Patents by Inventor Thomas Yates

Thomas Yates 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: 12287676
    Abstract: In aspects of rollable screen device with piezoelectric sensing, a mobile device includes a rollable display screen configurable in one of multiple display states corresponding to respective device form factors. The mobile device has one or more piezoelectric sensors that detect forces applied to the rollable display screen of the mobile device. The mobile device implements a selection manager that activates one or more parameters (e.g., volume, call acceptance, call decline) of the mobile device based on the forces detected by the one or more piezoelectric sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Yates Merrell, Amit Kumar Agrawal
  • Publication number: 20250103100
    Abstract: In aspects of rollable screen device with piezoelectric sensing, a mobile device includes a rollable display screen configurable in one of multiple display states corresponding to respective device form factors. The mobile device has one or more piezoelectric sensors that detect forces applied to the rollable display screen of the mobile device. The mobile device implements a selection manager that activates one or more parameters (e.g., volume, call acceptance, call decline) of the mobile device based on the forces detected by the one or more piezoelectric sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Yates Merrell, Amit Kumar Agrawal
  • Publication number: 20250103137
    Abstract: In aspects of providing user feedback via a rollable screen device, a mobile device has a housing and a screen moveable relative to the housing such that the mobile device has a compact form factor and an expanded form factor. The mobile device includes one or more sensors positioned relative to the screen for detecting user input including one or more forces applied to an expanded portion of the screen, where the expanded portion of the screen has extended from a compact portion of the screen. The mobile device implements a configuration manager configured to activate one or more components of the mobile device to indicate that the mobile device received the user input based on the one or more forces satisfying a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Yates Merrell, Amit Kumar Agrawal
  • Patent number: 12260021
    Abstract: In aspects of providing user feedback via a rollable screen device, a mobile device has a housing and a screen moveable relative to the housing such that the mobile device has a compact form factor and an expanded form factor. The mobile device includes one or more sensors positioned relative to the screen for detecting user input including one or more forces applied to an expanded portion of the screen, where the expanded portion of the screen has extended from a compact portion of the screen. The mobile device implements a configuration manager configured to activate one or more components of the mobile device to indicate that the mobile device received the user input based on the one or more forces satisfying a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Yates Merrell, Amit Kumar Agrawal
  • Patent number: 12214828
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric vehicle having four wheels and a body having a cockpit defined therein, the cockpit containing a single seat and being closable to form an enclosure around the seat. The body has a front bumper having a width that is greater than a front track width of the vehicle. A width of the vehicle is between 1200 mm and 1600 mm, and a height of a centre of mass of the vehicle above a ground surface on which the vehicle is disposed is less than a third of the width of the vehicle. The electric vehicle may be suited for use in urban environments, and may provide benefits in terms of improved safety and maneuverability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Inventor: Thomas Yates
  • Patent number: 12200572
    Abstract: In aspects of environment dead zone determination based on UWB ranging, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective devices in an environment. An automation controller receives UWB ranging data from the UWB radios, and can monitor locations of the respective devices in the environment. The automation controller can detect a loss of coverage by a device connected in the environment, and determine a coverage dead zone within the environment at the location of the loss of coverage by the device based on the UWB ranging data. A computing device can implement the automation controller that receives the UWB ranging data from the UWB radios, and monitors the locations of the respective devices in the environment. The automation controller can detect the loss of coverage by the device, and determine the coverage dead zone within the environment at the location of the loss of coverage by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Patent number: 12152902
    Abstract: In aspects of environment mapping based on UWB tags, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) tags located for association with respective objects in an environment, where each UWB tag is identified with a digital label indicative of the association with one or more of the objects. A mapping module is implemented to determine a location of each of the UWB tags in the environment, and determine relative positions of each of the UWB tags with respect to each other. The mapping module can generate a location association map of the objects in the environment based on the location and the relative position of each of the UWB tags associated with the respective objects. In an environment within a building, the mapping module can generate the location association map as a floor plan of the building, including the objects location in the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Patent number: 12069120
