Patents by Inventor James Samuel Bowen

James Samuel Bowen 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: 9961744
    Abstract: Devices such as electronic book readers, televisions, and so forth may use reflective display technologies. Described herein are devices and methods for ambient light sensing for use in conjunction with displays. A light guide panel is coupled to a light sensor to measure ambient light impinging on the light guide panel. Where the display is reflective, the light guide panel may be configured to provide for illumination of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Doar, James Samuel Bowen, Robert W. Zehner, Allen Lee
  • Patent number: 9495915
    Abstract: Techniques and apparatuses are disclosed to adjust an intensity of light emitted from front lights and/or to adjust a visual representation of content displayed by an electronic device based at least in part on a measurement of light intensity by a light sensor. An electronic display may present a visual representation of objects including text and images, which may be subject to changes in size and contrast due to the measured levels of ambient light. A display controller may also control activation and/or intensity of lights used to illuminate the electronic display based on the measurement of light intensity by the light sensor in addition to or separate from the adjustments to contrast and size of the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Manyam, James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 9478143
    Abstract: Architectures and techniques are described to provide assistance to read electronic books. In particular, a computing device may receive input from an individual while the individual is reading an electronic book, such as voice input, gaze tracking input, touch screen input, and so on. Based on the input gathered while the individual reads the electronic book, the computing device may determine a particular portion of the electronic book, such as one or more words of the electronic book, that the individual is reading. The computing device may also utilize the input gathered while the individual reads the electronic book to determine whether the individual needs assistance in reading one or more words of the electronic book, such as assistance in pronouncing the one or more words. The computing device may then provide assistance to the individual to read the one or more words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 9355559
    Abstract: A remote control is used to control one or more media devices which may be in various media device states during operation. Based on media device state data, different media device control profiles may be applied. The media device control profiles may specify mapping of particular buttons on the remote control to particular functions on the media device, designate a communication path to use, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Samuel Bowen, Menashe Haskin, Daniel Christopher Bay, Edward Dietz Crump
  • Patent number: 9329679
    Abstract: A projection and camera system projects content onto a passive, multi-surface projection screen. When a first surface of the screen is oriented to receive the projected images, the system detects this first surface and projects content associated with that surface of the screen. When a second surface is oriented to receive the projected images, the system detects this change from the first surface to the second surface and projects different content associated with the second surface. In this manner, to switch between different content or different applications, the user merely needs to turn the screen over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Deborah M. Shepard, Menashe Haskin, James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 9295004
    Abstract: A user device receives a command to transmit information at a transmit power level specified by a wireless carrier. The user device determines whether transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level using a first duty cycle will cause the user device to violate a condition. Responsive to determining that transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level using the first duty cycle will cause the user device to violate the condition, the user device determines a new duty cycle that is lower than the first duty cycle, and transmits the information using the new duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Varadarajan Gopalakrishnan, James Samuel Bowen, In Chul Hyun, David Woo
  • Patent number: 9105966
    Abstract: A user device having a non-radiating exciter operatively coupled to feed a multi-band aperture antenna is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Weiping Dou, James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 8933916
    Abstract: Devices such as electronic book readers, televisions, and so forth may use reflective display technologies. Described herein are devices and methods for ambient light sensing for use in conjunction with displays. A light guide panel is coupled to a light sensor to measure ambient light impinging on the light guide panel. Where the display is reflective, the light guide panel may be configured to provide for illumination of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Doar, James Samuel Bowen, Robert W. Zehner, Allen Lee
  • Publication number: 20140329552
    Abstract: A user device receives a command to transmit information at a transmit power level specified by a wireless carrier. The user device determines whether transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level using a first duty cycle will cause the user device to violate a condition. Responsive to determining that transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level using the first duty cycle will cause the user device to violate the condition, the user device determines a new duty cycle that is lower than the first duty cycle, and transmits the information using the new duty cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Varadarajan Gopalakrishnan, James Samuel Bowen, In Chul Hyun, David Woo
  • Patent number: 8792930
    Abstract: A user device receives a command to transmit information at a transmit power level specified by a wireless carrier. The user device makes a determination as to whether transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level will cause the user device to violate a condition. When it is determined that transmitting the information at the specified transmit power level will cause the user device to violate the condition, the user device dynamically computes a new transmit power level that is lower than the specified transmit power level. The user device then transmits the information at the new transmit power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Varadarajan Gopalakrishnan, James Samuel Bowen, In Chul Hyun, David Woo
  • Patent number: 8766919
    Abstract: An electronic device in a low power mode, for example an eBook reader device, may use a fast awake module to quickly update a display. The electronic device may receive an interrupt, begin to awaken, present a cached pre-rendered image on the display, and may resume the low power mode or pre-render additional images to refill the cache before resuming the low power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Inventors: Manish Lachwani, Jay Michael Puckett, David Berbessou, James Samuel Bowen, David J. Isbister
  • Patent number: 8749478
    Abstract: Techniques and apparatuses are disclosed to adjust a visual representation of content displayed by an electronic device based at least in part on a measured light intensity. In some aspects, a light sensor may be used to measure a light intensity of ambient light. An electronic display may present a visual representation of objects including text and images. A display controller may control aspects of the electronic display based on at least the light intensity, such as a font size of the text, size of the images, or contrast of the text and the images. In further aspects, the electronic display may be an electronic paper display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 8577426
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to systems and techniques for reducing power consumption in a mobile computing device. In one or more embodiments, a mobile computing device may be arranged to determine a user environment based on detected antenna impedance or detected current. After the user environment is determined, the mobile computing device may confirm that total radiation power (TRP) for the mobile computing device at an initial conducted power level exceeds the minimum TRP threshold required by the network carrier to receive acceptable quality of service (QoS). Based on the excess TRP for the particular user environment, the mobile computing device may determine a reduced conducted power level to be input to an antenna system. Accordingly, significant power savings may be achieved. To save additional power, the mobile computing device may automatically adjust and/or improve antenna impedance matching based on user environment allowing a further reduction in conducted power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Palm, Inc.
