Patents Issued in February 21, 2017
  • Patent number: 9575605
    Abstract: The invention relates to an input device 1 for capacitive touch-sensitive displays, wherein the device is a simple pen 11, wherein the simple pen can be sharpened, wherein the device is present as a core, or wherein the device is present as a core with a coating, or wherein the device is present as a core with a casing, or wherein the device comprises a core, a casing and a coating, wherein the core, the casing and/or the coating are configured to be electrically conductive, wherein an element, a contacting element 12 for a tablet/display is formed at one end of the device, and wherein the contacting element is formed as an electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: STAEDTLER MARS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Rilke Dix
  • Patent number: 9575606
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of measuring a collective capacitance on a group of capacitive sense elements from at least one of rows or columns of a capacitance sense array when in a first mode, and individually measuring capacitances on each of the rows and columns when in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: David G. Wright
  • Patent number: 9575607
    Abstract: An electrode of a self-capacitive touch panel is provided. The electrode, coupled to a control circuit of the self-capacitive touch panel via a conducting wire, includes: a serpentine portion, having a first side; a main portion, having a second side; and a connecting portion, connected to the first side and the second side to connect the serpentine portion and the main portion. A length of the connecting portion is smaller than a length of the first side and a length of the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: MSTAR SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Guo-Kiang Hung, Chien-Chuan Chen, Chao-Yang Kuo
  • Patent number: 9575608
    Abstract: A touch panel that includes a dielectric film and a piezoelectric film. A first capacitance detection electrode is disposed on an upper main surface of the dielectric film, a second capacitance detection electrode and a first piezoelectric voltage detection electrode are disposed between a lower main surface of the dielectric film and an upper main surface of the piezoelectric film, and a second piezoelectric voltage detection electrode is disposed on a lower main surface of the piezoelectric film. The first capacitance detection electrode includes plural sub-electrodes extending in a first direction, the second capacitance detection electrode includes plural sub-electrodes extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the first piezoelectric voltage detection electrode includes plural sub-electrodes disposed between the plural sub-electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masamichi Ando, Takafumi Inoue
  • Patent number: 9575609
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a display device with a touch detection function includes a display area and a touch detection electrode that includes thin wire segments having first and second ends. Thin wire segments include a thin wire segment extending in a direction different from a pixel arrangement direction in which color regions having the highest human visibility are arranged. The second end is located away from the first end in a direction toward a target position that is distant from the first end in a pixel orthogonal direction by N times of a maximum length of one of the pixels in the pixel orthogonal direction, and in the pixel arrangement direction by M times of a maximum length of one of the pixels in the pixel arrangement direction. Each of N and M is an integer of 2 or larger. N and M are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Hayato Kurasawa, Koji Ishizaki, Takeo Koito
  • Patent number: 9575610
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, John Z. Zhong, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem Den Boer
  • Patent number: 9575611
    Abstract: A touch panel is provided. The touch panel includes a pixel array including plural pixels arranged in matrix, plural scan lines electrically coupled to a corresponding pixel line of the pixel array, and at least one touch detection unit arranged corresponding to the pixel array. The touch detection unit includes a first transistor having a first transistor, a second transistor, and a touch detection circuit. The first transistor has a first terminal for receiving a first bias voltage, a second terminal, and a gate. The second transistor has a third terminal electrically coupled to the second terminal, a fourth terminal for receiving a second bias voltage, and a gate. The touch detection circuit includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor and is configured to output a touch signal according to the capacitance value of the first capacitor and the second capacitor when the touch panel is being touched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tzu-Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 9575612
    Abstract: An electromagnetic inductive touch panel includes a first substrate and a touch structure layer disposed on the first substrate. The touch structure layer includes a plurality of first wires; a plurality of second wires insulatedly intersecting with the plurality of first wires; and a plurality of electromagnetic inductive coils disposed respectively at intersections of the first wires with the second wires. Each of electromagnetic inductive coils includes a first sub-coil and a second sub-coil spirally wrapped around each other. The first sub-coil has one end electrically connected with one of the first wires and the other end electrically connected with a common potential; and the second sub-coil has one end electrically connected with one of the second wires and the other end electrically connected with the common potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignees: SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xianxiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9575613
