Patents Issued in April 24, 2007
  • Patent number: 7209083
    Abstract: In a radio-frequency device in which a dielectric layer, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer are stacked one on another, the second conductive layer is including a plurality of conductive elements which are arrayed periodically and independently of one another at a specified array pitch, and a plurality of connecting elements for electrically connecting a plurality of mutually neighboring ones of the conductive elements to each other. The connection by the connecting elements is selectively made, thus making it possible to control radiation directivity of an electromagnetic field formed by the first and second conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Fujishima, Kazuyuki Sakiyama, Ushio Sangawa, Hiroshi Kanno
  • Patent number: 7209084
    Abstract: A portable communication device includes a first part including a first antenna element located within and extending through a portion of the first part and radio circuit feeding antenna elements, a second part hingedly joined to an end of the first part for providing at least one open and one closed position of the phone, and a hinge element connected to the first and second parts. The hinge element stretches along the end of the first part for providing rotation of one part in relation to the other part around a first axis having a first and second end. The hinge element includes a second antenna element. The radio circuit is connected between the first and second antenna elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventor: Bo Lindell
  • Patent number: 7209085
    Abstract: A mechano-electronic antenna includes an insulating base board having a first face and a second face which are opposite to each other, and a first radiating surface formed on the first face; and a rotating shaft, which is rotationally provided on and gets through the insulating base board, and is near the first radiating surface, and at least one metal branch arm extends outwards from the rotating shaft on the first face of the insulating base board so that the metal branch arm can be electrically connected with the first radiating surface when the rotating shaft is rotated relative to the insulating base board from the first position to the second position. By these means, the geometrical shapes of the antenna are changed to improve the radiating efficiency of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Corbett Ray Rowell, William H. Darden
  • Patent number: 7209086
    Abstract: Disclosed is an antenna device for a portable terminal including a first housing and a second housing which is slidably assembled with the first housing so as to open and close a part of the first housing. The antenna device includes an antenna pattern which is disposed on an inner surface of the second housing, the second housing enclosing the first housing when the first housing and the second housing have been assembled with each other; and a flexible printed circuit which extends from the antenna pattern into the first housing. In the antenna device, since the antenna pattern is connected to a main board of the portable terminal by means of the flexible printed circuit, the stable connection of the antenna pattern and the main board can be kept.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyung-Jin Chung
  • Patent number: 7209087
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mobile phone antenna, which comprises an antenna ground plane, a radiating conducting plate, a feeding conducting strip, a shorting conducting strip, and a system ground plane. Using the antenna ground plane as a shielding metal wall, the present invention advantages itself of making the antenna and a shielding metal box easier to be integrated without a need for an isolation distance. The present invention thus makes the best use of the internal spacing of a mobile phone. This antenna is suitable for application as an embedded antenna for both folded-type and bar-type mobile phones. The operating bandwidth of this antenna can cover the required bandwidth for a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute, National Sun Yat-Sen University
    Inventors: Chia-Lun Tang, Kin-Lu Wong, Saou-Wen Su
  • Patent number: 7209088
    Abstract: A feed antenna includes a pair of conductive members, a dielectric waveguide placed therebetween, a dielectric member that is placed between the conductive members and located close to the dielectric waveguide, and a plurality of dielectric binding sections for binding the dielectric waveguide to the dielectric member. One of the conductive members has a plurality of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Masakatsu Maruyama, Chitaka Manabe, Yoshito Fukumoto, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Takayuki Hirano
  • Patent number: 7209089
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a broadband electric-magnetic antenna apparatus and method. The present invention teaches a variety of electric antennas suitable for use in the present invention as well as a variety of magnetic antennas suitable for use in the present invention. Combination of a broadband electric antenna element and a broadband magnetic element to create a broadband electric-magnetic antenna system is discussed. This invention further teaches systems for using a broadband electric magnetic antenna system to radiate or receive quadrature signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Inventor: Hans Gregory Schantz
