Patents by Inventor John C. Platt

John C. Platt 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).

  • Publication number: 20030214513
    Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting different anti-aliasing filters to be applied to objects of image data rendered with pixel sub-component precision based on the attributes of the objects of the graphics image. For example, when rendering a character traditional anti-aliasing applied in the direction parallel to the striping of the pixel sub-components is adapted to the unique requirements of different character font sizes such that a large amount of anti-aliasing is applied to large font sizes while a small amount of anti-aliasing is provided for characters at small font sizes. Displaced sampling is utilized to determine the alpha values for a plurality of vertical samples for each RGB pixel sub-component. The selected anti-aliasing filter is applied to the alpha values to determine the luminous intensity values of the RGB pixel sub-components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Brown, John C. Platt, Michael Duggan, Gregory Hitchcock, Beat Stamm
  • Patent number: 6624828
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for increasing the perceived quality of displayed images. This is achieved in a variety of ways including the use of a plurality of device specific display characteristics when preparing images for display. It is also achieved through the monitoring of display device and/or ambient light conditions, e.g., on a periodic basis, and using the obtained information when controlling display output. Another approach to improving the perceived quality of displayed images involves the use of information relating to a specific user's ability to perceive image characteristics such as color. By customizing display output to an individual user's own physical perception capabilities and/or viewing characteristics it is possible to enhance the image quality perceived by the individual viewer as compared to embodiments which do not take into consideration individual user characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bodin Dresevic, William Hill, Gregory Hitchcock, Leroy B. Keely, John C. Platt, J. Turner Whitted
  • Publication number: 20030174881
    Abstract: A system and method facilitating pattern recognition is provided. The invention includes a pattern recognition system having a convolutional neural network employing feature extraction layer(s) and classifier layer(s). The feature extraction layer(s) comprises convolutional layers and the classifier layer(s) comprises fully connected layers. The pattern recognition system can be trained utilizing a calculated cross entropy error. The calculated cross entropy error is utilized to update trainable parameters of the pattern recognition system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Patrice Y. Simard, John C. Platt, David Willard Steinkraus
  • Publication number: 20020136450
    Abstract: Red-eye detection based on red region detection with eye confirmation initially identifies pixels that correspond to the color of red-eye within an image. A determination is then made as to whether these identified pixels and surrounding areas are part of an eye or not part of an eye. Those identified pixels that are determined to be part of an eye are the detected red-eye regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Tong-Xian Chen, Xiangrong Chen, John C. Platt, Jie Yan, Hong-Jiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 6393145
    Abstract: Techniques for improving the resolution of images (either analog images, analytic images, or images having a higher resolution than that of a display device) to be rendered on patterned displays. In one aspect of the present invention, an overscaling or oversampling process may accept analytic character information, such as contours for example, and a scale factor or grid and overscale or oversample the analytic character information to produce an overscaled or oversampled image. The overscaled or oversampled image generated has a higher resolution than the display upon which the character is to be rendered. Displaced samples of the overscaled or oversampled image are then combined (or filtered). An analytic image, such as a line drawing for example, may be applied to the oversampling/overscaling process as was the case with the character analytic image. However, since the analytic image may have different units than that of the character analytic image, the scale factor applied may be different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Claude Betrisey, Bodin Dresevic, Donald P. Mitchell, John C. Platt
  • Patent number: 6380929
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for drawing or writing using an input device in computer systems. The system provides an absolute-coordinate drawing mode, in which the user may draw written strokes to which the computer system display is responsive, and a relative-coordinate repositioning mode, in which the user may figuratively “pick up the pen” and reposition the beginning of a following written stroke. The system enters the drawing mode in response to a user command, and remains in the drawing mode in response to continued written strokes. The system enters the cursor mode after a selected time period occurs with no written strokes, or in response to other user commands. In the drawing mode, a coordinate system for the touchpad is mapped to a coordinate system for a selected window on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventor: John C. Platt
  • Patent number: 6360023
    Abstract: Methods and systems for increasing the contrast with which thin-stemmed characters can be displayed in sub-pixel rendering processes are disclosed. Some fonts, such as Courier New, have relatively thin stems and other character features that would otherwise be rendered with low contrast when displayed using an oversampling process combined with a rendering process that treats individual pixel sub-components as separate luminous intensity sources. In order to avoid such low contrast features and to avoid the need for revising the font itself, the alpha values for the pixel sub-components that correspond to the character features are selectively increased to simulate larger dimensions of the character features and to increase the contrast with which the character dimensions are displayed. The methods involve oversampling image data representing a character by obtaining multiple samples for each of a plurality of pixel sub-components of a pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Claude Betrisey, Bodin Dresevic, John C. Platt
  • Publication number: 20010048764
