Patents by Inventor Nathan Pletcher

Nathan Pletcher 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: 9024727
    Abstract: Methods and systems for utilizing oscillator frequency divider settings as a temperature sensor are described herein. An example method may involve a reader device transmitting an RF signal to a tag device that includes an electronic oscillator configured to generate an oscillator signal with an oscillator frequency and a frequency adjuster configured to adjust the oscillator frequency with a frequency adjustment factor to provide a resulting frequency, the oscillator frequency being dependent on a temperature of the tag device and the resulting frequency being based on a reference frequency provided by the RF signal. The method may also involve the reader device receiving data from the tag device, the data being indicative of the oscillator frequency. The method may further involve the reader device determining an estimate of the temperature of the tag device based on at least the received data and a predetermined relationship between temperature and oscillator frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Patrick Otis, Nathan Pletcher, Daniel Yeager
  • Publication number: 20150076909
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a sensor, auxiliary electronics, a primary power supply configured to harvest radio frequency (RF) radiation received from an external reader and use the harvested RF radiation to power the sensor, and an auxiliary power supply configured to harvest energy other than that received from the external reader and use the harvested energy to supply power to the sensor and/or the auxiliary electronics. The external reader may supply less power in response to operation of the auxiliary power supply. Additionally or alternatively, in response to a determination that the auxiliary power supply is unable to supply power, the wearable device may disable all auxiliary electronics but for the sensor. In response to a determination that the primary power supply is unable to supply power but the auxiliary power supply is able to supply power, the wearable device may retain operating parameters in the memory storage unit using the auxiliary power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: William James Biederman, Nathan Pletcher, Andrew Nelson, Daniel Yeager
  • Patent number: 8979271
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes a substrate and a circuit. The circuit can include: one or more sensors disposed on or within the substrate, that sense a feature associated with a wearer of the contact lens; and a compensation circuit disposed on or within the substrate, coupled to the sensor(s) and that outputs information to adjust an output of the sensor(s). The compensation circuit can include: a temperature component that senses the temperature of the sensor(s); and a communication component that outputs information indicative of the temperature of the sensor(s), and receives information associated with adjusting the output of the sensor(s). In other aspects, a contact lens includes a circuit that senses the body temperature, or ambient temperature outside of the body, of the contact lens wearer. Sensor fusion and/or calibration can be performed based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Zenghe Liu, Brian Otis
  • Patent number: 8926809
    Abstract: An eye-mountable device includes an electrochemical sensor embedded in a polymeric material configured for mounting to a surface of an eye. The electrochemical sensor applies a stabilization voltage between a working electrode and a reference electrode to allow the amperometric current to stabilize before powering measurement electronics configured to measure the amperometric current and communicate the measured amperometric current. The electrochemical sensor consumes less power while applying the stabilization voltage than during the measurement. The measurement is initiated in response to receiving a measurement signal at an antenna in the eye-mountable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Patent number: 8870370
    Abstract: Systems, contact lenses and methods that facilitate antenna communication via sensor impedance modulation are provided. In one aspect, a system can include a contact lens and a radio frequency (RF) reader. The contact lens can include a substrate; an RF antenna, disposed on or within the substrate; and a sensing component, disposed on or within the substrate, and directly coupled to the RF antenna, wherein the RF antenna is configured to change impedance value as a sensed value of the sensing component changes. The RF reader is external to the contact lens, and configured to interrogate the RF antenna with an RF signal. The RF reader can receive a reflected RF signal from the RF antenna in response to the interrogation. The magnitude, phase and/or a frequency of the reflected RF signal can be based on the impedance value of the RF antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Otis, Nathan Pletcher
  • Patent number: 8864305
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens with capacitive sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes: a substrate; a capacitive sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that senses a capacitance on the contact lens; and a circuit disposed on or within the substrate. In some aspects, the circuit can include a capacitance analysis component that determines a condition of an eyelid associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed and/or a parameter associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed. In some aspects, the condition can be a blink of an eyelid. In some aspects, the parameter can be at least one of a pressure of an object in proximity to the contact lens, a thickness or type of a layer of material disposed on or within the contact lens or a composition of material on the contact lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Patent number: 8857981
