Patents by Inventor Richard Sloan
Richard Sloan 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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Patent number: 11582523Abstract: A video-based competition platform supports video-based competitions between possibly geographically distributed competitors. The video-based competition platform enables users of electronic communication devices to create, compete, view, and vote in video-based competitions. In at least some embodiments, a video-based competition is presented to a user with two or more video clips played in conjunction. The video clips may be synchronized to a time base and/or common audio clip.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Virtual Arts, Inc.Inventors: Ryan Jordan, Richard Sloan, Marco Buhlmann, Jeffrey Sloan, Gary McKiernan
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Publication number: 20220021938Abstract: A video-based competition platform supports video-based competitions between possibly geographically distributed competitors. The video-based competition platform enables users of electronic communication devices to create, compete, view, and vote in video-based competitions. In at least some embodiments, a video-based competition is presented to a user with two or more video clips played in conjunction. The video clips may be synchronized to a time base and/or common audio clip.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: RYAN JORDAN, RICHARD SLOAN, MARCO BUHLMANN, JEFFREY SLOAN, GARY MCKIERNAN
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Patent number: 8979405Abstract: A printing system has fixed print heads in positions that are subject to adjustment between print jobs. The system provides a print preview display that includes a representation of the item of printing stock on which the printing is to be performed. The print preview display also includes a first printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a first one of the print heads. The print preview display further includes a second printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a second one of the print heads.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2005Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Yichun Zhang, Patrick Rolling, Paul R. Sette, Richard A. Sloan, Jr.
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Patent number: 8757910Abstract: A printer having a printer deck and a media support mechanism having a flexible biased mount is provided. In one configuration, the media support mechanism includes an adjustable side guide that is mounted in a biased clamp mechanism. The biased clamp mechanism includes opposing clamps arranged in the same plane that each have two portions with at least one biased toward the other portion. Each opposing clamp includes a top portion and a bottom portion fixed to the printer deck by a shoulder bolt wherein the bottom portion engages a coil spring and is spring biased from the deck toward the top portion of the clamp to engage the mounting portion of the side guide. The coil springs are selected to apply sufficient force to facilitate holding the side guide sufficiently in place during operation and to also allow a reasonable force to adjust the width of the side guide.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2009Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: David E. Kayser, Victor C. Riccardi, Richard A. Sloan, Jr.
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Patent number: 8526016Abstract: Printing systems and methods for user-selectable dynamic soft font and print stream data template control processing in a printer driver are provided. The system utilizes a print job driver screen that provides the user with a selectable option to convert soft fonts into graphics that are transferred to the printer. When using multi-byte fonts, and in particular when using multi-byte fonts in a character mangling operating system, printer memory may be rapidly allocated and consumed. However, soft fonts persist in printer memory for the length of the print job. The printer system provided herein allows the user to dynamically select an option to forgo soft font loading for the entire print job and instead transmit appropriate font graphics that are discarded from memory after use after a character threshold has been reached.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2008Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Richard A. Sloan, Jr., David G. Collings, John R. LePage
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Patent number: 8186272Abstract: A method and system for drying printed ink on the face of a substrate material such as a mailpiece. The method comprising the steps of (i) providing a dryer having at least one variable output element for producing a plurality of dryer configurations, (ii) developing data correlating each of the dryer configurations with at least one print characteristic, (iii) storing the developed data in a memory storage device, (iv) obtaining the print characteristic associated with a particular print job and comparing the print characteristic with the developed data to define a desired dryer configuration, (v) adapting the dryer to assume the desired dryer configuration based upon the print characteristic, and (vi) drying the ink printed on the face of the substrate material. The system may include a taggant introduced into the ink and a means for identifying the taggant to determine the type of ink and the desired dryer configuration.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2007Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Jay Reichelsheimer, Richard A. Sloan, Jr., George M. Macdonald
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Publication number: 20110052302Abstract: A printer having a printer deck and a media support mechanism having a flexible biased mount is provided. In one configuration, the media support mechanism includes an adjustable side guide that is mounted in a biased clamp mechanism. The biased clamp mechanism includes opposing clamps arranged in the same plane that each have two portions with at least one biased toward the other portion. Each opposing clamp includes a top portion and a bottom portion fixed to the printer deck by a shoulder bolt wherein the bottom portion engages a coil spring and is spring biased from the deck toward the top portion of the clamp to engage the mounting portion of the side guide. The coil springs are selected to apply sufficient force to facilitate holding the side guide sufficiently in place during operation and to also allow a reasonable force to adjust the width of the side guide.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: David E. Kayser, Victor C. Riccardi, Richard A. Sloan, JR.
