Patents by Inventor Daniel Coffman

Daniel Coffman 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: 20240129670
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to user interfaces for electronic audio devices. In some examples, the operating mode of the device changes to various states of sound transparency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: David Chance GRAHAM, Patrick L. COFFMAN, Thomas S. HULBERT, Cyrus Daniel IRANI, Daniel Max STRONGWATER
  • Patent number: 9673601
    Abstract: Cable protectors and related methods are provided for protecting cables while being positioned between raised floor panels. The cable protector has a base portion having at least one receptacle channel configured to receive a cable, wherein the at least one receptacle channel is positioned between a first side ridge and a second side ridge that each extend vertically to different heights relative to the at least one receptacle channel. The cable protector also has a cover panel mounted to the base portion and supported by the first and second side ridges. The cover panel covers the at least one receptacle channel at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the vertical direction. Other cable protectors disclosed have a modular design or a feature for connection to adjacent floor panels having differing heights or interlocking designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: CHECKERS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Greg Lundeen
  • Publication number: 20160365715
    Abstract: Cable protectors and related methods are provided for protecting cables while being positioned between raised floor panels. The cable protector has a base portion having at least one receptacle channel configured to receive a cable, wherein the at least one receptacle channel is positioned between a first side ridge and a second side ridge that each extend vertically to different heights relative to the at least one receptacle channel. The cable protector also has a cover panel mounted to the base portion and supported by the first and second side ridges. The cover panel covers the at least one receptacle channel at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the vertical direction. Other cable protectors disclosed have a modular design or a feature for connection to adjacent floor panels having differing heights or interlocking designs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: Checkers Industrial Products, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Greg Lundeen
  • Patent number: 9059574
    Abstract: A cable protector includes a base member, at least one channel, and at least one connector. The at least one channel extend between opposing first and second ends of the base member and is structured to house at least one cable. The at least one connector extends from a first end of the cable protector and includes a hand grip feature. The hand grip feature of the at least one connector may include a plurality of recesses or protrusions formed in a side surface of the at least one connector. The cable protector may also include at least one connector recess that includes a hand grip feature. The hand grip feature of the at least one connector recess may include a plurality of recesses or protrusions formed in a side surface of the at least one connector recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: CHECKERS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Brad Prososki, James P. Fonte
  • Publication number: 20140041936
    Abstract: A cable protector includes a base member, at least one channel, and at least one connector. The at least one channel extend between opposing first and second ends of the base member and is structured to house at least one cable. The at least one connector extends from a first end of the cable protector and includes a hand grip feature. The hand grip feature of the at least one connector may include a plurality of recesses or protrusions formed in a side surface of the at least one connector. The cable protector may also include at least one connector recess that includes a hand grip feature. The hand grip feature of the at least one connector recess may include a plurality of recesses or protrusions formed in a side surface of the at least one connector recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Checkers Industrial Products, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Brad Prososki, James P. Fonte
  • Publication number: 20140020927
    Abstract: A cable protector includes a base member, at least one channel, and a lid. The at least one channel extends between opposing first and second ends of the base member and is structured to house at least one cable. The lid is mounted to the base member to cover the at least one channel and is releasably secured to the base member with at least one snap-fit connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: CHECKERS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Greg Widgery
  • Patent number: 8082153
    Abstract: A method for conversational computing includes executing code embodying a conversational virtual machine, registering a plurality of input/output resources with a conversational kernel, providing an interface between a plurality of active applications and the conversational kernel processing input/output data, receiving input queries and input events of a multi-modal dialog across a plurality of user interface modalities of the plurality of active applications, generating output messages and output events of the multi-modal dialog in connection with the plurality of active applications, managing, by the conversational kernel, a context stack associated with the plurality of active applications and the multi-modal dialog to transform the input queries into application calls for the plurality of active applications and convert the output messages into speech, wherein the context stack accumulates a context of each of the plurality of active applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Liam D. Comerford, Steven DeGennaro, Edward A. Epstein, Ponani Gopalakrishnan, Stephane H. Maes, David Nahamoo
  • Patent number: 7729916
    Abstract: A conversational computing system that provides a universal coordinated multi-modal conversational user interface (CUI) 10 across a plurality of conversationally aware applications (11) (i.e., applications that “speak” conversational protocols) and conventional applications (12). The conversationally aware applications (11) communicate with a conversational kernel (14) via conversational application APIs (13). The conversational kernel 14 controls the dialog across applications and devices (local and networked) on the basis of their registered conversational capabilities and requirements and provides a unified conversational user interface and conversational services and behaviors. The conversational computing system may be built on top of a conventional operating system and APIs (15) and conventional device hardware (16). The conversational kernel (14) handles all I/O processing and controls conversational engines (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Liam D. Comerford, Steven DeGennaro, Edward A. Epstein, Ponani Gopalakrishnan, Stephane H. Maes, David Nahamoo
