Patents Issued in April 11, 2017
  • Patent number: 9618987
    Abstract: A keyboard module includes plural keys, a switch circuit board and a metallic bottom plate. The plural keys and the switch circuit board are disposed on the metallic bottom plate. The metallic bottom plate includes a first metal plate and a second metal plate. The first metal plate and the second metal plate are made of different metallic materials. Consequently, the metallic bottom plate has the two kinds of metallic characteristics. According to the consumer's requirements, the manufacturer of the keyboard module may select suitable metallic materials to produce the desired metallic bottom plate. Consequently, the metallic bottom plate will possess different functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventor: Bo-An Chen
  • Patent number: 9618988
    Abstract: A method of managing a thermal budget, for at least a part of a processing system, is described. The method comprises, upon detection of a use case event, determining a thermal budget violation time window for a current use case scenario of the at least part of the processing system, and managing the thermal budget for the at least part of the processing system based at least partly on the determined thermal budget violation time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Anton Rozen, Roy Drucker, Leonid Smolyansky
  • Patent number: 9618990
    Abstract: A power management method is suitable for an electronic device including a controller, a processor and a battery, and includes following steps. A first power is provided to the electronic device by a power adapter, and a maximum value of the first power is smaller than a maximum value of a rated consumed power of the electronic device. A power state of a second power of the battery is obtained by the controller. A control signal is generated according to the power state, and the processor adjusts an operation performance of the processor based on the control signal. The operation performance of the processor is continuously adjusted according to the power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: COMPAL ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Shih-Chin Lu, Chung-Chi Tsou, Chun-Te Lin
  • Patent number: 9618991
    Abstract: A method for providing electrical power to a computer data center includes generating alternating-current power by a plurality of generators and converting the alternating current power from each of the generators to direct current power; combining the direct current power from each of the generators into a common electrical domain; and supplying the computer data center using the combined direct current power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jimmy Clidaras, Cornelius B. O'Sullivan, Anand Ramesh
  • Patent number: 9618992
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus which operates in one of a normal power state and a plurality of power saving states, includes a storage unit to store power saving information that designates one of the plurality of power saving states, an acquisition unit to acquire from the connected peripheral device identification information for identifying the peripheral device, a specification unit to specify the power saving information associated with the acquired identification information based on the identification information and the setting information, and a control unit to control the apparatus to shift to the power saving state designated by the power saving information to the power saving state that is designated by the specified power saving information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Ide
  • Patent number: 9618993
    Abstract: A method and system of managing power usage of devices including selectively executing a program application on a plurality of battery powered devices. Battery usage data is generated for a battery in one or more of the devices during execution of the work application. The battery usage data includes the run-time of the battery for the work application being executed. The data is aggregated and stored for the plurality of devices in memory. An application specific battery profile is generated using the stored battery usage data. The application specific battery profile is associated with the work application being run by the client devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Vocollect, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark David Murawski, Philip E. Russell
  • Patent number: 9618994
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor of a computing device executes a sequence of instructions that depends on one or more external operations. Software of the computing device determines a clocking policy for the processor during execution of the sequence of instructions. The clocking policy is based at least in part on a pattern of execution involving the sequence of instructions and the external operations, and the clocking policy modifies a clock speed of the processor. The software of the computing device applies the clocking policy to the processor during execution of at least a portion of the sequence of instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Tal, Benoit M. Schillings, Michael John McKenzie Toksvig
  • Patent number: 9618995
    Abstract: Usage of a computing device is monitored when the computing device is in an active state. A content screen is stored corresponding to a digital content item that is in use when the computing device is in the active state. In response to the computing device being placed in an inactive state, the content screen is displayed on a display of the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: RAKUTEN KOBO, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Sood, Damian Lewis
  • Patent number: 9618996