  • Patent number: 7209090
    Abstract: A magnetic core antenna system including a magnetic core and a winding network. The winding network may be configured with a non-uniform ampere-turn distribution to achieve a desired flux density in the core. The network may include a plurality of windings configured to provide a winding impedance facilitating optimal transmitter power delivery to the windings. A magnetic core may be constructed from multiple components having longitudinal contact surfaces and joined by a transverse clamping force. An air gap may be provided between the components to allow relative movement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Stewart E. Hall, Brent F. Balch, Richard L. Copeland, William Farrell
  • Patent number: 7209091
    Abstract: A very inexpensive and on-site tunable design for a vertically polarized panel antenna system, suitable for the FCC digital broadcast 700 MHz range is provided. Bowtie-like shaped antennas having machine-stampable planar elements with an adjustable separation are configured with a stripline feed. The stipline feed enables easy feeding of doublet systems to allow the configuration of an array of vertically polarized antennas. The various components of the antenna system can be easily tuned, enabling rapid deployment and quick operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: SPX Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Schadler, Andre J. Skalina
  • Patent number: 7209092
    Abstract: A standard slow wave meander line having sections of alternating impedance relative to a conductor plate is provided with a top shield connected to the conductor plane for the purpose of lowering the resonant frequency of narrow band antennas and lowering the low frequency cutoff limit of wide band antennas due to a higher delay per unit length occasioned by the use of the top shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Apostolos, Patrick McKivergan
  • Patent number: 7209093
    Abstract: Location determination is performed using a transmitter including an elongated generally planar loop antenna defining an elongation axis. The elongation axis is positioned along at least a portion of a path. A magnetic field is then generated which approximates a dipole field. Certain characteristics of the magnetic field are then determined at a receiving position radially displaced from the antenna elongation axis. Using the determined certain characteristics, at least one orientation parameter is established which characterizes a positional relationship between the receiving position and the antenna on the path. The magnetic field may be transmitted as a monotone single phase signal. The orientation parameter may be a radial offset and/or an angular orientation between the receiving position and the antenna on the path. The antenna of the transmitter may be inserted into a first borehole to transmit the magnetic field to a receiver inserted into a second borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Guenter W. Brune, John E. Mercer, Albert W. Chau, Rudolf Zeller
  • Patent number: 7209094
    Abstract: The Genetically Optimized Digital Ionospheric Sounding System (DISS) Transmit Antenna is a low-cost modification to the TCI 613F HF communications antenna that increases and stabilizes vertical gain from 4 to 30 MHz. Genetic algorithm and local search techniques were used in the design of the modification in order to take into account both electrical design and mechanical simplicity in this design. The novelty lies in the specific placement of conducting wires with respect to the original TCI antenna. This placement both increases the vertical gain of the antenna as a whole and adds to its stability as each wire also acts as a guy cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: James R. Hunter, Richard J. Barton, Teresa H. O'Donnell, Terence W. Bullett, Steven R. Best
  • Patent number: 7209095
    Abstract: A positioning structure for a dual-use antenna and base includes a base having a narrow long hollow pipe wall and a wing board extended externally from two corresponding sides along the hollow pipe wall, and a hollow flange is disposed on the surface of the hollow pipe wall along the vertical direction of the two wing boards, and the back of the two wing boards is connected to a board body, and the board body includes at least one wall hanging hole, so that the base not only can be secured on a desktop, but also can be hanged on a wall by the wall hanging holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Lanready Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-Ying Wang
  • Patent number: 7209096
    Abstract: A low visibility, field-diverse, dual band antenna provides cross-polarized fields enhancing signal communications. A generally flat, but helical, antenna is achieved in conjunction with a core substrate about which the antenna is wrapped, wound, or fixed. The core substrate, pitch or angle of the helix, and length of the transmitting antenna are chosen for a specific two (2) selected resonant frequency. A two-pole low-pass filter may be used to achieve dual band transmission. The passive components are specifically selected to achieve two (2) resonant frequencies PCS/Cellular 821–896 MHz and 1850–1990 MHz. The length and width of the helix are chosen in order to dimension the helical antenna between its linear and circular polarization modes to thereby deliver field-diverse and cross-polarized transmission modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Antenex, Inc.
