Patents by Inventor Chris Hawkins

Chris Hawkins 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: 12118144
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for processing video streams is described. A plurality of video streams for transmission to a display device are received. The plurality of video streams have respective initial image quality levels. An estimated gaze location of a user of the display device is estimated. At least one video stream of the plurality of video streams is processed to have a modified image quality level based on the estimated gaze location. The modified image quality level is less than a corresponding initial image quality level. The plurality of video streams are transmitted to the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Brian T. Hawkins, Alexandros Neophytou, Eric Chris Wolfgang Sommerlade
  • Publication number: 20240331094
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image restoration system that efficiently and accurately produces high-quality images captured under low-light and/or low-quality environmental conditions. To illustrate, when a user is in a low-lit environment and participating in a video stream, the image restoration system enhances the quality of the image by dynamically re-lighting the user's face. Moreover, it significantly enhances the image quality to the extent that other users viewing the video stream are unaware of the poor environmental conditions of the user. In addition, the image restoration system creates and utilizes an image restoration machine-learning model to improve the quality of low-quality images by re-lighting and restoring them in real time. Various implementations combine an autoencoder model with a distortion classifier model to create the image restoration machine-learning model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Samira POUYANFAR, Sunando SENGUPTA, Eric Chris Wolfgang SOMMERLADE, Anjali S. PARIKH, Ebey Paulose ABRAHAM, Brian Timothy HAWKINS, Mahmoud MOHAMMADI
  • Publication number: 20240298110
    Abstract: Customizable waveguides for use in a loudspeaker and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the waveguide includes a frame and a waveguide insert sealably couplable to the frame. The frame can include a first end region that can be coupled to a compression driver in the loudspeaker and a second end region opposite the first end region. The second end region can be coupled to a front baffle of the loudspeaker when the first end region is coupled to the compression driver. Further, the frame can be symmetric about vertical and/or horizontal axes of the frame. The waveguide insert can include a first half-horn couplable to a first longitudinal half of the frame, a second half-horn couplable to a second longitudinal half of the frame opposite the first longitudinal half, and a divider positioned between the first half-horn and the second half-horn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Chris Smolen, Bernie Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20240082083
    Abstract: An adjustment device for removably coupling a seatback to a seat. The adjustment device can include a first adjuster and/or a second adjuster for adjusting respective linear and angular positions of the seatback relative to the seat. The first adjuster can include a first linear actuator, a main body and a sliding bed. The second adjuster can include a second linear actuator, a sliding bed and an angle plate pivotably coupled to the sliding bed. The first and second linear actuators can each include a cylindrical worm. The first adjuster and the second adjuster can be independently actuatable to change the position of the seatback relative to the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Chris Hawkins, Stephen Orzel, Graham Hills, Kirk Mosna
  • Publication number: 20230242444
    Abstract: A method of treating recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) that includes constructing a chamber configured to form a hermetic seal, loading the RCA into the chamber, hermetically sealing the chamber, pressurizing the interior of the chamber with carbon dioxide gas, monitoring a pressure and a relative humidity in the interior of the chamber, and controlling the pressure and the relative humidity until a predetermined condition is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: NUtech Ventures
    Inventors: Seunghee Kim, Jiong Hu, Chris Hawkins, Jim Ball, Amin Hosseini Zadeh, Miras Mamirov, Nate Harper
  • Patent number: 11440065
    Abstract: A method and installation for handling medical waste, which is collected in a receptacle, includes a vacuum waste system (V), whereby medical waste is collected in the receptacle, medical waste is discharged from the receptacle into a waste fixture connected to a vacuum waste piping (13) of the vacuum waste system (V). The discharge sequence of the vacuum waste system discharges the medical waste from the waste fixture or the vacuum waste piping (13) of the vacuum waste system (V) to a waste collecting unit (20) of the vacuum waste system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Evac Oy
    Inventors: James Oltz, Cody Bowers, Chris Hawkins, James Ehrlich
  • Patent number: 10986736
    Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing workpieces comprises a rotary table supporting first and second platens rotatable between a loading position located in-line between input and output lines. The transfer apparatus is operable to cyclically perform first and second movement operations, in which the rotary table rotates to move the first platen from a loading position to a printing position and vice versa. The platens may be rotatable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: ASM ASSEMBLY SYSTEMS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Chris Hawkins, Jeffrey Richard Willshere
  • Publication number: 20190184435
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and installation for handling medical waste, bio-waste, or other corresponding contaminated waste, which is collected in a receptacle for medical waste. For an isolated treatment of the waste, the method employs a vacuum waste system (V), whereby medical waste is collected in the receptacle for medical waste, medical waste is discharged from the receptacle for medical waste into a waste fixture connected to a vacuum waste piping (13) of the vacuum waste system (V). The discharge sequence of the vacuum waste system is activated by an activating means for discharge of the medical waste from the waste fixture or the vacuum waste piping (13) of the vacuum waste system (V) to a waste collecting unit (20) of the vacuum waste system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: EVAC OY
