Patents by Inventor Ian F. Harris

Ian F. Harris 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: 8149000
    Abstract: System and method for determining closure of an electronic device. The electronic device may include a top portion and a bottom portion, and may be connecting via a hinge or other closing mechanism. The top portion and/or the bottom portion may include one or more capacitive sensors which provide signals corresponding to physical contact and a controller coupled to the one or more capacitive sensors. The controller may operate to receive the signals from the one or more capacitive sensors, determine if the electronic device has been closed based on the received signals, and initiate a sequence of events corresponding to the closure of the electronic device. The sequence of events may result in the device entering a low power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Standard Microsystems Corporation
    Inventors: Ian F. Harris, Drew J. Dutton, Kenneth W. Gay
  • Patent number: 7930576
    Abstract: System and method for sharing a device, e.g., non-volatile memory, between a host processor and a microcontroller. In response to system state change to a first state wherein the microcontroller is assured safe access to the non-volatile memory (e.g., in response to power-on reset, system reset, sleep state, etc.), the microcontroller holds the system in the first state (e.g., system reset), and switches access to the non-volatile memory from the processor to the microcontroller. While the system is held in the first state, the microcontroller accesses the device (e.g., non-volatile memory), e.g., fetches program instructions/data from the non-volatile memory and loads the program instructions/data into a memory of the microcontroller. After the access, the microcontroller changes or allows change of the system state, e.g., switches access to the device, e.g., the non-volatile memory, from the microcontroller to the processor, and releases the system from the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Standard Microsystems Corporation
    Inventors: Ian F. Harris, Drew J. Dutton
  • Publication number: 20090058429
    Abstract: System and method for determining closure of an electronic device. The electronic device may include a top portion and a bottom portion, and may be connecting via a hinge or other closing mechanism. The top portion and/or the bottom portion may include one or more capacitive sensors which provide signals corresponding to physical contact and a controller coupled to the one or more capacitive sensors. The controller may operate to receive the signals from the one or more capacitive sensors, determine if the electronic device has been closed based on the received signals, and initiate a sequence of events corresponding to the closure of the electronic device. The sequence of events may result in the device entering a low power state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Ian F. Harris, Drew J. Dutton, Kenneth W. Gay
  • Publication number: 20080256374
    Abstract: System and method for sharing a device, e.g., non-volatile memory, between a host processor and a microcontroller. In response to system state change to a first state wherein the microcontroller is assured safe access to the non-volatile memory (e.g., in response to power-on reset, system reset, sleep state, etc.), the microcontroller holds the system in the first state (e.g., system reset), and switches access to the non-volatile memory from the processor to the microcontroller. While the system is held in the first state, the microcontroller accesses the device (e.g., non-volatile memory), e.g., fetches program instructions/data from the non-volatile memory and loads the program instructions/data into a memory of the microcontroller. After the access, the microcontroller changes or allows change of the system state, e.g., switches access to the device, e.g., the non-volatile memory, from the microcontroller to the processor, and releases the system from the first state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Ian F. Harris, Drew J. Dutton