Patents by Inventor Rodney Owen Williams
Rodney Owen Williams 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: 20170119052Abstract: An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising system blocks designed to implement respective functions of the aerosol delivery device. The system blocks may include at least a battery management block configured to manage a battery configured to power the aerosol delivery device, a flow sensor interface block configured to detect the flow of air through at least the portion of the housing, and an excitation block configured to cause activation of the heating element in response to an input from the flow sensor interface block that indicates the detection of the airflow through at least the portion of the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2015Publication date: May 4, 2017Inventors: Rodney Owen Williams, Raymond Charles Henry, JR., Wilson Christopher Lamb, Frederic Philippe Ampolini
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Patent number: 9569957Abstract: Systems, devices and methods involving device identification are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes: a first device having a first power line and a first connector, the first connector being coupled to the first power line; and a second device having a second power line and a second connector, the second connector being coupled to the second power line and sized and shaped to mate with the first connector such that the first device electrically communicates with the second device; the first device being operative to modulate impedance exhibited at the first power line; the second device being operative to detect the modulated impedance and correlate the modulated impedance with an identification of the first device.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2012Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: HTC CORPORATIONInventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Patent number: 9541966Abstract: Systems and methods are described for utilizing acceleration event signatures. One method for utilizing acceleration event signatures in an electronic device comprises receiving, by the electronic device, one or more acceleration events. The method further comprises determining whether the received one or more acceleration events correspond to one or more predefined signature definitions and invoking one or more functions based on the one or more acceleration events.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2011Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: HTC CORPORATIONInventors: Rodney Owen Williams, Gregory A. Dunko
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Patent number: 9514297Abstract: A method is described for unlocking a mobile device. The method comprises reorienting, by the mobile device, a pre-defined grid displayed by the mobile device for unlocking the mobile device. The method further comprises displacing the pre-defined grid by an offset and receiving, by the mobile device, a gesture from a user for attempting to unlock the mobile device according to the grid. Based on the gesture for attempting to unlock the mobile device, a verification interface is displayed. The mobile device is unlocked in response to the user successfully tracing the verification pattern.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2011Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: HTC CORPORATIONInventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Patent number: 9124677Abstract: Systems involving portable electronic devices and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes: an accessory having an antenna and a device interface, the device interface electrically communicating with the antenna; the accessory being movable between an attached configuration, in which the accessory engages the portable electronic device such that the device interface communicates signals between the portable electronic device and the antenna, and a detached configuration, in which the accessory is disengaged from the portable electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2012Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: HTC CORPORATIONInventors: Scott Paul Wenger, Rodney Owen Williams
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Patent number: 9077884Abstract: Electronic devices with motion response and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative electronic device includes: an image capturing device operative to acquire image data; an accelerometer operative to sense an acceleration of the electronic device; and a motion response system operative to receive acceleration information corresponding to a sensed acceleration and to alter a mode of operation of the image capturing device based, at least in part, on the acceleration information.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2012Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: HTC CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher David House, Rodney Owen Williams
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Patent number: 9024826Abstract: Electronic devices with antennas formed with optically-transparent films and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative device includes a housing defining a cavity; a display disposed within the cavity; a cover disposed over the display and forming a portion of an exterior of the device; an optically transparent, electrically conductive film disposed within the cavity; and an antenna disposed within the cavity, the antenna being at least partially defined by the film, the film being operative as a ground plane for the antenna.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2013Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: HTC CorporationInventors: William Haywood Tolbert, Rodney Owen Williams, Gregory A. Dunko, Tae Young Yang, Jason Donald Mareno
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Patent number: 9026179Abstract: Devices with displays and related methods involving light sensing with photovoltaic arrays are provided. In this regard, a representative device includes: a display; a processing device operative to drive the display; and a photovoltaic array positioned in an overlying relationship with at least a portion of the display, the photovoltaic array being operative to sense light incident thereupon such that the processing device selectively alters light emitted by the display responsive to the incident light sensed by the photovoltaic array.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2012Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: HTC CorporationInventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20150045092Abstract: A handheld computing device includes a plurality of controls for controlling operation of the handheld computing device, a processor, and an application executable in the processor. The application comprises logic that receives an indication of a notification sent from a communication device and logic that provides a user interface on a display of the handheld computing device responsive to receiving the indication, wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of items each corresponding to a respective action for handling the notification, wherein each of the plurality of items is assigned to a respective control of the handheld computing device for invoking the respective action. The application further comprises logic that receives a selection of one of the items.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventors: Huaiyuan Wang, Rodney Owen Williams
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Patent number: 8892088Abstract: Various embodiments for handling an incoming call are disclosed. One embodiment is a method implemented in a media playback device. The method comprises establishing, by the media playback device, a connection with an output device and streaming, by the media playback device, audio content to the output device. The method further comprises receiving, by the media playback device, an indication from a communication device of an incoming call received by the communication device and responsive to receiving the indication, providing, by the media playback device, an alert corresponding to the incoming call.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: HTC CorporationInventors: Huaiyuan Wang, Rodney Owen Williams