    Abstract: A power capping apparatus including a measurement unit to measure a performance counter value and a used amount of power of the computing system before a power limit value is set. A calculation unit to calculate an energy reference value used in an energy conservation mode using the used amount of power and the performance counter value. A management unit to compare a first used amount of power measured before a power limit value is set with the power limit value when the power limit value is set, and limit the used amount of power to a value below the power limit value when the first used amount of power is greater than the power limit value, wherein the management unit outputs an error message so that a user sets the power limit value in which the energy reference value is within an effective range in the energy conservation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Byung-Gyu Lee, Baik-Song An, Sung-Ik Jun
  • Patent number: 9618997
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a multicore processor with a power controller to control a frequency at which the processor operates. More specifically, the power controller can limit a maximum operating frequency of the processor to less than a configured maximum operating frequency to enable a reduction in a number of frequency transitions occurring responsive to power state events, thus avoiding the overhead of operations performed in handling such transitions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Avinash N. Ananthakrishnan, Efraim Rotem, Doron Rajwan, Eliezer Weissmann, Ryan Wells, Nadav Shulman
  • Patent number: 9618998
    Abstract: Power consumption data for a server and temperature data from a location containing the server are received. It is determined that variation in the power consumption data exceeds a first threshold level. It is determined, in response to determining variation in the power consumption data exceeds the first threshold level, variation in the temperature data does not exceed a second threshold level. It is determined, in response to determining variation in the temperature data does not exceed a second threshold level, variation in the power consumption data follows a cyclic pattern. The server is identified as idle in response to determining the variation in the power consumption data follows the cyclic pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Petrich, Joseph F. Prisco
  • Patent number: 9618999
    Abstract: Monitoring is performed for a requested change in a number of active processor cores within a multi-core processor. A current power level setting of the multi-core processor is checked based on the requested change in the number of active processor cores. A targeted power level setting associated with the requested change in the number of active processor cores is determined, where the targeted power level setting incorporates a worst case noise level margin defined on an active processor core basis. The current power level setting is adjusted to align with the targeted power level based on determining that the current power level setting fails to meet the targeted power level within a threshold band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ramon M. Bertran, Pradip Bose, Alper Buyuktosunoglu, Timothy J. Slegel
  • Patent number: 9619000
    Abstract: Disclosed is a board including a semiconductor device including a first terminal to receive a signal that sets a functionality of the device, a second terminal to supply a first value and a third terminal to supply a second value, a first connection member connected to the first to third terminals of the semiconductor device, and a second connection member adapted to be connected to the first connection member provided on a counterpart board, with at least two terminals of the second connection member connected together via a first connection circuit, wherein the first connection member of the board is connected to the second connection member of another counterpart board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyuki Itabashi, Shingo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9619001
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes: a first control unit to control a first device; and a second control unit to control a second device. The first control unit includes a first request processing unit, a notification unit, and a first execution unit. The second request processing unit receives a second request including an instruction to start a process of the second device. The notification unit notifies the second control unit that the first control unit receives a first request. The second execution unit executes a second request received by the second request processing unit when the first device is in the active state, and executes the second request stored in the storage unit when the notification is received by the notification receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Junichi Segawa, Tatsunori Kanai, Tetsuro Kimura, Yusuke Shirota, Shiyo Yoshimura, Masaya Tarui, Hiroyoshi Haruki, Satoshi Shirai, Koichi Fujisaki, Akihiro Shibata, Haruhiko Toyama
  • Patent number: 9619002
    Abstract: In some implementations, a method includes analyzing an amount of data communicated by a set of network interfaces. The data communicated by the set of network interfaces is processed by a set of functional units and a set of queues includes the data communicated by the set of network interfaces. The method also includes activating a first functional unit of the set of functional units when a first size of a first queue of the set of queues is above a first threshold. The method further includes deactivating the first functional unit of the set of functional units when the first size of the first queue of the set of queues is below a second threshold. The method further includes causing the data to be forward to one or more active functional units via a data interconnect coupled to the set of network interfaces and the set of functional units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianquan Lou, Ming Chi, Haibin Tang, Zhou Yang, Jinghan Yu, Qiuhua Zhu, Joel Goergen, Hugh Barrass
