Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Haynes

Thomas E. Haynes 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: 9167331
    Abstract: Described is a technique for controlling an electronic device by manipulating a headphone cord. This may be accomplished by sensing various bends and/or bend patterns to the cord. The cord may include a resistive member such as a rod or hollow member for providing tactile feedback to a user. The resistive member may provide a bending resistance or a collapse that provides a tactile sense of when the bend produces an effect for controlling the electronic device. A degree of bend may be determined by the sensors and a controller may provide a control input to the electronic device based on the determined bend. In one instance, the volume of the electronic device may be decreased based on the degree of bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Haynes
  • Publication number: 20140294192
    Abstract: Described is a technique for controlling an electronic device by manipulating a headphone cord. This may be accomplished by sensing various bends and/or bend patterns to the cord. The cord may include a resistive member such as a rod or hollow member for providing tactile feedback to a user. The resistive member may provide a bending resistance or a collapse that provides a tactile sense of when the bend produces an effect for controlling the electronic device. A degree of bend may be determined by the sensors and a controller may provide a control input to the electronic device based on the determined bend. In one instance, the volume of the electronic device may be decreased based on the degree of bend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas E. Haynes