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Patent number: 8866921Abstract: Devices and methods involving enhanced resolution image capture are provided. A representative electronic device includes: an image capture sensor having a plurality of pixels, the image capture sensor being operative to acquire a frame of image information by converting light incident upon the pixels during an exposure duration into electrical signals; and an image capture system selectively operative in a first image capture mode and a second image capture mode; in the first image capture mode, the image capture system outputs an image corresponding to a single frame of image information acquired during a single exposure duration; and in the second image capture mode, the image capture system outputs an enhanced image corresponding to frames of image information acquired during multiple exposure durations such that the enhanced image exhibits a higher resolution than a resolution exhibited by the acquired image associated with the first mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2012Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: HTC CorporationInventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Patent number: 8847545Abstract: A system and method are described for automatically executing an application program in a mobile phone (or other electronic device) upon coupling of the mobile phone to a charging unit. The system and method operate to communicate a unique charging unit identification to the mobile phone and, in response, have the mobile phone execute a particular application program (or other command or mode of operation) that is associated with the particular charging unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2011Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: HTC CorporationInventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20140240176Abstract: Electronic devices with antennas formed with optically-transparent films and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative device includes a housing defining a cavity; a display disposed within the cavity; a cover disposed over the display and forming a portion of an exterior of the device; an optically transparent, electrically conductive film disposed within the cavity; and an antenna disposed within the cavity, the antenna being at least partially defined by the film, the film being operative as a ground plane for the antenna.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2013Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: HTC CORPORATIONInventors: William Haywood Tolbert, Rodney Owen Williams, Gregory A. Dunko, Tae Young Yang, Jason Donald Mareno
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Publication number: 20140148223Abstract: Systems involving portable electronic devices and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes: an accessory having an antenna and a device interface, the device interface electrically communicating with the antenna; the accessory being movable between an attached configuration, in which the accessory engages the portable electronic device such that the device interface communicates signals between the portable electronic device and the antenna, and a detached configuration, in which the accessory is disengaged from the portable electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: HTC CORPORATIONInventors: Scott Paul Wenger, Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20140049444Abstract: A representative device includes: a housing; and an antenna assembly mounted to the housing, the antenna assembly having a first antenna and a second antenna, the first antenna and the second antenna being movable between respective stowed and extended positions; in the stowed positions, the first antenna and the second antenna being positioned substantially within an outer periphery defined by the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2012Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: HTC CORPORATIONInventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20130342718Abstract: Devices and methods involving enhanced resolution image capture are provided. A representative electronic device includes: an image capture sensor having a plurality of pixels, the image capture sensor being operative to acquire a frame of image information by converting light incident upon the pixels during an exposure duration into electrical signals; and an image capture system selectively operative in a first image capture mode and a second image capture mode; in the first image capture mode, the image capture system outputs an image corresponding to a single frame of image information acquired during a single exposure duration; and in the second image capture mode, the image capture system outputs an enhanced image corresponding to frames of image information acquired during multiple exposure durations such that the enhanced image exhibits a higher resolution than a resolution exhibited by the acquired image associated with the first mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2012Publication date: December 26, 2013Inventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20130250133Abstract: Electronic devices with motion response and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative electronic device includes: an image capturing device operative to acquire image data; an accelerometer operative to sense an acceleration of the electronic device; and a motion response system operative to receive acceleration information corresponding to a sensed acceleration and to alter a mode of operation of the image capturing device based, at least in part, on the acceleration information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2012Publication date: September 26, 2013Inventors: Christopher David House, Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20130234839Abstract: Systems, devices and methods involving device identification are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes: a first device having a first power line and a first connector, the first connector being coupled to the first power line; and a second device having a second power line and a second connector, the second connector being coupled to the second power line and sized and shaped to mate with the first connector such that the first device electrically communicates with the second device; the first device being operative to modulate impedance exhibited at the first power line; the second device being operative to detect the modulated impedance and correlate the modulated impedance with an identification of the first device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2012Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: HTC CORPORATIONInventor: Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20130157631Abstract: Various embodiments for handling an incoming call are disclosed. One embodiment is a method implemented in a media playback device. The method comprises establishing, by the media playback device, a connection with an output device and streaming, by the media playback device, audio content to the output device. The method further comprises receiving, by the media playback device, an indication from a communication device of an incoming call received by the communication device and responsive to receiving the indication, providing, by the media playback device, an alert corresponding to the incoming call.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: HTC CORPORATIONInventors: Huaiyuan Wang, Rodney Owen Williams
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Publication number: 20130065647Abstract: Devices with displays and related methods involving light sensing with photovoltaic arrays are provided. In this regard, a representative device includes: a display; a processing device operative to drive the display; and a photovoltaic array positioned in an overlying relationship with at least a portion of the display, the photovoltaic array being operative to sense light incident thereupon such that the processing device selectively alters light emitted by the display responsive to the incident light sensed by the photovoltaic array.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: HTC CorporationInventor: Rodney Owen Williams