Patents Issued in April 10, 2007
  • Patent number: 7202847
    Abstract: A method and system for applying addressing voltages to pixels of a display involves receiving input data. The input data includes an indication of an addressing voltage impulse to be applied to a pixel via an electrode. One or more voltage sources are selected, to provide the addressing voltage impulse. The one or more voltage sources each have a pre-selected voltage. The selected one or more voltage sources are electrically connected to an electrode to apply the addressing voltage impulse to the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Holly G. Gates
  • Patent number: 7202848
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display control device which can display pictures in a magnification mode by using only a memory having low-speed access and a low storage capacity. When a video signal has intermediate resolution or less, the enlargement processing is performed by a frame memory, a line memory and an enlargement processing control circuit. If the input operation and the output operation to and from the frame memory are synchronized with each other, it is sufficient for the frame memory to have a storage capacity of two lines. When the video signal has the same high resolution as a liquid crystal display panel, the video signal is output through a gate circuit to a display timing generating circuit, and it is displayed in a through mode. In this case, no processing is performed by the frame memory or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Furuhashi, Takeshi Maeda, Atsuhiro Higa, Hisayuki Ohhara, Hiroshi Kurihara, Naruhiko Kasai
  • Patent number: 7202849
    Abstract: There are disclosed methods for driving liquid crystal display apparatuses for certainly completing in a short time to performing a transition of liquid crystal molecules to a displayable alignment in liquid crystal display apparatuses such that an initial alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is different from the displayable alignment, typically an optically compensated bend mode liquid crystal display apparatus. A voltage is applied to a liquid crystal layer until display area in the liquid crystal layer is transformed to the displayable alignment. After the completion of the transition, a backlight is switched on to sift to a display-driving mode. In order to complete the transition in a short time, voltage pulse under the conditions (such as a frequency and a voltage value) determined in accordance with a temperature of a liquid crystal panel is applied to the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuji Hattori, Shoichi Ishihara, Tsuyoshi Uemura, Kenji Nakao, Yoshinori Tanaka, Keisuke Tsuda, Yukio Numata, Mika Nakamura, Junichi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7202850
    Abstract: An image display control apparatus having a small-size circuit includes: an image state detection unit for detecting a state of an image based on an image signal using a resource subunit in a resource unit; an image signal transformation unit for transforming the image signal, using the resource subunit in the resource unit, based on the state of the image detected by the image state detection unit; and a resource control unit for assigning the resource subunit in the resource unit to each of the image state detection unit and the image signal transformation unit according to a count number of cycles of an operation clock outputted from a clock unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisaku Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 7202851
    Abstract: A palpation simulator comprises an interface for interfacing a user with a computer running a palpation simulation. The computer generates a graphical environment comprising a cursor and a graphical representation of at least a portion of a living body. In one version, a method comprises providing an object in communication with the computer, controlling the cursor in relation to manipulation of at least a portion of the object by the user, and outputting a haptic sensation to the user when the cursor interacts with a region within the graphical representation to provide the user with haptic feedback related to a simulated palpation of the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Immersion Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Cunningham, Robert F. Cohen, Russell H. Dumas, Gregory L. Merril, Philip G. Feldman, Joseph L. Tasto
  • Patent number: 7202852
    Abstract: This invention relates to an active Laser Protection System (LPS) system specifically designed to provide a device that automatically adjusts a protection panel of the device in response to laser light exposure thus preventing a user from being exposed to damaging laser light. In one embodiment the LPS system utilizes a light weight portable goggle type eyewear. In yet another embodiment the LPS system is comprised of contact lenses worn by the user. The LPS system may be used in all light transmissive surfaces where the penetration of laser light is not desired, such as aircraft, spacecraft, vessel, train, and automotive windshields, etc. The LPS system may also be utilized as a replacement window for structures where laser light penetration is undesired. The protection panels utilize Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) that are activated by laser sensors by means of a microprocessor and power supply means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Inventor: Mark R. Harvie
  • Patent number: 7202853
    Abstract: A reduced keyboard system (100), with a reduced number of keys (13, 15, 23, 25, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112), but retaining the typing map of the conventional QWERTY or QWERTY-type keyboard by employing an intuitive and learning database engine. A plurality of letters, numerals, symbols and functions are assigned to a set of data keys, buttons or data inputs (multi-character keys). The arrangement of the multi-character keys together with the character assignments to the individual multi-character keys allows a user to use the same typing map, as when typing on a conventional QWERTY or QWERTY-type keyboard, be it visual mapping (i.e. physical location of keys) or finger mapping (i.e. touch typing for typist). This enhances the typing experience on the reduced keyboard system to have the same feeling, typing rhythm and speed as typing on a conventional QWERTY or QWERTY-type keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Xrgomics Pte, Ltd.
