An electronic device associated with a remote wand controlling the operations of the electronic device is provided. The wand may include a motion detection component operative to provide an output reflecting the motion of the wand to the electronic device, such that the movements of a cursor displayed by the electronic device may be related to the output of the motion detection component. The wand may also include an input mechanism operative to receive user inputs. Using the input mechanism, the wand may detect a user's inputs and direct the electronic device to zoom or scroll displayed objects. The electronic device may display a screen saver by which the user may select particular media items for playback while remaining in the screen saver mode. In some embodiments, the electronic device may display video with a scroll bar that includes a preview window of the video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20090153389
    Abstract: An electronic device associated with a remote wand controlling the operations of the electronic device is provided. The wand may include a motion detection component operative to provide an output reflecting the motion of the wand to the electronic device, such that the movements of a cursor displayed by the electronic device may be related to the output of the motion detection component. The wand may also include an input mechanism operative to receive user inputs. Using the input mechanism, the wand may detect a user's inputs and direct the electronic device to zoom or scroll displayed objects. The electronic device may display a screen saver by which the user may select particular media items for playback while remaining in the screen saver mode. In some embodiments, the electronic device may display video with a scroll bar that includes a preview window of the video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20090158203
    Abstract: An electronic device associated with a remote wand controlling the operations of the electronic device is provided. The wand may include a motion detection component operative to provide an output reflecting the motion of the wand to the electronic device, such that the movements of a cursor displayed by the electronic device may be related to the output of the motion detection component. The wand may also include an input mechanism operative to receive user inputs. Using the input mechanism, the wand may detect a user's inputs and direct the electronic device to zoom or scroll displayed objects. The electronic device may display a screen saver by which the user may select particular media items for playback while remaining in the screen saver mode. In some embodiments, the electronic device may display video with a scroll bar that includes a preview window of the video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20090153478
    Abstract: An electronic device associated with a remote wand controlling the operations of the electronic device is provided. The wand may include a motion detection component operative to provide an output reflecting the motion of the wand to the electronic device, such that the movements of a cursor displayed by the electronic device may be related to the output of the motion detection component. The wand may also include an input mechanism operative to receive user inputs. Using the input mechanism, the wand may detect a user's inputs and direct the electronic device to zoom or scroll displayed objects. The electronic device may display a screen saver by which the user may select particular media items for playback while remaining in the screen saver mode. In some embodiments, the electronic device may display video with a scroll bar that includes a preview window of the video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20090158222
    Abstract: An electronic device associated with a remote wand controlling the operations of the electronic device is provided. The wand may include a motion detection component operative to provide an output reflecting the motion of the wand to the electronic device, such that the movements of a cursor displayed by the electronic device may be related to the output of the motion detection component. The wand may also include an input mechanism operative to receive user inputs. Using the input mechanism, the wand may detect a user's inputs and direct the electronic device to zoom or scroll displayed objects. The electronic device may display a screen saver by which the user may select particular media items for playback while remaining in the screen saver mode. In some embodiments, the electronic device may display video with a scroll bar that includes a preview window of the video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20090066648
    Abstract: A remote wand for controlling the operations of a media system is provided. The wand may be operative to control the movement of a cursor displayed on screen by the position and orientation at which the wand is held. As the user moves the wand, the on-screen cursor may move. The user may use the wand to control a plurality of operations and applications that may be available from the media system, including for example zoom operations, a keyboard application, an image application, an illustration application, and a media application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20090066647
    Abstract: A remote wand for controlling the operations of a media system is provided. The wand may be operative to control the movement of a cursor displayed on screen by the position and orientation at which the wand is held. As the user moves the wand, the on-screen cursor may move. The user may use the wand to control a plurality of operations and applications that may be available from the media system, including for example zoom operations, a keyboard application, an image application, an illustration application, and a media application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King
  • Publication number: 20080309511
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing selectively adjustable icons to assist users of an electronic device are provided. Icons can be selectively adjusted to assist users in connecting and disconnecting accessories to and from the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Apple Inc
    Inventors: Duncan R. Kerr, Nicholas V. King, Peter H. Mahowald, Derek J. DiCarlo
  • Patent number: 7034814
    Abstract: A control indication assembly. A first control mounted on a surface of a computer is coupled to a first sensor, to a first sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to the first control when a user-touch occurs to the first sensor, and to a first indicator to indicate an occurrence of said user-touch. A second control mounted on a surface of a display which is coupled to the computer is coupled to a second sensor, to a second sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to said second control when said user-touch occurs to the display, and to a second indicator to indicate an occurrence of the user-touch. The first and second control are configured such that the first and second indicator are synchronized to exhibit identical behaviors when the user-touch occurs to either the first control or the second control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Gong, Brian Q. Huppi, Christopher H. Krah, Richard D. Cappels, Duncan R. Kerr, Michael Culbert
  • Publication number: 20030011579
    Abstract: A control indication assembly. A first control mounted on a surface of a computer is coupled to a first sensor, to a first sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to the first control when a user-touch occurs to the first sensor, and to a first indicator to indicate an occurrence of said user-touch. A second control mounted on a surface of a display which is coupled to the computer is coupled to a second sensor, to a second sensing circuit to send an electrical signal to said second control when said user-touch occurs to the display, and to a second indicator to indicate an occurrence of the user-touch. The first and second control are configured such that the first and second indicator are synchronized to exhibit identical behaviors when the user-touch occurs to either the first control or the second control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Andrew Gong, Brian Q. Huppi, Christoph H. Krah, Richard D. Cappels, Duncan R. Kerr, Michael Culbert
  • Patent number: 6310648
    Abstract: An apparatus for viewing and manipulating electronic image data corresponding to one or more images includes a display device for generating a displayed image from the electronic image data and for displaying a first set of graphical elements oriented in a direction substantially orthogonal to a second set of graphical elements. A first user control is arranged so that its direction of user engagement is oriented parallel to the first set of graphical elements for initiating one or more operations represented by the first set of graphical elements, and a second user control is arranged so that its direction of user engagement is oriented parallel to the second set of graphical elements for initiating one or more operations represented by the second set of graphical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael E. Miller, Richard W. Lourette, Peter C. Fellegara, Carolyn A. Bussi, Michael J. Telek, Matthew E. Hunter, Duncan R. Kerr