Patents by Inventor Jeremy Slocum

Jeremy Slocum 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: 11786809
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a tracking member fixed to a controller body. The controller body has a head that adjoins a handle at a neck region, and that includes at least one thumb-operated control. The controller includes a hand retainer that in a closed position is configured to physically bias the user's palm against an outer surface of the handle. The hand retainer includes a resilient member that biases the hand retainer towards an open position. The resilient member is attached to an anchor that is attached to the head by an adjustment mechanism that permits the resilient member to be moved towards or away from the user's purlicue. The tracking member includes transducers that are coupled to the electronic system by electromagnetic radiation. Proximity sensors, spatially distributed on the handle, are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outer surface of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Eric James Hope, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Carl Conlee, Scott Richard Britt, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 11625898
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for holding and releasing virtual objects on a display based on input received from one or more handheld controllers are described herein. In some instances, a handheld controller includes one or more sensors, such as proximity sensors, force sensors (e.g., force resisting sensors, etc.), accelerometers, and/or other types of sensors configured to receive input from a hand of a user gripping the handheld controller. Hardware, software, and/or firmware on the controller and/or on a device coupled to the controller (e.g., a game console, a server, etc.) may receive data from these sensors and generate a representation of a corresponding gesture on a display, such as a monitor, a virtual-reality system, and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Bradner, Jeremy Slocum, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Lawrence Yang, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh
  • Publication number: 20220040566
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for determining how to present the release of the virtual object based at least in part on received sensor data is described herein. For example, when the hardware and/or software determines that the virtual object is to be released, the hardware and/or software may calculate one or more of a velocity of the object (e.g., speed and direction), a position at which the virtual object is to be released, a trajectory of the virtual object from the position of release to the landing point of the virtual object, a landing location of the virtual object, and/or the like. The hardware and/or software may then present the virtual object being released according to this determined information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Keith Bradner, Jeremy Slocum, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Lawrence Yang, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh
  • Patent number: 11185763
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for determining how to present the release of the virtual object based at least in part on received sensor data is described herein. For example, when the hardware and/or software determines that the virtual object is to be released, the hardware and/or software may calculate one or more of a velocity of the object (e.g., speed and direction), a position at which the virtual object is to be released, a trajectory of the virtual object from the position of release to the landing point of the virtual object, a landing location of the virtual object, and/or the like. The hardware and/or software may then present the virtual object being released according to this determined information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Bradner, Jeremy Slocum, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Lawrence Yang, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh
  • Patent number: 11167213
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a handle portion, a tracking arc that is fixed to the controller body, and a hand retainer configured to physically bias a user's palm against an outside surface of the handle portion. A plurality of tracking sensors is disposed in the tracking arc, and are responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system. An array of proximity sensors are spatially distributed around the outer surface of the handle portion, and are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outside surface of the handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Scott Nietfeld, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Publication number: 20210129016
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a tracking member fixed to a controller body. The controller body has a head that adjoins a handle at a neck region, and that includes at least one thumb-operated control. The controller includes a hand retainer that in a closed position is configured to physically bias the user's palm against an outer surface of the handle. The hand retainer includes a resilient member that biases the hand retainer towards an open position. The resilient member is attached to an anchor that is attached to the head by an adjustment mechanism that permits the resilient member to be moved towards or away from the user's purlicue. The tracking member includes transducers that are coupled to the electronic system by electromagnetic radiation. Proximity sensors, spatially distributed on the handle, are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outer surface of the handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Eric James Hope, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Scott Richard Britt, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 10898797
    Abstract: An electronic controller includes a controller body having a head that adjoins a handle at a neck region, and that includes at least one thumb-operated control. The controller includes a hand retainer that in a closed position is configured to physically bias the user's palm against an outer surface of the handle. The hand retainer includes a resilient member that biases the hand retainer towards an open position. An adjustment mechanism couples the resilient member to the head and permits the resilient member to be adjusted betweena plurality of discrete positions to adjust the resilient member towards or away from the user's purlicue. The adjustment mechanism may include an anchor that is movable peripherally about the head between the plurality of discrete positions and is pivotably attached to the resilient member with a two-part fastener, with a friction member interposed between the resilient member and the anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Walter Petersen, Philip Bryan, Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Eric VanWyk, Michael Baseflug, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Lawrence Yang, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 10898796
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a tracking member fixed to a controller body. The controller body has a head that adjoins a handle at a neck region, and that includes at least one thumb-operated control. The controller includes a hand retainer that in a closed position is configured to physically bias the user's palm against an outer surface of the handle. The hand retainer includes a resilient member that biases the hand retainer towards an open position. The resilient member is attached to an anchor that is attached to the head by an adjustment mechanism that permits the resilient member to be moved towards or away from the user's purlicue. The tracking member includes transducers that are coupled to the electronic system by electromagnetic radiation. Proximity sensors, spatially distributed on the handle, are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outer surface of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Eric James Hope, Scott Nietfeld, Carl Conlee, Scott Richard Britt, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 10874939
