Patents by Inventor Steven A. Porter

Steven A. Porter 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: 9760200
    Abstract: Displays with touch sensing circuitry integrated into the display pixel stackup are provided. An integrated touch screen can include multi-function circuit elements that can operate as circuitry of the display system to generate an image on the display, and can also form part of a touch sensing system that senses one or more touches on or near the display. The multi-function circuit elements can be, for example, capacitors in display pixels that can be configured to operate as storage capacitors/electrodes, common electrodes, conductive wires/pathways, etc., of the display circuitry in the display system, and that may also be configured to operate as circuit elements of the touch sensing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Marduke Yousefpor, Shih Chang Chang, John Z. Zhong
  • Patent number: 9715306
    Abstract: A multi-stimulus controller for a multi-touch sensor is formed on a single integrated circuit (single-chip). The multi-stimulus controller includes a transmit oscillator, a transmit signal section that generates a plurality of drive signals based on a frequency of the transmit oscillator, a plurality of transmit channels that transmit the drive signals simultaneously to drive the multi-touch sensor, a receive channel that receives a sense signal resulting from the driving of the multi-touch sensor, a receive oscillator, and a demodulation section that demodulates the received sense signal based on a frequency of the receive oscillator to obtain sensing results, the demodulation section including a demodulator and a vector operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Christoph Horst Krah, Marduke Yousefpor, Thomas James Wilson
  • Patent number: 9632622
    Abstract: Ground detection of a touch sensitive device is disclosed. The device can detect its grounded state so that poor grounding can be selectively compensated for in touch signals outputted by the device. The device can include one or more components to monitor certain conditions of the device. The device can analyze the monitored conditions to determine the grounding condition of the device. The device can apply a function to compensate its touch signal outputs if the device determines that it is poorly grounded. Conversely, the device can omit the function if the device determines that it is well grounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, David T. Amm, Michael Lammers, John T. Orchard, Brian Michael King, Omar Leung, Deniz Teoman
  • Patent number: 9547394
    Abstract: A multipoint touch surface controller is disclosed herein. The controller includes an integrated circuit including output circuitry for driving a capacitive multi-touch sensor and input circuitry for reading the sensor. Also disclosed herein are various noise rejection and dynamic range enhancement techniques that permit the controller to be used with various sensors in various conditions without reconfiguring hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Christoph Horst Krah, Brian Quentin Huppi
  • Publication number: 20170010744
    Abstract: A multi-stimulus controller for a multi-touch sensor is formed on a single integrated circuit (single-chip). The multi-stimulus controller includes a transmit oscillator, a transmit signal section that generates a plurality of drive signals based on a frequency of the transmit oscillator, a plurality of transmit channels that transmit the drive signals simultaneously to drive the multi-touch sensor, a receive channel that receives a sense signal resulting from the driving of the multi-touch sensor, a receive oscillator, and a demodulation section that demodulates the received sense signal based on a frequency of the receive oscillator to obtain sensing results, the demodulation section including a demodulator and a vector operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Steven Porter HOTELLING, Christoph Horst KRAH, Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Thomas James WILSON
  • Publication number: 20170001469
    Abstract: A process provides two or more strands of rope formed of a fibrous matrix material. Further, the process threads the strands singly and in parallel under tension into a coating container. In addition, the process applies a curable fluid matrix to at least some of the strands. The process also draws the strands through a constricting orifice to bond them together along their length to form a composite rope. Further, the process cures the composite rope to form a rigid structure. An apparatus comprises an armature, a wire mesh that is operably attached to the armature, and an epoxy coated rope that is operably attached to the wire mesh. The epoxy coated rope comprises glass fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventor: Steven Porter
  • Publication number: 20160364078
