Patents by Inventor Wei Hsin Yao
Wei Hsin Yao 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).
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Patent number: 11886651Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
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Patent number: 11416086Abstract: Electrode configurations for reducing wobble error for a stylus translating on a surface over and between electrodes of a touch sensor panel are disclosed. In some examples, electrodes associated with a more linear signal profile are correlated with lower wobble error. In some examples, electrodes can have projections which can interleave with projections of adjacent electrodes. In some configurations, projections of adjacent electrodes can be interleaved in one-dimension; in other configurations, projections of adjacent electrodes can be interleaved in two-dimensions. In some configurations, the width and length of one or more projections in an electrode can be selected based on a desired signal profile for that electrode.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kanke Gao, Wei Hsin Yao, Yingxuan Li, Weijun Yao
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Publication number: 20220057880Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Wei CHEN, Christoph Horst KRAH, John Greer ELIAS, Wei Hsin YAO, Andrew Bert HODGE, Brian Richards LAND, Willem den BOER, John Z. ZHONG
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Patent number: 11175762Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
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Patent number: 11086444Abstract: A self-capacitive touch sensor panel configured to have a portion of both the touch and display functionality integrated into a common layer is provided. The touch sensor panel includes a layer with circuit elements that can switchably operate as both touch circuitry and display circuitry such that during a touch mode of the device the circuit elements operate as touch circuitry and during a display mode of the device the circuit elements operate as display circuitry. The touch mode and display mode can be time multiplexed. By integrating the touch hardware and display hardware into common layers, savings in power, weight and thickness of the device can be realized.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Weijun Yao, Wei Hsin Yao, Yingxuan Li, Bingrui Yang, Marduke Yousefpor, Abbas Jamshidi-Roudbari, Ahmad Al-Dahle
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Patent number: 10976846Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
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Patent number: 10936120Abstract: A self-capacitance touch screen. In some examples, the touch screen comprises a plurality of display pixels, a first display pixel of the plurality of display pixels including a first touch electrode of a plurality of touch electrodes, and a gate line coupled to the first display pixel, wherein the gate line is configured such that a voltage at the gate line substantially follows a voltage at the first touch electrode. In some examples, the gate line is coupled to a resistor, the resistor being configured to decouple the gate line from ground. In some examples, the gate line is coupled to an AC voltage source.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2014Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Weijun Yao, Ahmad Al-Dahle, Hyunwoo Nho, Taif A. Syed, Wei Hsin Yao, Yingxuan Li
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Patent number: 10691235Abstract: Integrated touch screens are provided including drive lines formed of grouped-together circuit elements of a thin film transistor layer and sense lines formed between a color filter layer and a material layer that modifies or generates light. The common electrodes (Vcom) in the TFT layer can be grouped together during a touch sensing operation to form drive lines. Sense lines can be formed on a separate layer dedicated to only touch hardware.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2014Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Weijun Yao, Wei Hsin Yao, Yingxuan Li, Hopil Bae, Ahmad Al-Dahle
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Patent number: 10678367Abstract: A touch sensor panel is disclosed. The touch sensor panel can include a plurality of touch nodes, the plurality of touch nodes including a first set of touch nodes and a second set of touch nodes, different from the first set of the touch nodes. In some examples, sense circuitry can be configured to, during a first scan, sense a first combined touch signal of the first set of the touch nodes, and during a second scan, sense a second combined touch signal of the second set of the touch nodes. A touch processor can be configured to determine a touch image at the plurality of touch nodes based on the first and second combined touch signals.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2016Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kanke Gao, Chung-Ming Chang, Jiayi Jin, Ruo-Gu Huang, Taif A. Syed, Wei Hsin Yao, Weijun Yao
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Publication number: 20200019275Abstract: Electrode configurations for reducing wobble error for a stylus translating on a surface over and between electrodes of a touch sensor panel are disclosed. In some examples, electrodes associated with a more linear signal profile are correlated with lower wobble error. In some examples, electrodes can have projections which can interleave with projections of adjacent electrodes. In some configurations, projections of adjacent electrodes can be interleaved in one-dimension; in other configurations, projections of adjacent electrodes can be interleaved in two-dimensions. In some configurations, the width and length of one or more projections in an electrode can be selected based on a desired signal profile for that electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Inventors: Kanke GAO, Wei Hsin YAO, Yingxuan LI, Weijun YAO
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Patent number: 10437385Abstract: Electrode configurations for reducing wobble error for a stylus translating on a surface over and between electrodes of a touch sensor panel are disclosed. In some examples, electrodes associated with a more linear signal profile are correlated with lower wobble error. In some examples, electrodes can have projections which can interleave with projections of adjacent electrodes. In some configurations, projections of adjacent electrodes can be interleaved in one-dimension; in other configurations, projections of adjacent electrodes can be interleaved in two-dimensions. In some configurations, the width and length of one or more projections in an electrode can be selected based on a desired signal profile for that electrode.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kanke Gao, Wei Hsin Yao, Yingxuan Li, Weijun Yao
