Patents by Inventor Alec Barker

Alec Barker 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: 20250075705
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a fan wheel, a motor directly coupled to the fan wheel and configured to drive rotation of the fan wheel, and an enclosure. The enclosure includes a first side panel, a second side panel, and a curved panel extending from the first side panel to the second side panel to define an internal volume of the enclosure. The first side panel includes an air inlet opening formed therein, the second side panel includes a main panel and a cover panel configured to removably couple to the main panel, the main panel includes an opening and a slot formed therein, the motor is configured to be disposed at least partially within the opening and to mount to the second side panel in an assembled configuration of the blower assembly, the cover panel is configured to occlude the slot in the assembled configuration, and the motor and the fan are removable from the enclosure via the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Randal H. Edmunds, Steven M. Maddox, Leonie Oehm Packard, David Woodward, William M. Harris, John Loyd McElvany, Alec Barker, Kevin Manh Cao, Jed David Rimmer, Jeffery B. Russler, Sumedh Suryawanshi, Michael Anthony Williams, Randall W. Thurman, Samuel Hembree
  • Patent number: 10403130
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assessing road traffic conditions in various ways based on obtained traffic-related data, such as data samples from vehicles and other mobile data sources traveling on the roads, as well as in some situations data from one or more other sources (such as physical sensors near to or embedded in the roads). The assessment of road traffic conditions based on obtained data samples may include various filtering and/or conditioning of the data samples, and various inferences and probabilistic determinations of traffic-related characteristics from the data samples. In some situations, the filtering of the data samples includes identifying data samples that are inaccurate or otherwise unrepresentative of actual traffic condition characteristics, such as data samples that are not of interest based at least in part on roads with which the data samples are associated and/or that otherwise reflect vehicle locations or activities that are not of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: INRIX, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig H. Chapman, Oliver B. Downs, Alec Barker, Mitchel A. Burns, Jr., Scott R. Love
  • Patent number: 10001379
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for routing a user between events using an itinerary. An event source (e.g., electronic calendar) may be assessed to identify event information (e.g., event locations) for events (e.g., meetings). The event information may be evaluated to determine a schedule of events. Routes between events within the schedule may be identified to determine route information (e.g., predicted travel times) for the routes. The event information and the route information may be evaluated to generate an itinerary of events. In an example, a constraint may be identified (e.g., a traffic accident along a route). The constraint may be evaluated to determine an impact (e.g., a user arriving to the meeting event late) of the constraint on the itinerary. Responsive to the impact exceeding an adjustment threshold, the itinerary may be adjusted (e.g., modifying a route between one or more events to avoid the accident).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: INRIX INC.
    Inventors: Alec Barker, Cory Bradshaw
  • Publication number: 20170059337
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for routing a user between events using an itinerary. An event source (e.g., electronic calendar) may be assessed to identify event information (e.g., event locations) for events (e.g., meetings). The event information may be evaluated to determine a schedule of events. Routes between events within the schedule may be identified to determine route information (e.g., predicted travel times) for the routes. The event information and the route information may be evaluated to generate an itinerary of events. In an example, a constraint may be identified (e.g., a traffic accident along a route). The constraint may be evaluated to determine an impact (e.g., a user arriving to the meeting event late) of the constraint on the itinerary. Responsive to the impact exceeding an adjustment threshold, the itinerary may be adjusted (e.g., modifying a route between one or more events to avoid the accident).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Alec Barker, Cory Bradshaw
  • Publication number: 20170004706
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assessing road traffic conditions in various ways based on obtained traffic-related data, such as data samples from vehicles and other mobile data sources traveling on the roads, as well as in some situations data from one or more other sources (such as physical sensors near to or embedded in the roads). The assessment of road traffic conditions based on obtained data samples may include various filtering and/or conditioning of the data samples, and various inferences and probabilistic determinations of traffic-related characteristics from the data samples. In some situations, the filtering of the data samples includes identifying data samples that are inaccurate or otherwise unrepresentative of actual traffic condition characteristics, such as data samples that are not of interest based at least in part on roads with which the data samples are associated and/or that otherwise reflect vehicle locations or activities that are not of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Craig H. Chapman, Oliver B. Downs, Alec Barker, Mitchel A. Burns, JR., Scott R. Love
  • Patent number: 9449508
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assessing road traffic conditions in various ways based on obtained traffic-related data, such as data samples from vehicles and other mobile data sources traveling on the roads, as well as in some situations data from one or more other sources (such as physical sensors near to or embedded in the roads). The assessment of road traffic conditions based on obtained data samples may include various filtering and/or conditioning of the data samples, and various inferences and probabilistic determinations of traffic-related characteristics from the data samples. In some situations, the filtering of the data samples includes identifying data samples that are inaccurate or otherwise unrepresentative of actual traffic condition characteristics, such as data samples that are not of interest based at least in part on roads with which the data samples are associated and/or that otherwise reflect vehicle locations or activities that are not of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig H. Chapman, Oliver B. Downs, Alec Barker, Mitchel A. Burns, Jr., Scott R. Love
