Patents by Inventor Ken K. Foo
Ken K. Foo 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: 8542202Abstract: An electronic device is operable to determine a touch input applied to a capacitive touch panel system thereof so as to account for time-varying noise affecting the touch panel system. The electronic device includes the touch panel system, an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) unit, and a processing unit. The processing unit is operable to: receive digital signal values from the ADC unit representing capacitances detected by sensing points of the touch panel system; adjust at least one of the digital signal values based at least on a time-varying noise to produce at least one noise-adjusted value; and determine the touch input based on the at least one noise-adjusted value. In one embodiment, the electronic device determines the time-varying noise prior to adjusting the digital signal values. In another embodiment, the time-varying noise is produced by a display panel of a touchscreen display that also includes the touch panel system.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2009Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Zhiming Zhuang, William P. Alberth, Jr., Ken K. Foo
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Publication number: 20120062503Abstract: A display assembly comprises a touch sensor including at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode, and an electrophoretic display (EPD). The EPD including the at least one first electrode as a drive electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2010Publication date: March 15, 2012Applicant: MOTOROLA-MOBILITY, INC.Inventors: Zhiming Zhuang, William P. Alberth, Ken K. Foo
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Patent number: 8103118Abstract: Portable devices (100) that include displays (102) and are used in widely ranging ambient light conditions use selectable or adjustable optoelectronic input/output compensation functions to drive their displays. According to certain embodiments, a camera (122) or a light sensor (120) is used to measure the ambient light level, and an optoelectronic input/output compensation function that is specifically chosen based on the measured ambient light condition is used to drive the display. Furthermore, according to certain embodiments, the optoelectronic input/output compensation function is selected based on whether a display backlight (230) is turned on or off.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2004Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.Inventors: Ken K. Foo, Zhiming (Jim) Zhuang
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Patent number: 8077154Abstract: A capacitive sensor (200) for a touch sensitive electronic device (800) includes at least one graphic (401) visible to a user. The graphic (401) is configured so as to be non-electrically interfering with the electrode array of the capacitive sensor (200). A substrate (101), configured to transmit light, has a layer of capacitive sensor material (201) deposited thereon. The layer of capacitive sensor material (201) is electrically conductive and pellucid. A layer of selectively disposed electrically conductive material (202) is then electrically coupled to the layer of capacitive sensor material (201). The layer of selectively disposed electrically conductive material (202) is arranged as a graphic, which may be a logo, brand, or other mark. The layer of selectively disposed electrically conductive material (202) has a reflectivity that is greater than the layer of capacitive sensor material (201) so as to make the graphic (401) visible to a user.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2007Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.Inventors: David M. Emig, Ken K. Foo
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Publication number: 20110157069Abstract: An electronic device is operable to determine a touch input applied to a capacitive touch panel system thereof so as to account for time-varying noise affecting the touch panel system. The electronic device includes the touch panel system, an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) unit, and a processing unit. The processing unit is operable to: receive digital signal values from the ADC unit representing capacitances detected by sensing points of the touch panel system; adjust at least one of the digital signal values based at least on a time-varying noise to produce at least one noise-adjusted value; and determine the touch input based on the at least one noise-adjusted value. In one embodiment, the electronic device determines the time-varying noise prior to adjusting the digital signal values. In another embodiment, the time-varying noise is produced by a display panel of a touchscreen display that also includes the touch panel system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2009Publication date: June 30, 2011Inventors: Zhiming Zhuang, William P. Alberth, JR., Ken K. Foo
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Patent number: 7953438Abstract: Disclosed are circuits and user interfaces of a mobile communication device that include a light source and a shutter that are driven by at least one common voltage line. Also disclosed are circuits and user interfaces of a mobile communication device that include a sensor and a shutter that are driven by at least one common voltage line. Further disclosed are circuits and user interfaces that include a light source, a sensor and a shutter that are driven by at least one common voltage line. The shutter may be divided into a plurality of segments so that one segment may be in optical alignment with a light source and another segment may be in optical alignment with a sensor. A shutter may be part of the same circuit as a light source and/or a sensor without needing its own circuit and driver.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2006Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.Inventors: Robert D. Polak, Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Zhiming Zhuang
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Patent number: 7839414Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for color compensation of a display having a translucent display cover applied to an outside surface of the display. A method may include characterizing a color shift due to the translucent display cover for when there is rendering of an image on the display and compensating for the color shift when rendering an image on the display. The method further may include measuring the color shift induced by the color of the finish, and as described below compensating the red, green, and blue (RGB) levels of the display so that the display image may be presented to the user as originally intended. In this way, the image quality may be substantially optimized for viewing regardless of the lens/cover surface color.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.Inventors: Adam Cybart, Roger W. Ady, John A. Burroughs, R. Dodge D. Daverman, Ken K. Foo, Sen Yang, Zhiming (Jim) Zhuang
