Patents by Inventor Sadao Yamamoto

Sadao Yamamoto 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).

  • Publication number: 20190113992
    Abstract: A method is provided to interface an active stylus with a sensor controller, wherein the sensor controller is coupled to a sensor configured to receive input from the active stylus. In the method the sensor controller defines data frames consisting of more than one time slot usable for receiving packets from the stylus. The active stylus transmits, in response to a request from the sensor controller, a signal including stylus capability information. The sensor controller determines, based on the stylus capability information, a downlink time slot allocation for use by the active stylus to transmit packets to the sensor controller. The sensor controller transmits the downlink time slot allocation to the active stylus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: David Charles Fleck, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10222880
    Abstract: A controller of an in-cell type liquid crystal display device is provided. The controller controls first and second electrodes that intersect each other, supplies a pixel driving voltage to the first electrodes during a pixel driving period, and detects a stylus position using the first and second electrodes during a stylus detection period different from the pixel driving period. The controller transmits, using the second electrodes, a command requesting a transmission of a downlink signal to the stylus. The controller detects, using the first and second electrodes, the downlink signal transmitted from the stylus in response to the command, and detects the stylus position based on the detected downlink signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hara, Sadao Yamamoto, Shunya Saito
  • Patent number: 10216296
    Abstract: A method is provided to interface an active stylus with a sensor controller, wherein the sensor controller is coupled to a sensor configured to receive input from the active stylus. In the method the sensor controller caches stylus capability information of the active stylus. The stylus capability information includes setting information for inking used by an application program executed to display input from the active stylus on the sensor. The active stylus generates a hash value of the stylus capability information and transmits the hash value to the sensor controller when the active stylus enters a sensing zone of the sensor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: David Charles Fleck, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10152145
    Abstract: A method is provided to interface an active stylus with a sensor controller, wherein the sensor controller is coupled to a sensor configured to receive input from the active stylus. In the method the sensor controller defines data frames consisting of more than one time slot usable for receiving packets from the stylus. The active stylus transmits, in response to a request from the sensor controller, a signal including stylus capability information. The sensor controller determines, based on the stylus capability information, a downlink time slot allocation for use by the active stylus to transmit packets to the sensor controller. The sensor controller transmits the downlink time slot allocation to the active stylus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: David Charles Fleck, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180329524
    Abstract: A sensor controller can be used with both a first stylus that operates in a first communication mode and a second stylus that operates in a second communication mode. The sensor controller performs a dual mode discovery process in which a first discovery process and a second discovery process are alternately performed. During the first discovery process, the sensor controller transmits a search signal for detecting the first stylus. During the second discovery process, the sensor controller performs processing to detect a signal transmitted by the second stylus. When a response to the search signal that is transmitted by the first stylus is detected, an operating mode of the sensor controller is determined to be the first mode. When the signal transmitted by second stylus is detected, the operating mode of the sensor controller is determined to be the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventor: Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180329528
    Abstract: A controller of an in-cell type liquid crystal display device is provided. The controller controls first and second electrodes that intersect each other, supplies a pixel driving voltage to the first electrodes during a pixel driving period, and detects a stylus position using the first and second electrodes during a stylus detection period different from the pixel driving period. The controller transmits, using the second electrodes, a command requesting a transmission of a downlink signal to the stylus. The controller detects, using the first and second electrodes, the downlink signal transmitted from the stylus in response to the command, and detects the stylus position based on the detected downlink signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hara, Sadao Yamamoto, Shunya Saito
  • Publication number: 20180314350
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus of the electrostatic coupling type is provided, to detect not only a position of a pointer but also information other than the position information such as, for example, pointer pressure or side switch information. The pointer transmits two codes such that a pressure applied to a pen tip is associated with a time difference between the two codes. A position detector carries out a correlation matching operation between signals generated in reception conductors and correlation calculation codes corresponding to the two codes, to thereby detect a position on a sensor section pointed to by the pointer from a result of the correlation matching operation and based on at least one of the codes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuo Oda, Sadao Yamamoto, Yoshihisa Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10108277
