Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Weber

Thomas E. Weber 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).

  • Polymer-based sensor apparatus and method
    Patent number: 7191662
    Abstract: A strain sensor (10) includes a flexible substrate (11) having one or more polymer-based resistive elements (12) at least partially conformably disposed thereon. Two or more conductive leads (13, 14) are electrically coupled to the resistive element. Flexure of the resistive element causes a corresponding alteration in a measurable electrical property of the resistive element, such as its characteristic impedance. User interfaces of various kinds can be fabricated with such strain sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Weber, William L. Olson
  • Polymer-based sensor apparatus and method
    Publication number: 20040244495
    Abstract: A strain sensor (10) includes a flexible substrate (11) having one or more polymer-based resistive elements (12) at least partially conformably disposed thereon. Two or more conductive leads (13, 14) are electrically coupled to the resistive element. Flexure of the resistive element causes a corresponding alteration in a measurable electrical property of the resistive element, such as its characteristic impedance. User interfaces of various kinds can be fabricated with such strain sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Weber, William L. Olson
  • Strain sensors and housings and circuit boards with integrated strain sensors
    Publication number: 20040183648
    Abstract: Mechanical testing prototype housings (102) and circuit boards (204, 206) are provided with strain sensors (110, 218, 810) that include piezoresistive material (306, 516, 808) the resistance of which changes in response to strain. The housings and circuit boards are useful for stress testing to evaluate the mechanical robustness of particular housing designs, and circuit board layouts. Circuit boards including the strain sensors can be used to evaluate candidate locations for placement of electrical test contact probe areas (524, 526, 602).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas E. Weber, William L. Olson, Andrew F. Skipor