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).
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Patent number: 9652060Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 28, 2013Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Jeffrey Small
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Publication number: 20170092171Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Imre KNAUSZ, Jeffrey A. SMALL
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Patent number: 9582093Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 23, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Tom Vandermeijden, Christopher Weber, Doug Krumpelman, Jeffrey Small
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Patent number: 9582099Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 31, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Jeffrey A. Small
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Publication number: 20170031428Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2015Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Jeffrey A. SMALL, Imre KNAUSZ
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Patent number: 9541588Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 30, 2013Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventors: Eric Scott Bohannon, Marshall J Bell, Jr., Kirk Hargreaves, Murat Ozbas, Jeffrey A. Small
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Patent number: 9466236Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 3, 2013Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Jeffrey A. Small
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Patent number: 9436307Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 31, 2013Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Jeffrey A. Small
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Publication number: 20160189333Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2014Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Stephen L. MOREIN, Jeffrey A. SMALL
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Patent number: 9335859Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 31, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Jeffrey A. Small
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Patent number: 9310951Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 29, 2014Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Marshall J Bell, Jeffrey Small
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Publication number: 20160092000Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2014Publication date: March 31, 2016Inventors: Stephen L. MOREIN, Jeffrey A. SMALL, Christopher A. LUDDEN, Joseph Kurth REYNOLDS
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Patent number: 9280231Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventors: Jeffrey A. Small, Petr Shepelev, Christopher Ludden, Thomas Mackin, Stephen Morein
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Publication number: 20150331506Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2014Publication date: November 19, 2015Inventors: Tom Vandermeijden, Christopher Weber, Doug Krumpelman, Jeffrey Small
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Patent number: 9189880Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 29, 2011Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Jeffrey Small
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Publication number: 20150277650Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2014Publication date: October 1, 2015Applicant: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Jeffrey A. SMALL
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Publication number: 20150277648Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2014Publication date: October 1, 2015Applicant: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Jeffrey A. SMALL
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Publication number: 20150268759Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2014Publication date: September 24, 2015Applicant: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Christopher A. LUDDEN, Jeffrey A. SMALL
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Patent number: 9134827Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 28, 2011Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Jeffrey A. Small
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Publication number: 20150115977Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventors: Eric Scott BOHANNON, Marshall J. BELL, JR., Kirk HARGREAVES, Murat OZBAS, Jeffrey A. SMALL