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens with capacitive sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes: a substrate; a capacitive sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that senses a capacitance on the contact lens; and a circuit disposed on or within the substrate. In some aspects, the circuit can include a capacitance analysis component that determines a condition of an eyelid associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed and/or a parameter associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed. In some aspects, the condition can be a blink of an eyelid. In some aspects, the parameter can be at least one of a pressure of an object in proximity to the contact lens, a thickness or type of a layer of material disposed on or within the contact lens or a composition of material on the contact lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Publication number: 20140209481
    Abstract: An eye-mountable device includes an electrochemical sensor embedded in a polymeric material configured for mounting to a surface of an eye. The electrochemical sensor applies a stabilization voltage between a working electrode and a reference electrode to allow the amperometric current to stabilize before powering measurement electronics configured to measure the amperometric current and communicate the measured amperometric current. The electrochemical sensor consumes less power while applying the stabilization voltage than during the measurement. The measurement is initiated in response to receiving a measurement signal at an antenna in the eye-mountable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Publication number: 20140213867
    Abstract: An eye-mountable device includes an electrochemical sensor embedded in a polymeric material configured for mounting to a surface of an eye. The electrochemical sensor applies a stabilization voltage between a working electrode and a reference electrode to allow the amperometric current to stabilize before powering measurement electronics configured to measure the amperometric current and communicate the measured amperometric current. The electrochemical sensor consumes less power while applying the stabilization voltage than during the measurement. The measurement is initiated in response to receiving a measurement signal at an antenna in the eye-mountable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Publication number: 20140192311
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods of contact lenses with power sources are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens can include a substrate; and a circuit. The circuit can include: one or more sensors disposed on or within the substrate; circuitry disposed on at least a portion of the substrate; one or more photovoltaic cells disposed on at least a portion of the substrate; and a hybrid power component that supplies at least one of two or more different types of power to the circuitry, wherein at least one of the two or more different types of power is radio frequency/inductive power. In various aspects, other types of power can be solar and/or microelectromechanical system power. Additionally, in various aspects, photovoltaic cells can be arrayed in different configurations and/or over a significant portion of a viewing surface of the contact lens. In some aspects, the photovoltaic cells can be transparent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Publication number: 20140192312
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens with capacitive sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes: a substrate; a capacitive sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that senses a capacitance on the contact lens; and a circuit disposed on or within the substrate. In some aspects, the circuit can include a capacitance analysis component that determines a condition of an eyelid associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed and/or a parameter associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed. In some aspects, the condition can be a blink of an eyelid. In some aspects, the parameter can be at least one of a pressure of an object in proximity to the contact lens, a thickness or type of a layer of material disposed on or within the contact lens or a composition of material on the contact lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Publication number: 20140194773
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens with capacitive sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes: a substrate; a capacitive sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that senses a capacitance on the contact lens; and a circuit disposed on or within the substrate. In some aspects, the circuit can include a capacitance analysis component that determines a condition of an eyelid associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed and/or a parameter associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed. In some aspects, the condition can be a blink of an eyelid. In some aspects, the parameter can be at least one of a pressure of an object in proximity to the contact lens, a thickness or type of a layer of material disposed on or within the contact lens or a composition of material on the contact lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Brian Otis
  • Patent number: 8750810
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a transmitter with a power amplifier and a switched output matching circuit implementing a plurality of output paths for a plurality of operating modes is described. The power amplifier receives an input RF signal and provides an amplified RF signal. An output matching network performs impedance transformation from low impedance at the power amplifier output to higher impedance at the matching network output. The plurality of output paths are coupled to the output matching network. Each output path provides a different target output impedance for the power amplifier and routes the amplified RF signal from the power amplifier to an antenna when that output path is selected. Each output path may include a matching network coupled in series with a switch. The matching network provides the target output impedance for the power amplifier when the output path is selected. The switch couples or decouples the output path to/from the power amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Aristotele Hadjichristos, Yu Zhao, Babak Nejati
  • Patent number: 8742623