    Inventor: Tam Hung Chau
  • Patent number: 7209097
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent material layer having a desired curved surface configuration, a layer including a variable refractive index material having a dielectric constant anisotropy, at least two transparent electrodes arranged to sandwich the transparent material layer and the variable refractive index material, and a driving device supplying a voltage including driving frequencies f1 and f2 between the transparent electrodes. The difference ?? in the dielectric constant of the variable refractive index material due to the anisotropy is positive at one of the driving frequencies and negative at the other driving frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Suyama, Munekazu Date, Shigeto Kohda, Kinya Kato, Shigenobu Sakai
  • Patent number: 7209098
    Abstract: When aging is performed by applying aging voltage to a data electrode, a scan electrode, and a sustain electrode via respective inductors (301, 401, 302, 402, 303, 403) coupled to the electrodes, frequency of a ringing waveform included in an aging voltage waveform applied to the data electrode is set in a range of ½ to 2 times frequency of a ringing waveform included in an aging voltage waveform applied to the scan electrode. With the method above, the time required for aging is significantly shortened, and the aging with high efficiency in electric power is realized. Instead of using inductors (301, 302, 303) including a coil, controlling the length of lead wires (401, 402, 403) can also obtain desired inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yamauchi, Takashi Aoki, Koji Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7209099
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method of driving a high-efficiency plasma display panel for quickly eliminating a free-wheeling current, generated due to the parasitic effect in an energy recovery circuit, thereby improving energy recovery efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-wook Roh, Sang-hoon Lee, Hye-jeong Kim
  • Patent number: 7209100
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for driving a display panel that provides excellent halftone brightness at low power consumption. A unit display period of a video signal is constituted by a plurality of divided display periods. In each of the divided display periods, the pixel data write process in which each of the pixel cells is set to either a light-emitting cell or a non-light-emitting cell in accordance with pixel data corresponding to the video signal is carried out. In addition, in each of the divided display periods, the light emission sustain process in which only the aforementioned light-emitting cell is allowed to emit light for the number corresponding to a weight assigned to each of the divided display periods is carried out. In accordance with the brightness level of the video signal, the number of light emissions that is to be assigned to each of the divided display periods is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7209101
    Abstract: This invention provides a precise current load device. A cell includes a power supply line, a ground line, first and second voltage supply lines, a signal line, first, third and fourth control lines, first to fourth switches, a p-type TFT, a capacitance element, and a current load element. A source of the p-type TFT is connected to the power supply line, one terminal of the current load element is connected to the ground line, the first switch is connected between the signal line and a drain of the p-type TFT, the second switch is connected between the drain and the gate of the p-type TFT, the third switch is connected between the drain of the p-type TFT and the current load element, and the fourth switch is connected between the voltage supply line and the current load element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Abe
  • Patent number: 7209102
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display and method for driving the liquid crystal display are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung Hwan Moon
  • Patent number: 7209103
    Abstract: A projector includes a liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display panel and a display control device coupled to the liquid crystal display panel. The display control device is composed of a first section for receiving an externally supplied video signal, and a second section succeeding the first section and coupled to the liquid crystal display panel. The second section is formed of a circuit for amplifying and converting the video signal into an ac signal supplied from the first section, and a drive pulse circuit for outputting drive pulses for driving the liquid crystal display panel. The first section and the second section are fabricated on first and second substrates separate from each other, respectively. The second section is disposed proximately to the liquid crystal display panel, and the first section and the second section are coupled via a flexible cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Device Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Maeda, Akihiro Watanabe, Yoshio Maruoka, Toshiki Misonou, Hideki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7209104