  • Patent number: 9619003
    Abstract: The present invention provides a communication system including a relay device that is capable of simplifying the configuration of a control device for controlling a device based on relay information and reducing cost of the whole system, the relay device and a method for controlling power supply. A GW device includes first to fourth communication parts respectively connected to communication buses, which are connected to ECUs respectively. The GW device receives a message transmitted from each of ECUs, extracts signal information S1 to S5 related to equipment in the vehicle included in the message from the received message, collects the extracted signal information S1 to S5 to create a message (ID4), and transmits the created message to a power supply control device. The power supply control device controls on/off of the ECUs and each of loads based on signal information included in the message received from the GW device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Horihata
  • Patent number: 9619004
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that reduce the power consumed by data transfers initiated by a USB host controller. Peripheral devices on a USB network are accessed with a reduced frequency in order to save power dissipated by a CPU and other circuits when reading data needed by the host controller. Instead of possibly accessing devices each frame, peripheral devices are accessed during some frames, and not accessed during others. A USB host controller may have two or more modes, such as a low power mode and a regular mode. In the low power mode, USB devices are accessed during fewer than all frames, in the regular mode, USB devices are possibly accessed each frame. Mode selection may depend on whether battery power is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: John Berendsen, Robert Chapman
  • Patent number: 9619005
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for saving power of a USB composite network device is provided. The method includes sending an idle request IRP to a composite driver at a bus driver of a network driver when the composite network device requests selective suspend, sending power state transition information to the composite driver and shifting a power state from a normal state to an intermediate sleep state at the bus driver, and shifting a power state from the normal state to the intermediate sleep state at the composite driver according to the power state transition information, wherein, when the composite network device is shifted to the selective suspend mode, the bus driver and the composite driver are in the intermediate sleep state and an NDIS miniport driver of the network driver is in the normal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-Hun No, Jeong-Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 9619006
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively parking routers used for routing traffic in mesh interconnects. Various router parking (RP) algorithms are disclosed, including an aggressive RP algorithm where a minimum number of routers are kept active to ensure adequate network connectivity between active nodes and/or intercommunicating nodes, leading to a maximum reduction in static power consumption, and a conservative RP algorithm that favors network latency considerations over static power consumption while also reducing power. An adaptive RP algorithm is also disclosed that implements aspects of the aggressive and conservative RP algorithms to balance power consumption and latency considerations in response to ongoing node utilization and associated traffic. The techniques may be implemented in internal network structures, such as for single chip computers, as well as external network structures, such as computing clusters and massively parallel computer architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmad Samih, Ren Wang, Christian Maciocco, Tsung-Yuan C. Tai
  • Patent number: 9619007
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes first and second integrated circuits and a power supply line. The first integrated circuit includes a first power supply circuit, a timing generation circuit generating a synchronization signal, and a first power supply control section. The second integrated circuit includes a second power supply circuit and a second power supply control section. The power supply line electrically connects the outputs of the first and second power supply circuit. The first and second power supply control sections are each configured to start the operations of the first and second power supply circuits, respectively, in response to a start of a supply of the synchronization signal after a sleep-out command is supplied thereto. The timing generation circuit starts supplying the synchronization signal after a predetermined waiting time elapses after the sleep-out command is supplied to the first integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS JAPAN GK
    Inventors: Toshio Mizuno, Miho Kobayashi, Junpei Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9619008
