Patents by Inventor Neil Christopher Bird
Neil Christopher Bird 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: 11214055Abstract: A drive circuit (100) for driving actuators of a printhead (97) from a common drive waveform has a switching circuit (32) for coupling the common drive waveform to an actuator (1,2), and a timing circuit (10) to control the switching circuit to form a drive pulse from the common drive waveform. The drive pulse is trimmed by controlling a duration (TTRIM) of a step at an intermediate level (VHOLD) in the drive pulse. This can improve the trade-off between available range of trimming and thermal efficiency because the voltage drop across the switching circuit can be reduced, compared to trimming only the height. Decoupling during a flat portion of the common drive waveform can enable the timing of the decoupling to be more relaxed compared to decoupling during a slope. Such relaxing can enable costs, complexity and thermal loading to be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Xaar Technology LimitedInventors: Anirban Lahiri, Mujahid-ul Islam, Mario Massucci, Ian Anthony Hurst, Stephen Mark Jeapes, Neil Christopher Bird, Anthony Saugey
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Patent number: 10843459Abstract: A test circuit to determine the capacitance of an actuator element in an actuator element array, wherein the test circuit comprises: a controller; a source to generate test inputs; measurement circuitry to measure one or more test values on a test path between the test circuit and the actuator element; wherein the controller is configured to, for a test period: control a first switch associated with the actuator element to connect the actuator element to the test path; control the source to generate a first test input; and determine a total capacitance of the actuator element from a first test value generated in response to the first test input; and determine the capacitance of the actuator element (CACT) from the total capacitance (CPAR+CACT).Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDInventors: Neil Christopher Bird, Mujahid-ul Islam
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Patent number: 10807359Abstract: There is provided a droplet deposition apparatus comprising: control circuitry configured to generate a common drive waveform; storage to store data, wherein the storage comprises a buffer to store scheduled image data relating to one or more pixels; a droplet deposition head having one or more actuator elements configured to be driven in response to drive pulses derived from the common drive waveform; and wherein the common drive waveform comprises a plurality of pixel periods comprising a firing phase and a non-firing phase, each firing phase comprising a firing pulse and each non-firing phase comprising a non-firing pulse, wherein the characteristics of each non-firing pulse are defined in response to the data in storage, and wherein, the firing pulse of a first pixel period is applied as a drive pulse to an actuator element based on the scheduled image data relating to a first pixel, and wherein the non-firing pulse of the first pixel period is applied as a drive pulse to the actuator element based on pasType: GrantFiled: December 21, 2016Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDInventors: Ian Anthony Hurst, Neil Christopher Bird, Stephen Mark Jeapes
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Publication number: 20200086638Abstract: A drive circuit (100) for driving actuators of a printhead (97) from a common drive waveform has a switching circuit (32) for coupling the common drive waveform to an actuator (1,2), and a timing circuit (10) to control the switching circuit to form a drive pulse from the common drive waveform. The drive pulse is trimmed by controlling a duration (TTRIM) of a step at an intermediate level (VHOLD) in the drive pulse. This can improve the trade-off between available range of trimming and thermal efficiency because the voltage drop across the switching circuit can be reduced, compared to trimming only the height. Decoupling during a flat portion of the common drive waveform can enable the timing of the decoupling to be more relaxed compared to decoupling during a slope. Such relaxing can enable costs, complexity and thermal loading to be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Anirban Lahiri, Mujahid-ul Islam, Mario Massucci, Ian Anthony Hurst, Stephen Mark Jeapes, Neil Christopher Bird, Anthony Saugey
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Patent number: 10513111Abstract: A drive circuit (100) for driving actuators of a printhead (97) from a common drive waveform has a switching circuit (32) for coupling the common drive waveform to an actuator (1,2), and a timing circuit (10) to control the switching circuit to form a drive pulse from the common drive waveform. The drive pulse is trimmed by controlling a duration (TTRIM) of a step at an intermediate level (VHOLD) in the drive pulse. This can improve the trade-off between available range of trimming and thermal efficiency because the voltage drop across the switching circuit can be reduced, compared to trimming only the height. Decoupling during a flat portion of the common drive waveform can enable the timing of the decoupling to be more relaxed compared to decoupling during a slope. Such relaxing can enable costs, complexity and thermal loading to be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2016Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDInventors: Anirban Lahiri, Mujahid-ul Islam, Mario Massucci, Ian Anthony Hurst, Stephen Mark Jeapes, Neil Christopher Bird, Anthony Saugey
