Patents by Inventor David Allison

David Allison 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: 20130090025
    Abstract: An electrical contact including an elongated contact body that has a compliant tail, a mating beam, and a channel section extending between the compliant tail and the mating beam. The channel section has a base wall and sidewalls that extend from the base wall. The base wall and the sidewalls extend around a central longitudinal axis to define a flow channel. The channel section includes a flow-limiting feature that is configured to impede capillary flow of a plating solution along the channel section from the compliant tail to the mating beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: DAVID ALLISON TROUT, JAMES CHARLES SHIFFLER
  • Patent number: 8386341
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods that apply to a single particular billing method selected by each of a plurality of users, in response to each particular user's request, a set of billing method rules for each carrier of a plurality of carriers and determines whether or not each carrier of the plurality of carriers supports the shipper's specified preferred billing method, and if so, any special pricing considerations for each particular Carrier. Each user of the present invention accesses the present invention over a global communications network using a client computer device, each user client computer device having an individual electronic connection to the global communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventors: David Allison Bennett, Paul Bilibin, Jinyue Liu, Charles D. Mentzer
  • Patent number: 8380641
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for displaying to each of a plurality of users, upon each user's request, as to each particular parcel to be shipped by each user, the carriers that provide delivery notification service options, including electronic mail delivery notification and verbal delivery notification, wherein each user accesses the present invention over a global communications network using a client computer device, and wherein each user has an individual electronic connection to the global communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventors: David Allison Bennett, Scott Meyer, Paul Bilibin, Jinyue Liu, Gary Rhoe Ingram
  • Patent number: 8374970
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plurality of Enterprises with a single online user interface with which the Enterprise can provide Enterprise Shippers, shipping origination users and shipping intermediary users with an automated parcel management system for a plurality of supported Carriers for a plurality of services. The present invention provides for the hierarchical definition of users, including the hierarchical definition of organizational units within each Enterprise. The present invention further provides for a distinct definition of policies, privileges, and other types of specifications for each user level, each user, and each organizational unit. The present invention applies the user and organizational policies, privileges and other specifications as they apply to each particular user to drive the interactive interface with each particular user and to provide among other things, shipping options, shipping services, shipping rates, traveler and/or shipping label preparation, and shipment tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel F. Williams, David Allison Bennett, Lynn Shaindell Goldhaber, Dennis Glavin, Lory Elizabeth Krett, Charles D. Mentzer, Stephen M. Teglovic, John M. Dietz, William W. Smith, III, Paul Bilibin, Jinyue Liu, Paul R. McLaughlin, Scott Meyer, Sean Hu
  • Patent number: 8364606
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods that provide each of a plurality of users, in response to each particular user's request, information concerning, and an identification of: each carrier of a plurality of carriers that supports the shipper's preferred shipping location; whether each carrier supports the shipper's preferred shipping location for shipping a particular parcel; and pricing for each service offered by each carrier for the shipper's chosen shipping location, wherein each user accesses the computer system over a global communications network using a client computer device, each user client computer device having their own individual electronic connection to the global communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventors: David Allison Bennett, William W. Smith, III, Charles D. Mentzer
  • Patent number: 8346676
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for displaying to each of a plurality of users upon each user's request a preview of shipping rates and delivery schedules for the particular user to ship a particular package, wherein each user accesses the computer system over a global communications network using a client computer device, and wherein each user has an individual electronic connection to the global communications network. The present invention compares shipping rates and delivery schedules for each service and each carrier for shipping a particular package and reports the carrier and service offering the lowest rate or the fastest delivery schedule, according to the user's option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventors: David Allison Bennett, Lynn Shaindell Goldhaber, Paul Bilibin, Charles D. Mentzer, William W. Smith, III, Jinyue Liu
  • Patent number: 8255337
