Patents by Inventor Matthew Bell

Matthew Bell 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: 7809167
    Abstract: A method and system for processing captured image information in an interactive video display system. In one embodiment, a special learning condition of a captured camera image is detected. The captured camera image is compared to a normal background model image and to a second background model image, wherein the second background model is learned at a faster rate than the normal background model. A vision image is generated based on the comparisons. In another embodiment, an object in the captured image information that does not move for a predetermined time period is detected. A burn-in image comprising the object is generated, wherein the burn-in image is operable to allow a vision system of the interactive video display system to classify the object as background.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventor: Matthew Bell
  • Patent number: 7779366
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for drawing graphics, such as to display a user interface on a display of a mobile device. A graphics stack is used to store pre-computed coordinate values to improve performance for drawing graphics, such as to display a user interface on a display of a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Bells, Brian A. Young
  • Publication number: 20100205270
    Abstract: Instant messaging clients transmit, to a server, presence information indicating that the respective client is in a communicative state in which the client is receptive to communicating with the other clients. A server determines, for each client, that the respective client is in a communicative state if presence information was received from the client over a preceding predetermined time period, and that the client is in an unknown state if presence information was not received from the client over the preceding predetermined time period. The communicative state and the unknown state are possible presence states of the clients. The server transmits a notification to a second client of the presence state of a first client when both the first client and the second client are in a communicative state. But the server refrains from transmitting the notification to the second client when the first client is in the unknown state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Matthew Bells, David M. Haigh
  • Patent number: 7770118
    Abstract: System and method that provides audible feedback through a speaker of a handheld electronic device having a full alphabetic keyboard upon actuation of a navigation tool. The audible feedback produced by the speaker is capable of being modified based upon the location, speed, and other characteristics of the movement of a cursor on the display of a handheld electronic device. The sound produced by the speaker can originate from an audio file stored or otherwise available on the handheld electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Lee, Andrew Bocking, David Mak-Fan, Steven Fyke, Matthew Bells
  • Patent number: 7764277
    Abstract: Systems and methods for use in displaying user interface components upon user interfaces of computing devices. A system and method could be configured to receive an image to be displayed upon a user interface of the device. One or more indicators can be used to specify how the image is to be divided into multiple regions. The regions of the divided image are displayed with a user interface component upon the user interface of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard D. Klassen, Matthew Bells
  • Publication number: 20100131754
    Abstract: An apparatus, and an associated method, enables presence information of a presentity to be retrieved by a watcher. Elements, or portions, of the presence information may be made selectively opaque (unreadable) to any but authorized watchers or other consumers of the presentity information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Bells, Gerhard D. Klassen, Brian Edward McColgan
  • Publication number: 20100121866
    Abstract: An interactive display management device for managing content to be displayed on each of a plurality of interactive display devices is configured to receive respective content items from each of one or more content clients. Interactive display devices transmit interaction data indicating interactions between one or more body parts of users or objects held by users and virtual objects displayed on respective interactive display devices to the display management device, and the display management device is configured to determine, based at least on the interaction data received from one or more interactive display devices, playlists for respective interactive display devices, wherein the playlists indicate one or more content item to be displayed on the respective display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Matthew Bell, Scott Anthony Bylo Chacon, Nick Hengeveld
  • Patent number: 7710391
    Abstract: An interactive video window display system. A projector projects a visual image. A screen displays the visual image, wherein the projector projects the visual image onto a back side of the screen for presentation to a user on a front side of the screen, and wherein the screen is adjacent to a window. An illuminator illuminates an object on a front side of the window. A camera detects interaction of an illuminated object with the visual image, wherein the screen is at least partially transparent to light detectable by the camera, allowing the camera to detect the illuminated object through the screen. A computer system directs the projector to change the visual image in response to the interaction. The projector, the camera, the illuminator, and the computer system are located on the same side of the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventors: Matthew Bell, Philip Gleckman, Joshua Zide, Helen Shaughnessy
  • Publication number: 20100085304
    Abstract: Modifying the appearance of a movable position-marker on a display screen of an electronic device is disclosed. A graphical user interface program is run on a microprocessor module of the electronic device that controls display of images on a display screen. Designating a partial area of a page of displayed using an overlaid position marker which has a perimeter defining a highlighting area. The bounded area can be partially non-uniformly filled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Robert Patterson, Matthew Bells, Tareq Ismail
  • Publication number: 20100088532
    Abstract: A method and handheld electronic device having a graphic user interface with efficient orientation sensor input use are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Stuart Coleman Edmond POLLOCK, Matthew BELLS
  • Publication number: 20100076807