  • Patent number: 9299251
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to identify decision point locations at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.), as well as to track the actual use by drivers of particular paths between particular decision points in order to determine preferred compound links between those decision point locations. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Robert Cahn, Weimin Mark Wang, Alec Barker, Robert Frederick Leidle
  • Patent number: 9257042
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to determine actual delays for vehicles encountering various particular road features in the network of roads, such as for identified decision points at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.) and/or for other traffic flow impediments. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Robert Cahn, Weimin Mark Wang, Alec Barker, Robert Frederick Leidle
  • Patent number: 9257041
    Abstract: Techniques are described for determining and using information regarding expected road traffic flow conditions information for vehicles traveling on roads. The expected road traffic flow conditions for a particular portion of a road may be generated by combining historical representative information about road traffic flow conditions for that road portion with current information about actual traffic flow on or near that road portion. The combination may, for example, provide benefits for estimating expected traffic flow conditions information for roads with structural flow obstructions that cause reduced traffic flow at certain road locations and times—for example, the expected traffic flow conditions information may be based at least in part on fitting or otherwise adapting partial actual traffic flow information about a vehicle's actual travel path to a historical travel profile for a road that includes representative traffic flow information for various combinations of road locations and time periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Laurence Scofield, Robert C. Cahn, Jesse Hersch, Wayne Stoppler, Valerie Raybold Yakich, Alec Barker
  • Publication number: 20140309914
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to identify decision point locations at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.), as well as to track the actual use by drivers of particular paths between particular decision points in order to determine preferred compound links between those decision point locations. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Robert Cahn, Weimin Mark Wang, Alec Barker, Robert Frederick Leidle
  • Patent number: 8738285
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to identify decision point locations at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.), as well as to track the actual use by drivers of particular paths between particular decision points in order to determine preferred compound links between those decision point locations. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Robert Cahn, Weimin Mark Wang, Alec Barker, Robert Frederick Leidle
  • Patent number: 8615354
    Abstract: Techniques are described for displaying or otherwise providing information to users regarding various types of road traffic condition information in various ways. The information may be provided, for example, as part of a user interface (or “UI”), which may in some situations further include one or more types of user-selectable controls to allow a user to manipulate in various ways what road traffic condition information is displayed and/or how the information is displayed. A variety of types of road traffic condition information may be presented to users in various manners, including by presenting information on graphically displayed maps for geographic areas to indicate various information about road conditions in the geographic area. In addition, provided controls may allow users to select particular times, select particular routes, indicate to perform animation of various types of changing traffic conditions over a sequence of multiple successive times, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Alec Barker, Todd Asher, Mitchel A. Burns, Oliver B. Downs, Craig H. Chapman, Robert C. Cahn
  • Patent number: 8275540
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating predictions of future traffic conditions at multiple future times, such as by using probabilistic techniques to assess various input data while repeatedly producing future time series predictions for each of numerous road segments (e.g., in a real-time manner based on changing current conditions for a network of roads in a given geographic area). In some situations, one or more predictive Bayesian models and corresponding decision trees are automatically created for use in generating the future traffic condition predictions for each geographic area of interest, such as based on observed historical traffic conditions for those geographic areas. Predicted future traffic condition information may then be used in a variety of ways to assist in travel and for other purposes, such as to plan optimal routes through a network of roads based on predictions about traffic conditions for the roads at multiple future times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver B. Downs, Craig H. Chapman, Alec Barker
  • Publication number: 20120136561
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating predictions of future traffic conditions at multiple future times, such as by using probabilistic techniques to assess various input data while repeatedly producing future time series predictions for each of numerous road segments (e.g., in a real-time manner based on changing current conditions for a network of roads in a given geographic area). In some situations, one or more predictive Bayesian models and corresponding decision trees are automatically created for use in generating the future traffic condition predictions for each geographic area of interest, such as based on observed historical traffic conditions for those geographic areas. Predicted future traffic condition information may then be used in a variety of ways to assist in travel and for other purposes, such as to plan optimal routes through a network of roads based on predictions about traffic conditions for the roads at multiple future times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: INRIX, INC.
