Patents by Inventor Lawrence Willis
Lawrence Willis 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: 10977347Abstract: There is described an electronic device comprising a biometric authentication sensor and a control circuit, and a method thereof. The biometric authentication sensor detects an object in proximity. The control circuit activates an authentication operation in determining that sensor coverage exceeds a predetermined threshold and based on a quality of a biometric input sample captured by the biometric authentication sensor. The control circuit provides user feedback associated with the sensor coverage in determining that the sensor coverage and the quality of the biometric input sample does or does not exceed the thresholds.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Justin Eltoft, Jiri Slaby, Lawrence A. Willis
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Patent number: 10019562Abstract: In embodiments of an electronic device having a biometric authentication system and grip detection sensor, an authentication circuit is coupled to the biometric authentication sensor and grip detection sensor. The biometric authentication sensor is configured to receive a biometric input sample. The grip detection sensor is configured to identify an orientation of a hand of a user relative to the biometric authentication sensor. The authentication circuit determines a priority of multiple biometric templates based on the orientation and authenticates the biometric input sample based on the priority of the multiple biometric templates.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Lawrence A Willis, Justin Eltoft, Jiri Slaby
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Patent number: 9832394Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for implementing adaptive low-light view modes. These techniques and apparatuse enable a computing device to capture infrared (IR) imagery at a particular location and retrieve, based on the particular location, previously-captured imagery that corresponds with the IR imagery. The IR imagery and previously-captured imagery can then be combined to provide composite imagery, which is presented to a user. By so doing, the user's view of the particular location can be enhanced, particularly in low-light conditions.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2014Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLCInventors: Jiri Slaby, William S. Pierce, Lawrence A. Willis
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Patent number: 9830495Abstract: In embodiments of a biometric authentication system with proximity sensor, an electronic device includes a biometric authentication sensor and at least one activation sensor adjacent to the biometric authentication sensor. The activation sensor or sensors activate the biometric authentication sensor in response to detecting proximity of an object at a predetermined distance from the biometric authentication sensor.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLCInventors: Jiri Slaby, Justin Eltoft, Lawrence A Willis
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Patent number: 9723224Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for implementing adaptive low-light identification. These techniques and apparatuses enable a computing device to capture infrared (IR) imagery of a person and determine, based on previously-captured IR imagery of multiple people, an identity of the person. Visible-light imagery of the identified person can then be retrieved and combined with the IR imagery to provide composite imagery of the person, which is presented to a user. By so doing, the user can more-easily identify the person, particularly in low-light conditions.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2014Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLCInventors: Jiri Slaby, William S. Pierce, Lawrence A. Willis
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Publication number: 20170161482Abstract: There is described an electronic device comprising a biometric authentication sensor and a control circuit, and a method thereof. The biometric authentication sensor detects an object in proximity. The control circuit activates an authentication operation in determining that sensor coverage exceeds a predetermined threshold and based on a quality of a biometric input sample captured by the biometric authentication sensor. The control circuit provides user feedback associated with the sensor coverage in determining that the sensor coverage and the quality of the biometric input sample does or does not exceed the thresholds.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2017Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Justin Eltoft, Jiri Slaby, Lawrence A. Willis
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Publication number: 20170116457Abstract: There is described an electronic device comprising a biometric authentication sensor and a control circuit, and a method thereof. The biometric authentication sensor detects an object in proximity. The control circuit activates an authentication operation in determining that sensor coverage exceeds a predetermined threshold. The control circuit provides user feedback associated to the sensor coverage in determining that the sensor coverage does not exceed the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2015Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Justin Eltoft, Jiri Slaby, Lawrence A. Willis
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Patent number: 9634973Abstract: A apparatus and method for managing blind-carbon-copy replies in e-mail communications includes an electronic computing device configured to detect 602 that an e-mail account that is a blind-carbon-copy recipient of a received e-mail of an e-mail thread is sending a reply e-mail to at least one participant of a set of participants of the e-mail thread. The electronic computing device is also configured to determine 604, from the set of participants of the e-mail thread, an e-mail account adder that added the e-mail account to the e-mail thread as the blind-carbon-copy recipient. The electronic computing device is further configured to add 610 text to the reply e-mail indicating the e-mail account adder forwarded the received e-mail to the e-mail account or to send 614 an auto-generated e-mail notification to the at least one participant of the e-mail thread indicating the e-mail account adder added the e-mail account to the e-mail thread as a participant.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2014Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLCInventors: Amit Kumar Agrawal, Lawrence A Willis, Jayashree M Yabannavar