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Patent number: 10386962Abstract: A touch screen is disclosed. The touch screen comprises a first touch node electrode associated with a first display pixel, the first display pixel coupled to a first gate line. The touch screen also comprises a second touch node electrode associated with a second display pixel, the second display pixel coupled to a second gate line. The touch screen also comprises a voltage source coupled to a first gate line routing and a second gate line routing, wherein the first gate line is coupled to the first gate line routing, and the second gate line is coupled to the second gate line routing.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2016Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jiayi Jin, Ruo-Gu Huang, Wei Hsin Yao, Weijun Yao
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Publication number: 20190196634Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2019Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem den Boer, John Z. Zhong
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Publication number: 20190146623Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2018Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Wei CHEN, Christoph Horst KRAH, John Greer ELIAS, Wei Hsin YAO, Andrew Bert HODGE, Brian Richards LAND, Willem den BOER, John Z. ZHONG
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Patent number: 10277119Abstract: A charge pump that can be configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode is disclosed. The charge pump can comprise a charging capacitor coupled to a first node and configured to transfer a first DC voltage to the first node. The charge pump can also comprise a first output node and a second output node coupled to the first node. During the first mode, the first output node can be configured to output a second DC voltage based on the first DC voltage, and the second output node can be configured to output a third DC voltage based on the first DC voltage. During the second mode, the first output node can be configured to output the second DC voltage, and the second output node can be configured to output an AC voltage, the AC voltage being offset by the third DC voltage.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Weijun Yao, David A. Stronks, Hopil Bae, Kingsuk Brahma, Wei Hsin Yao, Yafei Bi, Yingxuan Li
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Publication number: 20190087051Abstract: A self-capacitive touch sensor panel configured to have a portion of both the touch and display functionality integrated into a common layer is provided. The touch sensor panel includes a layer with circuit elements that can switchably operate as both touch circuitry and display circuitry such that during a touch mode of the device the circuit elements operate as touch circuitry and during a display mode of the device the circuit elements operate as display circuitry. The touch mode and display mode can be time multiplexed. By integrating the touch hardware and display hardware into common layers, savings in power, weight and thickness of the device can be realized.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Inventors: Weijun YAO, Wei Hsin YAO, Yingxuan LI, Bingrui YANG, Marduke YOUSEFPOR, Abbas JAMSHIDI-ROUDBARI, Ahmad AL-DAHLE
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Patent number: 10209813Abstract: A self-capacitive touch sensor panel configured to have a portion of both the touch and display functionality integrated into a common layer is provided. The touch sensor panel includes a layer with circuit elements that can switchably operate as both touch circuitry and display circuitry such that during a touch mode of the device the circuit elements operate as touch circuitry and during a display mode of the device the circuit elements operate as display circuitry. The touch mode and display mode can be time multiplexed. By integrating the touch hardware and display hardware into common layers, savings in power, weight and thickness of the device can be realized.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2014Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Weijun Yao, Wei Hsin Yao, Yingxuan Li, Bingrui Yang, Marduke Yousefpor, Abbas Jamshidi-Roudbari, Ahmad Al-Dahle
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Patent number: 10191576Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph H. Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, John Z. Zhong, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian R. Land, Willem den Boer
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Patent number: 9965108Abstract: A touch controller. The touch controller can include first sense circuitry configured to be coupled to a first electrode on a touch sensor panel, the first sense circuitry configured to sense a first self-capacitance associated with the first electrode, and a first mutual capacitance associated with the first electrode. In some examples, the first sense circuitry can be configured to sense the first self-capacitance and the first mutual capacitance simultaneously. In some examples, the touch controller can further include a first mixer and a second mixer coupled to the first sense circuitry, the first mixer configured to demodulate a first output from the first sense circuitry to extract information about the first self-capacitance from the first output, the second mixer configured to demodulate the first output from the first sense circuitry to extract information about the first mutual capacitance from the first output.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2014Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Yingxuan Li, Weijun Yao, Hyunwoo Henry Nho, Wei Hsin Yao
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Publication number: 20180062508Abstract: A charge pump that can be configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode is disclosed. The charge pump can comprise a charging capacitor coupled to a first node and configured to transfer a first DC voltage to the first node. The charge pump can also comprise a first output node and a second output node coupled to the first node. During the first mode, the first output node can be configured to output a second DC voltage based on the first DC voltage, and the second output node can be configured to output a third DC voltage based on the first DC voltage. During the second mode, the first output node can be configured to output the second DC voltage, and the second output node can be configured to output an AC voltage, the AC voltage being offset by the third DC voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Weijun YAO, David A. STRONKS, Hopil BAE, Kingsuk BRAHMA, Wei Hsin YAO, Yafei BI, Yingxuan LI