Patents Issued in October 1, 2013
  • Patent number: 8547339
    Abstract: A touch sensitive display assembly includes a touch screen and a button array. The touch screen is configured to display one or more input keys. The button array includes one or more buttons corresponding to the one or more input keys. The button array is formed by a substrate attached to a button membrane thereby creating a set of button cavities corresponding to the input keys. The button cavities are configured to be inflated and deflated by a pump coupled to a fluid reservoir. The cavities can be inflated/deflated together, in subsets, and/or individually. In some embodiments, the button array is sandwiched between a touch sensing layer and a display of the touch screen. In other embodiments, the button array can be located either above or below the touch screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Tactus Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig M. Ciesla
  • Patent number: 8547340
    Abstract: A personal user control device suitable for use in cooperation with information systems, such as vehicle information systems, and methods for manufacturing and using same. The personal user control device provides a user-friendly interface system for interacting with the information system. Unlike conventional control devices, the user interface system includes no dedicated buttons and provides a customizable environment for interacting with the information system. When in communication with the information system, the personal user control device can automatically detect system status information, such as available system functionality, available viewing content, and/or a current system operation mode, of the information system and provides a user interface system that instinctively adapts for use with the information system in light of the detected system status information. The personal user control device thereby provides a versatile and intuitive manner for interacting with the information system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Sizelove, Cedric Rhoads, Brian Kirby, Christopher Brian Lundquist
  • Patent number: 8547341
    Abstract: A touch-sensitive sheet member contains a body having predetermined hardness and a sheet shape and a sense-of-touch-representing unit that represents a sense of touch. The sense-of-touch-representing unit has a predetermined size and is arranged at positions of the body or at a predetermined position of the body. The touch-sensitive sheet member also contains a medium-supplying unit that supplies medium to the sense-of-touch-representing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kouichiro Takashima, Shun Kayama, Takashi Sawada, Yukiko Shimizu, Tsutomu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8547342
    Abstract: A computing device displays an item on a display of the computing device and establishes a wireless connection with one or more other devices. The computing device receives an input gesture on a touch panel of the computing device, where the input gesture has a direction, and determines a geographic direction of the input gesture. The computing device also identifies one of the one or more other devices in the geographic direction and sends the item on the display to the one of the one or more devices in the geographic direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Heath Stallings, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Jr., Jeffrey Wayne Kurtti, Andrew McClain Allman
  • Patent number: 8547343
    Abstract: A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus comprises a display module and an antenna module. The display module is adapted to display a plurality of function icons. When the antenna module detects the approaching of an input device, such as the finger of the user or a metal element, the display module displays an indicator. The indicator is able to overlap at least one of the plurality of function icons, and the user can conveniently and correctly choose the function icon he or she needs without touching the display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Hsu-Hsiang Tseng, Wen-Shu Chien
  • Patent number: 8547344
    Abstract: A display device with touch sensor input has a touch sensor structure on top of the display layer. The touch sensor structure includes a first and second array of electrodes, the electrodes in the first array being non-parallel to the electrodes in the second array. The first and second arrays of electrodes occupy different fractions of a touch sensor area. These asymmetric fill factors give improved sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Whight
  • Patent number: 8547345
    Abstract: Described herein is a liquid crystal display apparatus that includes a liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel includes a receiver component that receives a sensed parameter of a column line in the liquid crystal display apparatus, wherein electrical voltage is transmitted along the column line and directed at a particular sub-pixel. An output component outputs an indication that a member is in physical contact with the display panel based at least in part upon the received sensed parameter of the column line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: J. Turner Whitted
  • Patent number: 8547346