  • Publication number: 20090313026
    Abstract: A conversational computing system that provides a universal coordinated multi-modal conversational user interface (CUI) 10 across a plurality of conversationally aware applications (11) (i.e., applications that “speak” conversational protocols) and conventional applications (12). The conversationally aware applications (11) communicate with a conversational kernel (14) via conversational application APIs (13). The conversational kernel 14 controls the dialog across applications and devices (local and networked) on the basis of their registered conversational capabilities and requirements and provides a unified conversational user interface and conversational services and behaviors. The conversational computing system may be built on top of a conventional operating system and APIs (15) and conventional device hardware (16). The conversational kernel (14) handles all I/O processing and controls conversational engines (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Liam D. Comeford, Steven DeGennaro, Edward A. Epstein, Ponani Gopalakrishnan, Stephane H. Maes, David Nahamoo
  • Publication number: 20070225969
    Abstract: A method and system for dynamically assigning weights to the subset of commands in a natural language dialog system based on prior context of the user's interaction with the system. The search space of the translation process may be reduced when some context information is available. A user presents input to the natural language understanding system. The system translates the user input into a formal command and calculates a weight value for a next set of formal commands based on the formal command. The command weights may then be dynamically boosted for the next set of formal commands before executing the formal command. The exemplary aspects of the present invention reduce the time needed to complete a task since the search space of the translation process may be reduced if context information is available and improve the accuracy of the process by using knowledge that users regularly use repeating patterns for repeating tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Jan Kleindienst, Ganesh Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20070043574
    Abstract: A conversational computing system that provides a universal coordinated multi-modal conversational user interface (CUI) 10 across a plurality of conversationally aware applications (11) (i.e., applications that “speak” conversational protocols) and conventional applications (12). The conversationally aware applications (11) communicate with a conversational kernel (14) via conversational application APIs (13). The conversational kernel 14 controls the dialog across applications and devices (local and networked) on the basis of their registered conversational capabilities and requirements and provides a unified conversational user interface and conversational services and behaviors. The conversational computing system may be built on top of a conventional operating system and APIs (15) and conventional device hardware (16). The conversational kernel (14) handles all I/O processing and controls conversational engines (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Liam Comerford, Steven DeGennaro, Edward Epstein, Ponani Gopalakrishnan, Stephan Maes, David Nahamoo
  • Patent number: 7137126
    Abstract: A conversational computing system that provides a universal coordinated multi-modal conversational user interface (CUI) (10) across a plurality of conversationally aware applications (11) (i.e., applications that “speak” conversational protocols) and conventional applications (12). The conversationally aware maps, applications (11) communicate with a conversational kernel (14) via conversational application APIs (13). The conversational kernel (14) controls the dialog across applications and devices (local and networked) on the basis of their registered conversational capabilities and requirements and provides a unified conversational user interface and conversational services and behaviors. The conversational computing system may be built on top of a conventional operating system and APIs (15) and conventional device hardware (16). The conversational kernel (14) handles all I/O processing and controls conversational engines (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Liam D. Comerford, Steven DeGennaro, Edward A. Epstein, Ponani Gopalakrishnan, Stephane H. Maes, David Nahamoo
  • Publication number: 20050096913
    Abstract: A system and method for recognizing commands in natural language includes a speech recognizer for decoding language and semantic information in utterances provided by a user. A dialog manager provides a hierarchical ordering of handlers, each handler being trained to be responsive to decoded utterances. The dialog manager manages arbitration between the handlers to determine a winning handler for an utterance and decodes the command in accordance with the winning handler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Jan Kleindienst, Ganesh Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20050049874
    Abstract: A method and system for dynamically assigning weights to the subset of commands in a natural language dialog system based on prior context of the user's interaction with the system. The search space of the translation process may be reduced when some context information is available. A user presents input to the natural language understanding system. The system translates the user input into a formal command and calculates a weight value for a next set of formal commands based on the formal command. The command weights may then be dynamically boosted for the next set of formal commands before executing the formal command. The exemplary aspects of the present invention reduce the time needed to complete a task since the search space of the translation process may be reduced if context information is available and improve the accuracy of the process by using knowledge that users regularly use repeating patterns for repeating tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Jan Kleindienst, Ganesh Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 6286362
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides a leak detector having at least two partial pressure analyzers. The leak detector comprises a pumping system, a trace gas detector, and a residual gas analyzer. The leak detector is attachable to a test object, such as a vacuum system, and the pumping system operates to draw a vacuum therein. The residual gas analyzer determines the presence of oxygen, nitrogen, and other components of air in the test object. A trace gas, such as helium, provided to the exterior of the test system is monitored by the trace gas detector which may be a magnetic sector mass spectrometer. The residual gas analyzer and the trace gas detector may be operated simultaneously or independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: John Daniel Coffman, Jeffrey Gordon Lorge
  • Patent number: D717248
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Checkers Industrial Products, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Coffman, Brad Prososki, James P. Fonte