Patents by Inventor PETER ILFRICH

PETER ILFRICH 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: 10573199
    Abstract: A refreshable Braille display device includes a housing having a surface containing a set of tactile markers thereon; a carriage in cooperation with the housing, the carriage having a surface containing a tactile marker thereon and a series of individual refreshable Braille cells positioned above the tactile marker for tactile reading by a user; and a moving mechanism for moving the carriage relative to the housing such that the tactile marker on the surface of the carriage is aligned with one of the tactile markers in the set of tactile markers on the surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ermyas Abebe, Alessio Bonti, Adam Eberbach, Peter Ilfrich, Nicholas I. Waywood
  • Patent number: 10339832
    Abstract: A hybrid keyboard and associated systems and methods. A disclosed hybrid keyboard includes a set of interactive keys, each having an integrated refreshable braille display, wherein each interactive key includes a momentary switch for detecting a keystroke and includes a actuator system for selectively extending pins through a surface of the interactive key; and a keyboard controller that includes a keystroke input handler for receiving and processing signals associated with detected keystrokes and includes a braille display handler that processes received messages and transmits message signals to selected interactive keys to output braille characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ermyas Abebe, Alessio Bonti, Adam H. E. Eberbach, Peter Ilfrich, Nicholas I. Waywood
  • Patent number: 10205794
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes detecting a name occurring in a component of a media playing on a first user endpoint device. The component is contained within an electronic signal. An entity in the media that is associated with the name is identified, and stored data that is contextually related to the entity is retrieved. The data is then formatted as supplemental content for display to a user of the first user endpoint device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ermyas Abebe, Peter Ilfrich, Cristian Vecchiola
  • Publication number: 20180366030
    Abstract: A hybrid keyboard and associated systems and methods. A disclosed hybrid keyboard includes a set of interactive keys, each having an integrated refreshable braille display, wherein each interactive key includes a momentary switch for detecting a keystroke and includes a actuator system for selectively extending pins through a surface of the interactive key; and a keyboard controller that includes a keystroke input handler for receiving and processing signals associated with detected keystrokes and includes a braille display handler that processes received messages and transmits message signals to selected interactive keys to output braille characters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Ermyas Abebe, Alessio Bonti, Adam H. E. Eberbach, Peter Ilfrich, Nicholas I. Waywood
  • Publication number: 20180240362
    Abstract: A refreshable Braille display device includes a housing having a surface containing a set of tactile markers thereon; a carriage in cooperation with the housing, the carriage having a surface containing a tactile marker thereon and a series of individual refreshable Braille cells positioned above the tactile marker for tactile reading by a user; and a moving mechanism for moving the carriage relative to the housing such that the tactile marker on the surface of the carriage is aligned with one of the tactile markers in the set of tactile markers on the surface of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Ermyas Abebe, Alessio Bonti, Adam Eberbach, Peter Ilfrich, Nicholas I. Waywood
  • Publication number: 20180069914
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes detecting a name occurring in a component of a media playing on a first user endpoint device. The component is contained within an electronic signal. An entity in the media that is associated with the name is identified, and stored data that is contextually related to the entity is retrieved. The data is then formatted as supplemental content for display to a user of the first user endpoint device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: ERMYAS ABEBE, PETER ILFRICH, CRISTIAN VECCHIOLA