    Abstract: In aspects of digital media playback based on UWB radios, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective media devices in an environment. A media playback manager receives location information for each of the media devices in the environment based on a position of the UWB radio associated with a respective media device. The media playback manager determines a location of each of the media devices relative to a position of a person in the environment. The media playback manager can then initiate communication of the digital media to a media device for digital media playback of the digital media, where the digital media is communicated to the media device based on the determined position of the person relative to the location of the media device in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E Russell, Jarrett K Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Patent number: 12063059
    Abstract: In aspects of UWB accessory for a wireless device, an attachable ultra-wideband (UWB) accessory includes a UWB radio to communicate with UWB radios in an environment. The attachable UWB accessory has one or more wireless interfaces to wirelessly communicate with radio devices of a wireless device to which the UWB accessory is attached. The attachable UWB accessory can also include a micro-controller that receives UWB ranging data from the UWB radios, and may determine a location of the wireless device in the environment based on the UWB ranging data. The attachable UWB accessory may utilize Bluetooth low energy (BLE) for UWB out-of-band communications. A wireless device can be implemented with the attachable UWB accessory, and the wireless device has a BLE interface to interface with the UWB accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Publication number: 20240256642
    Abstract: In aspects of device actions based on authenticated multi-touch gestures, a multi-touch gesture is received via a fingerprint sensor of a mobile device. The multi-touch gesture includes at least a first touch event and a second touch event. First authentication data is collected during the first touch event, and second authentication data is collected during the second touch event. Based on a successful authentication of at least one of the first authentication data or the second authentication data, a device action corresponding to the multi-touch gesture is initiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Ranjeet Gupta, Thomas Yates Merrell, Rakshit Khosla
  • Patent number: 12004046
    Abstract: In aspects of object tracking based on UWB tags, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) tags located for association with respective objects in an environment, where each UWB tag is identified with a digital label indicative of the association with one or more of the objects. A tracking service is implemented to receive initial location data for the objects from each of the UWB tags that are associated with the objects, and generate an object identity database in which each of the objects are identified by their respective initial location data. The tracking service can monitor for movement of an object that is identified by the initial location data based on subsequent positioning data associated with the object. The movement of an object is monitored for an unauthorized relocation of the object, for a cluster of multiple objects moving together, and/or for an abnormal proximity of multiple objects in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Patent number: 11990012
    Abstract: In aspects of object contextual control based on UWB radios, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective devices in an environment. The system can include camera devices that capture motions in the environment. Alternatively or in addition, the system can include a mobile wireless device moved in the environment to generate motions detected by sensors of the mobile wireless device. A motion controller can determine a motion indication to interact with a device in the environment based on a location of the device as determined by a position of the UWB radio associated with the device. The motion controller can then initiate a control communication to the device to control the device based on the motion indication to interact with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E Russell, Jarrett K Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Patent number: 11900579
    Abstract: A device includes a digital camera positioned underneath a display of the device that captures images through the display. When capturing images using the digital camera, light emitted by the display can get into the digital camera, interfering with or corrupting the captured images. Calibration images are displayed on the display and captured by the digital camera to be used to generate an enhanced output image that mitigates the interference from the display. Recalibration images are subsequently captured in response to any of a variety of different trigger events that may cause or indicate a change in the alignment and geometries of the display pixels to the imager pixels. The captured recalibration image is merged with the previously captured calibration image to generate a merged calibration image, which is afterwards used as the captured calibration image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Yates Merrell, John Christopher Pincenti, Jie Yang
  • Publication number: 20230231591
    Abstract: In aspects of UWB accessory for a wireless device, an attachable ultra-wideband (UWB) accessory includes a UWB radio to communicate with UWB radios in an environment. The attachable UWB accessory has one or more wireless interfaces to wirelessly communicate with radio devices of a wireless device to which the UWB accessory is attached. The attachable UWB accessory can also include a micro-controller that receives UWB ranging data from the UWB radios, and may determine a location of the wireless device in the environment based on the UWB ranging data. The attachable UWB accessory may utilize Bluetooth low energy (BLE) for UWB out-of-band communications. A wireless device can be implemented with the attachable UWB accessory, and the wireless device has a BLE interface to interface with the UWB accessory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Publication number: 20230217215