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Patent number: 9613245Abstract: There is described an electronic device comprising a biometric authentication sensor and a control circuit, and a method thereof. The biometric authentication sensor detects an object in proximity. The control circuit activates an authentication operation in determining that sensor coverage exceeds a predetermined threshold. The control circuit provides user feedback associated to the sensor coverage in determining that the sensor coverage does not exceed the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2015Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Justin Eltoft, Jiri Slaby, Lawrence A Willis
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Patent number: 9584738Abstract: In embodiments of multi-wavelength infra-red LED, a mobile device includes a multi-wavelength infra-red (IR) LED that projects near infra-red (NIR) light in multiple wavelengths. The multi-wavelength IR LED can be implemented as a single LED, or as a combination of LEDs packaged together as a single component for implementation in the mobile device. The mobile device can be implemented for various IR-based features, such as for iris illumination and authentication, proximity sensing, gesture detection, and for other IR-based features that each correspond to a different one of the multiple wavelengths of the NIR light. The mobile device includes a NIR filtering system to receive reflections of the NIR light and filter the multiple wavelengths of the NIR light for each of the different IR-based features of the mobile device.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2015Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Jiri Slaby, Rachid M Alameh, Lawrence A Willis
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Publication number: 20170017826Abstract: In embodiments of a biometric authentication system with proximity sensor, an electronic device includes a biometric authentication sensor and at least one activation sensor adjacent to the biometric authentication sensor. The activation sensor or sensors activate the biometric authentication sensor in response to detecting proximity of an object at a predetermined distance from the biometric authentication sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2015Publication date: January 19, 2017Inventors: Jiri Slaby, Justin Eltoft, Lawrence A. Willis
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Publication number: 20170017783Abstract: In embodiments of an electronic device having a biometric authentication system and grip detection sensor, an authentication circuit is coupled to the biometric authentication sensor and grip detection sensor. The biometric authentication sensor is configured to receive a biometric input sample. The grip detection sensor is configured to identify an orientation of a hand of a user relative to the biometric authentication sensor. The authentication circuit determines a priority of multiple biometric templates based on the orientation and authenticates the biometric input sample based on the priority of the multiple biometric templates.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2015Publication date: January 19, 2017Inventors: Lawrence A. Willis, Justin Eltoft, Jiri Slaby
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Publication number: 20170004294Abstract: A method and apparatus for using speech to unlock an electronic device having a pattern-based unlocking mechanism includes the electronic device receiving tactile input to set an unlocking pattern relative to a pattern array of an electronic device, wherein the unlocking pattern can be used to unlock the electronic device. The method also includes mapping a character sequence to the unlocking pattern. The method further includes the electronic device detecting that it is in a locked state and unlocking itself upon detecting speech that includes at least a portion of the character sequence mapped to the unlocking pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2015Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: Amit Kumar Agrawal, William S. Pierce, Lawrence A. Willis
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Publication number: 20160371528Abstract: In embodiments of a concealed fingerprint sensor with wake-up and electrostatic discharge, a mobile device includes the fingerprint sensor for user authentication to the mobile device, such as concealed under a non-conductive surface that also covers an integrated display of the mobile device. A conductive metal formed as micro-vias extend through the non-conductive surface, where the micro-vias discharge the electrostatic energy of a user of the mobile device when the user contacts the micro-vias, such as when placing a finger on the non-conductive surface over the fingerprint sensor. Additionally, the fingerprint sensor can be implemented to activate based on a conductive signal that is generated when the electrostatic energy of the user is discharged, and the fingerprint sensor wakes-up to image a fingerprint of the user for authentication.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2015Publication date: December 22, 2016Inventors: Jiri Slaby, Justin Eltoft, Lawrence A. Willis
