Patents by Inventor Steve Porter Hotelling

Steve Porter Hotelling 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: 11983371
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel having co-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate is disclosed. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated as column-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a second orientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation is connected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the second orientation are connected together using a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel. The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side of the substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patches and column-like patterns by a dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 11886651
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 11379078
    Abstract: Pre-stored no-touch or no-hover (no-event) sensor output values can initially be used when a sensor panel subsystem is first booted up to establish an initial baseline of sensor output values unaffected by fingers or other objects touching or hovering over the sensor panel during boot-up. This initial baseline can then be normalized so that each sensor generates the same output value for a given amount of touch or hover, providing a uniform response across the sensor panel and enabling subsequent touch or hover events to be more easily detected. After the initial normalization process is complete, the pre-stored baseline can be discarded in favor of a newly captured no-event baseline that may be more accurate than the pre-stored baseline due to temperature or other variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Richards Land, Wayne Carl Westerman, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20220187956
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel having co-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate is disclosed. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated as column-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a second orientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation is connected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the second orientation are connected together using a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel. The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side of the substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patches and column-like patterns by a dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 11353989
    Abstract: A touch surface device having improved sensitivity and dynamic range is disclosed. In one embodiment, the touch surface device includes a touch-sensitive panel having at least one sense node for providing an output signal indicative of a touch or no-touch condition on the panel; a compensation circuit, coupled to the at least one sense node, for generating a compensation signal that when summed with the output signal removes an undesired portion of the output signal so as to generated a compensated output signal; and an amplifier having an inverting input coupled to the output of the compensation circuit and a non-inverting input coupled to a known reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Brian Richards Land
  • Patent number: 11269467
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel having co-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate is disclosed. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated as column-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a second orientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation is connected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the second orientation are connected together using a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel. The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side of the substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patches and column-like patterns by a dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, John Z. Zhong
  • Publication number: 20220057880
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Wei CHEN, Christoph Horst KRAH, John Greer ELIAS, Wei Hsin YAO, Andrew Bert HODGE, Brian Richards LAND, Willem den BOER, John Z. ZHONG
  • Patent number: 11175762
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 10976846
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 10969917
    Abstract: The use of multiple stimulation frequencies and phases is disclosed to detect touch events on a touch sensor panel in a low-power state. Simultaneously during every frame, a number of rows of the touch sensor panel can be driven with a positive phase of one or more stimulation signals, and the same number of different rows can be driven with the anti-phase of those same stimulation signals. Because the same number of rows are stimulated with the in-phase and anti-phase components of the one or more stimulation signals, the resulting charges injected into a given column cancel each other out. However, a touch event will create an imbalance, and a non-zero charge will be detected. The detection of the touch event can then trigger the system to wake up, activate a panel processor, and perform a full panel scan, where the location of the touch event can be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Horst Krah, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Publication number: 20200371624
    Abstract: Pre-stored no-touch or no-hover (no-event) sensor output values can initially be used when a sensor panel subsystem is first booted up to establish an initial baseline of sensor output values unaffected by fingers or other objects touching or hovering over the sensor panel during boot-up. This initial baseline can then be normalized so that each sensor generates the same output value for a given amount of touch or hover, providing a uniform response across the sensor panel and enabling subsequent touch or hover events to be more easily detected. After the initial normalization process is complete, the pre-stored baseline can be discarded in favor of a newly captured no-event baseline that may be more accurate than the pre-stored baseline due to temperature or other variations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Brian Richards LAND, Wayne Carl WESTERMAN, Steve Porter HOTELLING
  • Publication number: 20200356211
    Abstract: A touch surface device having improved sensitivity and dynamic range is disclosed. In one embodiment, the touch surface device includes a touch-sensitive panel having at least one sense node for providing an output signal indicative of a touch or no-touch condition on the panel; a compensation circuit, coupled to the at least one sense node, for generating a compensation signal that when summed with the output signal removes an undesired portion of the output signal so as to generated a compensated output signal; and an amplifier having an inverting input coupled to the output of the compensation circuit and a non-inverting input coupled to a known reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Brian Richards LAND
  • Patent number: 10761658
    Abstract: Pre-stored no-touch or no-hover (no-event) sensor output values can initially be used when a sensor panel subsystem is first booted up to establish an initial baseline of sensor output values unaffected by fingers or other objects touching or hovering over the sensor panel during boot-up. This initial baseline can then be normalized so that each sensor generates the same output value for a given amount of touch or hover, providing a uniform response across the sensor panel and enabling subsequent touch or hover events to be more easily detected. After the initial normalization process is complete, the pre-stored baseline can be discarded in favor of a newly captured no-event baseline that may be more accurate than the pre-stored baseline due to temperature or other variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Richards Land, Wayne Carl Westerman, Steve Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 10725587
    Abstract: A touch surface device having improved sensitivity and dynamic range is disclosed. In one embodiment, the touch surface device includes a touch-sensitive panel having at least one sense node for providing an output signal indicative of a touch or no-touch condition on the panel; a compensation circuit, coupled to the at least one sense node, for generating a compensation signal that when summed with the output signal removes an undesired portion of the output signal so as to generated a compensated output signal; and an amplifier having an inverting input coupled to the output of the compensation circuit and a non-inverting input coupled to a known reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Brian Richards Land
  • Publication number: 20190302932
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel having co-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate is disclosed. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated as column-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a second orientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation is connected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the second orientation are connected together using a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel. The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side of the substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patches and column-like patterns by a dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, John Z. Zhong
  • Publication number: 20190220148
    Abstract: A touch surface device having improved sensitivity and dynamic range is disclosed. In one embodiment, the touch surface device includes a touch-sensitive panel having at least one sense node for providing an output signal indicative of a touch or no-touch condition on the panel; a compensation circuit, coupled to the at least one sense node, for generating a compensation signal that when summed with the output signal removes an undesired portion of the output signal so as to generated a compensated output signal; and an amplifier having an inverting input coupled to the output of the compensation circuit and a non-inverting input coupled to a known reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Brian Richards LAND
  • Publication number: 20190196634
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 10331278
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel having co-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate is disclosed. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated as column-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a second orientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation is connected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the second orientation are connected together using a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel. The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side of the substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patches and column-like patterns by a dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, John Z. Zhong
  • Publication number: 20190146623
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Wei CHEN, Christoph Horst KRAH, John Greer ELIAS, Wei Hsin YAO, Andrew Bert HODGE, Brian Richards LAND, Willem den BOER, John Z. ZHONG
  • Patent number: 10254890
    Abstract: A touch surface device having improved sensitivity and dynamic range is disclosed. In one embodiment, the touch surface device includes a touch-sensitive panel having at least one sense node for providing an output signal indicative of a touch or no-touch condition on the panel; a compensation circuit, coupled to the at least one sense node, for generating a compensation signal that when summed with the output signal removes an undesired portion of the output signal so as to generated a compensated output signal; and an amplifier having an inverting input coupled to the output of the compensation circuit and a non-inverting input coupled to a known reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Brian Richards Land