Patents by Inventor Brian Gerard McHale

Brian Gerard McHale 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).

  • Publication number: 20190119041
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an autonomous fulfillment system. The system includes the first computing system, with an interactive display. The first computing system can transmit a request for physical objects from a facility. A second computing system can transmit instructions autonomous robot devices to retrieve the physical objects from the facility. The second computing system can control the image capturing device of the autonomous robot device to capture a live image feed of the at least one physical object picked up by the at least autonomous robot device. The second computing system can switch an input feed of the first computing system to display the live image feed on the display of the first computing system. The second computing system, instruct the autonomous device to discard the physical objects picked up by the at least one autonomous robot device and to pick up a replacement physical object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Donald R. High, David Winkle, Brian Gerard McHale, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Patent number: 10268855
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for tracking people in a retail store. The system uses the retail store's digital map, video cameras, unique identifiers, video analytics, geo location technology and a customer's mobile device. The unique identifiers may be labels on hats using, for example, invisible ink or magnetic ink. The digital map of the retail store is used to track people. The user of the tracking system is able to track their party throughout the store even if the other people in the party do not have a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Brian Gerard McHale
  • Publication number: 20190041868
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle-based item retrieval system and method utilizing a logic train autonomous stock picking vehicle that provides support for the picking of items in a facility is discussed. The logic train autonomous stock picking vehicle may utilize sensors to detect a location, a user, obstacles, and the placement of items in the vehicle and may be dispatched as part of a logical group of vehicles forming a “logic train” to meet with a specified individual at a designated location in a facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Cantrell, Donald R. High, Nathan Glenn Jones, Brian Gerard McHale
  • Patent number: 10189642
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an autonomous fulfillment system. The system includes the first computing system, with an interactive display. The first computing system can transmit a request for physical objects from a facility. A second computing system can transmit instructions autonomous robot devices to retrieve the physical objects from the facility. The second computing system can control the image capturing device of the autonomous robot device to capture a live image feed of the at least one physical object picked up by the at least autonomous robot device. The second computing system can switch an input feed of the first computing system to display the live image feed on the display of the first computing system. The second computing system, instruct the autonomous device to discard the physical objects picked up by the at least one autonomous robot device and to pick up a replacement physical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Donald High, David Winkle, Brian Gerard McHale, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Patent number: 10165413
    Abstract: A communication system comprises a mobile reporting device and a server. The mobile reporting device comprises a signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device; a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the location determiner; a display including a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Brian Gerard McHale, Michael Dean Atchley
  • Publication number: 20180352382
    Abstract: A communication system comprises a mobile reporting device and a server. The mobile reporting device comprises a signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device; a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the location determiner; a display including a user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Brian Gerard McHale, Michael Dean Atchley
  • Publication number: 20180294956
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are related to a distributed blockchain storage system for data backup and authentication. Embodiments of the distributed blockchain storage system can include a computing system and at least one electronic system. The computing system generates sequential tasks and generates a first cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a first sequence of blocks. The at least one electronic system generates a second cryptographically verifiable ledger, and in response to an unexpected termination of communication between the computing system and the at least one electronic system, perform one of execution of the last one of the plurality of sequential tasks or execution of exception handling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: John Jeremiah O'Brien, Brian Gerard McHale, Robert Cantrell, Donald Ray High, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Publication number: 20180294957
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are related to a secure storage system for maintaining ownership rights of digital works. Embodiments of the secure storage system can include the user terminal device, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, and a computing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: John Jeremiah O'Brien, Brian Gerard McHale, Robert Cantrell, Donald Ray High, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Publication number: 20180293417
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for tracking people in a retail store. The system uses the retail store's digital map, video cameras, unique identifiers, video analytics, geo location technology and a customer's mobile device. The unique identifiers may be labels on hats using, for example, invisible ink or magnetic ink. The digital map of the retail store is used to track people. The user of the tracking system is able to track their party throughout the store even if they the other people in the party do not have a mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Brian Gerard McHale
  • Patent number: 10091623
    Abstract: A communication system comprises a mobile reporting device and a server. The mobile reporting device comprises a signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device; a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the location determiner; a display including a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Brian Gerard McHale, Michael Dean Atchley
  • Publication number: 20180218185
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an autonomous fulfillment system using RFID devices. One or more RFID readers can be disposed throughout a facility can detect RFID tags disposed on or about physical objects picked up by the autonomous robotic devices. The computing system can determine whether there is an error in the physical objects picked up by the autonomous robotic device based on the identifiers. The computing system can instruct the autonomous robotic device to resolve the error. RFID readers can be disposed with respect to storage containers can detect the RFID tags disposed on or about the storage containers and the RFID tags disposed on the physical objects deposited in the storage containers. The computing system determine whether there is an error with the physical objects deposited in the storage containers. The computing system can instruct the autonomous robotic devices to resolve the error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Donald High, David Winkle, Brian Gerard McHale, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Publication number: 20180215546