    Inventors: Alec Barker, Craig H. Chapman, Oliver B. Downs
  • Patent number: 8190362
    Abstract: Techniques are described for displaying or otherwise providing information to users regarding various types of road traffic condition information in various ways. The information may be provided, for example, as part of a user interface (or “UI”), which may in some situations further include one or more types of user-selectable controls to allow a user to manipulate in various ways what road traffic condition information is displayed and/or how the information is displayed. A variety of types of road traffic condition information may be presented to users in various manners, including by presenting information on graphically displayed maps for geographic areas to indicate various information about road conditions in the geographic area. In addition, provided controls may allow users to select particular times, select particular routes, indicate to perform animation of various types of changing traffic conditions over a sequence of multiple successive times, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Alec Barker, Todd Asher, Mitchel A. Burns, Oliver B. Downs, Craig H. Chapman, Robert C. Cahn
  • Publication number: 20110288756
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assessing road traffic conditions in various ways based on obtained traffic-related data, such as data samples from vehicles and other mobile data sources traveling on the roads, as well as in some situations data from one or more other sources (such as physical sensors near to or embedded in the roads). The assessment of road traffic conditions based on obtained data samples may include various filtering and/or conditioning of the data samples, and various inferences and probabilistic determinations of traffic-related characteristics from the data samples. In some situations, the filtering of the data samples includes identifying data samples that are inaccurate or otherwise unrepresentative of actual traffic condition characteristics, such as data samples that are not of interest based at least in part on roads with which the data samples are associated and/or that otherwise reflect vehicle locations or activities that are not of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: INRIX, INC.
    Inventors: Craig H. Chapman, Oliver B. Downs, Alec Barker, Mitchel A. Burns, JR., Scott R. Love
  • Patent number: 8065073
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating predictions of future traffic conditions at multiple future times, such as by using probabilistic techniques to assess various input data while repeatedly producing future time series predictions for each of numerous road segments (e.g., in a real-time manner based on changing current conditions for a network of roads in a given geographic area). In some situations, one or more predictive Bayesian models and corresponding decision trees are automatically created for use in generating the future traffic condition predictions for each geographic area of interest, such as based on observed historical traffic conditions for those geographic areas. Predicted future traffic condition information may then be used in a variety of ways to assist in travel and for other purposes, such as to plan optimal routes through a network of roads based on predictions about traffic conditions for the roads at multiple future times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver B. Downs, Craig H. Chapman, Alec Barker
  • Publication number: 20110224898
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to identify decision point locations at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.), as well as to track the actual use by drivers of particular paths between particular decision points in order to determine preferred compound links between those decision point locations. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Robert Cahn, Weimin Mark Wang, Alec Barker, Robert Frederick Leidle
  • Publication number: 20110224893
    Abstract: Techniques are described for generating and using information regarding road traffic in various ways, including by obtaining and analyzing road traffic information regarding actual behavior of drivers of vehicles on a network of roads. Obtained actual driver behavior information may in some situations be analyzed to determine actual delays for vehicles encountering various particular road features in the network of roads, such as for identified decision points at which drivers face choices corresponding to possible alternative routes through the network of roads (e.g., intersections, highway exits and/or entrances, etc.) and/or for other traffic flow impediments. The identified and determined information from the analysis may then be used in various manners, including in some situations to assist in determining particular recommended or preferred routes of vehicles through the network of roads based at least in part on actual driver behavior information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Robert Cahn, Weimin Mark Wang, Alec Barker, Robert Frederick Leidle
  • Patent number: 8014936
    Abstract: Techniques are described for assessing road traffic conditions in various ways based on obtained traffic-related data, such as data samples from vehicles and other mobile data sources traveling on the roads, as well as in some situations data from one or more other sources (such as physical sensors near to or embedded in the roads). The assessment of road traffic conditions based on obtained data samples may include various filtering and/or conditioning of the data samples, and various inferences and probabilistic determinations of traffic-related characteristics from the data samples. In some situations, the filtering of the data samples includes identifying data samples that are inaccurate or otherwise unrepresentative of actual traffic condition characteristics, such as data samples that are not of interest based at least in part on roads with which the data samples are associated and/or that otherwise reflect vehicle locations or activities that are not of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig H. Chapman, Oliver B. Downs, Alec Barker, Mitchel A. Burns, Jr., Scott R. Love