Patents by Inventor Mark A. Baloga

Mark A. Baloga 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: 11856326
    Abstract: A system and method for creating a virtual world conferencing experience wherein a first set of real world emissive surfaces and content thereon is replicated on virtual world emissive surfaces where the virtual world emissive surfaces are juxtaposed in a virtual world instance at locations and in orientations that replicate the juxtapositions in the real world arrangement and where the virtual world instance is presented on a second set of real world emissive surfaces at a virtual world workstation where the second set of emissive surfaces are arranged differently than the first set of real world surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas de Benoist, Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Paul Noll, Terry West
  • Publication number: 20230397723
    Abstract: A conferencing assembly, the assembly comprising a first table assembly including (i) a first table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges, (ii) at least a first display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the first table top, a second table assembly including (i) a second table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges and (ii) at least a second display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the second table top. The system also includes first and second controls enabling first and second users to selectively take control of one of the first and second displays and to present information from a computer device on a selected one of the first and second displays. The table tops are arranged with front edges facing and spaced apart from each other, and the second display screen is substantially parallel to and facing the first display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Mark A. Baloga, Frank G. Graziano
  • Patent number: 11775127
    Abstract: A conferencing arrangement for sharing information within a conference space, the arrangement comprising a common presentation surface including a presentation surface area, a common presentation surface driver, a system processor linked to the driver and receiving and presenting the information content via the common presentation surface and a portable user interface device including a device display screen and a device processor, the device processor programmed to provide an interface via the device display screen useable to view content and to enter a command to replicate content presented on the device display on the common presentation surface, the device processor capable of identifying a direction of a swiping action on the interface as a command to replicate the content, wherein, upon identifying that the direction of a swiping action on the interface is in the direction of the common presentation surface, the arrangement creates a sharing space on the presentation surface area and replicates the cont
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Patent number: 11490051
    Abstract: A system and method for creating a virtual world conferencing experience wherein a first set of real world emissive surfaces and content thereon is replicated on virtual world emissive surfaces where the virtual world emissive surfaces are juxtaposed in a virtual world instance at locations and in orientations that replicate the juxtapositions in the real world arrangement and where the virtual world instance is presented on a second set of real world emissive surfaces at a virtual world workstation where the second set of emissive surfaces are arranged differently than the first set of real world surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas de Benoist, Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Paul Noll, Terry West
  • Patent number: 11443254
    Abstract: An apparatus for sharing information in a space comprising a first two dimensional outer emissive surface, a first two dimensional inner emissive surface, a support structure resting on and extending upward from the support floor, the support structure supporting the first outer emissive surface with a first outer surface bottom edge at a work surface height, a first outer surface top edge at a ridge height above the work surface height and supporting the first inner emissive surface with a first inner surface bottom edge at a valley height below the work surface height, a first inner surface top edge at a height above the work surface height, the first inner emissive surface spaced behind the first outer emissive surface by at least twelve inches to form a space between the first outer emissive surface and the first inner emissive surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Patent number: 11327626
    Abstract: A conferencing arrangement for sharing information within a conference space, the arrangement comprising a common presentation surface including a presentation surface area, a common presentation surface driver, a system processor linked to the driver and receiving and presenting the information content via the common presentation surface and a portable user interface device including a device display screen and a device processor, the device processor programmed to provide an interface via the device display screen useable to view content and to enter a command to replicate content presented on the device display on the common presentation surface, the device processor capable of identifying a direction of a swiping action on the interface as a command to replicate the content, wherein, upon identifying that the direction of a swiping action on the interface is in the direction of the common presentation surface, the arrangement creates a sharing space on the presentation surface area and replicates the cont
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Publication number: 20220087418