    Abstract: A black-level reference-voltage generation circuit is disposed in a vicinity of an input-and-output pad section, and a power-supply line for the black-level reference-voltage generation circuit is connected to a power-supply line for a reference-voltage generation circuit for the other gradation levels at a position in a vicinity of the input-and-output pad section. With this, the resistance of the wiring resistor of the power-supply line of the black-level reference-voltage generation circuit is made as low as it can be ignored. As a result, a voltage drop caused by the wiring resistor of a black-level reference voltage is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Nakajima, Yoshitoshi Kida
  • Patent number: 7209105
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for compensating for visual effects upon panels having non-standard polarity inversion schemes. A display comprises a panel comprising a plurality of subpixels. The panel has at least two subsets of same-colored subpixels having different electro-optical properties. The display also comprises separate quantizers for each of the at least two subsets of same-colored subpixels that can correct for fixed pattern noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Clairvoyante, Inc
    Inventor: Candice Hellen Brown Elliott
  • Patent number: 7209106
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a driving method thereof are disclosed. In order to obtain high-quality images, a signal preprocessor is incorporated in the gray signal modulator of conventional LCDs. The signal preprocessor can be specifically designed as a noise-reduction preprocessor for suppressing the noise induced from the input gray signals, or designed for detecting a certain character of input gray signals for further processes. After be processed by the signal preprocessor, optimized modified gray signals can be obtained from the signal converter for driving the LCD, thereby producing high-quality images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Vastview Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Liang Lu, Yi-Fan Chen, Cheng-Jung Chen, Yuh-Ren Shen
  • Patent number: 7209107
    Abstract: On a glass substrate, gate bus lines, data bus lines, and TFTs are formed. Then, on the substrate, an insulating film, covering the gate bus lines, data bus lines and TFTs, is formed, and a positive type photoresist film is further formed thereon. Next, through exposure and development processes, the resist film is divided for each picture element and subjected to ultraviolet ray irradiation to harden only a surface layer thereof. Then, the resist film is subjected to heat treatment to form thereon wrinkle-form surface ruggedness of a uniform pattern, which is determined depending on the size of the resist film. Subsequently, reflection electrodes are formed on the resist film. The reflection electrodes are formed to overlap the gate bus line, data bus line and TFTs, and the regions between the adjacent reflection electrodes serve as light transmission regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsufumi Ohmuro, Norio Sugiura, Kunihiro Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7209108
    Abstract: The differential drive circuit generates a differential drive signal having a root mean square value defined by a digital input value. The differential drive signal includes a first differential component and a second differential component. The circuit comprises a first differential component generator and a second differential component generator. The first differential component generator is for counting the clock signal to generate successive values of a periodic count. Each of the values includes a most-significant bit. The first differential component generator is additionally for generating the first differential component in response to successive ones of the most-significant bit of the count. The second differential component generator is for generating the second differential component in response to the digital input value and the successive values of the count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Enterprise IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Oliver D. Landolt, Ken A. Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7209109
    Abstract: A display driver is provided including: a code generator that generates pseudo random number sequences by a linear feedback shift register LFSR; a signal generator that receives the random number sequences output from taps Q3 and Q4 of the LFSR and generates field selection signals F1 and F2 that randomly vary field selection sequences; and a scan driver that outputs scan signals corresponding to the fields selected by the field selection signals F1 and F2 to the scan lines, and selectively drives the scan lines by a multi-line drive method. A field counter FDCT, whose load value is set by K bits of data with each bit configured based on random number sequences from K taps, increments or decrements its count value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shuji Furuichi
  • Patent number: 7209110
    Abstract: In an active matrix type display device including two source line side drivers for driving a plurality of pixel TFTs, one gate line side driver, two line memories respectively including at least first and second memories, and a controller for controlling the first and second line memories, storing and transmitting of picture data of the two line memories are switched to transmit the data to the two source line side drivers at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Hirakata
  • Patent number: 7209111