    Abstract: An information handling system includes a primary integrated display platform and a secondary integrated display platform attached via a hinge, and including a passive cooling system, a dynamic thermal management system, and a processor. The information handling system further includes an application window locator system for determining a location of a software application display window running on the information handling system on the primary integrated display platform or the secondary integrated display platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Travis C. North, Charles D. Hood, III, Lawrence E. Knepper, Deeder M. Aurongzeb, Jorge A. Abullarade
  • Patent number: 9619009
    Abstract: For one disclosed embodiment, a processor comprises a plurality of processor cores to operate at variable performance levels. One of the plurality of processor cores may operate at a performance level different than a performance level at which another one of the plurality of processor cores may operate. Logic of the processor is to monitor activity of one or more of the plurality of processor cores. Logic of the processor is to constrain power of one or more of the plurality of processor cores based at least in part on the monitored activity. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Efraim Rotem, Oren Lamdan, Alon Naveh
  • Patent number: 9619010
    Abstract: A processing device of a mobile device determines an activity level for a hardware component of the mobile device based on activity information associated with the hardware component. The processing device computes a score for the hardware component based on the activity level and a power consumption value of the hardware component, wherein the power consumption value indicates an amount of power used by the hardware component. The processing device determines whether to deactivate the hardware component based on the score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep Chidambara Marathe, Patrick Mortera Orallo, Roy Reichwein, Vidhyananth Ramasamy Venkatasamy, Haili Wang
  • Patent number: 9619011
    Abstract: A system on chip includes a debugging controller, a plurality of clusters, and a power management unit (PMU). The debugging controller is included in a first power domain and a joint test action group (JTAG) interface is included in the first power domain. Each of the clusters is included in at least second power domain different from the first power domain. The PMU is configured to release a powered-off state of the debugging controller in response to a debugging request signal output from the JTAG interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Gyoung Hwan Hyun
  • Patent number: 9619012
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for a power assertion management are described. A power assertion indicator may be maintained for a device component having a power level. The power assertion indicator can indicate whether the power level of the device component is allowed to be lowered. A power assertion request may be sent from a first process to prevent lowering the power level of the device component before a data processing task is completed. A second process can receive a request from the first process to perform operations for the data processing task. The power level of the device component may not be allowed to be lowered before the second process completes the operations for the data processing task. The power level of the device component may be lowered after the data processing task is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James Michael Magee, Ethan Bold, Goutham Mani, Abhinav Pathak, Daniel Andreas Steffen
  • Patent number: 9619013
    Abstract: Methods and articles of manufacture for hosting a safety critical application on an uncontrolled data processing device are provided. Various combinations of installation, functional, host integrity, coexistence, interoperability, power management, and environment checks are performed at various times to determine if the safety critical application operates properly on the device. The operation of the SCA on the UDPD may be controlled accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel M. Bernstein, Saeed Nekoomaram, Mark K. Sloan
  • Patent number: 9619014
    Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for reducing power consumption and improving performance on a computing device. A method includes scheduling, with a driver on the computing device, one or more activity times that indicate when the driver will be active and storing the one or more activity times that indicate when the driver will be active. When a request to suspend a system of the computing device is received, the stored activity times are accessed to identify when the driver will be active, and a determination is made whether any of the one or more activity times is scheduled to occur within a suspend time window. If the driver will not be active during the suspend time window, suspension of the system is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc.
    Inventors: Sravan Kumar Ambapuram, Krishna V. S. S. S. R. Vanka, Murali Nalajala, Shirish Kumar Agarwal, Nikhil Kumar Kansal
  • Patent number: 9619015
    Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to implementing a power down state in a computing device. A sleep command is issued to place a computing device in a sleep state in response to receipt of a power off command at the computing device. Content of memory of the computing device is written to non-volatile storage of the computing device and the computing device is placed in a power off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Louis B. Hobson
  • Patent number: 9619016
    Abstract: A method for displaying an image on a terminal, includes: acquiring current posture information of the terminal; selecting, according to the current posture information, a target area in a preset image as a wallpaper image of the terminal; and displaying the wallpaper image on a screen of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Xiaomi Inc.
