Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Shortledge

Thomas E. Shortledge 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).

  • System and method for measuring individual force in multi-object sensing
    Patent number: 8570297
    Abstract: An input device is provided that facilitates improved user interface functionality by determining force information for each of multiple objects in a sensing region. The input device includes a processing system, a sensor configured to sense objects in a sensing region proximate a surface, and a plurality of force sensors. The plurality of force sensors are coupled to the surface to provide a plurality of measures of force applied to the surface. The processing system is configured to determine positional information for each the multiple objects sensed by the sensor in the sensing region. Furthermore, the processing system is configured to determine force information for each of the multiple objects from the positional information and the plurality of measures of force applied to the surface. Thus, device and method provides the ability to determine both positional information and force information for each of multiple objects in a sensing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Mihai M. Bulea, Thomas E. Shortledge
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING INDIVIDUAL FORCE IN MULTI-OBJECT SENSING
    Publication number: 20110141053
    Abstract: An input device is provided that facilitates improved user interface functionality by determining force information for each of multiple objects in a sensing region. The input device includes a processing system, a sensor configured to sense objects in a sensing region proximate a surface, and a plurality of force sensors. The plurality of force sensors are coupled to the surface to provide a plurality of measures of force applied to the surface. The processing system is configured to determine positional information for each the multiple objects sensed by the sensor in the sensing region. Furthermore, the processing system is configured to determine force information for each of the multiple objects from the positional information and the plurality of measures of force applied to the surface. Thus, device and method provides the ability to determine both positional information and force information for each of multiple objects in a sensing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mihai M. Bulea, Thomas E. Shortledge