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Patent number: 7755615Abstract: A touchscreen display system (418) is provided which includes a touchscreen (420), a touchscreen input detector (422), a capacitive sensor driver (423), and a display driver (424). The touchscreen input detector (422) is coupled to a first layer (504) of the touchscreen (420) and determines a touchscreen (420) input in response to sensing tactile inputs during a sensing time interval (610). The display driver (424) is coupled to a second layer (506) of the touchscreen (420) and provides a drive voltage (606, 608) at a first voltage level to the plurality of optical shutter segments (508) during a first portion (620) of the sensing time interval (610) and maintains the drive voltage (606, 608) at substantially zero volts during a second portion (622) of the sensing time interval (610), the second portion (622) being greater than half of the sensing time interval (610).Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2006Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Ken K Foo, John W Kaehler, Pinky Yu
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Patent number: 7619606Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for intradevice communication in a mobile communication device having a display. A method includes providing a supply signal and superimposing a data signal onto the supply signal. The method further includes driving a light source with the supply signal and the superimposed data signal to produce light to illuminate the display. Also included is sensing the light illuminating the display with an optical sensor, which is coupled to a receiver circuit, and then distinguishing the data signal from the sensed light with the receiver circuit. An image is formed on the display using the data signal distinguished with the receiver circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2005Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: John W. Kaehler, Ken K. Foo
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Publication number: 20090079707Abstract: Disclosed are touch screen devices and methods of sensing an object near the surface of a touch screen device. A capacitive sensor is integrated into display electronics by flipping the traditional thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT) stack-up which has a bottom gate structure so that it is an inverted bottom gate structure. Accordingly, the gate structure is near the top of the display and the gate drive lines are re-used as excitation lines in addition to their function as display lines. The excitation lines therefore drive excitation to generate an induced electric field at the surface of the display device. Additionally, other lines are used as sensor lines so that sensor signals are input to the device controller to determine the position of an object at the surface of the display device. Accordingly, the excitation lines are scanned to detect the presence of a finger or other object.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2007Publication date: March 26, 2009Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.Inventors: JOHN W. KAEHLER, KEN K. FOO, ZHIMING ZHUANG
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Publication number: 20090046072Abstract: A capacitive sensor (200) for a touch sensitive electronic device (800) includes at least one graphic (401) visible to a user. The graphic (401) is configured so as to be non-electrically interfering with the electrode array of the capacitive sensor (200). A substrate (101), configured to transmit light, has a layer of capacitive sensor material (201) deposited thereon. The layer of capacitive sensor material (201) is electrically conductive and pellucid. A layer of selectively disposed electrically conductive material (202) is then electrically coupled to the layer of capacitive sensor material (201). The layer of selectively disposed electrically conductive material (202) is arranged as a graphic, which may be a logo, brand, or other mark. The layer of selectively disposed electrically conductive material (202) has a reflectivity that is greater than the layer of capacitive sensor material (201) so as to make the graphic (401) visible to a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2007Publication date: February 19, 2009Inventors: David M. Emig, Ken K. Foo
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Publication number: 20090046089Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, apparatus are provided, which include a burn-in compensation pixel generator and burn-in compensation circuitry. The burn-in compensation pixel generator is configured to generate burn-in compensation pixel data. The burn-in compensation circuitry is configured to provide, within break-from-standard-use periods of a device employing a display, the generated burn-in compensation pixel data instead of a select predetermined subset of default pixel data, for input to a display interface of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2007Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Zhiming Zhuang, Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Robert D. Polak
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Publication number: 20090033676Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for color compensation of a display having a translucent display cover applied to an outside surface of the display. A method may include characterizing a color shift due to the translucent display cover for when there is rendering of an image on the display and compensating for the color shift when rendering an image on the display. The method further may include measuring the color shift induced by the color of the finish, and as described below compensating the red, green, and blue (RGB) levels of the display so that the display image may be presented to the user as originally intended. In this way, the image quality may be substantially optimized for viewing regardless of the lens/cover surface color.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2007Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.Inventors: ADAM CYBART, ROGER W. ADY, JOHN A. BURROUGHS, R. DODGE DAVERMAN, KEN K. FOO, SEN YANG, ZHIMING (JIM) ZHUANG
