Patents by Inventor Lance Bourque

Lance Bourque 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).

  • Continuous capacitive slider controller for a smooth surfaced cooktop
    Publication number: 20060016800
    Abstract: A touch responsive capacitive control for a smooth surfaced ceramic cooktop provides a continuously variable control voltage which indicates the last touched position on an elongated control surface. An A.C. potential is applied between a transmitter plate and a pair of receiver plates all of which are positioned below the surface of the cooktop. The relative area of overlap between the touching finger and the two receiver plates varies along the length of the control surface, and the resulting change in the relative currents flowing to the two receiver plates is sensed to provide a position indication used to control the cooktop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph Paradiso, Lance Bourque