    Inventors: Edwin Ng, Julian Joo Seng Oh, Ken Chin Foo Tan
  • Patent number: 7202854
    Abstract: Data entry and display apparatus and methods that provide greater efficiency in data processing devices. The apparatus comprises a keypad with a plurality of first keys and plurality of secondary keys, the first keys each having at least one primary alphanumeric symbol and at least one of the first keys having a secondary alphanumeric symbol associated therewith, the first key with the secondary symbol being operable to selectively display the secondary alphanumeric symbols in association with the second keys. The apparatus may further comprise a display, which may be embodied in a common touch screen user interface with the keypad. The methods comprise actuating one of the first keys on the keypad and displaying a set of secondary alphanumeric symbols in association with the secondary keys, and selecting the primary alphanumeric symbol associated with the first key or selecting one of the set of secondary alphanumeric symbols by actuating one of the second keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: LifeScan, Inc.
    Inventors: David Hohl, Imre Trefil, Anthony Yung, Frances Killam
  • Patent number: 7202855
    Abstract: An X electrode layer having X electrodes and a Y electrode layer having Y electrodes are formed on one side of a film board through an insulating film so that the X electrodes and the Y electrodes are arranged into a matrix. Ends of the X electrodes are led to the edge of the film board. The Y electrodes are led through through-holes formed in the insulating film to the edge of the film board in the same plane as the X electrode layer. The X and Y electrodes led to the edge of the film board are connected to a conductor portion formed on a control circuit board. The X and Y electrodes are bonded to the conductor portion by an insulating adhesive containing no conductive particles by heating and pressurization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shigetaka, Ryuichi Hagiya
  • Patent number: 7202856
    Abstract: An OLED display and touch screen system includes a substrate; an OLED display including an array of individually addressable OLEDs formed on the substrate; and a touch screen including an OLED light emitter formed on the substrate the OLED light emitter defining an optical cavity for reducing the angle of emission of light from the OLED light emitter and a light sensor formed on the substrate across the display from the OLED light emitter, and optics located around the display above the OLED light emitter and the light sensor for directing light emitted from the OLED light emitter across the display to the light sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Ronald S. Cok
  • Patent number: 7202857
    Abstract: A scrolling device for a computer may include a touch-sensitive surface, which may be elongated and/or have one or more active regions. Scrolling may be performed in manual as well as automated ways that may result in more accurate and efficient scrolling. Scrolling, as displayed on the screen, may further be rounded to the nearest document text line and/or distance unit, even though a more precise scrolling location value may be stored and/or tracked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Hinckley, Steven N. Bathiche, James H. Cauthorn, Michael J. Sinclair
  • Patent number: 7202858
    Abstract: An enhanced touch-screen display system is disclosed for generating pixel coordinate estimates corresponding to a location on a display screen touched by a user. The system is an analog resistive touch-screen display system having a processor and associated software algorithms to allow for the calibration and validation of pixel coordinate estimates as an integral part of the real-time generation of the pixel coordinate estimates. Multiple calibrated pixel coordinate estimates are generated and processed at a pre-defined sampling rate to determine a valid pixel position to minimize sampling delays due to settling times. The x-axis position is also validated before the system attempts to generate a y-axis position to avoid the wasted time for generating y-axis estimates when x-axis estimates are corrupted. Noisy estimates are inherently reduced in the touch-screen display system by providing shunts across certain drivers in the system that also allow for detection of a “no touch” state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: American Standard International Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. DeGroot, Thomas G. Krajewski
  • Patent number: 7202859
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor is disclosed. The capacitive sensor comprises a plurality of spaced-apart X traces disposed along an X axis and a plurality of spaced-apart Y traces disposed along a Y axis with each of the Y traces forming a single crossing with each of the X traces. The X traces and the Y traces are arranged in an intertwined pattern about each crossing. The X traces and the Y traces are insulated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Synaptics, Inc.