    Inventors: Ye Li, Weiliang Zhang, Guoming Liu
  • Patent number: 9619017
    Abstract: A method includes analyzing data associated with an image captured by a camera to determine a visual orientation and/or eye gaze movement of a user of a computer. Upon detecting that the visual orientation indicates that the user is visually oriented toward a display device associated with the computer, a wireless connection from the computer to a computer input device and from the computer input device to the computer is established or maintained. Upon detecting that the visual orientation indicates that the user is not visually oriented toward the display device associated with the computer, the wireless connection is terminated. Another method accomplishes similar objectives using proximity sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Anil Ranjan Roy Samanta Singhar
  • Patent number: 9619018
    Abstract: In one example, a method for multimodal human-machine interaction includes sensing a body posture of a participant using a camera (605) and evaluating the body posture to determine a posture-based probability of communication modalities from the participant (610). The method further includes detecting control input through a communication modality from the participant to the multimedia device (615) and weighting the control input by the posture-based probability (620).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ramadevi Vennelakanti, Anbumani Subramanian, Prasenjit Dey, Sriganesh Madhvanath, Dinesh Mandalapu
  • Patent number: 9619019
    Abstract: A display apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes a display configured to display a plurality of images received from a plurality of sources on each of a first screen, a second screen, and a third screen of a display screen, a user interface configured to detect a user interaction, and a controller configured to control the display to move locations of the first to third screens in accordance with a detected rotation interaction in response to the rotation interaction being detected through the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joon-ho Phang, Nam-hyun Park, Do-sung Jung, Joo-sun Moon, Yi-sak Park, Sue-young Chung, Christopher E. Bangle
  • Patent number: 9619020
    Abstract: A computer system can be controlled with non-contact inputs, such as eye-tracking devices. A visual indicator can be presented on a display to indicate the location where a computer function will take place (e.g., a common cursor). The visual indicator can be moved to a gaze target in response to continued detection of an action (e.g., touchpad touch) by a user for a predetermined period of time. A delay between the action and the movement of the visual indicator can allow a user time to “abort” movement of the visual indicator. Additionally, once the visual indicator has moved, the visual indicator can be controlled with additional precision as the user moves the gaze while continuing the action (e.g., continued holding of the touchpad).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Erland George-Svahn, David Figgins Henderek, Rebecka Lannsjö, Mårten Skogö, John Elvesjö
  • Patent number: 9619021
    Abstract: A control method of a head mounted display (HMD) is disclosed. The control method includes detecting a first route of a first moving object and a second route of a second moving object in front of the HMD, detecting a third route along which a user's eye gaze moves, setting the first moving object as a reference object if the detected first route identical with the detected third route, setting the second moving object as the reference object if the detected second route identical with the detected third route, and setting a focus of the camera unit on the set reference object based on a route of the set reference object and the detected third route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Eunhyung Cho, Sinae Chun
  • Patent number: 9619022
    Abstract: Systems and methods for presenting location related information after a user arrives at a place. In an aspect, when a user gazes at a display of a standby device, information presentation begins. In another aspect, when a user shakes a standby device and then gazes at it, a presentation starts. Location related info may be sorted and presented by the pointing direction of a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Chian Chiu Li
  • Patent number: 9619023
    Abstract: A communication terminal for communicating with a counterpart communication terminal includes a receiver that receives image data including an eye image of a user operating the counterpart communication terminal from the counterpart communication terminal, the eye image of the user being captured at the counterpart communication terminal while the user is viewing a predetermined position on a counterpart display, and circuitry that specifies a sightline position indicating a sightline position of the user operating the counterpart communication terminal based on the received image data, generates calibration data indicating a relationship between a first area including the specified sightline position of the user and a second area including the predetermined position on the counterpart display, and adjusts the specified sightline position of the user on a display at the communication terminal based on the generated calibration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Mizuhara
  • Patent number: 9619024
    Abstract: A virtual inputting device comprises: a signal collection unit including a bioelectrical sensor for collecting bioelectrical signals and an acceleration sensor for collecting acceleration signals; a signal preprocessing unit for performing preprocessing for the bioelectrical signals and the acceleration signals collected by the signal collection unit; a signal segmentation unit for performing segmentation processing for the preprocessed bioelectrical signals and acceleration signals so as to obtain a plurality of gesture segments; a feature extracting unit for extracting feature values from the bioelectrical signals and the acceleration signals for respective gesture segments; a feature combination unit for combining feature values extracted from the feature extracting unit to form a combined feature vector; a gesture recognition unit for performing gesture recognition based on the combined feature vector; and a character mapping unit for obtaining characters corresponding to the recognized gesture according
