Thomas M Dougherty

US Patent:

6356255, Mar 12, 2002

Filed:

Apr 7, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/056223

Inventors:

Emily Weil - New York NY
Greg Thomas - Santa Cruz CA
S. Joy Mountford - Mountain View CA
Thomas J. Dougherty - Los Altos CA
Daniel E. Cummings - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

Interval Research Corporation - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345156, 434156, 434159

Abstract:

A computerized interactor system uses physical, three-dimensional objects as metaphors for input of user intent to a computer system. When one or more interactors are engaged with a detection field, the detection field reads an identifier associated with the object and communicates the identifier to a computer system. The computer system determines the meaning of the interactor based upon its identifier and upon a semantic context in which the computer system is operating. One specific embodiment of the present invention is a bead interactor system that is a user playable sound and light show system. When an interactor bead is positioned within the detection space of the bead interactor system, a sound sequence begins and continues to play unaltered until the bead interactor is removed or other bead interactors are positioned within or removed from the detection space. Each bead represents a different sound and the row and column location of the bead within the detection space controls how the sound is modified, e. g. , louder or softer, higher pitched or lower pitched, the period of play, etc.

US Patent:

6556184, Apr 29, 2003

Filed:

Nov 16, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/991132

Inventors:

Emily Weil - New York NY
Greg Thomas - Santa Cruz CA
S. Joy Mountford - Mountain View CA
Thomas J. Dougherty - Los Altos CA
Daniel E. Cummings - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

Interval Research Corp - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345156, 434156, 434159

Abstract:

A computerized interactor system uses physical, three-dimensional objects as metaphors for input of user intent to a computer system. When one or more interactors are engaged with a detection field, the detection field reads an identifier associated with the object and communicates the identifier to a computer system. The computer system determines the meaning of the interactor based upon its identifier and upon a semantic context in which the computer system is operating. One specific embodiment of the present invention is a bead interactor system that is a user playable sound and light show system. When an interactor bead is positioned within the detection space of the bead interactor system, a sound sequence begins and continues to play unaltered until the bead interactor is removed or other bead interactors are positioned within or removed from the detection space. Each bead represents a different sound and the row and column location of the bead within the detection space controls how the sound is modified, e. g. , louder or softer, higher pitched or lower pitched, the period of play, etc.

US Patent:

6952196, Oct 4, 2005

Filed:

Mar 27, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/402345

Inventors:

Emily Weil - New York NY, US
Greg Thomas - Santa Cruz CA, US
S. Joy Mountford - Mountain View CA, US
Thomas J. Dougherty - Los Altos CA, US
Daniel E. Cummings - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Vulcan Patents LLC - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G09G005/00

US Classification:

345156, 434156, 434159

Abstract:

A computerized interactor system uses physical, three-dimensional objects as metaphors for input of user intent to a computer system. When one or more interactors are engaged with a detection field, the detection field reads an identifier associated with the object and communicates the identifier to a computer system. The computer system determines the meaning of the interactor based upon its identifier and upon a semantic context in which the computer system is operating. One specific embodiment of the present invention is a bead interactor system that is a user playable sound and light show system. When an interactor bead is positioned within the detection space of the bead interactor system, a sound sequence begins and continues to play unaltered until the bead interactor is removed or other bead interactors are positioned within or removed from the detection space. Each bead represents a different sound and the row and column location of the bead within the detection space controls how the sound is modified, e. g. , louder or softer, higher pitched or lower pitched, the period of play, etc.

US Patent:

7724236, May 25, 2010

Filed:

Aug 25, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/212975

Inventors:

Emily Weil - New York NY, US
Greg Thomas - Santa Cruz CA, US
S. Joy Mountford - Mountain View CA, US
Thomas J. Dougherty - Los Altos CA, US
Daniel E. Cummings - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Vulcan Patents LLC - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G09G 5/00
A63F 3/00
A63H 33/04
A63H 33/06
A63H 29/22
G06F 3/041
G06K 11/06
G08C 21/00
G09B 19/00
G09B 1/00

US Classification:

345156, 178 1801, 273238, 434156, 434159, 434224, 446 91, 446118, 446484

Abstract:

A computerized interactor system uses physical, three-dimensional objects as metaphors for input of user intent to a computer system. When one or more interactors are engaged with a detection field, the detection field reads an identifier associated with the object and communicates the identifier to a computer system. The computer system determines the meaning of the interactor based upon its identifier and upon a semantic context in which the computer system is operating.

US Patent:

20100194684, Aug 5, 2010

Filed:

Apr 9, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/757922

Inventors:

Emily Weil - New York NY, US
Greg Thomas - Santa Cruz CA, US
S. Joy Mountford - Mountain View CA, US
Thomas J. Dougherty - Los Altos CA, US
Daniel E. Cummings - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Vulcan Patents LLC - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G09G 5/00

US Classification:

345156

Abstract:

A computerized interactor system uses physical, three-dimensional objects as metaphors for input of user intent to a computer system. When one or more interactors are engaged with a detection field, the detection field reads an identifier associated with the object and communicates the identifier to a computer system. The computer system determines the meaning of the interactor based upon its identifier and upon a semantic context in which the computer system is operating.