    Inventors: Don A. Speck, Gareth J. McCaughan, Bob L. Mackey
  • Patent number: 7202860
    Abstract: A coordinate input device includes a pair of cameras positioned in an upper left position and an upper right position of a display screen of a monitor lying close to a plane extending from the display screen of the monitor and views both a side face of an object in contact with a position on the display screen and a predetermined desk-top coordinate detection area to capture the image of the object within the field of view. The coordinate input device also includes a control circuit which calculates the coordinate value of a pointing tool, pointing to a position within a coordinate detection field, based on video signals output from the pair of cameras, and transfers the coordinate value to a program of a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignees: eIT Co., Ltd., Xiroku Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7202861
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a unit provided with a processor. The method includes receiving at least one graphical notation in the form of positions representing a sensor device's movement across a base that is provided with a position-coding pattern, while the graphical notation was made, identifying, based on the at least one graphical notation, at least one command for the unit provided with a processor, receiving an address to the unit provided with a processor, and controlling the unit provided with a processor by sending the at least one command to the address. A computer program product contained within a medium and a device for implementing the method is also provided. The method for controlling a unit provided with a processor uses a sensor device and a product kit for controlling a unit provided with a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Anoto AB
    Inventor: Stefan Lynggaard
  • Patent number: 7202862
    Abstract: A digitizer pen (100) has a pressure sensor (104) that includes a flexible first printed component (600) and a flexible second printed component (700), on which are printed or otherwise disposed traces of non-carbon ink. The non-carbon ink on at least one of the printed components is a resistive non-carbon ink (606 and 706). The first printed component has a circular sensor section (602) that opposes a circular sensor section (702) of the second printed component. The non-carbon ink on the circular sensor section of at least one of the printed components forms a pattern of pie-shaped traces (711–716) symmetrical about a center (1000) of the circular sensor section. A stylus (130) transfers force from a writing tip (136) to the pressure sensor, at or near the center of the circular sensor section, either directly or through an elastomer (148), and presses the circular sensor sections together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Finepoint Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Palay, Lynn H. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 7202863
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a normal function means is provided, in which the amplitude of an output signal is prevented from being decreased even when a digital circuit using transistors having one conductivity is employed. By turning OFF a diode-connected transistor 101, the gate terminal of a first transistor 102 is brought into a floating state. At this time, the first transistor 102 is ON and its gate-source voltage is stored in a capacitor. Then, when a potential at the source terminal of the first transistor 102 is increased, a potential at the gate terminal of the first transistor 102 is increased as well by bootstrap effect. As a result, the amplitude of an output signal is prevented from being decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kimura, Yutaka Shionoiri
  • Patent number: 7202864
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving a liquid crystal display that includes a normal driving interval for providing normal driving of the liquid crystal display with a real-data signal after a reset period, wherein the liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal between pixel and common electrodes in which the liquid crystal is transitioned from a splay state into a bend state at a voltage difference between the pixel and common electrodes greater than a transition voltage. The apparatus includes a reset circuit for setting a voltage difference between the pixel electrode and the common electrode during the reset period to be larger than an average voltage of the real-data signal in said normal driving interval and a controller for controlling voltages that are supplied to at least one of the pixel electrode and the common electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong Jin Park
  • Patent number: 7202865
    Abstract: There is provided an image signal repeater apparatus with a simple construction, which can prevent the accumulation of jitter even if the image signal repeater apparatuses are connected in multiple stages, and which enables the reception of image signals of various frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: NEC-Mitsubishi Electric Visual Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Arai
  • Patent number: 7202866
