Patents by Inventor Stephen Walters

Stephen Walters 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: 10941297
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a thermally reactive thermoplastic intermediate product, in the form of a shaped body, wherein the intermediate comprises a composition, wherein the composition comprises a purified or optionally unpurified softwood lignin and at least a first additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Stora Enso OYJ
    Inventors: Niklas Garoff, Dimitri Areskogh, Goran Gellerstedt, Stephen Walter, Pavan Kumar Manvi, Gunnar Seide, Thomas Gries
  • Publication number: 20210002967
    Abstract: A downhole roller having a body. The downhole roller also has a wheel connected with the body, and a bearing assembly disposed between the body and the wheel to allow the wheel to move relative to the body. The downhole roller can also have an internal shaft between the wheel and the bearing assembly, wherein the internal shaft holds the bearing assembly in place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Sashank Vasireddy, Stephen Walter Jeske, Bendang Aomeren Imchen, Derek Copold
  • Publication number: 20200334224
    Abstract: A database management engine provides a user interface that allows users to access and modify employee information in a database. The database includes entries for employees, and each database entry includes identifying information about the associated employee. A user can request to modify data within database entries, for instance in order to update information associated with an employee. Responsive to the request, the database management engine identifies liabilities associated with the database modification stemming from associated tax laws. Based on the identified tax liabilities, the engine computes the aggregate tax liability owed by the employer and/or employee. Before modifying a database entry, the engine modifies the user interface to include interface elements detailing the computed aggregate tax liability. The user explicitly can be required to confirm the database modification in view of the aggregate tax liability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Kelly Sutton, Stephen Walter Hopkins, Matthew Charles Wilde, Alexander Scott Gerstein, Julia Hara Chin Lee, Michael Ryan Nierstedt, Nicholas Giancarlo Gervasi, Matan Zruya, Robert Douglas Gill, JR., Bria Nicole Fincher, Ningjing Su, Ryan Kwong, Sheng Xiang Lei, Ketki Warudkar Duvvuru
  • Publication number: 20200311855
    Abstract: Pose estimation generally refers to a computer vision technique that determines the pose of some object, usually with respect to a particular camera. Pose estimation has many applications, but is particularly useful in the context of robotic manipulation systems. To date, robotic manipulation systems have required a camera to be installed on the robot itself (i.e. a camera-in-hand) for capturing images of the object and/or a camera external to the robot for capturing images of the object. Unfortunately, the camera-in-hand has a limited field of view for capturing objects, whereas the external camera, which may have a greater field of view, requires costly calibration each time the camera is even slightly moved. Similar issues apply when estimating the pose of any object with respect to another object (i.e. which may be moving or not). The present disclosure avoids these issues and provides object-to-object pose estimation from a single image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Jonathan Tremblay, Stephen Walter Tyree, Stanley Thomas Birchfield
  • Patent number: 10783393
    Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed for sequential multi-tasking to generate coordinates of landmarks within images. The landmark locations may be identified on an image of a human face and used for emotion recognition, face identity verification, eye gaze tracking, pose estimation, etc. A neural network model processes input image data to generate pixel-level likelihood estimates for landmarks in the input image data and a soft-argmax function computes predicted coordinates of each landmark based on the pixel-level likelihood estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Pavlo Molchanov, Stephen Walter Tyree, Jan Kautz, Sina Honari
  • Patent number: 10783394
    Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed to generate coordinates of landmarks within images. The landmark locations may be identified on an image of a human face and used for emotion recognition, face identity verification, eye gaze tracking, pose estimation, etc. A transform is applied to input image data to produce transformed input image data. The transform is also applied to predicted coordinates for landmarks of the input image data to produce transformed predicted coordinates. A neural network model processes the transformed input image data to generate additional landmarks of the transformed input image data and additional predicted coordinates for each one of the additional landmarks. Parameters of the neural network model are updated to reduce differences between the transformed predicted coordinates and the additional predicted coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Pavlo Molchanov, Stephen Walter Tyree, Jan Kautz, Sina Honari
  • Patent number: 10689993
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle having an airfoil that includes a pressure side portion of a nominal airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z of a pressure side as set forth in Table I. The Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z are non-dimensional values from 0% to 100% convertible to dimensional distances by multiplying the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z by a height of the airfoil defined along the Z axis. The X and Y values of the pressure side are coordinate values that, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define pressure side sections of the pressure side portion of the nominal airfoil profile at each Z coordinate value. The pressure side sections may be joined smoothly with one another to form the pressure side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sylvain Pierre, Bryan David Lewis, Debdulal Das, Stephen Walter Newman