    Abstract: A conferencing assembly, the assembly comprising a first table assembly including (i) a first table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges, (ii) at least a first display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the first table top, a second table assembly including (i) a second table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges and (ii) at least a second display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the second table top. The system also includes first and second controls enabling first and second users to selectively take control of one of the first and second displays and to present information from a computer device on a selected one of the first and second displays. The table tops are arranged with front edges facing and spaced apart from each other, and the second display screen is substantially parallel to and facing the first display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Mark A. Baloga, Frank G. Graziano
  • Patent number: 11246193
    Abstract: An emissive surface assembly includes an emissive surface configuration having a substantially contiguous emissive surface on which visual content may be presented. The emissive surface configuration has emissive surface sections including at least a first substantially flat emissive surface section, at least first and second curved emissive surface sections that are curved about first and second non-parallel axis, the first curved section positioned adjacent a first edge of the first substantially flat emissive surface section, the second curved section adjacent a second edge of the first substantially flat emissive surface section, each of the curved and flat surface sections forming a portion of the substantially contiguous emissive surface, and a driver for presenting content on the substantially contiguous emissive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Patent number: 11238382
    Abstract: A system comprising a database storing schedule information associated with different meeting spaces, at least a first threshold display located proximate at least a first meeting space, an employee tracking system, a processor programmed to perform the steps of receiving employee tracking information including locations and identities, determining the relative juxtapositions of employees with respect to the first threshold display, identifying content to be presented on the first threshold display based on identity of a first employee, a distance between the first employee and the display and the schedule information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Terry D. West, Paul Noll, Nicolas Henri Louis de Benoist de Gentissart, Karl Jahn Mead
  • Patent number: 11102857
    Abstract: An emissive surface assembly includes an emissive surface configuration having a substantially contiguous emissive surface on which visual content may be presented. The emissive surface configuration has emissive surface sections including at least a first substantially flat emissive surface section, at least first and second curved emissive surface sections that are curved about first and second non-parallel axis, the first curved section positioned adjacent a first edge of the first substantially flat emissive surface section, the second curved section adjacent a second edge of the first substantially flat emissive surface section, each of the curved and flat surface sections forming a portion of the substantially contiguous emissive surface, and a driver for presenting content on the substantially contiguous emissive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Patent number: 11100282
    Abstract: A system for use with different space types, each space type including emissive surfaces, each emissive surface controllable to present content within the space, the system comprising a database that includes a separate template for each space type, each template indicating surfaces associated with the space type, relative juxtapositions of the surfaces in the space and content types to be presented in each surface, a processor programmed to allow a user to select a space type, identify an associated space type template, identifying content types for each surface and storing the received content in a session specification for subsequent access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Mark Baloga, Terry D. West, Nicolas De Benoist, Paul Noll, Francis Gerard Graziano, Paul Siebert
  • Patent number: 11006073
    Abstract: A system and method for creating a virtual world conferencing experience wherein a first set of real world emissive surfaces and content thereon is replicated on virtual world emissive surfaces where the virtual world emissive surfaces are juxtaposed in a virtual world instance at locations and in orientations that replicate the juxtapositions in the real world arrangement and where the virtual world instance is presented on a second set of real world emissive surfaces at a virtual world workstation where the second set of emissive surfaces are arranged differently than the first set of real world surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas de Benoist, Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Paul Noll, Terry West
  • Patent number: 10983659
    Abstract: A conferencing arrangement for sharing information within a conference space, the arrangement comprising a common presentation surface including a presentation surface area, a common presentation surface driver, a system processor linked to the driver and receiving and presenting the information content via the common presentation surface and a portable user interface device including a device display screen and a device processor, the device processor programmed to provide an interface via the device display screen useable to view content and to enter a command to replicate content presented on the device display on the common presentation surface, the device processor capable of identifying a direction of a swiping action on the interface as a command to replicate the content, wherein, upon identifying that the direction of a swiping action on the interface is in the direction of the common presentation surface, the arrangement creates a sharing space on the presentation surface area and replicates the cont
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Patent number: 10977588