    Abstract: An image browsing apparatus capable of calculating color temperature of an image and browsing the image based on the color temperature, and a method of browsing an image are provided. The image browsing apparatus includes a data storage unit for storing a plurality of image data; a color temperature calculator for calculating the color temperature of each image and storing the calculated color temperature in the data storage unit; a command input unit for inputting an image browsing mode; and a color temperature browser for classifying images corresponding to the browsing mode using the color temperature as an image search condition and then, browsing the classified images. The method of browsing images includes determining the color temperature of an input image when a browsing mode is input; and browsing images when the color temperature falls within the color temperature range of the browsing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-kyun Kim, Chang-yeong Kim, Du-sik Park, Seong-deok Lee
  • Patent number: 7202867
    Abstract: A technique generates a glow effect in an image. The technique selects an area within a scene that is to glow to produce a selected area image, generates glow using the selected area image to produce a glowing area image, and then adds the glowing area image to the scene to provide the glow effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Owens Rodriguez, Sean E. Dunn
  • Patent number: 7202868
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for providing a graphical representation of data. Embodiments of the present invention comprise: abstracting a plurality of parameters from the parameter set, dividing the plurality of parameters into data groups, defining a plurality of partitions for a graphical representation, mapping the data groups to corresponding nodes on the plurality of partitions, and connecting the nodes graphically with indicia that indicates an association between data groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ming C. Hao, Umeshwar Dayal, Fabio Casati, Daniel A. Keim, Eric Stammers
  • Patent number: 7202869
    Abstract: A to-be-animated creature is set up by creating a rig, defining connection points on the rig, and associating geometry with the rig via the connection points. The set up creature is then animated by moving the creature with user defined actions which move a part of the rig. When one part of the rig moves, the remaining parts follow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.
    Inventors: James Robert Tooley, Cary Phillips, Nicolas Popravka, John Anderson
  • Patent number: 7202870
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display controller for scaling an input source image. The display controller dynamically adjusts the output clock so line buffer requirement is reduced to a minimum to balance input and output image timing for image scaling or non-scaling to destination devices. The present invention supports up-scaling and down-scaling or bypass. The blocks of the line buffer operates in a continuous and cyclical manner according to the status signal generated by the line buffer status detector and the output clock. As a result, any buffer overrun or underrun condition will be immediately corrected by the timing and therefore the number of blocks of line buffer are greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiunn-Kuang Chen, Wen-Ho Hsiao, Hsu-Lin FanChiang
  • Patent number: 7202871
    Abstract: An arbitration mechanism for balancing memory requests issued by parallel texture pipelines in a multiple pipeline texture engine. The mechanism ensures that, as polygon textures are processed by a texture engine, all of the memory requests associated with a portion of a given graphics texture are issued by all texture pipelines before any texture pipeline may issue a memory request for another portion of a graphics texture. Thus, the invention balances graphics texture processing between parallel texture pipelines operating together, thereby improving processing efficiency and preventing deadlock conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gavril Margittai, Zeev Sperber, Gabi Malka
  • Patent number: 7202872
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a graphics system comprising logic for generating a mask that identifies bits within a plurality of bits that are not to be impacted by a subsequent computation. The graphics system further comprises compression logic that is responsive to the mask for generating a compressed bit stream, such that the bits that are not to be impacted by the computation are not included in the compressed bit stream. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a graphics system comprising logic for generating a mask identifying positions within a plurality of positions of a bit stream that are to be removed during a compression operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timour Paltashev, Boris Prokopenko
  • Patent number: 7202873
    Abstract: An image selecting apparatus includes a designation receiving portion which receives designation of a desired specific scene, an input receiving portion which receives input of image data representing an object image, a characteristic value deriving portion which derives from the image data input into the input receiving portion a characteristic value for use in distinguishment of the specific scene referring to reference data in which the kind of a characteristic value and distinguishing condition corresponding to the characteristic value are defined in advance by the scenes which can be designated as the specific scene, and a distinguishing portion which determines whether the image data represents an image which is of the specific scene input into the designation receiving portion on the basis of the characteristic value derived by the characteristic value deriving portion referring to the corresponding distinguishing condition defined in the reference data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Sadato Akahori