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an electronic device is provided, the electronic device having a processing unit interconnecting a memory and a display module, the processing unit configured to control the display module. The method comprises receiving, at the processing unit, first data representative of a meeting request. The method further comprises retrieving, at the processing unit, second data representative of an existing schedule, from the memory. The method further comprises generating at the processing unit a proposed schedule by merging the first data with the second data. The method further comprises, via the processing unit, controlling the display module to generate a representation of the proposed schedule on the display module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Matthew BELLS, Rohit Jain
  • Publication number: 20100060722
    Abstract: Information from execution of a vision processing module may be used to control a 3D vision system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventor: Matthew Bell
  • Publication number: 20100053089
    Abstract: A method of controlling a portable electronic device having a touchscreen display includes determining a first orientation of the portable electronic device, rendering a first virtual keyboard and a first data display area on the touchscreen display based on the first orientation of the portable electronic device, automatically detecting a change from the first orientation to a second orientation of the portable electronic device, and automatically reconfiguring the touchscreen display by rendering a second virtual keyboard, a second data display area, and data previously displayed in the first data display area in the second data display area on the touchscreen display based on the second orientation of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Jordanna KWOK, Matthew BELLS, Jennifer LHOTAK
  • Publication number: 20100039500
    Abstract: A self-contained hardware and software system that allows reliable stereo vision to be performed. The vision hardware for the system, which includes a stereo camera and at least one illumination source that projects a pattern into the camera's field of view, may be contained in a single box. This box may contain mechanisms to allow the box to remain securely and stay in place on a surface such as the top of a display. The vision hardware may contain a physical mechanism that allows the box, and thus the camera's field of view, to be tilted upward or downward in order to ensure that the camera can see what it needs to see.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Matthew Bell, Raymond Chin, Matthew Vieta
  • Publication number: 20100026624
    Abstract: An interactive directed beam system is provided. In one implementation, the system includes a projector, a computer and a camera. The camera is configured to view and capture information in an interactive area. The captured information may take various forms, such as, an image and/or audio data. The captured information is based on actions taken by an object, such as, a person within the interactive area. Such actions include, for example, natural movements of the person and interactions between the person and an image projected by the projector. The captured information from the camera is then sent to the computer for processing. The computer performs one or more processes to extract certain information, such as, the relative location of the person within the interactive area for use in controlling the projector. Based on the results generated by the processes, the computer directs the projector to adjust the projected image accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventor: Matthew Bell
  • Publication number: 20100010816
    Abstract: To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a username, a first or last name of a user associated with the username may be retrieved, and a pronunciation of the username may be determined based at least in part on whether the name forms at least part of the username. To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a domain name having a top level domain and at least one other level domain, a pronunciation for the top level domain may be determined based at least in part upon whether the top level domain is one of a predetermined set of top level domains. Each other level domain may be searched for one or more recognized words therewithin, and a pronunciation of the other level domain may be determined based at least in part on an outcome of the search. The username and domain name may form part of a network address such as an email address, URL or URI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Matthew Bells, Jennifer Elizabeth Lhotak, Michael Angelo Nanni
  • Publication number: 20100010815
    Abstract: To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a username, a first or last name of a user associated with the username may be retrieved, and a pronunciation of the username may be determined based at least in part on whether the name forms at least part of the username. To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a domain name having a top level domain and at least one other level domain, a pronunciation for the top level domain may be determined based at least in part upon whether the top level domain is one of a predetermined set of top level domains. Each other level domain may be searched for one or more recognized words therewithin, and a pronunciation of the other level domain may be determined based at least in part on an outcome of the search. The username and domain name may form part of a network address such as an email address, URL or URI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Matthew Bells, Jennifer Elizabeth Lhotak, Michael Angelo Nanni
  • Publication number: 20090307365
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for localizing applications that are used with hand-held electronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Jon MacKay, Matthew Bells
  • Publication number: 20090267904
    Abstract: A method of determining input at a touch-sensitive input surface of a portable electronic device includes detecting a touch event at the touch-sensitive input surface, sampling touch attributes during the touch event, determining an actual touch location and determining at least one shift in touch location based on the touch attributes sampled during the touch event, and determining an input based on the actual touch location and the direction of shift of the touch location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: David MAK-FAN, Kuo-Feng TONG, Matthew BELLS, Douglas RIDER, Michael LANGLOIS, Jong-Suk LEE, Jason T. GRIFFIN, Colin HO
  • Publication number: 20090251685
    Abstract: A fragmented lens system for creating an invisible light pattern useful to computer vision systems is disclosed. Random or semi-random dot patterns generated by the present system allow a computer to uniquely identify each patch of a pattern projected by a corresponding illuminator or light source. The computer may determine the position and distance of an object by identifying the illumination pattern on the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventor: Matthew Bell