Patents by Inventor Christopher Soames Johnson

Christopher Soames Johnson 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: 20220050930
    Abstract: Examples provide a multi-factor device holder (MDH) for storing multi-factor authentication devices. A housing encases a set of ports configured to connect to the set of connectors on two or more multi-factor authentication devices placed within the MDH. An external port can connect the MDH to a port on a user device. A selection device, such as a user interface, enables user selection of an authentication device from the set of authentication devices. A locking mechanism secures the housing in a closed configuration to prevent unauthorized access to the authentication devices stored within the MDH. The MDH can include a user authentication device, such as a biometric reader, to authenticate a user attempting to utilize the MDH. If authorized, the selected authentication device is unlocked and provided with power. The selected authentication device transmits a code to the user device via the external port connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Soames Johnson, Timothy Lars Brush, Tony Marvin Mays
  • Patent number: 10628573
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are related to a distributed system in which wearable devices communicate with computing systems to implement one or more actions or operations and sensor data transmitted by the wearable devices to the computing systems can be utilized to determine information about tasks being performed by the wearers of the wearable devices after consent is given and verified. Embodiments of the distributed system can include the wearable devices, wireless receivers (or transceivers), and a computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Cathy Gibbs, Christopher Soames Johnson, Kathleen Elizabeth Pearson
  • Patent number: 10600112
    Abstract: A system for directing a shopper to an item of interest in a store comprises a floor surface at a store configured with indicators that communicate with each other to identify a path for guiding a store visitor from a current location to a location of an item of interest; a mobile device application executed by a mobile electronic device, the mobile device application generating a request for locating the item of interest; and a special-purpose processor that calculates the path from the current location of the store visitor to the location of the item of interest in response to the request received from the mobile device application. The indicators identify the path in response to the special-purpose processor calculating the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Subodh Kumar Pandey, Jimmie R. Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson
  • Patent number: 10532334
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an automated paint mixing system. The paint mixing system includes a mobile device which can receive an input associated with a color of a paint. The mobile device can transmit the input associated with a color to a first computing system. The first computing system can receive the input associated with a color. The first computing system retrieve an identifier associated with the color based on the input. The first computing system can transmit the identifier associated with the color to a second computing system. The second computing system can instruct a paint dispenser to mix and generate a specified amount of paint of the requested color based on the received identifier. The second computing system can instruct a 3-D printer to fabricate a three-dimensional container configured to store the generated paint. The paint dispenser can deposit the generated paint in the three-dimensional container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Montgomery Blair, II, William Ross Allen, Christopher Soames Johnson
  • Patent number: 10515338
    Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for reading machine readable features of objects. A local terminal generates a temporary object number corresponding to an unreadable object and captures an image of the unreadable object. A message is sent to a number of portable devices requesting that a duplicate of the unreadable object be located and that a machine readable feature on the duplicate object be read. Once a duplicate object is located, one of the portable devices reads a machine readable feature on the duplicate object, and the portable device calls a service offered by a server to retrieve a data value corresponding to the duplicate item from a database. This data value is then sent to the local terminal invoking a service offered by the terminal to replace the temporary object number with the data value corresponding to the duplicate item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Jimmie Russell Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, William Ross Allen
  • Patent number: 10498398
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for synthesizing and displaying distributed data using Near Field Communication (NFC). A system includes a plurality of NFC-enabled mobile devices, a NFC base transmitter generating a Radio Frequency (RF) field, and a central computing device in electronic communication with the NFC base transmitter. Each NFC-enabled mobile device has a NFC payload encoding a unique user identifier that corresponds to a quantity of user data associated with a mobile application on that mobile device. The NFC base transmitter is configured to the NFC payload(s) of mobile devices being within a certain range of the RF field. The system is programmed to generate a plurality of user interface elements based on the quantities of user data, and instruct a display device to render a visual representation of each user interface element at display coordinates determined based on the quantities of user data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Andrew White, Ricky L. Lewis, Christopher Soames Johnson, Jimmie Russell Clark
  • Publication number: 20190340346