    Abstract: An information output device includes a touch panel chassis having a touch panel with a medium on which a coordinate value based on a predetermined rule and a dot pattern signifying a code value are printed. The medium is placed on the touch panel with a surface on which the dot pattern is printed facing the touch panel. The device includes a coordinate recognition unit for recognizing a position on the medium of the touch panel. The device also includes an imaging unit for imaging via an imaging portion disposed on a predetermined location in the touch panel chassis. The device further includes a control unit for computing the coordinate value, the code value, and an orientation signified by the dot pattern and for inputting coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel. An output unit outputs multimedia information according to an instruction from the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: IP Solutions, Inc
    Inventor: Kenji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8547347
    Abstract: A method for generating multiple windows frames, an electronic device thereof, and a computer program product using the method are provided. In the present method, first, a touch trajectory generated by continuously touching a touch panel of the electronic device is detected, wherein the center of the touch panel is a display area, and a non-display area surrounds the display area. Then, whether the touch trajectory is started from one side of the non-display area and passed through the display area to be extended to another side of the non-display area is determined. If so, the display area is split according to the touch trajectory to display at least two windows frames. As a result, an intuitional and convenient method for generating multiple windows frames in the display area is provided, and the operation of the electronic device is made very convenient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Ching-Liang Chiang, Chi-Pang Chiang, Chih-Wei Tai, Chao-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 8547348
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting an item on a display screen with a touch interface by touching the display screen with a finger or stylus-type device. The touch point on the screen is detected, and a touch radius is established with respect to the touch point. When selectable items are detected to be displayed at least partially within the touch radius of the touch point, they are partially activated by altering the manner in which they are displayed. Upon detection of another touch point selecting a partially activated item, that item is fully activated and the other partially activated items are deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Opera Software ASA
    Inventor: Gerdur Jonsdottir
  • Patent number: 8547349
    Abstract: A mobile terminal and a method of displaying data for the same are disclosed. The data display method includes displaying one or more tags, checking whether a motion of the mobile terminal is detected, identifying the terminal motion if terminal motion is detected, and displaying rearranged tags when the identified terminal motion is related to tag rearrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myeong Lo Lee, Jung Yeob Oh, Seung Woo Shin, Kyung Hwa Kim
  • Patent number: 8547350
    Abstract: A force/displacement touch device, this invention employs a base-plane 32 and flexible mounting material to suspend, or “float,” a non-rigidly mounted touch-plane 12, and uses sensors at each mounting point 22 to measure Z-axis deflection of the floating touch-plane 12. The system adapts existing planes in typical LCD assemblies to implement touch screens. This floating touch detection system provides an accurate, sensitive, compact and low-cost solution. It mitigates XY friction to improve detection of Z-forces. This approach provides latitude in locating sensors 34, allows for additional mid-plane sensors, enables greater accuracy and resolution, and adds features such as “multi-touch” sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventors: Noah L. Anglin, Krystyna Maliniak
  • Patent number: 8547351
    Abstract: A touch sensor device 1 includes a touch sensor 11; an average value calculating means 12 for calculating the average value of output voltages sent out from an output section 111 of the touch sensor 11; a threshold value calculating means 13 for calculating a threshold value based on the average value; and a comparing/determining means 14 for comparing the output voltage with the threshold value and, when determining that the output voltage exceeds the threshold value, outputting a determination signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasunori Murayama, Sadahiko Tanaka, Keitaro Takizawa, Kouichi Yamanoue
  • Patent number: 8547352
    Abstract: Provided is a moved touch sensing method. The moved touch sensing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: acquiring channel information corresponding a touch inputted into a contact region; converting each of first channel information and second channel information acquired as the touch moves into order information according to a predetermined order; and outputting a movement distance clock signal representing a movement distance of the touch on the basis of the converted order information. According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to reduce a burden of a control processor by outputting information regarding a movement distance and a movement direction of a moved touch by using two clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Chemtronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Young-Un Park, Deuk-Hoi Kim
  • Patent number: 8547353
