Patents Assigned to Mars Incorporated
  • Publication number: 20240084345
    Abstract: Methods for converting mixtures of anthocyanins occurring in fruit or vegetable juice or extract into particular anthocyanin molecules having desirable colorant properties are provided herein. The method of the present disclosure can be employed to increase the amount of particular anthocyanin molecules, while lowering the total number of anthocyanin molecules present in the natural juice and/or extract. The disclosure is also directed to anthocyanin molecules prepared by the methods of present disclosure and to enzymes capable of catalyzing reactions that provide such effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicants: MARS, INCORPORATED, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Thomas M. Collins, Rebecca J. Robbins, Randall Powers, Justin Siegel, Pamela Ruth Denish, Kathryn Gwendolyn Guggenheim
  • Patent number: 11925166
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods for establishing Theobroma cell suspension cultures using young leaves as a source of explants. Also provided are induction, proliferation, and suspension media used for producing Theobroma cell suspension cultures. These methods and media may be useful for producing secondary metabolites in Theobroma, as well as for isolating virus particles associated with Theobroma diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Claudia Yanet Garcia, Dahyana Britto, Jean-Philippe Marelli, Lidiane Dos Santos Silva
  • Patent number: 11921121
    Abstract: A method for determining the biological age or pace of aging of an adult dog, said method comprising determining the levels of one or more biomarkers selected from the group consisting of (1) blood globulin levels, (2) blood total protein, (3) blood alkaline phosphatase, (4) blood platelet count, (5) blood mean corpuscular volume or (6) urine specific gravity, comparing the results with values obtained from healthy dogs of a known age and of a similar category (toy, small, medium, large or giant). Kits, systems and/or computer media for carrying out the method form further aspects of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Carina Salt, David Allaway, Phillip Watson
  • Publication number: 20240062447
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for creating a three-dimensional pet avatar. The method comprises receiving, by one or more processors, pet image data and at least one physical characteristic corresponding to at least one pet from a user device, the at least one physical characteristic including at least one pet breed, in response to sending an additional characteristic request to at least one service, receiving, by the one or more processors, at least one additional pet characteristic corresponding to the at least one pet breed from the at least one service, generating, by the one or more processors, at least one pet avatar based on the pet image data, the at least one physical characteristic, and the at least one additional pet characteristic, and displaying, by the one or more processors, the at least one pet avatar on one or more user interfaces of the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventor: Lung HUANG
  • Publication number: 20240054637
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the disclosure provides a computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a first labeled training data set comprising a first plurality of images each associated with a set of labels; programmatically training a machine learning neural Teacher model on the first labeled training data set; programmatically applying a machine learning model trained for NLP to an unlabeled data set comprising digital electronic representations of natural language text summaries of a second plurality of images, thereby generating a second labeled training data set comprising the second plurality of images; using the machine learning neural Teacher model, programmatically generating soft pseudo labels; programmatically generating derived labels using the soft pseudo labels; training one or more programmed machine learning neural Student models using the derived labels; receiving a target image; and applying an ensemble of one or more of the Student models to output one or more classifications of the target im
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mark Justin Parkinson, Michael Fitzke, Joseph Conrad Stack, André Dourson
  • Patent number: 11896018
    Abstract: A cooked dough product, such as a biscuit (cookie), comprising from about 10 wt. % to about 45 wt. % of an oil and/or fat component, and from about 0.25 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of ethylcellulose, based on the weight of said product. Also provided is a method of making a cooked dough product comprising the steps of: preparing a dough containing a flour, water, from about 10 wt. % to about 45 wt. % of an oil and/or fat component, and from about 0.25 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of ethylcellulose, based on the weight of the ingredients excluding added water; and cooking the dough at a temperature of at least about 140° C. The ethylcellulose is effective to reduce oil migration from the cooked dough products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrea Cattaruzza, Stewart Radford, Alejandro Gregorio Marangoni
  • Patent number: 11890104
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining timing of parturition onset in non-human animals are provided. Specifically, a software application platform which provides a user with the ability to receive customized information relating to an animal's estimated parturition onset as displayed on a user interface. A user can input data, for example, one or more animal specific biomarkers, and subsequently receive identification of a predicted parturition onset timing and customized recommendations and/or intervention steps for the specific animal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Claire Mariani, Sylvie Chastant-Maillard, Hanna Mila, Fanny Aguer, Aurélien Grellet, Achraf Adib-Lesaux
  • Patent number: 11889848
    Abstract: The invention provides a sugar composition for use in the manufacture of foodstuffs, said composition comprising a suspension of a fine sugar having a mean particle size of less than 30 microns in glucose syrup. This composition allows for energy efficient production of products including frappe, and methods as well as apparatus used in these methods form further aspects of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jasper Theodoor Peters, Theodor Anton Hermanus Johannes Prinsen