    Inventors: Weiping Dou, James Samuel Bowen, Olivier Boireau, Avi Kopelman
  • Patent number: 8489162
    Abstract: A user device having a slot antenna formed in metallic material of a structural member is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Weiping Dou, James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 8434685
    Abstract: Described herein are accessory devices that are configured to both perform accessory functions for electronic devices, as well as output content that is supplemental or complementary to content being output by the electronic devices. The accessory functionality of the accessory devices may be far-ranging and may include reading lights, covers, projectors, universal serial bus (USB) drives, cameras, page-turn buttons, audio jacks, expansion headers, Bluetooth devices, biometric sensors, ambient light sensors, and more. These accessory devices may complement the operation of any number of electronic devices. For instance, an accessory device may both comprise a reading light to illuminate a display of an electronic book (eBook) reader device, as well as a display to display content that has been deemed supplemental to the content being displayed by the eBook reader device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hannah Rebecca Lewbel, James Samuel Bowen
  • Publication number: 20120238331
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to systems and techniques for reducing power consumption in a mobile computing device. In one or more embodiments, a mobile computing device may be arranged to determine a user environment based on detected antenna impedance or detected current. After the user environment is determined, the mobile computing device may confirm that total radiation power (TRP) for the mobile computing device at an initial conducted power level exceeds the minimum TRP threshold required by the network carrier to receive acceptable quality of service (QoS). Based on the excess TRP for the particular user environment, the mobile computing device may determine a reduced conducted power level to be input to an antenna system. Accordingly, significant power savings may be achieved. To save additional power, the mobile computing device may automatically adjust and/or improve antenna impedance matching based on user environment allowing a further reduction in conducted power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Weiping Dou, James Samuel Bowen, Olivier Boireau, Avi Kopelman
  • Patent number: 8259982
    Abstract: A mobile computing device comprises a printed circuit board, a processing circuit, a surface mount microphone, and a vibration attenuation portion. The processing circuit is disposed on a first portion of the printed circuit board. The surface mount microphone is disposed on a second portion of the printed circuit board. The vibration attenuation portion of the board is configured to attenuate vibrations from the first to the second portion of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: James Samuel Bowen
  • Patent number: 8224400
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to systems and techniques for reducing power consumption in a mobile computing device. In one or more embodiments, a mobile computing device may be arranged to determine a user environment based on detected antenna impedance or detected current. After the user environment is determined, the mobile computing device may confirm that total radiation power (TRP) for the mobile computing device at an initial conducted power level exceeds the minimum TRP threshold required by the network carrier to receive acceptable quality of service (QoS). Based on the excess TRP for the particular user environment, the mobile computing device may determine a reduced conducted power level to be input to an antenna system. Accordingly, significant power savings may be achieved. To save additional power, the mobile computing device may automatically adjust and/or improve antenna impedance matching based on user environment allowing a further reduction in conducted power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Weiping Dou, James Samuel Bowen, Olivier Boireau, Avi Kopelman
  • Patent number: 8208624
    Abstract: A device such as a mobile phone includes a device to be hearing aid compatible. The device may include a first speaker for private listening operation and a second speaker that provides both speakerphone operation and hearing aid (e.g. telecoil) operation. The device may include a first use position for normal listening and a second, substantially different, use position for telecoil operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: James Samuel Bowen
  • Publication number: 20120062729
    Abstract: A computing device can analyze image or video information to determine a relative position of an active user. The computing device can optimize audio or video data capture based at least in part upon the relative location. The device can capture audio using one or more microphones pointing toward the relative location of the active user, and can use other microphones to determine audio from other sources to be removed from the captured audio. If video data is being captured, a video capture element can be adjusted to focus primarily on the active user. The position of the user can be monitored so the audio and video data capture can be adjusted accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Hart, Jeffrey P. Bezos, Frances MHH Kwee, James Samuel Bowen