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are related to a distributed system in which wearable devices communicate with computing systems to implement one or more actions or operations and sensor data transmitted by the wearable devices to the computing systems can be utilized to determine information about tasks being performed by the wearers of the wearable devices after consent is given and verified. Embodiments of the distributed system can include the wearable devices, wireless receivers (or transceivers), and a computing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Cathy Gibbs, Christopher Soames Johnson, Kathleen Elizabeth Pearson
  • Publication number: 20190333013
    Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for reading machine readable features of objects. A local terminal generates a temporary object number corresponding to an unreadable object and captures an image of the unreadable object. A message is sent to a number of portable devices requesting that a duplicate of the unreadable object be located and that a machine readable feature on the duplicate object be read. Once a duplicate object is located, one of the portable devices reads a machine readable feature on the duplicate object, and the portable device calls a service offered by a server to retrieve a data value corresponding to the duplicate item from a database. This data value is then sent to the local terminal invoking a service offered by the terminal to replace the temporary object number with the data value corresponding to the duplicate item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Jimmie Russell Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, William Ross Allen
  • Publication number: 20190311562
    Abstract: A security system comprises a wearable security apparatus having an electronic display and a storage device that stores data regarding a wearer and a receiver for receiving emergency information; a security scanner at a facility that communicates with the wearable device to receive and decode the stored data to determine a status of the wearer and whether the wearer may enter or leave the facility; and an associate registry that includes registration information regarding the wearer. The security scanner compares the stored data on the wearable device and the registration information in the associate registry to determine whether the status of the wearer is that the wearer is registered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Julie Campbell, Christopher Soames Johnson, Jimmie R. Clark
  • Patent number: 10438186
    Abstract: A system for communicating the status of a produce product in a retail store is described. The system includes a produce weigh station and a produce status station. The produce weigh station includes a produce scale and a camera. The produce weigh station uses a captured digital image of the produce product to determine a product type of the produce product being weighed, as well as a product status of the produce product. The produce status can include, for example, whether the produce product is ripe, over-ripe, or under-ripe. The produce weigh station communicates the type of the produce product, the digital image, and the produce status to the produce status station. An employee of the retail store can use the produce status station to receive the produce status information without the employee having to be present in the produce sales department.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Jimmie R. Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, Ricky L. Lewis, Richard Andrew White
  • Publication number: 20190266519
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for executing on-line purchases. The apparatus includes three different servers, a ticket server, a doorman server, and a checkout server. The purchase tasks are spread among the servers, and timed, so that the on-line purchase can be handled without server overload and customers losing their place in line. The ticket server issues a purchase ticket to a customer. The purchase ticket includes a predetermined time after which the customer can present the ticket to purchase the purchase item. On or after the predetermined time, the customer presents the purchase ticket to the doorman server. The doorman server validates the ticket and checks that the predetermined time has passed. Once the doorman server approves the purchase ticket, the doorman server passes the purchase ticket to the checkout server with a purchase approval indicator. The checkout server then executes the on-line purchase of the purchase item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Jimmie R. Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, Michael Lawerance Payne
  • Patent number: 10373413
    Abstract: A security system comprises a wearable security apparatus having an electronic display and a storage device that stores data regarding a wearer and a receiver for receiving emergency information; a security scanner at a facility that communicates with the wearable device to receive and decode the stored data to determine a status of the wearer and whether the wearer may enter or leave the facility; and an associate registry that includes registration information regarding the wearer. The security scanner compares the stored data on the wearable device and the registration information in the associate registry to determine whether the status of the wearer is that the wearer is registered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Julie Campbell, Christopher Soames Johnson, Jimmie R. Clark
  • Publication number: 20190220690
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods of object identification. Exemplary embodiments can scan, by an optical reader, a machine-readable identifier associated with an original object. Exemplary embodiments can capture an image of the original object at a first orientation using an image capture device. Exemplary embodiments can transmit the machine-readable identifier and the image of the original object to an image database to store an association between the image of the original object and the machine-readable identifier. Exemplary embodiments can receive a subsequent object having a subsequent machine-readable identifier that is unavailable or incapable of being scanned. Exemplary embodiments can capture an image of the subsequent object with the image capture device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher Soames Johnson, Jimmie Russell Clark, Michael Lawerance Payne
  • Patent number: 10354223
    Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for reading machine readable features of objects. A local terminal generates a temporary object number corresponding to an unreadable object and captures an image of the unreadable object. A message is sent to a number of portable devices requesting that a duplicate of the unreadable object be located and that a machine readable feature on the duplicate object be read. Once a duplicate object is located, one of the portable devices reads a machine readable feature on the duplicate object, and the portable device calls a service offered by a server to retrieve a data value corresponding to the duplicate item from a database. This data value is then sent to the local terminal invoking a service offered by the terminal to replace the temporary object number with the data value corresponding to the duplicate item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Jimmie Russell Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, William Ross Allen
  • Patent number: 10353848
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to portable continuous integration (CI) devices configured to facilitate local CI development. In one embodiment, a portable CI device can comprise a housing comprising at least one external port for communications and power; a router disposed in the housing and communicatively coupled within the housing with the at least one external port; and a plurality of processor modules disposed in the housing and including a clock processor module, a memory processor module, a source code management processor module, a continuous integration processor module, a code quality processor module, and a repository management processor module, each of the plurality of processor modules being communicatively coupled with the router.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Soames Johnson, Matthew Jason Sargent, Carlos Puga
  • Patent number: 10339473
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for executing on-line purchases. The apparatus includes three different servers, a ticket server, a doorman server, and a checkout server. The purchase tasks are spread among the servers, and timed, so that the on-line purchase can be handled without server overload and customers losing their place in line. The ticket server issues a purchase ticket to a customer. The purchase ticket includes a predetermined time after which the customer can present the ticket to purchase the purchase item. On or after the predetermined time, the customer presents the purchase ticket to the doorman server. The doorman server validates the ticket and checks that the predetermined time has passed. Once the doorman server approves the purchase ticket, the doorman server passes the purchase ticket to the checkout server with a purchase approval indicator. The checkout server then executes the on-line purchase of the purchase item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Jimmie R. Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, Michael Lawerance Payne
  • Patent number: 10289928
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods of object identification. Exemplary embodiments can scan, by an optical reader, a machine-readable identifier associated with an original object. Exemplary embodiments can capture an image of the original object at a first orientation using an image capture device. Exemplary embodiments can transmit the machine-readable identifier and the image of the original object to an image database to store an association between the image of the original object and the machine-readable identifier. Exemplary embodiments can receive a subsequent object having a subsequent machine-readable identifier that is unavailable or incapable of being scanned. Exemplary embodiments can capture an image of the subsequent object with the image capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Soames Johnson, Jimmie Russell Clark, Michael Lawerance Payne
  • Publication number: 20190138980
    Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for reading machine readable features of objects. A local terminal generates a temporary object number corresponding to an unreadable object and captures an image of the unreadable object. A message is sent to a number of portable devices requesting that a duplicate of the unreadable object be located and that a machine readable feature on the duplicate object be read. Once a duplicate object is located, one of the portable devices reads a machine readable feature on the duplicate object, and the portable device calls a service offered by a server to retrieve a data value corresponding to the duplicate item from a database. This data value is then sent to the local terminal invoking a service offered by the terminal to replace the temporary object number with the data value corresponding to the duplicate item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Jimmie Russell Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, William Ross Allen
  • Patent number: 10275821
    Abstract: Disclosed is a smart shopping cart and a method of using a smart shopping cart. The smart shopping cart may hold a set of containers that the customer can place their items in as they are shopping. The customer will associate their mobile device with the physical cart as an electronic shopping cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Jimmie R. Clark, Richard Andrew White, Christopher Soames Johnson
  • Patent number: 10277615
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media providing build and deploy a known file and identify unknown files found on the system. The method provides, deploying a file, creating a unique hash tag identifier and metadata associated with the file. A database entry is created for the hash tag identifier and metadata associated with the file. An unknown file is discovered on the system, a unique hash code identifier is generated and searched for in the database. If the unique hash code identifier is found the metadata is retrieved and returned for display, however if the hash code identifier is not found the unknown file is marked as a candidate for removal and deleted from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Jimmie Russell Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson, Jeffrey Stone