Patents by Inventor Kevin J. White

Kevin J. White 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: 8982058
    Abstract: Touch screens with more compact border regions can include an active area that includes touch sensing circuitry including drive lines, and a border region around the active area. The border region can include an area of sealant deposited on conductive lines, and transistor circuitry, such as gate drivers, between the active area and the sealant. The conductive lines can extend from the sealant to the active area without electrically connecting to the transistor circuitry. The conductive lines can have equal impedances and can connect the drive lines to a touch controller off of the touch screen. A set of drive signal characteristics for the drive lines can be obtained by determining a transfer function associated with each drive line, obtaining an inverse of each transfer function, and applying a set of individual sense signal characteristics to the inverse transfer functions to obtain the corresponding set of drive signal characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marduke Yousefpor, Steven Porter Hotelling, Kevin J. White, Shih Chang Chang
  • Patent number: 8913040
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device having circuitry to compensate for crosstalk from the device display to the device touch sensor panel is disclosed. The crosstalk compensation circuitry can include a downsampler and a crosstalk compensator. The downsampler can downsample a display image to a manageable size for transmission and processing and can then send the downsampled image to the crosstalk compensator so as to provide information about the display operation that can be used to estimate the expected amount of crosstalk caused by the display. The crosstalk compensator can estimate the amount of crosstalk based on the downsampled image and can then compensate a touch image captured by the touch sensor panel for the estimated amount, the touch image being indicative of a touch or hover event at the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. White, Marduke Yousefpor, Christoph Horst Krah, Steven Porter Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20140354586
    Abstract: A touch screen to reduce touch pixel coupling. In some examples, the touch screen can include a first display pixel and a second display pixel in a row of display pixels, where the first display pixel can be configurable to be decoupled from the second display pixel during at least a touch sensing phase of the touch screen. In some examples, the touch screen can include a display pixel having a first and a second transistor, where the second transistor can be electrically connected to a gate terminal of the first transistor, and can be diode-connected. In some examples, the touch screen can include two display pixels, each display pixel having two transistors, where two of the transistors can be electrically connected to a first gate line, and the remaining two transistors can be individually electrically connected to a second and third gate line, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Taif Ahmed SYED, Ahmad AL-DAHLE, Kevin J. WHITE, Abbas JAMSHIDI-ROUDBARI, Stephen S. POON
  • Publication number: 20140267087
    Abstract: A touch input device configured to mitigate the effects of dynamic cross talk noise is provided. The touch input device can dither an effective resistance of a plurality of gate lines proximal to the touch sensor panel in order to determine if a phase of a touch signal demodulator needs to be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Christoph Horst KRAH, Kevin J. WHITE
  • Publication number: 20140267070
    Abstract: A touch input device configured to detect stylus signals generated by an external stylus is provided. The touch input device includes a plurality of stylus signal detectors that receive at its input a combination of stylus receive channels that are combined in a manner to minimize noise while at the same time keeping the stylus signal strength uniform independent of the position of the stylus on the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shahrooz SHAHPARNIA, Kevin J. White, Manu Agarwal
  • Publication number: 20140267086
    Abstract: A touch input device configured to mitigate the effects of dynamic cross talk noise is provided. The touch input device can dither an effective resistance of a plurality of gate lines proximal to the touch sensor panel in order to determine if a phase of a touch signal demodulator needs to be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Christoph Horst Krah, Kevin J. White
  • Patent number: 8810537
    Abstract: Demodulation circuits and processes for demodulating touch signals from a touch sensor using the demodulation circuits are provided. The demodulation circuits can include circuitry configured to determine an adjustable phase delay based at least in part on a quadrature component of the touch signal or the phase-adjusted touch signal. The demodulation circuit can further include circuitry for applying the adjustable phase delay to the touch signal to compensate for phase delays in the touch signal caused by the touch sensor and/or other components. The demodulation circuit can dynamically change the adjustable phase delay to compensate for time-varying phase delays caused by the touch sensor and/or other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marduke Yousefpor, Kevin J. White, Christoph Horst Krah
  • Publication number: 20140071111