    Abstract: A touch-sensing apparatus includes a signal-receiving module and a control unit. The signal-receiving module includes a mechanical wave-receiving unit and an electromagnetic wave-receiving unit. The mechanical wave-receiving unit is configured to receive a mechanical wave signal actively emitted by a touch object. The electromagnetic wave-receiving unit, adjacent to the mechanical wave-receiving unit, is configured to receive an electromagnetic wave signal actively emitted by the touch object. The control unit is electrically connected to the mechanical wave-receiving unit and the electromagnetic wave-receiving unit, and decides an azimuth angle and a distance of the touch object on a sensing surface with respect to the signal-receiving module according to the electromagnetic wave signal and the mechanical wave signal, and decides a position of the touch object on the sensing surface according to the azimuth angle and the distance. A touch system and a touch-detection method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Kuo-Hsien Lu
  • Patent number: 9575614
    Abstract: The invention comprises a web-based digital menu board content creation and management system that permits rapid and simple production of customized electronic digital displays from a plurality of configurable, dynamic templates. Playback of the content is readily facilitated through a content player that enables dynamic content updating and tracking of content display periods for purposes of advertising data collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventor: Andrew N Aebersold
  • Patent number: 9575615
    Abstract: A user of a computing device may view an initial content item in a landscape orientation on a display of a computing device. When the user rotates the computing device, supplemental content may be presented in a portrait orientation on the display of the computing device. The supplemental content may include virtually any information in which the user may be interested and/or that is related or similar to the content item. Accordingly, rather than presenting such supplemental content upon an affirmative request or search by the user, the supplemental content is presented to the user automatically when the user rotates the computing device from a landscape position to a portrait position or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nanyan Nicholls, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Gregory M. Hart, Jeffrey P. Bezos
  • Patent number: 9575616
    Abstract: Various implementations for managing, monitoring, and promoting user development and effectiveness are described. In one example implementation, a system includes a management module, an assessment module, a content module, and a reporting module. The management module determines a goal for a plurality of users of an organization to meet and a workflow for achieving the goal. The assessment module determines an assessment of a first performance of the first user based on the workflow and personalizes an electronic resource to a need of the first user based on the assessment of the performance. The content module provides the first electronic resource to the first user for interaction and the reporting module generates a report describing the electronic resource and the assessment of the first performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK, LLC
    Inventor: Chet Dee Linton
  • Patent number: 9575617
    Abstract: Described are techniques for event processing. Notification may be received at a navigation service of a first event regarding an interaction with a user interface element of a user interface of an application. The notification may include a set of one or more source parameters describing context information about the notification and information identifying a navigation point in the application. Responsive to receiving the notification, the navigation service may perform first processing that includes identifying first target code of the application to be invoked to update the user interface to include a content view associated with the navigation point, mapping the set of one or more source parameters to a set of one or more target parameters in accordance with first metadata, and transferring control to the first target code. The set of one or more target parameters may be provided as input parameters to the first target code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Scott E. Joyce, Timothy J. Cox, Donald E. Labaj
  • Patent number: 9575618
    Abstract: In general, this disclosure describes techniques for managing user profiles and associated processes of a multi-user computing device. For example, a computing device executes processes associated with a plurality of active user profiles of the computing device, and determines that an aggregate memory allocation of the plurality of active user profiles exceeds a threshold. Responsive to the determining, the computing device selects an active user profile for which to stop activity and automatically stops the activity associated with the selected active user profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Amith Yamasani, Dianne Kyra Hackborn
  • Patent number: 9575619
    Abstract: A method of configuring a system includes a selectable analog output device and an analog front end (AFE). The method includes selecting, via a graphical user interface (GUI), an analog output device that provides an analog output signal, the selected device having predetermined characteristics. The method further includes selecting an operating condition for the system and a performance criterion for the system. The method also includes providing a configuration value for programming the AFE based on the selected operating condition and performance criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Perry, Wanda C. Garrett, Shrikrishna Srinivasan, Khanh N. Vo, Dien A. Mac, Phillip L. Gibson, Charles W. Sins, Chi P. Le, Yuye Zhang
