Patents by Inventor Thomas Gitzinger

Thomas Gitzinger 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).

  • Publication number: 20060143455
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for securely pairing wireless devices is disclosed. The method comprises sending (304) from a first device (102) secure information, such as a Bluetooth code, a pin or combination thereof, over a wired link (260). Then receiving (306) from a second device (104) a confirmation to the secure information over a wireless link (105). Then, the method comprises, communicating over a link using at least a portion of the secure information to maintain a secure link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventor: Thomas Gitzinger
  • Publication number: 20060097992
    Abstract: A user interface (210) includes an RC circuit (213). The RC circuit (213) includes a variable capacitance. The variable capacitance is produced by a sensing member (310) in cooperation with a user's finger (311). When a user makes a selection with the user interface (210), the user places a finger (311) in close proximity and in a facing relationship to a section, or discrete surface (320, 322, 324), of the sensing member (310). The discrete surfaces (320, 322, 324) can correspond to keys of a keypad (138) or to directions of a directional button (1030), for example. The time constant of the RC circuit (213) varies according to which discrete surface (320, 322, 324) is determining the capacitance of the RC circuit (213). A controller (118) determines the user's selection based on the time constant of the RC circuit (213).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Thomas Gitzinger, Rachid Alameh, Louis Vannatta
  • Publication number: 20060018088
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for an electronic device (100) to incorporate two housing members (104, 106) to expose a first portion (112) of a display or screen (110) when closed. When the two members (104, 106) are moved to open the housing (102) the display or screen (110) is moved to a position angularly displaced from its former position with respect to the housing (102). A second portion (114) of the screen (110), larger than the first portion (112), is exposed and used for displaying text, images or other graphics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Inventors: Thomas Gitzinger, Michael Charlier, Paul Steuer
  • Publication number: 20040204000
    Abstract: An apparatus and method utilizing a mobile communication device including an array sensor. The apparatus can include a first housing, a second housing, and an array sensor. The apparatus may further include a controller coupled to the array sensor. The controller may include a field change sensing module configured to sense a change in a field across the array sensor and a parameter of operation adjustment module configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the apparatus based on a position of the second housing. The method can include the steps of sensing a position of the second housing and adjusting a sensitivity of the array sensor based on the position of the second housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Aaron Dietrich, Michael Charlier, Thomas Gitzinger
  • Publication number: 20040204190
    Abstract: An apparatus and method utilizing a mobile communication device including a housing, an earpiece coupled to the housing, a keypad coupled to the housing, and an array sensor coupled to the housing. The array sensor is distributed across a significant portion of a face of the housing to allow the detection of various conductive profiles in close proximity to the housing. A portion of the array sensor may be positioned underneath the keypad. The mobile communication device can sense a change in a field across the array sensor and adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device based on the change in the field across the array sensor in response to a conductive profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Aaron Dietrich, Michael Charlier, Thomas Gitzinger
  • Publication number: 20040203502
    Abstract: An apparatus and method utilizing a portable device including an array sensor and a replaceable housing. The apparatus can include a main housing, a first replaceable housing configured to be coupled to the main housing, an array sensor coupled to the main housing, a sensing module coupled to the array sensor, the sensing module being configured to sense a change in a field across the array sensor using a predefined conductive pattern, and an adjustment module coupled to the array sensor, the adjustment module being configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device in response to the sensing module sensing the change in the field using the predefined conductive pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Aaron Dietrich, Michael Charlier, Thomas Gitzinger, Matthew C. Loppnow
  • Patent number: 6758303
    Abstract: An electronic device (100) having a multi-mode acoustic system (120) and a method (500) for radiating sound waves are described herein. The acoustic system (120) generally includes a transducer (530), a first port (510), and a second port (520). The first and second ports (510, 520) may be acoustically coupled to the transducer (530). The second port (520) may be acoustically symmetric relative to the first port (510) such that output from the second port (520) is substantially identical to output from the first port (510).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Zurek, Simone Koo, Thomas Gitzinger, Chris Gremo, Thomas Walczak
  • Publication number: 20040084244
    Abstract: An electronic device (100) having a multi-mode acoustic system (120) and a method (500) for radiating sound waves are described herein. The acoustic system (120) generally includes a transducer (530), a first port (510), and a second port (520). The first and second ports (510, 520) may be acoustically coupled to the transducer (530). The second port (520) may be acoustically symmetric relative to the first port (510) such that output from the second port (520) is substantially identical to output from the first port (510).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Robert A. Zurek, Simone Koo, Thomas Gitzinger, Chris Gremo, Thomas Walczak
  • Patent number: 6636750
    Abstract: A speakerphone accessory (100) is provided for use with a portable telephone (102). The speakerphone accessory (100) has a high-level speaker assembly (222) that includes a transducer (500) coupled to first and second resonators (502, 504). The first and second resonators (502, 504) are designed so that the first resonator (502) is most efficient at a high frequency while the second resonator (504) has maximum response at a low frequency. The frequency ranges produced by the first and second resonators (502, 504) overlap to reproduce frequencies between the high and low frequencies. The high-level speaker assembly (222), therefore, provides an acoustic bandpass having improved response when compared to the response of the transducer (500) alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Zurek, Thomas Gitzinger, Michael Charlier
  • Patent number: 6453045
    Abstract: A telecommunication device (10) includes a housing (14, 16) and a dual earpiece arrangement (26) associated with the housing. The dual earpiece arrangement (26) includes a handsfree transducer (28) that generates dispatch-level audio output in a handsfree operating mode of the telecommunication device, and a private-mode transducer (38) that generates private-level audio output in a private operating mode of the telecommunication device. In particular, the device (10) includes a cantilevered bender (30) having a first end and a second end wherein the first end of the bender is mounted to the housing (16), a diaphragm (32) having a first end and a second end wherein the first end of the diaphragm (32) is attached to the second end of the bender (30), and a surround (34) joining the second end of the diaphragm (32) to the housing (16). The bender (30) drives the diaphragm (32) in a reciprocating manner to generate dispatch level audio output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Zurek, Thomas Gitzinger, Michael L. Charlier
  • Patent number: 6115620
    Abstract: A portable communication device (100) comprises a first housing element (202) and a second housing element (204), wherein the second housing element (204) is movingly connected to the first housing element (202) such that the second housing element (202) is settable to substantially three positions. A sensor (112) coupled to the first housing element (202) and the second housing element (204) produces a position signal to indicate the position of the second housing element (204) relative to the first housing element (202), and an activation element (230) produces an activation signal in response to a user input. A controller (106) operates the portable communication device (100) in one of a standby mode, a private-mode, and a speakerphone mode in response to the position signal and the activation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank C. Colonna, Michael L. Charlier, Rachid Alameh, Thomas J. Walczak, Thomas Gitzinger, Michael W. Schellinger, Christopher S. Gremo
  • Patent number: 6064894
    Abstract: A portable radio telephone is adapted to provide handsfree operation and adapted to be held against a user's ear to provide private operation. A housing of the portable radio telephone has an ear placement region on a front surface thereof. A speaker is disposed in the housing behind the ear placement region. The ear placement region is adapted to be held against a user's ear to provide private operation creating a first air volume between the user's ear and the ear placement region. In a preferred embodiment, an air path between the first air volume to a second air volume at the back surface of the housing includes at least a first port positioned within the ear placement region, an air cavity within the housing, and at least a second port positioned at a back surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Zurek, Michael L. Charlier, Thomas Gitzinger