    Abstract: A controller includes a body having a handle, and an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed on, in, beneath, or near the outer surface of the handle, responsive to a proximity of a user's fingers to that outer surface. A finger tracker converts the output of the array of proximity sensors to a set of joint angles corresponding to a plurality of the user's fingers. The controller may include a renderer for processing the joint angles to deform a hand mesh that is rendered for display. Values may be calculated to facilitate normalization of the output of the proximity sensor array and thereby generate a set of normalized finger detection data. This data may be processed through curl logic to produce a linear estimate of gross finger curl with respect to the user and thereby generate a set of estimates for a plurality of finger joint angles for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Nietfeld, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Publication number: 20200246691
    Abstract: An electronic controller includes a controller body having a head that adjoins a handle at a neck region, and that includes at least one thumb-operated control. The controller includes a hand retainer that in a closed position is configured to physically bias the user's palm against an outer surface of the handle. The hand retainer includes a resilient member that biases the hand retainer towards an open position. An adjustment mechanism couples the resilient member to the head and permits the resilient member to be adjusted betweena plurality of discrete positions to adjust the resilient member towards or away from the user's purlicue. The adjustment mechanism may include an anchor that is movable peripherally about the head between the plurality of discrete positions and is pivotably attached to the resilient member with a two-part fastener, with a friction member interposed between the resilient member and the anchor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Walter Petersen, Philip Bryan, Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Eric VanWyk, Michael Baseflug, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Lawrence Yang, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 10549183
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a head and a handle, and a tracking member that is fixed to the controller body. The head includes at least one thumb-operated control, and the handle has a tubular housing that is partially wrapped by an outer shell. The controller includes a hand retainer configured to physically bias the user's palm against the outer shell. A first plurality of tracking transducers is disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking sensors being coupled with the electronic system via electromagnetic radiation. An array of proximity sensors is spatially distributed on the outer shell, the array of proximity sensors being responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Eric James Hope, Scott Nietfeld, Carl Conlee, Scott Richard Britt, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Jeremy Slocum
  • Publication number: 20190344173
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a handle portion, a tracking arc that is fixed to the controller body, and a hand retainer configured to physically bias a user's palm against an outside surface of the handle portion. A plurality of tracking sensors is disposed in the tracking arc, and are responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system. An array of proximity sensors are spatially distributed around the outer surface of the handle portion, and are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outside surface of the handle portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Scott Nietfeld, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Publication number: 20190325651
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for holding and releasing virtual objects on a display based on input received from one or more handheld controllers are described herein. In some instances, a handheld controller includes one or more sensors, such as proximity sensors, force sensors (e.g., force resisting sensors, etc.), accelerometers, and/or other types of sensors configured to receive input from a hand of a user gripping the handheld controller. Hardware, software, and/or firmware on the controller and/or on a device coupled to the controller (e.g., a game console, a server, etc.) may receive data from these sensors and generate a representation of a corresponding gesture on a display, such as a monitor, a virtual-reality system, and/or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Keith Bradner, Jeremy Slocum, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Lawrence Yang, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh
  • Publication number: 20190290999
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for determining how to present the release of the virtual object based at least in part on received sensor data is described herein. For example, when the hardware and/or software determines that the virtual object is to be released, the hardware and/or software may calculate one or more of a velocity of the object (e.g., speed and direction), a position at which the virtual object is to be released, a trajectory of the virtual object from the position of release to the landing point of the virtual object, a landing location of the virtual object, and/or the like. The hardware and/or software may then present the virtual object being released according to this determined information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Keith Bradner, Jeremy Slocum, Scott Douglas Nietfeld, Lawrence Yang, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh
  • Patent number: 10391400
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a handle portion, a tracking arc that is fixed to the controller body, and a hand retainer configured to physically bias a user's palm against an outside surface of the handle portion. A plurality of tracking sensors is disposed in the tracking arc, and are responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system. An array of proximity sensors are spatially distributed around the outer surface of the handle portion, and are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outside surface of the handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Scott Nietfeld, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: D908798
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Philip Bryan, Claire Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: D960244
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Philip Bryan, Claire Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: D994777
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Philip Bryan, Claire Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: D994778
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Philip Bryan, Claire Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: D1010007
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: VALVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carl Samuel Conlee, IV, Philip Bryan, Claire Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum