Patents by Inventor Kurt Piersol

Kurt Piersol 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).

  • Patent number: 9525547
    Abstract: Techniques are described for communicating electronic media keys from one device to another. The target device may comprise different mechanisms for indicating that transmission of a media key is in progress and also to indicate successful transmission. Various actions may be performed in response to transmission of media keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: John W. Barrus, Jamey Graham, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 9396426
    Abstract: Techniques that enable a device to advertise its mode of operation using an RFID tag attached to the device. Techniques are provided for programmatically controlling an RFID tag. An RFID tag attached to a device is programmatically enabled or disabled depending upon the mode(s) of operation of the device. The RFID tag is able to transmit a signal when enabled and not able to transmit a signal when disabled. Using such a controllable RFID tag, a device can efficiently indicate or advertise its mode of operation to an RFID reader or sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kurt Piersol, Ken Gudan
  • Patent number: 9357098
    Abstract: A mixed media reality (MMR) system includes an MMR user, a MMR computer, a user printer that produces a printed document, a networked media server, an office portal, a service provider server, an electronic display that is electrically connected to a set-top box, a document scanner, a network, a capture device, a cellular infrastructure, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology, Bluetooth® technology, infrared (IR) technology, wired technology, and a geo location mechanism. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types, such as printed paper as a first medium and a digital photograph, digital movie, digital audio file, or web link as a second medium. Furthermore, the MMR system facilitates business methods that take advantage of the combination of a portable electronic device, voice mail or email, and a paper document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jamey Graham, Kevin Ridout, Stephen A. Weyl, Jonathan J. Hull, Peter E. Hart, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 9342777
    Abstract: Techniques that enable a device to advertise its mode of operation using an RFID tag attached to the device. Techniques are provided for programmatically controlling an RFID tag. An RFID tag attached to a device is programmatically enabled or disabled depending upon the mode(s) of operation of the device. The RFID tag is able to transmit a signal when enabled and not able to transmit a signal when disabled. Using such a controllable RFID tag, a device can efficiently indicate or advertise its mode of operation to an RFID reader or sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kurt Piersol, Ken Gudan
  • Publication number: 20150379043
    Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a media document that includes media of at least two types, such as printed paper as a first medium and a digital photograph, digital movie, digital audio file, or web link as a second medium. Furthermore, the MMR system facilitates business methods that take advantage of the combination of a portable electronic device, such as a cellular camera phone, and a paper document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Hull, Berna Erol, Jamey Graham, Peter E. Hart, Dar-Shyang Lee, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 9063953
    Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system includes an MMR user, a MMR computer, a user printer that produces a printed document, a networked media server, an office portal, a service provider server, an electronic display that is electrically connected to a set-top box, a document scanner, a network, a capture device, a cellular infrastructure, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology, Bluetooth® technology, infrared (IR) technology, wired technology, and a geo location mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Hull, Berna Erol, Jamey Graham, Peter E. Hart, Dar-Shyang Lee, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8996483
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for recording associations with logs are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises obtaining a first media identifier corresponding to a first media; accessing a log that contains one or more entries that associate two or more media identifiers with each other; and determining that the first media is related to a second media based on the log indicating that a second media identifier is associated with, but different from, the first media identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Gormish, Stephen R. Savitzky, Kevin Ridout, Kurt Piersol, Bradley Rhodes, Martin Boliek, Geoffrey H. Nudd
  • Patent number: 8885832
    Abstract: A distributed peer-to-peer document archive system provides version-control, security, access control, linking among stored documents and remote access to documents usually associated with centralized storage systems while still providing the simplicity, personalization and robustness to network outages associated with personal and peer-to-peer storage systems. A “keyring” is an encrypted repository that allows a user to recover and access a user's entire digital archive with a single master key. After the key is created, it does not need to be updated, and can be stored in a safe, safety-deposit box or other secure location. In the event the user's computer is stolen or destroyed, the user need only install the system on a new machine and import the master key. The system will then use that key to browse nearby servers to find and decrypt all files necessary to recreate the full digital archive in its most recent state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bradley J. Rhodes, Stephen R Savitzky, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8824835