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and graphical user interfaces for displaying hyperlink information are disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable electronic device with a touch screen display: displays content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of links to additional content; detects a contact by a finger with the touch screen display, wherein the contact includes an area of contact; determines a point within the area of contact; choosing a first link in the plurality of links based on proximity of the first link to the determined point; and displays information associated with the first link over the displayed content, wherein the information associated with the first link includes information other than anchor text of the first link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Blumenberg, Francisco Ryan Tolmasky, Richard Williamson
  • Patent number: 8547354
    Abstract: A method includes, at an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface: concurrently displaying a first text entry area and an unsplit keyboard on the display; detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and, in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, replacing the unsplit keyboard with an integrated input area. The integrated input area includes a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard, a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard, and a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Koch, B. Michael Victor, Avi E. Cieplinski, Julian Missig
  • Patent number: 8547355
    Abstract: A video player for a portable multifunction device is disclosed. In some embodiments, a list of video items is displayed in a portrait orientation of a touch screen display of a portable electronic device. Upon user selection of a respective video item in the list, the user selected video item is automatically displayed in a landscape orientation of the touch screen display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Freddy Allen Anzures, Greg Christie, Scott Forstall, Charles J. Pisula
  • Patent number: 8547356
    Abstract: A transaction automation and archival system is provided for controlling, real-time logging, and archiving complex commercial transactions such as the purchase and financing of an automobile. An electronic contract disclosure unit or ECDU includes a digitizing video display for imaging to the various documents involved in the transaction and a digitizer for allowing participants to sign, indicate choices, and otherwise interact directly on documents and images presented on the display. A computer controls the progress of the transaction, controlling, for example, the order of presentation of documents to a vehicle purchaser, receiving signatures on the displayed documents, offering choices of various packages to the purchaser, and insuring that the transaction is carried out properly. The transaction is logged for future review which may include a video record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Reynolds & Reynolds Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Maloney, Mark A. Singleton
  • Patent number: 8547357
    Abstract: A portable game machine with a display which also serves as a touch panel type input portion is comprised of means for detecting a contact between a finger of a player and a screen, means for computing a coordinate position of the finger on the screen, means for computing and determining the coordinate position where the object to be displayed on the display is displayed so as to separate a predetermined distance from the coordinate position of the finger and to create a gap between the object displayed on the display and a periphery of the finger contacted with the screen, and object display means for displaying the object at the computed and determined coordinate position on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 8547358
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided which includes a calculation unit that calculates, when state quantities of an object are changed by changing a predetermined parameter specifying a space in which the object is present in accordance with a contact quantity detected by a detection unit, the state quantities of the object after the change based on a dynamic model using the predetermined parameter, physical quantities of the object stored in a storage unit, and the state quantities of the object stored in the storage unit and updates the state quantities of the object stored in the storage unit with the calculated state quantities of the object after the change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Fuminori Homma, Tatsushi Nashida
  • Patent number: 8547359
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a capacitive touchscreen system which includes switchable charge acquisition circuits and corresponding charge integrator circuits for sensing mutual capacitances associated with a touchscreen. Various embodiments of the switchable charge acquisition circuits and corresponding charge integrator circuits provide lower power consumption, increased operational stability, substantially reduced integrated circuit area, and increased temperature stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventor: Vitali Souchkov
  • Patent number: 8547360
