Patents by Inventor Patrick Worfolk
Patrick Worfolk 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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Publication number: 20240311043Abstract: A memory device having a plurality of groups of words is provided. Each group of the plurality of groups of words are stored in a contiguous section of a memory and each group of the plurality of groups of words includes a plurality of words. The plurality of words each have a plurality of elements with a same set of index values for a first dimension of a tensor and a same set of index vales for a second dimension of a tensor. The plurality of words have a different index value for a third dimension of the tensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2024Publication date: September 19, 2024Inventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Patent number: 12026396Abstract: A memory device includes a first word and a second word. The first word has a first subset of a plurality of elements. The first subset of the plurality of elements each have a first set of sequential index values along a first dimension of a tensor, a first single index value for a second dimension of the tensor, and a second single index value for a third dimension of the tensor. The second word has a second subset of the plurality of elements. The second subset of the plurality of elements each have the first set of sequential index values along the first dimension of the tensor that is the same as the first word, the first single index value for the second dimension of the tensor that is the same as the first word, and a third single index value for the third dimension of the tensor that is different than the second single index value for the first word. The second word is adjacent to the first word in memory.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2022Date of Patent: July 2, 2024Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Publication number: 20230070730Abstract: A memory device includes a first word and a second word. The first word has a first subset of a plurality of elements. The first subset of the plurality of elements each have a first set of sequential index values along a first dimension of a tensor, a first single index value for a second dimension of the tensor, and a second single index value for a third dimension of the tensor. The second word has a second subset of the plurality of elements. The second subset of the plurality of elements each have the first set of sequential index values along the first dimension of the tensor that is the same as the first word, the first single index value for the second dimension of the tensor that is the same as the first word, and a third single index value for the third dimension of the tensor that is different than the second single index value for the first word. The second word is adjacent to the first word in memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Applicant: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Patent number: 10168843Abstract: Devices and method are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the systems and methods are configured to identify a portion of an image of sensor values as corresponding to at least one sensed object in the sensing region, determine a polygon corresponding to the identified portion of the image, and determine a contact characterization of the at least one sensed object based on the polygon. The determination of a polygon corresponding to a sensed object facilitates improved contact characterization of the sensed object. For example, the determined polygon may be used to determine if the sensed object is actually more than one object. As a second example, the determined polygon may be used to determine the orientation of the sensed object. In addition, determined polygons may be used to more accurately track changes in the position of the sensed object.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Worfolk, Joel Jordan
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Patent number: 9721365Abstract: This disclosure generally provides an input device that includes a by-pass path for improving latency between a touch controller and a display driver. In one embodiment, the by-pass path directly connects the touch controller and display driver, thereby by-passing a host processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or graphic processing unit (GPU)) in the input device. By doing so, the input device can detect user input and update a display to reflect the user input faster than if the display driver had to wait until updated display frames are sent from the host processor. For example, the host processor may transmit touch data received from the touch controller to an application that uses the touch data to change the display. In some input devices, this process can take hundreds of milliseconds, which may be enough time for the user to notice a delay.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATEDInventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Patent number: 9690438Abstract: A processing system for an input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface and an array of sensor electrodes configured to form a plurality of proximity pixels and a plurality of force pixels. The processing system is configured to: determine a proximity image indicative of positional information for input objects; determine a force image indicative of local deflection of the input surface in response to force applied by the input objects; determine a respective group of proximity pixels from the proximity image corresponding to each input object; determine a respective group of force pixels from the force image corresponding to each determined group of proximity pixels; determine the position of each input object based on the determined groups of proximity pixels; and determine the force associated with each input object based on the determined groups of force pixels.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Worfolk, Vijay Venkatesh Mahalingam
