Patents by Inventor Robert S. TARTZ

Robert S. TARTZ 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: 10055538
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for identifying noisy regions in a skin conductance signal. The signal is divided into a plurality of windows. Two or more features of the signal within a first window are computed. At least one of the two or more features being in a frequency domain. At least two of the features are combined to obtain at least a first metric. The first metric is compared to a corresponding threshold. The first window is identified as a noisy region of the skin conductance signal based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Somdeb Majumdar, Aniket A. Vartak, Robert S. Tartz
  • Patent number: 9762719
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for augmenting electronic communications with emotional context. Electronic communications is received from a first device. An expression of a user of the first device is captured at the first device. Data based on the captured expression is received from the first device. The received data is analyzed to determine emotional context associated with the user of the first device. A haptic response is generated based on the determined emotional context. The haptic response is associated with the received electronic communications. The haptic response is provided concurrently with the access of the electronic communications to indicate the emotional context of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
  • Patent number: 9621706
    Abstract: A method of haptic communication at a wireless device is disclosed. The method may include receiving an input gesture and generating an input gesture message from the input gesture. The input gesture message may be operable for transmission to a receiving wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert S. Tartz
  • Patent number: 9575557
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a handheld device equipped with arrays of force sensors located along both sides of the device that can provide a novel user interface for operating the device. The sensors can be configured to recognize various grip patterns, gestures, and biometric information of a user operating the device. Using the arrays of force sensors in addition to a touchscreen, a new paradigm for operating a handheld device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert S. Tartz, Richard O. Farley, Clayton G. Dumstorff, Jay S. King
  • Patent number: 9483779
    Abstract: Various arrangements for delivery of relevant content to a mobile device of a user are presented. Physiological state data and image data related to the user of the mobile device may be received by a host computer system from a mobile device. The image data may be analyzed to identify a characteristic of the image. The physiological state data may also be analyzed. Content to deliver to the mobile device of the user may be selected at least partially based on the physiological state data of the user and the characteristic of the image. The content may be transmitted to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Prince Gupta, Aniket A. Vartak, Charles Wheeler Sweet, Robert S. Tartz
  • Patent number: 9436280
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processing system, a display, and a plurality of haptic actuators. The display and the haptic actuators are coupled to the processing system. The processing system is configured to control the haptic actuators to simulate movement in a particular direction corresponding to movement in the particular direction in a visual depiction in the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert S. Tartz, Bennett M. King
  • Patent number: 9378655
    Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and apparatuses for associating a user emotion with electronic media are described. Contact between a user of a device and a biopotential electrode array that is integrated with the device is detected. Electrodermal data of the user is acquired via the biopotential electrode array. The user emotion is derived based at least in part on the acquired electrodermal data. The user emotion is then associated with the electronic media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard O. Farley, Robert S. Tartz, Aniket A. Vartak
  • Patent number: 9380145
    Abstract: Dynamic force feedback is provided in a device to alert a user about a message received on the device from a remote user and to convey content, context, or a type of the message. Producing dynamic force feedback may include activating a motion induction device, which accelerates and decelerates a mass to create tapping within the device. The amplitude and frequency of the tapping may be configured to produce sequences of taps to alert the user about different types, contexts, or content of received messages. Additionally, multiple motion induction devices may be included in a device to produce dynamic force feedback along multiple dimensions. Multiple dimension dynamic force feedback may be used in providing geographical directions to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert S. Tartz, Bennett M. King
  • Patent number: 9208662
    Abstract: Mobile devices having haptic interfaces located on an edge or back of mobile phones for selectively controlling and varying surface texture and/or force levels are provided. The haptic interfaces may allow for haptic interaction with the user of the mobile device when audio or visual feedback is not practical. The haptic interface may be an electro-mechanical system that may include a matrix or array of individually addressable actuators that can convey haptic information through the deformation of a flexible surface or membrane covering the array of individually addressable actuators. The array of “individually addressable” actuators may provide each actuator the ability to be separately addressable or addressable as a group (i.e. two or more) actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Huihui Wang, Roger M. Ruuspakka, Dimosthenis Kaleas, Robert S. Tartz
  • Publication number: 20150170220
    Abstract: Various arrangements for delivery of relevant content to a mobile device of a user are presented. Physiological state data and image data related to the user of the mobile device may be received by a host computer system from a mobile device. The image data may be analyzed to identify a characteristic of the image. The physiological state data may also be analyzed. Content to deliver to the mobile device of the user may be selected at least partially based on the physiological state data of the user and the characteristic of the image. The content may be transmitted to the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Prince GUPTA, Aniket A. VARTAK, Charles Wheeler SWEET, Robert S. TARTZ
  • Patent number: 8971861