  • Patent number: 9575620
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method, apparatus and computer program product for presenting information relating to two or more applications on a partitioned display of a device. In particular, the method of example embodiments may include partitioning, by a processor, a display into a first region and a second region, where the first region is associated with a first application and the second region is associated with a second application. The method may further include providing for display of the first application across the first region and the second region, providing for display of a notification related to the first application in the first region, and providing for display of a notification related to the second application in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Karoline Cerny, Karen Janssen, Tanja Neubert, Elena Rovati
  • Patent number: 9575621
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for receiving a plurality of play events associated with a sporting event, wherein each play event of the plurality of play events comprises a timestamp; for each of the play events, associating the play event with a sports team of a plurality of sports teams; for each of the play events, associating with the play event a particular icon from among a plurality of different icons based, at least in part, on the sports team that is associated with the play event; causing to display a bar in a graphical user interface of a mobile computing device, wherein the bar represents at least a portion of a time duration of the sporting event; for each of the play events, causing to display the particular icon at a position in the bar, wherein the position is based, at least in part, on the timestamp of the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: VenueNext, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunaldeep Malik, Gideon Yu, Paraag Marathe, Kyle Jutte, Patrick Weiss, Jonathan Dubin, Doug Garland, Mitch Huang, Chris Giles, Martin Manville, Mark Kilgore
  • Patent number: 9575622
    Abstract: Systems and methods facilitating electronic signatures (E-Signatures) are provided. Multiple E-Signatures can be provided to electronic documents through a simple command, such as a selection of a single graphical element. A user's signatures, initials, or other identifier can be added to the electronic document in the appropriate fields upon receipt of the appropriate command or command set from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: dotloop, LLC
    Inventors: G. Austin Allison, Justin Y. Hu
  • Patent number: 9575623
    Abstract: Various data source locations storing files can be accessed and/or crawled. At each location, files can be identified. These files can be analyzed to obtain attributes characterizing such file. Thereafter, a visualization can be generated in a graphical user interface that takes the form of data map that characterizes the identified files along two or more dimensions, with each dimension being based on a different attribute of the file. For example, the vertical dimension can be based on a number of columns and the horizontal dimension can be based on a number of rows. The graphical user interface can include graphical user interface elements associated with each identified file. These elements, when activated, can cause complementary information characterizing the corresponding identified file to be displayed. The elements can then be used to import or otherwise utilize one of the identified files into an application (such as a spreadsheet software application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: PlusAMP, Inc.
    Inventors: William Harris Yeskel, Toshihiro Murayama, Jonathan Stuart Epstein
  • Patent number: 9575624
    Abstract: The amount of speech output to a blind or low-vision user using a screen reader application is automatically adjusted based on how the user navigates to a control in a graphic user interface. Navigation by mouse presumes the user has greater knowledge of the identity of the control than navigation by tab keystroke which is more indicative of a user searching for a control. In addition, accelerator keystrokes indicate a higher level of specificity to set focus on a control and thus less verbosity is required to sufficiently inform the screen reader user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Freedom Scientific
    Inventors: Garald Lee Voorhees, Glen Gordon, Eric Damery
  • Patent number: 9575625
    Abstract: Apparatus transmits an identifier for association with a virtual area by an administering network service, generates output data from human perceptible stimulus in a physical space, transmits the output data in connection with the virtual area, receives input data associated with the virtual area, and generates human perceptible stimulus in the physical space from the input data. A persistent association is created between the apparatus and a virtual area. A respective presence is established in the virtual area for a communicant operating a client network node connected to the virtual area. A respective connection between each active pair of complementary sources and sinks of the client network node and the apparatus are administered in association with the virtual area. A client network node displays a graphical user interface, establishes the administered connections, and presents interaction controls associated with the object for interacting with communicants in the physical space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sococo, Inc.