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a sensor, auxiliary electronics, a primary power supply configured to harvest radio frequency (RF) radiation received from an external reader and use the harvested RF radiation to power the sensor, and an auxiliary power supply configured to harvest energy other than that received from the external reader and use the harvested energy to supply power to the sensor and/or the auxiliary electronics. The external reader may supply less power in response to operation of the auxiliary power supply. Additionally or alternatively, in response to a determination that the auxiliary power supply is unable to supply power, the wearable device may disable all auxiliary electronics but for the sensor. In response to a determination that the primary power supply is unable to supply power but the auxiliary power supply is able to supply power, the wearable device may retain operating parameters in the memory storage unit using the auxiliary power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: William James Biederman, Nathan Pletcher, Andrew Nelson, Daniel Yeager
  • Publication number: 20140098226
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and/or methods for capturing image data representing a scene in a gaze of a viewer via a thin image capture component integrated on or within a contact lens, processing the image data, and employing the processed image data to perform functions locally on the contact lens or remotely on one or more remote devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Babak Amirparviz, Olivia Hatalsky
  • Publication number: 20140085600
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes a substrate and a circuit. The circuit can include: one or more sensors disposed on or within the substrate, that sense a feature associated with a wearer of the contact lens; and a compensation circuit disposed on or within the substrate, coupled to the sensor(s) and that outputs information to adjust an output of the sensor(s). The compensation circuit can include: a temperature component that senses the temperature of the sensor(s); and a communication component that outputs information indicative of the temperature of the sensor(s), and receives information associated with adjusting the output of the sensor(s). In other aspects, a contact lens includes a circuit that senses the body temperature, or ambient temperature outside of the body, of the contact lens wearer. Sensor fusion and/or calibration can be performed based on the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Zenghe Liu, Brian Otis
  • Publication number: 20140081178
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and/or methods for detection of eye blinking using an active contact lens with multiple sensors and detecting orientation of the active contact lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Eric Teller, Babak Amirparviz
  • Publication number: 20110018632
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a transmitter with a power amplifier and a switched output matching circuit implementing a plurality of output paths for a plurality of operating modes is described. The power amplifier receives an input RF signal and provides an amplified RF signal. An output matching network performs impedance transformation from low impedance at the power amplifier output to higher impedance at the matching network output. The plurality of output paths are coupled to the output matching network. Each output path provides a different target output impedance for the power amplifier and routes the amplified RF signal from the power amplifier to an antenna when that output path is selected. Each output path may include a matching network coupled in series with a switch. The matching network provides the target output impedance for the power amplifier when the output path is selected. The switch couples or decouples the output path to/from the power amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Nathan Pletcher, Aristotele Hadjichristos, Yu Zhao, Babak Nejati
  • Publication number: 20100295629
    Abstract: An output circuit with integrated impedance matching, power combining, and filtering and suitable for use with power amplifiers and other circuits is described. In an exemplary design, an apparatus may include first and second circuits (e.g., power amplifiers) and an output circuit. The first circuit may provide a first single-ended signal and may have a first output impedance. The second circuit may provide a second single-ended signal and may have a second output impedance. The output circuit may include (i) first and second matching circuits that perform output impedance matching and filtering for the first and second circuits, (ii) a combiner (e.g., a summing node) that combines the first and second single-ended signals to obtain a combined single-ended signal, (iii) a third matching circuit that performs impedance matching and filtering for the combined single-ended signal, and (iv) switches to route the single-ended signals to different outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Guy Klemens, Nathan Pletcher, Babak Nejati, Norman Frederick, Thomas Myers
  • Publication number: 20100291888
    Abstract: A multi-mode multi-band power amplifier (PA) module is described. In an exemplary design, the PA module includes multiple power amplifiers, multiple matching circuits, and a set of switches. Each power amplifier provides power amplification for its input signal when selected. Each matching circuit provides impedance matching and filtering for its power amplifier and provides a respective output signal. The switches configure the power amplifiers to support multiple modes, with each mode being for a particular radio technology. Each power amplifier supports at least two modes. The PA module may further include a driver amplifier and an additional matching circuit. The driver amplifier amplifies an input signal and provides an amplified signal to the power amplifiers. The additional matching circuit combines the outputs of other matching circuits and provides an output signal with higher output power. The driver amplifier and the power amplifiers can support multiple output power levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Aristotele Hadjichristos, Puay Hoe See, Babak Nejati, Guy Klemens, Norman Frederick, JR., Gurkanwal Singh Sahota, Marco Cassia, Nathan Pletcher, Yu Zhao, Thomas Myers