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods providing a single system available over a global communications network for shipping management for each parcel from a plurality of parcels that each Shipper of a plurality of Shippers ships using any one of a plurality of services offered by any one of a plurality of carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventors: David Allison Bennett, Lynn Shaindell Goldhaber, Paul Bilibin, Jinyue Liu, Charles D. Mentzer, Lory Elizabeth Krett, Scott Joseph Bean, Daniel F. Williams, Dennis Glavin, Stephen M. Teglovic, John M. Dietz, William W. Smith, III, Paul R. McLaughlin, Scott Meyer, Sean Hu, Harland Fred Maier, Jr., Gary Rhoe Ingram
  • Patent number: 8240579
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for the computerized generation and printing of a U.S. Postal Service Shipping Label over the Internet that provides postage, shipping address, delivery address, and shipment and delivery tracking indicia. According to the invention, human-readable postage payment indicia is formatted in such a way that the actual price of shipping postage is obscured; postage payment can only be translated from the postage payment indicia by someone who knows the format template. The present invention further provides a United States Postal Service shipping label comprising a representation of paid postage, said representation of paid postage comprising a human-readable character string, said character string comprising imbedded postage price information. The present invention further provides a United States Postal Service shipping label, comprising a machine-readable representation of paid postage and a ship to address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventor: David Allison Bennett
  • Patent number: 8131651
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for displaying to each of a plurality of users, upon each user's request, as to each particular parcel to be shipped by each user, an online interactive graphic comparison of a plurality of shipping rates calculated for each of a plurality of services offered by each of a plurality of carriers to ship a particular parcel, each shipping rate corresponding to a particular service offered by a particular carrier for delivering the particular parcel to a particular delivery destination at a particular parcel delivery time on a particular parcel delivery date, wherein each user accesses the computer system over a global communications network using a client computer device, and wherein each user has an individual electronic connection to the global communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignees: Stamps.com Inc., iShip Inc.
    Inventors: David Allison Bennett, Lynn Shaindell Goldhaber, Lory Elizabeth Krett, William W. Smith, III, Paul Bilibin, Charles D. Mentzer
  • Patent number: 8070514
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and substantially identical contacts. The housing is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts are arranged in a plurality of sets in the housing. The contacts are configured to electrically couple with the mating connector. Each set of contacts is arranged to communicate a different type of data signal with the mating connector. Optionally, the contacts are formed as substantially identical pins. The different sets of contacts may concurrently communicate the different types of data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: David Allison Trout, James Lee Fedder, Juli S. Olenick, Steven J. Millard
  • Patent number: 8065237
    Abstract: Various embodiments for aggregating packages into a pouch in a shipping environment are disclosed. For example, package details associated with a package are compared to one or more incompatibility factors, and if the package details do not match the one or more incompatibility factors, a package identifier uniquely identifying the package is added to a pouch manifest. If the package is not compatible with the pouch, an error message may be displayed to a user indicating that the package is incompatible. In addition, package details may be compared with compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that are compatible with the pouch and questionable compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that may be compatible with the pouch. Compatibility factors and questionable compatibility factors may include, for example, service options, delivery notification options, or destination zip code(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventors: David Allison Bennett, Lynn Shaindell Goldhaber, Lory Elizabeth Moon, William W. Smith, III
  • Publication number: 20110246384
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plurality of Enterprises with a single online user interface with which the Enterprise can provide Enterprise Shippers, shipping origination users and shipping intermediary users with an automated parcel management system for a plurality of supported Carriers for a plurality of services. The present invention provides for the hierarchical definition of users, including the establishment of at least one user for each Enterprise as a Super-Administrator with the highest level of privileges and authority for the Enterprise, and the identification of other users as Sub-Administrators, Desktop Users and Shipping Station Users. The present invention also provides for the hierarchical definition of organizational units within each Enterprise, including the definition of sites, groups within a site, and users within a group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel F. Williams, David Allison Bennett, Lynn Shaindell Goldhaber, Dennis Glavin, Lory Elizabeth Krett, Charles D. Mentzer, Stephen M. Teglovic, John M. Dietz, William W. Smith, III, Paul Bilibin, Jinyue Liu, Paul R. McLaughlin, Scott Meyer, Sean Hu
  • Patent number: 8001354