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Publication number: 20080204463Abstract: A multimodal electronic device (100) includes a shutter enabled dynamic keypad for presenting one of a plurality of keypad configurations to a user. Each keypad configuration, which is presented by an optical shutter (204) that opens or closes windows or shutters that are geometrically configured as alphanumeric or device keys or symbols. Each keypad configuration, in one embodiment, is limited to those needed for the particular mode of operation of the device (100). The optical shutter (204) is a low-resolution display that presents user actuation targets to a user in a low-resolution key area. As each mode of the device changes, the corresponding keypad configuration presented changes accordingly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: Adam Cybart, Paul N. Baciu, David B. Cranfill, R. Dodge D. Daverman, Steve C. Emmert, Ken K. Foo, Zhiming Zhuang
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Publication number: 20080204418Abstract: A multimodal electronic device (100) includes a shutter enabled dynamic keypad for presenting one of a plurality of keypad configurations to a user. Each keypad configuration, which is presented by an optical shutter (204) that opens or closes windows or shutters that are geometrically configured as alphanumeric or device keys or symbols. Each keypad configuration, in one embodiment, is limited to those needed for the particular mode of operation of the device (100). The optical shutter (204) is a low-resolution display that presents user actuation targets to a user in a low-resolution key area. As each mode of the device changes, the corresponding keypad configuration presented changes accordingly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: Adam Cybart, Paul N. Baciu, David B. Cranfill, R.Dodge D. Daverman, Steve C. Emmert, Ken K. Foo, Zhiming Zhuang
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Publication number: 20080143689Abstract: A touchscreen display system (418) is provided which includes a touchscreen (420), a touchscreen input detector (422), a capacitive sensor driver (423), and a display driver (424). The touchscreen input detector (422) is coupled to a first layer (504) of the touchscreen (420) and determines a touchscreen (420) input in response to sensing tactile inputs during a sensing time interval (610). The display driver (424) is coupled to a second layer (506) of the touchscreen (420) and provides a drive voltage (606, 608) at a first voltage level to the plurality of optical shutter segments (508) during a first portion (620) of the sensing time interval (610) and maintains the drive voltage (606, 608) at substantially zero volts during a second portion (622) of the sensing time interval (610), the second portion (622) being greater than half of the sensing time interval (610).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2006Publication date: June 19, 2008Inventors: Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Pinky Yu
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Publication number: 20080132277Abstract: Disclosed are circuits and user interfaces of a mobile communication device that include a light source and a shutter that are driven by at least one common voltage line. Also disclosed are circuits and user interfaces of a mobile communication device that include a sensor and a shutter that are driven by at least one common voltage line. Further disclosed are circuits and user interfaces that include a light source, a sensor and a shutter that are driven by at least one common voltage line. The shutter may be divided into a plurality of segments so that one segment may be in optical alignment with a light source and another segment may be in optical alignment with a sensor. A shutter may be part of the same circuit as a light source and/or a sensor without needing its own circuit and driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2006Publication date: June 5, 2008Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.Inventors: ROBERT D. POLAK, KEN K. FOO, JOHN W. KAEHLER, ZHIMING ZHUANG
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Publication number: 20080036720Abstract: A system and a method are provided for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) (30) in manner to reduce audible noise therefrom. A video display system (18) includes a thin film transistor liquid crystal display panel (32) having a plurality of gate electrodes (56), a plurality of source electrodes (58), and a common electrode (62). A common electrode function generator (40) is provided to generate a voltage waveform to drive the common electrode at a plurality of frequencies.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2006Publication date: February 14, 2008Inventors: Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Zhiming Zhuang
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Patent number: 7295199Abstract: A display device including a plurality of display elements (500) arranged in a matrix, wherein each display element includes a display pixel (510) coupled to a switch (530), and each display element includes an addressable latch (540) having an output coupled to a controlling input of the switch. The addressable latch includes a row address input (532) and a column address input (556). In one mode of operation, at least some display elements are activated at a first rate, and other display elements are activated at a second rate less than the first refresh rate by selectively addressing the display elements.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2003Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: Motorola IncInventors: Ken K. Foo, Robert J. Bero, Pinky Yu
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Patent number: 6307327Abstract: A method for controlling spacer (108) visibility in a field emission display (100) includes the steps of modifying pixel data for transmission to a plurality of pixels (110) in a first region (112) adjacent to a spacer (108) to render the spacer (108) invisible to a viewer of the field emission display (100). A field emission display (100) with a spacer visibility correction circuit (104) that modifies pixel data for transmission to a plurality of pixels (110) in a first region (112) adjacent to a spacer (108).Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2000Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: MOtorola, Inc.Inventors: Chenggang Xie, Ken K. Foo