Patents by Inventor Dan Schmidt
Dan Schmidt 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).
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Patent number: 11970086Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a vehicle body and a driver seat. The vehicle body defines a driver compartment having a first door with a first window and a second door with a second window. The driver seat is disposed within the driver compartment. When the driver seat is in a position that accommodates an operator being in a 95th male height percentile, the operator within the driver seat can see out of (i) the first window at a first angle relative to a forward looking direction that is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle body and (ii) the second window at a second angle relative to the forward looking direction. Each of the first angle and the second angle is at least 95 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2023Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Oshkosh CorporationInventors: Benjamin Andrews, Robert Wesley Holliday, Dan Nett, Annette Rantanen, Paul Schmidt, Nick Winter, Mitchell Wolfrath
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Patent number: 10572807Abstract: A method and device determines an optimization solution for an optimization problem. The method includes receiving the optimization problem having cost functions and variables in which each of the cost functions has a predetermined relationship with select ones of the variables. The variables comprise a sub-solution of a spline indicative of a curved path along an estimated trajectory. The method includes generating a first message for each of the cost functions for each corresponding variable based upon the relationship and a second message for each of the variables for each corresponding cost function based upon the relationship. The method includes generating a disagreement variable for each corresponding pair of variables and cost functions measuring a disagreement value between the first and second beliefs. The method includes forming a consensus between the first and second messages until the optimization solution is determined.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Yedidia, Nate Derbinsky, Jose Bento Ayres Pereira, Dan Schmidt, Charles Mathy
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Patent number: 10464580Abstract: A manway assembly for a railroad tank car features a nozzle defining a central opening and having a sidewall, a cover, a hinge attaching the cover to the nozzle, and a seal assembly to seal the cover to the nozzle. The seal assembly may include a circumferential seal and a circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may include a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion, and a side portion between the top portion and the bottom portion. An underside edge portion of the cover may be provided with the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may be positioned within the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may have a C-shaped cross section and may be positioned in the circumferential seal channel such that the top portion of the seal is seated against a top wall of the circumferential seal channel and the bottom portion of the seal is seated against a circumferential ledge of the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Union Tank Car CompanyInventors: Dan Schmidt, Gary C. Walter, Spencer Johnson
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Publication number: 20180327001Abstract: A manway assembly for a railroad tank car features a nozzle defining a central opening and having a sidewall, a cover, a hinge attaching the cover to the nozzle, and a seal assembly to seal the cover to the nozzle. The seal assembly may include a circumferential seal and a circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may include a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion, and a side portion between the top portion and the bottom portion. An underside edge portion of the cover may be provided with the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may be positioned within the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may have a C-shaped cross section and may be positioned in the circumferential seal channel such that the top portion of the seal is seated against a top wall of the circumferential seal channel and the bottom portion of the seal is seated against a circumferential ledge of the nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2018Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: Dan Schmidt, Gary C. Walter, Spencer Johnson
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Patent number: 10029705Abstract: A manway assembly for a railroad tank car features a nozzle defining a central opening and having a sidewall, a cover, a hinge attaching the cover to the nozzle, and a seal assembly to seal the cover to the nozzle. The seal assembly may include a circumferential seal and a circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may include a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion, and a side portion between the top portion and the bottom portion. An underside edge portion of the cover may be provided with the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may be positioned within the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may have a C-shaped cross section and may be positioned in the circumferential seal channel such that the top portion of the seal is seated against a top wall of the circumferential seal channel and the bottom portion of the seal is seated against a circumferential ledge of the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2017Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Union Tank Car CompanyInventors: Dan Schmidt, Gary C. Walter, Spencer Johnson
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Publication number: 20170349188Abstract: A manway assembly for a railroad tank car features a nozzle defining a central opening and having a sidewall, a cover, a hinge attaching the cover to the nozzle, and a seal assembly to seal the cover to the nozzle. The seal assembly may include a circumferential seal and a circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may include a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion, and a side portion between the top portion and the bottom portion. An underside edge portion of the cover may be provided with the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may be positioned within the circumferential seal channel. The circumferential seal may have a C-shaped cross section and may be positioned in the circumferential seal channel such that the top portion of the seal is seated against a top wall of the circumferential seal channel and the bottom portion of the seal is seated against a circumferential ledge of the nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2017Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Dan Schmidt, Gary C. Walter
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Publication number: 20160217380Abstract: A method and device determines an optimization solution for an optimization problem. The method includes receiving the optimization problem having cost functions and variables in which each of the cost functions has a predetermined relationship with select ones of the variables. The variables comprise a sub-solution of a spline indicative of a curved path along an estimated trajectory. The method includes generating a first message for each of the cost functions for each corresponding variable based upon the relationship and a second message for each of the variables for each corresponding cost function based upon the relationship. The method includes generating a disagreement variable for each corresponding pair of variables and cost functions measuring a disagreement value between the first and second beliefs. The method includes forming a consensus between the first and second messages until the optimization solution is determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2016Publication date: July 28, 2016Inventors: Jonathan YEDIDIA, Nate DERBINSKY, Jose Bento Ayres PEREIRA, Dan SCHMIDT, Charles MATHY