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Publication number: 20160344950Abstract: In embodiments of multi-wavelength infra-red LED, a mobile device includes a multi-wavelength infra-red (IR) LED that projects near infra-red (NIR) light in multiple wavelengths. The multi-wavelength IR LED can be implemented as a single LED, or as a combination of LEDs packaged together as a single component for implementation in the mobile device. The mobile device can be implemented for various IR-based features, such as for iris illumination and authentication, proximity sensing, gesture detection, and for other IR-based features that each correspond to a different one of the multiple wavelengths of the NIR light. The mobile device includes a NIR filtering system to receive reflections of the NIR light and filter the multiple wavelengths of the NIR light for each of the different IR-based features of the mobile device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2015Publication date: November 24, 2016Inventors: Jiri Slaby, Rachid M. Alameh, Lawrence A. Willis
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Publication number: 20160300108Abstract: In embodiments of iris acquisition using visible light imaging, a mobile device includes a front-facing camera device with a light that can be used to project visible light to illuminate a face of a user of the mobile device. An eye location module can determine that the user is wearing glasses utilizing ambient light or the projected visible light. The eye location module can determine a center point of a lens of the glasses and initiate an LED system to project near infra-red light to illuminate at least one eye of the user. The near infra-red light is projected to encompass the determined center point of the lens effective to illuminate a pupil of the eye. The eye location module can locate the pupil of the eye based on a reflection of the near infra-red light from the pupil at approximately the determined center point of the lens.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2015Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Lawrence A. Willis, Justin Eltoft, Jiri Slaby
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Publication number: 20160282934Abstract: In embodiments of presence detection for gesture recognition and iris authentication, a mobile device includes a proximity sensor to detect a presence of a user of the mobile device. An interaction module can determine a position of the user with respect to the mobile device based on the detected presence of the user, and project a type of user interaction with the mobile device based on the determined position of the user. The projected type of user interaction can be based on a mode of the mobile device, and the mobile device being utilized for gesture recognition and/or iris authentication. The interaction module can position an imaging system to capture an image of a feature of the user, such as a gesture motion or an eye of the user, where the imaging system is positioned based on the projected type of user interaction with the mobile device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2015Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Lawrence A. Willis, Rachid M. Alameh, Jiri Slaby
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Publication number: 20160283789Abstract: In embodiments of power-saving illumination for iris authentication, a mobile device includes near infra-red lights that cycle sequentially to illuminate a face of a user of the mobile device. An eye location module can determine a position of the face of the user with respect to the mobile device based on sequential reflections of the near infra-red lights from the face of the user. The determined position also includes a distance of the face of the user from the mobile device as derived based on one of the near infra-red lights. The eye location module can then initiate illumination of an eye of the user with a subset of the near infra-red lights for a power-saving illumination based on the determined position of the face of the user with respect to the mobile device. An imager can then capture an image of the eye of the user for iris authentication.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2015Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Jiri Slaby, Rachid M. Alameh, Lawrence A. Willis
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Patent number: 9451072Abstract: A phone call is made from an initiator phone to a receiver phone (200). The receiver phone determines how many people are near the receiver phone, and generates a response based on how many people are near the receiver phone. This response can be, for example, a message that is sent to the initiator phone and can be displayed at the initiator phone, indicating either that no one is near the receiver phone or that multiple people are near the receiver phone. The number of people that are near the receiver phone is monitored, and when just one person near the receiver phone is detected, various different actions can be taken. A message can be sent for display at the initiator phone indicating that there is only one person near the receiver phone, or the receiver phone can prompt the user to call back the initiator phone.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2015Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Lawrence A Willis, Gabriel B Burca, Aaron Dietrich, Justin Eltoft, John J Gorsica, John C Johnson, Thomas Merrell, David P Winkler
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Publication number: 20160104120Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling project meetings includes a meeting organizer module of an electronic computing device receiving, from a project manager module, a first criticality for a first task and a second criticality for a second task of a plurality of tasks for a project. The method also includes the meeting organizer module scheduling a project meeting for the project based on the first criticality and the second criticality, wherein scheduling the project meeting includes determining an ordered agenda in which presentations for tasks for the project are presented for the project meeting.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2014Publication date: April 14, 2016Inventors: Amit Kumar Agrawal, Raymond B. Essick, Mayank Gupta, Lawrence A. Willis