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Patent number: 9632638Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for use with an electronic system. The device includes a pliable component having an input surface and a first plurality of sensor electrodes; a support substrate spaced apart from the pliable component; a second plurality of sensor electrodes disposed on a second substrate; a spacing layer disposed between the pliable component and the support substrate, the spacing layer configured to locally deform in response to a force applied to the input surface; and a shield electrode layer disposed between the first plurality and the second plurality of sensor electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Publication number: 20160253007Abstract: A processing system for an input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface and an array of sensor electrodes configured to form a plurality of proximity pixels and a plurality of force pixels. The processing system is configured to: determine a proximity image indicative of positional information for input objects; determine a force image indicative of local deflection of the input surface in response to force applied by the input objects; determine a respective group of proximity pixels from the proximity image corresponding to each input object; determine a respective group of force pixels from the force image corresponding to each determined group of proximity pixels; determine the position of each input object based on the determined groups of proximity pixels; and determine the force associated with each input object based on the determined groups of force pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Patrick Worfolk, Vijay Venkatesh Mahalingam
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Publication number: 20160253008Abstract: Devices and method are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the systems and methods are configured to identify a portion of an image of sensor values as corresponding to at least one sensed object in the sensing region, determine a polygon corresponding to the identified portion of the image, and determine a contact characterization of the at least one sensed object based on the polygon. The determination of a polygon corresponding to a sensed object facilitates improved contact characterization of the sensed object. For example, the determined polygon may be used to determine if the sensed object is actually more than one object. As a second example, the determined polygon may be used to determine the orientation of the sensed object. In addition, determined polygons may be used to more accurately track changes in the position of the sensed object.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Patrick Worfolk, Joel Jordan
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Patent number: 9430097Abstract: A processing system includes a transmitter module, a receiver module, and a determination module. The transmitter module includes drives a first optical transmitter with a first optical coded signal based on a first code, and drives a second optical transmitter with a second optical coded signal based on a second code. The first code and the second code are non-orthogonal, and the first optical transmitter and the second optical transmitter transmit at overlapping times. The receiver module receives a resulting signal that includes effects corresponding to the first optical coded signal and the second optical coded signal. The determination module determines a first measurement between the first optical transmitter and the optical receiver, determines a second measurement between the second optical transmitter and the optical receiver, and determines positional information for an input object based on the first measurement and the second measurement.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Patent number: 9411458Abstract: A processing system for an input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface and an array of sensor electrodes configured to form a plurality of proximity pixels and a plurality of force pixels. The processing system is configured to: determine a proximity image indicative of positional information for input objects; determine a force image indicative of local deflection of the input surface in response to force applied by the input objects; determine a respective group of proximity pixels from the proximity image corresponding to each input object; determine a respective group of force pixels from the force image corresponding to each determined group of proximity pixels; determine the position of each input object based on the determined groups of proximity pixels; and determine the force associated with each input object based on the determined groups of force pixels.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2014Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Worfolk, Vijay Venkatesh Mahalingam
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Patent number: 9367191Abstract: Devices and method are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the systems and methods are configured to identify a portion of an image of sensor values as corresponding to at least one sensed object in the sensing region, determine a polygon corresponding to the identified portion of the image, and determine a contact characterization of the at least one sensed object based on the polygon. The determination of a polygon corresponding to a sensed object facilitates improved contact characterization of the sensed object. For example, the determined polygon may be used to determine if the sensed object is actually more than one object. As a second example, the determined polygon may be used to determine the orientation of the sensed object. In addition, determined polygons may be used to more accurately track changes in the position of the sensed object.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Worfolk, Joel Jordan
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Publication number: 20160162061Abstract: This disclosure generally provides an input device that includes a by-pass path for improving latency between a touch controller and a display driver. In one embodiment, the by-pass path directly connects the touch controller and display driver, thereby by-passing a host processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or graphic processing unit (GPU)) in the input device. By doing so, the input device can detect user input and update a display to reflect the user input faster than if the display driver had to wait until updated display frames are sent from the host processor. For example, the host processor may transmit touch data received from the touch controller to an application that uses the touch data to change the display. In some input devices, this process can take hundreds of milliseconds, which may be enough time for the user to notice a delay.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2015Publication date: June 9, 2016Inventor: Patrick WORFOLK