    Abstract: Various arrangements for delivery of relevant content to a mobile device of a user are presented. Physiological state data and image data related to the user of the mobile device may be received by a host computer system from a mobile device. The image data may be analyzed to identify a characteristic of the image. The physiological state data may also be analyzed. Content to deliver to the mobile device of the user may be selected at least partially based on the physiological state data of the user and the characteristic of the image. The content may be transmitted to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Prince Gupta, Aniket A. Vartak, Charles Wheeler Sweet, III, Robert S. Tartz
  • Patent number: 8922583
    Abstract: A method of manipulating a three-dimensional (3D) virtual objects at a wireless device is disclosed and includes detecting a press on a 3D sensor array and moving the 3D virtual object in response to the press. Further, the method includes detecting a release of the press on the 3D sensor array and stopping the 3D virtual object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert S. Tartz, James B. Cary
  • Publication number: 20140317722
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a handheld device equipped with arrays of force sensors located along both sides of the device that can provide a novel user interface for operating the device. The sensors can be configured to recognize various grip patterns, gestures, and biometric information of a user operating the device. Using the arrays of force sensors in addition to a touchscreen, a new paradigm for operating a handheld device is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert S. Tartz, Richard O. Farley, Clayton G. Dumstorff, Jay S. King
  • Patent number: 8781565
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for collecting physiological data using a configurable biopotential array. The array is embedded on a surface area of a handheld device. The array includes a number of electrode tiles. The electrodes include biosensors to collect the physiological data of a user. The electrodes are polled to detect contact with the user's skin. Electrodes in contact with the skin are electrically coupled to form an active electrode area. The coupled electrodes collect the physiological data relating to the user via the biosensors. The electrodes are decoupled after contact with the user's skin is terminated. The physiological data is analyzed and an emotional state or health state of the user is determined from the analyzed data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Aniket A. Vartak, Robert S. Tartz, Mark S. Caskey
  • Publication number: 20140195163
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for identifying noisy regions in a skin conductance signal. The signal is divided into a plurality of windows. Two or more features of the signal within a first window are computed. At least one of the two or more features being in a frequency domain. At least two of the features are combined to obtain at least a first metric. The first metric is compared to a corresponding threshold. The first window is identified as a noisy region of the skin conductance signal based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Somdeb Majumdar, Aniket A. Vartak, Robert S. Tartz
  • Publication number: 20140154649
    Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and apparatuses for associating a user emotion with electronic media are described. Contact between a user of a device and a biopotential electrode array that is integrated with the device is detected. Electrodermal data of the user is acquired via the biopotential electrode array. The user emotion is derived based at least in part on the acquired electrodermal data. The user emotion is then associated with the electronic media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard O. Farley, Robert S. Tartz, Aniket A. Vartak
  • Publication number: 20130317318
    Abstract: Handheld devices using an array of stainless steel electrodes located on an edge and/or back of the handheld devices for acquiring electrodermal activity are provided. The stainless steel electrode array may allow for the skin conductance level (SCL) or skin conductance response (SCR) on an individual to be measured and collected. The skin conductance signal may be related to sympathetic nervous system activity which is a major component of human emotion, known as arousal, or emotional intensity such as anxiety, stress, fear, or excited, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert S. TARTZ, Jay S. KING, Aniket A. VARTAK
  • Publication number: 20130241718
    Abstract: Mobile devices having haptic interfaces located on an edge or back of mobile phones for selectively controlling and varying surface texture and/or force levels are provided. The haptic interfaces may allow for haptic interaction with the user of the mobile device when audio or visual feedback is not practical. The haptic interface may be an electro-mechanical system that may include a matrix or array of individually addressable actuators that can convey haptic information through the deformation of a flexible surface or membrane covering the array of individually addressable actuators. The array of “individually addressable” actuators may provide each actuator the ability to be separately addressable or addressable as a group (i.e. two or more) actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Huihui WANG, Roger M. RUUSPAKKA, Dimosthenis KALEAS, Robert S. TARTZ
  • Publication number: 20130232011
    Abstract: Various arrangements for delivery of relevant content to a mobile device of a user are presented. Physiological state data and image data related to the user of the mobile device may be received by a host computer system from a mobile device. The image data may be analyzed to identify a characteristic of the image. The physiological state data may also be analyzed. Content to deliver to the mobile device of the user may be selected at least partially based on the physiological state data of the user and the characteristic of the image. The content may be transmitted to the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Prince Gupta, Aniket A. Vartak, Charles Wheeler Sweet, III, Robert S. Tartz
  • Patent number: 8442500
    Abstract: Various arrangements for delivery of relevant content to a mobile device of a user are presented. Physiological state data and image data related to the user of the mobile device may be received by a host computer system from a mobile device. The image data may be analyzed to identify a characteristic of the image. The physiological state data may also be analyzed. Content to deliver to the mobile device of the user may be selected at least partially based on the physiological state data of the user and the characteristic of the image. The content may be transmitted to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Prince Gupta, Aniket A Vartak, Charles Wheeler Sweet, III, Robert S Tartz