Patents by Inventor Mark Kraz
Mark Kraz 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: 20210164623Abstract: A light ring assembly for a smart-home device may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light guide, where the light guide may include a plurality of cutouts that receive the plurality of LEDs, and a plurality of transmissive sections between the plurality of cutouts where a thickness of the transmissive sections tapers as the transmissive sections extend away from the plurality of cutouts. The light ring assembly may also include an output surface that receives light emitted from the plurality of LEDs through the plurality of transmissive sections, where the output surface is substantially circular.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2021Publication date: June 3, 2021Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Mark Kraz, Amber Volmering, Bryan Macomber, Jacobi Grillo, Adam Kilgore
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Publication number: 20210120151Abstract: The various implementations described herein include a video camera assembly that includes: (1) a housing; (2) an image sensor encased in the housing and configured to capture activity of the smart home environment; (3) a wireless radio configured to transmit video frames captured by the image sensor to an electronic device via a remote server; (4) at least one infrared transmitter configured to selectively illuminate the smart home environment; (5) one or more circuit boards encased in the housing, the one or more circuit boards including at least one processor mounted thereon; and (6) a heating component coupled to the image sensor, the heating component configured to continuously maintain the image sensor at a temperature above a threshold temperature while the image sensor is capturing the activity of the smart home environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2020Publication date: April 22, 2021Inventors: Jason Rukes, Tyler Wilson, Amber Volmering, William Dong, Jeffrey Law, Jason Goulden, Guangxun Liao, Kevin Edward Booth, Dietrich Ho, Daniel Patrick Foran, Oliver Mueller, Mark Kraz
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Publication number: 20210074073Abstract: A method for guiding installation of smart-home devices may include capturing, by a camera of a mobile computing device, a view of an installation location for a smart-home device; identifying a wire in the view of the installation location for the smart-home device; determining an instruction for connecting the wire to the smart-home device; and displaying the view of the installation location for a smart-home device with the instruction for connecting the wire to the smart-home device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Adam Mittleman, Jason Chamberlain, Jacobi Grillo, Daniel Biran, Mark Kraz, Lauren Chanen, Daniel Foran, David Fichou, William Dong, Bao-Tram Phan Nguyen, Brian Silverstein, Yash Modi, Alex Finlayson, Dongeek Shin
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Patent number: 10914431Abstract: A light ring assembly for a smart-home device may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light guide, where the light guide may include a plurality of cutouts that receive the plurality of LEDs, and a plurality of transmissive sections between the plurality of cutouts where a thickness of the transmissive sections tapers as the transmissive sections extend away from the plurality of cutouts. The light ring assembly may also include an output surface that receives light emitted from the plurality of LEDs through the plurality of transmissive sections, where the output surface is substantially circular.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Mark Kraz, Amber Volmering, Bryan Macomber, Jacobi Grillo, Adam Kilgore
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Patent number: 10914430Abstract: A light ring assembly for a smart-home device may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light guide, where the light guide may include a plurality of cutouts that receive the plurality of LEDs, and a plurality of transmissive sections between the plurality of cutouts. The light ring assembly may also include an output surface that receives light emitted from the plurality of LEDs through the plurality of transmissive sections, where the output surface is substantially circular. The light guide may also include a plurality of micro-lenses in the plurality of transmissive sections where a relative density of the micro-lenses increases as the transmissive sections extend away from the plurality of cutouts.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Mark Kraz, Amber Volmering, Bryan Macomber, Jacobi Grillo, Adam Kilgore
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Patent number: 10880460Abstract: The various implementations described herein include a video camera assembly that includes: (1) a housing; (2) an image sensor encased in the housing and configured to capture activity of the smart home environment; (3) a wireless radio configured to transmit video frames captured by the image sensor to an electronic device via a remote server; (4) at least one infrared transmitter configured to selectively illuminate the smart home environment; (5) one or more circuit boards encased in the housing, the one or more circuit boards including at least one processor mounted thereon; and (6) a heating component coupled to the image sensor, the heating component configured to continuously maintain the image sensor at a temperature above a threshold temperature while the image sensor is capturing the activity of the smart home environment.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2020Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Jason Rukes, Tyler Wilson, Amber Volmering, William Dong, Jeffrey Law, Jason Goulden, Guangxun Liao, Kevin Edward Booth, Dietrich Ho, Daniel Patrick Foran, Oliver Mueller, Mark Kraz
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Patent number: 10839608Abstract: A method for optimizing the placement of smart-home devices may include receiving, by a mobile computing device, a location for a smart-home device, where the mobile computing device comprises a display and a camera; rendering a view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device, where the view of the virtual object is rendered based on a position corresponding to a position of the mobile computing device; and displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2019Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Adam Mittleman, Jason Chamberlain, Jacobi Grillo, Daniel Biran, Mark Kraz, Lauren Chanen, Daniel Foran, David Fichou, William Dong, Bao-Tram Phan Nguyen, Brian Silverstein, Yash Modi, Alex Finlayson, Dongeek Shin