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Publication number: 20160070398Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for use with an electronic system. The device includes a pliable component having an input surface and a first plurality of sensor electrodes; a support substrate spaced apart from the pliable component; a second plurality of sensor electrodes disposed on a second substrate; a spacing layer disposed between the pliable component and the support substrate, the spacing layer configured to locally deform in response to a force applied to the input surface; and a shield electrode layer disposed between the first plurality and the second plurality of sensor electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Publication number: 20150378491Abstract: A processing system for an input device having a sensing region overlapping an input surface and an array of sensor electrodes configured to form a plurality of proximity pixels and a plurality of force pixels. The processing system is configured to: determine a proximity image indicative of positional information for input objects; determine a force image indicative of local deflection of the input surface in response to force applied by the input objects; determine a respective group of proximity pixels from the proximity image corresponding to each input object; determine a respective group of force pixels from the force image corresponding to each determined group of proximity pixels; determine the position of each input object based on the determined groups of proximity pixels; and determine the force associated with each input object based on the determined groups of force pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Patrick Worfolk, Vijay Venkatesh Mahalingam
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Patent number: 9001070Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods that facilitate improved input devices. In one embodiment, an input device is configured to determine if a sensed object includes an occluded portion using an image representative of sensor values, determine a portion of the image corresponding to the sensed object, and approximate a boundary representation of the sensed object wherein if the sensed object does include the occluded portion, the boundary representation encompasses at least part of the occluded portion of the sensed object and at least part of a non-occluded portion of the sensed object. The determination of a boundary representation corresponding to a sensed object facilitates improved characterization of the sensed object. For example, the determined boundary representation may be used to more accurately track changes in the position of the sensed object as the sensed object moves out of the sensing region.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2011Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Worfolk, Joel Jordan
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Publication number: 20150091872Abstract: A processing system includes a transmitter module, a receiver module, and a determination module. The transmitter module includes drives a first optical transmitter with a first optical coded signal based on a first code, and drives a second optical transmitter with a second optical coded signal based on a second code. The first code and the second code are non-orthogonal, and the first optical transmitter and the second optical transmitter transmit at overlapping times. The receiver module receives a resulting signal that includes effects corresponding to the first optical coded signal and the second optical coded signal. The determination module determines a first measurement between the first optical transmitter and the optical receiver, determines a second measurement between the second optical transmitter and the optical receiver, and determines positional information for an input object based on the first measurement and the second measurement.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2013Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: Synaptics IncorporatedInventor: Patrick Worfolk
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Publication number: 20150084909Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for operating input device for an electronic system including a pliable component having an input surface and a first plurality of sensor electrodes configured to sense input objects in a sensing region of the input device. The input device also includes a support substrate including at least one second sensor electrode spaced apart from the pliable component, and a patterned force sensitive resistance (FSR) layer disposed between the first plurality of sensor electrodes and the at least one second sensor electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2013Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Patrick Worfolk, Pascale El Kallassi
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Publication number: 20150054785Abstract: Devices and method are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the systems and methods are configured to identify a portion of an image of sensor values as corresponding to at least one sensed object in the sensing region, determine a polygon corresponding to the identified portion of the image, and determine a contact characterization of the at least one sensed object based on the polygon. The determination of a polygon corresponding to a sensed object facilitates improved contact characterization of the sensed object. For example, the determined polygon may be used to determine if the sensed object is actually more than one object. As a second example, the determined polygon may be used to determine the orientation of the sensed object. In addition, determined polygons may be used to more accurately track changes in the position of the sensed object.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: Patrick Worfolk, Joel Jordan
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Patent number: 8884916Abstract: Devices and method are provided that facilitate improved input device performance. Specifically, the systems and methods are configured to identify a portion of an image of sensor values as corresponding to at least one sensed object in the sensing region, determine a polygon corresponding to the identified portion of the image, and determine a contact characterization of the at least one sensed object based on the polygon. The determination of a polygon corresponding to a sensed object facilitates improved contact characterization of the sensed object. For example, the determined polygon may be used to determine if the sensed object is actually more than one object. As a second example, the determined polygon may be used to determine the orientation of the sensed object. In addition, determined polygons may be used to more accurately track changes in the position of the sensed object.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Worfolk, Joel Jordan