Texas Instruments Corporation

James Joseph Galu, Jr

Thomas Brian Olson

Michael Wayne Allen

A radial based user interface (UI) is provided for entering data into a computer device. The radial based UI has a central region with a plurality of radial regions. A location for the central region is defined on a touch sensitive display screen of the device and a value is assigned to each radial region. When a first touch is detected in the central region of the radial UI, an indication of a radial position responsive to a second touch on the touch sensitive screen may be determined. A value corresponding to the radial position of the second touch may then be input to an application being executed on the device. The first and second touches may be two separate finger taps, or may be sequential portions of a continuous stroke that occurs along one of the plurality of radial regions.

Radial based user interface on touch sensitive screen

A handheld device is configured with a mode indicator to provide an easily seen indication of a defined mode of operation. A command may be received by the handheld device to enter the defined mode of operation. After entering the defined mode of operation, the device may set one or more specific pixels on a display of the handheld device to a predefined color indicative of the defined mode of operation. The mode indicator on the handheld is illuminated by transporting colored light generated by the one or more specific pixels to the mode indicator.

Generating a secure state indicator for a device using a light pipe from a fixed position on the device's display

A method of bonding or debonding objects includes providing a first object including a first substrate with moveable features thereon which provide an actuated and a non-actuated state having different protrusion from the first substrate or a different curvature. A second object has an array of loops thereon. The moveable features while in one of the actuated state and non-actuated state are positioned, sized and shaped to fit within the loops. The moveable features include or are mechanically coupled to a material which responds to application of an actuating condition including electrical current, temperature, or an electromagnetic field by changing between the actuated state and the non-actuated state. Electrical current, temperature, or an electromagnetic field is automatically applied or changed to trigger a state change between the actuated state and non-actuated state that results in a bonding event or a debonding event between the first object and the second object.

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Richardson, TX, United States of America

James Joseph Galu, Jr