Patents by Inventor John Franciscus Marie Helmes

John Franciscus Marie Helmes 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: 10002588
    Abstract: A display device is described that comprises an electronic paper display but that does not include a power source that is capable of providing sufficient power to update the electronic paper display. Instead, the electronic paper display can only be updated when receiving external power via a digital data and power bus. The bus also provides pixel data for content to be displayed on the electronic paper display and at least one externally generated bias voltage level for the electronic paper display. The display device further comprises a processor that configured to drive the electronic paper display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, James Scott, Stephen Edward Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stuart Taylor, Thomas Robert Kubitza, Sergey Antonovich, Refael Zabdi Whyte, Nicolas Villar
  • Publication number: 20170346317
    Abstract: A charging device for one or more input modules for a touch-screen device is described. The charging device comprises a charging mechanism and portions which are shaped to receive an input module. The charging mechanism comprises a power input and a power output. The power input is configured to receive power from an external power source and the power input is configured to provide power to one or more input modules which are attached to the charging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen E. Hodges, Stuart Taylor, John Franciscus Marie Helmes
  • Publication number: 20170286328
    Abstract: A device, which may be a peripheral device or a host computing device, comprises a communication interface, a memory and a processor. The processor is arranged to detect imminent disconnection of a communication link between the peripheral device and the host computing device and in response to detecting the imminent disconnection of the communication link, to trigger a data transfer from the host computing device to the peripheral device via the communication interface. The data transfer defines, at least in part, a fixed output data set which, after disconnection, is output via an output device in the peripheral device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Tobias Alexander Grosse-Puppendahl, James William Scott, Stephen Edward Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, Stuart Alastair Taylor, Pascal Knierim, Josh Fromm, Gavin Wood, Albrecht Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20170285828
    Abstract: A display device is described which can be updated by applying pressure with a passive object. The display device comprises a transparent top conductor layer, a middle conductor layer and a bottom conductor layer. The middle conductor layer is segmented into a plurality of independent areas and a pixel of the display device is defined based at least in part on the way that the middle conductor layer is segmented. The display device further comprises an electrophoretic ink layer between the top and middle conductor layers, a layer of piezo-electric material between the middle and bottom conductor layers, and an electrical connection between the bottom and top conductor layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Tobias Alexander Grosse-Puppendahl, Stuart Taylor, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, James Scott, David Sweeney, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stephen Edward Hodges
  • Publication number: 20170286371
    Abstract: A computing device comprises an electronic paper display, a processor and a memory. The memory is arranged to store platform software and application software for at least one application that is not adapted to work with an electronic paper display. The platform software comprises a UI conversion module comprising device-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: access a UI element tree for the application; generate a modified UI element tree for the application by removing and/or re-styling at least one UI element; and render data from the application using the modified UI element tree for display on the electronic paper display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: John Franciscus Marie Helmes, James Scott, Stuart Alastair Taylor, Stephen Edward Hodges, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, Tobias Alexander Grosse-Puppendahl, Josh Fromm, Pascal Knierim, Gavin Wood, Albrecht Schmidt, Thomas Denney
  • Patent number: 9778778
    Abstract: A removable input/output module for a touch-screen device is described. The input/output module comprises a front plate, a rear plate and an edge plate. When attached to the touch-screen device, the front plate contacts with the front face of the touch-screen device, the rear plate contacts with the rear face of the touch-screen device and the edge plate contacts at least an upper part of an edge face of the touch-screen device. The input/output module further comprises a mechanism which provides a force to clamp the front and rear plates onto the touch-screen device and an adjustment mechanism which allows the relative position of the front plate and the edge plate to be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stuart Taylor, Stephen E Hodges
  • Publication number: 20170255439
    Abstract: A system is described which comprises an input arranged to receive attention tracking data from attention tracking hardware. The attention tracking data, along with parameters associated with each display change request, is then used to select a display change request from a plurality of stored display change requests received from a plurality of different applications and a change defined by the selected display change request is then rendered in a GUI on a display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Tobias Alexander Grosse-Puppendahl, James Scott, Stephen Edward Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stuart Alastair Taylor, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, Pascal Knierim, Gavin Wood, Josh Fromm, Albrecht Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9711980
    Abstract: A charging device for one or more input modules for a touch-screen device is described. The charging device comprises a charging mechanism and portions which are shaped to receive an input module. The charging mechanism comprises a power input and a power output. The power input is configured to receive power from an external power source and the power input is configured to provide power to one or more input modules which are attached to the charging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen E Hodges, Stuart Taylor, John Franciscus Marie Helmes
  • Publication number: 20170098416
    Abstract: A display device which includes an electronic paper display additionally comprises power harvesting hardware and display update hardware which is configured to control the updating of the electronic paper display based on a sensed power harvesting level which may, in various embodiments, be a current incoming power level as generated by the power harvesting hardware or a stored power level in a power storage device within the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Stuart Alastair Taylor, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stephen Edward Hodges, James Scott, Albrecht Schmidt, Pascal Knierim, Gavin Wood, Josh Wolff Fromm, Tobias Grosse-Puppendahl
  • Publication number: 20170083232
    Abstract: A display device has both an emissive display and an electronic paper display. The electronic paper display is used for rendering visually static user input controls and a portion of the emissive display which is close to the electronic paper display is used for rendering visually dynamic user input controls. Also described are covers for an emissive display device, the covers comprising an electronic paper display device, and an emissive display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: John Franciscus Marie Helmes, James Scott, Stephen Edward Hodges, Urho Konttori, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, Stuart Alastair Taylor, Pascal Knierim, Gavin Wood, Josh Wolff Fromm
  • Publication number: 20170060850