    Abstract: A system includes a touch screen having multiple electrodes. The system also includes a processing unit configured to use the electrodes to (i) detect an object contacting the touch screen or within a first distance from the touch screen in a first mode and (ii) detect the object within a second distance from the touch screen in a second mode. The second distance is larger than the first distance. The processing unit can be configured to use the multiple electrodes in the first mode to perform capacitive touch screen sensing. The processing unit can also be configured to use the multiple electrodes in the second mode to perform electric field sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Joshua Posamentier
  • Patent number: 8547361
    Abstract: An input method for an electronic device and a related input system are provided. When an optical pointer irradiates light rays with a specific pattern, photo sensors disposed in a display unit of the device detect the irradiated light rays. The device determines and generates pattern information corresponding to a pattern of the light rays, a pattern direction, and a pattern movement. The device executes or controls a function according to the pattern information and a function table, which maps the pattern information to the function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Gook Park, Min Kyu Park, Hyun Jin Kim, Hee Jeong Choo, Hyun Ki Kim, Eun Young Lim, Soo Yeoun Yoon
  • Patent number: 8547362
    Abstract: A stylus includes a stylus barrel, a electrically conductive stylus head connecting to the stylus barrel, a rod assembly and a shaft. The rod assembly includes a swing block and an elastic member connecting the end of the swing block. The rod assembly is assembled in stylus barrel, the shaft is secured on the stylus barrel and passes through the swing block, making the swing block enable to tilt about the shaft, an end of the stylus head rotatably connects the other end of the swing block relative to the elastic member, the other end of the stylus head exposed to the stylus barrel, the elastic member provides an elastic force to cause the stylus head return to the original position after the stylus is moved into a tilted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd., FIH (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Shi-Xu Liang, Chung-Yeh Sa
  • Patent number: 8547363
    Abstract: A digital signature collection and authentication system includes an ink pen having an ultrasonic transmitter that transmits ultrasonic energy to a plurality of ultrasonic receivers. A computer triangulates the location of the pen versus time to generate the signature shape, and to generate velocity and acceleration data. The pen also includes a pressure sensitive tip to record pressure applied to the pen tip. The pen also includes a higher frequency burst transmitter useful to generate a time reference, and to transmit the pressure information. The computer packetizes the shape, velocity, acceleration, and pressure data with a time stamp and an IP address or phone number, encrypts the packet and sends it to a host computer for authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Jianping Xu
  • Patent number: 8547364
    Abstract: An electronic device comprises a display for displaying data stored on said electronic device; input means; sensing means for sensing the three-dimensional position of the input means relative to said device; and control means for controlling the data displayed on said display in dependence on the three-dimensional position of the input means relative to said device. The input means includes a source of electromagnetic radiation for directing an infrared conical beam onto the display. The sensing means can sense the elliptical eccentricity of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the display to determine the angle at which it strikes the display, and can sense the area of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the display to determine the distance of the input means from the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Power2B, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Michael Lipman, Sarah Michelle Lipman
  • Patent number: 8547365
    Abstract: Provided are a display device and method. The display device includes a plurality of data driving integrated circuits (ICs) configured to receive reception signals, each of which includes data and load signal information indicating an application starting time point of the data, and apply parallel data signals corresponding to the data at the application starting time points according to the load signal information included in the reception signals, and a display panel configured to display an image according to the parallel data signals, wherein at least two of the data driving ICs apply parallel data signals at different application starting time points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Anapass Inc.
    Inventor: Yong Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 8547366
    Abstract: A driving device outputting a plurality of sequentially asserted driving signals is provided, including a shift register, a buffer unit, and switch circuits. The shift register includes shift registering units coupled in series. The shift registering units respectively generate shift registering signals which are sequentially asserted. The buffer unit receives at least one input signal. The input signal is periodically asserted, and the buffer unit outputs the input signal. The switch circuits are coupled to the shift registering units to receive the shift registering signals, respectively. All of the switch circuits are coupled to the buffer unit to receive the input signal, and the switch circuits sequentially output the input signal to serve as the driving signals according to the assertion of the shift registering signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Ping-Lin Liu, Tse-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 8547367