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Publication number: 20200340620Abstract: An attachment mechanism for mounting an electronic device to a surface including a mounting plate configured to attach to the surface, the mounting plate having at least one projection, and a base configured to releasably couple to the mounting plate. The base may include a first biasing member, and a first arm pivotably coupled to the base and biased toward a first direction by the first biasing member, the first arm configured to interlock with the at least one projection when the base is coupled to the mounting plate. The base may further include a release mechanism coupled to the first arm such that actuation of the release mechanism when the base is coupled to the mounting plate in a secured engagement causes movement of the first arm in a second direction to disengage the first arm from the at least one projection to enable detachment of the base from the mounting plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2020Publication date: October 29, 2020Applicant: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Jeffrey Law, William Dong, Oliver Mueller, Kevin Booth, Tyler Wilson, Mark Kraz
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Patent number: 10795244Abstract: A hinge for an electronic device includes a base including a stem, a ball rigidly fixed to the stem, a first friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a first outer surface of the ball, a second friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a second outer surface of the ball, the second outer surface of the ball being on a side of the ball that is opposite the first outer surface of the ball, and a biasing member configured to bias the first and/or second friction surface against the ball to generate a frictional force sufficient to hold the first and second friction surfaces in a set position relative to the ball.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Tyler Wilson, Kevin Booth, Jeffrey Law, Mark Kraz, Oliver Mueller
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Publication number: 20200244845Abstract: The various implementations described herein include a video camera assembly that includes: (1) a housing; (2) an image sensor encased in the housing and configured to capture activity of the smart home environment; (3) a wireless radio configured to transmit video frames captured by the image sensor to an electronic device via a remote server; (4) at least one infrared transmitter configured to selectively illuminate the smart home environment; (5) one or more circuit boards encased in the housing, the one or more circuit boards including at least one processor mounted thereon; and (6) a heating component coupled to the image sensor, the heating component configured to continuously maintain the image sensor at a temperature above a threshold temperature while the image sensor is capturing the activity of the smart home environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Jason Rukes, Tyler Wilson, Amber Volmering, William Dong, Jeffrey Law, Jason Goulden, Guangxun Liao, Kevin Edward Booth, Dietrich Ho, Daniel Patrick Foran, Oliver Mueller, Mark Kraz
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Publication number: 20200244844Abstract: The various implementations described herein include a video camera assembly that includes: (1) a housing; (2) an image sensor positioned within the housing and having a field of view corresponding to a scene in the smart home environment; and (3) a concave-shaped front face positioned in front of the image sensor such that light from the scene passes through the front face prior to entering the image sensor; where the front face includes: (a) an inner section corresponding to the image sensor; and (b) an outer section between the housing and the inner section, the outer section having a concave shape that extends from an outer periphery of the outer section to an inner periphery of the outer section; and where the concave shape extends around an entirety of the outer periphery.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Mark Kraz, Kevin Edward Booth, Tyler Scott Wilson, Nicholas Webb, Jason Evans Goulden, William Dong, Jeffrey Law, Rochus Jacob, Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Oliver Mueller
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Patent number: 10697583Abstract: An attachment mechanism for mounting an electronic device to a surface including a mounting plate configured to attach to the surface, the mounting plate having at least one projection, and a base configured to releasably couple to the mounting plate. The base may include a first biasing member, and a first arm pivotably coupled to the base and biased toward a first direction by the first biasing member, the first arm configured to interlock with the at least one projection when the base is coupled to the mounting plate. The base may further include a release mechanism coupled to the first arm such that actuation of the release mechanism when the base is coupled to the mounting plate in a secured engagement causes movement of the first arm in a second direction to disengage the first arm from the at least one projection to enable detachment of the base from the mounting plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Jeffrey Law, William Dong, Oliver Mueller, Kevin Booth, Tyler Wilson, Mark Kraz
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Patent number: 10602035Abstract: The various implementations described herein include a video camera assembly that includes: (1) a housing; (2) an image sensor encased in the housing and configured to capture activity of the smart home environment; (3) a wireless radio configured to transmit video frames captured by the image sensor to an electronic device via a remote server; (4) at least one infrared transmitter configured to selectively illuminate the smart home environment; (5) one or more circuit boards encased in the housing, the one or more circuit boards including at least one processor mounted thereon; and (6) a heating component coupled to the image sensor, the heating component configured to continuously maintain the image sensor at a temperature above a threshold temperature while the image sensor is capturing the activity of the smart home environment.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2017Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Jason Rukes, Tyler Wilson, Amber Volmering, William Dong, Jeffrey Law, Jason Goulden, Guangxun Liao, Kevin Edward Booth, Dietrich Ho, Daniel Patrick Foran, Oliver Mueller, Mark Kraz
