Patents by Inventor Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith 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: 10147757
    Abstract: Methods and systems for integrating image sensor structures with collimator filters, including manufacturing methods and associated structures for forming collimator filters at the wafer level for integration with image sensor semiconductor wafers. Methods of making an optical biometric sensor include forming a collimator filter layer on an image sensor wafer, wherein a plurality of light collimating apertures in the collimator filter layer are aligned with a plurality of light sensing elements in the image sensor wafer, and after forming the collimator filter layer on the image sensor wafer, singulating the image sensor wafer into a plurality of individual optical sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Young Seen Lee, Paul Wickboldt, Patrick Smith, Robert John Gove, Jason Goodelle
  • Patent number: 10102411
    Abstract: A hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor system includes: capacitive sensor electrodes; an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; light conditioning elements, configured to condition light from a sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor for detection by the optical image sensor; and a processing system having one or more controllers, configured to operate the capacitive sensor electrodes in a low-power mode of operation for the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor, and to operate the optical image sensor to acquire an image from the sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Lillie, Mark Pude, Eric Bohannon, Eric Moule, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Patrick Smith, Lynn Kern
  • Publication number: 20180295043
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods to monitor network communications, comprising: a computing device comprising a control circuit and memory with instructions executed by the control circuit to implement: a tunneled monitoring service (TMS) operated local on the mobile computing device; and a tunnel protocol within the mobile computing device that is configured to establish a tunnel interface between software applications and the TMS, wherein the tunnel interface is configured to collect output data transactions, communicated by the software applications, and direct the output data transactions to the TMS; wherein the TMS is configured to initiate a monitoring of each output data transaction relative to predefined criteria to identify relevant parameter information, obtained from one or more of the output data transactions, that have a predefined relationship with one or more of the criteria, and cause results of the monitoring relative to the criteria to be recorded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Jason KING, Jeffrey M. WOFFORD, Patrick SMITH, Scott HAMMERSLEY, Ronald DEHAAS
  • Patent number: 10094868
    Abstract: A test and measurement instrument, including an input configured to receive a signal-under-test, a user input configured to accept a first trigger event and a second trigger event from a user, a first trigger decoder configured to trigger on an occurrence of the first trigger event and generate a first trigger signal, a second trigger decoder configured to trigger on an occurrence of the second trigger event occurring after the first trigger event and generate a second trigger signal, and an acquisition system configured to acquire the signal-under-test in response to the first trigger signal and store the acquired signal-under-test based on whether the second trigger signal validates or invalidates the first trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Knierim, David L. Kelly, Jed H. Andrews, Michael A. Martin, Patrick A. Smith
  • Patent number: 10095948
    Abstract: This disclosure generally provides a fingerprint sensor that derives a fingerprint by measuring capacitive sensing signals while modulating a reference voltage rail used to power the fingerprint sensor. In one embodiment, the fingerprint sensor is integrated into an electronic device which may include other components such as a display, I/O devices, speakers, and the like. To power these components, the electronic device may include a DC power supply which outputs reference voltages. When transmitting the reference voltages to the fingerprint sensor, the electronic device may modulate the voltages using a modulating signal. Because the reference voltages are used to power the components in the fingerprint sensor, modulating the rail voltages also causes the components coupled to the reference voltages to also modulate. While this modulation occurs, the fingerprint sensor measures resulting signals using a plurality of sensor electrodes which are then processed to derive a fingerprint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kirk Hargreaves, Patrick Smith, Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Stephen L. Morein
  • Patent number: 10097436
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide systems and methods to monitor network communications, comprising: a computing device comprising a control circuit and memory with instructions executed by the control circuit to implement: a tunneled monitoring service (TMS) operated local on the mobile computing device; and a tunnel protocol within the mobile computing device that is configured to establish a tunnel interface between software applications and the TMS, wherein the tunnel interface is configured to collect output data transactions, communicated by the software applications, and direct the output data transactions to the TMS; wherein the TMS is configured to initiate a monitoring of each output data transaction relative to predefined criteria to identify relevant parameter information, obtained from one or more of the output data transactions, that have a predefined relationship with one or more of the criteria, and cause results of the monitoring relative to the criteria to be recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: COVENANT EYES, INC.