    Abstract: Techniques for generating fingerprints for articles and using the fingerprints for various applications. Scan-related parameter values, including the area of an article scanned, may be specified and varied from one scan to another for collecting data points used for generating fingerprints for articles. A paper shredder is provided that is configured to, prior to shredding a paper sheet, scan the paper sheet and generate a fingerprint for the paper sheet. Fingerprints may also be generated for media keys that are used to access media data. The fingerprint generated for a media key may be used to authenticate the media key. Access to media data corresponding to the media key may be made contingent on successful authentication of the media key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Kurt Piersol, Peter E. Hart, Jonathan J. Hull
  • Patent number: 8788830
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for logging based identification are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises extracting entries of a hash chained log that represents a series of previous transactions. The method may also comprise ordering hash values of the entries extracted from the hash chained log into an ordered list. In one embodiment, the method may further comprise producing a cryptographic hash of the ordered list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8600989
    Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system provides for image matching portions of a document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Hull, Berna Erol, Peter E. Hart, Dar-Shyang Lee, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8594727
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for providing an I/O extension for a mobile device. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a first interface to the mobile device; a second interface to a cloud; a third interface to a display device; a fourth interface to one or more user input devices; and a controller, coupled to the first, second, third and fourth interfaces, to coordinate information exchange between the mobile device, the cloud and the one or more user input devices to enable display on the display device of data from the mobile device and the cloud, including full-resolution rendered web pages from a full browser running on the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter E. Hart, Xu Liu, Ken Gudan, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8566752
    Abstract: Methods and method and apparatus are disclosed herein for marking electronic documents with one or more persistent selection marks. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving input representing one or more marks on a document image; determining whether the one or more marks represents a selection of a persistent selectable area that delineates information in the document image; and storing data corresponding to the selection to enable a user in the future to obtain the information in the document image by performing an action with respect to the one or more marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kurt Piersol, Gabriel Johnson
  • Publication number: 20130234835
    Abstract: Techniques that enable a device to advertise its mode of operation using an RFID tag attached to the device. Techniques are provided for programmatically controlling an RFID tag. An RFID tag attached to a device is programmatically enabled or disabled depending upon the mode(s) of operation of the device. The RFID tag is able to transmit a signal when enabled and not able to transmit a signal when disabled. Using such a controllable RFID tag, a device can efficiently indicate or advertise its mode of operation to an RFID reader or sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kurt Piersol, Ken Gudan
  • Patent number: 8521737
    Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system provides for multi-tier image matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter E. Hart, Berna Erol, Jonathan J. Hull, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8489583
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for retrieving electronic documents based upon images captured using an image capture device. One or more images captured by a user using an image capture device are used to search a set of documents to retrieve one or more documents that match the search query. The one or more documents retrieved by the search may then be provided to the user or some other recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daja Phillips, Kurt Piersol, Gregory Wolff
  • Patent number: 8438164
    Abstract: Techniques for providing relevant information to a user based on information or documents accessed or viewed by the user. The relevant information is provided automatically to the user without requiring user input. The information provided to the user is selected from information provided by various content provider systems. The present invention uses several techniques to determine relevancy between the contents of the document accessed by the user and between the information provided by the content provider systems. The relevancy information is used to select information to be provided to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Hull, Jamey Graham, Peter Hart, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8412946
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating and/or using trustworthy timestamps and certifiable clocks using logs linked by cryptographic hashes. In one embodiment, the method comprises maintaining a first, chained-hash log; associating a first clock with the chained-hash log, and entangling the first log; with a second by adding a time-stamped synchronization entry to the chained-hash log, where the synchronization entry has a second time indication associated with the second log and a hash of one or more entries in the first log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen Savitzky, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8335789
    Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system provides for document fingerprint matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Hull, Berna Erol, Peter E. Hart, Dar-Shyang Lee, Kurt Piersol
  • Patent number: 8332401
    Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system provides for position-based image matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Hull, Berna Erol, Peter E. Hart, Dar-Shyang Lee, Kurt Piersol