    Abstract: In aspects of environment dead zone determination based on UWB ranging, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective devices in an environment. An automation controller receives UWB ranging data from the UWB radios, and can monitor locations of the respective devices in the environment. The automation controller can detect a loss of coverage by a device connected in the environment, and determine a coverage dead zone within the environment at the location of the loss of coverage by the device based on the UWB ranging data. A computing device can implement the automation controller that receives the UWB ranging data from the UWB radios, and monitors the locations of the respective devices in the environment. The automation controller can detect the loss of coverage by the device, and determine the coverage dead zone within the environment at the location of the loss of coverage by the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Publication number: 20230217210
    Abstract: In aspects of UWB automation experiences controller, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective devices in an environment. An automation controller receives UWB ranging data from the UWB radios, and can monitor locations of the respective devices in the environment based on the UWB ranging data received from the UWB radios. The automation controller can determine a location change of a device in the environment, and update an automation experience in the environment based on the location change of the device in the environment. A computing device can implement the automation controller to monitor interactions with the respective devices, and monitor the locations of the respective devices in the environment. The automation controller can update an automation experience in the environment based on an interaction and the locations of the respective devices in the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Publication number: 20230168343
    Abstract: In aspects of object and environment dimensioning based on UWB radios, a system includes objects in an environment that are tagged objects and non-tagged objects. The system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective tagged objects in the environment. A mapping module is implemented to determine a location of each of the tagged objects in the environment based on a position of the UWB radio associated with a tagged object, and determine a location of each of the non-tagged objects in the environment based on the positions of the UWB radios. The mapping module can also determine dimensions of the environment and the objects based on the location and a relative position of each tagged object and non-tagged object in the environment. In implementations, one or more of the UWB radios are UWB tags located for association with the respective tagged objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Publication number: 20230169839
    Abstract: In aspects of object contextual control based on UWB radios, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective devices in an environment. The system can include camera devices that capture motions in the environment. Alternatively or in addition, the system can include a mobile wireless device moved in the environment to generate motions detected by sensors of the mobile wireless device. A motion controller can determine a motion indication to interact with a device in the environment based on a location of the device as determined by a position of the UWB radio associated with the device. The motion controller can then initiate a control communication to the device to control the device based on the motion indication to interact with the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Publication number: 20230171298
    Abstract: In aspects of digital media playback based on UWB radios, a system includes ultra-wideband (UWB) radios associated with respective media devices in an environment. A media playback manager receives location information for each of the media devices in the environment based on a position of the UWB radio associated with a respective media device. The media playback manager determines a location of each of the media devices relative to a position of a person in the environment. The media playback manager can then initiate communication of the digital media to a media device for digital media playback of the digital media, where the digital media is communicated to the media device based on the determined position of the person relative to the location of the media device in the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Michael E. Russell, Jarrett K. Simerson, Thomas Yates Merrell
  • Patent number: 11615517
    Abstract: A device includes a digital camera positioned underneath a display of the device that captures images through the display. When capturing images using the digital camera, light emitted by the display can get into the digital camera, interfering with or corrupting the captured images. An enhanced output image is generated from a captured image that mitigates the interference from the display. The enhanced output image is generated, for example, by capturing a different calibration image for each pixel type (e.g., Red, Green, and Blue) included in the display. When an image is subsequently captured, an amount of color emitted by the pixels on the display for the currently displayed image is determined and one or more subtraction images are generated and subtracted from the captured image to mitigate the interference from the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Pincenti, Jie Yang, Thomas Yates Merrell