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Publication number: 20190202199Abstract: A test circuit to determine the capacitance of an actuator element in an actuator element array, wherein the test circuit comprises: a controller; a source to generate test inputs; measurement circuitry to measure one or more test values on a test path between the test circuit and the actuator element; wherein the controller is configured to, for a test period: control a first switch associated with the actuator element to connect the actuator element to the test path; control the source to generate a first test input; and determine a total capacitance of the actuator element from a first test value generated in response to the first test input; and determine the capacitance of the actuator element (CACT) from the total capacitance (CPAR+CACT).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: July 4, 2019Applicant: Xaar Technology LimitedInventors: Neil Christopher BIRD, Mujahid-ul ISLAM
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Publication number: 20190001665Abstract: There is provided a droplet deposition apparatus comprising: control circuitry configured to generate a common drive waveform; storage to store data, wherein the storage comprises a buffer to store scheduled image data relating to one or more pixels; a droplet deposition head having one or more actuator elements configured to be driven in response to drive pulses derived from the common drive waveform; and wherein the common drive waveform comprises a plurality of pixel periods comprising a firing phase and a non-firing phase, each firing phase comprising a firing pulse and each non-firing phase comprising a non-firing pulse, wherein the characteristics of each non-firing pulse are defined in response to the data in storage, and wherein, the firing pulse of a first pixel period is applied as a drive pulse to an actuator element based on the scheduled image data relating to a first pixel, and wherein the non-firing pulse of the first pixel period is applied as a drive pulse to the actuator element based on pasType: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2016Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Ian Anthony Hurst, Neil Christopher Bird, Stephen Mark Jeapes
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Publication number: 20180056648Abstract: A drive circuit (100) for driving actuators of a printhead (97) from a common drive waveform has a switching circuit (32) for coupling the common drive waveform to an actuator (1,2), and a timing circuit (10) to control the switching circuit to form a drive pulse from the common drive waveform. The drive pulse is trimmed by controlling a duration (TTRIM) of a step at an intermediate level (VHOLD) in the drive pulse. This can improve the trade-off between available range of trimming and thermal efficiency because the voltage drop across the switching circuit can be reduced, compared to trimming only the height. Decoupling during a flat portion of the common drive waveform can enable the timing of the decoupling to be more relaxed compared to decoupling during a slope. Such relaxing can enable costs, complexity and thermal loading to be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2016Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Anirban LAHIRI, Mujahid-ul ISLAM, Mario MASSUCCI, Ian Anthony HURST, Stephen Mark JEAPES, Neil Christopher BIRD, Anthony SAUGEY
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Patent number: 8514125Abstract: A distance measurement arrangement provides a distance indication based on a delay between an electromagnetic signal, transmitted in a transmission mode, and a reflection of the electromagnetic signal, received in a reception mode. The distance measurement arrangement includes an antenna module having a plurality of antennas for transmitting the electromagnetic signal and for receiving the reflection. A beam-forming module defines respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas so as to cause the antenna module to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one the two modes. A beam-forming and steering control module controls the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command. A 3-D picture can be formed by applying respective direction commands so as to obtain respective distance indications for respective portion in a two-dimensional picture.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2009Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.Inventors: Paulus Thomas Maria Van Zeijl, Paul Mattheijssen, Octavio Alejandro Santana, Hugo Veenstra, Neil Christopher Bird
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Patent number: 8238838Abstract: By the present invention a calibration and/or correction of transmit signals in a communication system using Frequency Division Duplex has been disclosed, in particular a method of calibration of a transmit signal to be transmitted in a device simultaneously receiving and transmitting signals in the communication system, wherein the transmit signal and the receive signal are separated by a predetermined frequency band gap. A down-conversion of the transmit signal received in the receiving path to an intermediate frequency is performed, whereby the intermediate frequency corresponds to the frequency band gap reduced by the intermediate frequency of the receive signal. A correction signal is derived from the intermediate received transmit signal and used to calibrate the transmit signal such that non-linearity effects caused by power amplifiers in the transmit path are effectively reduced.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2007Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: ST-Ericsson SAInventors: Paulus Thomas Maria van Zeijl, Neil Christopher Bird