  • Patent number: 7202874
    Abstract: Detailed model data having numerous polygons and rough model data having fewer polygons are prepared for one object. A rectangular parallelepiped including the entire object is defined as a bounding box. A virtual three-dimensional space is perspective-transformed to divide an image-drawing field, which is an image drawing range, into a far image-drawing field and a near image-drawing field according to a distance from a viewpoint of virtual camera. When at least a part of the bounding box is included in the far image-drawing field, polygons of rough model data included in the far image-drawing field are drawn in a frame buffer. When at least a part of the bounding box is included in the near image-drawing field, polygons of detailed model data included in the near image-drawing field are drawn in a frame buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamaguchi, Akihiko Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7202875
    Abstract: Palette-based, multi-tint, named-color methods and systems utilize a pixel-by-pixel indexing technique in which individual index values into a palette of interest can be used in different ways for rendering associated images across different devices. For some devices, the index values are used to index into the palette of interest to ascertain a specific indexed color value that is then used to render that pixel of the associated image. For other devices, the index value is used as a means to compute a color value that these other devices then use to render that pixel of the associated image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Oliver H. Foehr, Jesse D. McGatha, Michael A. Bourgoin
  • Patent number: 7202876
    Abstract: An image storage and processing method constructs, clips, fills, and combines arbitrary 2-dimensional shapes in an advanced graphics system. The method supports processing of anti-aliased images by compressing the image into a novel AlphaRegion data structure. AlphaRegion encodes into the data structure both the partially transparent as well as the fully opaque alpha values of an image according to rectangular bands. A band is a contiguous series of scan lines that have the same pattern of alpha values in a single direction. AlphaRegion encoding results in a more compact representation than possible in a conventional bitmap, but without losing the anti-aliasing features. AlphaRegion can be constructed either by supersampling sub-scan lines of an image, from the scan lines of a gray-scale image, from an existing conventional 1-bit Region or alpha mask buffer, or directly from a scan-line conversion of a geometric shape. AlphaRegion stores image data into three arrays, yInfo, xInfo and alphaData.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ikko Fushiki, Hock S. Lee, J. Andrew Goossen
  • Patent number: 7202877
    Abstract: Computation of sprite position and size in JSR-184 with revised modelview matrix made with column vector lengths of original modelview matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas Olson
  • Patent number: 7202878
    Abstract: An enlargement feature of a graphical user interface (GUI) is disclosed. When a portion of a digital image displayed in the GUI is selected for enlargement, an enlarged version of the selected portion is displayed adjacent to the remaining portion of the original image that was not selected for enlargement. The digital image may include a plurality of image portions (e.g., individual display windows) selectable for enlargement, such as those found in a CATV electronic programming guide (EPG). In one embodiment, hidden supplemental data corresponding to the selected portion is only revealed in the enlarged version of the selected portion, so that it can be more easily viewed. In another embodiment, an enlargement feature application program is downloaded to a local device that controls the GUI, in response to a subscriber accepting an offer presented by a service provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Reem Safadi, Lawrence D. Vince
  • Patent number: 7202879
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device that does not convert image data into a grayscale value which may cause defects in the displayed images, such as flickering or fluctuation, when performing color reduction/pseudo-halftone processing to convert the data into data which can be displayed on the color LCD panel (20). Alternatively, the frequency of occurrence of such a grayscale value can be reduced. The present invention thereby prevents a decrease in the display quality of an image output apparatus in advance by processing data supplied to the image output apparatus, such as a color LCD panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoaki Murai, Hidekuni Moriya, Jun Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7202880
    Abstract: An image display device is capable of preventing the occurrence of flickers on a display screen by automatically adjusting a common voltage applied to common electrodes without providing light receiving elements. A plurality of dummy pixels which are arranged in the periphery of an image display part include pixel electrodes. A potential difference is detected between a voltage of the pixel electrodes of the dummy pixels to which a gray scale voltage of positive polarity is written and a common voltage applied to the common electrodes, a potential difference is detected between a voltage of the pixel electrodes of the dummy pixels to which a gray scale voltage of negative polarity is written and the common voltage, and the common electrodes are controlled so as to make the first potential difference and the second potential difference equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7202881