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus of the electrostatic coupling type is provided, to detect not only a position of a pointer but also information other than the position information such as, for example, pointer pressure or side switch information. The pointer transmits two codes such that a pressure applied to a pen tip is associated with a time difference between the two codes. A position detector carries out a correlation matching operation between signals generated in reception conductors and correlation calculation codes corresponding to the two codes, to thereby detect a position on a sensor section pointed to by the pointer from a result of the correlation matching operation and based on at least one of the codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Oda, Sadao Yamamoto, Yoshihisa Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10061407
    Abstract: A stylus usable with non-in-cell type and in-cell type electronic apparatuses is provided. A stylus, in operation, transmits pen pressure data P to an electronic apparatus. The stylus includes a stylus electrode and a signal processing circuit. The stylus electrode forms a coupling capacitance with a sensor electrode of the electronic apparatus. The signal processing circuit detects an uplink signal US using the stylus electrode, extracts a command from the detected uplink signal US, determines, based on the extracted command, in which mode to operate between a first mode in which the data is transmitted using M (M?1) first periods and a second mode in which the data is transmitted using N (N>M) second periods, and repeatedly transmits the data in accordance with the determined mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hara, Sadao Yamamoto, Shunya Saito
  • Publication number: 20180232131
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided that are capable of controlling a display in response to reliable detection of a sliding movement operation of a pointer (e.g., a user's finger) that passes through an end of a display region. The apparatus and method utilize a position detection sensor, which is superposed on the display and configured to detect the pointer's position discretely and successively at a predetermined time interval. Based on a first position detected by the position detection sensor and a second position detected, at the predetermined time interval since the detection of the first position, by the position detection sensor, which together indicate a moving operation of the pointer, it is determined whether the moving operation of the pointer has crossed an end of the display region. If it is so determined, a passed end position of the display region is calculated based on the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Takeshi Kobori, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10037093
    Abstract: A sensor controller can be used with both a first stylus that operates in a first communication mode and a second stylus that operates in a second communication mode. The sensor controller performs a dual mode discovery process in which a first discovery process and a second discovery process are alternately performed. During the first discovery process, the sensor controller transmits a search signal for detecting the first stylus. During the second discovery process, the sensor controller performs processing to detect a signal transmitted by the second stylus. When a response to the search signal that is transmitted by the first stylus is detected, an operating mode of the sensor controller is determined to be the first mode. When the signal transmitted by second stylus is detected, the operating mode of the sensor controller is determined to be the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180210568
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus of the electrostatic coupling type is provided, to detect not only a position of a pointer but also information other than the position information such as, for example, pointer pressure or side switch information. The pointer transmits two codes such that a pressure applied to a pen tip is associated with a time difference between the two codes. A position detector carries out a correlation matching operation between signals generated in reception conductors and correlation calculation codes corresponding to the two codes, to thereby detect a position on a sensor section pointed to by the pointer from a result of the correlation matching operation and based on at least one of the codes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuo Oda, Sadao Yamamoto, Yoshihisa Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20180181255
    Abstract: A touch detection method is performed by a controller of a touch sensor of a capacitive type including sensor electrodes. The touch detection method includes acquiring detection values at crossing positions of the sensor electrodes, each detection value corresponding to a capacitance between an indicator and the touch sensor at one of the crossing positions, acquiring a maximum value among the detection values at the crossing positions, determining a first threshold value by subtracting a subtraction value, which is a fixed value or a value that decreases as the maximum value increases, from the maximum value, and deriving a position of the indicator based on the detection values at the crossing positions with reference to the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Yoshio Nomura, Kazuhiro Miyoshi, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180173332