    Abstract: A computer system, computer program product, and method implement dynamic physical memory reallocation. A system management interface (SMI) Handler and an Operating System (OS) are arranged for exchanging communications. Periodically the SMI Handler queries the operating system to identify a percentage of available memory currently being utilized. Responsive to the identified percentage of available memory currently being utilized, physical memory is dynamically reallocated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian David Allison, Joseph Allen Kirscht, Elizabeth A. McGlone
  • Publication number: 20110082824
    Abstract: A framework for comparison and optimization of classifiers and features for classification of targets includes preparing training and testing sets, applying a classifier to the training set to achieve a distinctly trained classifier for each classifier applied, applying each resulting trained classifier to the testing data set, selecting an optimal classifier, and applying the optimal classifier to the target. The framework is used to optimally classify a physical representation of a target, such as a document, news article, or advertisement. The framework allows for targeted advertisements to be directed to consumers based on user preferences learned from user activities across a network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: David Allison, Karmel Allison, Zach Lyon
  • Patent number: 7896698
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and substantially identical contacts. The housing is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts are arranged in a plurality of sets in the housing. The contacts are configured to electrically couple with the mating connector. Each set of contacts is arranged to communicate a different type of data signal with the mating connector. Optionally the contacts are formed as substantially identical pins. The different sets of contacts may concurrently communicate the different types of data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: David Allison Trout, James Lee Fedder, Juli S. Olenick, Steven J. Millard
  • Patent number: 7882323
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to scrub a memory during a scrub period, of a computer system. The computer system has a memory controller that receives read requests and write requests from a processor. The memory controller provides a different priority for scrub requests versus read requests during a period of relatively light memory workload versus a period of relatively heavy workload. The memory controller provides a relatively higher priority for scrub requests near an end of a scrub period if scrub progress is behind an expected scrub progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian David Allison, Joseph Allen Kirscht, Elizabeth A. McGlone
  • Patent number: 7882314
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to efficiently scrub a memory, during a scrub period, of a computer system that has a memory comprising a number of memory elements. Examples of memory elements are memory ranks and banks. A memory rank may further comprise one or more banks. The computer system has a memory controller that receives read requests and write requests from a processor. The memory controller includes a scrub controller configured to output more than one scrub request during a particular request selector cycle. The memory controller includes a request selector that services a read request, a write request, or one of the scrub requests during a request selector cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian David Allison, Joseph Allen Kirscht, Elizabeth A. McGlone
  • Publication number: 20110021077
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and substantially identical contacts. The housing is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts are arranged in a plurality of sets in the housing. The contacts are configured to electrically couple with the mating connector. Each set of contacts is arranged to communicate a different type of data signal with the mating connector. Optionally, the contacts are formed as substantially identical pins. The different sets of contacts may concurrently communicate the different types of data signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: David Allison Trout, James Lee Fedder, Juli S. Olenick, Steven J. Millard
  • Patent number: 7867032
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing and contacts. The housing is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts are in the housing and configured to electrically connect the connector assembly with the mating connector. The contacts are arranged in a coaxial signal contact pattern. The coaxial signal contact pattern includes a center signal contact surrounded by contacts electrically connected to an electrical ground in a manner to emulate a coaxial connection with the mating connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: David Allison Trout, James Lee Fedder, Juli S. Olenick, Steven J. Millard
  • Publication number: 20100296995
    Abstract: A process for the production of sodium cyanide crystals comprising; (a) contacting impure hydrogen cyanide and sodium hydroxide in a reactor with mixing for a maximum contact time of about 5 seconds; (b) feeding the resulting mixture to a continuous evaporative crystallizer to produce a slurry of sodium cyanide crystals; (c) passing the slurry of sodium cyanide crystals from the crystallizer over a hot surface to precipitate onto the surface and remove sodium carbonate, and passing said slurry back to the crystallizer; and (d) separating the sodium cyanide crystals from the slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: James David Allison, Brent Ellsworth Basham, Steven Lamar Grise