Patents by Inventor Nigel S. D. Hinson

Nigel S. D. Hinson 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).

  • Publication number: 20100200309
    Abstract: A sensor for determining a position of an object in two dimensions is provided. The sensor comprises a substrate with a sensitive area defined by a pattern of electrodes arranged thereon. The pattern of electrodes comprises four drive electrodes arranged in a two-by-two array and coupled to respective drive channels, and a sense electrode coupled to a sense channel. The sense electrode is arranged so as to extend around the four drive electrodes (i.e. to wholly or partially surround the drive electrodes, for example, so as to extend adjacent to at least three sides of the drive electrodes). The sensor may further comprise a drive unit for applying drive signals to the respective drive electrodes, and a sense unit for measuring sense signals representing a degree of coupling of the drive signals applied to the respective drive electrodes to the sense electrode. Furthermore the sensor may comprise a processing unit for processing the sense signals to determine a position of an object adjacent the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Esat Yilmaz, Samuel Brunet, Nigel S.D. Hinson
  • Publication number: 20080202824
    Abstract: A control panel for controlling a device in response to user indications, the control panel comprising, a position sensing element (60) having a sensing surface, and a position interface circuit (76). The position interface circuit (76) is operable to determine a position of an object (100) on the sensing surface, when the object (100) is applied to the sensing surface of the position sensing element (60). At least one pressure sensing device (54, 66) and the sensing surface of the position sensing element (60) are arranged with the effect that a displacement of the sensing surface with respect to the pressure sensing device in response to the pressure applied by the object is detectable by the pressure sensing device. As such, in one example, the position interface circuit (76) is operable to identify one or more of a plurality of user indicated signals by correlating the position of the object on the sensing surface with a pressure detected by the pressure sensing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Harald Philipp, Nigel S. D. Hinson, Christopher K. Ard