Patents by Inventor Michael Paul Coulson

Michael Paul Coulson 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: 10126883
    Abstract: A capacitive touch sensor includes a sensor substrate and an array of electrode elements formed over the sensor substrate. Each electrode element of the array includes at least one of a first electrode group comprising at least two drive electrodes and at least one sense electrode, or a second electrode group comprising at least two sense electrodes and at least one drive electrode. The respective electrodes of the first or second electrode group are arranged to form multiple capacitances over different coupling distances. A controller is operatively coupled to the array of electrode elements, the controller configured to determine a distance of an object relative to the surface of the touch sensor based on variations in the multiple capacitances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michael Paul Coulson, Christopher James Brown, Dauren Slamkul
  • Patent number: 9348470
    Abstract: A mutual capacitance touch panel device includes a substrate, and an array of electrode elements formed on the substrate. Each electrode element includes a drive electrode, a sense electrode and a reference electrode, the reference electrode arranged between the drive electrode and the sense electrode. A first mutual coupling capacitance is formed between the drive electrode and the reference electrode of each electrode element, wherein the drive electrode and reference electrode are configured such that the first mutual coupling capacitance is substantially insensitive to an object touching the surface of the touch panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Christopher James Brown, Michael Paul Coulson
  • Patent number: 9182859
    Abstract: A capacitive type touch sensing device includes a first electrode array including a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of sense electrodes, and a second electrode array spaced apart from the first electrode array and including a plurality of discrete, electrically floating conductive regions. At least part of the second electrode array positionally overlaps with at least part of the first electrode array to define a separation distance therebetween, the separation distance varying with a force applied to a surface of the touch sensing device. Further, each conductive region is positioned relative to a respective drive electrode and sense electrode of the first electrode array so that a capacitance between certain pairs of drive and sense electrodes is more sensitive to a variation in the separation distance than a capacitance between other pairs of drive and sense electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michael Paul Coulson, Christopher James Brown, Dauren Slamkul
  • Patent number: 9158407
    Abstract: A capacitive touch panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate arranged relative to the first substrate. A plurality of drive electrodes are arranged on the first substrate, wherein each drive electrode comprises a first drive electrode section and a second drive electrode section. In addition, a plurality of sense electrodes are arranged on the second substrate, the plurality of sense electrodes including touch sensing electrodes and force sensing electrodes. At least part of a sense electrode of the plurality of sense electrodes forms a force sensitive coupling capacitance with a second drive electrode section and not with a first drive electrode section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michael Paul Coulson, Christopher James Brown, Dauren Slamkul
  • Patent number: 8937607
    Abstract: A mutual capacitance touch panel device includes a substrate and an array of electrode elements formed on the substrate, each electrode element including a drive electrode and a pair of dual-function electrodes. In addition, the pair of dual-function electrodes of each electrode element are arranged substantially symmetrically around the drive electrode of the respective electrode element such that a first dual-function electrode of the pair is adjacent to the drive electrode and the second dual function electrode of the pair is separated from the drive electrode by the first dual-function electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Christopher James Brown, Michael Paul Coulson
  • Publication number: 20140062933
    Abstract: A capacitive touch panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate arranged relative to the first substrate. A plurality of drive electrodes are arranged on the first substrate, wherein each drive electrode comprises a first drive electrode section and a second drive electrode section. In addition, a plurality of sense electrodes are arranged on the second substrate, the plurality of sense electrodes including touch sensing electrodes and force sensing electrodes. At least part of a sense electrode of the plurality of sense electrodes forms a force sensitive coupling capacitance with a second drive electrode section and not with a first drive electrode section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michael Paul COULSON, Christopher James BROWN, Dauren Slamkul
  • Publication number: 20140062934
    Abstract: A capacitive type touch sensing device includes a first electrode array including a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of sense electrodes, and a second electrode array spaced apart from the first electrode array and including a plurality of discrete, electrically floating conductive regions. At least part of the second electrode array positionally overlaps with at least part of the first electrode array to define a separation distance therebetween, the separation distance varying with a force applied to a surface of the touch sensing device. Further, each conductive region is positioned relative to a respective drive electrode and sense electrode of the first electrode array so that a capacitance between certain pairs of drive and sense electrodes is more sensitive to a variation in the separation distance than a capacitance between other pairs of drive and sense electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michael Paul Coulson, Christopher James BROWN, Dauren Slamkul
  • Publication number: 20140009428
    Abstract: A capacitive touch sensor includes a sensor substrate and an array of electrode elements formed over the sensor substrate. Each electrode element of the array includes at least one of a first electrode group comprising at least two drive electrodes and at least one sense electrode, or a second electrode group comprising at least two sense electrodes and at least one drive electrode. The respective electrodes of the first or second electrode group are arranged to form multiple capacitances over different coupling distances. A controller is operatively coupled to the array of electrode elements, the controller configured to determine a distance of an object relative to the surface of the touch sensor based on variations in the multiple capacitances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michael Paul Coulson, Christopher James Brown, Dauren Slamkul
  • Publication number: 20130257785
    Abstract: A mutual capacitance touch panel device includes a substrate and an array of electrode elements formed on the substrate, each electrode element including a drive electrode and a pair of dual-function electrodes. In addition, the pair of dual-function electrodes of each electrode element are arranged substantially symmetrically around the drive electrode of the respective electrode element such that a first dual-function electrode of the pair is adjacent to the drive electrode and the second dual function electrode of the pair is separated from the drive electrode by the first dual-function electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Christopher James BROWN, Michael Paul COULSON
  • Publication number: 20130257786
    Abstract: A mutual capacitance touch panel device includes a substrate, and an array of electrode elements formed on the substrate. Each electrode element includes a drive electrode, a sense electrode and a reference electrode, the reference electrode arranged between the drive electrode and the sense electrode. A first mutual coupling capacitance is formed between the drive electrode and the reference electrode of each electrode element, wherein the drive electrode and reference electrode are configured such that the first mutual coupling capacitance is substantially insensitive to an object touching the surface of the touch panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Christopher James BROWN, Michael Paul COULSON
  • Patent number: 8419273
    Abstract: An array element for a temperature sensor array circuit. The array element includes a switch transistor; and a temperature sensor element having an impedance which varies as a function of temperature, the temperature sensor element being connected in parallel with a source and drain of the switch transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Benjamin James Hadwen, Jason Roderick Hector, Adrian Marc Simon Jacobs, Michael Paul Coulson
  • Publication number: 20110268151
    Abstract: An array element for a temperature sensor array circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Benjamin James Hadwen, Jason Roderick Hector, Adrian Marc Simon Jacobs, Michael Paul Coulson
  • Publication number: 20110006311
    Abstract: A photosensitive structure comprises a plurality of photosenstivie regions (124) which are electrically in series. A light shading layer comprises a plurality of electrically conductive regions (501) disposed so as to shade the photosensitive regions (124) from light incident on a major surface of the structure. The conductive regions (501) are electrically isolated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Benjamin James Hadwen, Michael Paul Coulson
  • Publication number: 20100060562
    Abstract: A method is provided of compensating for stray light in a light sensor having a detection photosensor (7) and a reference photosensor (20), the reference photosensor (7) being for use in compensating for stray light falling on the detection photosensor (20). The method comprises using the reference photosensor (20) at least in part to determine a bias voltage applied to the detection photosensor (7). Based on this method, a display device is provided comprising a backlight and a light sensor for determining an ambient light level with the effects of stray light from the backlight substantially removed, with means provided for controlling the intensity of the backlight in dependence upon the determined ambient light level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Benjamin James Hadwen, Christopher James Brown, Michael Paul Coulson, Patrick Zebedee