    Inventor: David Van Wie
  • Patent number: 9575626
    Abstract: An image display control apparatus enables determination as to whether or not an image file includes position information, and further, facilitates checking of positioning method of the position information. Accordingly, in the apparatus, positioning information in the image file is analyzed, and it is determined whether or not a positioning method indicating a positioning method for the position information is described. Further, when it is determined that the positioning method is described, the type of the positioning method is determined. Then an icon for discrimination of the presence/absence of positioning method and type of the positioning method is superimposed on a thumbnail of an image indicated with a corresponding image file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kozue Kozakura
  • Patent number: 9575627
    Abstract: In a display and operating device for the functions of a menu, which includes multiple functions, in a vehicle having a screen display and input device for preselection of a function by dialing a respective screen symbol, all the functions of the menu may be displayed simultaneously on the screen display and may be preselected individually in a visually discernible manner by the input device. The preselected functions are jointly activatable in response to a switch command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hermann Kuenzner
  • Patent number: 9575628
    Abstract: At least one example embodiment discloses a method for generating a touch screen display. The method includes establishing a run screen on the touch screen display, the run screen associated with a function of a work vehicle, configuring the run screen with a retractable toolbar, the retractable toolbar responsive to an action of a user of the touch screen display and deployable over a first portion of the run screen upon the action of the user and otherwise hiding to display a second portion of the run screen, the second portion of the run screen being at least a majority portion of the run screen and defining one or more transient user-definable buttons on the retractable toolbar associated with at least one of the function and the run screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Meegan, Bruce Newendorp, Joshua D. Hoffman, Kurtis Vander Wiel, Sean McKay
  • Patent number: 9575629
    Abstract: A computer implemented method includes providing an operating system for controlling electronic desktops displayed on multiple monitors. The methods include providing a plurality of electronic desktops for a first monitor and a different plurality of electronic desktops for a second monitor and allowing independent switching of desktops on the first and second monitors. The methods also include moving electronic desktops between monitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew S. Hansen, Scott B. Hansen
  • Patent number: 9575630
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an operation receiving unit; and a control unit configured to perform a normal mode display process of displaying icon images of kinds corresponding to an operation status of the apparatus in a display unit and an icon description display process of displaying an icon selection image for selecting an icon image that is being displayed in the display unit upon reception of an operation input to activate an icon description mode by the operation receiving unit during the normal mode display process in the display unit and displaying a description image for an icon image selected upon reception of an operation input by the operation receiving unit while the icon selection image is being displayed in the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michitomo Kouda, Tatsunobu Koike, Yuu Sonoda
  • Patent number: 9575631
    Abstract: Provided is a method for controlling a plurality of work processes in a multitasking mobile terminal, and more particularly, a method for selecting a second work process during a first work process and controlling a predetermined function of the selected second work process. In the controlling method, icons corresponding to the respective work processes are displayed in response to a user command, and a desired work process is selected through the displayed icons. A predetermined function of the selected work process is controlled through a pop-up menu activated in response to the user command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Pantech Inc.
    Inventors: Seul Ki Choi, Sang Jin Yoon
  • Patent number: 9575632
    Abstract: Navigation of electronic content using content scrubbing is contemplated. The content scrubbing may include moving from one offset position within the content to another offset position as a function of user interaction with a navigational feature, such as but not necessary limited to scrubbing pages in an e-book or frames in a video according to user interaction with a mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mickie Calkins, Hans Loedolff
  • Patent number: 9575633
    Abstract: Providing a user interface utility across service providers includes determining an active service associated with a particular service provider from a plurality of predetermined related services associated with respective service providers stored in a memory. A utility corresponding to the plurality of predetermined related services is formatted for display on a display device, and a function selected in the utility for the active service associated with the particular service provider is executed. The function is common to each of the plurality of predetermined related services. The same utility is displayed for each of the plurality of predetermined related services associated with respective service providers, which are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: CA, Inc.
    Inventor: Ilan Kleinberger
  • Patent number: 9575634
    Abstract: Techniques for asynchronous rendering are described. An apparatus may comprise a layout component, a view component, and a display component. The layout component may be operative on one or more background threads to receive a plurality of layout objects and to calculate layout parameters for each of the plurality of layout objects. The view component may be operative on a main thread to instantiate a plurality of view objects, wherein a view object is created for and associated with each of the plurality of layout objects. The display component may be operative on the main thread to create a display of a plurality of placeholders, wherein a placeholder is displayed for each of the plurality of view objects according to layout parameters of an associated view object. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Scott Goodson
  • Patent number: 9575635
    Abstract: In some implementations, a return to sender option can be invoked from within a file editing application when a user has edited a file received as a message attachment. The user can select a file attached to a message from within a messaging application. A file editor can be invoked to open and edit the file. The user can select a return to sender option from within the file editor. In response to the selection of the return to sender option, the edited file can be automatically saved, a reply message can be automatically generated and the edited file can be automatically attached to the reply message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Conrad Rhodes Carlen
