Patents by Inventor Benjamin D. Ethington

Benjamin D. Ethington has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11853058
    Abstract: A system may include one or more sensors configured to acquire data associated with a driver of a vehicle and a processor. The processor may receive the data and determine whether the data is within a baseline data associated with expected behavior of the driver. The processor may then control one or more operations of the vehicle in response to the data being outside the baseline data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Kade L. Scott, Benjamin D. Ethington, Richard Daniel Graham, Matthew T. Flachsbart
  • Patent number: 11788446
    Abstract: A vehicle liquid testing system includes a liquid testing apparatus with a form factor of a dipstick. The system includes a sensor that detects a property of a fluid in a vehicle and emits a signal indicative of the property. A transmitter receives the signal from the sensor and transmits the signal. A controller receives the signal from the transmitter and compares the signal from the sensor to a threshold level to determine a condition of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Zachery C. Lake, Kade L. Scott, Benjamin D. Ethington, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory A. Matheson
  • Patent number: 11505892
    Abstract: Sensor units that includes a power source, a communication interface, and a sensor coupled to the power source and the communication interface. The sensor is calibrated to connect the power source to the communication interface upon an occurrence of a condition in an appliance. The sensor, thereby, permits the communication interface to transmit data indicating the condition to a computing device. Methods, systems, and apparatus, for monitoring such sensor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Matthew Flachsbart, Benjamin D. Ethington, Wayne M. Hartman, Kade L. Scott
  • Patent number: 11435740
    Abstract: A system may include one or more sensors configured to acquire data associated with a driver of a vehicle and a processor. The processor may receive the data and determine whether the data is within a baseline data associated with expected behavior of the driver. The processor may then control one or more operations of the vehicle in response to the data being outside the baseline data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Kade L. Scott, Benjamin D. Ethington, Richard Daniel Graham, Matthew T. Flachsbart
  • Patent number: 11334882
    Abstract: Techniques are described for managing ownership and transfers of physical objects using information stored on a distributed ledger such as a blockchain. A distributed ledger may securely store object data describing the current owner(s) of an object, the previous owner(s) of the object, the history of transfers of the object, and/or other information regarding the object. Use of a distributed ledger may provide an immutable, readily auditable record of the current ownership and ownership history of the object. Each user participating in the system may be assigned a unique identifier to be used for conducting transactions on the distributed ledger network. A user may also be provided with a digital security token such as a cryptographic key that is useable to authenticate the user and enable access to the object data stored on the distributed ledger(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Hudson R. Jameson, Seth Ethington, John C. Hopkins, III, Benjamin D. Ethington, Jonathan F. Cholak
  • Patent number: 11105231
    Abstract: A vehicle liquid testing system includes a liquid testing apparatus with a form factor of a dipstick. The system includes a sensor that detects a property of a fluid in a vehicle and emits a signal indicative of the property. A transmitter receives the signal from the sensor and transmits the signal. A controller receives the signal from the transmitter and compares the signal from the sensor to a threshold level to determine a condition of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Zachery C. Lake, Kade L. Scott, Benjamin D. Ethington, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory A. Matheson
  • Patent number: 10808351
    Abstract: Sensor units that includes a power source, a communication interface, and a sensor coupled to the power source and the communication interface. The sensor is calibrated to connect the power source to the communication interface upon an occurrence of a condition in an appliance. The sensor, thereby, permits the communication interface to transmit data indicating the condition to a computing device. Methods, systems, and apparatus, for monitoring such sensor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Matthew Flachsbart, Benjamin D. Ethington, Wayne M. Hartman, Kade L. Scott
  • Patent number: 10599966
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a housing for a wireless communication device that includes an electronic circuit configured to receive an electrical voltage from a water-activated power source, where the electronic circuit is configured to send and receive wireless signals to and from an external electronic device via radio-frequency identification technology, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication, Zigbee, another wireless communication technique, or a combination thereof, when the electronic circuit receives the electrical voltage, and a memory configured to store instructions to be executed by the electronic circuit, where the housing for the wireless communication device is modular, such that the housing for the wireless communication device is configured to be installed and removed from a plurality of sensing device housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: HS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: 10599143
    Abstract: A system may include one or more sensors configured to acquire data associated with a driver of a vehicle and a processor. The processor may receive the data and determine whether the data is within a baseline data associated with expected behavior of the driver. The processor may then control one or more operations of the vehicle in response to the data being outside the baseline data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Kade L. Scott, Benjamin D. Ethington, Richard Daniel Graham, Matthew T. Flachsbart
  • Patent number: 10564065
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a water detection device that includes a water-activated battery configured to switch from a dormant condition to an active condition upon contact with water, such that the water-activated battery supplies an electrical voltage upon contact with the water, an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, where the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device via one or more wireless communication techniques when the electronic circuit is powered by the electrical voltage, and where communication between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device is an uninterrupted communication when the electronic circuit is receiving the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, and a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, where the housing has passageways configured to facilitate movement of the water into the housing and towar
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: HS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: 10510238
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, having machine-readable instructions to pair a water detection device of a plurality of water detection devices with a user account via a user device, receive a first signal indicative of a location of the water detection device from the user device, receive a second signal indicative of a personalized message to be sent to the user device upon a detection event of the water detection device, and display a list of the plurality of water detection devices and corresponding locations of each water detection device of the plurality of water detection devices on the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: HS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: 10466137
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a water detection device that includes a water-activated battery configured to supply an electrical voltage upon contact with water, an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, where the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device upon receipt of the electrical voltage, and a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, where the housing has passageways configured to facilitate movement of water into the housing and toward the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: HS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: 10458876
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a water detection device that includes a water-activated battery configured to supply an electrical voltage upon contact with water, a device housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and one or more first electronic components, where the device housing has a plurality of ports that are configured to facilitate insertion and removal of the one or more first electronic components, and a modular housing disposed in a first port of the plurality of ports of the device housing, where the modular housing has one or more second electronic components communicatively coupled to the water-activated battery via the first port, such that the water-activated battery supplies the electrical voltage to the one or more second electronic components upon contact with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: HS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: 10309860
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a water detection device that includes a water-activated battery configured to supply an electrical voltage upon contact with water, a device housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and one or more first electronic components, where the device housing has a plurality of ports that are configured to facilitate insertion and removal of the one or more first electronic components, and a modular housing disposed in a first port of the plurality of ports of the device housing, where the modular housing has one or more second electronic components communicatively coupled to the water-activated battery via the first port, such that the water-activated battery supplies the electrical voltage to the one or more second electronic components upon contact with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: 10163326
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, having machine-readable instructions to pair a water detection device of a plurality of water detection devices with a user account via a user device, receive a first signal indicative of a location of the water detection device from the user device, receive a second signal indicative of a personalized message to be sent to the user device upon a detection event of the water detection device, and display a list of the plurality of water detection devices and corresponding locations of each water detection device of the plurality of water detection devices on the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: 10121353
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a water detection device that includes a water-activated battery configured to supply an electrical voltage upon contact with water, an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, where the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device upon receipt of the electrical voltage, and a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, where the housing has passageways configured to facilitate movement of water into the housing and toward the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: D847680
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: D847681
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Matthew T. Flachsbart, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: D883814
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: HS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew T. Flachsbart, Benjamin D. Ethington
  • Patent number: D883815
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: HS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradly Jay Billman, Kade Scott, Matthew T. Flachsbart, Cory Matheson, Benjamin D. Ethington