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Patent number: 7773249Abstract: A method and system for recovering addresses in an address printing system is provided. A resume marker is set at the current location in the print buffer, used to buffer the addresses for printing, from which the next address will be read for printing. The address in the buffer location preceding the location where the resume marker is set is reprinted. The user can compare the reprinted address to the mail pieces already processed to determine if it is a duplicate. If not a duplicate, the address in the next preceding location can be reprinted. This processing continues until a duplicate address is printed, indicating that the address printing system properly printed all of the previous addresses in the address list up to the point of the duplicate. The print job will then automatically continue from the location where the resume marker was set.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2005Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Paul A. Kovlakas, Jeffrey P. Rios, Richard A. Sloan, Jr., Yichun Zhang, Brian A. Lemm
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Publication number: 20100128294Abstract: Printing systems and methods for user-selectable dynamic soft font and print stream data template control processing in a printer driver are provided. The system utilizes a print job driver screen that provides the user with a selectable option to convert soft fonts into graphics that are transferred to the printer. When using multi-byte fonts, and in particular when using multi-byte fonts in a character mangling operating system, printer memory may be rapidly allocated and consumed. However, soft fonts persist in printer memory for the length of the print job. The printer system provided herein allows the user to dynamically select an option to forgo soft font loading for the entire print job and instead transmit appropriate font graphics that are discarded from memory after use after a character threshold has been reached.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2008Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: PITNEY BOWES INC.Inventors: Richard A. Sloan, JR., David G. Collings, John R. LePage
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Patent number: 7695094Abstract: A shield assembly is provided for use in combination an ink jet printer and is operative to provide a smooth planar surface for printing on a print media. The described embodiment includes a shield having first and second contact surfaces to define an opening therebetween. The opening of the shield assembly is aligned with the print head of the ink jet printer for permitting the deposition of ink through the opening. The assembly further includes a pivot mount operative to pivot the shield about a rotational axis which is substantially parallel to the feed path of the print media and orthogonal to the motion of the print head. Moreover, the assembly includes a means for pivoting the shield about the rotational axis in a first and second direction thereby causing one of the contact surfaces to engage the print media upstream of the print head when depositing ink on the print media.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2006Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Richard A. Sloan, Jr., Christopher Mallick
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Publication number: 20090165329Abstract: A method and system for drying printed ink on the face of a substrate material such as a mailpiece. The method comprising the steps of (i) providing a dryer having at least one variable output element for producing a plurality of dryer configurations, (ii) developing data correlating each of the dryer configurations with at least one print characteristic, (iii) storing the developed data in a memory storage device, (iv) obtaining the print characteristic associated with a particular print job and comparing the print characteristic with the developed data to define a desired dryer configuration, (v) adapting the dryer to assume the desired dryer configuration based upon the print characteristic, and (vi) drying the ink printed on the face of the substrate material. The system may include a taggant introduced into the ink and a means for identifying the taggant to determine the type of ink and the desired dryer configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2007Publication date: July 2, 2009Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Jay Reichelsheimer, Richard A. Sloan, JR., George M. Macdonald
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Patent number: 7520688Abstract: A mounting arrangement and/or stand for supporting a print feed mechanism relative to a printer. The mounting arrangement includes first and second support members defining first and second mating surfaces, respectively. The first support member is adapted to support the print feed mechanism and the second support member is adapted to support the first support member. Furthermore, the first and second mating surfaces define a mating interface or plane which is inclined relative to a horizontal plane. The relative position of the first and second support members is maintained by a means for coupling the first and second segments along the inclined mating plane. The coupling means is, furthermore, operative to selectively position the first support member relative to the second support member so as to separate the print feed mechanism segment from the printer by a fixed separation distance.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2006Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: David E. Kayser, Richard A. Sloan, Jr.