  • Patent number: 9575636
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a user interface having a header or banner that displays information about a current context to help a user to gather information. In one example, the user interface displays information of a datacenter's health and status, including alerts that have been triggered. The user interface displays a context banner that tracks information gathered and actions taken within the context of the alert, and provides aggregate information or detailed information about the alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Weitzman, Brian Partridge, Alister David Lewis-Bowen, Robert Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9575637
    Abstract: Improved approaches to domain name monitoring. The monitoring of domain names, e.g., registrations therefor, is beneficial to holders of similar domain names, trademark owners, and competitors. Such monitoring can be automatically performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventor: C. Douglass Thomas
  • Patent number: 9575638
    Abstract: Methods, system, and computer program products for browsing content with a display area and input system that may be limited in comparison to more traditional browsing systems. Movement between and selection of interactive elements generally occurs in a navigation mode, whereas interaction with a single interactive element generally occurs in an edit mode. In navigation mode, a direction input selects the next interactive element in the direction indicated. If no interactive element is at least partially visible in the direction indicated or if a selected interactive element is only partially visible, the display scrolls. Switching between navigation mode and edit mode is based on the input received, in view of the input supported, by a particular interactive element. Interactive elements may be limited to the width of available display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Peter O. Vale
  • Patent number: 9575639
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for specifying a compound control. One of the methods includes identifying a first application. The method includes displaying a canvas. The method includes displaying, in the canvas, a first display object associated with the first application. The method includes identifying a second application, the second application being a computer executable program. The method includes displaying, in the user interface, a second display object associated with a second application. The method includes, in response to a user action that associates the second display object with the first display object, configuring the first application to invoke the second application. The method includes creating a third display object that includes the first set of selector objects and the second set of selector objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ab Initio Technology LLC
    Inventors: Gregg Yost, Joshua Goldshlag
  • Patent number: 9575640
    Abstract: Complex collaboration or decision support applications perform complex design or planning tasks, often with the input of large groups of people over long periods of time. The combination of time and complexity can often obscure past actions, making it difficult to remember the factors that influenced earlier stages in the planning task. This is especially true if the task involves many people and different people work at different times. The application state navigation system provides an application-independent mechanism that allows operators to walk back through the history of the application in order to better understand (or remember) the application actions that were taken in the past and the triggers for those actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited
    Inventors: Kelly L. Dempski, Brandon L. Harvey
  • Patent number: 9575641
    Abstract: An image is displayed using a computer system. The image includes contents that have a visible feature therein at a first location. A first input is received that includes a user movement of at least the visible feature from the first location. During the user movement, the first location is synthesized with content from where the visible feature is currently located. A second input is received that specifies an end of the user movement at a second location. A source area in the image is identified. The method further includes identifying additional contents within the source area. The additional contents are identified using a patch-based optimization algorithm on the image. The method further includes updating the image to have the additional contents at least in the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Elya Shechtman, Dan Goldman
  • Patent number: 9575642
    Abstract: A media playback system provides accurate navigation of playback of a digital media. The system includes a media player operating on a media playback device. The media is played back by the media player. The system provides a set of navigator controls with increasing granularities. The set of controls includes a set of navigation regulators. The navigation regulators support finer navigation of the playback of the digital media. Each control in the set is adapted to move the current playback position of the media to a position corresponding to an interactive visual time mark when the interactive visual time mark is operated on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Wiltech, Inc.
    Inventor: Vladimir Minkin
  • Patent number: 9575643
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Patent number: 9575644
    Abstract: A graphical processor, method, and/or computer program product controls a display of user controls on a graphical user interface. A display tool displays a screen view of a data image on a display, wherein the screen view includes one or more graphical objects. A magnifier tool displays a zoomed-in view of a portion of the screen view, wherein the zoomed-in view is superimposed on the screen view, and wherein the zoomed-in view remains turned on until turned off by the user. A crosshair tool targets a graphical object in the zoomed-in portion of the view. A decoration tool displays a user control for a targeted graphical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eduardo Abe, Julien Carnec, Yves Le Bras, David M. Zeleznik
  • Patent number: 9575646
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is performed at a portable multifunction device with a rectangular touch screen display that includes a portrait view and a landscape view. The method includes detecting the device in a first orientation, and while the device is in the first orientation, displaying an application in a first mode on the touch screen display in a first view. The method also includes detecting the device in a second orientation, and in response to detecting the device in the second orientation, displaying the application in a second mode on the touch screen display in a second view. The first mode of the application differs from the second mode of the application by more than a change in display orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Charles J. Pisula, Imran Chaudhri, Freddy Allen Anzures, Steven P. Jobs, Scott Herz