    Abstract: A display control drive device sequentially reads display data from a display memory in which the display data is stored, produces three primary color image signals that are applied to pixel locations in a dot-matrix color display device, and transmits the signals through a common external output terminal in a time-sharing manner. The display control drive device produces control signals applied to selection switching elements in the display device and that selectively apply an input image signal to any of three source lines. The display control drive device includes: a unit that determines one horizontal period based on a clock received from outside synchronously with display data; and a signal production circuit that produces and transmits the control signals, applied to the selection switching elements, so that the control signals will have a pulse duration equivalent to a time calculated by trisecting one horizontal period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yasuhito Kurokawa, Kunihiko Tani
  • Patent number: 7209112
    Abstract: The image display device has an image display medium comprising a display substrate and a rear substrate having intersecting linear electrodes formed thereon, and containing black and white particles between the display substrate and the rear substrate. An image is displayed at high resolution by controlling a voltage applied to the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Matsunaga, Yoshinori Machida, Yoshiro Yamaguchi, Yasufumi Suwabe, Motohiko Sakamaki, Kiyoshi Shigehiro
  • Patent number: 7209113
    Abstract: A hand-held computing system includes a housing with an elongated opening for receiving a nonelectronic input device. The elongated opening has an inside surface. At least two electrical contacts are positioned on the inside surface of the elongated opening. A connector includes at least two electrical contacts for electrically contacting the at least two electrical contacts on the inside surface of the elongated opening. A cable or other electrical connector places a peripheral computing device, battery or keyboard, in communication with the microprocessor within the housing of the personal data assistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Gateway Inc.
    Inventor: Jeekyoung Park
  • Patent number: 7209114
    Abstract: A bracelet with information display and inputting capability comprises twelve segments hinged together to allow the bracelet to be folded around the wrist of a user. An information processing unit receives inputted information from an inputting device, for example, by a QWERTY keyboard, and generates display for displaying information on display screen. The display screen and the keyboard each extends over more than one segment of the bracelet, and the segments of the bracelet are hinged to allow the bracelet to be arranged flat for input of information via the inputting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Inventor: Philip J. Radley-Smith
  • Patent number: 7209115
    Abstract: A force-feedback input device comprising an operating section, actuators to supply force-feedback by way of a transmission mechanism to the operating section, a movement quantity detector to detect a quantity of movement of the actuators and a controller to control the actuators by an output from the movement quantity detector. An initializing process is performed by the controller at startup utilizing an output from the movement quantity detector, and an output to the actuators is compensated after startup so that a fixed quantity of force-feedback is supplied to a quantity of movement of the operating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ken Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 7209116
    Abstract: A controlling device for operating a PC and one or more home appliances. The described controlling device has integrated mouse and remote control functions, and may be configured to automatically detect whether the controlling device is being used as a mouse or as a remote control. For effective operation in both control modes, the controlling device includes both RF and IR transmitters, and is configured to transition between these transmission mediums based on the detection of whether the controlling device is being used as a mouse or as a remote control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Brian Gates, Jeremy K. Black
  • Patent number: 7209117
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for shaping force signals for a force feedback device. A source wave is provided and is defined by a set of control parameters (including a steady state magnitude, a frequency value and a duration value) and modified by a set of impulse parameters (including an impulse magnitude, and a settle time representing a time required for the impulse magnitude to change to the steady-state magnitude). Optionally, application parameters specifying a direction of force signal and trigger parameters specifying activating buttons can also be provided for the source wave. Using a host processor or a local processor, the force signal is formed from the source wave and the sets of control parameters and impulse parameters, where the force signal includes an impulse signal followed by a continual steady-state signal after an expiration of the settle time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Louis B. Rosenberg, Adam C. Braun
  • Patent number: 7209118