    Abstract: An apparatus for sharing information in a space comprising a first two dimensional outer emissive surface, a first two dimensional inner emissive surface, a support structure resting on and extending upward from the support floor, the support structure supporting the first outer emissive surface with a first outer surface bottom edge at a work surface height, a first outer surface top edge at a ridge height above the work surface height and supporting the first inner emissive surface with a first inner surface bottom edge at a valley height below the work surface height, a first inner surface top edge at a height above the work surface height, the first inner emissive surface spaced behind the first outer emissive surface by at least twelve inches to form a space between the first outer emissive surface and the first inner emissive surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A Baloga
  • Patent number: 10754491
    Abstract: A conferencing arrangement for sharing information within a conference space, the arrangement comprising a common presentation surface including a presentation surface area, a common presentation surface driver, a system processor linked to the driver and receiving and presenting the information content via the common presentation surface and a portable user interface device including a device display screen and a device processor, the device processor programmed to provide an interface via the device display screen useable to view content and to enter a command to replicate content presented on the device display on the common presentation surface, the device processor capable of identifying a direction of a swiping action on the interface as a command to replicate the content, wherein, upon identifying that the direction of a swiping action on the interface is in the direction of the common presentation surface, the arrangement creates a sharing space on the presentation surface area and replicates the cont
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Patent number: 10733371
    Abstract: A system for use with different space types, each space type including emissive surfaces, each emissive surface controllable to present content within the space, the system comprising a database that includes a separate template for each space type, each template indicating surfaces associated with the space type, relative juxtapositions of the surfaces in the space and content types to be presented in each surface, a processor programmed to allow a user to select a space type, identify an associated space type template, identifying content types for each surface and storing the received content in a session specification for subsequent access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Mark Baloga, Terry D. West, Nicolas De Benoist, Paul Noll, Francis Gerard Graziano, Paul Siebert
  • Patent number: 10652967
    Abstract: A workstation assembly comprising an emissive surface assembly including a substantially contiguous emissive surface on which visual content may be presented, the emissive surface assembly including emissive surface sections including first and second substantially flat emissive surface sections wherein one of the first and second flat sections is substantially horizontal and the other of the first and second flat sections is at least somewhat vertical, first and second curved surface sections that are curved about first and second non-parallel axis, the first curved section positioned between and adjacent the first and second flat surface sections, the second curved section adjacent an edge of the first substantially flat emissive surface section, each of the curved and flat surface sections forming a portion of the substantially contiguous emissive surface, a support structure and a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Publication number: 20200046117
    Abstract: A conferencing assembly, the assembly comprising a first table assembly including (i) a first table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges, (ii) at least a first display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the first table top, a second table assembly including (i) a second table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges and (ii) at least a second display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the second table top. The system also includes first and second controls enabling first and second users to selectively take control of one of the first and second displays and to present information from a computer device on a selected one of the first and second displays. The table tops are arranged with front edges facing and spaced apart from each other, and the second display screen is substantially parallel to and facing the first display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Mark A. Baloga, Frank G. Graziano
  • Patent number: 10492608
    Abstract: A conferencing assembly, the assembly comprising a first table assembly including (i) a first table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges, (ii) at least a first display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the first table top, a second table assembly including (i) a second table top having oppositely facing front and rear edges and (ii) at least a second display screen supported adjacent the rear edge of the second table top, wherein, the first and second table assemblies arranged so that the front edges thereof are spaced apart to form a gap with the second display screen substantially parallel to and facing the first display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Baloga, Frank G. Graziano
  • Patent number: 10404938
    Abstract: A system and method for creating a virtual world conferencing experience wherein a first set of real world emissive surfaces and content thereon is replicated on virtual world emissive surfaces where the virtual world emissive surfaces are juxtaposed in a virtual world instance at locations and in orientations that replicate the juxtapositions in the real world arrangement and where the virtual world instance is presented on a second set of real world emissive surfaces at a virtual world workstation where the second set of emissive surfaces are arranged differently than the first set of real world surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nicolas De Benoist, Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Paul Noll, Terry West