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Publication number: 20140044116Abstract: In one embodiment, a wireless system comprises a host MSC/VLR of a public land mobile network (PLMN) and a plurality of base station subsystems (BSSs). Each BSS includes a respective base station controller (BSC) and one or more base transceiver stations (BTSs). The wireless system further comprises a virtual base station controller (VBSC) communicatively coupled to the plurality of BSSs and the host MSC/VLR. The VBSC appears, from the perspective of the host MSCNLR, to be a base station controller for the BTSs in the plurality of BSSs. The VBSC and at least some of the BSSs include functionality for locally switching calls in the BSSs.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2013Publication date: February 13, 2014Inventors: Dan Schmidt, Siu Bun Chan, Qiming Zhu
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Patent number: 8439733Abstract: Band members use their own performance during a song to reinstate a band member who has failed during the course of the song. Once a band member has failed, options are given to other members of the band who have achieved a predetermined bonus or performance level to save the fallen band member. Once saved, the failed member returns to normal play of the song. In this manner, failure still has the consequence of removing a player from a song at least temporarily, and perhaps permanently if bandmates are unable or unwilling to save the fallen member. However, by providing the option of reinstatement, band members can prevent their friends from long stretches of inactivity following a failure. This may have the added benefit of encouraging band members to perform strongly in order to be able to save their friends.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2008Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Kay, Daniel Teasdale, Chris Foster, Dan Schmidt
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Publication number: 20100041477Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying cues indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game may include: displaying, to a player of a rhythm-action game, a lane divided into at least two sub-lanes, each sub-lane containing cues indicating a drum input element; and displaying, to the player, an additional cue spanning a plurality of the sub-lanes, the additional cue indicating a foot pedal action. In some embodiments, the additional cue may span all the sub-lanes. In some embodiments, each sub-lane may contain cues indicating a drum input element of a set of linearly arranged drum input elements. In other embodiments, each sub-lanes may correspond to a fret button of a simulated guitar and the additional cue may correspond to an open strum.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2009Publication date: February 18, 2010Applicant: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, Dan Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
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Publication number: 20080311970Abstract: Band members use their own performance during a song to reinstate a band member who has failed during the course of the song. Once a band member has failed, options are given to other members of the band who have achieved a predetermined bonus or performance level to save the fallen band member. Once saved, the failed member returns to normal play of the song. In this manner, failure still has the consequence of removing a player from a song at least temporarily, and perhaps permanently if bandmates are unable or unwilling to save the fallen member. However, by providing the option of reinstatement, band members can prevent their friends from long stretches of inactivity following a failure. This may have the added benefit of encouraging band members to perform strongly in order to be able to save their friends.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2008Publication date: December 18, 2008Inventors: Robert Kay, Daniel Teasdale, Chris Foster, Dan Schmidt
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Publication number: 20050215319Abstract: A method for allowing a player of a video game to control a three-dimensional game character in a three-dimensional game world includes the steps of acquiring video image data of a player of a game, analyzing the acquired video image data to identify the location or movement of a portion of the player's body; and using the identified location of the portion of the player's body to control behavior of a game character.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2004Publication date: September 29, 2005Applicant: HARMONIX MUSIC SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Alexander Rigopulos, Eran Egozy, Dan Schmidt, Eric Metois, Greg Lopiccolo
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Patent number: 6482087Abstract: A method for providing real-time musical interaction among a plurality of players connected via a network includes the steps of analyzing local player's musical performance to extract emulation data that represents the musical performance; transmitting emulation data to remote players over a network; receiving emulation data from remote players over the network; and using the emulation data to emulate the remote player's musical performance by locally generating approximations of the performances.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2001Date of Patent: November 19, 2002Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.Inventors: Eran Egozy, Dan Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
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Publication number: 20020169014Abstract: A method for providing real-time musical interaction among a plurality of players connected via a network includes the steps of analyzing local player's musical performance to extract emulation data that represents the musical performance; transmitting emulation data to remote players over a network; receiving emulation data from remote players over the network; and using the emulation data to emulate the remote player's musical performance by locally generating approximations of said performances.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2001Publication date: November 14, 2002Inventors: Eran Egozy, Dan Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
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Patent number: 6429863Abstract: A method for displaying musical data in three dimensions includes displaying musical data along a spatial path that does not lie within the image plane of a display. Graphical symbols corresponding to the musical data may be displayed on graphical surfaces aligned with the spatial path. The graphical surfaces form, in some embodiments, a tunnel through which the time axis associated with the musical data runs. The musical data may be manipulated to provide the viewer with the appearance of motion along the time axis associated with the musical data. In some embodiments, the viewer is represented by a virtual camera in the three-dimensional environment and the virtual camera is “moved” to provide the appearance of motion. A corresponding apparatus is also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.Inventors: Greg LoPiccolo, Jonathon Bell, Eran Egozy, Ryan Lesser, Joshua Randall, Alexander Rigopulos, Dan Schmidt
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Patent number: 6353174Abstract: Described are a system and method for achieving near real-time musical collaboration by a group of users using computers connected by a network. Each computer system plays a stream of musical data to each user. The musical data stream played to each user corresponds to the musical collaboration produced by the users. The playing of the musical data streams is staggered such that each user is located at a different time in the musical collaboration than every other user. This staggering separates any two users by a temporal offset that exceeds the maximum time required to transmit musical data from one user to another user over the network. Each user is allowed to modify the portion of the musical data stream that is currently being played to that user. Such musical data modifications are transmitted to other users over the network to become incorporated into the musical data streams played to those other users.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 1999Date of Patent: March 5, 2002Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.Inventors: Dan Schmidt, Jonathon Bell, Eran Egozy, Michael James, Greg LoPiccolo, Alexander Rigopulos