    Abstract: A method of restoring a timing controller includes generating an error condition signal from a timing controller by checking abnormality of an image signal and a control signal provided from an image board, feeding back the error condition signal to the image board, and restoring the timing controller based on the error condition signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Bum Kim, Jae-Gwan Jeon, Dong-Won Park, Bong-Ju Jun, Dong-Hyun Yeo
  • Patent number: 8547368
    Abstract: A display driving circuit of the present invention includes: a source driver (20) which outputs a source signal; a gate driver (30) which outputs a gate signal for turning on a switching element on a row; and a CS driver (40) which outputs a CS signal (CSOUT) whose electric potential is switched in a predetermined direction (low to high or high to low) in accordance with a polarity of the source signal. A CS driver (CSn) on an n-th row outputs a CS signal (CSOUT) to the n-th row in accordance with a gate signal (GLn) for the n-th row outputted from a gate driver (Gn) provided on the n-th row. This makes it possible to provide a display driving circuit which enables CC driving with a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Yokoyama, Yasushi Sasaki, Yuhichiroh Murakami
  • Patent number: 8547369
    Abstract: Provided is an organic light emitting display for improving the display quality and lifetime, the organic light emitting display includes a display panel comprising sub pixels disposed at intersections of data lines and first and second scan lines; a data driver alternately outputting a positive data signal and a negative data signal to the data lines; and a scan driver respectively outputting a first scan signal and a second scan signal to the first scan lines and the second scan lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Inhwan Kim, Juhnsuk Yoo
  • Patent number: 8547370
    Abstract: In a voltage generating circuit and a display apparatus, a driving voltage generator receives an input voltage to output a first driving voltage and a second driving voltage that is inversely proportional to a temperature in response to a feedback voltage. A temperature compensator generates the feedback voltage as a function of the temperature and the second driving voltage and applies it to the driving voltage generator. A gate-on voltage generator pumps the second driving voltage to generate a gate-on voltage, and a gamma voltage generator outputs a plurality of gamma voltages, each having a different voltage level that is disposed between the first driving voltage and a ground voltage. The gate-on voltage, which is inversely proportional to the temperature, is applied to the gate driver, and the gamma voltages, which are maintained at constant levels, prevent the response speed of the display apparatus from varying with temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Hwan Hong, Nam-Seok Lee, Sung-Kyu Hong, Ho-Yun Byun
  • Patent number: 8547371
    Abstract: Prior to increasing the voltage level of an input signal to be sampled in a step-by-step manner and writing a signal voltage Vsig at a desired voltage level, a precharge is performed which writes a precharge voltage Vpre, lower than the signal voltage Vsig, so as to apply the same voltage Vpre to the gate of a drive transistor in advance. This not only provides a reduced gate-to-source voltage of the drive transistor at the time of writing of the signal voltage Vsig but also extends a mobility correction time required for a mobility correction operation. The extension of the mobility correction time required for the mobility correction operation ensures a relatively smaller variation in the correction time, thus suppressing the variation in brightness. The extension also permits a write pulse to be set to the optimal pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Tanikame, Yukihito Iida, Tetsuo Minami, Katsuhide Ucnino
  • Patent number: 8547372
    Abstract: A pixel circuit and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device using the same are provided. The pixel circuit compensates for a threshold voltage of a driver transistor and for a voltage drop, and separately drives an initialization time to improve a contrast ratio. The pixel circuit further suppresses a leakage current caused by a data voltage using a fixed power source so that current variation caused by the leakage current can be reduced or minimized to improve crosstalk, and the duty of an emission control signal can be adjusted to remove motion blur. The pixel circuit also compensates for a leakage current generated in a turn-off state of a transistor with an increase in a drain-source voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo-Yong Chung, Yong-Sung Park, Deok-Young Choi
  • Patent number: 8547373
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a back light unit for a liquid crystal display device, which can improve safety and reliability of the back light unit; and a method for fabricating the same. The back light unit for a liquid crystal display device includes lamps for supplying a light to a liquid crystal display panel, a printed circuit board of a non-conductive plastic having sockets mounted thereto for supplying a high voltage to the lamps, a cover bottom fastened to the printed circuit board, having the lamps received therein, and a hook shaped projection formed as one unit with the printed circuit board for placing in a hole in the cover bottom for fastening the printed circuit board to the cover bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Hag Kim, Sung-Joong Kim, Yun-Seo Park