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for increasing the transmissibility of inertial forces produced by an inertial actuator on the housing of a tactile feedback interface device. A tactile interface device, coupled to a host computer, outputs tactile sensations to a user based on interactions and events occurring in a displayed graphical environment. An actuator produces periodic inertial forces, such as vibrations, and a compliant suspension couples the actuator to the device housing. A compliance of the suspension is selected such that the suspension magnifies the periodic inertial forces for a particular frequency range of the inertial forces. The magnified inertial forces are transmitted to the housing to be felt by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Erik J. Shahoian, Kenneth M. Martin
  • Patent number: 7209119
    Abstract: The invention provides an input device which includes a gripping part, a pointing part, and at least one depressible part furnished in such a manner that while holding the gripping part by hand, a user may manipulate the pointing and depressible parts with fingertips to perform the same kinds of operations as those of a mouse. The input device may include a rotating and/or a pivoting part and at least one operating element which provide a still wider variety of functions when operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Oguro
  • Patent number: 7209120
    Abstract: The invention provides an input device which includes a gripping part, a pointing part, and at least one depressible part furnished in such a manner that while holding the gripping part by hand, a user may manipulate the pointing and depressible parts with fingertips to perform the same kinds of operations as those of a mouse. The input device may include a rotating and/or a pivoting part and at least one operating element which provide a still wider variety of functions when operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Oguro
  • Patent number: 7209121
    Abstract: The invention provides an input device which includes a gripping part, a pointing part, and at least one depressible part furnished in such a manner that while holding the gripping part by hand, a user may manipulate the pointing and depressible parts with fingertips to perform the same kinds of operations as those of a mouse. The input device may include a rotating and/or a pivoting part and at least one operating element which provide a still wider variety of functions when operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Oguro
  • Patent number: 7209122
    Abstract: The invention provides an input device which includes a gripping part, a pointing part, and at least one depressible part furnished in such a manner that while holding the gripping part by hand, a user may manipulate the pointing and depressible parts with fingertips to perform the same kinds of operations as those of a mouse. The input device may include a rotating and/or a pivoting part and at least one operating element which provide a still wider variety of functions when operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Oguro
  • Patent number: 7209123
    Abstract: A computer user interface device is provided, made up of modules having separate sets of user interface features. For instance, a keyboard device has a first module bearing standard alphanumeric and control keys, and a second module, selected from a set of optional modules bearing specialized features such as multimedia controls, communication interfaces, or magnetic media readers. The modules are mechanically coupled together. An electrical interface allows user input signals, such as keystroke signals, to be consolidated on one module, preferably the specialized module, into a single signal stream, for coupling to the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Guillermo Andres, Edgardo Oriel Enriquez, Felix Guerra, Derek Thomas Newsom, John Norman
  • Patent number: 7209124
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a multiple-position docking station for a tablet personal computing device. A different mode of operation of the tablet personal computing device is supported by different positions of the docking station. A first mode of operation may be supported when the tablet personal computing device is positioned to extend in a more or less perpendicular direction from a work surface. A second mode of operation may be supported when the tablet personal computing device is positioned so that it extends in a more or less parallel direction with respect to a work surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter D. Hunt, Pablo Salazar, Mark Baerenstecher
  • Patent number: 7209125
    Abstract: A method for driving a touch panel that detects and compensates a double touch includes sequentially inputting coordinate values of touched points on the touch panel at predetermined time intervals, measuring a variation of the inputted coordinate values, determining the inputted coordinate values as a double touch when the measured variation is greater than a predetermined value, and compensating the inputted coordinate values if determined as a double touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nam Yong Kong, Cheon Suck Lee
  • Patent number: 7209126
    Abstract: A display assembly for a point-of-sale terminal is provided. The display assembly has a liquid crystal display and a touch screen disposed overlying the liquid crystal display. The display assembly also has a viewing angle-controlled device disposed proximate to the touch screen. The viewing angle-controlled device is configured to limit the viewing angles at which said liquid crystal display may be viewed to a restricted range of viewing angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Kim
  • Patent number: 7209127
