Patents by Inventor Thomas Birch

Thomas Birch 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).

  • Publication number: 20160088546
    Abstract: Embodiments related to regulating access to content via geofence boundary segment crossings are disclosed herein. For example, in some embodiments, a computing system for regulating access to content may include: boundary segment crossing logic to determine whether a mobile computing device satisfies boundary segment crossing criteria, wherein the boundary segment crossing criteria includes that the mobile computing device crossed a predetermined segment of a geofence boundary into an area defined by the geofence boundary; and/or content access logic, coupled to the boundary segment crossing logic, to, in response to a determination by the boundary segment crossing logic that the mobile computing device satisfied the boundary segment crossing criteria, provide a content identifier, associated with the predetermined segment of the geofence boundary, to the mobile computing device. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas A. Birch, Derick A. Johnson, Paul Donohue
  • Publication number: 20160007151
    Abstract: Embodiments for implementing public and private geo-fences are generally described herein. A system comprises a geo-fence server adapted to: receive geographical coordinates of a device; determine that the device is located in a geo-fence; determine a type of the geo-fence; and transmit a notification to the device based on the type of the geo-fence. A mobile device for using person-to-person geo-fences is adapted to: receive a geo-fence object; store the geo-fence object at the mobile device; subsequent to storing the geo-fence object, obtain a geographical position of the mobile device; determine whether the mobile device is located in a geo-fence based on the geographical position; determine whether the geo-fence object is associated with the geo-fence; and present the geo-fence object when the geo-fence object is associated with the geo-fence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas A. BIRCH, Derick Arnold JOHNSON, Kenneth W. REESE, Thomas H. CALVERT
  • Publication number: 20150350827
    Abstract: Embodiments for geo-fence notification management are generally described herein. A mobile device for geo-fence notification management may include a geo-location module to: determine a geographical location of the mobile device; and determine whether the mobile device is located in a geo-fenced area for longer than a threshold period of time; and a presentation module to present a notification on the mobile device when the mobile device is located in the geo-fenced area for longer than the threshold period of time. A server and mobile device may work cooperatively to obtain a position of a mobile device; determine whether the mobile device is located in a geo-fenced area; determine whether the geo-fenced area has a software application associated with it; and present the software application to the mobile device when the geo-fenced area has a software application associated with it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas A. Birch, Derrick Arnold Johnson, Michael J. Kasper
  • Publication number: 20150346968
    Abstract: Various systems and methods for creating geo-fences on touch-enabled devices are described herein. In an example, a map is displayed on a touch screen interface of a mobile device. User input is received from the touch screen interface, the user input resulting from a user touching the touch screen interface. An enclosed area is derived using the user input and the enclosed area is presented as a geo-fence object on the touch screen interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Derick Arnold Johnson, Thomas A. Birch
  • Publication number: 20150312369
    Abstract: Embodiments of techniques, apparatuses and systems associated with media playback are disclosed. In some embodiments, a computing device may receive information about a media file, the information representative of one or more of a plurality of elapsed time points corresponding to buffer checkpoints in playback of the media file. The computing device may determine an amount of the media file that has been cached in a buffer, and may determine, prior to commencing playback of a portion of the media file between two of the elapsed time points, whether the cached amount includes the portion. In response to determining that the cached amount does not include the portion, the computing device may increase the cached amount to include the portion before commencing playback of the portion. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas A. Birch, Joseph G. Warner
  • Publication number: 20150281887
    Abstract: Methods and systems may provide for associating content in a cloud computing infrastructure with geo-panes and sending it to a location aware device based on user gaze. The content may be restricted by rules, including distance from user to the geo-pane. The geo-panes may be static or mobile in space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: DERICK A. JOHNSON, THOMAS A. BIRCH
  • Publication number: 20150170556
    Abstract: A device, system, and method for determining a location of micro digital signage devices includes generating and transmitting a unique identifier corresponding to each micro digital signage device. Each micro digital signage device is to display its corresponding unique identifier and capture an image of other micro digital signage devices located on an opposite side of an aisle. The captured images are to be stitched together to generate a composite image. The unique identifiers of the micro digital signage devices are to be identified and the location of each micro digital signage device is to be determined using a known location of one of the micro digital signage devices as a reference. Each micro digital signage device identified from the composite image is to clear its corresponding unique identifier from display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas A. Birch, Michael J. Kasper