    Abstract: The use of multiple stimulation signals having one or more frequencies and one or more phases to generate an image of touch on a touch sensor panel is disclosed. Each of a plurality of sense channels can be coupled to a column in a touch sensor panel and can have one or more mixers. Each mixer in the sense channel can utilize a circuit capable generating a demodulation frequency of a particular frequency. At each of multiple steps, various phases of one or more selected frequencies can be used to simultaneously stimulate the rows of the touch sensor panel, and the one or more mixers in each sense channel can be configured to demodulate the signal received from the column connected to each sense channel using the one or more selected frequencies. After all steps have been completed, the demodulated signals from the one or more mixers can be used in calculations to determine an image of touch for the touch sensor panel at each of the one or more frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Christoph Horst KRAH, Steven Porter HOTELLING, Sean Erik O'CONNOR, Wayne Carl WESTERMAN
  • Patent number: 9444453
    Abstract: Measuring an effect of body capacitance in a touch sensitive device is disclosed. This effect can be caused by poor grounding of a user or other objects touching the device or of the device itself. The device can operate in a stray capacitance mode to measure a body capacitance effect and in a normal mode to detect a touch on the device. During the stray capacitance mode, the device can obtain a body capacitance measurement from the device. During the normal mode, the device can obtain a touch measurement from the device. The device can calculate a body capacitance factor based on a ratio between the body capacitance measurement and the touch measurement and use the body capacitance factor to compensate for erroneous or distorted touch output values from the device. Various components of the device can be switchably configured according to the particular mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Horst Krah, Steven Porter Hotelling, Marduke Yousefpor
  • Publication number: 20160216153
    Abstract: Remote control systems that can distinguish predetermined light sources from stray light sources, e.g., environmental light sources and/or reflections are provided. The predetermined light sources can be disposed in asymmetric substantially linear or two-dimensional patterns. The predetermined light sources also can output waveforms modulated in accordance with one or more signature modulation characteristics. The predetermined light sources also can output light at different signature wavelengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Nicholas Vincent King, Duncan Robert Kerr, Wing Kong Low
  • Publication number: 20160198785
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a wire mesh that is shaped according to an artificial foliage pattern. The wire mesh is coated with a coating to match a characteristic of the artificial foliage pattern. The coating fills in spaces between the wire mesh to produce a translucent structure in the spaces that filters light. The mesh size, mesh materials, and the type of coating, e.g., type of paint, are selected so that the coating fills in the spaces to produce a translucent structure that is thin yet strong. The thin translucent structure allows light to filter through in a natural manner. A process performs the shaping and coating of the wire mesh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Zsolt Hormay, Steven Porter
  • Publication number: 20160154525
    Abstract: Capacitive touch panels may include a plurality of positive voltage lines that are driven at a first phase. These positive voltage lines may be used to provide the drive capacitance signal sensed by one or more sense regions. The touch panels may also include a plurality of negative phase voltage lines that are driven at a phase that is different than the first phase. Both the positive and negative voltage lines may cross-under one or more sense regions. The negative phase voltage lines are able to counter act and reduce the static capacitance in the sense regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Steven Porter HOTELLING, Marduke YOUSEFPOR
  • Patent number: 9335870
    Abstract: Clamping of a circuit element of a touch screen, such as a gate line of the display system of the touch screen, to a fixed voltage is provided. The circuit element can be clamped during a touch phase and unclamped during a display phase of the touch screen. A gate line system of a touch screen can include a first transistor with a source or drain connected to a first gate line, a second transistor with a source or drain connected to a second gate line, and a common conductive pathway connecting gates of the first and second transistors. A synchronization system can switch the first and second transistors to connect the first and second gate lines to a fixed voltage during a touch phase, and can switch the first and second transistors to disconnect the first and second gate lines from the fixed voltage during a display phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marduke Yousefpor, Steven Porter Hotelling, Kevin J. White
  • Patent number: 9329703
    Abstract: An intelligent stylus is disclosed. The stylus can provide a stylus condition in addition to a touch input. The stylus architecture can include multiple sensors to sense information indicative of the stylus condition, a microcontroller to determine the stylus condition based on the sensed information, and a transmitter to transmit the determined condition to a corresponding touch sensitive device so as to cause some action based on the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Falkenburg, David I. Simon, Jonah A. Harley, Andrea Mucignat, Brian Richards Land, Christopher Tenzin Mullens, Steven Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 9329723