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus of the electrostatic coupling type is provided, to detect not only a position of a pointer but also information other than the position information such as, for example, pointer pressure or side switch information. The pointer transmits two codes such that a pressure applied to a pen tip is associated with a time difference between the two codes. A position detector carries out a correlation matching operation between signals generated in reception conductors and correlation calculation codes corresponding to the two codes, to thereby detect a position on a sensor section pointed to by the pointer from a result of the correlation matching operation and based on at least one of the codes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuo Oda, Sadao Yamamoto, Yoshihisa Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20180164905
    Abstract: A method includes: a first transmission step in which a sensor controller sends a first control signal US_c1 including a repetition, by twice or more times, of a known element (“repetitive element”) c1; a detection step in which a stylus performs a receiving operation over a reception period having a predetermined time length SRP, determines whether one or more repetitive elements c1 are included in a signal received in the reception period, and detects the sensor controller depending on the result of the determination; and a second transmission step in which the sensor controller sends a second control signal US_c2 including a plurality of bit values not shared with the stylus in advance. The method reduces the amount of electric power consumed by a stylus, which is configured to detect a sensor controller by receiving a signal sent by the sensor controller, before the stylus detects the sensor controller, while keeping a maximum waiting time period equal to or smaller than the prior art value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventor: Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180157341
    Abstract: A sensor controller is provided for use in a position detector for detecting a position of a position indicator on a touch surface. The sensor controller includes a microprocessor for outputting a value of a symbol to be sent to the position indicator. The sensor controller includes a transmitter coupled to the microprocessor for generating a transmission signal including a chip string CN1 produced by cyclically shifting a code string PNa having autocorrelation characteristics by a shift quantity based on the value of the symbol to be sent, and sending the generated transmission signal to the position indicator via the touch surface. A higher bit rate can be obtained for a given chip rate compared with the prior art in which only 1 bit can be expressed by one code string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuo Oda, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9971486
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided that are capable of controlling a display in response to reliable detection of a sliding movement operation of a pointer (e.g., a user's finger) that passes through an end of a display region. The apparatus and method utilize a position detection sensor, which is superposed on the display and configured to detect the pointer's position discretely and successively at a predetermined time interval. Based on a first position detected by the position detection sensor and a second position detected, at the predetermined time interval since the detection of the first position, by the position detection sensor, which together indicate a moving operation of the pointer, it is determined whether the moving operation of the pointer has crossed an end of the display region. If it is so determined, a passed end position of the display region is calculated based on the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kobori, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180120965
    Abstract: A method is provided to interface an active stylus with a sensor controller, wherein the sensor controller is coupled to a sensor configured to receive input from the active stylus. In the method the sensor controller caches stylus capability information of the active stylus. The stylus capability information includes setting information for inking used by an application program executed to display input from the active stylus on the sensor. The active stylus generates a hash value of the stylus capability information and transmits the hash value to the sensor controller when the active stylus enters a sensing zone of the sensor controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: David Charles Fleck, Sadao Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180120962
    Abstract: A stylus usable with non-in-cell type and in-cell type electronic apparatuses is provided. A stylus, in operation, transmits pen pressure data P to an electronic apparatus. The stylus includes a stylus electrode and a signal processing circuit. The stylus electrode forms a coupling capacitance with a sensor electrode of the electronic apparatus. The signal processing circuit detects an uplink signal US using the stylus electrode, extracts a command from the detected uplink signal US, determines, based on the extracted command, in which mode to operate between a first mode in which the data is transmitted using M (M?1) first periods and a second mode in which the data is transmitted using N (N>M) second periods, and repeatedly transmits the data in accordance with the determined mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hara, Sadao Yamamoto, Shunya Saito
  • Publication number: 20180113519
    Abstract: Allocation of slots to different styluses is flexibly changed in units of the slot that is shorter than a frame. A stylus bi-directionally transmits and receives signals to and from a sensor controller connected to a sensor via capacitive coupling. The stylus includes a memory that temporarily stores a value of a local ID. The stylus includes a controller that determines whether or not a detected uplink signal includes the value of the local ID stored in the memory every time the uplink signal transmitted by the sensor controller is detected. The controller, in response to determining the detected uplink signal includes the value of the local ID stored in the memory, generates a downlink signal that is based on an operation state and transmits the downlink signal to the sensor controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventor: Sadao Yamamoto