  • Patent number: 8547374
    Abstract: A 3D reconstruction technique using integral imaging, which does not require computing point correspondences. The technique has been demonstrated that it can effectively estimate the surface of an object, and reconstruct the surfaces of partially occluded objects. Reconstruction can be performed from either an array of imaging sensors, or a single moving imaging sensor with known positions. The technique relies on the concept that each view is allowed to vote on the contents of the scene via ray tracing. Various sharpness metrics are utilized for estimating the locations of visible surfaces in the views, and reconstruction is posed as an optimization problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Firooz A. Sadjadi, Evan J. Ribnick
  • Patent number: 8547375
    Abstract: A method for identifying within a working image of a scene a point of interest designated within a designation image of a scene, the designation image being taken along a first viewing direction and the working image being taken along a second viewing direction, the second viewing direction being significantly non-parallel to the first viewing direction, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a designation image of the scene; obtaining a working image of the scene; correlating said designation image and said working image with each other, directly or by correlating each of said designation image and said working image with a common reference image, so as to derive an interrelation between said designation image and said working image; and employing said interrelation between said designation image and said working image to derive a location within said working image of a point of interest designated within said designation image, characterized in that the method further comprises: obtaining a secondary
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Efrat Rotem, Gilad Adiv
  • Patent number: 8547376
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system for representing a production environment comprises a modeling module that creates a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of a production environment. The system also includes a view module that renders a graphical depiction of at least a portion of the three-dimensional model from a reference point that is based at least in part upon a location. Methods of using the system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas R. Reichard, Kevin G. Gordon, Clifton H. Bromley, Eric G. Dorgelo, Shafin A. Virji, Marc D. Semkow
  • Patent number: 8547377
    Abstract: A method for generating a projection image from three-dimensional image data, including the steps of determining first three-dimensional image data to be projected from the three-dimensional image data, generating a first projection image by projecting the first three-dimensional image data in a first projection direction by maximum intensity projection or minimum intensity projection, specifying a first coordinate position in the first projection image, determining second three-dimensional image data to be projected from the three-dimensional image data, generating a second projection image by projecting the second three-dimensional image data in a second projection direction different from the first projection direction, and displaying a second coordinate position, in the second projection image, obtained by projecting a first voxel in the three-dimensional image data, which corresponds to the pixel at the first coordinate position in the first projection image, onto the second projection image from the sec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Moriya
  • Patent number: 8547378
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for time-based degradation of images. In one embodiment, the rendering of a first frame of a digital video using a GPU may be initiated. In one embodiment, it may be determined that a time elapsed in rendering the first frame exceeds a threshold. In one embodiment, a downsampling factor may be determined in response to determining that the time elapsed exceeds the threshold. In one embodiment, a second frame of the digital video comprising a second set of one or more images may be rendered based on the downsampling factor using the GPU. Rendering the second frame based on the downsampling factor may comprise sending each of the second set of images to the GPU at a reduced resolution comprising a respective original resolution for each image divided by the downsampling factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel O'Donnell, John G. Carscadden
  • Patent number: 8547379
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for generating heat maps of event data are provided herein. Methods may include gathering instances of event data according to a performance characteristic, discretely decomposing the instances by applying at least one constraint to the instances, assigning a hue to each instance, the hue being associated with the at least one constraint, and generating a heat map that includes representations of the instances, wherein each representation includes the hue associated with the at least one constraint to which the instance has been assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Joyent, Inc.
