Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Stiefel

Thomas E. Stiefel 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: 10839172
    Abstract: An electronic shelf label system comprising a plurality of electronic shelf labels is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Tingler, Nicholaus Adam Jones, Alvin Scott Taulbee, Thomas E. Stiefel
  • Patent number: 10657491
    Abstract: Item movement is determined via wireless tracking using RFID data from at least one RFID reader. The RFID data associates RFID tag information with each antenna of the RFID reader that receives the tag information. At least one processer is configured to identify a first appearance of unique tag information in the RFID data. Items may be grouped when their first appearance in RFID data and their antenna association indicates that they first appear in a location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by RFID data, and/or when they have all moved from a previous location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by different RFID data. A group designation comprises the relevant unique tag information, which may be stored in memory along with a time stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. Stiefel, Nicholaus Adam Jones, Bruce W. Wilkinson
  • Publication number: 20190286860
    Abstract: An electronic shelf label system comprising a plurality of electronic shelf labels is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Jeremy Tingler, Nicholaus Adam Jones, Alvin Scott Taulbee, Thomas E. Stiefel
  • Patent number: 10311258
    Abstract: An electronic shelf label system comprising a plurality of electronic shelf labels is provided. A central computing system transmits data transmissions to the plurality of electronic shelf labels at a first power level. A candidate electronic shelf label from the plurality of electronic shelf labels periodically activate from a sleep mode to identify whether there is an existing master electronic shelf label from the plurality of electronic shelf labels. The candidate electronic shelf label becomes a new master electronic shelf label based on a set of specified conditions to transmit programming instructions received from the central computing system to one or more electronic shelf labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Tingler, Nicholaus Adam Jones, Alvin Scott Taulbee, Thomas E. Stiefel
  • Publication number: 20180357451
    Abstract: An electronic shelf label system comprising a plurality of electronic shelf labels is provided. A central computing system transmits data transmissions to the plurality of electronic shelf labels at a first power level. A candidate electronic shelf label from the plurality of electronic shelf labels periodically activate from a sleep mode to identify whether there is an existing master electronic shelf label from the plurality of electronic shelf labels. The candidate electronic shelf label becomes a new master electronic shelf label based on a set of specified conditions to transmit programming instructions received from the central computing system to one or more electronic shelf labels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Jeremy Tingler, Nicholaus Adam Jones, Alvin Scott Taulbee, Thomas E. Stiefel
  • Publication number: 20180253681
    Abstract: Item movement is determined via wireless tracking using RFID data from at least one RFID reader. The RFID data associates RFID tag information with each antenna of the RFID reader that receives the tag information. At least one processer is configured to identify a first appearance of unique tag information in the RFID data. Items may be grouped when their first appearance in RFID data and their antenna association indicates that they first appear in a location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by RFID data, and/or when they have all moved from a previous location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by different RFID data. A group designation comprises the relevant unique tag information, which may be stored in memory along with a time stamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas E. Stiefel, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Nicholaus Adam Jones
  • Patent number: 9916556
    Abstract: Item movement is determined via wireless tracking using RFID data from at least one RFID reader. The RFID data associates RFID tag information with each antenna of the RFID reader that receives the tag information. At least one processer is configured to identify a first appearance of unique tag information in the RFID data. Items may be grouped when their first appearance in RFID data and their antenna association indicates that they first appear in a location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by RFID data, and/or when they have all moved from a previous location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by different RFID data. A group designation comprises the relevant unique tag information, which may be stored in memory along with a time stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Stiefel, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Nicholaus Adam Jones
  • Patent number: 9443218
    Abstract: Item movement is determined via wireless tracking using RFID data from at least one RFID reader. The RFID data associates RFID tag information with each antenna of the RFID reader that receives the tag information. At least one processor is configured to identify a first appearance of unique tag information in the RFID data. Items may be grouped when their first appearance in RFID data and their antenna association indicates that they first appear in a location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by RFID data, and/or when they have all moved from a previous location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by different RFID data. A group designation comprises the relevant unique tag information, which may be stored in memory along with a time stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Stiefel, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Nicholaus A. Jones
  • Publication number: 20160224814
    Abstract: Item movement is determined via wireless tracking using RFID data from at least one RFID reader. The RFID data associates RFID tag information with each antenna of the RFID reader that receives the tag information. At least one processer is configured to identify a first appearance of unique tag information in the RFID data. Items may be grouped when their first appearance in RFID data and their antenna association indicates that they first appear in a location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by RFID data, and/or when they have all moved from a previous location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by different RFID data. A group designation comprises the relevant unique tag information, which may be stored in memory along with a time stamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas E. Stiefel, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Nicholaus Adam Jones