  • Patent number: 8947321
    Abstract: A device, system, and method for determining a location of micro digital signage devices includes generating and transmitting a unique identifier corresponding to each micro digital signage device. Each micro digital signage device is to display its corresponding unique identifier and capture an image of other micro digital signage devices located on an opposite side of an aisle. The captured images are to be stitched together to generate a composite image. The unique identifiers of the micro digital signage devices are to be identified and the location of each micro digital signage device is to be determined using a known location of one of the micro digital signage devices as a reference. Each micro digital signage device identified from the composite image is to clear its corresponding unique identifier from display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Birch, Michael J. Kasper
  • Publication number: 20140201040
    Abstract: Embodiments of techniques and systems for presentation-structure-aware (“PS-aware”) display of planograms are described. In embodiments, a PS-aware planogram display system may acquire an image of a presentation structure. The display system may, based at least in part on the acquired image, display a planogram of an intended preparation of items at the presentation structure. The display system may also analyze the acquired image for one or more markers which may identify the presentation structure. The display system may then identify the presentation structure and obtain a planogram. The display system may also modify the planogram based on an orientation and/or position of the acquired image. The modified planogram may be displayed in a partially-transparent manner placed on the acquired image for viewing by a user. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas A. Birch
  • Publication number: 20140091985
    Abstract: A device, system, and method for determining a location of micro digital signage devices includes generating and transmitting a unique identifier corresponding to each micro digital signage device. Each micro digital signage device is to display its corresponding unique identifier and capture an image of other micro digital signage devices located on an opposite side of an aisle. The captured images are to be stitched together to generate a composite image. The unique identifiers of the micro digital signage devices are to be identified and the location of each micro digital signage device is to be determined using a known location of one of the micro digital signage devices as a reference. Each micro digital signage device identified from the composite image is to clear its corresponding unique identifier from display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventors: THOMAS A. BIRCH, MICHAEL J. KASPER
  • Publication number: 20140012641
    Abstract: A system to display information using a display shelf of a retailer may include a first display configured to be attached to a first edge portion of the display shelf and to display information related to a first product. A second display may be configured to be attached to a second edge portion of the display shelf and to display information related to a second product. The first display and the second display can be configured to have a height similar to a height of the first and the second edge portion of the shelf. The first display and the second display may also be configured to display information related to a third product as if the first display is continuously connected to the second display as an extended display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Birch
  • Publication number: 20140006229
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for attending to a supply of product at a position on a store shelf involves receiving an electronic image of the position on a store shelf and comparing the electronic image to a previous electronic image of the position on the store shelf. Depending of the difference, if any, between the two images, generating an indication to attend to the supply of product at the position on the store shelf.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas A. Birch, Micheal J. Kasper
  • Publication number: 20030106349
    Abstract: A security lock for a computer having a wall (42) with a rectangular or circular hole (43; 44) therethrough comprises a body (11) to which a security cable (16) is secured, the body having a push button lock (18) therein, activation of the lock causing a pair of retention arms (24) to move linearly apart against spring means (35; 50). The arms have hook-like terminal portions (33) at the exterior of the body (11) and activation of the lock after the portions (33) have been passed through the hole (43; 44) causes the arms to move apart so that the portions (33) locate “behind” the hole, thereby securing the security lock to the computer. The security lock has is body (11) secured against rotation relative to the lock (18), with the body and lock being freely rotatable relative to the retention arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Alan Clive Broadbridge, Neil David Broadbridge, Clive Beardmore, Brian Thomas Birch