Patents by Inventor Jeffrey A. Small

Jeffrey A. Small 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: 9652060
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a touch screen controller coupled to a touch sensor, a display, and a central processing unit. The touch screen controller is configured to detect first touch input received by the touch sensor and change a visual characteristic of the display upon detecting the first touch input. Detecting the first touch input and changing the visual characteristic are performed while the central processing unit is in a sleep state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey Small
  • Publication number: 20170092171
    Abstract: An example processing system for a display device includes driver circuitry and a control circuit. The driver circuitry is coupled to a plurality of source line nodes in the display device, each source line node of the plurality of source line nodes coupled to a plurality of subpixel columns through a demultiplexer having a plurality of switches. The control circuit is coupled to each demultiplexer. The control circuit is configured to operate each demultiplexer in a first mode by successively activating the respective plurality of switches, and in a second mode by concurrently activating the respective plurality of switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Imre KNAUSZ, Jeffrey A. SMALL
  • Patent number: 9582093
    Abstract: A passive pen includes a pen body, and a tip disposed at a first end of the pen body. The tip capacitively couples to the pen body, and the capacitive coupling is configured to change the tip from a first ground mass state to a second ground mass state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Tom Vandermeijden, Christopher Weber, Doug Krumpelman, Jeffrey Small
  • Patent number: 9582099
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a technique for input sensing using an input device having a display device with an integrated sensing device. Input sensing is performed over a long sensing interval to attain narrow-band filtering, and is temporarily suspended for short intervals (within the long sensing interval) to refresh the row selection logic of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Small
  • Publication number: 20170031428
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a display device having a capacitive sensing device, a processing system and a method for providing an adaptive low-power mode. In one embodiment, the method includes generating a reference voltage with one or more reference voltage generators while a display device is in a grayscale mode. The method also includes driving subpixels in the grayscale mode with the reference voltage. The method further includes shutting down the one or more reference voltage generators and driving subpixels in a low power, binary mode with a VCOM voltage based on positive and negative supply rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. SMALL, Imre KNAUSZ
  • Patent number: 9541588
    Abstract: The embodiments herein are generally directed to using a current-mode CBC circuit to maintain a voltage bias setting at a receiver when performing capacitive sensing. To do so, the CBC circuit may compensate for the change in voltage at a receiver by providing a current at the input of the receiver. Instead of using a passive CBC capacitor for each receiver, the input device may use a single CBC capacitor and a plurality of current mirrors to source and sink the current required to correct the input voltage at a plurality of receivers. As a result, the current-mode CBC circuit includes only one passive capacitor (or bank of capacitors) and a plurality of current mirrors which may provide space and cost benefits relative to a CBC circuit that uses a passive capacitor (or bank of capacitors) for each receiver channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eric Scott Bohannon, Marshall J Bell, Jr., Kirk Hargreaves, Murat Ozbas, Jeffrey A. Small
  • Patent number: 9466236
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a method for processing an image. The method includes receiving a plurality of input pixel values associated with a video frame and determining that a first portion of pixel values included in the plurality of input pixel values is within a first set of excluded values. The method further includes dithering the first portion of pixel values to generate a first plurality of dithered values. Each dithered value included in the first plurality of dithered values is not within the first set of excluded values. Additionally, a first average pixel value associated with the plurality of input pixel values is substantially similar to a second average pixel value associated with both the first plurality of dithered values and a plurality of pixel values that are spatially proximate to the first plurality of dithered values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Small
  • Patent number: 9436307
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include an input device comprising a display device having an integrated capacitive sensing device, a processing system, and a method for detecting presence of an input object. In each of these embodiments, a modulation source provides modulation signals between a back plate and a system ground of the input device. Other embodiments include a display device having a capacitive sensing device, a processing system and a method for detecting presence of an input object using a capacitive sensing device, wherein the capacitive sensing device includes a matrix of discrete sensor electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Small
  • Publication number: 20160189333
    Abstract: A display device, a processing system, and a method are provided for updating a display device using self-refresh techniques. The described technique provides an indication to a host processor of whether a frame of display update data has been successfully compressed and stored entirely within a local frame buffer of the display. The host processor may invoke a self-refresh of the display for updating the display with a static display image, based on the received indications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen L. MOREIN, Jeffrey A. SMALL
  • Patent number: 9335859
    Abstract: Techniques for varying aggregate area of a sensor electrode used for capacitive sensing. Sensor electrodes are driven for capacitive sensing. Resulting signals are received from the sensor electrodes. Based on signal strengths of the resulting signals, aggregate area of the sensor electrodes may be varied. The aggregate area of the sensor electrodes may be varied by connecting or disconnecting segments of the sensor electrodes from a sensor module that drives the sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing. The ability to vary the aggregate area of the sensor electrodes expands the overall dynamic range of a receiver module coupled to the sensor electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Small
  • Patent number: 9310951