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Patent number: 10530974Abstract: The various implementations described herein include a video camera assembly that includes: (1) a housing; (2) an image sensor positioned within the housing and having a field of view corresponding to a scene; and (3) a concave-shaped front face positioned in front of the image sensor such that light from the scene passes through the front face prior to entering the image sensor; where the front face has a concave shape that extends around an entirety of an outer periphery.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Mark Kraz, Kevin Edward Booth, Tyler Scott Wilson, Nicholas Webb, Jason Evans Goulden, William Dong, Jeffrey Law, Rochus Jacob, Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Oliver Mueller, Brian Conner, Scott Mullins
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Publication number: 20190385373Abstract: A method for optimizing the placement of smart-home devices may include receiving, by a mobile computing device, a location for a smart-home device, where the mobile computing device comprises a display and a camera; rendering a view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device, where the view of the virtual object is rendered based on a position corresponding to a position of the mobile computing device; and displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Adam Mittleman, Jason Chamberlain, Jacobi Grillo, Daniel Biran, Mark Kraz, Lauren Chanen, Daniel Foran, David Fichou, William Dong, Bao-Tram Phan Nguyen, Brian Silverstein, Yash Modi, Alex Finlayson, Dongeek Shin
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Publication number: 20190339596Abstract: A hinge for an electronic device includes a base including a stem, a ball rigidly fixed to the stem, a first friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a first outer surface of the ball, a second friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a second outer surface of the ball, the second outer surface of the ball being on a side of the ball that is opposite the first outer surface of the ball, and a biasing member configured to bias the first and/or second friction surface against the ball to generate a frictional force sufficient to hold the first and second friction surfaces in a set position relative to the ball.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2019Publication date: November 7, 2019Applicant: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Tyler Wilson, Kevin Booth, Jeffrey Law, Mark Kraz, Oliver Mueller
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Patent number: 10401710Abstract: A hinge for an electronic device includes a base including a stem, a ball rigidly fixed to the stem, a first friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a first outer surface of the ball, a second friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a second outer surface of the ball, the second outer surface of the ball being on a side of the ball that is opposite the first outer surface of the ball, and a biasing member configured to bias the first and/or second friction surface against the ball to generate a frictional force sufficient to hold the first and second friction surfaces in a set position relative to the ball.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: GOOGLE LLCInventors: Tyler Wilson, Kevin Booth, Jeffrey Law, Mark Kraz, Oliver Mueller
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Publication number: 20190208095Abstract: A light ring assembly for a smart-home device may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light guide, where the light guide may include a plurality of cutouts that receive the plurality of LEDs, and a plurality of transmissive sections between the plurality of cutouts. The light ring assembly may also include an output surface that receives light emitted from the plurality of LEDs through the plurality of transmissive sections, where the output surface is substantially circular. The light guide may also include a plurality of micro-lenses in the plurality of transmissive sections where a relative density of the micro-lenses increases as the transmissive sections extend away from the plurality of cutouts.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2018Publication date: July 4, 2019Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Mark Kraz, Amber Volmering, Bryan Macomber, Jacobi Grillo, Adam Kilgore
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Publication number: 20190203888Abstract: A light ring assembly for a smart-home device may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a light guide, where the light guide may include a plurality of cutouts that receive the plurality of LEDs, and a plurality of transmissive sections between the plurality of cutouts where a thickness of the transmissive sections tapers as the transmissive sections extend away from the plurality of cutouts. The light ring assembly may also include an output surface that receives light emitted from the plurality of LEDs through the plurality of transmissive sections, where the output surface is substantially circular.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2018Publication date: July 4, 2019Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Mark Kraz, Amber Volmering, Bryan Macomber, Jacobi Grillo, Adam Kilgore
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Publication number: 20190172332Abstract: Various arrangements of a surface mount system are presented herein. The system may include a surface mount plate. The surface mount plate may include a circular lip and nubs located along the circular lip. The system may also include a device housing. The device housing can include slider clips that removably clip to the circular lip of the surface mount plate when the plurality of slider clips are pushed against the circular lip. The slider clips can be disengaged from the circular lip of the surface mount plate when the device housing is rotated with respect to the surface mount plate such that the nubs located on the surface mount plate push the slider clips away from the circular lip.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2019Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Mark Kraz, Adam Mittleman