    Abstract: An electronic display includes a display panel. The display panel includes a pixel array and receives a supply voltage. The display panel also includes a panel driver configured to generate a gate line voltage. The panel driver also supplies the gate line voltage to the display panel based on a comparison between the gate line voltage and the supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Taif Ahmed Said, Kevin J. White, Sang Y. Youn
  • Publication number: 20140028634
    Abstract: Styluses capable of generating stylus stimulation signals and touch sensitive devices capable of receiving stylus stimulation signals are disclosed. In one example, a stylus can receive a stimulation signal from a touch sensor of a touch sensitive device and generate a stylus stimulation signal by changing an amplitude or frequency of the received stimulation signal. The stylus can transmit the stylus stimulation signal back into the touch sensor of the touch sensitive device. The touch sensor can generate a touch signal based on the device's own stimulation signals and the stylus stimulation signal. The touch sensitive device can process the touch signal to determine a location of the stylus on the touch sensor. The stylus can include a force sensor to detect an amount of force applied to a tip of the stylus. The stylus stimulation signal can be modulated based on the force detected by the force sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Christoph Horst KRAH, Marduke Yousefpor, Kevin J. White, Martin Paul Grunthaner
  • Publication number: 20130328824
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that provides power for a touch-enabled display, wherein the touch-enabled display cycles between a display mode and a touch mode. During the display mode, the system drives a display-mode voltage to the touch-enabled display through a power output, wherein the power output is coupled through a display-mode capacitor CD to ground. Next, during a transition from the display mode to the touch mode, the system couples the power output through a touch-mode capacitor CT to ground, wherein CT was previously charged to a touch-mode voltage, which causes the power output to rapidly transition to the touch-mode voltage. Then, during the touch mode, the system drives the touch-mode voltage through the power output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christoph H. Krah, Yaifei Bi, Kevin J. White
  • Patent number: 8537126
    Abstract: A gate driver circuit for switching gate line voltage supplies between display and touch modes is disclosed. The circuit can include one or more switches configured to switch one or more gate lines of an integrated touch sensitive display between a display mode and a touch mode. During touch mode, the circuit can be configured to switch the gate lines to connect to a more stable voltage supply. The circuit can also be configured to reduce or eliminate interference from the display circuitry to the touch circuitry that could affect touch sensing. During display mode, the circuit can be configured to switch the gate lines to connect to a fluctuating voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marduke Yousefpor, Shih Chang Chang, Kevin J. White, Steven Porter Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20130207906
    Abstract: Demodulation circuits and processes for demodulating touch signals from a touch sensor using the demodulation circuits are provided. The demodulation circuits can include circuitry configured to determine an adjustable phase delay based at least in part on a quadrature component of the touch signal or the phase-adjusted touch signal. The demodulation circuit can further include circuitry for applying the adjustable phase delay to the touch signal to compensate for phase delays in the touch signal caused by the touch sensor and/or other components. The demodulation circuit can dynamically change the adjustable phase delay to compensate for time-varying phase delays caused by the touch sensor and/or other components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Kevin J. WHITE, Christoph Horst KRAH
  • Publication number: 20130076648
    Abstract: Reducing or eliminating the effects of noise that can be generated by a power system of a touch screen device, such as a gate line voltage system that applies voltage to gate lines of the touch screen, is provided. In one example, a power supply, such as a charge pump, can be disabled during active touch sensing, such that noise from the charge pump is not generated during touch sensing. In some examples, a voltage regulator can help to maintain the gate voltage level at or above a desired threshold. In some cases, noise entering the touch sensing system can have a lasting effect on noise-sensitive components, even after the noise source is disabled. In these cases, a post-noise stabilizing system can be included to stabilize, reset, etc., noise-sensitive components of the touch sensing system, which can help to reduce or eliminate the lasting effect of noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: Christoph Horst KRAH, Kevin J. White, Yafei Bi
  • Publication number: 20130076647
    Abstract: Operating touch screens by applying more than one voltage modes, including a first voltage mode corresponding to a display phase and a second voltage mode corresponding to a touch sensing phase, is provided. An integrated touch screen device can include a multi-mode power system that can select a first voltage mode corresponding a display phase and a second voltage mode corresponding to a touch sensing phase. Each of one or more voltages can be applied to the touch screen at the corresponding first voltage level during the updating of the image. A touch sensing system can sense touch during a touch sensing phase. Each of one or more voltages can be applied to the touch screen at the corresponding second voltage level during the sensing of touch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Kevin J. White