    Abstract: The personal translator implementations described herein provide a speech translation device that pairs with a computing device to translate in-person conversations. The speech translation device can be wearable. In one implementation the personal translator comprises a speech translation device with at least one microphone that captures input signals representing nearby speech of a first user/wearer of the device and at least one other nearby person in a conversation in two languages; a wireless communication unit that sends the captured input signals representing speech to a nearby computing device, and receives for each language in the conversation, language translations from the computing device; and at least one loudspeaker that outputs the language translations to the first user/wearer and at least one other nearby person. The language translations in text form can be displayed on a display at the same time the language translations are output to the loudspeaker(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: William Lewis, Arul Menezes, Matthai Philipose, Vishal Chowdhary, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stephen Hodges, Stuart Alastair Taylor
  • Publication number: 20170017133
    Abstract: An electronic paper display device comprises a layer of multi-stable material and one or more electrodes on one face of the layer of multi-stable material. Each electrode is electrically contactable on its underside through the layer of multi-stable material so that all electrodes in the electronic paper display device are electrically contactable on a single face of the electronic paper display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen Edward Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stuart Alastair Taylor, James Scott, Nicolas Villar, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, David Sweeney
  • Patent number: 9529447
    Abstract: A removable input module for a touch-screen device is described. The input module comprises an attachment mechanism to attach the module to the touch-screen device, one or more input controls and an accelerometer and/or magnetometer. The accelerometer and/or magnetometer are configured to provide signals to be used to determine the orientation of the input module relative to the touch-screen device and/or to another input module which is attached to the same touch-screen device. In an embodiment, the input module comprises a processor arranged to analyze the output of the accelerometer and/or magnetometer and determine the orientation of the input module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen E Hodges, Stuart Taylor, John Franciscus Marie Helmes
  • Publication number: 20160275906
    Abstract: A system provides a content service arranged to provide content for display on a display device which comprises an electronic paper display but which does not include a power source which is capable of providing sufficient power to update the electronic paper display. Instead, power is only provided to update the electronic paper display when in direct contact with a printer device. The power is provided via a contact based conductive digital data and power bus which also provides pixel data for content to be displayed on the electronic paper display. The display device further comprises a processing element which configured to drive the electronic paper display. The content service receives an identifier for a display device or printer device and identifies content based on the identifier received. The identified content is then transmitted to a printer device for display on a display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: James Scott, Nicholas Yen- Cherng Chen, Stephen Edward Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stuart Taylor, Thomas Robert Kubitza, Sergey Antonovich, Refael Zabdi Whyte
  • Publication number: 20160275879
    Abstract: A computer implemented method of processing content for display on an electronic paper display comprises generating both an image representing a piece of content stored in a content store and a token providing access to the piece of content in the content store. The image and the token are then transmitted to a display device comprising the electronic paper display directly or via one or more intermediary devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen Edward Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, James Scott, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, Stuart Taylor
  • Publication number: 20160275880
    Abstract: A display device is described that comprises an electronic paper display but that does not include a power source that is capable of providing sufficient power to update the electronic paper display. Instead, the electronic paper display can only be updated when receiving external power via a digital data and power bus. The bus also provides pixel data for content to be displayed on the electronic paper display and at least one externally generated bias voltage level for the electronic paper display. The display device further comprises a processor that configured to drive the electronic paper display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, James Scott, Stephen Edward Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stuart Taylor, Thomas Robert Kubitza, Sergey Antonovich, Refael Zabdi Whyte, Nicolas Villar
  • Publication number: 20160275907
    Abstract: A display device comprises an electronic paper display, a security module, an input for receiving content for display on the electronic paper display and a processing element. The security module is arranged to store and/or generate a value that is periodically updated and to communicate the value to a proximate device. A proposed update to the displayed content is accompanied by a further value which is verified by the security module or by a remote content service before updating the content displayed on the electronic paper display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: James Scott, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stephen Edward Hodges, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, Stuart Taylor
  • Publication number: 20160275873
    Abstract: A display device is described which comprises an electronic paper display, a transmitter, a digital data and power bus and a processor. The transmitter is configured to transmit data identifying content currently displayed on the electronic paper display. The digital data and power bus is arranged to receive pixel data for modified content associated with the transmitted data and the processor is configured to drive the electronic paper display; however, the electronic paper display can only be updated to display modified content when the display device is receiving power via the digital data and power bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Stuart Taylor, John Franciscus Marie Helmes, James Scott, Nicholas Yen-Cherng Chen, Stephen Edward Hodges
  • Publication number: 20160209968
    Abstract: A method for mapping touch inputs to inputs on a user input module is described. Touch event data resulting from users interacting with a touch-based application is received at a computing resource. This touch event data is analyzed to identify touch inputs to the application and the analysis is performed independently of the code for the application. Mapping data is then generated which identifies at least one mapping between an identified touch input to the application and a user input via a user input module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Stuart Taylor, Christopher J Lovett, Stephen E. Hodges, John Franciscus Marie Helmes
  • Publication number: 20160147359
    Abstract: A removable input/output module for a touch-screen device is described. The input/output module comprises a front plate, a rear plate and an edge plate. When attached to the touch-screen device, the front plate contacts with the front face of the touch-screen device, the rear plate contacts with the rear face of the touch-screen device and the edge plate contacts at least an upper part of an edge face of the touch-screen device. The input/output module further comprises a mechanism which provides a force to clamp the front and rear plates onto the touch-screen device and an adjustment mechanism which allows the relative position of the front plate and the edge plate to be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: John Franciscus Marie Helmes, Stuart Taylor, Stephen E. Hodges