  • Publication number: 20200157956
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle having an airfoil that includes a pressure side portion of a nominal airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z of a pressure side as set forth in Table I. The Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y, and Z are non-dimensional values from 0% to 100% convertible to dimensional distances by multiplying the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z by a height of the airfoil defined along the Z axis. The X and Y values of the pressure side are coordinate values that, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define pressure side sections of the pressure side portion of the nominal airfoil profile at each Z coordinate value. The pressure side sections may be joined smoothly with one another to form the pressure side portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sylvain Pierre, Bryan David Lewis, Debdulal Das, Stephen Walter Newman
  • Publication number: 20200055611
    Abstract: An isolator fitting for an opening in a metallic rib of an aircraft wing. The isolator fitting has first isolator mountable to the rib to position a first isolator opening in alignment with the opening of the rib. A second isolator is mountable to the rib and has a nut housing segment defining a second isolator opening to be positioned in alignment with the opening of the rib. A conduit extends between a first end and a second end, and a nut is mountable about an outer surface of the conduit to abut against the first isolator and mount the conduit thereto. The conduit is positionable to extend through the opening of the rib and through the first and second isolator openings to position the nut within the nut housing segment of the second isolator such that the nut housing segment is positioned between the nut and the rib.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen WALTERS, David CHIVERS
  • Patent number: 10563882
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of testing a HVAC unit for a disconnected damper motor is provided. An outside air section of a damper assembly is closed and air is circulated through the unit. If a discharge air temperature is not substantially equal to a return air temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected. Otherwise, an economizing function having a free cooling target temperature is started. An outside air temperature is compared to the free cooling target temperature. If the outside air temperature is less than the free cooling target temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected if the damper motor has been commanded to fully open the outside air section. If the outside air temperature is not less than the free cooling target temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected if a discharge air temperature is not substantially equal to an outside air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Herman Marcus Thomas, Marcus W. Troxell, Stephen A. Walter
  • Patent number: 10544651
    Abstract: A system including a downhole device coupled to a pressure balanced setting tool. The setting tool may be pressure balanced to lock a setting piston in place as the system is deployed into a well. That is, in spite of downhole well pressures, no substantial differential may emerge between the setting piston and the annular space of the well adjacent the system. Thus, the setting piston may remain locked in place until triggered for setting. This may include breaching a rupture disc of another piston to disrupt hydraulic communication between the setting piston and the annular space. This allows subsequent triggering, for example through another breach of a rupture disc defining a volumetric chamber, to take place in a manner that allows stroking of the setting piston. In this way, the setting tool may be utilized to achieve setting of the downhole device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bryan Burwell, Stephen Walter Jeske, Erika R. Cerda
  • Patent number: 10437811
    Abstract: A database management engine provides a user interface that allows users to access and modify employee information in a database. The database includes entries for employees, and each database entry includes identifying information about the associated employee. A user can request to modify data within database entries, for instance in order to update information associated with an employee. Responsive to the request, the database management engine identifies liabilities associated with the database modification stemming from associated tax laws. Based on the identified tax liabilities, the engine computes the aggregate tax liability owed by the employer and/or employee. Before modifying a database entry, the engine modifies the user interface to include interface elements detailing the computed aggregate tax liability. The user explicitly can be required to confirm the database modification in view of the aggregate tax liability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: ZenPayroll, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kelly Sutton, Stephen Walter Hopkins, Matthew Charles Wilde, Alexander Scott Gerstein, Julia Hara Chin Lee, Michael Ryan Nierstedt, Nicholas Giancarlo Gervasi, Matan Zruya, Robert Douglas Gill, Jr., Bria Nicole Fincher, Ningjing Su, Ryan Kwong, Sheng Xiang Lei, Ketki Warudkar Duvvuru
  • Publication number: 20190271790
    Abstract: A sensor system for deployment on or close to the seabed in marine seismic surveys includes a central hub, and a plurality of arms coupled to the central hub. Each arm has a degree of freedom of movement with respect to the central hub. The system further includes at least one seismic sensor mounted to each of said arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Harald WESTERDAHL, Peter HANSSEN, Per Magnus SPARREVIK, Stephen Walter HAYES, Klaus TRONSTAD