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: BEIJING TRANSBORDER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaodan Jiang, Qin Liu, Yongzhen He
  • Patent number: 9619025
    Abstract: A method and system for operating a mobile device according to a rate of change of a touch area are provided. The system includes a touch screen for creating a touch event according to a touch and a controller. The controller detects the rate of change of the touch area, according to information of a location where the touch event occurred and the occurrence of the touch event. The controller performs a function linked to the touch event detected location, by varying a property of the function according to the rate of change of the touch area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Byoung Hyun Lim
  • Patent number: 9619026
    Abstract: An input apparatus has a touch sensor for receiving an input, a load detection unit for detecting a pressure load on a touch face of the touch sensor, a tactile sensation providing unit for vibrating the touch face, and a control unit, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a first standard for providing a tactile sensation, for controlling drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that a click sensation is provided to a pressing object (pressing means) pressing the touch face. The control unit, when the pressure load detected by the load detection unit satisfies a second standard lower than the first standard after the click sensation is provided in pressing, controls drive of the tactile sensation providing unit such that a release sensation corresponding to the click sensation is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomotake Aono
  • Patent number: 9619027
    Abstract: To convey tactile sensations over an open space, a system may use a vortex generator to direct one or more vortices at an object in 3-D space. Once a vortex strikes an object—e.g., a user's hand—it applies a force. The vortex generator can control the frequency and intensity of the vortices in order to provide different tactile sensations that correspond to virtual objects or events in a visual presentation. The system may identify and track objects in the real-world environment, and based on information provided by a device displaying the visual presentation, transmit instructions to the vortex generator to discharge vortices that convey a tactile sensation corresponding to the virtual object or event in the visual presentation. By doing so, the vortices augment the real-world environment to immerse the user in the visual presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajinder Sodhi, Ivan Poupyrev, Matthew Feld Glisson
  • Patent number: 9619028
    Abstract: Frequency characteristics of an air conduction sound and a human body vibration sound are adjusted. An electronic apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a panel 10, a piezoelectric element 30, a housing 60 for mounting the panel 10, and a member 80 attached to the piezoelectric element 30, wherein the member 80 and the panel 10 deform due to deformation of the piezoelectric element 30 and thus deliver the air conduction sound and the human body vibration sound to an object in contact with the panel 10 that is deforming, and the member 80 adjusts the frequency characteristics of the air conduction sound and the human body vibration sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Horii, Kenichi Ozasa, Keiichi Nagoshi
  • Patent number: 9619029
    Abstract: A system that controls a haptic effect experienced at a trigger is provided. The system receives a haptic effect definition including haptic data. The system further receives trigger data including at least one of: a position of a trigger of a peripheral device; or a range of the trigger of the peripheral device. The system further determines whether a trigger condition is reached based on the received trigger data. The system further sends a haptic instruction and the haptic effect definition to the peripheral device when the trigger condition is reached. The system further causes a haptic output device (or multiple haptic output devices) to produce haptic effects that are based on the haptic effect definition at the peripheral device in response to the haptic instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Lacroix, Danny Grant, Henry Da Costa, Stephen D. Rank, David Birnbaum, William Rihn
  • Patent number: 9619030
    Abstract: One embodiment of the user interface system comprises: A tactile layer defining a tactile surface touchable by a user and plurality of deformable regions operable between a retracted state, wherein the deformable regions are flush with an undeformable region of the tactile layer; and an expanded state, wherein the deformable regions are proud of the undeformable region. A substrate joined to the undeformable region and defining a fluid port per deformable region and a fluid channel. A displacement device displacing the fluid through the fluid channel and the fluid ports to transition the deformable regions from the retracted state to the expanded state. A first and a second pressure sensor detecting changes in fluid pressure within the fluid due to a force applied to a particular deformable region. A processor determining the particular deformable region to be location of the input force based upon the detected fluid pressure changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Tactus Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Michael Ciesla, Micah B. Yairi, Nathaniel Mark Saal
