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).

  • Patent number: 8542202
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Zhiming Zhuang, William P. Alberth, Jr., Ken K. Foo
  • Publication number: 20120062503
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: MOTOROLA-MOBILITY, INC.
    Inventors: Zhiming Zhuang, William P. Alberth, Ken K. Foo
  • Patent number: 8103118
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken K. Foo, Zhiming (Jim) Zhuang
  • Patent number: 8077154
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Emig, Ken K. Foo
  • Publication number: 20110157069
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Zhiming Zhuang, William P. Alberth, JR., Ken K. Foo
  • Patent number: 7953438
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Polak, Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Zhiming Zhuang
  • Patent number: 7839414
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Cybart, Roger W. Ady, John A. Burroughs, R. Dodge D. Daverman, Ken K. Foo, Sen Yang, Zhiming (Jim) Zhuang
  • Patent number: 7755615
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken K Foo, John W Kaehler, Pinky Yu
  • Patent number: 7619606
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Kaehler, Ken K. Foo
  • Publication number: 20090079707
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.
    Inventors: JOHN W. KAEHLER, KEN K. FOO, ZHIMING ZHUANG
  • Publication number: 20090046072
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: David M. Emig, Ken K. Foo
  • Publication number: 20090046089
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiming Zhuang, Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Robert D. Polak
  • Publication number: 20090033676
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.
    Inventors: ADAM CYBART, ROGER W. ADY, JOHN A. BURROUGHS, R. DODGE DAVERMAN, KEN K. FOO, SEN YANG, ZHIMING (JIM) ZHUANG
  • Publication number: 20080204463
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Adam Cybart, Paul N. Baciu, David B. Cranfill, R. Dodge D. Daverman, Steve C. Emmert, Ken K. Foo, Zhiming Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20080204418
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Adam Cybart, Paul N. Baciu, David B. Cranfill, R.Dodge D. Daverman, Steve C. Emmert, Ken K. Foo, Zhiming Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20080143689
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Pinky Yu
  • Publication number: 20080132277
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.
    Inventors: ROBERT D. POLAK, KEN K. FOO, JOHN W. KAEHLER, ZHIMING ZHUANG
  • Publication number: 20080036720
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Ken K. Foo, John W. Kaehler, Zhiming Zhuang
  • Patent number: 7295199
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola Inc
    Inventors: Ken K. Foo, Robert J. Bero, Pinky Yu
  • Patent number: 6307327
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: MOtorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Chenggang Xie, Ken K. Foo