  • Patent number: 10386520
    Abstract: A sensor system for deployment on or close to the seabed in marine seismic surveys includes a central hub, and a plurality of arms coupled to the central hub. Each arm has a degree of freedom of movement with respect to the central hub. The system further includes at least one seismic sensor mounted to each of said arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: STATOIL PETROLEUM AS
    Inventors: Harald Westerdahl, Peter Hanssen, Per Magnus Sparrevik, Stephen Walter Hayes, Klaus Tronstad
  • Publication number: 20190120512
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of testing a HVAC unit for a disconnected damper motor is provided. An outside air section of a damper assembly is closed and air is circulated through the unit. If a discharge air temperature is not substantially equal to a return air temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected. Otherwise, an economizing function having a free cooling target temperature is started. An outside air temperature is compared to the free cooling target temperature. If the outside air temperature is less than the free cooling target temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected if the damper motor has been commanded to fully open the outside air section. If the outside air temperature is not less than the free cooling target temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected if a discharge air temperature is not substantially equal to an outside air temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Herman Marcus THOMAS, Marcus W. Troxell, Stephen A. Walter
  • Patent number: 10184679
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of testing a HVAC unit for a disconnected damper motor is provided. An outside air section of a damper assembly is closed and air is circulated through the unit. If a discharge air temperature is not substantially equal to a return air temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected. Otherwise, an economizing function having a free cooling target temperature is started. An outside air temperature is compared to the free cooling target temperature. If the outside air temperature is less than the free cooling target temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected if the damper motor has been commanded to fully open the outside air section. If the outside air temperature is not less than the free cooling target temperature, the damper motor is determined to be disconnected if a discharge air temperature is not substantially equal to an outside air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Herman Marcus Thomas, Marcus W. Troxell, Stephen A. Walter
  • Publication number: 20190019094
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described herein for selecting, from one or more electronic data sources, a candidate textual statement associated with an entity, identifying one or more attributes of the candidate textual statement; and determining, based on the identified one or more attributes of the candidate textual statement, a measure of suitability of the candidate textual statement for presentation as a testimonial about the entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Advay Mengle, Anna Goldie, Stephen Walters, Anna Patterson, Jindong Chen, Leo Shamis, Isaac Noble, Dimitris Margaritis, Clement Nodet, Charmaine Cynthia Rose D'Silva
  • Publication number: 20180365532
    Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed for sequential multi-tasking to generate coordinates of landmarks within images. The landmark locations may be identified on an image of a human face and used for emotion recognition, face identity verification, eye gaze tracking, pose estimation, etc. A neural network model processes input image data to generate pixel-level likelihood estimates for landmarks in the input image data and a soft-argmax function computes predicted coordinates of each landmark based on the pixel-level likelihood estimates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Pavlo Molchanov, Stephen Walter Tyree, Jan Kautz, Sina Honari
  • Publication number: 20180365512
    Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed to generate coordinates of landmarks within images. The landmark locations may be identified on an image of a human face and used for emotion recognition, face identity verification, eye gaze tracking, pose estimation, etc. A transform is applied to input image data to produce transformed input image data. The transform is also applied to predicted coordinates for landmarks of the input image data to produce transformed predicted coordinates. A neural network model processes the transformed input image data to generate additional landmarks of the transformed input image data and additional predicted coordinates for each one of the additional landmarks. Parameters of the neural network model are updated to reduce differences between the transformed predicted coordinates and the additional predicted coordinates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Pavlo Molchanov, Stephen Walter Tyree, Jan Kautz, Sina Honari
  • Patent number: 10157309
    Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed for detecting and classifying hand gestures. The method includes the steps of receiving an unsegmented stream of data associated with a hand gesture, extracting spatio-temporal features from the unsegmented stream by a three-dimensional convolutional neural network (3DCNN), and producing a class label for the hand gesture based on the spatio-temporal features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pavlo Molchanov, Xiaodong Yang, Shalini De Mello, Kihwan Kim, Stephen Walter Tyree, Jan Kautz