    Abstract: Techniques for improving the resolution of images (either analog images, analytic images, or images having a higher resolution than that of a display device) to be rendered on patterned displays. In one aspect of the present invention, an overscaling or oversampling process may accept analytic character information, such as contours for example, and a scale factor or grid and overscale or oversample the analytic character information to produce an overscaled or oversampled image. The overscaled or oversampled image generated has a higher resolution than the display upon which the character is to be rendered. Displaced samples of the overscaled or oversampled image are then combined (or filtered). An analytic image, such as a line drawing for example, may be applied to the oversampling/overscaling process as was the case with the character analytic image. However, since the analytic image may have different units than that of the character analytic image, the scale factor applied may be different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventors: CLAUDE BETRISEY, BODIN DRESEVIC, DONALD P. MITCHELL, JOHN C. PLATT
  • Patent number: 6161130
    Abstract: A technique, specifically a method and apparatus that implements the method, which through a probabilistic classifier (370) and, for a given recipient, detects electronic mail (e-mail) messages, in an incoming message stream, which that recipient is likely to consider "junk". Specifically, the invention discriminates message content for that recipient, through a probabilistic classifier (e.g., a support vector machine) trained on prior content classifications. Through a resulting quantitative probability measure, i.e., an output confidence level, produced by the classifier for each message and subsequently compared against a predefined threshold, that message is classified as either, e.g., spam or legitimate mail, and, e.g., then stored in a corresponding folder (223, 227) for subsequent retrieval by and display to the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Horvitz, David E. Heckerman, Susan T. Dumais, Mehran Sahami, John C. Platt
  • Patent number: 6148104
    Abstract: A method for incremental recognition of ideographic handwriting comprises in order the steps of: (1) entering in a natural stroke order at least one stroke of an ideographic character from a computer entry tablet; (2) providing the at least one stroke to an incremental character recognizer, which produces a hypothesis list of at least one candidate character; (3) displaying a hypothesis list of candidate characters containing the at least one stroke; (4) selecting a correct character from among the candidate characters on the hypothesis list if it a correct character appears thereon; (5) entering in natural stroke order at least one additional stroke of the ideographic character from the computer entry tablet if no candidate character is a correct character; (6) providing the additional stroke(s) to the incremental character recognizer, which produces an updated hypothesis list; (7) displaying the updated hypothesis list of candidate characters containing every stroke; (8) selecting a correct character from a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Ning Wang, John C. Platt, Nada P. Matic
  • Patent number: 6028959
    Abstract: A method for incremental recognition of ideographic handwriting comprises in order the steps of: (1) entering in a natural stroke order at least one stroke of an ideographic character from a computer entry tablet; (2) providing the at least one stroke to an incremental character recognizer, which produces a hypothesis list of at least one candidate character; (3) displaying a hypothesis list of candidate characters containing the at least one stroke; (4) selecting a correct character from among the candidate characters on the hypothesis list if it a correct character appears thereon; (5) entering in natural stroke order at least one additional stroke of the ideographic character from the computer entry tablet if no candidate character is a correct character; (6) providing the additional stroke(s) to the incremental character recognizer, which produces an updated hypothesis list; (7) displaying the updated hypothesis list of candidate characters containing every stroke; (8) selecting a correct character from a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Ning Wang, John C. Platt, Nada P. Matic
  • Patent number: 5926566
    Abstract: A method for incremental recognition of ideographic handwriting comprises in order the steps of: (1) entering in a natural stroke order at least one stroke of an ideographic character from a coordinate entry tablet; (2) providing the at least one stroke to an incremental character recognizer, which produces a hypothesis list of at least one candidate character; (3) displaying a hypothesis list of candidate characters containing the at least one stroke; (4) selecting a correct character from among the candidate characters on the hypothesis list if it a correct character appears thereon; (5) entering in natural stroke order at least one additional stroke of the ideographic character from the coordinate entry tablet if no candidate character is a correct character; (6) providing the additional stroke(s) to the incremental character recognizer, which produces an updated hypothesis list; (7) displaying the updated hypothesis list of candidate characters containing every stroke; (8) selecting a correct character fr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Ning Wang, John C. Platt, Nada P. Matic
  • Patent number: 5861583
    Abstract: An object proximity sensor includes a capacitive touch-sensitive transducer including row conductive lines insulated from column conductive lines to from a matrix. An insulating layer is disposed over the matrix and has a thickness selected to achieve significant capacitive coupling between an object placed on its surface and the matrix. Circuitry first drives each of the row conductive lines to a fixed voltage and then simultaneously injects a known amount of charge onto each of the row conductive lines, and then senses for each row conductive line a row-sense voltage created by the known amount of charge injected onto each of the row conductive lines, and, simultaneous with injected the known amount of charge, changes the voltage on all of the column conductive lines in the same direction as the row-sense voltage by an amount no greater than about twice the difference between the fixed voltage and an average of all row-sense voltage in the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard R. Schediwy, Jeffrey O. Pritchard, Ting Kao, Timothy P. Allen, John C. Platt