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Publication number: 20120113051Abstract: The invention relates to a device, comprising a touch- or proximity-sensitive interface, the interface comprising a sensor electrode arrangement configured to receive one or more body-coupled communication signals via a user part touching or approaching the interface, and a detector configured to detect a position of the user part based on the one or more body-coupled communication signals. Embodiments provide an interactive surface which comprises a sensor electrode arrangement for detecting a position of a finger or other part touching, or approaching, the interactive surface. Body-coupled communication signals received by means of the sense electrode arrangement are evaluated for increasing the sensitivity of position detection.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2010Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.Inventors: Neil Christopher Bird, John Richard Alan Ayres
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Publication number: 20110122012Abstract: A distance measurement arrangement (DDM) provides a distance indication (DV) on the basis of a delay between an electromagnetic signal (TB), which is transmitted in a transmission mode, and a reflection (RB) of the electromagnetic signal, which is received in a reception mode. The distance measurement arrangement includes an antenna module (AM) comprising a plurality of antennas for transmitting the electromagnetic signal (TB) and for receiving the reflection (RB) thereof. A beam-forming module (BF) defines respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas so as to cause the antenna module (AM) to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one the two aforementioned modes. Preferably, a beam-forming and steering control module (BC) controls the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command (DIR).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2009Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.Inventors: Paulus Thomas Maria Van Zeijl, Paul Mattheijssen, Octavio Alejandro Santana, Hugo Veenstra, Neil Christopher Bird
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Publication number: 20100112962Abstract: By the present invention a calibration and/or correction of transmit signals in a communication system using Frequency Division Duplex has been disclosed, in particular a method of calibration of a transmit signal to be transmitted in a device simultaneously receiving and transmitting signals in the communication system, wherein the transmit signal and the receive signal are separated by a predetermined frequency band gap. A down-conversion of the transmit signal received in the receiving path to an intermediate frequency is performed, whereby the intermediate frequency corresponds to the frequency band gap reduced by the intermediate frequency of the receive signal. A correction signal is derived from the intermediate received transmit signal and used to calibrate the transmit signal such that non-linearity effects caused by power amplifiers in the transmit path are effectively reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2007Publication date: May 6, 2010Inventors: Paulus Thomas Maria van Zeijl, Neil Christopher Bird
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Publication number: 20020054036Abstract: A low power standby driving mode is obtained by using extra columns (14) (or rows) by which only a small area of the display is driven. For standby driving, a separate driver (11) is used at the edge of the panel, or this driver is combined with the normal driver. In another embodiment, the standby driving mode is obtained by splitting columns (6) (or rows (5)) so that only a defined area (12) of the display is driven during standby driving. For normal driving, an additional row (16) and switches (17) may be used to interconnect separate parts of a split electrode via switches.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2001Publication date: May 9, 2002Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.Inventors: Mark Thomas Johnson, Neil Christopher Bird
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Patent number: 5852425Abstract: A TFT active matrix display device comprising an array of display elements (12), e.g. LC display elements, each connected to the drain of a TFT (17) whose gate and source are connected respectively to a row conductor (18) to which selection signals are applied by a scan drive circuit (21) and a column conductor (19) to which display data signals are applied by a data signal drive circuit (25) in the form of time dependent signals comprising pulse width modulated signals derived from an input digital video signal and representing video sample values. During the selection period the TFTs are biased to act as current sources such that their associated display elements (12) are charged to a level dependent on the duration of the applied signals. The digital to analogue conversion of the video signal is thus completed at the picture elements.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1993Date of Patent: December 22, 1998Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Neil Christopher Bird, Alan George Knapp