  • Patent number: 9575647
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying information of multiple applications simultaneously on the execution screen of a common application is provided. A method for providing information in mobile terminal includes displaying an execution screen having a plurality of information display regions with execution of a common application, detecting an interaction made to one of the information display regions, executing an application related to information presented in the information display region at which the interaction is detected, and displaying original data corresponding to the information presented in the information display region at which the interaction is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyo Young Kim, Jae Joon Hwang, Ae Jung Seo, Seung Woo Shin
  • Patent number: 9575648
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application to provide gesture operations for a display of a device. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring a scaling transform call. The gesture operations include performing a scaling transform such as a zoom in or zoom out in response to a user input having two or more input points. The gesture operations also include performing a rotation transform to rotate an image or view in response to a user input having two or more input points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9575649
    Abstract: Left- and right-click buttons of a virtual touchpad each have two modes, a “click” mode and an “on/off” mode. In “click” mode, touching a finger to the left- or right-click button triggers a mouse button down event while releasing a finger from the button triggers a mouse button up event. In “on/off” mode, the left- and right-click buttons each have two states, “on” and “off.” If the current state of the left- or right-click button is “off,” then touching the button triggers the mouse button down event, while releasing the button changes the state of the button to “on” but does not trigger any mouse events. Conversely, if the current state of the left- or right-click button is “on,” then touching the button does not trigger any mouse events, but releasing the button thereafter changes the state of the button to “off” and triggers the mouse button up event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuping Wei, Yueting Zhange, Wenlong Shao
  • Patent number: 9575650
    Abstract: A method of switching a screen of a mobile communications device from a screen locked state to a screen unlocked state is provided. The mobile communications device includes a display panel configured to display the screen that has a background section and a first section in the screen locked state. The method includes: moving the first section from a first location to a second location of the screen in the screen locked state when an screen unlocking requirement is determined to be satisfied; and keeping displaying the first section at the second location of the screen after switching the screen from the screen locked state to the screen unlocked state. A non-transitory computer-readable medium and a mobile communications device for switching a screen of the mobile communications device from a screen locked state to a screen unlocked state are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: David Brinda, Matthew John Barthelemy, Drew Bamford, Jason Edward Short
  • Patent number: 9575651
    Abstract: For integrating multiple different touch based inputs, a method is disclosed that includes displaying a graphical object on a touch screen device, receiving an input of a user touch of the graphical object on the touch screen, and altering an indicated portion of the touch screen responsive to a characteristic of the touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Matthew Price Roper, Matthew Lloyd Hagenbuch
  • Patent number: 9575652
    Abstract: Instantiable gesture object techniques are described in which native gesture functionality is abstracted to applications using a script-based recognition interface. Gesture objects may be instantiated for different interaction contexts at the direction of applications programmed using dynamic scripting languages. Gesture objects can be configured to designate particular touch contacts and/or other inputs to consider for gesture recognition and a target element of content to which corresponding recognized gestures are applicable. After creation, gesture objects manage gesture processing operations on behalf of the applications including creating recognizers with the native gesture system, feeding input data for processing, and transforming raw gesture data into formats appropriate for the application and/or a target element. Accordingly, script-based applications may use the gesture objects to offload processing tasks associated with gesture recognition and take advantage of native gesture functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob S. Rossi, Justin E. Rogers, Raju Ramanathan, Stephen H. Wright, Charu Chandiram, Matthew A. Rakow
  • Patent number: 9575653
    Abstract: A method, system and electronic device are provided for processing touch inputs on a touchscreen display. A starting touch input is detected on a document displayed at an initial scale on the touchscreen. If the starting touch input is within a disambiguation region for a number of interactive elements in the document, while contact is maintained on the display a further view of the document at an enlarged scale is displayed showing the area of the touch input. When an ending touch input is detected, one interactive element may be selected according to the location of the ending touch input, and an interaction function, such as requesting a resource hyperlinked by the selected interactive element, is automatically initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Michael Ian Barkway
  • Patent number: 9575654
    Abstract: A touch device and a control method thereof are provided. In the control method, a sensing signal generated by a sensor is received. When an operating object is present, a touch screen is configured for touchable regions and untouchable regions, wherein the untouchable regions cannot generate a response through a touch by the operating object. A gesture is received on the untouchable regions of the touch screen, a processor determines whether the gesture is conformed to a default gesture setting, and the processor decides whether or not to adjust part or all of the untouchable regions to the touchable regions according to the determining result. Accordingly, the touch device and the control method thereof of the embodiments of the invention can prevent or lower the occurrence of an accidental touch by a user and enhance the operating convenience of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Rong-Cheng Sun
  • Patent number: 9575655
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a processor and a display connected to the processor, the display being configured to present a first and second application on the display so that the second application is transparently presented over the first application wherein the first and second applications are active applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Markku Rytivaara