Patents by Inventor Shih-Ming Shih

Shih-Ming Shih 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: 20190073064
    Abstract: A sensor includes a plurality of piezoresistive elements and a plurality of electrical connection terminals. The plurality of piezoresistive elements are fabricated on a first side of a substrate. A second side of the substrate is configured to be coupled to an object where a physical disturbance is to be detected. A plurality of electrical connection terminals are coupled to the first side of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Publication number: 20190074833
    Abstract: A physical disturbance sensor includes a plurality of piezoresistive elements configured in a resistive bridge configuration. A signal transmitter is electrically connected to the physical disturbance sensor and configured to send an encoded signal to the piezoresistive elements of the resistive bridge configuration. A signal receiver is electrically connected to the piezoresistive elements and configured to receive a signal from the physical disturbance sensor. The received signal from the physical disturbance sensor is correlated with the sent encoded signal in determining a measure of physical disturbance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Publication number: 20190073078
    Abstract: A system is for detecting a location of a touch input on a surface of a propagating medium. The system includes a transmitter coupled to the propagating medium and configured to emit a signal. The signal has been allowed to propagate through the propagating medium and the location of the touch input on the surface of the propagating medium is detected at least in part by detecting an effect of the touch input on the signal that has been allowed to propagate through the propagating medium. The system includes a piezoresistive sensor coupled to the propagating medium. The piezoresistive sensor is configured to at least detect a force, pressure, or applied strain of the touch input on the propagating medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 10209825
    Abstract: A signal to be used to propagate a propagating signal through a propagating medium with a touch input surface is sent. The propagating signal has been allowed to propagate through the propagating medium to a plurality of receivers coupled to the propagating medium. A received signal affected by a touch input object contacting the touch input surface is received. At least a portion of the received signal is compared with one or more reference signals of one or more touch input object types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 10198097
    Abstract: Detecting a touch input force is disclosed. A signal to be used to propagate a propagating signal through a propagating medium with a surface is sent. The propagating signal that has been disturbed by a touch input with an amount of force on the surface is received. The received signal is processed to determine an identifier associated with the amount of force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20180373358
    Abstract: Controlling an audio volume is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with an audio volume control. The audio volume is controlled based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10162443
    Abstract: Providing a virtual keyboard interaction is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with a virtual keyboard. A virtual keyboard interaction is provided based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10120491
    Abstract: A haptic feedback system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of remote transmitters that are remote from a location of interest on a surface of the system. The system includes a signal generator that generates a signal for each of the remote transmitters. The remote transmitters propagate the signals through a medium of the surface and the signals interfere at the location of interest such that a localized disturbance is generated at the location of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10061453
    Abstract: Determining a touch contact location is disclosed. A signal that has been disturbed by a touch input on a surface is received. The received signal is transformed to determine a spatial domain signal. The spatial domain signal is compared with an expected signal associated with a potential location of a source of a disturbance caused by the touch input. The touch contact location of the touch input is determined based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Shirish A. Altekar, Shih-Ming Shih
  • Patent number: 10055066
    Abstract: Controlling an audio volume is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with an audio volume control. The audio volume is controlled based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10048811
    Abstract: A touch input provided by a touch input indicator device is received on a propagating medium of a receiving device. The touch input indicator device includes a transmitter that transmits a signal to the propagating medium when the touch input indicator device contacts the propagating medium. The signal encodes a digital binary data identifying the signal. The signal that has been propagated through the propagating medium is received at a receiver of the receiving device. The receiver is coupled to the propagating medium. The digital binary data is detected in the received signal. Based at least in part on the detection of the digital binary data, the touch input provided by the touch input indicator device is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Mark Hamblin, Lapoe E. Lynn
  • Publication number: 20180225001