    Inventors: Jason King, Jeffrey M. Wofford, Patrick Smith, Scott Hammersley, Ronald DeHaas
  • Publication number: 20180283888
    Abstract: A system determines wind information for achieving a desired outcome for travel of a selected group of one or more vehicles along one or more routes. The system determines wind drag and/or a parasitic energy loss for travel by different potential groups of vehicles based on the wind information. The system determines the wind drag and/or parasitic energy loss for each of plural, different locations along the one or more routes, visually presents the wind drag and/or parasitic energy loss for each of the different groups of vehicles, and/or determines the selected group of the one or more vehicles from the different groups of vehicles for travel along the one or more routes to achieve the desired outcome based on the wind drag and/or parasitic energy loss that is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Patrick Smith, Eren Con
  • Patent number: 10049254
    Abstract: A biometric imager may comprise a plurality of sensor element traces formed in or on a sensor substrate which may comprise at least a portion of a display screen defining a biometric sensing area and forming in-active pixel locations; an auxiliary active circuit formed in or on the sensor substrate on the periphery of the biometric sensing area and in direct or indirect electrical contact with the sensor element traces; and providing a signal processing interface to a remotely located controller integrated circuit. The sensor element traces may form a portion of one dimensional linear sensor array or pixel locations in a two dimensional grid array capacitive gap biometric imaging sensor. The auxiliary circuit may provide pixel location selection or pixel signal amplification. The auxiliary circuit may be mounted on a surface of the display screen. The auxiliary circuit further comprising a separate pixel location selection controller circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul Wickboldt, Gregory Lewis Dean, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Jaswinder Jandu, Patrick Smith, Steven Molesa
  • Publication number: 20180223566
    Abstract: A lock assembly for securing a storage container comprises a first lock having a first lock body and a shackle, the first lock having a first locked condition wherein the shackle is locked to the first lock body and a first unlocked condition wherein the shackle is unlocked from the first lock body. The first lock has a first key receptacle for actuating the first lock between the first locked condition and the first unlocked condition. The lock assembly includes a second lock having a second lock body and a cable. The second lock has a second locked condition wherein the cable is locked to the second lock body and a second unlocked condition wherein the cable is unlocked from the second lock body. The second lock has a second key receptacle for actuating the second lock between the second locked condition and the second unlocked condition. A key is receivable by both the first key receptacle and the second key receptacle and keyed to lock and unlock both the first lock and the second lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventor: Patrick Smith
  • Publication number: 20180225501
    Abstract: An optical sensor for imaging an input object, such as a fingerprint, on a sensing region of a display is disclosed. The sensor includes a transparent substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. An array of detector elements is positioned above the first side of the transparent substrate and an angle limiting reflector is positioned below the second side of the transparent substrate. The angle limiting reflector is configured to reflect light incident on the angle limiting reflector within a limited acceptance angle towards the array detector elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Marek Mienko, Patrick Smith, Arash Akhavan Fomani, Jeffrey A. Small
  • Patent number: 10042467
    Abstract: An input device includes a first sensor array having a first plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in a sensing area, wherein the first sensor array has a first pixel density, and a second sensor array having a second plurality of sensor electrodes disposed in the sensing area, wherein the second sensor array has a second pixel density different from the first pixel density. The input device also includes a processing system coupled to the second plurality of sensor electrodes and configured to electrically float a sensor electrode in the second plurality of sensor electrodes during a sensing period of the first sensor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Adam L. Schwartz, Paul Wickboldt, Guozhong Shen, Patrick Smith, Marc Ostrowski
  • Publication number: 20180211078
    Abstract: A hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor system includes: capacitive sensor electrodes; an optical image sensor having a plurality of image sensor pixels; light conditioning elements, configured to condition light from a sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor for detection by the optical image sensor; and a processing system having one or more controllers, configured to operate the capacitive sensor electrodes in a low-power mode of operation for the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor, and to operate the optical image sensor to acquire an image from the sensing region of the hybrid capacitive and optical fingerprint sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Lillie, Mark Pude, Eric Bohannon, Eric Moule, Erik Jonathon Thompson, Patrick Smith, Lynn Kern
  • Publication number: 20180204036