  • Publication number: 20240037734
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for analyzing an input image that includes a view of fecal matter. One example method includes: receiving an input image from a client device; determining that the input image comprises a view of fecal matter excreted by an animal; processing at least a portion of the input image comprising the view of the fecal matter using one or more machine learning models to generate a classification of the fecal matter or a health assessment of the animal; generating a recommendation for the animal based on the classification of the fecal matter or the health assessment of the animal; and displaying information related to the recommendation for the animal to a user. Some embodiments involve outputting confidence scores associated with one or more of the other outputs. Some embodiments implement Client-Server architecture and follow a Software as a Service (SaaS) model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Michael Wolfgang FITZKE, Mark Justin PARKINSON, André DOURSON, Robert Michael WIGGALL
  • Patent number: 11882947
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for displays are disclosed. The display includes a header and a stand, where the stand may be configured to house a plurality of consumer products. The header is movable between a shipping configuration and a display configuration, wherein it is shorter in the shipping configuration and requires little assembly to move to the display configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventor: Terry A. Chow
  • Publication number: 20240013891
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for providing an individualized nutritionally complete mixed diet for an animal In certain embodiments, the animal has one or more pathological condition(s). The present disclosure also provides a device for providing an individualized nutritionally complete mixed diet for an animal. A computer program capable of controlling the device to execute the steps of the method, and a computer-readable medium having stored thereon is further provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Karine BRECIN, Sally PEREA, Nicolas OSTERMANN, Jerome COCHET
  • Patent number: 11858282
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes a system for marking tablet-shaped articles. The system includes a hopper and a conveyor. The conveyor has opposing first and second side portions, and at least one pocket is defined in the conveyor between the opposing first and second side portions. The conveyor is configured to receive from the hopper a tablet-shaped article in the at least one pocket. A first window is defined in the first side portion of the conveyor. The first window defining an opening between the pocket and an external environment. The system further includes a first printing head adjacent the first side portion of the conveyor. The first printing head is configured to mark the tablet-shaped article through the first window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Rich A. Dipaolo, Frank C. Meshach, Alex A. Hanna, Stuart Alan Guinn, Ronnie Casteel
  • Patent number: 11858955
    Abstract: A flavor composition containing at least one HMG glucoside compound that can be used to enhance the taste of edible compositions including sweet goods, such as confectionery goods, and savory goods, such as pet foods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: John Didzbalis, John P. Munafo
  • Publication number: 20230419201
    Abstract: A method for service location optimization may include methods for deriving service location utilization data from video, predicting an operational characteristic of a service location, optimizing an operational characteristic of a service location, and presenting a user interface for user-directed optimization of an operational characteristic of a service location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Asif Gulambhai PACHIGAR, Anuj SETHI, Matthew D. SCHERZER, Michael WEINSTOCK, Michael C. PEDI, Sumeet PUNDLIK, Kanika GOYAL, Debasis PANDA, Suman Kumar RANA, Pranav ALVA
  • Publication number: 20230411020
    Abstract: Methods of characterizing health states and overall Quality of life (QoL) for animals are provided. Predictive modeling and computer systems related to health assessments are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Geert DE MEYER
  • Publication number: 20230404041
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for dynamically managing electronic transactions of pet homing data is disclosed. The method includes receiving a pet selection, sending a confirmation indicating that the pet has been homed, determining whether at least one pet owner profile corresponding to at least one user record exists in a data store, in response to the determining that the at least one pet owner profile does not exist in the data store, creating a new pet owner profile based on the at least one user record, determining whether the at least one pet profile corresponding to at least one pet record exists in the data store, in response to determining that the at least one pet profile does not exist in the data store, creating a new pet profile based on the at least one pet record, and associating the new pet profile with the new pet owner profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventor: Aaron KLEIN
  • Patent number: D1013434
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rory Johnston, Steve Waters, Matthew Austwick, Chris MacKintosh, Regis Adam, Thibaud Capra, Bernhard Huptas, Daniel Muscheid, Michael Zeidler
  • Patent number: D1014166
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rory Johnston, Steve Waters, Matthew Austwick, Chris Mackintosh, Regis Adam, Thibaud Capra, Bernhard Huptas, Daniel Muscheid, Michael Zeidler
  • Patent number: D1015045
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rory Johnston, Steve Waters, Matthew Austwick, Chris Mackintosh, Regis Adam, Thibaud Capra, Bernhard Huptas, Daniel Muscheid, Michael Zeidler
  • Patent number: D1015046
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rory Johnston, Steve Waters, Matthew Austwick, Chris Mackintosh, Regis Adam, Thibaud Capra, Bernhard Huptas, Daniel Muscheid, Michael Zeidler