    Abstract: An electronic sketch pad and auxiliary monitor to be used as a peripheral to personal computers. The electronic sketch pad and auxiliary monitor slides under or attaches to the computer keyboard and is used as an auxiliary monitor to the primary CRT monitor. The electronic sketch pad is above and parallel to the key tops, and can be adjusted to give enough room so you can still operate the keyboard. If you are video teleconferencing with a client or colleague you can sketch an idea on the electronic sketch pad and send it without interrupting your primary monitor screen. The operator can move the electronic sketch pad from an optimal sketch position to an optimal auxiliary monitor position below the primary monitor. Now while having a WEB screen on the primary monitor you can be taking notes, doing word processing or working other programs on the auxiliary monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Inventor: James H. Bowen
  • Patent number: 7209128
    Abstract: Optically detectable data encoding layouts for surfaces includes a primary lattice and a secondary lattice formed in interstitial areas between plural points on the primary lattice and one or more markings located on points on the secondary lattice. The primary lattice defines the layout of the secondary lattice. The data is encoded according to the positions of the markings on the secondary lattice. The layout provides absolute or relative page position encoding because, when the markings are imaged and decoded, the decoded data corresponds to the position of the corresponding marking on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Doron Shaked, Guy de Warrenne Bruce Adams, Steven T. Rosenberg
  • Patent number: 7209129
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for driving passive matrix liquid crystal, comprising the steps of: simultaneously selecting Y row electrodes, where Y is an odd number of 7 and above; calculating an exclusive OR between a Y-bit row selection vector representing a selection pattern of the Y row electrodes and Y-bit ON/OFF display data representing a display pattern of column electrodes, for each corresponding bit; adding the exclusive ORs for each bit; when X=(Y+1)/2, and a 1/(X?1) voltage of the maximum voltage of the column electrodes is Vc, selecting a voltage level of the column electrodes from X voltage levels satisfying:[2×i?(X?1)]×Vc (i=an integer of 0 to (X?1)) in accordance with the result of the addition for driving. These method and apparatus prevent the frame response phenomenon of high-speed liquid crystal while realizing high-contrast display, low-voltage driving, low power consumption, and reduction in chip size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Kawasaki Microelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Norimitsu Sako, Hideyuki Kitayama
  • Patent number: 7209130
    Abstract: A level-shifter is combined with a bi-directional shift register. The level shifter turns a start signal of the bi-directional shift register to be an enable signal, and (i) activates a level shifting section by supplying a stationary current, during a period in which the enable signal is HIGH, while (ii) deactivates the level shifting section by cutting off the stationary current, during a period in which the enable signal EN is LOW. With this, it is possible to reduce unnecessary current consumption by a level shifter provided for a signal which does not frequently change, such as a shifting direction switching signal for which the bi-directional shift register is provided. At the same time, when such a signal changes, the change is followed with no time lag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sachio Tsujino, Hoh Riku
  • Patent number: 7209131
    Abstract: A display capable of excellently writing data when making transition to a standby operation mode is obtained. This display comprises a pixel part having a memory, a power supply circuit formed on the same substrate as the pixel part for operating the memory and a control circuit writing data in the memory after the voltage of the power supply circuit reaches a prescribed value. Thus, the control circuit writing the data in the memory after the voltage of the power supply circuit reaches the set value is so provided that the power supply circuit completely rises and a through current is suppressed in data writing, whereby the data is excellently written in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shoichiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7209132
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device enabling a reduction in size and costs associated with the system as a whole, starting to display images without image distortion at power on time, and turning the screen off without image retention at power off time, a method of controlling the liquid crystal display device, and a mobile terminal incorporating the liquid crystal display device as a screen display. On a glass substrate (11) provided with a display unit (12), peripheral drive circuits such as an interface circuit (13), a timing generator (14), a reference voltage driver (15), a CS driver (18), a VCOM driver (19), and a voltage regulation circuit (20), together with a horizontal driver (16) and a vertical driver (17) are disposed. When a display reset control pulse PCI is supplied from an external source, a predetermined voltage is written into pixels while a CS voltage and a VCOM voltage adjusted to the same level as that of a pixel voltage are applied to a common-electrode-side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitoshi Kida, Yoshiharu Nakajima, Toshikazu Maekawa