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe an input device that includes a rectangular array of sensor electrodes connected to sensor modules that measure capacitive sensing signals corresponding to the electrodes. During a charge stage, the input device applies a charging voltage to neighboring sensor electrodes in the array. The input device then drives the neighboring sensor electrodes to a reference voltage and measures the amount of charge accumulated on at least one of the sensor electrodes. Because of the parasitic capacitance between the neighboring electrodes, driving these electrodes (even the ones not being measured) to the same charging and reference voltages reduces the effect of the parasitic capacitance on the capacitive sensing measurement. Thus, during the read stage, the measured charge is affected primarily by the capacitance between the sensor electrodes and an input object (e.g., a finger).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Arash AKHAVAN FOMANI, Kirk HARGREAVES, Patrick SMITH
  • Publication number: 20180204037
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe an input device that includes a rectangular array of sensor electrodes connected to sensor modules that measure capacitive sensing signals corresponding to the electrodes. When performing code division multiplexing (CDM), multiple sensor electrodes are coupled to the same sensor module. As such, the sensor module generates a measurement that represents the sum of the charges on the sensor electrodes rather than an individual charge on a single sensor electrode. By repeatedly sensing multiple sensor electrodes in parallel, the input device can determine a change of capacitance for each individual sensor electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Kirk HARGREAVES, Arash AKHAVAN FOMANI, Patrick SMITH
  • Patent number: 9958993
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a method for operating an input device by applying a charge voltage to a sense element through a first transistor that is between the sense element and a column output line and a first switch that is between the column output line and a drive voltage. The method also includes storing an electric charge on the sense element, wherein the electric charge comprises a magnitude corresponding to a feature of an input object. The method also includes driving a gate terminal of the first transistor low and disconnecting the charge voltage via the first switch. The method further includes transferring the electric charge to a feedback capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Arash Akhavan Fomani, Kirk Hargreaves, Patrick Smith, Petr Shepelev
  • Patent number: 9946375
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include an input device including an array of sensing pixels configured to sense an input object in a sensing region. Each of the sensing pixels includes a sense element and a first transistor, wherein the first transistor includes a gate terminal connected to a row select line and a second terminal connected to the sense element. Each of the sensing pixels also includes a second transistor, wherein the second transistor includes a gate terminal connected to the sense element and the second terminal of the first transistor, and wherein the second transistor further includes a second terminal connected to a column output line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Arash Akhavan Fomani, Patrick Smith
  • Publication number: 20180100143
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a separation of viruses of an essentially spherical shape from viruses with a rod-like shape that are comprised in a sample, wherein the sample comprising the viruses is subjected to filtration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Applicant: uniQure IP B.V.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Theodorus Johannes Maria Christiaan HERMENS, James Patrick SMITH
  • Publication number: 20180096186
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optical imaging using an optical sensor in an active area of the display are described. The optical sensor includes a set of detector elements positioned in a detector plane; a transparent layer; and a set of first reflective surfaces in the transparent layer. Each reflective surface in the first set of reflective surfaces is positioned to receive light from a portion of a sensing region of the display and to reflect the received light. The optical sensor further includes a second set of reflective surfaces, each reflective surface in the second set of reflective surfaces is positioned to receive the transmitted light from the first set of reflective surfaces, and to further reflect the received light towards one of the set of detector elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Marek Mienko, Patrick Smith, Arash Akhavan Fomani
  • Patent number: 9934418
    Abstract: An optical sensor for imaging an input object, such as a fingerprint, on a sensing region of a display is disclosed. The sensor includes a transparent substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. An array of detector elements is positioned above the first side of the transparent substrate and an angle limiting reflector is positioned below the second side of the transparent substrate. The angle limiting reflector is configured to reflect light incident on the angle limiting reflector within a limited acceptance angle towards the array detector elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Marek Mienko, Patrick Smith, Arash Akhavan Fomani, Jeffrey A. Small
  • Patent number: 9934355
    Abstract: A test and measurement apparatus, system, and method for synchronizing an acquisition or triggering system to a specific burst of interest. The subject apparatus and method triggers on varying energy content of a signal qualified by time in the presence of high-frequency input signal bursts, by using an adjustable pulse width envelope detector, disposed in the signal path of the trigger circuitry, as a digital rectifier or to otherwise process and extract an envelope signal. An RF envelope probe having an analog envelope detector among other suitable components is disclosed. A method is implemented for isolating an interval of interest in a signal under test. An envelope detector circuit produces an envelope signal from the signal. Trigger circuitry receives the envelope signal from the envelope detector, and isolates the interval of interesting in the signal under test using the envelope signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Smith, David L. Kelly, Que T. Tran, Shane A. Hazzard