  • Patent number: 9619031
    Abstract: A haptic actuator may include a housing having a top and a bottom, and first and second coils carried by the top and bottom, respectively, of the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a field member carried by the housing. The field member may include a permanent magnet between the first and second coils, first and second ends, and a first mass between the first end and the permanent magnet, and a second mass between the second end and the permanent magnet. A first shaft may slidably couple the first mass to the housing, and a second shaft may slidably couple the second mass to the housing. The haptic actuator may also include a first set of biasing members between the first end of the field member and the housing and a second set of biasing members between the second end of the field member and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arman Hajati, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 9619032
    Abstract: Providing accessibility path guidance on a display presented on a touch screen of a device with microfluidics. The fluid is selectively applied to a portion of the touch screen by a computer of the device to raise a portion of the touch screen. The computer loads a display on the touch screen which requires user input. The flow information regarding the display is fetched and a computer of the device detects that the user has touched the touch screen at a point. The computer uses microfluidics to create a physical ridge on the touch screen corresponding to a flow path connecting the point on the touch screen in which the user is currently touching to a touch point within an object field which requires user input. Once the user has reached the object field by following the physical ridge through touch, the physical ridge is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vijay Ekambaram, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 9619033
    Abstract: A system that produces a dynamic haptic effect and generates a drive signal that includes a gesture signal and a real or virtual device sensor signal. The haptic effect is modified dynamically based on both the gesture signal and the real or virtual device sensor signal such as from an accelerometer or gyroscope, or by a signal created from processing data such as still images, video or sound. The haptic effect may optionally be modified dynamically by using the gesture signal and the real or virtual device sensor signal and a physical model, or may optionally be applied concurrently to multiple devices which are connected via a communication link. The haptic effect may optionally be encoded into a data file on a first device. The data file is then communicated to a second device and the haptic effect is read from the data file and applied to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: David Birnbaum, Chris Ullrich, Jason Short, Ryan Devenish
  • Patent number: 9619034
    Abstract: A system provides overlaid haptic effects. The system determines a primary content and a primary haptic effect associated with the primary content. The system also determines a secondary content and a secondary haptic effect associated with the secondary content. Subsequently, the system outputs the secondary content concurrently with the primary content, and also outputs the secondary haptic effect concurrently with the primary haptic effect on at least one haptic output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: David Birnbaum, Abraham Alexander Dauhajre, Paige Raynes, Satvir Singh Bhatia
  • Patent number: 9619035
    Abstract: A gesture detection and recognition technique is described. In one example, a sequence of data items relating to the motion of a gesturing user is received. A selected set of data items from the sequence are tested against pre-learned threshold values, to determine a probability of the sequence representing a certain gesture. If the probability is greater than a predetermined value, then the gesture is detected, and an action taken. In examples, the tests are performed by a trained decision tree classifier. In another example, the sequence of data items can be compared to pre-learned templates, and the similarity between them determined. If the similarity for a template exceeds a threshold, a likelihood value associated with a future time for a gesture associated with that template is updated. Then, when the future time is reached, the gesture is detected if the likelihood value is greater than a predefined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Sebastian Nowozin, Pushmeet Kohli, Jamie Daniel Joseph Shotton
  • Patent number: 9619036
    Abstract: System and methods for controlling a user experience are described. In an aspect, an interface can comprise an interface device for rendering content to a user, a sensor having a gesture zone associated therewith configured to detect a dexterous gesture of a user within the gesture zone and generate a sensor signal representing the dexterous gesture. A processor may be provided in communication with the sensor and the interface device, wherein the processor receives the sensor signal, analyzes the sensor signal to determine a control action associated with the detected dexterous gesture of the user, and configures the user interface based upon the determined control action of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Michael A. Chen
  • Patent number: 9619037
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a touch input made by a user of a computing device on a touch screen of the computing device as a particular one of a plurality of custom touch gestures of the user stored on the computing device; determining the particular one of the user inputs corresponding to the particular one of the custom touch gestures identified as the touch gesture made by the user; and executing one or more actions based on the particular one of the user inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Luke St. Clair