  • Publication number: 20120113064
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device having circuitry to compensate for crosstalk from the device display to the device touch sensor panel is disclosed. The crosstalk compensation circuitry can include a downsampler and a crosstalk compensator. The downsampler can downsample a display image to a manageable size for transmission and processing and can then send the downsampled image to the crosstalk compensator so as to provide information about the display operation that can be used to estimate the expected amount of crosstalk caused by the display. The crosstalk compensator can estimate the amount of crosstalk based on the downsampled image and can then compensate a touch image captured by the touch sensor panel for the estimated amount, the touch image being indicative of a touch or hover event at the panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Kevin J. WHITE, Marduke Yousefpor, Christoph Horst Krah, Steven Porter Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20110298727
    Abstract: Clamping of a circuit element of a touch screen, such as a gate line of the display system of the touch screen, to a fixed voltage is provided. The circuit element can be clamped during a touch phase and unclamped during a display phase of the touch screen. A gate line system of a touch screen can include a first transistor with a source or drain connected to a first gate line, a second transistor with a source or drain connected to a second gate line, and a common conductive pathway connecting gates of the first and second transistors. A synchronization system can switch the first and second transistors to connect the first and second gate lines to a fixed voltage during a touch phase, and can switch the first and second transistors to disconnect the first and second gate lines from the fixed voltage during a display phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Marduke Yousefpor, Steven Porter Hotelling, Kevin J. White
  • Publication number: 20110074705
    Abstract: Touch screens with more compact border regions can include an active area that includes touch sensing circuitry including drive lines, and a border region around the active area. The border region can include an area of sealant deposited on conductive lines, and transistor circuitry, such as gate drivers, between the active area and the sealant. The conductive lines can extend from the sealant to the active area without electrically connecting to the transistor circuitry. The conductive lines can have equal impedances and can connect the drive lines to a touch controller off of the touch screen. A set of drive signal characteristics for the drive lines can be obtained by determining a transfer function associated with each drive line, obtaining an inverse of each transfer function, and applying a set of individual sense signal characteristics to the inverse transfer functions to obtain the corresponding set of drive signal characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventors: Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Steven Porter Hotelling, Kevin J. White, Shih Chang Chang
  • Publication number: 20100253638
    Abstract: A gate driver circuit for switching gate line voltage supplies between display and touch modes is disclosed. The circuit can include one or more switches configured to switch one or more gate lines of an integrated touch sensitive display between a display mode and a touch mode. During touch mode, the circuit can be configured to switch the gate lines to connect to a more stable voltage supply. The circuit can also be configured to reduce or eliminate interference from the display circuitry to the touch circuitry that could affect touch sensing. During display mode, the circuit can be configured to switch the gate lines to connect to a fluctuating voltage supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Marduke Yousefpor, Shih Chang Chang, Kevin J. White, Steven Porter Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20030120911
    Abstract: A hybrid method of reprogramming the memory of an electronic module initializes the module and prepares it for the capability to subsequently receive information via high speed wireless transmission by initially down-loading to the module memory via a relatively low speed wire bus, a boot loader program and an operating system kernel. Subsequently, the remaining module memory is reprogrammed, or flashed by wirelessly transmitting new memory information in accordance with wireless protocol information passed to the module by the wire bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Stephen L. Muench-Casanova, Rajiv Saxena, Kevin J. White, Jeffrey C. Vogel
  • Patent number: 6114640
    Abstract: A column stalk assembly for controlling lighting and wiper functions of a motor vehicle is provided. The column stalk includes a wiper stalk controlling the front wipers, rear wipers, front washer, and rear washer of the motor vehicle and a lighting stalk controlling the headlamps, high beam headlamps, interior lights, and turn signals of the motor vehicle, the wiper stalk and the lighting stalk being structurally similar. Each stalk includes an outer rotatable knob and an inner rotatable ring separated by a stationary ring. The stationary ring cooperates with the outer knob to control a specific function. Each stalk also includes a base disposed adjacent to the inner ring. The base cooperates with the inner ring to control a specific function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony J. Oddo, Kenneth E. Zalewski, Tim W. Anness, William St Clair, Kevin J. White, Michael A. Dahl