Patents Assigned to Vulcan, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11670080
    Abstract: An augmented-reality system classifies a subject observed in video data obtained from a first area. A goal of a user of an augmented reality device is determined based on video data obtained from a second area. A correlation between the goal of the user and the classification of the subject is determined. An augmented reality display is generated to include a visual indicia of the subject, the visual indicia generated to represent the correlation between the goal and the classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Earl Simpkinson, Omer Rosenbaum, Rusty Allen Gerard, Keith Rosema
  • Publication number: 20160335898
    Abstract: The current document is directed to a system that allows drone operators to confine drone flights to safe flight areas that are computed automatically or specified by an end user. Certain implementations of the system focus on consumer applications while others allow commercial and municipal users to define safe conduits within urban, rural and industrial areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: VULCAN, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Caplan, Andrew Hicki, Keith Rosema
  • Patent number: 9367807
    Abstract: The current application is directed to methods, and to systems employing the methods, that allow built-in indexing methods for facts, to additionally be applied to rules within a logic-programming system. The methods and systems to which the current application is directed convert an original set of rules into an equivalent set of fact/rule pairs. In addition, a new set of rules may be directly encoded as a new set of fact/rule pairs by these methods and systems. The equivalent set of fact/rule pairs implement the original set of rules, preserving the meaning of the original rules, but the equivalent set of fact/rule pairs are indexed by built-in indexing methods for facts. The new fact/rule pairs are also indexed by built-in indexing methods for facts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Nathan Grosof, Michael Kifer
  • Publication number: 20140297415
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to flexible, user-adapted, continuous searching, on behalf of a particular user, for points of interest relevant to the user's current location within a specifically computed personal region of interest. In a general case, the personal region of interest is computed as a function of the user's level of disposition towards the searched-for points of interest. The level of disposition towards the searched-for points of interest may, in turn, be based on two or more of the user's location, the current date and time, a history of the user's interaction with the POI-searching system, including user-initiated searches and user selections from displayed search results, a user profile developed for, and continuously updated on behalf of, the user, and a current context for the search, as specified by a search query or by other context-specifying means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventors: John Chu, Robert Arnold, Mark Malleck, Stuart Graham, Jeremy Calvert, Dennis Schneider
  • Patent number: 8370321
    Abstract: Various system embodiments of the present invention are directed to an automated concierge system through which users of the automated concierge system can request and obtain many types of information and services. Unlike traditional search engines and electronic query-processing interfaces, the automated concierge systems provide much greater flexibility with respect to means of access, including types of electronic devices and communications media that can be used to access the concierge services, greater flexibility in the timing of responses to information and service requests, more efficient information and service provision, and access to a much broader range of information sources and service providers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventors: John Chu, Jeff Bowden, Christopher W. Jones, Stuart Graham, Robert E. Arnold, Paul G. Allen, Hubert E. Kolde
  • Patent number: 8060538
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to acquiring information from the worldwide web, organizing information acquired from the worldwide web, and using the acquired and organized information to facilitate web-page searching, web-page browsing, and other worldwide-web-based activities. In one embodiment of the present invention, a database of concept objects is created from an initial set of semantic objects and from hyperlink information obtained from web pages by one or more web crawlers. The initial set of semantic objects is processed using hyperlink based objects created by the web crawler. The processed semantic objects are then associated with additional hyperlink-based objects to create a concept-object database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen G. Hall, Arun T. Jacob, Mark Thomas Greaves, Paul G. Allen
  • Patent number: 7720844
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to flexible, user-adapted, continuous searching, on behalf of a particular user, for points of interest relevant to the user's current location within a specifically computed personal region of interest. In a general case, the personal region of interest is computed as a function of the user's level of disposition towards the searched-for points of interest. The level of disposition towards the searched-for points of interest may, in turn, be based on two or more of the user's location, the current date and time, a history of the user's interaction with the POI-searching system, including user-initiated searches and user selections from displayed search results, a user profile developed for, and continuously updated on behalf of, the user, and a current context for the search, as specified by a search query or by other context-specifying means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventors: John Chu, Robert Arnold, Stuart Graham, Mark Malleck, Dennis Schneider, Jeremy Calvert
  • Patent number: 7358959
    Abstract: Audio, video, text and image presentation systems allow visitors to display facilities and other public spaces to proactively select detailed information about the various items located within such facilities and spaces. Exemplary embodiments can be used in a museum exhibition to convey detailed information relating to museum artifacts. Alternatively, embodiments can be used in a convention center or retail environment to deliver information relating to products or services. Advantageously, information content delivered to the user includes high-quality audio, video and static images and, through a combination of selection functionality and bookmarking functionality, exemplary systems provide a link between the public space elements (e.g., artifacts, products, services, etc.) and additional, still more detailed information delivered off-line via another medium such as the World Wide Web (WWW) or a fixed workstation environment within the public space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Fitzsimmons, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6604089
    Abstract: An online buying group (referred to herein as a “co-op”) is formed for the specific purpose of purchasing a particular product at (102) by defining a start time, end time, critical mass, any minimum number of units offered, any maximum number of units offered, starting price and product cost curve. As data is gathered from buyers, by means of their making binding purchase offers, the co-op is modified at (108) using a pricing tool, so as to take into account for this market data in the definition of the price curve. A buyer chooses a product co-op of interest at (114). The buyer is presented with the following essential co-op information: current price, closing time, next price level (as defined by a price curve visibility window and the price curve) sufficient to entice the buyer to make an offer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Van Horn, Niklas Gustafsson, Dale Woodford
  • Patent number: D956593
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Vulcan, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Hamlin