    Abstract: Reconstruction of an original touch image from a differential touch image is disclosed. Reconstruction can include aligning columns of the differential touch image relative to each other and aligning the image to a baseline DC value. The column and baseline alignment can be based on the differential image data indicative of no touch or hover, because such data can more clearly show the amount of alignment needed to reconstruct the original image. The reconstruction can be performed using the differential image data alone. The reconstruction can also be performed using the differential image data and common mode data indicative of the missing image column average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ari Y. Benbasat, William Matthew Vieta, Wayne Carl Westerman, Steven Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 9316535
    Abstract: Remote control systems that can distinguish predetermined light sources from stray light sources, e.g., environmental light sources and/or reflections are provided. The predetermined light sources can be disposed in asymmetric substantially linear or two-dimensional patterns. The predetermined light sources also can output waveforms modulated in accordance with one or more signature modulation characteristics. The predetermined light sources also can output light at different signature wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Nicholas Vincent King, Duncan Robert Kerr, Wing Kong Low
  • Patent number: 9285909
    Abstract: Reduction of the effects of differences in parasitic capacitances in touch screens is provided. A touch screen can include multiple display pixels with stackups that each include a first element and a second element. For example, the first element can be a common electrode, and the second element can be a data line. The display pixels can include a first display pixel including a third element connected to the first element, and the third element can contribute to a first parasitic capacitance between the first and second elements of the first display pixel, for example, by overlapping with the second element. The touch screen can also include a second display pixel lacking the third element. The second display pixel can include a second parasitic capacitance between the first and second elements of the second display pixel. The first and second parasitic capacitances can be substantially equal, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shih Chang Chang, Steven Porter Hotelling, Cheng Ho Yu
  • Patent number: 9268445
    Abstract: Capacitive touch panels may include a plurality of positive voltage lines that are driven at a first phase. These positive voltage lines may be used to provide the drive capacitance signal sensed by one or more sense regions. The touch panels may also include a plurality of negative phase voltage lines that are driven at a phase that is different than the first phase. Both the positive and negative voltage lines may cross-under one or more sense regions. The negative phase voltage lines are able to counter act and reduce the static capacitance in the sense regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Marduke Yousefpor
  • Publication number: 20150363032
    Abstract: Displays with touch sensing circuitry integrated into the display pixel stackup are provided. An integrated touch screen can include multi-function circuit elements that can operate as circuitry of the display system to generate an image on the display, and can also form part of a touch sensing system that senses one or more touches on or near the display. The multi-function circuit elements can be, for example, capacitors in display pixels that can be configured to operate as storage capacitors/electrodes, common electrodes, conductive wires/pathways, etc., of the display circuitry in the display system, and that may also be configured to operate as circuit elements of the touch sensing circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Steven Porter HOTELLING, Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Shih Chang CHANG, John Z. ZHONG
  • Patent number: 9201547
    Abstract: A touch sensor panel configured to detect objects touching the panel as well as objects that are at a varying proximity to the touch sensor panel. The touch sensor panel includes circuitry that can configure the panel in a mutual capacitance (near field) architecture or a self-capacitance (far field and super far field) architecture. The touch sensor panel can also include circuitry that works to minimize an effect that a parasitic capacitance can have on the ability of the touch sensor panel to reliably detect touch and proximity events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Greer Elias, Steven Porter Hotelling
  • Patent number: 9183799
    Abstract: With respect to liquid crystal display inversion schemes, a large change in voltage on a data line can affect the voltages on adjacent data lines due to capacitive coupling between data lines. The resulting change in voltage on these adjacent data lines can give rise to visual artifacts in the data lines' corresponding sub-pixels. Various embodiments of the present disclosure serve to prevent or reduce these visual artifacts by applying voltage to a data line more than once during the write sequence. Doing so can allow erroneous brightening or darkening caused by large voltage swings to be overwritten without causing additional large voltage swings on the data line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Porter Hotelling, Marduke Yousefpor, Hopil Bae