Patents by Inventor Kevin Mark Easter

Kevin Mark Easter 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).

  • Method and apparatus for sensing
    Patent number: 7986153
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing a change in capacitance of a sensing electrode to a system ground, such as that which may be used to form a touch sensor, with the sensing electrode forming touch sensitive surface is arranged to include a sleep mode of operation. The apparatus includes a sample capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the sensing electrode, and a second terminal coupled to a voltage measurement circuit. The voltage measurement circuit is arranged in operation to determine a voltage at the second terminal of the sample capacitor. A voltage biasing arrangement is arranged under the control of a controller to apply a biasing voltage or the system ground to the first terminal or the second terminal of the sample capacitor in accordance with a measurement cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin Mark Easter
  • Method and Apparatus for Sensing
    Publication number: 20100219845
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing a change in capacitance of a sensing electrode to a system ground, such as that which may be used to form a touch sensor, with the sensing electrode forming touch sensitive surface is arranged to include a sleep mode of operation. The apparatus includes a sample capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the sensing electrode, and a second terminal coupled to a voltage measurement circuit. The voltage measurement circuit is arranged in operation to determine a voltage at the second terminal of the sample capacitor. A voltage biasing arrangement is arranged under the control of a controller to apply a biasing voltage or the system ground to the first terminal or the second terminal of the sample capacitor in accordance with a measurement cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kevin Mark Easter