Patents by Inventor Thomas Gray

Thomas Gray 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: 20170093403
    Abstract: A balanced, charge-recycling repeater link is disclosed. The link includes a first set of segments operating in a first voltage domain and a second set of segments operating in a second voltage domain. The link is configured to transmit a first signal over at least one segment in the first set of segments and at least one other segment in the second set of segments. Each segment of the link includes at least one active circuit element configured to charge or discharge one or more corresponding interconnects within the link and a level shifter configured to shift the level of a signal on a last interconnect of the segment from the first voltage domain to the second voltage domain or the second voltage domain to the first voltage domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: John Michael Wilson, John W. Poulton, Matthew Rudolph Fojtik, Carl Thomas Gray
  • Patent number: 9600720
    Abstract: Processes such as image matching, computer vision, and object recognition can utilize additional data, such as spatial data, to attempt to improve the accuracy of the results of those processes. For example, a computing device acquiring scene data including a representation of an object can also determine spatial data (e.g., location and orientation data). By determining the spatial data, a set of potential matches can be found which can help to more quickly and accurately identify the object based on one or more objects known to be at a corresponding position. The data acquired by the computing device can also be used to update matching data stored for that location, which can assist with subsequent processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Timothy Thomas Gray
  • Publication number: 20170067599
    Abstract: A drip pan apparatus for use in a helicopter includes a drip pan and a frame having a plurality of frame sides and a plurality of frame corners that define an inwardly-facing peripheral surface. A first frame angle is formed between a first inwardly-facing surface and a second inwardly-facing surface. The first frame angle is an acute angle. The drip pan has an outwardly-facing peripheral surface. The outwardly-facing peripheral surface defines a plurality of sides, including a first side and a second side, to cooperate with the inwardly-facing peripheral surface of the frame. A first angle is formed between the first side and the second side. The first angle is an acute angle. A method of installing a drip pan includes modifying at least a portion of a skirt on the helicopter and then securing the frame to one or both of the modified skirt and the helicopter structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas Gray Wilson
  • Patent number: 9475056
    Abstract: A flow disrupter in a tube chamber of a tube assembly for homogenizing sample materials includes a flow-disrupting body that extends generally transversely into the tube chamber and divides the tube chamber into two sub-chambers. The flow-disrupting body includes at least one narrowed flow passageway through which the sample flows back and forth in both axially reciprocating directions as the tube assembly is vigorously shaken at high speeds faster and more reliably than what can be accomplished by hand shaking. And the flow-disrupting body includes at least two flow-interrupting surfaces facing generally in opposite axial directions and against which the sample impacts in each respective axially reciprocating direction as the tube assembly is vigorously shaken. In this way, the vigorous high-speed shaking of the tube assembly including the flow disrupter results in significant particle-size reduction of the sample by mechanical shear, fluid shear, cavitation, and/or pressure differentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: OMNI INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Karl Jahn, Voya Vidakovic, John Hancock, Thomas Gray
  • Patent number: 9471154
    Abstract: A computing device can obtain information about how the device is held, moved, and/or used by a hand of a user holding the device. The information can be obtained utilizing one or more sensors of the device independently or working in conjunction. For example, an orientation sensor can determine whether a left hand or a right hand is likely rotating, tilting, and/or moving, and thus holding, the device. In another example, a camera and/or a hover sensor can obtain information about a finger position of the user's hand to determine whether the hand is likely a left hand or a right hand. In a further example, a touch sensor can determine a shape of an imprint of a portion of the user's hand to determine which hand is likely holding the device. Based on which hand is holding the device, the device can improve one or more computing tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Thomas Gray, Dong Zhou, Kenneth Mark Karakotsios, Jennifer Silva
  • Patent number: 9462230
    Abstract: A system determines if someone watching a live video feed looks or moves away from a display screen, and when their attention is back on the display, provides an accelerated recap of the content that they missed. The video component of the feed may be shown as a series of selected still images or clips from the original feed, while audio and/or text captioning is output at an accelerated rate. The rate may be adaptively adjusted to maintain a consistent speed, and superfluous content may be omitted. When the recap catches up to the live feed, output returns to regular speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies
    Inventors: Amit Kumar Agrawal, Timothy Thomas Gray, Ambrish Tyagi
  • Patent number: 9447920