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an autonomous fulfillment system. The system includes the first computing system, with an interactive display. The first computing system can transmit a request for physical objects from a facility. A second computing system can transmit instructions autonomous robot devices to retrieve the physical objects from the facility. The second computing system can control the image capturing device of the autonomous robot device to capture a live image feed of the at least one physical object picked up by the at least autonomous robot device. The second computing system can switch an input feed of the first computing system to display the live image feed on the display of the first computing system. The second computing system, instruct the autonomous device to discard the physical objects picked up by the at least one autonomous robot device and to pick up a replacement physical object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Donald High, David Winkle, Brian Gerard McHale, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Publication number: 20180215544
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an automated fulfilment system including a computing system programmed to receive requests from disparate sources for physical objects disposed at one or more locations in a facility. The computing system can combine the requests, and group the physical objects in the requests based on object types or expected object locations. Autonomous robot devices can receive instructions from the computing system to retrieve a group of the physical objects and deposit the physical objects in storage containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Donald High, David Winkle, Brian Gerard McHale, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Publication number: 20180215545
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an automated fulfillment system with automatic exception handling. A computing system can transmit instructions to an autonomous robot device to retrieve physical objects disposed in facility. An autonomous robot device can navigate to the location of the physical objects and pick up a first quantity of physical objects. The autonomous robot device can pick up the physical objects and can determine a set of attributes associated with the picked up physical objects. The autonomous robot device detect an error with the physical objects picked up by the autonomous robot device based on the set of attributes. The autonomous robot device can resolve the error with the physical objects that were picked up by the autonomous robot device. For example, autonomous robot device can discard the physical objects. The autonomous robot device can pick up replacement physical objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Donald High, David Winkle, Brian Gerard McHale, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Publication number: 20180215037
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an automated fulfilment system including a computing system programmed to receive requests from disparate sources for physical objects disposed at one or more locations in a facility. The computing system can combine the requests, and group the physical objects in the requests based on object types or expected object locations. Autonomous robot devices can receive instructions from the computing system to retrieve a group of the physical objects and deposit the physical objects in storage containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Donald High, David Winkle, Brian Gerard McHale, Todd Davenport Mattingly
  • Patent number: 10025964
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for tracking people in a retail store. The system uses the retail store's digital map, video cameras, unique identifiers, video analytics, geo location technology and a customer's mobile device. The unique identifiers may be labels on hats using, for example, invisible ink or magnetic ink. The digital map of the retail store is used to track people. The user of the tracking system is able to track their party throughout the store even if the other people in the party do not have a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Brian Gerard McHale
  • Publication number: 20180183606
    Abstract: A method for ensuring that a computer readable information is authentic, including: generating a public key associated with the computer readable information, hashing the computer readable information to obtain a hashed computer readable information, encrypting the hashed computer readable information with a private key to create a digital signature, wherein the hashed computer readable information and the digital signature are stored on a block of a blockchain, authenticating the user computing device in response to a request from the user computing device to download the computer readable information, transmitting the public key and the digital signature to an authenticated user computing device, and instructing the authenticated user computing device to decrypt the digital signature using the public key to obtain the hashed computer readable information, and download the hashed computer readable information to the authenticated user computing system to retrieve the computer readable information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Bruce Walter Wilkinson, Todd Mattingly, Brian Gerard McHale, John J. O'Brien, V, Robert Cantrell, Joseph Jurich, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180165660
    Abstract: A method and system for managing a demand on an electrical grid is provided, including: receiving a capped total amount of cryptocurrency available to purchase units of energy from an energy provider, the capped amount of cryptocurrency being recorded in a publicly distributed transaction ledger, allocating a portion of the cryptocurrency of the capped total amount of cryptocurrency to each energy consumption device, wherein the portion of the cryptocurrency allocated to each energy consumption device is recorded in the ledger, receiving, a request from an energy consumption device of the plurality of energy consumption devices that the energy metering device purchase an energy unit, using the portion of cryptocurrency allocated to the first energy consumption device, accessing the publically distributed transaction ledger in response to receiving the request from the first energy consumption to verify that the first energy consumption device has a remaining amount of cryptocurrency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Bruce Walter Wilkinson, Todd Mattingly, Brian Gerard McHale, John J. O'Brien, V, Robert Cantrell, Joseph Jurich, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180167200
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a medical record of a patient that is unable to communicate, wherein the medical record of the patient is stored on a blockchain, is provided, including receiving an encrypted private key and a public key associated with the patient stored on a wearable device of the patient, in response to a scanning of the wearable device of the patient at a scene of an emergency, wherein the encrypted private key is decrypted by a biometric signature of the patient, obtaining the biometric signature of the patient by scanning a bodily feature of the patient, decrypting the encrypted private key using the biometric signature of the patient to determine a private key associated with the patient, and accessing the medical records of the patient, using a combination of the public key and the private key associated with the patient, to access a local storage medium of the wearable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Bruce Walter Wilkinson, Todd Mattingly, Robert Cantrell, John J. O'Brien, V, Brian Gerard McHale, Joseph Jurich, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180167394
    Abstract: A method for controlling access to a locked space, including generating an access code and a private key associated with the access code, hashing the access code to obtain a hashed access code, encrypting the hashed access code with a public key to create a digital signature, wherein the hashed access code and the digital signature are stored on the blockchain, authenticating a receiving device in response to a request from the receiving device to gain access to the locked space, transmitting the private key and the digital signature to an authenticated receiving device, instructing the authenticated receiving device to decrypt the digital signature using the private key to obtain the hashed access code, and transmit the hashed access code to the computing system, and unlocking the locked space in response to receiving the hashed access code from the receiving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Donald R. High, Bruce Walter Wilkinson, Todd Mattingly, John J. O'Brien, V, Robert Cantrell, Brian Gerard McHale, Joseph Jurich, Jr.