    Inventors: David Pacheco, Brendan Gregg, Bryan Cantrill
  • Patent number: 8547380
    Abstract: Avatar data is stored in a management application. The management application sends an immersion request to the application. The management application identifies the avatar data fields used by the application, and any appropriate scaling and avatar transformation. The management application scales the data appropriately, transforms the avatar if necessary, and transmits the (scaled and transformed) avatar data to the application. When the avatar is to be removed from the application, the application transmits the avatar data back to the management application, which integrates any changes to the avatar data into the original avatar data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Elite Avatars, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Lynn Tobias
  • Patent number: 8547381
    Abstract: A first user's avatar in a virtual world environment may be controlled by using a virtual world application enabling access to a virtual world environment within which the first user has an avatar associated with the first user. A virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar is identified. At least one second avatar proximate to the virtual world location is identified. Filtering information is accessed. Profile information related to the second avatar is accessed. Filtering information is compared to the accessed profile information. Based on the comparison results, a metric related to the second avatar is determined. The metric is related to a threshold. It is determined whether relating the metric to the threshold supports enabling communications between the first and second avatars, and if so, communications to be exchanged between the first and second avatars are enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bright Sun Technologies
    Inventor: Stephen Vaughan Murphy
  • Patent number: 8547382
    Abstract: A video graphics system, graphics processor, and method of reducing memory bandwidth consumption include logic that groups binary data of a block of pixels into bit-planes. Each bit-plane corresponds to a different bit position in the binary data of the block and includes a bit value from each pixel in the block at that corresponding bit position. An encoding, associated with the block of pixels, represents which ones of the bit-planes are constant-value bit-planes having binary data comprised of a same bit value from every pixel in the block and which of the bit-planes are mixed-value bit-planes. Logic accesses memory storing the block of pixels to process the binary data of each mixed-value bit-plane and accesses memory storing the encoding to process the binary data of each constant-value bit-plane when a processing operation is performed on the block of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Kiia K. Kallio
  • Patent number: 8547383
    Abstract: A system, a computer readable storage medium including instructions, and a computer-implemented method of pre-fetching in a network. A request is received from a user device for a first network-accessible data item in a plurality of network-accessible data items. The first network-accessible data item is transmitted to the user device. A determination of the most frequently viewed data items is made and a second network-accessible data item is retrieved from the most frequently viewed items and transmitted to the user device. The second network-accessible data item is transmitted before receiving a request for the second network-accessible data item from the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Mahesh Subramanian, William Orcutt
  • Patent number: 8547384
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for storing and retrieving data in parallel but in different orders. In one implementation, data for pixels is stored according to a checkerboard pattern, alternately between two memory devices, forming a checkerboard buffer. In one implementation, a checkerboard buffer includes: a data source, providing data in a first order; a data destination, receiving data in a second order; at least two memory devices, each memory device having a plurality of memory locations, where data is stored in parallel to the memory devices and retrieved in parallel from the memory devices; a first data switch connected to the data source and each of the memory devices, where the first data switch controls which data is stored to which memory device; and a second data switch connected to the data destination and each of the memory devices, where the second data switch controls providing data to the data destination according to the second order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Champion, Brian Dockter
  • Patent number: 8547385
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for accessing a shared memory in a graphics processing unit (GPU). One embodiment comprises determining whether data to be read from a shared memory aligns to a boundary of the shared memory, wherein the data comprises a plurality of data blocks, and wherein the shared memory comprises a plurality of banks and a plurality of offsets. A swizzle pattern in which the data blocks are to be arranged for processing is determined. Based on whether the data aligns with a boundary of the shared memory and based on the determined swizzle pattern, an order for performing one or more wrapping functions is determined. The shared memory is accessed by performing the one or more wrapping functions and reading the data blocks to construct the data according to the swizzle pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yang (Jeff) Jiao
  • Patent number: 8547386
    Abstract: A painterly conversion unit of an image processing device, for example, converts a main-object image piece and a background image piece into respective painterly images with a fine touch and a rough touch, respectively, when, for example, the ratio of a region representing the main-object image piece relative to a whole image represented by image data is less than a predetermined threshold. Moreover, the painterly conversion unit converts the whole image into a painterly image with a touch of predetermined roughness when the ratio of the region representing the main-object image piece relative to the whole image represented by the image data is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wakana Odagiri
  • Patent number: 8547387
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations a graphical object is generated around a mathematical boundary of a region of interest in an image. The graphical object has varying opacity in which a higher opacity in areas of the graphical object in close proximity to the boundary acts as a visual cue to indicate close proximity to the boundary, and lesser opacity in areas of the graphical object of more distant proximity to the boundary acts as a visual cue to indicate distant proximity to the boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Robert Alan Buchanan
  • Patent number: 8547388
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and related method determine an ambient luminance value. Ambient luminance value is analyzed under three conditions: static, dynamic and backed-lighted. Image(s) are received in an image stream and different parts of pixel luminance values corresponding to the image(s) selected by different ways are averaged to generate several luminance averaging values, to therefore determine the ambient luminance value from several luminance averaging values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Ting-Yuan Cheng