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Publication number: 20080214944Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for mobile real-time feedback based on changes in the heart to enhance cognitive behavioral therapy for anger or stress reduction. In an embodiment, an apparatus receives data relating to a heart of an individual from at least one input device. The apparatus provides a mobile intervention via at least one output device and measures the effectiveness of the mobile intervention in reducing anger or stress in the individual. Other embodiments are described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2008Publication date: September 4, 2008Inventors: Margaret E. Morris, Farzin Guilak, Michael E. Labhard, Mick J. Flanigan, Richard Sloan, Larry Jamner, Ethan Gorenstein
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Publication number: 20080079770Abstract: A shield assembly is provided for use in combination an ink jet printer and is operative to provide a smooth planar surface for printing on a print media. The described embodiment includes a shield having first and second contact surfaces to define an opening therebetween. The opening of the shield assembly is aligned with the print head of the ink jet printer for permitting the deposition of ink through the opening. The assembly further includes a pivot mount operative to pivot the shield about a rotational axis which is substantially parallel to the feed path of the print media and orthogonal to the motion of the print head. Moreover, the assembly includes a means for pivoting the shield about the rotational axis in a first and second direction thereby causing one of the contact surfaces to engage the print media upstream of the print head when depositing ink on the print media.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2006Publication date: April 3, 2008Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Richard A. Sloan, Christopher Mallick
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Publication number: 20080056801Abstract: A mounting arrangement and/or stand for supporting a print feed mechanism relative to a printer. The mounting arrangement includes first and second support members defining first and second mating surfaces, respectively. The first support member is adapted to support the print feed mechanism and the second support member is adapted to support the first support member. Furthermore, the first and second mating surfaces define a mating interface or plane which is inclined relative to a horizontal plane. The relative position of the first and second support members is maintained by a means for coupling the first and second segments along the inclined mating plane. The coupling means is, furthermore, operative to selectively position the first support member relative to the second support member so as to separate the print feed mechanism segment from the printer by a fixed separation distance.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2006Publication date: March 6, 2008Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: David E. Kayser, Richard A. Sloan
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Publication number: 20060269344Abstract: A printing system has fixed print heads in positions that are subject to adjustment between print jobs. The system provides a print preview display that includes a representation of the item of printing stock on which the printing is to be performed. The print preview display also includes a first printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a first one of the print heads. The print preview display further includes a second printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a second one of the print heads.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2005Publication date: November 30, 2006Inventors: Yichun Zhang, Patrick Rolling, Paul Sette, Richard Sloan
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Publication number: 20060244999Abstract: A method and system for recovering addresses in an address printing system is provided. A resume marker is set at the current location in the print buffer, used to buffer the addresses for printing, from which the next address will be read for printing. The address in the buffer location preceding the location where the resume marker is set is reprinted. The user can compare the reprinted address to the mail pieces already processed to determine if it is a duplicate. If not a duplicate, the address in the next preceding location can be reprinted. This processing continues until a duplicate address is printed, indicating that the address printer properly printed all of the previous addresses in the address list up to the point of the duplicate. The print job will then automatically continue from the location where the resume marker was set.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2005Publication date: November 2, 2006Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Paul Kovlakas, Jeffrey Rios, Richard Sloan, Yichun Zhang, Brian Lemm
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Publication number: 20060170729Abstract: An inkjet printer and reconfigurable print head assembly is provided for shuttle and in-line printing upon a media. The reconfigurable print head assembly comprises a print head for depositing ink on the media, a carriage assembly operable to position the print head relative to the media about two axes, and a print head mounting block rotationally mounting the print head to the carriage assembly. Rotation of the print head to a first position enables shuttle motion printing and rotation of the print head to a second position enables in-line motion printing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2005Publication date: August 3, 2006Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Richard Sloan, Paul Sette
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Publication number: 20050091140Abstract: A valuation data analysis system includes a valuation data mining system configured to extract valuation data from at least one of a plurality of publicly listed items for sale and a non-public privately available database of previously sold items, and a valuation data processing system configured to receive the valuation data, the data processing system configured to process the valuation data to identify relationships between similar items currently listed for sale and previously sold items. The process of the valuation data analysis system can include the steps of identifying a listed item open for bidding at auction, identifying a plurality of auction listings for items similar to the item open for bidding, mining valuation data from the identified auction listings, and identifying relationships between the listed item open for bidding, closing prices for similar items, and the mined valuation data from the identified auction listings.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2003Publication date: April 28, 2005Inventors: Jeff Sloan, Richard Sloan, Chris Cameron
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Patent number: 6817608Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for stacking mailpieces received from a mail-processing machine in consecutive order. There is a receiving conveying section positioned at a greater height than the following stacking conveying section. A stacking ramp extends from the downstream portion of the stacking conveying section. The receiving conveying section has a single continuous belt extending along the receiving conveying section in a first direction and positioned centrally along a second direction of the conveying section. The continuous belts of the stacking conveying section are positioned substantially at equal intervals extending along the first direction of the stacking conveying section and have top surfaces which extend above the stacking conveying section and which contact the mailpieces received from the mail processing machine.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2002Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Richard A. Sloan, Jr., Paul R. Sette, Jeffrey T. Mulreed