Patents by Inventor Kristen Warren
Kristen Warren 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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Publication number: 20240139064Abstract: Methods of operating a haptic actuator to apply physical and/or thermal sensations to a user to provide subjective symptom relief to a user are described. In some embodiments, a haptic actuator may be automatically activated when one or more detected user states are compared to one or more predetermined activation parameters to determine the user is experiencing an episode related to a condition of the user. In another embodiment, one or more operating parameters of a haptic actuator may be updated if the haptic actuator did not provided a desired amount of subjective symptom relief to a user during use. In yet another embodiment, a haptic actuator may create an event log based on activation events when the haptic actuator is used to provide symptom relief for a condition of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2024Publication date: May 2, 2024Applicant: EMBR Labs IP LLCInventors: Matthew J. Smith, David Cohen-Tanugi, Kristen Warren, Robert Balke
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Publication number: 20240139065Abstract: Methods of operating a haptic actuator to apply physical and/or thermal sensations to a user to provide subjective symptom relief to a user are described. In some embodiments, a haptic actuator may be automatically activated when one or more detected user states are compared to one or more predetermined activation parameters to determine the user is experiencing an episode related to a condition of the user. In another embodiment, one or more operating parameters of a haptic actuator may be updated if the haptic actuator did not provided a desired amount of subjective symptom relief to a user during use. In yet another embodiment, a haptic actuator may create an event log based on activation events when the haptic actuator is used to provide symptom relief for a condition of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2024Publication date: May 2, 2024Applicant: EMBR Labs IP LLCInventors: Matthew J. Smith, David Cohen-Tanugi, Kristen Warren, Robert Balke
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Publication number: 20240053807Abstract: Methods and devices for manipulating the temperature of a surface are generally provided. The present disclosure relates to a device including one or more heating and/or cooling elements, or other suitable thermal adjustment apparatus(es), placed near a surface, such as the skin of a user. The device may be configured to generate one or more (optionally alternating) thermal profiles at the surface, which may include a series of thermal pulses and/or essentially continuous or semi-continuous thermal input, which may vary over time. Such thermal profiles, when suitably applied, may provide enhanced thermal sensations for a user which, in some cases, may provide the user with a more pleasurable thermal experience than would otherwise be the case without the generation of the thermal profiles. In some embodiments, an alternating thermal profile may include an average frequency, an oscillation window, and/or an average temperature, each of which may be adjustable.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2023Publication date: February 15, 2024Applicant: EMBR Labs IP LLCInventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, David Cohen-Tanugi, Samuel Shames
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Patent number: 11755083Abstract: Methods and devices for manipulating the temperature of a surface are generally provided. The present disclosure relates to a device including one or more heating and/or cooling elements, or other suitable thermal adjustment apparatus(es), placed near a surface, such as the skin of a user. The device may be configured to generate one or more (optionally alternating) thermal profiles at the surface, which may include a series of thermal pulses and/or essentially continuous or semi-continuous thermal input, which may vary over time. Such thermal profiles, when suitably applied, may provide enhanced thermal sensations for a user which, in some cases, may provide the user with a more pleasurable thermal experience than would otherwise be the case without the generation of the thermal profiles. In some embodiments, an alternating thermal profile may include an average frequency, an oscillation window, and/or an average temperature, each of which may be adjustable.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2020Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, David Cohen-Tanugi, Samuel Shames
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Publication number: 20220096317Abstract: Embodiments related to a haptic actuator for transmitting heat and/or mechanical vibrations to an adjacent surface are disclosed. The haptic actuator may include a heating membrane, one or more supports, and a body. The one or more supports may extend between the body and the heating membrane to physically separate the heating membrane from the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2020Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, Xuchen He, Raja Rajcic
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Patent number: 11256309Abstract: Methods and devices for manipulating the temperature of a surface are generally provided. The present disclosure relates to a device including one or more heating and/or cooling elements, or other suitable thermal adjustment apparatus(es), placed near a surface, such as the skin of a user. The device may be configured to generate one or more (optionally alternating) thermal profiles at the surface, which may include a series of thermal pulses and/or essentially continuous or semi-continuous thermal input, which may vary over time. Such thermal profiles, when suitably applied, may provide enhanced thermal sensations for a user which, in some cases, may provide the user with a more pleasurable thermal experience than would otherwise be the case without the generation of the thermal profiles. In some embodiments, an alternating thermal profile may include an average frequency, an oscillation window, and/or an average temperature, each of which may be adjustable.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2017Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, David Cohen-Tanugi, Samuel Shames
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Publication number: 20210399186Abstract: A device for manipulating the temperature of a surface may include a heat transfer surface including active portions and a passive portion. The passive portion may include an inner passive portion disposed between each of the active portions and/or may include an outer passive portion that may surround each of the active portions. The active portions may form 40-90% of a total surface area of the heat transfer surface, where total surface area includes active portions and an inner passive portion. The passive portion(s) may have a thermal conductivity less than the active portion. A processor may be in electrical communication with thermoelectric modules defining or forming the active portions to generate a heat flux through the heat transfer surface. The heat flux through the active portions may be between 500 and 15,000 W/m2 during nominal operation of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Kristen Warren, Locklin George, Sarah Horton, Caitlynn Tov, Matthew Dowling, Xuchen He, Matthew J. Smith
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Publication number: 20210315731Abstract: Systems and methods for manipulating the temperature of a surface are described. Described embodiments include thermal adjustment devices that may include a heatsink and that are operated in two or more modes of operation to apply a desired temperature to a user. In one operating mode the thermal adjustment device may apply a first temperature to an underlying surface while generating heat at a rate faster than the heatsink's heat dissipation rate. The thermal adjustment device may then apply a second temperature to reduce the rate of heat generation to be less than the heatsink's heat dissipation rate. These modes of operation may be applied cyclically to permit continuous operation of the thermal adjustment device. In some embodiments, the temperature profile applied when changing between the modes of operation may be selected such that the user experiences either a reduced, or substantially, neutral thermal sensation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2019Publication date: October 14, 2021Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, James Edwin Pendergrast
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Publication number: 20210089097Abstract: Methods and devices for manipulating the temperature of a surface are generally provided. The present disclosure relates to a device including one or more heating and/or cooling elements, or other suitable thermal adjustment apparatus(es), placed near a surface, such as the skin of a user. The device may be configured to generate one or more (optionally alternating) thermal profiles at the surface, which may include a series of thermal pulses and/or essentially continuous or semi-continuous thermal input, which may vary over time. Such thermal profiles, when suitably applied, may provide enhanced thermal sensations for a user which, in some cases, may provide the user with a more pleasurable thermal experience than would otherwise be the case without the generation of the thermal profiles. In some embodiments, an alternating thermal profile may include an average frequency, an oscillation window, and/or an average temperature, each of which may be adjustable.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, David Cohen-Tanugi, Samuel Shames
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Publication number: 20210085559Abstract: Methods of operating a haptic actuator to apply physical and/or thermal sensations to a user to provide subjective symptom relief to a user are described. In some embodiments, a haptic actuator may be automatically activated when one or more detected user states are compared to one or more predetermined activation parameters to determine the user is experiencing an episode related to a condition of the user. In another embodiment, one or more operating parameters of a haptic actuator may be updated if the haptic actuator did not provided a desired amount of subjective symptom relief to a user during use. In yet another embodiment, a haptic actuator may create an event log based on activation events when the haptic actuator is used to provide symptom relief for a condition of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, David Cohen-Tanugi, Kristen Warren, Robert Balke
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Publication number: 20200352777Abstract: Systems and methods for manipulating the temperature of a surface are described. Described embodiments include thermal adjustment devices that may include a heatsink and that are operated in two or more modes of operation to apply a desired temperature to a user. In one operating mode the thermal adjustment device may apply a first temperature to an underlying surface while generating heat at a rate faster than the heatsink's heat dissipation rate. The thermal adjustment device may then apply a second temperature to reduce the rate of heat generation to be less than the heatsink's heat dissipation rate. These modes of operation may be applied cyclically to permit continuous operation of the thermal adjustment device. In some embodiments, the temperature profile applied when changing between the modes of operation may be selected such that the user experiences either a reduced, or substantially, neutral thermal sensation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2019Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, James Edwin Pendergrast
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Publication number: 20200050248Abstract: Methods and devices for manipulating the temperature of a surface are generally provided. The present disclosure relates to a device including one or more heating and/or cooling elements, or other suitable thermal adjustment apparatus(es), placed near a surface, such as the skin of a user. The device may be configured to generate one or more (optionally alternating) thermal profiles at the surface, which may include a series of thermal pulses and/or essentially continuous or semi-continuous thermal input, which may vary over time. Such thermal profiles, when suitably applied, may provide enhanced thermal sensations for a user which, in some cases, may provide the user with a more pleasurable thermal experience than would otherwise be the case without the generation of the thermal profiles. In some embodiments, an alternating thermal profile may include an average frequency, an oscillation window, and/or an average temperature, each of which may be adjustable.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2017Publication date: February 13, 2020Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, Kristen Warren, David Cohen-Tanugi, Samuel Shames
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Publication number: 20190110950Abstract: Methods of operating a haptic actuator to apply physical and/or thermal sensations to a user to provide subjective symptom relief to a user are described. In some embodiments, a haptic actuator may be automatically activated when one or more detected user states are compared to one or more predetermined activation parameters to determine the user is experiencing an episode related to a condition of the user. In another embodiment, one or more operating parameters of a haptic actuator may be updated if the haptic actuator did not provided a desired amount of subjective symptom relief to a user during use. In yet another embodiment, a haptic actuator may create an event log based on activation events when the haptic actuator is used to provide symptom relief for a condition of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2018Publication date: April 18, 2019Applicant: EMBR Labs Inc.Inventors: Matthew J. Smith, David Cohen-Tanugi, Kristen Warren, Robert Balke