    Abstract: A drip pan apparatus for use in a helicopter includes a drip pan and a frame having a plurality of frame sides and a plurality of frame corners that define an inwardly-facing peripheral surface. A first frame angle is formed between a first inwardly-facing surface and a second inwardly-facing surface. The first frame angle is an acute angle. The drip pan has an outwardly-facing peripheral surface. The outwardly-facing peripheral surface defines a plurality of sides, including a first side and a second side, to cooperate with the inwardly-facing peripheral surface of the frame. A first angle is formed between the first side and the second side. The first angle is an acute angle. A method of installing a drip pan includes modifying at least a portion of a skirt on the helicopter and then securing the frame to one or both of the modified skirt and the helicopter structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Phoenix Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Gray Wilson
  • Publication number: 20160238192
    Abstract: A drip pan apparatus for a “M” model BLACK HAWK® helicopter and the like includes an expanded corner structure for accommodating an access port also positioned further outwardly in the corner than in prior drip pan apparatuses, facilitating filter viewing while retaining peripheral o-ring seal. An expanded corner of the airframe skirt is accommodated by the expanded corresponding corner of a frame, which also defines a small radius internal curve. The removable pan has a small radius curve cooperating with the small radius curve of the frame and is sealed thereto by the peripheral o-ring seal sealing the entire pan to the frame. Physical access to the filter is enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas Gray Wilson
  • Patent number: 9411422
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling user interaction with content markers of a content item. Content markers can generally correspond to any point of interest in the content item. In one embodiment, a scrub bar is provided enabling user navigation to locations within the content item. As a user utilizes the scrub bar to select a location corresponding to a content marker, a haptic notification is provided to the user indicative of a corresponding point of interest. Thereafter, the user may halt interaction with the scrub bar to being playback of the content item at the point of interest. In another embodiment, a user is enabled to provide input perpendicular to a displayed scrub bar to alternate between multiple available scrub bars and/or points of interest. For example, multiple scrub bars may be provided, each associated with a given type of point of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Audible, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip Scott McClendon, Ajay Arora, Timothy Thomas Gray, Douglas Vincent O'Dell, III
  • Publication number: 20160199800
    Abstract: A processing plate assembly for mounting to a homogenizer and for holding tubes containing samples to be homogenized. The processing plate assembly includes a mounting structure and one or plural tube holders. The mounting structure removably or permanently mounts to the homogenizer and can be provided by for example a flat plate-like mounting structure. The tube holders are attached to the mounting structure and hold the tubes in generally tangential use positions with a centroid of each tube positioned along a longitudinal axis of the tube and axially offset from a radius line of the processing plate that is perpendicular to the tube axis. In this way, the homogenizer imparts sinusoidal swashing forces on the tubes that urge the tubes forward into securement in their tube holders and that produces improved homogenization in the tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: OMNI INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Voya VIDAKOVIC, Thomas GRAY, John HANCOCK, Spencer SMITH, Alan VAUGHN
  • Patent number: 9390528
    Abstract: System and method for providing access to ArcMap netCDF utilities and adding support for observational data to ArcMap including, but not limited to, comparing observational data to model data in a graphical manner, and maintaining the security classifications for each layer in ArcMap so that the highest security classification of the data being viewed is known at all times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James D. Dykes, Philip J. Fanguy, Thomas Gray
  • Publication number: 20160165047
    Abstract: A method and system of providing context aware announcements is provided. Context call handling rules can be applied to determine a current context of an incoming call. At least one context aware announcement is provided for providing information associated the current context and call information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas A. Gray, Katayoun Hillier, Peter Hillier
  • Publication number: 20160121278
    Abstract: Agitation mechanisms for homogenization devices for processing sample materials in tubes that are secured by tube holders to the agitation mechanisms. Each agitation mechanism includes a first rotary member having a first fixed rotational axis, a second rotary member having a second fixed rotational axis, and a connecting member that extends between them, is rotationally mounted to them at third and fourth non-fixed rotational axes, and to which the tube holder is mounted, with the first and third rotational axes defining a first offset, and with the second and fourth rotational axes defining a second offset. When the first rotary member is driven through rotation, the sample in the tube in the tube holder on the connecting member is driven through a nonlinearly reciprocating motion profile to produce a grinding shear action to better homogenize the samples. Other disclosed embodiments produce linearly reciprocating motion profiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: OMNI INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: John HANCOCK, Thomas GRAY, Spencer SMITH, Voya VIDAKOVIC, Alan VIDAKOVIC
  • Publication number: 20160107158
    Abstract: A tube holder for mounting a sample-tube assembly to a homogenizing device includes at least one clamp, at least one retainer, and a mount. The mount couples the tube holder to the homogenizing device. Each clamp defines a tube channel and a transverse ledge surface, with the tube channel having a lateral opening through which a tube of the tube assembly can be easily inserted and removed for example with one hand. And each retainer defines a retaining surface that extends over the respective tube channel and opposes the respective ledge surface to cooperatively form a receptacle that receives/retains a cap of the tube assembly against axial tube motion during homogenization. In some embodiments, multiple retaining surfaces are included for retaining different types of tube assemblies, multiple clamps and retainers are included for holding multiple tube assemblies simultaneously, and/or ejection mechanisms are included for ease of ejecting the tube assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: OMNI INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas GRAY, John HANCOCK, Spencer SMITH, Voya VIDAKOVIC