    Abstract: A processing system for an input device includes a receiver module and a charge distributor. The receiver module includes a first charge integrator coupled to a first sensor electrode and configured to integrate a charge on the first sensor electrode. The charge distributor includes a current conveyor and a plurality of output stages coupled to the current conveyor, wherein a first output stage of the plurality of output stages comprises a plurality of current mirrors and is configured to output a first scaled mirrored charge to offset the charge integrated by the first charge integrator, wherein the first scaled mirrored charge is based on a charge signal provided via the current conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Marshall J Bell, Jeffrey Small
  • Publication number: 20160092000
    Abstract: A display device having a capacitive sensing device, a processing system, and a method are provided for detecting presence of an input object using a capacitive sensing device having a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a matrix. The described technique programmatically combines multiple sensor electrodes into a larger sensor electrode for absolute capacitive sensing. The sets of sensor electrodes that are combined may be selectively coupled based a window size and a step size associated with a number of sensor electrodes in common between the sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen L. MOREIN, Jeffrey A. SMALL, Christopher A. LUDDEN, Joseph Kurth REYNOLDS
  • Patent number: 9280231
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a processing system for a display device having an integrated sensing device. The processing system includes a driver module coupled to a plurality of transmitter electrodes. Each transmitter electrode includes one or more common electrodes configured for display updating and input sensing. The driver module is configured for selecting a first display line set for display updating during a first display update period and driving the first display line set for display updating during the first display update period. The driver module is further configured for driving one or more transmitter electrodes of the plurality of transmitter electrodes for input sensing during a non-display update period and selecting a second display line set for display updating during a restart period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Small, Petr Shepelev, Christopher Ludden, Thomas Mackin, Stephen Morein
  • Publication number: 20150331506
    Abstract: A passive pen includes a pen body, and a tip disposed at a first end of the pen body. The tip capacitively couples to the pen body, and the capacitive coupling is configured to change the tip from a first ground mass state to a second ground mass state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Tom Vandermeijden, Christopher Weber, Doug Krumpelman, Jeffrey Small
  • Patent number: 9189880
    Abstract: A touch screen controller is configured for use in an electronic system. The electronic system comprises: the touch screen controller, a host processing system physically distinct from the touch screen controller, a display screen, and a proximity sensor element. The touch screen controller comprises proximity sensor control circuitry, a rendering module, and display refresh circuitry. The proximity sensor control circuitry is configured to operate the proximity sensor element to sense input objects in a sensing region of the electronic system. The rendering module is configured to render three-dimensional object representations for display on the display screen. The display refresh circuitry is configured to update the display screen with an image received from and processed by the host processing system and with the three-dimensional object representation rendered by the rendering module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeffrey Small
  • Publication number: 20150277650
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a technique for input sensing using an input device having a display device with an integrated sensing device. Input sensing is performed over a long sensing interval to attain narrow-band filtering, and is temporarily suspended for short intervals (within the long sensing interval) to refresh the row selection logic of the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. SMALL
  • Publication number: 20150277648
    Abstract: Techniques for varying aggregate area of a sensor electrode used for capacitive sensing. Sensor electrodes are driven for capacitive sensing. Resulting signals are received from the sensor electrodes. Based on signal strengths of the resulting signals, aggregate area of the sensor electrodes may be varied. The aggregate area of the sensor electrodes may be varied by connecting or disconnecting segments of the sensor electrodes from a sensor module that drives the sensor electrodes for capacitive sensing. The ability to vary the aggregate area of the sensor electrodes expands the overall dynamic range of a receiver module coupled to the sensor electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. SMALL
  • Publication number: 20150268759
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a processing system for a display device comprising an integrated capacitive sensing device that includes at least one input/output pad that is selectable between providing source signals to the display device and operating a sensor electrode for capacitive sensing. Other embodiments include a display device having a capacitive sensing device, an input device having an integrated display and capacitive sensing device, and a method for operating an integrated display and capacitive sensing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher A. LUDDEN, Jeffrey A. SMALL
  • Patent number: 9134827
    Abstract: A processing system for an input device includes a transmitter module, a receiver module, and a determination module. The transmitter module is configured to simultaneously drive a first end of a transmitter electrode with a first drive signal and drive a second end of the transmitter electrode with a second drive signal to produce a voltage gradient across the transmitter electrode, wherein the first drive signal and the second drive signal are mathematically independent. The receiver module is configured to receive a resulting signal with a receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects of the voltage gradient. The determination module is configured to determine positional information for an input object based on the resulting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Small
  • Publication number: 20150115977
    Abstract: The embodiments herein are generally directed to using a current-mode CBC circuit to maintain a voltage bias setting at a receiver when performing capacitive sensing. To do so, the CBC circuit may compensate for the change in voltage at a receiver by providing a current at the input of the receiver. Instead of using a passive CBC capacitor for each receiver, the input device may use a single CBC capacitor and a plurality of current mirrors to source and sink the current required to correct the input voltage at a plurality of receivers. As a result, the current-mode CBC circuit includes only one passive capacitor (or bank of capacitors) and a plurality of current mirrors which may provide space and cost benefits relative to a CBC circuit that uses a passive capacitor (or bank of capacitors) for each receiver channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eric Scott BOHANNON, Marshall J. BELL, JR., Kirk HARGREAVES, Murat OZBAS, Jeffrey A. SMALL