    Abstract: A signal to be used to propagate a propagating signal through a propagating medium with a touch input surface is sent. The propagating signal has been allowed to propagate through the propagating medium to a plurality of receivers coupled to the propagating medium. A received signal affected by a touch input object contacting the touch input surface is received. At least a portion of the received signal is compared with one or more reference signals of one or more touch input object types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Patent number: 9990070
    Abstract: Providing a virtual keyboard interaction is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with a virtual keyboard. A virtual keyboard interaction is provided based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9983718
    Abstract: A signal to be used to propagate a freely propagating signal through a propagating medium with a touch input surface is sent. The freely propagating signal has been allowed to freely propagate through the propagating medium in a plurality directions to a plurality of receivers on multiple axes of the propagating medium. A received signal detected due to a touch input object contacting the touch input surface is received. The received signal includes the freely propagating signal that has been disturbed by the touch input object. At least a portion of the received signal is compared with one or more reference signals of one or more touch input object types. Based at least in part on the comparison a location of the touch input object contacting the surface is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Publication number: 20180129355
    Abstract: A touch input is detected. From a plurality of transmitters coupled to a propagating medium, propagating signals are emitted through the propagating medium. At a plurality of receivers coupled to the propagating medium, one or more of the propagating signals that have been disturbed by the touch input are received. The plurality of transmitters and the plurality of receivers are coupled to the propagating medium on an internal side of a device sidewall. One or more detected propagating signals that have been disturbed by the touch input are analyzed to identify the touch input on an external surface of the device sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Stanislav Maximov, Shih-Ming Shih
  • Patent number: 9880671
    Abstract: A touch input detector is disclosed. The touch input detector includes an acoustic transmitter for transmitting an acoustic wave across a touch input medium. The touch input detector also includes an acoustic receiver for receiving the transmitted acoustic wave, wherein the timing of the incidence of the acoustic wave on the acoustic receiver indicates at least a portion of a touch input location on a surface of the touch input medium. The touch input detector further includes an acoustic dampening material coupled to the touch input medium to dampen reflections of the transmitted acoustic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Yenyu Hsieh, Michael L. Khitrov, Allan Boerner, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih
  • Patent number: 9823760
    Abstract: A source audio signal to be rendered by a touch input medium is received. A transmitted signal to be propagated through the touch input medium is sent. The transmitted signal includes the source audio signal and a touch location detection signal. An event is indicated, where the touch input medium has been contacted at a location on the touch input medium by a touch contact such that rendering of the source audio signal by the touch input medium is affected by the touch contact. The location of the touch contact on the touch input medium is determined by analyzing a disturbance by the touch contact on the rendered touch location detection signal. At least a portion of the source audio signal is modified based on an expected effect of the contact on the touch input medium determined using the indication of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Lapoe E. Lynn
  • Publication number: 20170192618
    Abstract: Detecting a location of a touch input is disclosed. Each of a plurality of transmitters coupled to a propagating medium emits a signal that is distinguishable from other signals emitted from other transmitters. The signals from the transmitters are received from at least one receiver coupled to the propagating medium to detect the location of the touch input on a surface of the propagating medium as indicated by an effect of the touch input on each of the distinguishable signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Shirish A. Altekar
  • Publication number: 20170139499
    Abstract: Controlling an audio volume is disclosed. An indicator identifying a force intensity of a touch input provided on a touch input surface is received. It is determined that the touch input is associated with an audio volume control. The audio volume is controlled based at least in part on the indicator identifying the force intensity of the touch input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Lapoe E. Lynn, Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9639213
    Abstract: Detecting a location of a touch input is disclosed. Each of a plurality of transmitters coupled to a propagating medium emits a signal that is distinguishable from other signals emitted from other transmitters. The signals from the transmitters are received from at least one receiver coupled to the propagating medium to detect the location of the touch input on a surface of the propagating medium as indicated by an effect of the touch input on each of the distinguishable signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Sentons Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel W. Sheng, Shih-Ming Shih, Yenyu Hsieh, Shirish A. Altekar