  • Patent number: 9316459
    Abstract: A stock and recoil system for a firearm includes a lower receiver, a bolt carrier, and a stock assembly. The bolt carrier is reciprocally movable along an axis within an upper receiver carried by the lower receiver and includes a tubular rearward end defining a cavity with a rearwardly directed opening. The stock assembly is coupled the lower receiver and includes a receiver extension coupled to the lower receiver and aligned on the axis. An action spring is carried within the receiver extension and extends therefrom into the tubular rearward end of the bolt carrier. The action spring is movable between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration during the firing cycle of the firearm. A butt plate is adjustably coupled to the receiver extension and is movable between an extended position and a collapsed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Troy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Troy, Thomas Gray, David A. Hewes
  • Patent number: 9285077
    Abstract: A drip pan apparatus for a “M” model BLACK HAWK® helicopter and the like includes an expanded corner structure for accommodating an access port also positioned further outwardly in the corner than in prior drip pan apparatuses, facilitating filter viewing while retaining peripheral o-ring seal. An expanded corner of the airframe skirt is accommodated by the expanded corresponding corner of a frame, which also defines a small radius internal curve. The removable pan has a small radius curve cooperating with the small radius curve of the frame and is sealed thereto by the peripheral o-ring seal sealing the entire pan to the frame. Physical access to the filter is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Phoenix Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Gray Wilson
  • Publication number: 20160050260
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus of controlling at least one application on an electronic device. Interfacing occurs between a context object and the at least one application. Context data is retrieved from the context object. At least one of the following further occurs: the context object is updated with new context data derived from interactions with the at least one application; the behaviour of the at least one application is modulated based on the context data; and at least one data field in the application is populated with the context data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: TRUNG (TIM) TRINH, Thomas A. GRAY
  • Patent number: 9251870
    Abstract: A system is provided for transmitting signals. The system comprises a first processing unit, a cache memory, and a package. The first processing unit comprises a first ground-referenced single-ended signaling (GRS) interface circuit and the second processing unit comprises a second GRS interface circuit. The cache memory comprises a third and a fourth GRS interface circuit. The package comprises one or more electrical traces that couple the first GRS interface to the third GRS interface and couple the second GRS interface to the fourth GRS interface, where the first GRS interface circuit, the second GRS interface, the third GRS interface, and the fourth GRS interface circuit are each configured to transmit a pulse along one trace of the one or more electrical traces by discharging a capacitor between the one trace and a ground network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Dally, John W. Poulton, Thomas Hastings Greer, III, Brucek Kurdo Khailany, Carl Thomas Gray
  • Publication number: 20160025447
    Abstract: A stock and recoil system for a firearm includes a lower receiver, a bolt carrier, and a stock assembly. The bolt carrier is reciprocally movable along an axis within an upper receiver carried by the lower receiver and includes a tubular rearward end defining a cavity with a rearwardly directed opening. The stock assembly is coupled the lower receiver and includes a receiver extension coupled to the lower receiver and aligned on the axis. An action spring is carried within the receiver extension and extends therefrom into the tubular rearward end of the bolt carrier. The action spring is movable between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration during the firing cycle of the firearm. A butt plate is adjustably coupled to the receiver extension and is movable between an extended position and a collapsed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen P. Troy, Thomas Gray, David A. Hewes
  • Publication number: 20150367351
    Abstract: A flow disrupter in a tube chamber of a tube assembly for homogenizing sample materials includes a flow-disrupting body that extends generally transversely into the tube chamber and divides the tube chamber into two sub-chambers. The flow-disrupting body includes at least one narrowed flow passageway through which the sample flows back and forth in both axially reciprocating directions as the tube assembly is vigorously shaken at high speeds faster and more reliably than what can be accomplished by hand shaking. And the flow-disrupting body includes at least two flow-interrupting surfaces facing generally in opposite axial directions and against which the sample impacts in each respective axially reciprocating direction as the tube assembly is vigorously shaken. In this way, the vigorous high-speed shaking of the tube assembly including the flow disrupter results in significant particle-size reduction of the sample by mechanical shear, fluid shear, cavitation, and/or pressure differentials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: OMNI INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Karl JAHN, Voya VIDAKOVIC, John HANCOCK, Thomas GRAY