    Abstract: A gray-scale power supply line supplied to a source signal line driving circuit is made only one system, and each of D/A conversion circuits drives source signal lines in which three source signal lines corresponding to RGB are made a unit and the number of which is a multiple of 3. The periods in which respective source line selecting circuits select source signal lines corresponding to respective colors of the RGB are made synchronous with each other, and the power supply voltage applied to the gray-scale power supply line is changed in one horizontal writing period, so that power supply voltages corresponding to R. G and B are respectively applied to the gray-scale power supply line in periods while the source signal lines of R, G and B are respectively selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Munehiro Azami
  • Patent number: 7202882
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device employing an overshooting driving method is provided which is capable of reducing memory capacity of a frame memory used to delay input data. The above liquid crystal display device for displaying an image using a liquid crystal panel includes a data converting table to generate output gray-scale data obtained by thinning out input gray-scale data to reduce a number of bits of input gray-scale data, a frame memory to generate second input gray-scale data by delaying output gray-scale data in a data converting table by one frame image display period in a liquid crystal panel and a look-up table to generate an overshooting gray-scale output being in advance stored according to a relation in size between the first input gray-scale data and the second input gray-scale data, wherein image display is performed by an overshooting gray-scale output in a liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Morita
  • Patent number: 7202883
    Abstract: An ink composition includes a colorant, a reactive polymer latex such as an epoxy copolymer latex, an optional dissipatable polymer, a dispersant such as a sulfonated polyester, and a liquid vehicle such as water. The ink composition is a stable liquid at ambient temperature, but becomes a gel upon heating or removal of part of the liquid vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Marcel P. Breton, Guerino G. Sacripante, Christine E. Bedford
  • Patent number: 7202884
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a low-cost, remotely accessible surveillance method and system easily adaptable for personal or small-entity use. In one example embodiment, a request for image data is delivered via a first communications system, such as a telephone system, to a programmable surveillance system. The programmable surveillance system has a camera adapted to capture images that are processed as data by a first computer arrangement. In response to the request from the first communications system, the programmable surveillance system automatically accesses and delivers image data captured by the camera to a second communications system. A second computer arrangement is adapted to communicatively couple with the second communications system and to receive and process data including the image data delivered by the first computer arrangement. The received image data is displayed using the second computer arrangement, facilitating on-demand, remote image monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: 8x8, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Barraclough
  • Patent number: 7202885
    Abstract: A mobile telephone terminal apparatus for exchanging images. Predetermined physical amounts of an internal portion and a peripheral portion of the mobile telephone terminal apparatus are measured, and a data amount of an imaged image is changed based on the result. After that, the image data is sent to the other communicating party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Teruyuki Motohashi
  • Patent number: 7202886
    Abstract: The present invention provides a videophone terminal by which the emotions and impressions of a user can be transmitted to and easily understood by a co-communicant. When a user performs a predetermined operation or when an audio processor identifies a predetermined keyword in the speech of the user, a picture of a virtual character is modified, or a completely different picture is displayed. To modify the picture of the virtual character, the size of each part of the face or the whole face is changed, or a pattern expressing an emotion is added thereto. And when a pending mode is released, the virtual character is recovered and displayed on the screen while a melody is played. At the end of a video conversation, in accordance with the user's selection, a picture indicating that the virtual character disappears from the screen is displayed before disconnecting the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Matsuo, Takahiro Makino, Fumihiko Yamada, Makoto Nishimura, Tetsu Hada
  • Patent number: 7202887
    Abstract: A view morphing algorithm is applied to synchronous collections of video images from at least two video imaging devices, and interpolating between the images, creates a composite image view of the local participant. This composite image approximates what might be seen from a point between the video imaging devices, presenting the image to other video session participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Minds, Inc.
    Inventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Bran Ferren, Russel Howe
  • Patent number: 7202888
    Abstract: A method of enhancing resolution in an electronic imaging device includes capturing an electronic image through a fisheye lens with a photodetector at a resolution native to the photodetector. A resolution is selected that is higher than the native resolution of the photodetector. The electronic image is processed to produce a new electronic image at the higher resolution. A fisheye effect caused by the fisheye lens is removed during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kirk Steven Tecu, William Robert Haas, David W. Boll
  • Patent number: 7202889
    Abstract: A display authorization area corresponding a user is selected from maps stored in a device, only the selected zone is displayed, and a camera which is not authorized for the user to perform information communication is inhibited from being displayed. With this arrangement, a camera control system having so excellent security that any user cannot see a place irrelevant to the user and cannot recognize the position of an installed camera is constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuko Suzuki, Tomoaki Kawai
  • Patent number: 7202890
    Abstract: An electronic still camera comprises an image sensor which allows each of its horizontal lines to be individually specified so that a video signal contained in each specified horizontal line can be read, a storage circuit for storing the video signal read from the image sensor, a selecting circuit for selecting a high-speed continuous shooting mode, and a controlling circuit for executing, when the high-speed continuous shooting mode is selected by the selecting circuit, control to effect a high-speed reading for reading the video signal from the image sensor by thinning out the horizontal lines of the image sensor, and to cause the storage circuit to store video signals for a plurality of pictures obtained by the high-speed reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryosuke Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 7202891
    Abstract: A method of capturing a color image includes steps of operating a first sensor of a camera to integrate a first charge over a first time interval, operating a second sensor of the camera to integrate a second charge over a second time interval and scanning the first and second sensors to readout the respective first and second charges during a third time interval. The first time interval overlaps the second time interval. The third time interval includes no overlapping time with the first time interval. The third time interval includes no overlapping time with the second time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Dalsa, Inc.
    Inventor: Simon G. Ingram
  • Patent number: 7202892
    Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, a level compensator compensates the level of an image xL (i, j) sensed by an image sensor by exposure for a long time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xL? (i, j), while another level compensator compensates the level of an image xS (i, j) sensed by the image sensor by exposure for a short time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xS? (i, j). The image pickup apparatus also includes an image synthesizer to synthesize these compensates images xL? (i, j) and xS? (i, j) to produce a single synthetic image x (i, j). A dynamic range compressor also included in the image pickup apparatus compresses the synthetic image x (i, j) to produce a compressed image y (i, j) for delivery to outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Ogata, Takashi Tsuchiya, Kazuhiko Ueda
  • Patent number: 7202893
    Abstract: An apparatus for displaying digital image files on a standard display device such as a television set is provided in the form of a set-top box. The box includes an integrated circuit and memory buffer for computing an image from a file, a second memory buffer for storing computed images, and a video output for delivering the images to the display device. Preferably, the set-top box also includes an infrared receiver for remote operation. The set-top box receives the image files from standard storage media such as floppy disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Darryl R. Schick, Mark A. Zlotnik
  • Patent number: 7202894
    Abstract: An image processing system and method compares each pixel of an image obtained from an image sensor array with at least eight surrounding pixels of the same color in the filter array. If the signal of a given pixel is larger than the respective signals of all eight surrounding pixels of the same color, then the value of that central pixel signal is substituted with the maximum signal value among the surrounding eight pixels of the same color. Similarly, if the signal of a given pixel is smaller than the respective signals of all eight surrounding pixels of the same color, then the value of that central pixel signal is substituted with the minimum signal value among the surrounding eight pixels of the same color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kaplinsky, Igor Subbotin
  • Patent number: 7202895
    Abstract: A sensor including an image pickup element provided with arrangement of a plurality of pixels, each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions in a depth direction of a semiconductor, outputs each color component from the same pixel position so that the color components are not extracted separately but extracted as a component different from an ordinary color signal, and this causes an image quality deterioration. The sensor of the present invention, however, is arranged to perform color correction of the signals of the plurality of pixels output from the image pickup element by using different color correction coefficients, respectively, thereby obtaining a high quality image, and to perform appropriate color correction corresponding to color temperature by discriminating an appropriate color correction coefficient to be used for the color correction in accordance with the color temperature detected by an external color temperature sensor at the time of photographing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Hirai
  • Patent number: 7202896
    Abstract: A spectral device is disposed above a semiconductor substrate formed with a number of photoelectric conversion elements. The spectral device has a plurality of spectral regions each corresponding to a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each of the spectral regions spectroscopically splitting light fluxes of a plurality of colors necessary for color imaging and contained in incidence light toward different directions, each of the spectroscopically split light fluxes becoming incident upon an associated photoelectric conversion element among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to each of the spectral regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Wako, Shinji Uya