Patents by Inventor Tim Chamberlain

Tim Chamberlain 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: 10007353
    Abstract: A switch operating device (100) configured to operate a switch (103) with four possible types (111 to 114) of non-tactile translational gestures performed with a heat emitting part (115). A gesture sensor (1) is adapted to detect heat emitted by the part while performing one of the translational gesture types. Four pixels (21 to 24) are arranged next to each other and output a signal (51 to 54) per pixel, wherein the signal has a signal deflection (58) corresponding to the temporal intensity curve of the heat detected by the thin film of the corresponding pixel. A signal processing unit (101) determines the performance of the translational gesture types from the temporal succession of the signal deflections (58). An actuator (104) is controlled by the signal processing unit and operates the switch when one of the translational gesture types is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Pyreos Ltd.
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Spyros Brown, Tim Chamberlain, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 10001840
    Abstract: Switch operating device (100) with: a gesture sensor operating a switch (103) with a non-tactile push-gesture performed with a heat emitting part. The gesture has an approach phase (111) during which the part approaches the sensor, a waiting phase (113) during which the part remains proximate to the sensor, and a withdrawal phase (112) during which the part is moved away from the sensor. The sensor detects heat emitted by the part with at least one pixel and outputs per pixel a signal (51 to 54) with signal deflections (56, 57) corresponding to a temporal intensity curve of heat detected by the pixel while the gesture (115) is performed. A signal processing unit (101) which determines performance of the gesture from a temporal succession of signal deflections. An actuator (104) is controlled by the signal processing unit and operates the switch when the gesture is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Pyreos Ltd.
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Spyros Brown, Tim Chamberlain, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 9857880
    Abstract: Switch operating device (100) with: a presence sensor operating a switch (103) in response to presence of a heat emitting part. The presence has an approach phase (31) during which the part approaches the presence sensor, a remaining phase during which the part remains proximate to the sensor, and a withdrawal phase (41) during which the part is moved away from the sensor. The sensor detects heat emitted by the part with at least one pixel and outputs a signal (51 to 54) with signal deflections (56, 57) corresponding to a temporal intensity curve of heat detected by the pixel. A signal processing unit (101) determines the approach and withdrawal phases from the temporal succession and the shape of the signal deflections. An actuator (104) is controlled by the signal processing unit and operates the switch when the approach phase, the remaining phase and/or the withdrawal phase is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Pyreos Ltd.
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Spyros Brown, Tim Chamberlain, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Publication number: 20170264292
    Abstract: A switch actuating device for actuating a switch by eight types of non-tactile gestures performed with an object emitting heat includes a gesture sensor with four pixels configured to detect heat emitted by the object. The pixels include thin films made of pyroelectric sensitive material which generate a signal that has signal deflections corresponding to a temporal intensity curve of the heat detected by the thin film of the corresponding pixel. The types of the gestures are determined with a signal processing unit which controls an actuator to actuate the switch when a performance of one of the types of the gestures is determined. The gesture types are determined during an approach phase when the object approaches the gesture sensor, a waiting phase during when the object remains close to the gesture sensor, and a subsequent translational phase when the object moves in one of eight directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Spyros Brown, Tim Chamberlain, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz, Carsten Giebeler
  • Publication number: 20160154467
    Abstract: Switch operating device (100) with: a gesture sensor operating a switch (103) with a non-tactile push-gesture performed with a heat emitting part. The gesture has an approach phase (111) during which the part approaches the sensor, a waiting phase (113) during which the part remains proximate to the sensor, and a withdrawal phase (112) during which the part is moved away from the sensor. The sensor detects heat emitted by the part with at least one pixel and outputs per pixel a signal (51 to 54) with signal deflections (56, 57) corresponding to a temporal intensity curve of heat detected by the pixel while the gesture (115) is performed. A signal processing unit (101) which determines performance of the gesture from a temporal succession of signal deflections. An actuator (104) is controlled by the signal processing unit and operates the switch when the gesture is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Spyros Brown, Tim Chamberlain, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Publication number: 20160077600