    Inventors: James Oltz, Cody Bowers, Chris Hawkins, James Ehrlich
  • Publication number: 20180338378
    Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing workpieces comprises a rotary table supporting first and second platens rotatable between a loading position located in-line between input and output lines. The transfer apparatus is operable to cyclically perform first and second movement operations, in which the rotary table rotates to move the first platen from a loading position to a printing position and vice versa. The platens may be rotatable relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Chris HAWKINS, Jeffrey Richard WILLSHERE
  • Publication number: 20180130114
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for using image data of an item to recognize the item. A method may include receiving device identification information for a first device, an image, and an account identifier associated with the image, determining, using the account identifier, account data, determining, using the device identification information, a particular set of one or more items associated with the first device, determining, using image recognition, that the image likely shows a first item in the particular set, identifying, from among the particular set and using the account data and the last determination, a second item that is different from the first item and that includes a second attribute value that is the same as a first attribute value for the first item, and providing, to a second device, instructions for presentation of information about the second item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Chris Hawkins, Allison Youngdahl, David H. Nguyen, Leeann Chau Tuyet Dang, David T. Nguyen, Charlotte Naylor, Maya Agaskar
  • Publication number: 20150274437
    Abstract: A workpiece inverting apparatus for and method of handling workpieces, the apparatus comprising: an infeed station at which workpieces are received; an outfeed station from which workpieces are delivered; and a workpiece inverting device which is operable to deliver a workpiece from the infeed station to the outfeed station in one of an orient as received at the infeed station or Can inverted orient from the orient as received at the infeed station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventor: Chris Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20150106385
    Abstract: Documents are scored and displayed with annotations for best practices, and variances from normal ranges of clauses and clause groups. Custom rules developed for an industry or for an enterprise further distinguish which documents need further review or approval by senior staff because of higher risks or commitments than standard terms and conditions. A display provides the document transformed with annotations about the scores or rules triggered by each group of clauses and accepts comments and approval or objections to acceptance of the document. The absence of best practices clauses for the category is noted for reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: BARRACUDA NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Thorfinn Clark, Chris Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20150106276
    Abstract: Documents are analyzed for best practices and compliance with rules normalized for an industry or an enterprise by identifying, grouping, and scoring clauses. Key clauses in each stored document are identified which distinguish a relationship with restrictions on the principal party. A document set containing potentially conflicting restrictions is scanned for clauses, which mutually conflict. Documents with circular dependencies, obligations on the same resources, commitments to exclusivity, or compel action or inaction are surfaced for renegotiation, risk remediation, or conflict resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: BARRACUDA NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Thorfinn Clark, Chris Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20150106880
    Abstract: A document is categorized according to clauses and groups of clauses. A distribution and transmission control system determines from a user login credential if the document may be stored to removable, transportable media or transmitted to an external server through network connections. A scoring system determines the level of sensitivity of the document according to its component clauses and resulting document category. Even if headers and footers are removed from a sensitive document, its component clauses flag the category and sensitivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: BARRACUDA NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Thorfinn Clark, Chris Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20150106378
    Abstract: Legacy documents of an enterprise are scanned and analyzed to determine best practices and rules for each category. Clauses and groups of clauses are assigned scores for relative value. Each category of documents has a profile of the clauses and groups of clauses which establish a norm against which proposed new documents may be scored. A document is analyzed for clauses and groups of clauses. A score is determined for each document to measure its fit with a document category. An absence of an expected clause within group of clauses results in a lower score. An absence of a group of expected clauses results in an even lower score. A high score reflects that a document is substantially standard with its category.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: BARRACUDA NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Thorfinn Clark, Chris Hawkins
  • Patent number: 6055541
    Abstract: A system for automatically generating a report from engineering data stored in a database is comprised of a user computer having a browser for requesting an HTML file. A web server generates the requested HTML based on Active Server Pages technology. The ASP file includes script for instantiating a component. The component, a dynamic link library, includes an automation hierarchy. The ASP page includes script for actively generating the report through interaction with the instantiated objects. The HTTP protocol connects the user computer and the web server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: SAS IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph S. Solecki, Thomas Shadle, Vince Pajerski, Chris Hawkins