  • Patent number: 5854625
    Abstract: A force sensing touchpad comprises a substantially rigid touch surface; a substantially rigid frame; a plurality of spring structures formed integrally with the touch surface and mechanically connected to the reference frame; and a circuit for deriving force information from capacitances proportional to the distances between predetermined portions of the touch surface and portions of the frame in response to a force applied to the touch surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventors: Josef C. Frisch, Gregory E. Leyh, John C. Platt, Timothy P. Allen, Richard R. Schediwy, Federico Faggin
  • Patent number: 5812698
    Abstract: A system for recognizing handwritten characters, including pre-processing apparatus for generating a set of features for each handwritten character, a neural network disposed for operating on sparse data structures of those features and generating a set of confidence values for each possible character symbol which might correspond to the handwritten character, and post-processing apparatus for adjusting those confidence values and for selecting a character symbol consistent with external knowledge about handwritten characters and the language they are written in. The pre-processing apparatus scales and re-parameterizes the handwritten strokes, encodes the scaled and re-parameterizd strokes into fuzzy membership vectors and binary pointwise data, and combines the vectors and data into a sparse data structure of features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Platt, Steven Nowlan, Joseph Decker, Nada Matic
  • Patent number: 5381515
    Abstract: A two-layer network according to the present invention is comprised of a first-layer array of electrically-adaptable synaptic elements, inter-layer connection circuitry comprised of electrically adaptable elements, and a second-layer array of electrically-adaptable synaptic elements. Electrons may be placed onto and removed from a floating node associated with at least one MOS transistor in each electrically adaptable element, usually comprising the gate of the transistor, in an analog manner, by application of first and second electrical control signals. A first electrical control signal controls the injection of electrons onto the floating node from an electron injection structure and the second electrical control signal controls the removal of electrons from the floating node by an electron removal structure. Each synaptic element in the synaptic array comprises an adaptable CMOS inverter or other amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventors: John C. Platt, Janeen D. W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5331215
    Abstract: A synaptic array according to the present invention comprises a plurality of electrically-adaptable elements. Electrons may be placed onto and removed from a floating node in each electrically adaptable element associated with at least one MOS insulated gate field effect transistor, usually the gate of the transistor, in an analog manner, by application of first and second electrical control signals generated in response to an adapt signal. The inputs to all synaptic elements in a row are connected to a common row input line. Adapt inputs to all synaptic elements in a column are connected together to a common column adapt line. The current supplied to all amplifiers in a column is commonly provided by a sense line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy P. Allen, Janeen D. W. Anderson, Carver A. Mead, Federico Faggin, John C. Platt, Michael F. Wall
  • Patent number: 5303329
    Abstract: A continuous weight-update device for a synaptic element including at least one MOS transistor comprises a floating node having a capacitance associated therewith, the floating gate comprising at least a part of the floating node, first and second input lines, first and second error lines, an electron tunneling structure coupled to the floating node for tunneling electrons from the floating node, and an electron injecting structure coupled to the floating node for injecting electrons onto the floating node. Control circuitry is responsive to signals on the first input and error lines, for activating the electron tunneling structure, and control circuitry is responsive to signals on the second input and error lines, for activating the electron injecting structure. Circuitry is provided for driving signals onto the first and second input and error lines. Both a single synapse and an array of synapses incorporating the continuous weight-update device are also taught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventors: Carver A. Mead, Janeen D. W. Anderson, John C. Platt
  • Patent number: 5204549
    Abstract: A weight-storage and weight-adjustment circuit includes a first hot electron injection device coupled to a first floating gate and a second hot electron injection device coupled to the second floating gate. The floating gates are associated with two series connected MOS transistors. The first and second hot electron injection devices comprise gated lateral bipolar transistors. The weight may be decreased by injecting hot electrons from the first hot electron injection device onto the first floating gate to decrease the first analog voltage and increased by injecting electrons from the second hot electron injection device onto the second floating gate to decrease the second analog voltage. Circuitry are provided to periodically adjust the absolute voltage levels on the first and second floating gates to prevent them from becoming too negative over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventors: John C. Platt, Janeen D. W. Anderson, Carver A. Mead
  • Patent number: 5165054
    Abstract: A linear voltage-to-current converter (LVCC) circuit includes two transistors, one P-channel and one N-channel. The input voltage is applied to the gates of both transistors. The drains of the two transistors are connected. The source of the p-type transistor is connected to a first voltage rail, and the source of the N-channel is connected to a second voltage rail of lower voltage. The output is the difference between the current through the P-channel transistor and the N-channel transistor. A linear current-to-voltage converter (LCVC) circuit is similar to the LVCC circuit, except that the gates of the transistors are tied to the drains of the transistors. The input current is supplied to the drains, and the output voltage is the voltage of the drains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Synaptics, Incorporated
    Inventors: John C. Platt, Michael F. Wall, Glenn E. Gribble, Carver A. Mead