    Abstract: A switch operating device (100) configured to operate a switch (103) with four possible types (111 to 114) of non-tactile translational gestures performed with a heat emitting part (115). A gesture sensor (1) is adapted to detect heat emitted by the part while performing one of the translational gesture types. Four pixels (21 to 24) are arranged next to each other and output a signal (51 to 54) per pixel, wherein the signal has a signal deflection (58) corresponding to the temporal intensity curve of the heat detected by the thin film of the corresponding pixel. A signal processing unit (101) determines the performance of the translational gesture types from the temporal succession of the signal deflections (58). An actuator (104) is controlled by the signal processing unit and operates the switch when one of the translational gesture types is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Spyros Brown, Tim Chamberlain, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Publication number: 20160077583
    Abstract: Switch operating device (100) with: a presence sensor operating a switch (103) in response to presence of a heat emitting part. The presence has an approach phase (31) during which the part approaches the presence sensor, a remaining phase during which the part remains proximate to the sensor, and a withdrawal phase (41) during which the part is moved away from the sensor. The sensor detects heat emitted by the part with at least one pixel and outputs a signal (51 to 54) with signal deflections (56, 57) corresponding to a temporal intensity curve of heat detected by the pixel. A signal processing unit (101) determines the approach and withdrawal phases from the temporal succession and the shape of the signal deflections. An actuator (104) is controlled by the signal processing unit and operates the switch when the approach phase, the remaining phase and/or the withdrawal phase is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Spyros Brown, Tim Chamberlain, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 8963087
    Abstract: An infrared light sensor for an infrared light detector (1), including a substrate membrane section (2) and at least two sensor chips (7 to 10), which are fastened next to each other on the substrate membrane section (2) and each comprise a layer element (11) which is produced from pyroelectrically sensitive material and is electrically contacted by a base electrode (12) and a head electrode (13) and is arranged in such that there is a voltage difference in each case between the head electrode (13) and the base electrode (12) of each layer element (11) when the layer elements (11) are irradiated with infrared light; and a coupling line (14 to 16) in each case for two adjacently arranged sensor chips (7 to 10), the coupling line coupling the head electrode (13) of the one sensor chip (7 to 9) and the base electrode (12) of the other sensor chip (8 to 10) to each other in an electrically conductive manner so that the layer elements (11) of the sensor chips (7 to 10) are connected in a series circuit, which has
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Pyreos Ltd.
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Jeffrey Wright, Tim Chamberlain
  • Publication number: 20120211658
    Abstract: The invention relates to an infrared light detector having a sensor chip (4), which comprises a thin-film element (5) made from a pyroelectrically sensitive material, having an electrical insulator (27), at least one electronic component (17, 18) having a thin-film design, which forms part of a readout electronics unit, and a thin-film membrane (2), on which the sensor chip (4) and the electronic component (17, 18) are mounted side by side in an integrated manner such that the electronic component (17, 18) is electrically conductively coupled to the thin-film element (5). A signal amplifier (22), with which, in co-operation with the electronic component (17, 18), an electrical signal emitted from the sensor chip (4) can be amplified, can be connected to the electronic component (17, 18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: PYREOS LTD.
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Neil Conway, Tim Chamberlain
  • Publication number: 20120132807
    Abstract: An infrared light sensor for an infrared light detector (1), including a substrate membrane section (2) and at least two sensor chips (7 to 10), which are fastened next to each other on the substrate membrane section (2) and each comprise a layer element (11) which is produced from pyroelectrically sensitive material and is electrically contacted by a base electrode (12) and a head electrode (13) and is arranged in such that there is a voltage difference in each case between the head electrode (13) and the base electrode (12) of each layer element (11) when the layer elements (11) are irradiated with infrared light; and a coupling line (14 to 16) in each case for two adjacently arranged sensor chips (7 to 10), the coupling line coupling the head electrode (13) of the one sensor chip (7 to 9) and the base electrode (12) of the other sensor chip (8 to 10) to each other in an electrically conductive manner so that the layer elements (11) of the sensor chips (7 to 10) are connected in a series circuit, which has
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: PYREOS LTD.
    Inventors: Carsten Giebeler, Jeffrey Wright, Tim Chamberlain